I Wish I Were In Paris

Peter King (R-NY) Supported Terrorists (IRA)

2011-03-08T13:36:00.000-06:00

Republican Representative Peter King of New York plans to hold "hearings" on radical Muslims this week. Call me crazy, but isn't it a little hypocritical for a supporter of TERRORISTS to be holding hearings about potential TERRORISTS?

"Regarding the 30 years of violence during which the IRA killed over 1700 people, including over 600 civilians, King said, ""If civilians are killed in an attack on a military installation, it is certainly regrettable, but I will not morally blame the IRA for it"."

Now I don't profess to understand "radical" Islamic ideology. But don't the two groups hold similar beliefs? The IRA was at "war" with Britain and attacked their military installations without any qualms about killing civilians. Radical Muslims are supposedly at war with the United States and attacked a military installation (The Pentagon) without any qualms about civilian deaths. Sounds the same to me!!

Yet Peter King apparently saw nothing wrong with defending terrorists who fit the very image that he's conjured up about Muslims.

Peter King was friends with Anto Murray who "planned or authorised every IRA bombing, shooting and killing in the city of Belfast." Peter King even gave the terrorist mastermind's wife Lucy a tour of the United States Capitol. Nice huh?

Wait, it gets even better!!

King became involved with an organization called NORAID which was believed to be supplying the terrorists (IRA) with weapons and financing their activities. Aiding and abetting terrorists? Giving aid and comfort to the enemy? Sound familiar?

King "refused to condemn IRA activities in the UK." Ironic considering that he accuses Muslims of doing the same thing, refusing to condemn terrorist activities.

King is also a staunch opponent of illegal immigration. His hypocrisy knows no bounds!! "In 2008, King spoke in defense of bail for a fugitive IRA member, Pól Brennan, who had escaped from prison in the UK and been detained in Texas 15 years later. The IRA member, who had broken out of prison during the Maze Prison escape and entered America illegally,[25] was being held without bail after his work permit expired; King said: "My experience dealing with (Irish) republicans is that they don't jump bail in this country. They honor their commitments.""

This man was not only a fugitive for having escaped prison in the UK, but he was also an ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT who was caught in the United States. Yet King supported letting him out on bail because he was going to "honor his commitments like any good old Irish Republican does." How about honoring the commitment to serving out the damn prison sentence? Oh no!! He was after all, in Peter King's own words, "A brave man who was struggling against British imperialism." because he was a member of the IRA.

I don't want to assume that he still holds the same beliefs. However, the only reason he distanced himself from supporting the IRA was because the Irish people opposed the invasion of Iraq. It was certainly not because the IRA was a terrorist organization. Despite the United States labeling it as such, Peter King still supported the IRA and its members.

Imagine a Peter King-esque politician holding "hearings" about Peter King-like individuals who supported a terrorist organization, refused to denounce terrorism, and had radical beliefs. Peter King may have found himself in a place like GITMO.

Pot...Meet Kettle!!

US Says No To Extradition Of Accused Mass Murderer

2010-11-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

A US judge has denied a request from Argentina to extradite an accused mass murderer.

One of the reasons that he gave was that "Bravo's actions could be justified because they occurred as part of a political disturbance — an attempt by leftist guerrillas to overthrow the Argentine government."
I'm just curious!! How far do you think that excuse would fly in the United States if citizens of this country attempted to overthrow this government, and murdered people in the process? Do you think this judge or any judge for that matter would say that it's okay? That mass murder was justified? I don't think so!!

And what a coincidence that he just happens to work for a company that is tied to the US government!! Big shocker!!

I suggest that when the US wants someone extradited from Argentina, Argentina tells the US to fuck off!!

Gloria & Her Fifteen Minutes

2010-05-14T17:08:00.000-05:00

Doesn't Gloria Allred have anything better to do? If she isn't a lawyer for every mistress in this country, she's a lawyer for someone else.

Her latest client is an actress who claims that Roman Polanski sexually abused her when she was 16. I don't know if the story is true or not, but I do have a few questions.

1. If she was raped by Roman Polanski, why the hell did she make a movie for him four years later? Was she that desperate for a job or a buck that she was willing to work for her RAPIST? I don't care how desperate I was for a job or a buck. I would never work for a man who raped me.

Hell, I quit my job because a co-worker threatened to kill people at work and nobody took it seriously. I needed that job and the money. But I wasn't willing to sacrifice my self-respect or my safety for that job or the money.

2. Why didn't she report the crime in France when it happened? Even if nobody believed her or he was found not guilty it would have at least been reported.

3. Why now? She claims that the reason she came forward now was because "he was fighting extradition and that his legal team is portraying his previous offense against a minor as an isolated instance."

Unless she doesn't own a tv, a radio, doesn't read a newspaper/magazine, or use the Internet, there is no way in hell that she hasn't heard about his arrest in Switzerland or his fight for extradition until now.

4. What does she hope to gain from this? Money? Fame?

By the way, Gloria Allred might want to give the correct advice to her clients. As far as we're being told, this woman never filed a report over the alleged rape. Thus, nobody knows what really happened. He was never charged with raping her in France. So, he doesn't have a legal history in this "case". And the United States courts can't charge him for an alleged rape that took place in another country because they don't have jurisdiction.

So what's my point? My point is, this woman's allegation can't be used to influence any sentencing decision that is made if or when Roman Polanski is extradited from Switzerland. If they attempt to use it to influence his sentence, I believe he has major grounds for an appeal.

Gloria Allred needs to go away because her 15 minutes have long since expired!! What's that I hear? Oh, it's another mistress calling!!

The Catholic Church Is At It Again!!!!!

2010-04-02T16:40:00.001-05:00

As you all know by now, I don't like the Catholic Church. I never have. I never will. So, it doesn't come as any shock to me that a member of the Catholic Church would have the audacity to compare the criticism and outrage over its child sex abuse scandal to the horror of the Holocaust.

The Pope's personal preacher made the comparison, and actually tried to attribute those comments to a Jewish friend. I'm not going to debate whether or not a Jewish friend made those comments. The point is, the preacher repeated those comments without disputing the ridiculous comparisons.

Meanwhile, the Pope sat there while these comments were being made and said nothing. Now, the Vatican is trying to "distance itself" from these comments. Don't you think it's a little too late for that? The time to distance the Pope from these comments was when they were being made, not hours later. He could have stood up and denounced it but he didn't. Instead, he chose to sit there in silence and say nothing. Silence and inaction is apparently his way of dealing with things.

The reality of the situation is that the Catholic Church knew about the countless cases of physical and sexual abuse of children at the hands of its priests and nuns all over the world. Yet they did nothing to stop it. Instead, they covered it up. They sent these priests to other parishes where they continued to abuse children. Or they just turned a blind eye to the situation.
Now they want to declare themselves victims of some evil plot by outsiders to undermine and destroy the Catholic Church with their "gossip".

This is not GOSSIP Mr. Ratzinger. This is REALITY!! The reality of the situation is that Catholic priests and nuns all over the world have abused children, and the Catholic Church has done everything in its power to cover that up.

I don't know of a single organization that is allowed to investigate itself over allegations of any kind, let alone allegations of physical and sexual abuse of children by members of that organization. Nor do I know of a single organization that isn't required to report these allegations to the proper legal authorities for investigation.

These victims aren't gossiping. They aren't trying to undermine and destroy the Catholic Church. They're seeking JUSTICE for themselves and others. They are seeking to expose this horrific evil that was perpetrated upon them through no fault of their own.

For years many of them were forced to remain silent. I believe that their stories deserve to be told to the entire world because it's long overdue. The world needs to hear the truth instead of allowing the guilty to hide behind their robes and God.

The real VICTIMS deserve far more, but at the very least they deserve to have the truth be told!!

NBC SUCKS!!!!!

2010-03-01T19:01:00.000-06:00

What the hell was NBC thinking last night when they cut away from the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics, and put The Marriage Ref on for an hour instead?

I've never seen that in my entire life!! Ever!!

Hopefully NBC will not receive the rights to broadcast the Olympics after 2012!! I say that the IOC should award that contract to a network that will actually SHOW the Olympics and all that it brings instead of having shitty and disrespectful coverage!!

Dick Button & MSNBC

2010-02-26T17:02:00.000-06:00

Dick Button was just interviewed on MSNBC about the Women's Figure Skating last night at the Olympics.

When asked about the US women, Button said that Mirai Nagasu was "worthy of a medal" last night. I was waiting for a follow-up question to be asked but it never was.

If Mirai Nagasu was "worthy of a medal" then who does Dick Button believe wasn't worthy of the medal that they got last night? MSNBC didn't ask him that question. I really want to know who he thinks didn't deserve a medal.

Was it Joannie Rochette or Mao Asada? It certainly wasn't Kim Yu-Na!! People on the Internet actually had the audacity to say that Rochette didn't deserve bronze and the only reason she got it was because her mother died. Real nice!!

Personally, I believe those who won their medals earned their medals. Kim Yu-Na was flawless and amazing!! Mao Asada was great. Granted, she had a few mistakes but nothing that warranted a drastic reduction in her score. Joannie Rochette skated a great program too. She had a few mistakes too. But her score from the short program combined with the long program was more than enough to keep Mirai Nagasu off the podium!!

Tis a shame Dick!!!!!

Mike Milbury Should Be Fired!!

2010-02-25T10:09:00.000-06:00

Mike Milbury should be fired for his disgusting rant about the Russian hockey team yesterday.

After Russia lost to Canada yesterday in men's hockey, Milbury was asked how the game became so one-sided. His response was that Russia "brought their Euro-trash game".

He called them Euro trash. I can't say that I'm surprised or shocked that he would say something like that. What do you expect from an asshole American? I notice that he didn't have the balls to say it to their faces though. I wonder why that is!! Could it be because if he did say it to their faces he would have gotten his ass kicked?

Later on they aired an interview with Alexander Ovechkin. He was being asked why they lost and if they were intimidated by Canada. Ovechkin responded by saying that they weren't intimidated but just didn't play well in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Afterwards Milbury started in on Ovechkin. He basically called Ovechkin a liar who couldn't tell the truth. He said that the "truth" was that of course Russia was intimidated by Canada. They played horribly. Ovechkin didn't play well, and so on.

I don't think that I need to remind people that the Russian team wasn't made up of almost all pros like the other teams were. If you have pros versus amateurs who do you think is going to win?

The only TRASH I saw last night was Mike Milbury!! If he's not fired, I suggest that he doesn't bother to show his face in Sochi in four years. He's clearly worn out his welcome!! Way to respresent the Olympic Spirit there Mike!! Douchebag!!

It's Time To Stop With The Animal Cruelty

2010-02-24T18:13:00.000-06:00

I can't say that I'm surprised that a whale at Sea World killed a trainer today.

Let's be honest here!! What did anyone expect? It's a wild animal. It's not meant to be kept hostage in a swimming pool for the purpose of entertaining humans.

While I do feel very bad for the trainer who was killed and for her family, I don't feel sorry for people who do this shit to animals. Wild animals don't belong in cages, behind glass, fenced in, or sitting in pools. They belong out in the wild. They deserve to be FREE.

It's time to stop with the animal cruelty, and the use of animals for our entertainment. Otherwise, there are going to be more stories like this one.

NBC And Their Double Standards!!!!!

2010-02-24T09:24:00.000-06:00

You have to hand it to NBC!! They sure are assholes with double standards!!

On the morning of February 12th Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died while practicing on the luge track for the Olympics. By that afternoon, every network including NBC was showing the footage of his crash and death.

At first, CNN refused to air the footage because it was horrifying. NBC had no problem showing it though. In fact, they kept playing it over and over again to the point of being grotesque. They showed no respect for Nodar's family. After airing the footage for what seemed like the billionth time, they made the decision not to show it anymore. A little late don't you think?

I wonder why they really pulled the footage. Could it be because viewers were disgusted by this sick display of "curiosity"? Could it be because viewers threatened to boycott the coverage and NBC altogether? It certainly wasn't done out of respect for the family. If they had any respect, they would have never shown the footage to begin with.

To add insult to injury, they also had reporters in Georgia to get reaction from the people there including his family. This man died and they threw a camera and a microphone in his father's face. Real nice!!

Along came double standard number one. They ran a piece on Kevin Pearce, the American snowboarder who suffered a brain injury during training in December.

There's no footage of his accident. I certainly don't want to see it either. But I have to ask, why couldn't they show that kind of respect to Nodar's family? Why show one accident but not the other? Is it because they know they'd be sued by this family if they did? Because they thought they could get away with it with the other family because everyone was curious and it happened at the Olympics? Because one man died and the other didn't?

The other double standard happened with Joannie Rochette whose mother died a few days ago. They didn't throw a camera and a microphone in her face to get a reaction. Instead, they put Dan Jansen on the tv for an interview. I couldn't help but think that it came across more about Dan Jansen instead of about Joannie Rochette and her grief.

I get that Dan Jansen's sister died before his race at the Olympics. But the death of Rochette's mother isn't about Dan Jansen and what he went through. It's about Joannie Rochette and what she's going through. That interview was totally unnecessary. NBC didn't need to do it, and shouldn't have done it!! Dan Jansen offered his support and condolences in private. Leave it alone NBC!!

NBC needs to stop turning tragedies into an attempt to get ratings. They've been beyond disrespectful and downright disgusting!!

Double Standard.....Double Standard.....Double Standard!!!!!

2010-02-24T08:36:00.001-06:00

Last night was the night of the DOUBLE STANDARD!!

I seem to recall that a week ago at the Olympics, the men's figure skating competition was "so not about the jumps". Instead, it was about the total package. This came out of the mouths of Scott Hamilton and Dick Button.

When Plushenko kept talking about being able to do a quad and criticized the competition for not being able to do the same, Hamilton and Button both essentially said SO WHAT. In fact, Hamilton said that it's called figure skating for a reason because it's not all about the jumps.

Yet last night when the women skated it was all about the.....JUMPS!! That's right!! The jumps!! Hamilton made sure to emphasize the fact that Mao Asada of Japan was the only woman in the competition who was doing a triple axel. He did that not once but several times!! Then, they kept showing you the instant replays of every jump that a skater did.

So let me get this straight!! Men's figure skating is not about jumps but about the whole package because that's what figure skating is all about. But women's figure skating is about the jumps and not the whole package.

If you're Plushenko, nobody gives a damn if you were the only one who could land a quad jump. If you're Mao Asada, you're the best skater because you're the only one who did a triple axel.

Double standard ANYONE?

The Night They Killed Figure Skating Is RIGHT!!!!!

2010-02-19T16:24:00.001-06:00

Elvis Stojko's commentary was 99.999% correct. Last night was absolutely the night that figure skating died. However, I do disagree with him on one thing which I will mention later.

Last night was a complete and utter joke. Evan Lysacek did NOT deserve to win the gold medal. Not only did his program not include a quad, but it was totally BORING. There was nothing "magical" or memorable about what he did. If you didn't know who was actually out on the ice it could have been anybody's program.

He wants to complain that Evgeni Plushenko "spoiled his moment" because Plushenko was upset that he got SCREWED out of the gold and wasn't afraid to say it. Sorry, but Lysacek was given a moment that he didn't deserve.

As far back as I can remember figure skating has always been about what you can do, jump wise. But everyone seems to act like JUMPS mean nothing anymore. If you don't have jumps you might as well just be ice dancers because figure skating is about far more than just spins and footwork.

Furthermore, what is this 10% bonus all about for doing jumps in the second half of your program? It wasn't in the pairs competition. Is it going to be in the women's competition? Quite frankly, I think it cheapens the competition. It essentially penalizes a skater for doing their jumps on their terms instead of when the judges want it done. Shenanigans!!

As I already said, I disagree with Stojko on one thing. He believes that Johnny Weir deserved to be in fifth place instead of sixth. I believe he deserved to be higher.

I don't like Johnny Weir. Not because of his personality or anything, but because I don't know anything about him. I haven't followed his career. So, I didn't have an opinion about him going into last night's program.

Johnny Weir deserved a medal last night. Johnny Weir skated the program of his life. It was amazing to watch, and he was an amazing skater. Johnny Weir had a far more interesting and moving performance than Lysacek. He was not an arrogant American last night!! He was Johnny Weir, a man who knows who he is and what he is capable of doing!!

Johnny Weir's moment was SPOILED by the judges. It was certainly not his skating that cost him a medal last night. He was far better than Chan from Canada and Lambiel from Switzerland. And if you really want to get down to it, he was better than Takahashi from Japan who fell on his quad attempt.

So to Johnny I say, Вы победитель!!

And to Evgeni I say, Вы были победителем независимо от того, какой любое говорит. Вы всегда будете победителем, и никто может принять то далеко от вас!!

Protecting the wrong person!!!!!

2010-02-15T18:11:00.001-06:00

I'm back after a long hiatus, and I thought I would share my recent experience with everyone.

Almost a month ago a former co-worker of mine threatened to kill people at work. That's right!! He made a verbal threat in front of me that he was going to go on a shooting rampage. When I asked him why, he said because it was long overdue.

Needless to say, I reported the threat to company security.

So, what do you think happened?

Absolutely nothing, unless you consider a conversation DISCIPLINE!! That's right!! The company did nothing to the man who made the threat. As far as I know he still works there. People all around the world are arrested for far less than threatening to kill your co-workers.

When I reported this threat I honestly thought that something would be done. Boy, was I an idiot!! They believed this man when he said that it was just a joke. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again, for the life of me I can't understand how anyone would think that threatening to kill people is funny or a joke.

It became abundantly clear to me that this company was not going to take this threat seriously. They made their choice, and I made my choice. So I sit here currently unemployed and looking for a new job because my former employer chose not to protect the rest of their employees. Instead, they chose to protect the man who threatened to kill them.

That ought to look nice on my resume!!!!! Reason for leaving: Death threats from co-worker, and employer did nothing about it!!

ONE BIG FAT HOAX!!

2009-10-16T16:34:00.003-05:00

You've all heard the story by now. If you believe this family, you're as stupid as we all were when we fell for it yesterday.

The kid was on Larry King last night and when asked why he didn't come out when his family called him he said, "Because you guys said we were doing this for a show." The kid outed them on national television. The father says that he's appalled that anyone would question the validity of this story. I'm appalled that he thinks anyone is stupid enough to believe it.

He later "clarified" the kid's comment by saying, "He's six. I don't think he really understood the question." It's not a complicated question, even for a six year old DADDY. That kid knew exactly what the question was and he answered it.

The story has changed a million times. It was reported that the kid crawled into the balloon and released the ropes himself. That has since been proven FALSE by the family's own video footage. The family was in the backyard having a countdown, and the FATHER released the balloon. When he realized that it had floated higher than he thought he started getting pissed.

They did NOT look like people who were scared that their kid was inside the balloon that was flying away.

He reportedly told authorities that there was a box attached to the bottom of the balloon and that's what the kid crawled into. He said that the box fell off while it was flying around. Again, the family's own video footage debunks that story as well. In the video, you can clearly see that there was never anything attached to the bottom of the balloon.

He reportedly called the FAA first. Then he called a tv news station. Finally, he called 911. What rational person calls the FAA and then a tv station instead of calling 911 immediately? Nobody!!

I say that this is all one big fat HOAX.

These people are clearly not above exploiting themselves and their family for 15 minutes of fame. They've been on tv before, and there are reports floating around that they've tried to pitch ideas for their own tv show.

What better way to extend their 15 minutes and get a ton of deals!!

It's really rather pathetic if you think about. If this is a hoax, the parents need to be arrested for fraud. They also should be paying back every penny spent on this ridiculous bullshit.

Like someone asked last night, how many IMPORTANT stories went unreported because we were all too busy and too stupid to report on this batshit crazy family? How many kids really went MISSING yesterday while this bullshit was going on?

French Vogue Accused Of Racism

2009-10-14T16:44:00.004-05:00

French Vogue is being accused of racism after a white model's skin was made black for a photograph.

This is NOT racist. Nor is it meant to be offensive. It is simply a photograph.

Now before anybody decides to chime in on this subject and say it's racist, I'd like to remind you of a few little tidbits.

As someone pointed out in the comments section for this story, NOBODY had a problem with the movie WHITE CHICKS in which two black actors portrayed white women. In fact, people thought it was funny. Where was the outcry about racism? Nowhere. And why? Because it wasn't racist. Neither was this photograph.

On the fourth season of America's Next Top Model, the contestants participated in a photoshoot in which they were made up to take on a different ethnicity. A white model was made up to portray an African American woman. A black model was made up to portray a Korean woman. Other models were made up to portray other ethnicities as well. Where was the outcry about racism? Nowhere. And why? Because it wasn't racist. Neither was this photograph.

Those are just two examples!! I could name many more.

This photograph is not even close to what took place on the Australian TV show mentioned in this story. That was racist, offensive, and just totally ridiculous. This is not!!

Well Lock Me Up And Throw Away The.....

2009-10-03T20:33:00.003-05:00

Have you heard about this?

Big Police Departments Back Anti-Terror Citizen Watch

WASHINGTON — A store clerk's curiosity about why Najibullah Zazi was buying large quantities of beauty supply products indicated that something about the transaction wasn't quite right — and it's an example of the kind of citizen vigilance that can combat terror, a police commander said Saturday.

Los Angeles police Cmdr. Joan McNamara cited this summer's incident as police chiefs meeting in Denver adopted a model for a nationwide community watch program that teaches people what behavior is truly suspicious and encourages them to report it to police.

Federal authorities allege Zazi, 24, tried to make a homemade explosive using ingredients from beauty supplies purchased at Denver-area stores. He has been jailed in New York on charges of conspiracy to detonate a weapon of mass destruction in a plot that may have targeted New York City. Zazi has denied the charges.

Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton, who developed the iWatch program with McNamara, called it the 21st century version of Neighborhood Watch.

The Major Cities Chiefs Association, headed by Bratton and composed of the chiefs of the 63 largest police departments in the U.S. and Canada, endorsed iWATCH Saturday at its conference in Denver.

iWATCH would have provided a way for that Colorado store clerk and others to report suspicious activity to police and possibly launch an investigation earlier, McNamara said.

"That clerk had a gut instinct that something wasn't right," he said.

Using brochures, public service announcements and meetings with community groups, iWATCH is designed to deliver concrete advice on how the public can follow the oft-repeated post-Sept. 11 recommendation, "If you see something, say something."

Program materials list nine types of suspicious behavior that should compel people to call police, and 12 kinds of places to look for it. Among the indicators:

—If you smell chemicals or other fumes.

—If you see someone wearing clothes that are too big and too heavy for the season.

—If you see strangers asking about building security.

—If you see someone purchasing supplies or equipment that could be used to make bombs.

The important places to watch include government buildings, mass gatherings, schools and public transportation.

The program also is designed to ease reporting by providing a toll-free number and Internet Web page the public can use to alert authorities. Los Angeles put up its Web site this weekend.

"It's really just common sense types of things," Bratton said, adding that his department is providing technical assistance to other agencies that want to adopt the program.

But American Civil Liberties Union policy counsel Mike German, a former FBI agent who worked on terrorism cases, said the indicators are all relatively common behaviors. He suspects people will fall back on personal biases and stereotypes of what a terrorist looks like when deciding to report someone to the police.

"That just plays into the negative elements of society and doesn't really help the situation," German said.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration proposed enlisting postal carriers, gas and electric company workers, telephone repairmen and other workers with access to private homes in a program to report suspicious behavior to the FBI. Privacy advocates condemned this as too intrusive, and the plan was dropped.

Bratton and McNamara said privacy and civil liberties protections are built into this program.

"We're not asking people to spy on their neighbors," McNamara said.

If someone reports something based on race or ethnicity, the police will not accept the report, and someone will explain to the caller why that is not an indicator of suspicious behavior, McNamara said.

The iWATCH program isn't the first to list possible indicators of suspicious behavior. Some cities, like Miami, have offered a public list of seven signs of possible terrorism. Federal agencies also have put out various lists.

Other efforts encourage the public and law enforcment to report such signs through dozens of state-run "fusion centers" across the country. One such center, the Colorado Information Analysis Center, has a form on its Web site to report suspicious activity.

Bratton hopes the iWATCH program becomes as successful and as well known as the Smokey Bear campaign to prevent wildfires.

"There he is with his Smokey the Bear hat, similarly here, we hope that this program, even though it's in its birthing stages right now, in a few years will become that well know to the American public."

Seriously, this is the last thing that this country needs. We do not need some paranoid Americans calling the police on every person that they see and they think is acting or looking suspicious.

"We're not asking people to spy on their neighbors," McNamara said.
Really? Then what are you doing because it sure as hell sounds like you're asking people to spy on other people?

Not only is this a waste of time, but it's a joke!!

I guarantee you that probably about 99% of the population fits into one or more of the categories of "suspicious" behavior.

* If you smell chemicals or other fumes - Well, if you work with or are around chemicals as part of your job, you better watch out. Someone might get suspicious and call the police. If you're around gas pumps, be careful. You might end up smelling like it, and someone might call the police. Oh, and let's not forget those who just got perms. The smell might be mistaken for bomb-making materials so don't be alarmed if the ATF, FBI, and others break down your front door.

* If you see someone wearing clothes that are too big and too heavy for the season - Guilty as charged!! Lock me up and throw away the key!! I wear clothes that are too big for me. Not to mention, I wear sweatshirts, jeans, and sometimes even corduroy pants when it's warm outside. Ooh, I guess that makes me a terrorist!! Hell, I wore a hooded sweatshirt this summer when it was 75 and hotter than hell in my office at work. Maybe my boss should have called on me!! After all, that makes me one of those "evil-doers". Right?????

* If you see strangers asking about building security - And? That doesn't make you a terrorist. Perhaps people ask about building security because they actually might want to know that they're SECURE WHERE THEY'RE AT!!

* If you see someone purchasing supplies or equipment that could be used to make bombs - Well, then you have to lock every last person up and charge them with terrorism because at some point in their lives they've purchased something that could be used to make a bomb.

When is this going to stop?

Forget it!! This will never stop. It didn't with Bush. It isn't with Obama. And it won't with the next one!!

IT'S RIO!! IT'S RIO!! IT'S RIO!!

2009-10-02T12:26:00.002-05:00

IT'S RIO!!

I'm so happy today!! Rio was awarded the 2016 Olympics!!

What makes this even sweeter is the fact that Chicago was the first city booted from the running!! For all the shit talking that Michelle Obama did in the past few days, being the first city booted is KARMA!!

I'll be looking forward to 2016 when the WORLD finally gets to see an Olympics on a continent that has never hosted them before. It's about damn time!!

AFRICA MUST BE NEXT!!

OBAMA & HIS PRIORITIES!!

2009-10-01T17:59:00.002-05:00

I would officially like to thank Obama for showing the American people and the rest of the world what he considers to be a "priority".

Is it creating jobs?

Is it making sure that every American has health care coverage, and decent medical care?

Is it making sure that every American gets an affordable and decent education?

Is it trying to curb the violence in Chicago?

Is it trying to end the discrimination against gay people?

Is it trying to end our illegal and immoral wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Is it helping the people in OUR U.S. Territory of American Samoa who just had a massive earthquake and tsunami?

It's none of the above!!

His priority is to hop a plane and plead for the 2016 Olympics to be awarded to Chicago.

Personally, I would like to see the Olympics be awarded to Rio. Give it to a country and a continent that has NEVER hosted an Olympics. The United States is NOT the center of the universe, contrary to what many Americans think!!

I had to laugh when I read a story on a UK site about the Olympics. Chicago and delightful were used in the same sentence. Yeah, tell that to the family of the latest teenager in Chicago who was beaten to death, and whose death was videotaped and aired for all the world to see. Tell that to the families of those who are murdered in Chicago on a daily basis. Tell that to the victims who are lucky enough to survive.

Last summer I had a discussion about Chicago. I said that Chicago was one of the most violent cities in this country. An ignorant person responded that "Chicago wasn't even in the top 10 list of most violent cities". While that may be true, one can only imagine where Chicago will rank this year. They're deserving of NUMBER ONE!! But I'll bet you ten bucks they aren't because GOD FORBID WE TELL IT LIKE IT IS IN THIS COUNTRY. GOD FORBID WE TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS "DELIGHTFUL" CITY.

ISN'T IT NICE TO KNOW THAT OUR PRESIDENT HAS HIS PRIORITIES STRAIGHT?

Kanye West & The "Backlash"

2009-09-14T17:25:00.002-05:00

I'm sure by now most if not all of you have heard about Kanye West and the MTV Video Music Awards last night.

Kanye West outburst mars MTV music video awards

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The MTV video music awards held on Sunday paid tribute to the late Michael Jackson, but was overshadowed by an outburst by rapper Kanye West, who interrupted an acceptance speech by U.S. singer Taylor Swift.

West, who is known for his outspoken ways, jumped up on stage while the 19-year-old Swift was making an acceptance speech for best female video for her hit song "You Belong With Me," beating out singers including Beyonce Knowles and Lady Gaga.

"I am really happy for you," West said. "But Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time."

MTV said West, who was spotted earlier on the red carpet drinking alcohol, was ejected from an awards show already known for its circus-like atmosphere. West received loud boos from the crowd when his name was mentioned later in the show.

West apologized on his website. "I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom," he wrote. "... I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!"

Beyonce took the show's top honor -- video of the year -- for her single "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" before recalling her first MTV award with her old band, Destiny's Child, and calling back Swift to the Radio City Music Hall stage to finish her acceptance speech.

"I would like Taylor to come out and have her moment," she said, before the country music star reappeared and thanked her fans.

MTV said Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Green Day won three awards apiece, the most of any artists on this year's awards show.

Do I like Kanye West? No!! Do I think that Kanye West is an asshole? Yeah, he is!! But give me a fucking break!!

First of all, it's not like he attacked Taylor Swift!! All he did was get up on the stage during her acceptance speech and say that Beyonce had one of the greatest videos of all-time. You can't tell me that Beyonce wasn't eating that up!!

Second of all, she's not somebody's little child or baby like a CNN anchor was trying to claim earlier today. She's not 17. She's an adult. If she can't handle the fact that someone doesn't agree with her win or doesn't like her, then maybe the entertainment business isn't the place for her!!

Now you've got Donald Trump calling for a boycott of Kanye West and his music. You've got all of these celebrities calling him a piece of shit and the scum of the earth. You've got Joe Jackson calling for Kanye West to be black-listed. Please!! Then you've got an "American Gladiator" threatening to kick West's ass. Isn't that called MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS?

I ask these bitches the following questions:

Where were they when Chris Brown beat the shit out of Rihanna, and could have killed her? Why weren't they offering their support to her, and boycotting him? Why do they still treat him with respect?

They were nowhere to be found!!

But more importantly, where were they when their fellow musicians The Dixie Chicks were threatened with DEATH for stating their opinion about George Bush? Did they stand up for them, and threaten to kick the asses of those who were issuing the death threats? Did they ever stand up for their right to an opinion?

No, they didn't!! Not one of them stood up for the Dixie Chicks. Not one of them said to stop with the death threats.

All of a sudden this poor little girl is unable to defend herself against the big EVIL Kanye West who did nothing more than state an opinion, and everyone wants to "kill" him. Grow up!!

And Taylor, grow a pair!! This is not the last time you will ever face a negative reaction. It's called LIFE!! Deal with it!!

Have You Heard The One About The...

2009-09-09T17:53:00.004-05:00

Have you heard the one about the "hijacked" Mexican flight? No, this is not the beginning of a joke. Although, the story is rapidly becoming a joke!!

I tuned in to CNN's coverage of this story this afternoon. This all went down during Rick Sanchez's show. He sat there "interpreting" what the Mexican news was saying. For someone who is fluent in Spanish, he sure didn't sound like it. He couldn't interpret half of what was being said. While the plane was already on the ground and had been for a little while, he's sitting there saying that the plane is attempting to land in Mexico City.

So as you can see, the coverage alone was a joke!!

But it gets even better!!

First there were 3 hijackers.

Then there were 5 hijackers.

Five turned into 7 or 8.

Eventually the number of people arrested were 8. However, now apparently there was only 1 hijacker. Or at least that's what the story makes it sound like.

Who is this "hijacker"?

Well, he's a "Bolivian drug addict and alcoholic who calls himself a church minister." Not only that but, "September 9, 2009 is significant to him." "It's also 666 backwards"? WTF?

Wait though!! The joke continues!! He "hijacked" the plane because he wanted to "fly to Mexico City to warn them about an earthquake."

SURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drunken, "Christian" whack American perhaps?

For all this talk about Bolivian hijackers, there sure appeared to be an awful lot of white guys in cuffs that were dressed in what I would label American-esque garb. Granted, I've never been to Bolivia before so I don't know what someone from Bolivia might wear. But I'll tell you right now, the younger guys that were arrested looked like your typical American beach bum in board shorts and a t-shirt.

Just to add a little more BS to the story, the passengers can't even agree on what happened. At least two say that the flight was peaceful, and that they wouldn't have known the plane was "hijacked" had it not been for the emergency vehicles on the runway and the police arresting these men. Another one says that it was "very intense" and that the pilot told them to remain calm. Were these people even on the same plane?

WTF INDEED!!

UPDATE: I removed the posting of the story because they have changed the name of the "hijacker". I don't want an innocent person's name posted here!!

Sacramone BALONEY!!

2009-08-14T17:53:00.002-05:00

I'm sure that I'll be blasted by fans of Alicia Sacramone, but I could care less!!

Sacramone: 'Unfinished business' ends retirement

Beijing Olympian Alicia Sacramone, who had announced her retirement from competitive gymnastics, told NBC Sports she plans to return to the gym with a goal of competing in the 2012 Olympic Games.

Sacramone’s 2008 Summer Games didn’t go as planned -- the former world floor champion failed to advance to the individual final, and she fell twice during the team final (beam and floor), in which the U.S. finished second to China.

Sacramone, 21, cites "unfinished business" as her primary reason for returning. "I obviously didn’t have the best showing at the Olympics," she said, “and I want to prove to myself and to others that I can do better."

Sacramone, who will be 24 in London, has spent the last year making appearances, recuperating from shoulder and knee injuries and exploring her options in fashion and acting. Sacramone expects to return to the Boston area, where she is from, to train, and plans to transfer from Brown University to another school.

The 2009 Visa (U.S.) Championships begin Thursday for the women in Dallas. While Sacramone will not be competing, Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin is expected to compete on bars and beam. This is a home meet of sorts for Liukin, who lives and trains in the Dallas area. She has said she plans on competing through the London Games.

Contenders for the U.S. all-around title include Olympic silver medalist (team) Bridget Sloan and alternate Ivana Hong, who has recently relocated to the Dallas area to train alongside Liukin. Shawn Johnson, who won four medals in Beijing, including beam gold, will also be a spectator in Dallas. Johnson has not made a decision regarding her future in the sport, but says she plans to return to the gym to evaluate whether she still has the desire to compete at the elite level.

She retired, and now she wants back in to "prove" to the world that she's worthy!! Give me a break!!

First of all, perhaps someone should point out to her that she must EARN a spot on the team for the 2012 Olympics. When the time comes, we'll see if she's good enough to go to London. If she's not good enough and others are, she better not be given a spot on the team just so that she can attempt to "redeem" herself.

Second of all, why do these athletes all talk about coming out of retirement to "prove" something. If she wants to compete, fine!! But compete because you really want to be there, not because you have something to PROVE!!

She reminds me of Michelle Kwan. She didn't like the medal that she got so she kept coming back, and in the end she never got what she wanted.

So the question must be asked. If she EARNS a spot for London and doesn't win there, is she going to retire and then come back to "prove" something in 2016? What about 2020 and beyond?

When does it end?

"The Canadian Health Care System Isn't For the US"

2009-08-11T06:18:00.003-05:00

That's nice, Mr. Obama.

I'm glad you speak for the entire country.

Care to explain what's wrong with the Canadian health care system?

You know these whackjobs that are going to these town hall meetings, the ones that are claiming that Obama's going to kill you with his plan?

They're jumping in bed with Barack today, praising him like he's the greatest lover they've ever had, after that statement.

If this statement was a way to try and butter these dullards up, I'm going to need a bigger barf bag.

History That Will Get No Play Today

2009-08-06T07:05:00.003-05:00

As is typical of the US and the murders they commit.

Today is the sixty-fourth anniversary of the mass murder committed in Hiroshima, Japan, by the US government, via their enforcers, the US military.

At least 140,000 people were murdered instantly.

Barack Obama counts Harry Truman as one of his heroes.

You can see why I can't count Barack Obama as one of mine, can't you?

LIARS!!!!!

2009-08-01T14:34:00.003-05:00

The U.S. military occupies a country and bombs the hell out of it because they're bringing "freedom" to the people. The U.S. military sets up command at a historical site and destroys it because they're "protecting" it. When presented with the facts, the U.S. military says that they respect historical places. Really? I don't think so!!

U.S. troops accused of damaging Babylon's ancient wonder

(CNN) -- The U.S. military did major damage to the site of one of the wonders of the ancient world while converting it into a base, the United Nations said in a new report.

The site of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was converted into Camp Alpha shortly after the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.

The troops and their contractors caused "major damage" by digging, cutting, scraping and leveling while they were revamping the site to meet military standards, the U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, said in a report.

"Key structures that were damaged include the Ishtar Gate and the Processional Way," the report added.

The Ishtar Gate, an entrance to the northern part of the city, is decorated with animals that portray the symbol of the god of the city of Babylon.

"Damage to the gate includes smashed bricks on nine of the bodies of the animals adorning the gate," according to the report.

A military official said she had not seen the U.N. report, but added that one of the reasons troops set up a base at the site was to safeguard it.

"Coalition forces first occupied the Babylon site in April 2003 during the ground campaign of Operation Iraqi Freedom with a purpose, among others, of protecting the ruins from looting after the provincial museums in Babylon and Kufa were robbed of their entire contents," said Lt. Col. Tamara Parker, a spokeswoman.

"U.S. forces respect historical sites in Iraq," she added.

The United Nations lists additional damage to the site, including trenches used as firing positions and barbed wire secured to various spots.

The stakes used to set up the barbed wire damaged walls, according to the report.

Babylon, an hour's drive south of Baghdad, dates to ancient Mesopotamia. The city on the banks of the Euphrates River was the home of Hammurabi and later Nebuchadnezzar, who built the famous gardens for his wife. Alexander the Great wished to make Babylon his capital, but died before realizing his plan.

During colonial times, archaeologists hauled off Babylon's artifacts to Europe. Some of those artifacts can be seen in a museum in Berlin, Germany.

The site was occupied by Camp Alpha from September 2003 till December 2004, the report said.

The United States has agreed to pay $800,000 to help rehabilitate the Babylon site, an Iraqi official said.

"We were very disappointed when multinational forces took over these ancient sites as bases although they knew how important these sites are to Iraqis and to the entire world," said Abdulzahra al-Talaqani, spokesman for the ministry of tourism.

Plans are under way to clean up the area in August with the help of hundreds of volunteers, according to al-Talaqani.

The U.N. report noted that U.S. troops were not solely responsible for ruining the 4,000-year-old city. Before their arrival, local residents had contributed to the damage, mostly through development, the report said.

"The features of the western side of the city of Babylon disappeared many years ago due to encroachment by agriculture and development on the archaeological zone," the report said.

I have a little comment to those who compiled the U.N. report. The difference between the local people and the U.S. military is that the local people didn't show disrespect to this ancient place. They didn't go in and destroy it purposely. The U.S. military did that, and they didn't care. Then they had the audacity to claim that they have respect for the place. Yeah right!!

Israel Arrests Former Member Of Congress And White House Says Nothing!!

2009-07-02T18:09:00.004-05:00

Israel arrested a former member of Congress who attempted to bring aid to the Palestinians. As of now, the White House has said absolutely nothing.

Cynthia McKinney Remains Imprisoned in Israel After Gaza-Bound Boat Is Seized

Former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney and several other human rights activists remain in an Israeli prison after refusing to sign a deportation form that they claim is self-incriminating.

Former U.S. lawmaker and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney and several other human rights activists remained in an Israeli prison Thursday after refusing to sign a deportation form that they claim is self-incriminating.

In a press release from the Green Party, McKinney said the form states that the Spirit of Humanity, a Greek-flagged relief boat carrying 21 activists, medical supplies, cement, olive trees and children's toys en route to Gaza, was violating the Israeli blockade and trespassing the country's territorial waters.

"We were in international waters on a boat delivering humanitarian aid to people in Gaza when the Israeli Navy ships surrounded us and illegally threatened us, dismantled our navigation equipment, boarded and confiscated the ship," she said in a statement, adding that they were immediately taken into custody.

"Immigration officials in Israel said they did not want to keep us, but we remain imprisoned," she said.

"State Department and White House officials have not effected our release or taken a strong public stance to condemn the illegal actions of the Israeli Navy of enforcing a blockade of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians of Gaza, a blockade that has been condemned by President Obama."

The Israeli military issued a statement Tuesday saying that the boat had attempted to break a blockade of Gaza and was forced to sail to an Israeli port after ignoring a radio message to stay out of waters around Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor has said Israel was planning to free the crew and passengers.

"Nobody wants to keep them here," he said earlier this week. "They will be released as soon as they are checked."

But so far, only two activists have been released -- both Israeli citizens. The others are still being held in Givon prison in Ramla, Israel.

Israeli authorities will hold the remaining activists in the prison for three more days before the government decides to release them or continue to detain them, the Green Party release said.

While it was the second time in a year that McKinney's relief boat was seized by an Israeli naval ship, it's the first time that longtime supporter of Palestinians has been detained.

The White House has bitched and moaned about North Korea arresting two U.S. citizens for what they called "bogus" charges. The White House bitched and moaned about Iran arresting a U.S. citizen for what they called "bogus" charges. Israel ILLEGALLY arrests a former member of Congress, and there's not a peep out of their mouths.

Where's Clinton? She sure has a big mouth when it comes to North Korea and Iran. What's she afraid of? Being labeled an anti-Semite?

Where's Obama? He has a big mouth about everything else. What's he afraid of?

The Israeli military ILLEGALLY arrested a U.S. citizen because she dared to attempt to bring aid to the Palestinians. How dare she, right? How dare she try to help people who have been terrorized by the Israeli military for years!! How dare she try to help people who need it!!

This just proves that our government has no backbone when it comes to Israel. If it were any other country, they'd be out there demanding her release. But since it's Israel, they're content to continue kissing Israel's ass!!

If I were Cynthia, I wouldn't sign the deportation form either. It's bullshit!!

The Sweet Smell Of Victory!!

2009-06-28T17:51:00.002-05:00

The moral of the story is, CHEATERS NEVER WIN!! Despite being screwed out of a goal that EVERYONE clearly saw and knew was a goal, Brazil really didn't need it in the end. They won!!

CONGRATULATIONS BRAZIL!!!!!

KBR, Hexavalent Chromium, Lies, And The Military!!

2009-06-27T21:26:00.006-05:00

Why is this such a shocker? To this day people are still denying that Gulf War Syndrome exists. Those with GWS have been told that it's ALL IN THEIR HEAD.

Dozens of National Guard Soldiers Sick After Iraq 2003 Deploy, Toxic Chemical Eyed

Larry Roberta's every breath is a painful reminder of his time in Iraq. He can't walk a block without gasping for air. His chest hurts, his migraines sometimes persist for days and he needs pills to help him sleep.

James Gentry came home with rashes, ear troubles and a shortness of breath. Later, things got much worse: He developed lung cancer, which spread to his spine, ribs and one of his thighs; he must often use a cane, and no longer rides his beloved Harley.

David Moore's postwar life turned into a harrowing medical mystery: nosebleeds and labored breathing that made it impossible to work, much less speak. His desperate search for answers ended last year when he died of lung disease at age 42.

What these three men — one sick, one dying, one dead — had in common is they were National Guard soldiers on the same stretch of wind-swept desert in Iraq during the early months of the war in 2003.

These soldiers and hundreds of other Guard members from Indiana, Oregon and West Virginia were protecting workers hired by a subsidiary of the giant contractor, KBR Inc., to rebuild an Iraqi water treatment plant. The area, as it turned out, was contaminated with hexavalent chromium, a potent, sometimes deadly chemical linked to cancer and other devastating diseases.

No one disputes that. But that's where agreement ends.

Among the issues now rippling from the courthouse to Capitol Hill are whether the chemical made people sick, when KBR knew it was there and how the company responded. But the debate is more than about this one case; it has raised broader questions about private contractors and health risks in war zones.

Questions, says Sen. Evan Bayh, who plans to hold hearings on the issues, such as these:

"How should we treat exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals as a threat to our soldiers? How seriously should that threat be taken? What is the role of private contractors? What about the potential conflict between their profit motives and taking all steps necessary to protect our soldiers?

"This case," says the Indiana Democrat, "has brought to light the need for systemic reform."

For now, dozens of National Guard veterans have sued KBR and two subsidiaries, accusing them of minimizing and concealing the chemical's dangers, then downplaying nosebleeds and breathing problems as nothing more than sand allergies or a reaction to desert air.

KBR denies any wrongdoing. In a statement, the company said it actually found the chemical at the Qarmat Ali plant, restricted access, cleaned it up and "did not knowingly harm troops."

Ten civilians hired by a KBR subsidiary made similar claims in an arbitration resolved privately in June. (The workers' contract prevented them from filing suit.)

This isn't the first claim that toxins have harmed soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan; there have been allegations involving lead, depleted uranium and sarin gas.

This also isn't the first challenge to KBR, whose billions of dollars of war-related contracts have been the subject of congressional scrutiny and numerous legal claims.

Among them are lawsuits recently filed against KBR and Halliburton Co. — KBR's parent company until 2007 — that assert open-air pits used to burn refuse in Iraq and Afghanistan caused respiratory illnesses, tumors and death. (KBR says it is reviewing the charges. Halliburton maintains it was improperly named and expects to be dismissed from the case.)

Earlier this year, several members of Congress asked Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to investigate potential burn pit hazards. He replied that his agency is conducting a health study of 30,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and noted the VA "has learned important lessons from previous military conflicts" as it deals with environmental exposure questions.

Some veterans advocates say the military is more attuned to health risks than it was in Vietnam and the Gulf War, but still falls short.

"I'm a realist — things are going to get burned, things are going to be blown up," says Tom Tarantino, an Iraqi veteran and policy associate at the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "But I think the DOD (Department of Defense) could do a better job at tracking what people are exposed to. If there's a big pit outside your base, you need to know what's going on and do tests ... so if people start getting sick, they won't spend years trying to figure out what's wrong with them."

This isn't a natural fit, he concedes, since the Defense Department "is a war-fighting agency, not an environmental protection agency. But I think there's a lack of information out there."

This case stems from the chaotic start of the war in 2003 when a KBR subsidiary was hired to restart the plant, which had been looted of equipment, wiring, even metal roofing and siding. The Iraqis had used hexavalent chromium to prevent pipe corrosion at the plant, which produced industrial water used in oil production.

It's the same chemical linked to poisonings in California in a case made famous in the movie "Erin Brockovich."

Hexavalent chromium — a toxic component of sodium dichromate — can cause severe liver and kidney damage and studies have linked it to leukemia as well as bone, stomach, brain and other cancers, according to an expert who provided a deposition for the civilian workers.

The chemical "is one of the most potent carcinogens know to man" and it can "enter every cell of the body and potentially produce widespread injury to every major organ in the body," said Max Costa, chairman of New York University's Department of Environmental Medicine.

KBR, however, says studies show only that industrial workers exposed to the chemical for more than two years have an increased risk of cancer — and in this case, soldiers were at the plant just days or months.

The company also notes air quality studies concluded the Indiana Guard soldiers were not exposed to high levels of hexavalent chromium. But Costa says those tests were done when the wind was not blowing.

Both soldiers and former workers say there were days when strong gusts kicked up ripped-open bags of the chemical, creating a yellow-orange haze that coated everything from their hair to their boots.

"I was spitting blood and I was not the only one doing that," recalls Danny Langford, who worked for the KBR subsidiary. "The wind was blowing 30, 40 miles an hour. You could just hardly see where you were going. I pulled my shirt over my nose and there would be blood on it. I also saw the soldiers. They had blood splotches on their masks."

Larry Roberta, a 44-year-old former Oregon National Guard member, remembers a strange metallic taste and dust everywhere. He sat on a bag of the chemical, unaware it was dangerous.

"This orange crud blew up in your face, your eyes and on our food," he says. "I tried to wash my chicken patty off with my canteen. I started to get sick to my stomach right away."

Roberta had coughing spells and agonizing chest pains, he says, that "went all the way through my back. Whenever I breathed, the pain got more sharp. ... Every day I went there, I had something weird going on."

Russell Kimberling, a former Indiana National Guard captain, had severe sinus troubles that forced his evacuation to Germany. After returning, he became alarmed one August day in 2003 while escorting some officials to the plant in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

"I jumped out of the truck and I turned around and they (KBR staff) had full chemical gear on," he says. "I looked at some of my soldiers and said, 'This can't be very good.'"

"They could have told us to put chemical suits on," Kimberling adds. "There are so many things that could have been done."

Ed Blacke, hired as plant health, safety and environmental coordinator, says he became worried after workers started having breathing problems and a former colleague sent him an internal KBR memo outlining the chemical's dangers. Blacke says when he complained at a meeting, he was labeled a troublemaker and resigned under pressure.

"Normally when you take over a job, you have a briefing — this is what's out there, here's what you need for protective equipment," says Blacke, who testified at a Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing last year. "There was nothing, nothing at all."

Blacke and Langford were among those whose civil claims were resolved in arbitration.

Kimberling is among nearly 50 Guard veterans — most from Indiana, a smaller number from Oregon and West Virginia — who've sued.

Mike Doyle, the Houston lawyer representing the soldiers and civilians, maintains KBR knew as early as May 2003 the chemical was there, but didn't close the site until that September.

"Once they (KBR) found out about it, they didn't tell anybody and they did everything to conceal it," he contends. "You have (KBR) managers in Houston, in Kuwait City who knew about this. Their staff was getting reports and soldiers and civilians who were in the field were told, 'No big deal. There's nothing to worry about.'"

The lawsuit cites minutes of an August 2003 KBR meeting that mentions "serious health problems at the water treatment plant" and notes "almost 60 percent of the people now exhibit the symptoms."

In a recent wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, KBR chairman William P. Utt suggested the company be given some latitude with its military contracts.

"We think there ought to be some consideration given in many of these claims to the same protections the government has from these suits that exist," he said.

He also said KBR has been unfairly targeted in war zones. "People think there's an opportunity here in Iraq, let's paint it on KBR, then we'll worry about making the facts precise or correct later," Utt said.

As for the water plant, KBR says once it learned of the chemical, it took precautions to protect workers, notified the Army Corps of Engineers and led the cleanup. It says the Corps had previously deemed the area safe.

KBR also points to Army tests of 137 Indiana Guard soldiers that showed no medical problems that could be linked to exposure, as well as a military board review that found it unlikely anyone would suffer long-term medical consequences.

But Bayh and Doyle say those tests were done too late to be valid and note that soil tests were taken after the contaminated area was covered with asphalt and gravel.

Doyle also disagrees with KBR's contention that workers weren't there long enough — weeks or months — to have elevated cancer risks.

It can take a long time for symptoms of illness to surface — five to 10 years or more for cancer. But some of those who say they were exposed are already ill.

Gentry, a retired lieutenant colonel who commanded the Indiana Guard unit, is in the late stages of lung cancer, which has spread to other parts of his body, according to his friend, Christopher Lee.

Gentry hasn't sued, but in a December 2008 deposition he recalled complaining to his superiors after his soldiers were told by KBR workers the orangish sand was a cancer-causing chemical. He said it was "very disappointing" that KBR managers didn't share that information.

"I'm dying because of it," he said.

While acknowledging he wasn't 100 percent certain that's why he has cancer, Gentry — who served a second tour in Iraq — said his doctor "believes the most probable cause was my exposure to this chemical."

KBR's actions, he said, had put "my men at risk that is unnecessary."

The Indiana, West Virginia and Oregon National Guards have sent hundreds of letters to soldiers notifying them of possible contamination and urging them to seek medical attention. The Oregon Guard also set up a Facebook page and reports about 15 soldiers have reported medical symptoms.

Bayh has introduced a bill calling for a special medical registry that would require the Department of Defense to notify all military members of exposure to potential toxins — and provide comprehensive medical care. (It would be limited to those serving after Sept. 11, 2001.)

A similar notification measure was approved Thursday in the U.S. House, an amendment to the defense authorization bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, an Oregon lawmaker.

All these measures come too late for 1st Sgt. David Moore, who served with Gentry.

He thought his persistent cough in Iraq would stop when he returned home. Instead, breathing became difficult; he eventually needed a chair in the shower because he could no longer stand, says his brother, Steve. Moore had nosebleeds, too, and boil-like rashes behind his ears and on his back, arms and legs. He went from doctor to doctor. "None of them could ever figure out what it was," his brother says.

By late 2007, the one-time construction worker — who had been "strong as an ox," and ran 3 1/2 miles every other day — couldn't even venture outside, Steve Moore says. But he didn't give up.

"He was always upbeat," his brother says. "He said, 'They'll figure it out, they'll figure it out.' He thought that until the last time I talked to him. You could see the fear in his eyes. They had him on 100 percent oxygen and he still couldn't breathe. He requested to be put on a ventilator so they could figure it out."

Moore died in February 2008. The cause was lung disease. His death was ruled service-related. His brother believes it was hexavalent chromium.

Larry Roberta, the former Oregon Guardsman who needed stomach surgery after his return, still has physical and emotional problems: Post traumatic stress. Mood swings. Nose polyps. Chest pains. Migraines that can keep him bedridden for days.

He takes two inhalers — he can't walk a block without them — and high blood pressure medicine every day and testosterone shots every two weeks.

"I have 100 percent disability," he says. "I've got a long laundry list of things that happened to me while I was there. If you add it all up, I'd be almost 200 percent disabled."

Roberta recently testified before Oregon lawmakers, urging them to set aside money for Guard members who develop cancer from exposure to the chemical.

His wife, Michelle, says her husband's illness has dramatically changed his outlook.

"He has no ambitions for life anymore," she says. "At his age, that makes me very sad. I worry about him every day."

Kimberling, the former Indiana Guardsman, struggles as well.

The father of two young children — he's a pharmaceutical salesman in Louisville, Ky. — says he hasn't been able to get life insurance because his possible exposure is mentioned on his medical records.

Sometimes, he says, it's hard to sort out his real aches from his fears.

"I feel like I'm a 38-year-old in a 60-year-old's body," he says. "There are a lot of things that seem to be going south a lot quicker than they should. Sinus problems ... pain in my joints that I've never felt before.

"I'm not sure if it's the anxiety of finding out about it or not. I kind of know and feel it's just a matter of time before it catches up with me."

Why would anyone expect anything more from KBR? They're not going to own up to what they knew, did, or didn't do.

What I find most disgusting is the following:

"KBR, however, says studies show only that industrial workers exposed to the chemical for more than two years have an increased risk of cancer — and in this case, soldiers were at the plant just days or months."

They need to go watch the movie Erin Brockovich. Yeah, they need to go watch a movie. It's a movie, but it's a movie based on a true story!! They just might learn a thing or two. But then again, that's expecting too much!!

By the way, my favorite part in Erin Brockovich was when they met with reps from PG&E. They offered the reps a glass of water. Just as the woman was about to drink it, they told her that it was water from a PG&E well.

Perhaps Congress will do the same!! Will KBR say it's harmless when they are the ones that actually have to ingest it? Or will they too flee from the room in horror?

Telling the truth is clearly something they're not capable of doing!! Making a buck or two is far more important!! Never mind that people are dying or dead!!

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T16:58:00.002-05:00

Sadly, the world lost a genius yesterday!!

The media prefers to talk shit about him, even after his death. The FANS prefer to honor him.

Remember him how you prefer to remember him. I will remember him for the genius that he was, and always will be!!

R.I.P. Michael!!

Worst Kept Secret

2009-06-24T16:40:00.002-05:00

This has to be the worst kept secret since the announcement that Jon & Kate were divorcing!!

SC Gov. Sanford admits affair after going AWOL

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After going AWOL for seven days, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday that he had secretly flown to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he was having an affair. Wiping away tears, he apologized to his wife and four sons and said he will resign as head of the Republican Governors Association.

"I've been unfaithful to my wife," he said in a bombshell news conference in which the 49-year-old governor ruminated aloud with remarkable frankness on God's law, moral absolutes and following one's heart. He said he spent the last five days "crying in Argentina."

Sanford, who in recent months had been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2012, ignored questions about whether he would step down as governor.

At least one state lawmaker called for his resignation. As a congressman, Sanford voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for "moral legitimacy."

The affair is now over, Sanford said, describing the woman who lives in Argentina as a "dear, dear friend" that he's known for about eight years and been romantically involved with for about a year. He said he's seen her three times since the affair began, and wife found out about it five months ago.

"What I did was wrong. Period," he said. His family did not attend the news conference, and his wife Jenny Sanford said she asked the governor to leave and stop speaking to her two weeks ago. The governor says he wants to reconcile, and his wife's statement said her husband has earned a chance to resurrect their marriage.

"This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage," she said.

Sanford denied instructing his staff to cover up his affair, but acknowledged that he told them he thought he would be hiking on the Appalachian Trail and never corrected that impression after leaving for South America.

"I let them down by creating a fiction with regard to where I was going," Sanford said. "I said that was the original possibility. Again, this is my fault in ... shrouding this larger trip."

Questions about Sanford's whereabouts arose early this week. For two days after reporters started asking questions, his office had said he had gone hiking on the trail.

Cornered at the Atlanta airport by a reporter from The State newspaper, Sanford revealed Wednesday morning that he'd gone to Argentina for a seven-day trip.

When news first broke about his mysterious disappearance, Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press she did not know where her husband had gone for the Father's Day weekend.

Sanford emerged Wednesday afternoon at a news conference, where he mused openly of his love of hiking and how he used to guide trips along the Appalachian Trail, and eventually tearfully apologized to his wife, his staff and his friends — but without yet saying what he was apologizing for.

"I hurt a lot of different folks," he said, occasionally choking up throughout the news conference that lasted about 20 minutes.

With those watching still wondering what he was admitting, Sanford said: "The odyssey that we're all on in life is with regard to heart."

Several residents said they were disappointed.

"He shouldn't have lied to us. He should have been up straight," said college student Gerald Walker, 19, in downtown Columbia. "It's very embarrassing for someone in a leadership role that we are supposed to respect, especially me being a young guy."

Glenn Mitchell, of Columbia, said he felt Sanford's absence showed a lack of concern for the state.

"He left the state unattended," said Mitchell, 54, out of work recuperating from surgery. "He just hasn't been there for us."

State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, called for Sanford's resignation.

"There is nothing left to save," Rutherford said. "There is no reason for him to remain as governor."

Sanford, a former three-term congressman, was elected governor in 2002. He has more than a year remaining in his second term and is barred by state law from running again.

The libertarian-leaning Republican was seldom a firebrand. But he was known for salting tales of family life into policy discussions.

He criticized the $787 billion federal stimulus law and efforts by legislators to claim a share of it by saying in tough times a family would sit around the table and find ways to cut spending.

His vocal battle against the Obama administration over the stimulus money won praise from conservative pundits, but ultimately, a state court order required him to take the money.

Jenny Sanford, a millionaire whose family fortune comes from the Skil Corp. power tool company, has been central to Sanford's political career. She ran his congressional campaigns and his first race for governor. She was an almost daily fixture at senior staff meetings, and often could be seen driving a minivan away from the Statehouse in the mornings.

The two met when Sanford, who has an MBA, was trying his hand on Wall Street. She was working at a brokerage house when he entered a training program.

As governor, Sanford has had seemingly endless run-ins with the GOP-dominated Legislature, once bringing pigs to the House chamber to protest pork barrel spending. He also put a "spending clock" outside his office to show how quickly a proposed budget would spend state money.

Sanford's announcement came a day after another prominent Republican, Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, apologized to his GOP Senate colleagues after revealing last week that he had an affair with a campaign staffer and was resigning from the GOP leadership.

Is he offering to resign or does he prefer to be impeached? After all, there's a "need for moral legitimacy."

I was watching the reaction to this news on MSNBC. Dan Rather was on. He actually said that Sanford was "almost a sympathetic figure" today. Don't make me choke!! He's an adulterer Dan!! But more importantly, he's a LIAR!! He lied to his staff who then lied to the people of South Carolina and the country.

First the lie was that he was taking a few days to regroup after losing the fight over stimulus money. The second lie was that he was hiking ALONE in the Appalachian Mountains. Seriously, nobody bought that story. What normal person goes hiking alone in the mountains? Nobody!! Not even a state governor!! The third lie was that he was hanging out in Atlanta. Sure, he was in Atlanta to catch a flight to Argentina!! Now the people are supposed to believe that he was crying for five days in Argentina, and didn't once see the woman he was having an affair with?

And THIS is a sympathetic character?

No, this is a lying adulterer who knew that he better say something because his dirty little secret was bound to come out sooner or later.

Other members of the media were suggesting that he be cut some slack because he was "being a man and told the truth". These are the same people who had no problem airing every last detail about Bill Clinton's affair. Hell, we're still talking about it today. These are the same people who have had no problem airing every last detail about the affair that John Edwards had.

Do I want to hear every last detail about Sanford's affair? Spare me the barf bag!! What I would like to see though is that he's treated like every other lying, cheating politician. No kid gloves!! No "sympathetic figure" portrayal!! No excuses!!

He should be impeached or he should resign from the job as governor. He not only lied, but he also failed to do his job when he left the state without a contingency plan in place and failed to notify anyone of his trip.

To Be Or Not To Be.....Impartial?

2009-06-21T20:35:00.006-05:00

I spent most of the weekend watching the U.S. Open and FIFA Soccer. I was so disgusted with the announcing at both events that I couldn't even tell you which was worse.

In the soccer match today, it was Egypt versus the US. As usual, it was the same announcers that always call the US games. During the match the Egyptian goalkeeper was kicked in the head, and was lying on the ground. One announcer accused the goalkeeper of faking injury because his "pride was hurt" after the US scored.

Even after it was obvious that he had been injured because he was bleeding and needed medical attention, this announcer still thought he was faking injury. The other announcer said that "he was on the ground too long to be faking". So what did the asshole announcer say? Did he express his concern for the injured goalkeeper? Hell no!! He said, "Oh, this delay will give us at least four additional minutes of playing time." He said nothing about hoping the player wasn't injured seriously after being kicked in the HEAD. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!

Had it been a US player that was injured he would have been calling for a red card, a penalty kick, a suspension, and demanding that everyone attend to the injured player. He would have never questioned the validity of the injury.

Later on in the match, he said absolutely nothing about the US taking out at least one Egyptian player by going at his legs. Instead he bitched about how the score should have been 2-0 because the US was robbed of a handball call/penalty kick, and was basically arguing for the ref to use INSTANT REPLAY. Nevermind the fact that Instant Replay isn't allowed in soccer.

This was the same announcer who prayed and begged for the refs not to count a goal in the US versus Italy match last week. When they decided that the goal wouldn't count, he actually said "Thank God".

The coverage and announcing at the US Open was just as disgusting and ridiculous.

They spent almost the entire day Saturday arguing back and forth with Al Roker about whether or not it was going to rain.

When Tiger Woods was playing like shit, they came up with every excuse in the book to explain that. First he got the "bad end of the draw". Then he "had bad weather on Thursday". Yeah, like he was the only player to play on Thursday in bad weather. Later on it was the course. It was the grass. Everything BUT Tiger Woods was to blame for Tiger Woods playing like shit!!

They wouldn't leave Phil Mickelson alone about his wife. It got to the point where he just wouldn't answer the questions that related to her anymore. Seriously!! The man's wife has cancer. Could they NOT leave him alone this weekend? Being in a tournament is hard enough. He didn't need to be bombarded with questions about his wife. They talked shit about his 3rd round today, almost insinuating that he just didn't want to win the US Open.

They were insulting to people who speak Spanish. Yesterday the question was, "What's the Spanish word for swish?" And in the most ignorant attempt to sound like they were speaking Spanish, one of the morons said "sweesh". Today they were showing Sergio Garcia playing and they showed a fan of his in the crowd. They again attempted to sound like they were speaking Spanish and in their asinine accent they said, "It's Elton Juan".

They talked shit all day long about the leader Ricky Barnes. They talked about how he hasn't done anything this year. They acted as if it was somehow insulting that he was the leader. Did you know that he has a girlfriend? They felt the need to tell people that, as if that has any bearing on golf.

Every single time they talked about David Duval, they felt the need to tell you that he is ranked 882nd in the world. But thanks for the reminder. Even the 882nd ranked player in the world has played better golf all weekend than the #1 ranked player in the world!! I'm sure there's an excuse in there somewhere to explain that too!!

They felt the need to tell the viewers that Sergio Garcia was playing like shit, and that they had an idea why. You see, he broke up with his girlfriend.

They had nothing to say about the obnoxious fans who hurled insults at players all weekend. One fan yelled "Ricky WHO" when Ricky Barnes had a big lead, and right after Woods got a birdie. Another fan yelled "Tiger can hit it better" just after Michael Sim hit a shot. These were just two of many!! But the announcers actually suggested that the fans were being very respectful!!

Isn't it the job of an announcer to be impartial? Apparently not because that clearly wasn't the case this weekend!!

Ooh!!!!! Aren't You Shaking In Your Boots?

2009-06-18T17:25:00.003-05:00

Ooh, aren't you shaking in your boots? North Korea is going to shoot a missile toward Hawaii on or around July 4th.

A Japanese newspaper reported Thursday that North Korea might fire its most advanced ballistic missile toward Hawaii around the Fourth of July holiday.

Look boys and girls!! Big, bad, evil North Korea hates us for our FREEDOM. To prove that, they're planning to shoot a missile toward Hawaii on or around the Fourth of July which just happens to be our holiday in which we celebrate our "freedom".

Keep beating that drum Obama and Co. so you can get this country into yet another war!! We're already involved in two so I guess that means we're overdue for a third.

Spare us the drama!! If a missile was launched, it would be shot down immediately and EVERYBODY knows that.

The only ILLEGAL "missiles" that will be launched on July 4th will be from drunken neighborhood dumbasses who think it's cute to do so at all hours of the night.

Take that North Korea!! That's FREEDOM!!

Prejean Threatens To Sue

2009-06-18T17:03:00.003-05:00

Just when you thought her 15 minutes were up, Prejean just can't shut up!!

Carrie Prejean -- Clear My Name or I'll Sue

Carrie Prejean says she means business. She's giving the Miss California USA team one last chance to clear her name -- or she's gonna sue.

In a letter Prejean's lawyer fired off to the lawyer representing pageant honcho Keith Lewis, the attorney says Lewis defamed her by making her seem uncooperative and difficult to deal with. He did not address Donald Trump's comment to us ... that Carrie treated people "like s**t."

The letter also accused Lewis of using Carrie to push a gay agenda.

And here's the best part ... Carrie's lawyer says Lewis had no right to release her confidential medical information -- aka, a boob job.

The letter claims Carrie has suffered "severe emotional distress." If Lewis doesn't recant his comments, Carrie's lawyer promises a lawsuit.

First of all, I thought it was Moakler that said Prejean got a boob job. I don't remember Lewis saying it. Regardless, there's a big difference between saying that someone had a boob job and releasing private medical records. One is a crime. The other is not!!

While we're on the subject, who the hell didn't know that her boobs were fake? If you thought they were real, you're obviously blind!! In one photo she was flat. In another one, she had boobs. Boobs don't grow overnight!!

Second of all, she was uncooperative and difficult to work with. Her job was to represent the state of California as Miss California. That means she had obligations. When she reportedly didn't contact her EMPLOYER for days on end and reportedly would not communicate with them unless it was through her "people", how is that NOT being uncooperative and difficult to work with?
When she reportedly didn't take part in 30 plus Miss California engagements, how is that NOT being uncooperative and difficult to work with? If I didn't show up for my JOB, I'd be fired.

She is suffering from "severe emotional distress". Really? That's funny because she didn't appear to be suffering from SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS when she cohosted a FOX NEWS program. She didn't appear to be suffering from SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS when she was endorsing Prop 8, and "traditional" marriage.

Apparently SED is a disorder that appears when it's convenient for her, like when someone is telling the truth about her!!

Perhaps she might want to rethink turning down that Playboy offer. If she takes this to court she's going to need that cash when she loses and has to fork over court fees!!

I've Heard It All Now!!

2009-06-16T15:57:00.003-05:00

I've heard it all now!!

A former NY cop took a school superintendent hostage using a gun because he was upset that the school wasn't shut down due to the swine flu. He threatened to kill the superintendent. Now the cop's attorney has come up with a defense.

What's the defense?

He's not guilty? Nope!!

Insanity? Nope!!

9/11 PTSD? You got it!! This guy is going to actually use 9/11 as an excuse for taking someone hostage and threatening to kill him. Twenty bucks says he actually gets away with using that defense too!! We love using 9/11 as a defense for everything we do!! So why should this be any different?

I have to ask a question though. What do the families of those killed on 9/11 think about people using it to excuse the crimes that they commit?

Seriously!! He held someone hostage and threatened to kill that person, and the only excuse his attorney can come up with to JUSTIFY his actions is 9/11? It's 2009. If he had PTSD from 9/11 he has had almost eight years to get help. Using it as an excuse now is a joke!!

Pathetic!! But again, twenty bucks says his excuse will fly!!

Obama & Co. Give California The Finger!! Detroit Is Next!!

2009-06-16T12:31:00.003-05:00

The State of California asked for emergency aid from the federal government, and the government basically gave California the finger!!

So we can bail out the banks including some that don't want or need help. We can bail out the auto industry. We can bail out companies left and right. But how dare a STATE ask for help?

What's the reason that they said no? "Federal officials are worried that a bailout of California would set off a cascade of demands from other states." God forbid that any state dares to ask for help.

Lord knows that cars, banks, and private jets for a CEO of various companies are far more important than getting the taxpayers of California their tax refunds, or giving the state money so that they DON'T have to cut essential programs and services.

Detroit says that they need federal help too. I wouldn't be waiting by the phone for that call if I were the mayor!! Hell will freeze over a billion times before that phone rings!!

Path To Peace? What A Crock!!

2009-06-16T12:14:00.003-05:00

Barack Obama said today that a "path to peace" is available to North Korea.

In other words, do what we tell you and you'll have peace. Violate our orders and we'll nuke you?

Is that the plan Mr. President?

Court Was Wrong To Try And Help

2009-06-16T11:47:00.002-05:00

When I first heard the story about Danny Hauser who is the 13 year old Minnesota teen that was ordered by a court to undergo chemo, I thought the court was right.

Family friend says US boy getting court-ordered chemotherapy is responding

SLEEPY EYE, Minnesota - X-rays show the tumour in the chest of a 13-year-old boy who resisted treatment has shrunk significantly after two courses of court-ordered chemotherapy, a family spokesman said Monday.

However, family friend and spokesman Daniel Zwakman said the side effects of the treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma have left Danny Hauser weak and miserable.

It's been 11 days since Danny's latest treatment and still "most of his day is spent on the couch," Zwakman said.

Danny received a single treatment of chemotherapy in February but stopped after enduring the harsh side effects. The family insisted on alternative medicine inspired by American Indian traditions.

When Brown County authorities attempted to compel the Hausers to treat the cancer conventionally, Danny and his mother fled the state for about a week in May.

When they returned, a court ordered them to see an oncologist. Zwakman said Danny had treatments on May 28 and June 4 and is expected to receive four more.

Zwakman said the teen and his family remain firmly against chemotherapy but are complying with the court order. "They are very adamant against having the chemo," he said.

Chemotherapy commonly causes nausea and vomiting, fatigue, pain and weakness, and anxiety and depression.

Zwakman said Danny's mother has been giving him natural therapies in consultation with the oncologist.

His tumor has shrunk significantly since undergoing chemo. Yet all we hear is the bitching and moaning about how he and his family hate chemo. Where's the gratitude for trying to save his life? Would he rather be weak and miserable, or dead?

My sister would have chosen weak and miserable over being ashes in an urn sitting on a shelf. My sister never got to undergo chemo to treat her cancer because by the time she was diagnosed correctly she lived only one more day.

If she were alive today, she wouldn't be bitching. She would be fighting to save her own life, even if that meant undergoing chemo and spending weeks on a couch recovering from the latest treatment. My family and I would be right there with her, fighting to save her life.

The court was wrong to try and help save this kid's life. If he wants to die (which will happen if he quits getting chemo), let him!! Time and resources should be spent on those who actually want to live instead of on a family that is ungrateful to those who have helped keep him among the living.

Wrong!!

2009-06-16T10:51:00.004-05:00

I was told by a reader that "people like me are the reason that the rest of the world hates Americans". Sorry, but it's the arrogant and ignorant people like this!!

McCain said the Iranian people "should not be subjected to four more years of (President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad and the radical Muslim clerics."

NOT YOUR BUSINESS!! They voted for him!!

But while we're on the subject, didn't the AMERICAN people say that WE shouldn't be subjected to four more years of Bush and Co.? Yeah we did!! And what did McCain have to say about that? Absolutely nothing!!

"I want them to know that we in the United States do not want to make any decisions for the Iranians, but we do believe that the Iranian people and their voices should be heard and respected," Obama said.

You're wrong Mr. President!! The United States DOESN'T GET TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR IRAN. IRAN DOES!!

Biden "Doubts" Election

2009-06-14T20:56:00.002-05:00

Whether or not you agree with the results of the election in Iran, one thing is certain. The United States has no room to talk when it comes to "rigged" elections.

Biden expresses 'doubts' about Iranian election

(CNN) -- Vice President Joe Biden expressed doubts Sunday about the validity of Iran's presidential election, but said it will take time to analyze the results.

"I have doubts, but withhold comment," Biden said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Biden said the Iranian government has suppressed crowds and limited free speech, which he said raised questions. He also called the strong showing by Ahmadinejad "unlikely," based on pre-election analysis.

"Is this the response, is this the accurate response, is this the wish of the Iranian people?" Biden said.

Despite the questions, Biden said the government would continue working with its allies to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, which could mean direct talks with the Iranian government.

"The decision has been made to talk," he said of the allied effort. "And we're signed on to that."

"We're not going to allow Iran to go nuclear," said Biden.

Ahmadinejad won Friday's election with 62.63 percent of the vote, the Iranian government announced. The result sparked protests by supporters of his main rival, Mir Hossein Moussavi, who claim the vote was rigged.

Israel warned Sunday that the re-election of Ahmadinejad represented "an intensification of the Iranian threat," and called for redoubled international efforts to halt its nuclear program.

"After Ahmadinejad's re-election, the international community must continue to act uncompromisingly to prevent the nuclearization of Iran, and to halt its activity in support of terror organizations and undermining stability in the Middle East," Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said.

His deputy, Danny Ayalon, suggested that even if Moussavi had been declared the winner, Tehran would still pose a threat.

"Israel had no illusions regarding the elections, as on these two issues there was no substantial difference between the candidates," he said.

Hamas, the militant Palestinian movement backed by Iran, welcomed the results.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum urged the world to respect Iranian democracy and accept the results of the elections.

Meanwhile, the BBC reported that electronic jamming -- which they traced to Iran -- was disrupting its satellite feeds to some viewers of BBC Persian in Iran, the Middle East and Europe. Two BBC journalists were also briefly arrested while doing their jobs, according to a company statement.

"It seems to be part of a pattern of behavior by the Iranian authorities to limit the reporting of the aftermath of the disputed election," Peter Horrocks, director of BBC World Service, said in the statement. "Any attempt to block BBC Persian television is wrong and against international treaties on satellite communication. Whoever is attempting the blocking should stop it now."

Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, which borders Iran, called Ahmadinejad to congratulate him, Karzai's office said Sunday.

Karzai's view was that "relations between the two Muslim nations of Afghanistan and Iran expanded during Mr. Ahmadinejad's first term and hoped that these relations get stronger during his second term," the statement said.

Protests were planned Sunday in cities around the world, including London, Paris, New York, Sydney, Berlin, The Hague, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto.

About 200 people turned out for the protest in London on Sunday, CNN's Don Riddell said from the scene. Some 100,000 Iranians live in London.

The day before, about 100 people protested in front of the Iranian Embassy in London.

"It was completely unbelievable, especially with the turnout and everything," said one British protester. "It was obvious from the beginning that it was all rigged."

"Everyone was sure that ... Moussavi was the winner," said a woman at the demonstration. "People wanted change, people wanted -- you know, not democracy in a sense of Western democracy, but the democracy that we were hopeful of."

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said his government was monitoring the election. "We have followed carefully, and admired, the passion and debate during the Iranian election campaign. We note the result as announced by the Iranian Electoral Commission. We have also heard the concerns about the counting of ballots expressed by two of the candidates.

"This is a matter for the Iranian authorities to address. We will continue to follow developments. Our priority is that Iran engages with the concerns of the world community, above all on the issue of nuclear proliferation."

In Washington, about 40 protesters gathered outside the Iranian Interests Section to bring attention to what they say is a stolen election.

"People have gathered here to express their distrust of the government in Iran, which has really turned a very genuine election into a sham, and has basically stolen people's votes in order to maintain a regime that is seriously not wanted by the Iranian people," said protester Robert Babeyi.

Babeyi said he moved from Iran to the United States more than 30 years ago, but stands behind those Iranians who he feels have been wronged.

"We are hoping the voices of Iranian-Americans here are heard throughout the world and can express our solidarity for the people of Iran, that we are with them and we understand that they are cheated," Babeyi said.

Canada's foreign affairs minister said Saturday he was worried about reports of irregularities in Iran's election, while the U.S. secretary of state said the United States hoped the outcome reflected the will of Iranians.

"Canada is deeply concerned by reports of voting irregularities in the Iranian election," Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters in Niagara Falls, in Ontario, Canada, where he appeared at a briefing with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"We're troubled by reports of intimidation of opposition candidates' offices by security forces," he said. "We've asked our embassy officials in Tehran to closely monitor the situation, and Canada is calling on Iranian authorities to conduct fair and transparent counting of all ballots."

Where was Joe Biden in 2000 when our election was "rigged"? Where was Joe Biden when the Supreme Court pissed on our Constitution and selected George Bush? Where was Joe Biden when members of the House of Representatives wanted to discuss the SELECTION of George Bush by the Supreme Court, and they needed only ONE Senator to say yes to allow the discussion to take place?

Oh, that's right!! He couldn't be bothered!! As I recall Mr. Biden, we were told to "Get over it" and shut up. We were told that we were unpatriotic if we didn't go along with it. We were told to leave this country if we didn't like it. We were silenced!! We were suppressed!! We were thrown into "free speech zones" that were well out of sight. And you, Mr. Biden, allowed it to happen.

Biden said the Iranian government has suppressed crowds and limited free speech, which he said raised questions. He also called the strong showing by Ahmadinejad "unlikely," based on pre-election analysis.

Pre-election analysis? Who conducted this "analysis"? The United States? Iran? How was this "analysis" conducted? Did they take a poll? Did they ask about 1,000 Iranians who they were voting for, and then they declared that "The majority of Iranians would be voting to elect Moussavi?" Did they actually spend a great deal of time in Iran talking to the people to find out what they wanted?

My guess is that they didn't. If a poll was conducted, they certainly didn't ask EVERY Iranian who they were voting for. You can't poll 1,000 people (like we always do in the US) and then declare that the opinions of those 1,000 people reflect the opinions of everyone in the country.

Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of the IRANIAN election by the Iranian government. The Iranian government gets to decide how to proceed, not the United States or any other country.

The most laughable comment today came from a viewer on C-SPAN. She called up during a discussion about the Iranian elections. She actually said that the United States should go into Iran and help the Iranian people put into office the candidate that WE wanted. We, meaning who the United States wanted!! I thought it was about what the Iranian people wanted!!

We got away with intimidating Lebanon by threatening to withhold aid from them if the results of their election didn't go the way we wanted. Isn't it a shame that we couldn't intimidate Iran too?

If Joe Biden had shown this much concern for a stolen election in his own country, maybe we wouldn't have the problems that we have now!! Never mind!! Perhaps he should take his own advice and GET OVER IT!!

To The Readers Of Our Blog

2009-06-14T20:40:00.003-05:00

This weekend we received two anonymous comments from one individual who didn't agree with what was said in a post. I have chosen NOT to post those comments.

When you read our blog, we don't expect you to agree with what we have to say. We don't really care either. But we will not engage in a pissing match with someone who refers to this blog as a "fucking piece of shit". We will not engage in a pissing match with someone who refers to ME as a "five year old", and then proceeds to tell me to go "play" with myself.

If you don't like this blog or the posts that are created, don't read the blog. It's that simple.

Journalists Sentenced In North Korea

2009-06-08T15:27:00.002-05:00

I, like many people today, do not feel sorry for the two U.S. journalists who were tried, convicted, and sentenced in North Korea.

The United States, as usual, will piss and whine. They will threaten North Korea. They will do everything except acknowledge the fact that these WOMEN (not girls) entered another country illegally, and thus they are GUILTY of breaking the laws of North Korea.

It is not for the United States to determine guilt or innocence. It is not for the United States to decide upon a punishment. It is for North Korea and ONLY North Korea to do so since the crime was committed in NORTH KOREA.

Hillary Clinton is demanding their release on "humanitarian" grounds. Really? Why? Because they're women? Because one has a child? Because they're AMERICANS? Of course!! It doesn't matter that they're women. They committed a crime. Gender has no bearing on punishment. It doesn't matter that one has a child. Quite frankly, she should have thought about that before she made the decision to do what she did. What she really means is that they should be released because they're Americans, and Americans can do whatever they want. It doesn't matter what country they're in, or what the laws of the country are. Americans think that they are above the law no matter what they do.

North Korea tried them and sentenced them. That's far more than I can say for the United States. We have prisoners in our possession that have yet to be charged. We have prisoners who aren't allowed to see a lawyer. We have prisoners who aren't allowed contact with family. We have prisoners who haven't seen the inside of a courtroom, be it military or civilian. We have tortured many of these prisoners. We took children and threw them in Gitmo.

North Korea doesn't have to hand them over. North Korea doesn't have to negotiate. North Korean is NOT in the wrong here. And the United States has no room to talk.

It really is simple. If you obey the laws of other countries when you're there, you won't find yourself in trouble. If you can't obey the law, don't go there. Oh, and make sure that you have permission to be there!!

Condoning Violence

2009-06-04T15:20:00.002-05:00

The Philadelphia Police Commissioner says that he doesn't condone violence. Wrong!!

Angry Neighbors Won't Be Charged in Beating of Suspect in 11-Year-Old Girl's Rape

A mob of furious neighbors of an 11-year-old girl raped on her way to school in Philadelphia won't be charged for beating a man wanted for questioning in the case.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Thursday that no charges will be filed against the group of about a dozen residents of the city's West Kensington section who attacked 26-year-old Jose Carrasquillo.

Carrasquillo hasn't been charged with rape but was arrested on an unrelated warrant. Ramsey said investigators have forensic evidence and witness identification placing him at the scene of Monday's attack.

Carrasquillo was released from the hospital into police custody Thursday afternoon after being treated for head injuries. The girl also has been released from the hospital.

Ramsey said he made the decision not to charge the residents based on the severity of the man's injuries. He also factored in the neighbors' intent and the high level of emotion in the community. But, he added, he doesn't condone violence.

The crowd pummeled Carrasquillo for several minutes on Tuesday with wooden sticks, their hands and their feet before police arrived to take him into custody. The attack was videotaped.

The group recognized Carrasquillo from a photo released by police, who called him a person of interest in the girl's rape on Monday as she walked to school.

On Wednesday, police classified him as a suspect.

"He's a suspect. There's no question about that," Ramsey told FOX 29 in Philadelphia, adding that detectives are trying to determine whether he is responsible for other sexual assault cases under investigation.

Authorities also say they are analyzing a new videotape in their possession and are investigating reports of another girl's groping on Monday by a man outside the Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School, FOX 29 reported.

Surveillance video of Carrasquillo's beating shows a man being chased by at least three people, one of whom hits him several times with what appears to be a bat or large stick. As they chase the man, a crowd gathers. A police officer arrives, and the video cuts off.

The rape victim had just dropped off a sibling at day care and was walking to school Monday when a man approached her, investigators said. He started to walk with her, threatened her and said he had a gun. He took her to a nearby backyard and raped her repeatedly, authorities said.

Philadelphia Police Lt. Frank Vanore said authorities did the right thing in publicizing their desire to talk to Carrasquillo. He noted he was wanted on a bench warrant and had 17 prior arrests.

"We've got an 11-year-old viciously raped," Vanore said. "We factored in a lot of things and the biggest thing was to get this individual off the street."

He absolutely does condone violence when he refuses to press charges against at least a dozen people that assaulted the "person of interest". I get it. You don't like the guy. He's a "person of interest" (suspect) in the rape of an 11 year old. But, it doesn't excuse assault.

Has he even been questioned in that case? He hasn't been charged. He hasn't gone to trial. He hasn't been convicted.

Do I care about this guy? Absolutely not!!

As a police officer, you are obligated to apply the law equally. If someone commits an act of assault it's ASSAULT. PERIOD!! You don't decide for yourself what the mob's "intent" was. The "high level of emotion" in the community doesn't diminish the fact that someone was assaulted.

By not pressing charges, he's condoning violence. He's telling these people and everyone that vigilante justice is okay. He's telling everyone that the end justifies the means!!

Trial Begins In North Korea

2009-06-04T15:02:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'm actually quite sick of hearing stories like this.

2 US journalists on trial in North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea's top court began hearing the case Thursday of two American journalists accused of crossing into the country illegally and engaging in "hostile acts" — charges that could draw a 10-year sentence in a labor camp.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's California-based Current TV, were arrested March 17 near the North Korean border while on a reporting trip to China.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said in a brief dispatch earlier Thursday that the trial would begin at 3 p.m. (0600 GMT; 2 a.m. EDT) in Pyongyang's Central Court. Hours later, there was no word on the status of the proceedings.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Thursday that American officials had seen news reports that the trial had begun but had no independent confirmation. The North has told United States that no observers, including Swedish officials who act as the U.S. protecting power in Pyongyang, would be allowed to watch the trial, he said.

The trial began at a time of mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula following the regime's provocative May 25 nuclear test.

With discussions continuing at the United Nations and in Washington on how to punish the regime for its defiance, there were fears the women could become political pawns in the standoff with Pyongyang.

Analyst Choi Eun-suk, a professor of North Korean law at Kyungnam University, said the court could convict the women and then the government could use them as bargaining chips in negotiations with the U.S.

"The North is likely to release and deport them to the U.S. — if negotiations with the U.S. go well," Choi said.

North Korea and the U.S., former Korean War foes, do not have diplomatic relations, and analysts called Pyongyang's recent belligerence a bid to grab President Barack Obama's attention.

Pyongyang "believes the Obama administration has not made North Korea a priority," said David Straub of Stanford University's Korean studies program.

Back home, the reporters' families pleaded for clemency.

"All we can do is hope the North Korean government will show leniency," Ling's sister, TV journalist Lisa Ling, said in an emotional plea at a California vigil Wednesday night. "If at any point they committed a transgression, then our families are deeply, deeply sorry. We know the girls are sorry as well."

She urged Washington and Pyongyang not to let politics dictate the reporters' fate.

"Tensions are so heated, and the girls are essentially in the midst of this nuclear standoff," she said on CNN's "Larry King Live." She urged the governments to "try to communicate, to try and bring our situation to a resolution on humanitarian grounds — to separate the issues."

State-run media have not defined the exact charges against them, but South Korean legal experts said conviction for "hostility" or espionage could mean five to 10 years in a labor camp. Choi said a ruling by the top court would be final.

The circumstances of their arrest were hazy. The Current TV team had gone to the Chinese border city of Yanji to report on the trafficking of North Korean women, Lisa Ling said.

"Too many sad stories," her younger sister posted to Twitter days before her arrest.

They were seized somewhere near the frozen Tumen River dividing North Korea and China while a cameraman and their guide managed to evade the North Korean guards.

For weeks, there was little word about their condition in separate quarters in one of the world's most isolated nations. Sweden's ambassador to North Korea has visited the women and brought back a letter from Laura Ling saying she "cried so much" at first but was passing the time doing daily stretches and meditating.

Lisa Ling said she got a surprise phone call last Tuesday from her "extremely scared" younger sister, asking for help.

"My sister said that the only hope that she and Euna had to get released was if our government and North Korea's communicated directly," Lisa Ling said. "'I know that you've been trying to get other countries involved,' she said, 'but our only hope is if our countries talk.'"

The State Department has not divulged details about the sensitive negotiations for their freedom.

"We continue to consult with the families. And there is no higher priority that we have than protection of American civilians abroad," spokesman P.J. Crowley said Wednesday in Washington. "And we, again, hope that North Korea will forgo this legal process and return them to the United States."

Twice in the 1990s, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, then a congressman, was sent as a special envoy to negotiate the release of Americans detained by North Korea.

In New York, dozens turned out in a drenching rain for a vigil led by Ling's cousin Angie Wang. Some held yellow chrysanthemums.

"Nobody should be holding people for purely political gamesmanship purposes," said J.B. Miller, 44.

Media groups also pressed for their release.

"We urge that their fate not be linked to the ongoing security situation on the Korean peninsula," Bob Dietz of the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement. "Euna Lee and Laura Ling were acting as journalists, not criminals, and should be released."

Roxana Saberi, an American journalist who spent four months in an Iranian prison before being freed May 11 on a suspended sentence for spying, urged the women to "remain strong."

"If Laura and Euna's situation resembles anything like mine, I can imagine a little of what they might be wishing for: The presumption of innocence until proven guilty. A fair trial, with access to attorneys of their choice and the right to study what is claimed as evidence against them. More contact with their families, whom they probably worry are worrying about themselves!"

Sorry Lisa!! This is not some movie or television show where the character says "I'm sorry!!" and everything is okay. This is reality!!

Are we honestly supposed to believe that they were doing a report on the trafficking of North Korean women, and they had absolutely no intention of going into North Korea to see what life was like there? I don't!! That's what journalists do. They push their stories as far as they possibly can.

I also don't find it to be a coincidence that they just happened to be that close to North Korea without knowing exactly where they were. They had a guide with them.

They entered North Korea illegally. Period!! Lisa Ling can apologize all she wants. It doesn't change the fact that her sister and the other woman didn't have permission to enter North Korea. Like it or not, they broke the law. Apologizing doesn't prevent charges or trials in this country. Why should it be any different in another country?

The Hypocrisy Of Pro-Lifers

2009-06-03T21:42:00.005-05:00

On a blog that I read for entertainment value, the blogger was discussing the murder of Dr. Tiller. I find that discussion to be quite hilarious!! She talks about how Scott Roeder set back the "movement", and how the "movement" has done many great things. Well, I guess that's true if you consider harassment, intimidation, shouts of "BABY KILLER", threats of violence, actual physical violence, arson, bombings, murder, and TERRORISM to be great things!!

She talks about how she'd give anything for Dr. Tiller to be alive today. She couldn't care less that Dr. Tiller was murdered!! She just wants to make sure that she doesn't look bad.

Pro-lifers are eager to take credit for the "good" things. Could someone please explain to me what those things are? But as soon as one of their ilk does something, they quickly wash their hands of any guilt. They declare that they are the REAL pro-lifers. They declare that people like Scott Roeder are anarchists, and that these people are not a reflection of the pro-life "movement".

The reality is, the "REAL" pro-lifers help create people like Scott Roeder on a daily basis. They add fuel to the fire with their rhetoric. They are just as guilty as Scott Roeder. They didn't pull the trigger, but they helped put the gun in his hands.

The Good News And The Bad News

2009-06-02T14:54:00.002-05:00

I know this story will make one of my regular readers very happy, and it will also make her want to puke.

The good news is that Tim Pawlenty has decided not to seek a third term as the governor of Minnesota. The bad news is that he may seek the Presidency.

That's music to my ears, and the ears of many Minnesota residents. This man has destroyed this state in so many ways. All I have to say is beware of him if he runs for President. He's a scumbag who will take this country beyond hell. If you don't believe me you should ask the people of this state what he's done.

We have two nicknames for him. PawlentyofBullshit because he's full of SHIT, and PawlentyofNothing because he's done NOTHING to help this state. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!

When Are These People Going To Be Locked Up?

2009-06-01T15:15:00.002-05:00

When are these people going to be locked up?

The Pro-Life FUCKNUTS Have Struck Again!!

2009-05-31T16:18:00.002-05:00

Is that even a word? Fucknuts? Well if it isn't, I just coined the term. The pro-life fucknuts have struck again. This time, they've murdered abortion provider George Tiller. In a fucking church!! And they claim to be CHRISTIANS!! They claim to be religious!! IN A FUCKING CHURCH!!

Doctor who performed abortions shot to death

(CNN) -- Dr. George Tiller, whose Kansas women's clinic was the epicenter of the state's battles over abortion for nearly two decades, was shot and killed at his church Sunday morning, his family said.

Tiller, 67, was one of the few U.S. physicians who still performed late-term abortions. He survived a 1993 shooting outside his Wichita clinic.

He was fatally shot shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church, Wichita police said.

Sunday afternoon, authorities took a man into custody near Kansas City after stopping a car that matched a description of the killer's getaway vehicle, according to sheriff's deputies in Johnson County, Kansas. No charges had been filed.

Wichita police said they were searching for a powder-blue Ford Taurus in connection with the killing. Witnesses provided a license number of the car the killer used to speed away from the church, police spokesman Gordon Bassham said.

Tiller "dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality heath care despite frequent threats and violence," his family said in a written statement.

"We ask that he be remembered as a good husband, father and grandfather and a dedicated servant on behalf of the rights of women everywhere," the family said.

Abortion is one of the hottest buttons in U.S. politics, with opponents arguing the practice is tantamount to the murder of an unborn child. Abortion rights supporters argue the decision to terminate a pregnancy is best left to the woman.

The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, which has led numerous demonstrations at Tiller's clinic, condemned the shooting as a "cowardly act."

"Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice," the group said in a statement. It offered its prayers for Tiller's family, "that they will find comfort and healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ."

In March, Tiller was acquitted of 19 counts of performing procedures unlawfully at his clinic. In 2008, a probe initiated by abortion opponents who petitioned state authorities to convene a grand jury ended without charges.

On its Web site, Operation Rescue refers to Tiller as a "monster" who has "been able to get away with murder." And Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry, who is no longer affiliated with the group, called Tiller "a mass murderer."

"We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God," Terry said in a written statement. "I am more concerned that the Obama administration will use Tiller's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder, and we still must call abortion by its proper name."

The 1993 attack on Tiller left him wounded through both arms. An ardent foe of abortion, Shelley Shannon, was convicted of attempted murder and is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison for the shooting.

If Tiller was slain because of his work, he would be the fourth U.S. physician killed by abortion opponents since 1993. In addition, a nurse at a Birmingham, Alabama, clinic was maimed and an off-duty police officer was killed in a 1998 bombing by Eric Rudolph, who included abortion among his list of anti-government grievances.

Rudolph admitted to that attack and three other bombings -- including the 1996 attack on the Olympic games in Atlanta, Georgia -- and is serving life in prison.

If he was murdered because of his work? Give me a fucking break. If????? What the fuck else do you think he was murdered for?

What happened today is called TERRORISM. His terrorist/murderer should be tortured to find out who he was working with or for.

Operation Rescue can go to hell!! Like they fucking care that George Tiller was murdered. I'm sure that they're partying today!! They had a "Tiller Watch" on their website, and now that he's been murdered it has disappeared. If his murder is in any way related to Operation Rescue's website or their group in general, I suggest that they be charged with aiding and abetting murder and terrorism.

As for Mr. FUCKNUT himself Randall Terry, don't piss your panties!! Barack Obama isn't going to label you and your psychotic, MURDERING, terroristic FUCKNUTS for what you really are. He's not going to do anything to shut down your terrorism websites. He's not going to do anything to stop your attempts to eliminate every abortion doctor out there. He'll continue to let you roam free!!

If you FUCKNUTS think that offing another abortion provider is going to put an end to abortions in this country or somehow stop women from seeking abortions, you're just that. FUCKNUTS!!

You're terrorists, but you're not scaring anybody!!

JUSTICE!!

2009-05-26T14:53:00.002-05:00

Finally, a little justice has been served.

Jury Convicts Mother Who Prayed for Daughter Instead of Treating Her Fatal Diabetes

WAUSAU, Wis. — A jury Friday found a central Wisconsin mother guilty of killing her 11-year-old daughter by praying for her to heal instead of rushing her to the doctor.

A Marathon County jury deliberated about four hours before convicting Leilani Neumann, 41, of rural Weston, of second-degree reckless homicide. No sentencing date was set. Neumann remains free on bond.

"We have another shot on appeal," defense lawyer Gene Linehan said. "Obviously, there will be an appeal."

Neumann left the courtroom clutching her husband as her three other children, looking stunned, followed. She declined comment.

Neumann's daughter, Madeline, died of untreated diabetes March 23, 2008, surrounded by people praying for her. When she suddenly stopped breathing, her parents' business and Bible study partners finally called 911.

Prosecutors contend a reasonable parent would have known something was gravely wrong with Madeline and her mother recklessly killed her by ignoring obvious symptoms of how gravely ill she was. During closing arguments, Marathon County District Attorney Jill Falstad described Neumann as a religious zealot who let her daughter, known by the nickname Kara, die as a test of faith.

"Religious extremism can be dangerous," Marathon County District Attorney Jill Falstad said. "In this case, it was fatal. Basic medical care would have saved Kara's life — fluids and insulin. There was plenty of time to save Kara's life."

Linehan countered, saying Neumann didn't realize her daughter was so ill and did all she could do to help, in line with the family's belief in faith-healing.

He said Neumann was a devout Christian who prays about everything and took good care of her four children.

"Religious extremism is a Muslim terrorist," Linehan said. "They are saying these parents were so far off the scale that they murdered their child. The woman did everything she could to help her. That is the injustice in this case."

Neumann's stepfather, Brian Gordon of San Diego, said he was disappointed by the verdict and the jury was mistaken. He said his stepdaughter did nothing wrong in trusting in God to heal her daughter.

"We should have that right in this country," he said.

There will be a vigorous appeal and an investigation of possible prosecutorial misconduct, the stepfather said. "I don't care how far we have to carry this. There will be vindication and exoneration."

Gordon also said he was angered by Falstad's description of his family as religious extremists.

"We definitely are not terrorists," he said. "We are Bible-believing, God-believing, Holy Ghost-filled people who want to do right and be right."

Falstad declined to comment after the verdict because Madeline's father, Dale Neumann, faces the same charge and is scheduled to stand trial in July.

Jurors also declined to talk with reporters.

Neumann showed no reaction when the verdict was read. Before the jury took the case, she and her husband clutched each other and silently prayed with another man. Then she went to each of her other children sitting on a front-row courtroom bench and kissed them on the cheek.

She faces up to 25 years in prison.

True justice will come when this woman gets sentenced. Hopefully she'll get the 25 year max!!

That girl didn't have to die. All she needed was some medical attention, and her parents refused to get it for her because GOD WOULD HEAL HER!! Yeah, the prayers really worked. Right?????

Nobody said they were terrorists. They said that they were religious extremists, and that's exactly what they are!!

Where Are The Pro-lifers On This Issue?

2009-05-26T14:32:00.003-05:00

Where are the pro-lifers on this issue? Why aren't they out there protesting this woman? Oh, I forgot!! The kid has already been born so who the hell cares!!

Minn. cancer patient back home, faces court date

NEW ULM, Minn. – A 13-year-old cancer patient and his mother who spent a week on the run to avoid forced chemotherapy faced a court hearing Tuesday to determine the boy's medical fate.

Daniel Hauser and his mother, Colleen, arrived back in Minnesota on a chartered plane early Monday after sparking a nationwide search.

Brown County court officials said a custody hearing for Daniel was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. CDT.

Shortly before the hearing, family friend Dan Zwakman told reporters at the courthouse that the Hausers seemed ready to accept chemotherapy. "There's still going to be conflict, but I think we can work through it," he said.

Zwakman said he had spent about 12 hours with the family on Monday. He said Daniel had enough energy to work in the family garden, and was still very much against chemotherapy

Jennifer Keller, the California attorney who helped arrange the Hausers' return to Minnesota, said Colleen Hauser will continue to seek permission to use alternative treatments for her son's cancer "that aren't toxic."

"But she'll abide by what the court says," Keller said.

Daniel Hauser, who has Hodgkin's lymphoma and has been refusing chemotherapy, was examined by a doctor after his return. He's in the protective custody of Brown County, but was allowed to spend the night at the family farm in Sleepy Eye, with a deputy on duty, County Attorney James Olson said.

Olson said that since Colleen Hauser returned to Minnesota voluntarily, he would likely dismiss a felony complaint against her. FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson said a federal charge of unauthorized flight would also likely be dropped.

But Olson indicated Colleen Hauser and her husband, Anthony Hauser, would have little choice but to go along with the court's desire to treat Daniel with chemotherapy.

"A lot depends upon the attitude of the parents, their willingness to get on board with a treatment plan," Olson said Monday.

There was no immediate response to a message left at the Hausers' home Tuesday seeking comment.

Keller said she met the mother and son on Sunday, after another attorney told her the family wanted to return to Minnesota but didn't know what to do. Keller then notified authorities and arranged for the plane. Keller said criticism pointed at Colleen Hauser is unfair.

"They always expected to return," Keller told The Associated Press in a phone interview late Monday. "She's horrified people perceive her as hiding out. That isn't what she intended."

Keller said Daniel Hauser looked fine but was tired.

"He wasn't in any acute distress," Keller said. "He was quite tired. He was very, very eager to get home."

Daniel underwent one round of chemotherapy in February, but stopped after that, citing religious beliefs. The family prefers natural healing practices suggested by a religious group called the Nemenhah Band, which says it follows American Indian beliefs.

A judge ruled the parents medically neglected Daniel and ordered them to get him an updated chest X-ray as well as select an oncologist for a re-evaluation. After the X-ray showed a tumor in Daniel's chest had grown, the mother and son left town.

The FBI said the pair flew to Los Angeles. Investigators suspected they might have been heading to one of a number of alternative cancer clinics in northern Mexico.

Zwakman, himself a member of the Nemenhah Band, told WCCO-AM earlier that the Hausers did want to get alternative treatment in Mexico but were afraid to cross the border because of reports of violence against Americans.

Dr. Bruce Bostrom, the pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota who diagnosed Daniel's cancer in January, said he was happy to hear of the boy's return.

"I'm delighted," Bostrom said. "I've been so worried that he was going to die in Mexico. I've been praying for his safe return, so I think my prayers will be answered."

Hodgkin's lymphoma has a 90 percent cure rate in children if treated with chemotherapy and radiation, but doctors said Daniel was likely to die without those treatments.

Gee, it must be nice to be able to kidnap your kid and disappear with him in order to avoid getting him medical treatment, and have all warrants against you dropped. All you have to do is come back "voluntarily" and all is forgotten!! Do you think you or I would get away with that? Hell no!!

This woman should be in jail for one reason. She kidnapped her kid to avoid a court order!! That's a crime, regardless of the fact that she came back "voluntarily". Anyone who helped hide them should be arrested too!!

If her son dies and his death is related in any way to her refusal to have him undergo chemotherapy or to this little stunt she pulled, she should be charged with his death.

As I said before, the pro-lifers are silent on this story. He's not a fetus so they don't care!! How shocking!!

P.S. She should be footing the bill for every search that was conducted in Minnesota, nationwide, and worldwide. As a taxpayer of this state, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay even a penny for this little stunt!!

FUCK YOU CALIFORNIA!!

2009-05-26T12:12:00.002-05:00

It is a very disgusting day in this country when a Supreme Court rules that BIGOTRY and HOMOPHOBIA is okay. FUCK YOU CALIFORNIA!! I want nothing to do with California. I will not buy anything that comes from that state. I will not visit that state. At one point I wanted to move there, but not anymore. As far as I'm concerned, California can go to hell!!

To all you fucking Christian bigots, fuck your marriage, fuck your religion, and FUCK YOU!!

To all the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people of California, you've now been declared by the courts in California and all the bigots in your state to not be human. You've now been told that you have no rights!! Get out in the streets, and refuse to leave!! Get out in the streets and fight for your rights!! Make life HELL!!

What does Obama have to say about this? That bigotry and homophobia has been made LEGAL in this country? Oh wait, he doesn't care!! To him, a gay person doesn't deserve the right to marry. To him, a gay person is less than human!! To him I say too, FUCK YOU!!

Shut Off Your TV And Snap Back To Reality

2009-05-21T20:40:00.002-05:00

This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in a long time. I admit it!! I've watched American Idol before. I've never actually sat through an entire season of the show. I watch the auditions up through Hollywood week just to get a laugh!! It's quite entertaining!!

What you're about to read just proves that people in this country take television way too seriously, and clearly have their priorities out of whack.

America Gets It Wrong: Kris Allen Wins 'Idol'

Hello, readers...I can't believe I'm actually typing these words--in capslock format, yet--but here goes...

KRIS ALLEN IS THE NEW AMERICAN IDOL.

Now, my regular readers know I am extremely crushed--CRUSHED!--by this news. I might have been rooting for Bo Bice in season 4 and Blake Lewis in season 6, but their respective defeats were much easier for me to take (and much more expected) than this shocking setback.

Adam Lambert was my unabashed early favorite the instant I saw a viral video of him glamming and hamming it up in a Hollywood rock band wearing vaccum-packed pleather pants and some sort of bizarre man-corset. Back then, I jadedly assumed he wouldn't even make the top 13, because his theatrical antics--along with those much-discussed Interweb JPEGs of him floating around--would likely alienate much of America. But soon it seemed like none of that "scandalous" stuff mattered much to the viewing public, and Adam subsequently kept getting voted through based on his TALENT.

I started to believe that there was a subtle cultural shift going on in this country. I mean, if a black, Democratic president could be elected in 2008, then surely a black-nail-polished, androgynous Idol could win in 2009, right? Yes he could!

Well, that did not happen. In perhaps the biggest upset in AmIdol history, the competition's darkest dark horse, the little contestant that could, the tortoise to Adam's hare--Kris Allen--took home the Idol title tonight.

But you know, maybe it wasn't such an "upset" after all. Maybe it was foolish of me to think that a copiously mascara'd, leather-sheathed, rock-operatic free spirit from Southern California could actually beat out a clean-cut, happily married church worship leader from Arkansas who kind of looks like Joey from Friends.

Then again...maybe Adam's defeat had NOTHING to do with any sort of liberal/conservative, guyliner/guy-next-door cultural divide after all. Maybe it was just all the over-the-top weekly hype surrounding Adam that created an unfortunate but inevitable backlash--especially the judges' blatant favoritism, which even I will admit was a bit much and would have bothered me a lot if I hadn't so wholeheartedly agreed with the judges or personally found Adam so uniquely deserving of such fawning. But perhaps Lambertmania turned off a lot of other voters, or made voters assume that Adam didn't "need" this victory as much as underdog Kris did.

Whatever the reason, I don't want Allen fans to think I have anything against Kris. I believe Kris is talented and authentic, and I'm glad he made it to the finale instead of any number of other contestants (like Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Anoop Desai--but NOT Allison Iraheta, whom I adored). I think Kris was a worthy opponent for Adam. I just don't think he deserved to WIN.

I honestly think America (or, more specifically, America's Danny Gokey fans, who possibly defected to Kris's side after Gokey left and effectively bridged that million-vote gap between Adam and Kris) got it very wrong here.

I will just take solace in the fact that a) Adam Lambert will get a record deal anyway; b) not winning may allow Adam to have more creative control over his debut album, and thus he'll release more genuinely freak-flag-flying material; c) Adam won't have to release that insipid "No Boundaries" as his first single; and d) Adam will probably outsell Kris in the long run.

Feel free to post your comments about the season 8 winner now, and let me know if you think Adam was robbed or if the right singer prevailed tonight.

Oh my God!! This has to be the most hilarious thing I've ever read in my life. I particularly love the choice of words like "shocking setback", "CRUSHED", and "taking solace". Or, how about the comparison of Adam Lambert to Barack Obama? You gotta love that!!

This was a damn TELEVISION SHOW!! So the "favorite" didn't win. The "darkest, dark horse" received the "title" of American Idol. And? Has the world ended yet? Are we going to die because Adam Lambert doesn't hold this sacred title?

Six months ago nobody knew who the hell Adam Lambert was. All of a sudden he's been "robbed" and a ridiculous title that he DESERVED was somehow stolen from him?

Have we gotten that insane in this country? Never mind the fact that our country is murdering people in Iraq and Afghanistan under the guise that we're bringing FREEDOM to their citizens. Never mind the fact that Congress just slipped a measure into the credit card legislation that allows for loaded concealed weapons to be brought into national parks. Never mind the fact that Barack Obama will sign this legislation because he doesn't want to fight with gun owners. Never mind the fact that people are losing their jobs every single day. Never mind the fact that people don't have health care. Never mind REALITY!! What really matters is a television show that gives away a title that means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! What really matters is that the "wrong" person won American Idol!! RIGHT?????

If you want a laugh or want to see how truly insane people are in this country, check out the comments that people posted.

Rachel Alexandra Kicks Ass!!

2009-05-16T17:47:00.002-05:00

I said it would happen and it did!! The FEMALE horse Rachel Alexandra kicked ass at the Preakness from start to finish, and beat the BOYS!!

If she runs in the Belmont and wins, that will be fantastic!! If she runs in the Belmont and doesn't win, that's okay too. If she doesn't run in the Belmont, fine!!

You see, it really doesn't matter anymore. She did what everyone said she couldn't. She won!! Egotistical, greedy, chauvinistic MALE owners tried to keep her from even competing. She showed up. She did her thing. The silence from these MEN was deafening!!

Even though she won by one length, she did what I said she would. She wiped the track with their asses from the start!!

I'm sure that I won't have a voice tomorrow after screaming!! But it is all worth it because her win made me proud!! This isn't a club for BOYS only anymore!! Step aside and let the best horse win.

AND WIN SHE DID!!

Well, You Know, What Can I Say?

2009-05-14T05:42:00.002-05:00

I told you so sounds so trite and juvenile.

But you know what?

I told you so. Me and a large number of people that truly give a shit about left politics, because we are true leftists and not salesmen with a fancy slogan or sheep that will blindly follow anything not named Bush.

Does it surprise any of us that Barack Obama would go back on his promise to be the head of a transparent administration? Nope.

Does it surprise us that Barack Obama wouldn't give a shit about the American people and what they want? Nope.

These photos, says the king, would endanger the American soldier and raise "anti-American" sentiment. Because "running two wars" isn't endangering the American soldier. Because killing innocent people doesn't raise "anti-American" sentiment.

When challenged that he was going back on his bullshit claim to transparency, Obama countered so weakly, he might as well have kept his lying trap shut. His response: the American people know all about torture and, besides which, this torture took place long before my administration came into power.

Oh, okay. So sorry to trouble you with the law, Mr. Constitutional Professor. I'll let you get back to playing with your damned dog and making pretty speeches now.

What a great reply to the charge of being a typical lying politician. Yep, sure am, but the Bush thugs are the ones that did the torturing.

Aren't you fucking tired of being treated like you're a fucking idiot by people like Barack Obama? You can't handle seeing these photos, ladies and gentlemen. Your minds would melt down and drip out of your ears and pool at your feet.

Hey, wasn't that the same excuse the Bush thugs used as to why we couldn't see any "evidence" of anything (Osama bin Laden's proported guilt in the attacks of 9/11/01, the WMDs in Iraq, etc., etc., etc.)? We have to protect the American people. Wasn't that the same excuse?

Maybe you're not sick and tired of being treated like a child or a dumbfuck (and by the number of calls coming to C-SPAN as I write this, you ARE NOT sick and tired of being treated like a child or a dumbfuck). Maybe you like to continue to be fed bullshit and told it's ice cream. Maybe you believe that the king is right and we should never know the truth because we're too immature to handle it.

In that case, I need to ask you, what separates you from a Bush sycophant and Barack Obama from Bush/Cheney/Rice?

So sorry for getting this guy right in the first place. But I told you so.

And For That They Should Be Banned

2009-05-12T20:18:00.002-05:00

I don't know what the rules are in horse racing. But if owners intentionally try to sabotage another owner who wants to enter a horse in a race, I think they should be banned from the competition.

Owners go overboard in effort to foil filly
Instead of enjoying moment, Allen and Zayat take low road

Owners of top thoroughbred racehorses usually know enough to limit themselves to simple acts like walking their horses to the winner’s circle, waving silver cups aloft and mouthing inanities about doing what’s best for the horse. But two members of that elite club forgot themselves this weekend and began acting like a couple backroom chiselers.

Mark Allen, co-owner of Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird, and Ahmed Zayat, who pays the bills for Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile, became big Preakness news by concocting a scheme to keep sensational filly Rachel Alexandra out of Saturday’s race. The plan ultimately failed when the two swelled-heads finally heeded some urgently whispered words of advice, but in the process they provided a glimpse into the win-at-all-costs mentality that plagues many of the sport’s high-stakes players and revealed an ugly truth about horse racing.

These two fell into the trap of forgetting that letting Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness would be good for horse racing’s fans, and what’s good for the fans is good for the sport.

Rachel Alexandra, who won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 1/4 lengths, was not nominated to the Triple Crown races and was not expected to compete in the Preakness. But after she was purchased by Jess Jackson and a partner last week, they said they would enter the filly in the second leg of the Triple Crown, where she would likely be the heavy favorite.

That led to a phone call that might end up being as notorious in racing circles as Rod Blagojevich’s conversations about Barack Obama’s Senate seat are among aficionados of Illinois politics.

To recap and rebuke, Zayat first revealed the plot Sunday morning in an interview with HRTV in which he claimed that Allen had called him that morning and urged him to overfill the Preakness field, forcing Rachel Alexandra to the sidelines.

As recounted by Zayat, the conversation went like this: “I got a phone call earlier today … and, lo and behold, it was the owner of the Derby winner, Mine That Bird, and he said, ‘Mr. Zayat, you don’t know me, I’m Mark Allen. Listen I have a request for you. I think this race is between me and you. You’d have been the favorite if Rachel Alexandra is not in the field and I’m looking for vindication that my colt was not a fluke, and I’m sure you are looking to beat us also. I think this match is between us, it’s a rivalry. I’m going to be entering a colt … to fill the field. I understand you are the No. 1 owner in number of nominations — 22 colts — can you please help us. It’s good for the game.’ ”

Zayat’s smarts desert him
Zayat, who holds degrees in business and public health from Boston University and Harvard University, is a smart guy, but the rest of his rambling remarks in the HRTV interview and another on TVG left little doubt that Triple Crown fever is galloping around his big brain.

First he claimed that racing blueblood Marylou Whitney also was in on the plot, and planned to enter the marginal contestant Luv Gov. (Whitney’s camp later said they do intend to enter Luv Gov, but not if it would knock Rachel Alexandra out of the field, which is capped at 14 horses.)

Then Zayat ripped the scab off racing’s most painful wound, invoking the death of the filly Eight Belles shortly after crossing the finish line in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

“People are concerned that it would not be for the good of the sport,” he said of a Preakness involving Rachel Alexandra. “Nobody wants a situation like we had last year with Eight Belles."

Allen, meantime, was explaining away his participation in the scheme as a legitimate business move aimed at holding onto Mine That Bird’s jockey, Calvin Borel. Borel, who rode Mine That Bird to a 6 3/4-length victory in the Derby, made clear days earlier that he would ride Rachel Alexandra — who he says is the best horse he has ever piloted — if she was entered in the Preakness.

“I just want my rider back,” said Allen, announcing plans to enter the maiden Indy Express in the race.

Word of the collusion hit Internet news sites and racing blogs, igniting a firestorm of criticism, and Allen and Zayat began to furiously backpedal.

Allen said later he had decided his efforts to retain Borel were misguided, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

“There was a shot I could keep that good filly out by putting that maiden in,” Allen said, the newspaper reported. “(But) that just wouldn’t be right to do. This horse, if he had a couple of allowance wins or was a graded-stakes horse, I’d probably do it. But to put a maiden in there isn’t right.

“You know, I thought other people were putting horses in to keep her out, but that isn’t right, either. After talking to my dad and Dr. (co-owner Leonard) Blach and taking a Harley ride, I kind of come to my senses. .. . It was selfish, definitely selfish. I was getting greedy. It was the wrong thing to do.”

That last remark is particularly ironic, as Allen’s main claim to fame before Mine That Bird won the Derby was as a minor character in Alaska’s ongoing political corruption trial. His father, Bill Allen, testified last year that his son delivered a bribe of several thousand dollars on his behalf to an unnamed state legislator.

‘For the good of the game’
Zayat also had a change of heart, telling the Blood Horse that “after talking to the president of the Maryland Jockey Club, I have decided I don’t want to be viewed as not being a sportsman, so I am happy not to block her for the good of the game. Please understand this is not about me; this is about the industry, and although what is right is not very clear to me I am happy to reconsider my decision for the fans.”

Although it’s nice to hear concepts like sportsmanship creep into this creepy conversation at long last, the words of contrition ring false.

It’s clear that the motivation for keeping Rachel Alexandra out of the race was as simple as the millions of dollars that a Preakness winner can be expected to command in the breeding shed. And it’s even more obvious that both owners know that their chances of beating her Saturday are slimmer than their rationales for trying to exclude her.

This is just asinine!! The apologies are beyond insincere, so much so that they're laughable.

Anyone who conspired here to attempt to keep that horse out of the race should be banned from the Preakness at least. Their horses should be banned from competing as well!!

Oh, and why was the Eight Belles comment necessary? Was that a threat from Zayat? If Rachel Alexandra wins or comes close to beating "the boys," is she going to end up like Eight Belles? Is she going to be put down on a track in front of the whole world too so that she can't come back and repeat the same thing at the Belmont? What exactly does Mr. Zayat know that we don't about what happened with Eight Belles? Did someone mess with that horse and cause injuries prior to the race that were only exacerbated by the race?

Or is he just being a rich little asshole who never learned the concept of sportsmanship? What's the matter? Didn't Mommy and Daddy teach him how to share?

Are these men honestly that afraid of losing that they would intentionally try to keep this horse out of the race? We know it's 100% about money and has absolutely nothing to do with the fans!! Who the hell are these men that they think they have a RIGHT to dictate what horses can race and what horses can't? Who the hell are these men that they think they have a RIGHT to dictate to the fans what the FANS WANT TO SEE?

If they and their horses are not banned from the Preakness, I hope that Rachel Alexandra shows up and shows up big!! I hope that horse wipes the track with their asses and makes the owners look like the jackasses that they are!!

The CHUMP "Saves" Miss California

2009-05-12T17:35:00.003-05:00

Yeah, that's right people!! The CHUMP saved Miss California. So, what have we learned from this? It's okay to lie, as long as The CHUMP thinks your nude photos are "beautiful". Is he grooming her for wife number (you fill in the blank)?

I'm really sick and tired of hearing about how this liar is being attacked because of her answer on the issue of gay marriage. First of all, she's an idiot. I don't know what COUNTRY she lives in, but in the majority of the United States of America gay people aren't allowed to marry. In her answer, she stated that they could.

Second of all, she's entitled to voice her opinion. However, she has crossed the line when she CHOSE to solicit donations for NOM instead of attending to the business of being Miss California. She is supposed to represent all of California, not just those who share her beliefs!!

The point is, she lied when she CHOSE to run for Miss California. She signed a contract in which it clearly asked if she had posed for nude or semi-nude photographs. She said no. The last time I looked at a job application it stated directly above the signature line that "All answers and information provided are truthful and correct." It also states that if I provide false information on the job application, I'm subject to a fine and possible imprisonment. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't she technically have a JOB as Miss California. Isn't her application for the beauty pageant essentially a JOB APPLICATION?

She has lied so many times that she can't even keep her lies straight. First she denied the fact that photos existed of her. Then she claimed that the photos were taken when she was 17. Then she said there were no more photos. More photos appeared. Now she says that the photos were taken when she was 16, and she doesn't remember what she did when she was 16.

If it's true that the photos were taken when she was 17, why didn't she tell her parents? Why weren't police contacted? After all, she was a minor and taking nude or semi-nude photos of a minor is illegal and is considered CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. If they were taken when she was 16, why weren't her parents and the police notified? Could it be because she LIED about that too? Could it be because they were taken, as some have said, THIS PAST YEAR? That scenario seems more plausible given the fact that she has breast implants in most of these photos. She got the implants when she entered the pageant scene because they were bought and paid for by the pageant officials in California.

Miss California is not a role model. She does not represent the entire population of California. She didn't fulfill her obligations as Miss California. She has lied so many times. Yet she gets to keep her crown because the CHUMP thinks she's beautiful. She has the audacity to stand up at the press conference and cry her little crocodile tears. She has the audacity to slander Perez Hilton over and over again. I agree with Perez. She is a stupid bitch. She deserved to lose her crown.

I can't wait for more photos to surface, and surface they will!! According to HEADLINE NEWS this afternoon, there are more photos and even a video that are about to come out. Who is she going to blame then?

On another note, the bitch doesn't need a crown. She needs a straight jacket!!

When asked by James Dobson why she gave the answer she did to the gay marriage question she said and I quote, "I felt as though Satan was trying to tempt me in asking me this question. And then God was in my head and in my heart saying, "Do not compromise this. You need to stand up for me and you need to share with all these people . . . you need to witness to them and you need to show that you're not willing to compromise that for this title of Miss USA."

"And I knew right here that it wasn't about winning. It was about being true to my convictions."

So, Satan was trying to tempt her? And she was talking to God? Can we say, INSANE? Oh, and I thought that she claimed she would have won but her answer cost her the crown? According to the pageant officials, her score before she even entered the question portion of the pageant was low enough to the point that it was impossible for her to win regardless of how she did during the rest of the pageant.

She is full of shit. She needs to stop soliciting donations for NOM, and try to get her lies straight!! She needs to stop slandering people!! She's the fakest bitch around, and the only people stupid enough to fall for her innocent victim routine is the CHUMP and her fellow CHRISTIAN LUNATICS!!

Update To Whose "Mistake" Is It Anyway?

2009-05-10T17:36:00.006-05:00

On Friday, I posted about Mike Malloy and his commentary on the latest massacre of the Afghan people and how he omitted Barack Obama from the condemnation.

Today, there's another element to the story.

Concerns white phosphorus used in Afghan battle

Here we go again. Except, this time, we're hearing about it in Afghanistan, rather than Iraq. Yet another war crime committed. The use of white phosphorus in warfare is illegal. What part of this does the military and, consequently, the commander-in-chief not understand? And why is no one being held to account over this? I thought there was supposed to be some kind of "change" coming. Apparently not.

I hope I read about this story on Mike Malloy's website tomorrow. I hope I see the name Barack Obama pop up in the same commentary and I hope there's a repudiation of the president and what's he's doing to the Afghan people. I hope Mike calls Obama a war criminal.

But I'm not going to hold my breath. If it hasn't happened yet, it's never going to.

Prove me wrong, Mike.

Suspended For Going To Prom?

2009-05-10T16:22:00.002-05:00

So much for thinking that Christians couldn't get more ridiculous!!

Ohio teen expects to be suspended for trip to prom

FINDLAY, Ohio – An Ohio teenager says he expects to be suspended from a Christian school for attending a public school prom with his girlfriend.

Officials at Heritage Christian School in Findlay had warned 17-year-old Tyler Frost that he would be suspended and prohibited from attending graduation if he went to the Saturday dance. The fundamentalist Baptist school in northwest Ohio forbids dancing, rock music and hand holding.

Frost says he went to the dance because he wanted to experience the prom and didn't think it was wrong.

School officials say he could complete his final exams separately to receive a diploma.

Frost's stepfather says the rules shouldn't apply outside of school and he may take legal action if Frost is suspended.

Yes, because we all know that dancing, rock music, and hand holding is the work of the DEVIL!!

This is so beyond ridiculous!! I do hope that his stepfather does take legal action if he's suspended. He has a right to finish school and graduate just like everyone else. Who did he hurt by attending prom? God? It's not like he had sex with his girlfriend on the middle of the dance floor. And even if he did, what he does is NOT the school's business!!

Whose "Mistake" Is It Anyway?

2009-05-08T13:23:00.006-05:00

Gotta ask that question today, thanks to yesterday's blog posting by Mike Malloy.

I won't recap my history with Mike because you've heard it a couple dozen times in the last year and five months.

The posting, callously and thoughtlessly titled "Oops, I Bombed You Again", a play on the title of a Britney Spears "hit" of yesteryear, talks about the Pentagon and their latest murderous bombing attack of the people of Afghanistan, massacring no less than fifty but maybe as many as 150 people in Ishaqzai and Agha Sahiban.

Mike took the Pentagon to the woodshed and ripped their ass open and rightly so.

But there's something missing from Mike's excoriation.

A name.

Obama.

See, during the past eight years, anytime bombs would drop from the sky and onto innocent people, it wasn't just the Pentagon that was at fault, it wasn't just Pentagon "officials" that were war criminals.

Bush and Cheney (and Powell and Rice and Wolfowitz and Perle and Rove) were lumped in with Rumsfeld and Gates as thugs that should be hauled before The Hague and, at best, tossed into a deep dark pit.

But not now.

Not with the Empire's New Clothes (as Paul Street has called Barack Obama in the past) in place.

You know the old saying. Barack Obama may be a son of a bitch but he's our son of a bitch.

Yeah, he's also our war criminal. The "best" one we've got at the current moment.

Don't say you weren't warned.

Bristol Palin To Preach About Abstinence

2009-05-07T15:53:00.002-05:00

Bristol Palin apparently believes that she has a RIGHT to preach to teens about abstinence.

'Learn from my example,' says Bristol Palin

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Teen mom Bristol Palin had a simple message for teens on Wednesday, the 8th Annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

The daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin – the 2008 vice presidential nominee – said in an interview on NBC's Today Show that she wanted other teens to "learn from my example."

"If you're going to have sex, I think you should have safe sex," the unwed, teenage mother said as she held her infant son, Tripp. "And, regardless of what I did or anything like that, I think that abstinence is the only 100 percent foolproof way of preventing teen pregnancy."

Her father, Todd, acknowledged that his daughter was negotiating difficult territory as she holds herself out as an increasingly public advocate for the cause of preventing teen pregnancy.

"It's kind of a fine line that we're definitely walking on," he said when asked whether the governor's daughter could both advocate for teens to abstain and encourage practicing safe sex.

The young mother did have one topic she was not willing to discuss in detail – her increasingly strained relationship with Levi Johnston, Tripp's father.

"I'm honestly not here to talk about my personal life," Palin told Lauer, adding that Johnston was involved in raising their son.

"They're working out a schedule," Todd Palin said of the young parents' arrangements. "I know that both of them will love and care for their son together."

In a recent interview with CNN's Larry King, Johnston and his family said they were considering legal action to protect his parental rights.

This girl shouldn't be preaching to teens about teen pregnancy and abstinence. She should be at home raising her child, finishing school, and getting a job!! She is not a role model. She is not someone to be admired. She is a spoiled little rich brat who didn't have the common sense to at least make her boyfriend put on a condom. I don't want to hear about the "heat of the moment" bullshit. That's the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard!!

She wants to portray herself as though she is like all the other teen mothers out there. The fact of the matter is, she's not even close. She never will be like other teen mothers out there. She lives in a mansion that's paid for by the taxpayers of Alaska. She has more money than most people at her disposal. She is not struggling!!

I will be boycotting Candies, and anything affiliated with the company. Even if they pick a different spokesperson for their campaign, I will not support them by giving them my money. Get a REAL teen mother, and not some brat whose mother is almost certainly behind this latest scheme to come out of that household.

Kiefer Assaults Designer, Faces Charges

2009-05-07T15:19:00.003-05:00

I don't watch 24. I don't refer to him as Jack Bauer. I don't care about him.

Kiefer Sutherland's Alleged Headbutt Victim: It Was a 'Vicious' Attack

Fashion designer Jack McCollough, who was allegedly headbutted by Kiefer Sutherland at a party in lower Manhattan early Tuesday morning, is slamming reports that he provoked the actor.

"Anyone who knows Jack McCollough knows that he would not hurt a fly," a rep for McCollough, of the New York-based fashion empire Proenza Schouler, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "All we can say at this point is that he was the victim of a vicious, violent, unprovoked assault and that the matter is in the hands of the authorities."

One report claims that McCollough bumped into fellow party guest Brooke Shields, prompting Sutherland to get physical with the designer. New York's Daily News reports that McCollough – a friend of Shields's – interrupted her and Sutherland while they were speaking outside the SoHo nightspot SubMercer and that Sutherland then allegedly headbutted McCollough after the two men exchanged words.

But one guest at the event tells PEOPLE that the altercation came as a surprise to bystanders. "Jack walked into the party and tried to order a drink, and then the next thing he knew, he got headbutted for no identifiable reason," the partygoer tells PEOPLE. "Jack did nothing other than walk into a party. He did not bump into Brooke. It's just puzzling.”

According to an NYPD spokesperson, the incident, which occurred around 2 a.m., is under investigation.

Sutherland's lawyer, Blair Berk, had no comment.

What needs to happen to him is that he needs to be arrested. He needs to be charged with assault. He needs to go to trial or plead guilty. And, his probation for his DUI conviction needs to be revoked.

He sat in jail for his DUI, and apparently he learned absolutely NOTHING!! You don't assault someone and think it's okay. I don't want to hear about how he has an alcohol problem and should be cut some slack. He assaulted someone and he should be punished.

He had potential, but he's really just a complete moron!! Throw the book at him!!

"Father Oprah"

2009-05-05T19:17:00.003-05:00

For some reason I find this story to be rather hilarious!!

Scandalous photos surface of Fla.'s 'Father Oprah'

MIAMI – A Miami priest known as "Father Oprah" for offering relationship advice on the archdiocese's radio network is no longer broadcasting after photos surfaced that show him embracing a woman at a bar and at the beach, church officials said Tuesday.

Archdiocesan spokeswoman Mary Ross Agosta said the Rev. Albert Cutie met privately with his superior Tuesday, but it wasn't disclosed whether Cutie quit or was removed as head of the radio network and as pastor of St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church in Miami Beach.

Cutie issued a statement Tuesday evening saying he remains committed to serving God.

"I ask for the forgiveness of those who may be hurt or saddened by my actions," he said.

Agosta called Cutie a wonderful priest and said he is on a prayerful journey.

"He has consoled and celebrated and christened and been in contact with hundreds of thousands of people through his church and programs, and now it's time to ask for prayers for Father Albert," she said.

Cutie headed the archdiocese's Radio Paz and Radio Peace broadcasts, heard throughout the Americas and in Spain. The Cuban-American priest was born in Puerto Rico and previously hosted shows on Telemundo. He is also a syndicated Spanish-language columnist and author of the book "Real Life, Real Love: 7 Paths to a Strong, Lasting Relationship."

Cynthia Hudson, an executive vice president at the Miami-based Spanish Broadcasting System, said her company's Mega TV network was approached by a paparazzo about four to six weeks ago with photos and video purportedly showing Cutie and a woman. The paparazzo wanted more than $100,000 for the images, but she said the network was unable to verify their authenticity and said they posed an ethical quandary.

"There's an ethical line that you draw when you cannot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt," Hudson said.

The photos were published in the Spanish-language magazine TVnotas.

Earlier Tuesday, Archbishop John C. Favalora apologized to parishioners and listeners.

"Father Cutie's actions cannot be condoned despite the good works he has done as a priest," Favalora said in a statement. "Scandals such as this offer an occasion for the Church on all levels to examine our consciences regarding the integrity of our commitments to the Lord and to his Church."

Here is a priest who is being scorned, punished, and perhaps maybe even defrocked for possibly having a relationship with an ADULT. Not a child!! An ADULT!!

The Catholic Church is so quick to condemn "Father Oprah" who may or may not be having a consensual relationship with an ADULT woman. Yet for decades they lied about and attempted to cover up the sexual abuse of children by priests and nuns. To this day they continue to lie about and deny accusations of abuse.

I just find this story hilarious. He's not abusing a child. For that reason alone he should be applauded!!

Before some Catholic writes to tell me that I know nothing about the Catholic Church and attempts to "school" me on what's expected of a priest, allow me to stop you from wasting your time. He's not a pedophile. End of story!!

Judy Shepard Responds To Ms. Foxx

2009-05-04T19:07:00.002-05:00

Judy Shepard responded to Ms. Foxx, and her bigotry!!

Judy Shepard rejects Rep. Foxx's apology
Matthew Shepard's mom says Foxx apologized for semantics, not ignorance

NEW YORK - Judy Shepard doesn't think Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., was sincere when she apologized for calling the 1998 murder of Shepard's son, Matthew, "a hoax."

"Attacks of lesser consequence have been said about Matt since the beginning... but I never expected it to be called 'a hoax,'" said Shepard Thursday on "The Rachel Maddow Show."

During a debate in the House of Representatives Wednesday, Foxx said that the death of Matthew Shepard shouldn't be used to justify a hate crimes bill because it wasn't a hate crime. Foxx said Shepard was killed during a robbery.

In a statement released the following day, Foxx said her comments didn't convey what she meant to say. "The term 'hoax' was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill," Foxx said.

Foxx said she relied on two news reports for her comments about robbery being a motive for the slaying. "Referencing these media accounts may have been a mistake, but if so, it was a mistake based on what I believed were reliable accounts," she said.

Judy Shepard, who was present when Foxx made the remarks, was unconvinced by the clarification. "It's apologizing for semantics but not her sentiment, her insensitivity or her ignorance," she said on MSNBC.

The bill approved by the House would expand a federal hate crimes law to include acts motivated by sexual orientation.

"Everyone knew Matthew's murder was a hate crime, but it couldn't be prosecuted as a hate crime. We couldn't call it a hate crime. Getting this bill passed in the House brings gay rights up to the level of equality," said Shepard.

The killing of the University of Wyoming student became a rallying point for the gay rights movement. Shepard was tied up, beaten and left for dead on a wooden fence. The two men who killed him are serving life sentences in prison. Prosecutors' cases included evidence with elements of robbery, drugs and hate against gays, but the court only determined that the men were guilty of murder and not why they killed Shepard.

"Hate crimes are a different kind of crime. They're meant to send a message to a community, not an individual. We need to address this somehow," said Shepard. She argues that the expanded legislation would allow the federal government to step in if there are biases against gays and lesbians that affect local law enforcement or prosecution. The expanded definition of "hate crime" would also entitle states to financial help.

"[Laramie] had to furlough four employees to pay for the investigation and the trial. They weren't eligible for federal resources and money," added Shepard.

She is hopeful that the bill will also pass in the Senate. "We know we have the support of the president and senators... I'm hopeful that all legislation to protect the gay and lesbian community will be addressed by the Obama administration."

Gay rights supporters were immediately critical of Foxx after she made the statements.

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., said the comments were "unreal, unbelievable."

Jim Neal, a one-time candidate for U.S. Senate from North Carolina who is gay, said Foxx showed ignorance in her comments.

"I'm baffled that any kind of elected representative would make that kind of absurd and heartless comment about a young man whose life was taken away from him, and taken away because he was gay," Neal said.

How did you like the verbal middle finger Virg? If it had been me, you would have gotten to see the "bird". And I would have told you exactly where you could put that "apology". But Judy is not me and I'm not her!! She handled it the way she saw fit!! I applaud Judy for not accepting the "apology".

Israeli Team Penalized, Team Bitches About It!!

2009-05-04T18:55:00.003-05:00

An Israeli soccer team was penalized after fans chanted anti-Arab crap. The team then bitched about the penalties imposed, and they say that they plan to appeal.

Israeli team penalized for fans' anti-Arab chants

JERUSALEM - Defending soccer champion Beitar Jerusalem was penalized a point and ordered to play a home match in an empty stadium after fans shouted anti-Arab slogans.

The Israeli Football Association handed down the deduction after holding a special disciplinary hearing on Thursday. The association discussed reports that Beitar fans repeatedly chanted phrases deriding the Prophet Muhammad at a game against Maccabi Petah Tikva in April.

The team has had repeated run-ins with Israeli soccer authorities. Earlier this season, the league deducted two points from Beitar for fan violence.

The penalty deals a blow to the team's chances of winning a third successive league title. Beitar is seven points behind league leader Maccabi Haifa with five games left.

"Beitar Jerusalem is extremely disappointed with the IFA disciplinary court's ruling," the team said in a statement. "This decision significantly hurts Beitar and its achievements on the soccer pitch. The club intends to appeal this outrageous ruling."

Beitar was crowned league champion a year ago after a last-minute melee when its fans took the field in a premature celebration. Authorities threatened a points deduction, but later did not punish the team.

The team is owned by Israeli-Russian billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak.

Perhaps next time they should tell their fans to shut the hell up!!

I guarantee you that if the fans of the other team had been chanting anti-Israeli crap, the Israeli team would have no problem with that team being penalized!! But since they're being penalized, they're bitching!!

Did they tell the fans to shut up? I don't know!! Did they encourage the fans? I don't know!! But if they did, they deserve the penalty for inciting hatred!!

Does The Truth Hurt?

2009-05-04T18:32:00.002-05:00

I really don't have a problem with what this Professor had to say.

California Professor Probed After Sending E-Mail Comparing Israelis to Nazis

A sociology professor at the University of California Santa Barbara is in the center of a heated debate about academic freedom after he sent an e-mail comparing "parallel images of Nazis and Israelis" to 80 of his students in January.

Two of William Robinson's students dropped out of his sociology of globalization class after they received the e-mail. The message also caught the eye of at least two national Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, which has called upon the tenured professor to "unequivocally repudiate" it.

"If Martin Luther King were alive on this day of January 19, 2009, there is no doubt that he would be condemning the Israeli aggression against Gaza along with the U.S. military and political support for Israeli war crimes, or that he would be standing shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinians," the 50-year-old Robinson wrote in his e-mail.

"I am forwarding some horrific, parallel images of Nazi atrocities against the Jews and Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians."

Dozens of photographs followed, depicting Holocaust victims in Nazi Germany and nearly identical images from the Israeli attack on Gaza. Robinson included a note that "Gaza is Israel's Warsaw."

The two students who dropped out of Robinson's class accused him of violating faculty code of conduct by disseminating personal or political matter unrelated to the course.

"I felt nauseous that a professor could use his power to send this email with his views attached, to each student in his class," senior Rebecca Joseph wrote. "Due to this horrific email I had to drop the course."

Robinson, who is Jewish and has been teaching at UCSB for nine years, is defending his message. He says the university's ongoing investigation is an attack on his academic freedom. He did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In a letter to Robinson and UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang, Cynthia Silverman, regional director of Santa Barbara's Anti-Defamation League chapter, described the professor's comparison as "offensive" and said it "crossed the line well beyond" legitimate criticism of Israel.

"We also think it is important to note that the tone and extreme views presented in your email were intimidating to students and likely chilled thoughtful discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Silverman wrote.

But Robinson's supporters, including prominent professor of linguistics Noam Chomsky, say the university's probe is improper and is an attempt to silence criticism of Israel.

"Unfortunately, there has been a wave of similar efforts to undermine academic freedom throughout the country in recent years," Chomsky wrote in a letter to Yang. "I hope and trust that the university will take a clear and strong stand in favor of principles that are central to free inquiry and expression, particularly so in a distinguished institution of higher learning such as this one."

A group called the Committee to Defend Academic Freedom at UCSB, which includes professors and Robinson's former students and teaching assistants, has been formed to back the professor. The group's Web site includes a letter of support and a call for an apology to Robinson from the California Scholars for Academic Freedom, which represents more than 100 professors from 20 colleges.

"The right to present controversial material in the context of a course — including opinions that may be deeply disturbing to some students — is an essential element of academic freedom," the group wrote. "This includes the right to criticize government actions, whether they be American, Israeli, or those of any other government."

Paul Desruisseaux, a UCSB spokesman, said a faculty committee has been formed to determine whether the case should be considered by school administrators.

"Given the nature of this case, there are some aspects of censure that could possibly by imposed that could probably fall short of dismissal," Desruisseaux told FOXNews.com. "And it's possible that this initial committee could determine it was just bad judgment. We need to let this process run its course."

Whatever the outcome of Robinson's case, a chilling effect will likely follow, particularly on local academics, according to Cary Nelson, national president of the American Association of University Professors.

"Some faculty will take it as an opportunity to exercise their free speech rights while others won't because they don't want calls from 20 reporters," Nelson said. "You'll get a dual effect."

Nelson, whose organization has not announced a formal opinion on Robinson's actions, said the professor appears to be in the clear.

"We wait and watch that inquiry," Nelson said. "It's easy to imagine how a course in globalization made some comparisons between different historical periods and different historical events.

"If it is related to class discussion, it is almost certainly to be covered by academic freedom."

Why should he repudiate anything? Does the truth hurt?

The fact of the matter is that Israel has gotten away with countless atrocities because the rest of the world is either complicit in those atrocities, or they are too cowardly to hold Israel accountable.

Israel is no better than the Nazis. They have committed genocide, and continue to commit genocide against not only the Palestinians but also the Lebanese. Nobody has the balls to call it GENOCIDE. They call it "self defense".

I applaud this professor for bringing this issue to everyone's attention. And if those students can't handle the truth, clearly they haven't been paying attention to REALITY!! Perhaps a college setting is not the place for them, and preschool may be more suitable!! They can continue to act like children while the rest of us ADULTS with brains can fight to put the truth out there, and call people out for their crimes!!

Playing The Victim

2009-04-30T21:47:00.002-05:00

As usual, a politician talks out of his or her ass. Then they claim that they were misunderstood or their words were taken out of context. They claim they're getting death threats. And they try to play the VICTIM!!

NC rep calls gay student slaying case a 'hoax'

RALEIGH, N.C. – A North Carolina congresswoman said Thursday she chose her words poorly when she called claims that a Wyoming college student was murdered because he was gay a "hoax."

Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx said during debate in the House that Matthew Shepard's 1998 death wasn't a hate crime and shouldn't be invoked by supporters of a bill to expand the definition of such crimes to include violence motivated by sexual orientation.

"We know that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay," Foxx said during debate. "The bill was named for him, the hate-crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills."

Shepard died several days after he was found tied to a remote fence in Wyoming, severely beaten and robbed of $20. Prosecutors said he was lured from a bar by two men, including one whose defense attorney said reacted violently after Shepard made a sexual advance.

The House approved the bill Wednesday despite Foxx's comments. On Thursday, after Foxx drew heated reaction from several gay rights groups and others upset by her comments, she said her words didn't convey what she meant to say.

"The term 'hoax' was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill," Foxx said in a statement. "Mr. Shepard's death was nothing less than a tragedy, and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received."

Still, it wasn't enough to quell the firestorm.

"I haven't ever heard anyone say before that Matthew Shepard's death wasn't a hate crime," said Becky Dansky, federal legislative director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

She said her organization was surprised by the comments and noted the House version of the bill doesn't even reference Shepard's case. The Senate bill carries Shepard's name.

Foxx spokesman Aaron Groen said the congresswoman relied on articles that she later realized were faulty and especially regrets upsetting the Shepard family. He said she declined further comment.

"Calls to her office have been mostly from outside North Carolina," Groen said. "We've gotten our share of death threats and the like but that's to be expected on such an emotional issue."

The University of Wyoming student's slaying became a rallying point for the gay rights movement.

The two men who killed him are serving life in prison. Prosecutors' cases included evidence with elements of robbery, drugs and hatred against gays. The court found the men guilty of murder, but did not determine their motivation.

Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said Foxx's comments might help encourage discussions favorable to equality.

"She should know better," Giuliano said Thursday. "Her research is a little shoddy. The good thing is it has exposed yet another very anti-equality, anti-gay elected official at a time when public opinion is moving more and more toward equality."

I just love how her mouthpiece claims that she's getting death threats now. Really? Because gay rights supporters and hate crimes legislation supporters have absolutely nothing better to do than threaten to kill some dumb bitch from North Carolina who has absolutely no fucking clue what the hell she's talking about. Right? RIGHT!!

That's what gay people do right? They believe that they have a right to be treated equally and when they don't get their way they threaten to kill someone? Sure Mr. Groen!! Portray your boss as a victim!! That's what you all do best!! You know that she's full of shit and when called on it, you make her look like the victim in all of this.

Foxx claims that Matthew's death as a result of a hate crime is just a hoax. She claims that he wasn't killed because he was gay. And she knows that because????? Was she there when the crime took place? Did she personally speak to the killers and determine that he died simply because a robbery "went bad", and not because he was gay?

No, she didn't!! She shot her mouth off about something that she knows nothing about and too ignorant and bigoted to educate herself about.

Matthew Shepard died because he was gay, and two bigoted assholes decided that he wasn't worthy of living!! Matthew Shepard's name deserves to be on this bill, and it deserves to be passed. He died for no other reason!!

It's because of people who think like Ms. Foxx that hate crimes legislation is necessary in this country. If people like Ms. Foxx would get their heads out of their asses and their asses out of their Bibles, maybe there would be fewer cases like Matthew's!!

Maybe the next "Matthew" won't have to die because he or she is gay. But if they are murdered, their families will get justice because of a little something called the Matthew Shepard Act!!

Obama's First 100 Daze

2009-04-30T10:56:00.003-05:00

That's where everyone's been.

In a daze.

One that's lasted longer than a mere three months and change.

If anything, there are people that have been in this stupor for four or more years, ever since Obama became one of two senators from Illinois. At least since he gave the speech heard 'round the world at the 2004 Democratic Convention, which may or may not be the point at which the corporations said, “By damn! This kid's got some potential! We oughta hitch our star to this guy!”

Today, the day after he celebrated the fact that he's been in office a whopping handful of time, all we're hearing about is how great his speech was. Brilliant, in fact. So brilliant that the Baltimore Sun, a newspaper that became irrelevant a long time ago, had this to say:

“Even on his best nights, John F. Kennedy did not seem as calm, confident and masterful as Obama did in an hour’s worth of prime time give and take with the press. As good as Obama has been in such settings before, Wednesday he seemed perfectly tuned to each shifting topic and tone. The president was appropriately sober, moral and earnest in talking about waterboarding as torture — without taking the bait and using the question to attack players in the previous administration for their excesses in prisoner abuse.”

You'd think someone could rid us of this Kennedy comparison but of course not.

What's interesting is the fact that the company that owns the Baltimore Sun is the exact same company that owns the Chicago Tribune. And who's the hometown kid? Yep.

You'll forgive me now as I go off on a tangent.

I especially enjoyed the last sentence about how Obama talked about torture but didn't "take the bait" and accuse anyone in the Bush administration of committing a crime.

How very convenient of our Constitutional Law professor president, wouldn't you agree?

Nevermind that the Bush administration shat on the Constitution, at one point referring to it as “a goddamned piece of paper”.

Torture? Perish the thought. No one in “the previous administration” would ever think of doing such a thing. After all, we have laws against that.

Yeah, because those fucks were so very concerned about law. Don't forget these are the same people that stole three elections in the course of six years and reigned with an iron fist and a gun to the world's collective head for eight.

What did Obama actually have to say about torture?

He said that he was very comfortable “banning” waterboarding.

He then was asked about Bush and company and said, “I think that whatever legal rationale was used, it was a mistake.”

This is what the Baltimore Sun called brilliant because Obama didn't “take the bait”.

So call a crime a “mistake” and everyone should be happy about it and hail you as being brilliant, savvy, smart, presidential.

I'd call it being a chickenshit but, hey, what do I know, right?

You might wonder why I put quotation marks around the word banning.

Well, I think it's probably because I find it so interesting that a guy that doesn't believe in torture, up to the point of calling it a crime (because then he shrinks away in terror), actually has a Secretary Of War that had no problem with the torture that he engaged in under the Bush administration. I think it's probably because I find it so interesting that he has a National Intelligence Director (Admiral Dennis Blair) that thinks torture works. He has a senior intelligence official that has been accused of covering up the torture of an American nun in Guatemala in 1989 and another that is an apologist for Augusto Pinochet.

Does this sound like change of any sort? Does this sound like torture is going to end anytime soon? Out of sight, out of practice. Not likely.

Lest we forget about Obama's adamant urging that prisoners at Guantanamo Bay not be recognized as people or that those being held in Afghanistan have no right to habeas corpus. Even Stephen Colbert thinks this is fucking ridiculous and if you didn't hear his audience's reaction to this point a couple weeks ago, you don't know what you missed.

Fortunately, not everyone has been asleep or zoned out.

We still have the Black Agenda Report, whose Bruce Dixon just did a report card on the prez.

And we have Paul Street, Noam Chomsky, John Pilger and Counterpunch.org, to name a small handful.

It's not too late to snap out of it and get objective about Barack Obama. No one can be “good” or “evil” all the time. It's time to wake up and start learning the truth, instead of just taking spoon-feeding from CNN, MSNBC and FOX.

Racial Insensitivity?

2009-04-25T21:34:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'm sorry but this is just ridiculous!!

Disney Accused of Racial Insensitivity Over First Animated Black Princess

The arrival of a black First Lady in the White House might have been greeted with celebration around the world, but the similarly historic debut of Walt Disney’s first black princess has not been received so warmly.

The studio, known for its wholesome and predominantly white family values, has made several changes to its first African-American princess, Tiana, who will star in a new animated film this Christmas entitled "The Princess and the Frog," amid accusations of racial insensitivity.

Disney has already changed the profession of the princess (an aspiring restaurant entrepreneur instead of a chambermaid) and name (Tiana instead of Maddy, which critics thought was too similar to “Mammy," a once-common term for black female slaves in white households). Tiana will be played by Anika Noni Rose, who starred in "Dreamgirls," while Tiana’s mother will be played by the talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.

The controversy has intensified after it was revealed that the film would be set in New Orleans and that Tiana would find love with a white prince — well, almost. His skin has been described as olive-toned and he will be voiced by Bruno Campos, a Brazilian actor.

“What? No black prince? What’s up with this?” blogged James Collier on Acting White, an anti-racism Web site, in a posting typical of the general disbelief among the film’s most vocal black critics. “Perhaps Disney doesn’t want the future mothers of dwindling white America being imprinted so early in their lives with the notion of a black suitor.”

Another blogger, Angela Helm, attracted nearly 3,000 comments on the Black Voices Web site when she complained that “even though there is a real-life black man in the highest office in the land with a black wife, Disney obviously doesn’t think a black man is worthy of the title of prince."

It has been more than seven decades since Disney released its first princess movie, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The company’s “princess division” has eight characters, which generates an estimated $4 billion in revenues annually.

Until now, the line-up of royal heroines, which includes a Native American character (Pocahontas) and an Asian character (Mulan), was missing something: a black woman. And so the decision was made in the mid-2000s — before anyone outside of Chicago had heard of the Obamas — to make Tiana the ninth princess.

According to leaked details, the princess is transformed into a frog after kissing one and has to venture into the mystical bayous of Louisiana to find a cure from a voodoo queen.

The first objection was to her name because Maddy sounded too close to Mammy? Yes, I can see how the letters d and m sound the same!! Fine, so they changed the name to Tiana. Next!!

The second objection was to her profession as a chambermaid. They changed it to an aspiring restaurant entrepreneur. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't she supposed to be a Princess? Why the hell is anyone making her anything other than a Princess? And just when in the hell is she going to have time to be a restaurant entrepreneur when she's looking for her Prince and becomes a frog herself?

Snow White was a *gasp* maid/slave who was banished to a forest!!

Cinderella was a *gasp* maid/slave who met a Prince, married, and became a Princess!!

Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) was already a Princess. All she did was fall asleep, and kiss a Prince!!

Princess Ariel was a mermaid. Does that qualify as a profession? She met a Prince, and became a Princess. In a later film, she became a mother. Oh the horror!! Should that be changed so we're not promoting sex? Or did the baby just come along through the use of magic?

Belle didn't have a profession!! She met a Beast, and fell in love. Should that be changed as well? After all, we don't want to promote beastiality.

Princess Jasmine is a Princess who met Aladdin, fell in love, and got married.

Pocahontas didn't have a profession that was mentioned in the movie. I would encourage people to learn about the real Pocahontas and not the Disney character!!

Mulan secretly joined the army.

So, as you see, the majority of the characters were either already a Princess or became one. They don't have other professions!!

Then came the bitching about Tiana being involved with an olive-skinned "white" Prince, who will be voiced by a Brazilian actor.

“What? No black prince? What’s up with this?” blogged James Collier on Acting White, an anti-racism Web site, in a posting typical of the general disbelief among the film’s most vocal black critics. “Perhaps Disney doesn’t want the future mothers of dwindling white America being imprinted so early in their lives with the notion of a black suitor.”

Another blogger, Angela Helm, attracted nearly 3,000 comments on the Black Voices Web site when she complained that “even though there is a real-life black man in the highest office in the land with a black wife, Disney obviously doesn’t think a black man is worthy of the title of prince."

Excuse me? So Disney is being racially insensitive because the character meets an olive-skinned "white" Prince? What the hell is wrong with that? It does happen in real life. People of one race do date people of another race!! Is that wrong? No!!

Just because the Prince is not black doesn't mean that Disney and the rest of the world believes that a black man isn't worthy of being a Prince. I would argue with Ms. Helm that this is an idea that she put into her own head. She sees what she chooses to see, and believes what she wants to believe.

Disney is not being racially insensitive!! If people have nothing better to do than bitch about a fictional character, they should grow up and seek some professional help. There are far more important things to deal with and worry about, and these things actually impact lives. A fictional character is just that, fictional!!

That was ten minutes that I'll never get back!! NEXT!!!!!

Jailed Reporter On Hunger Strike

2009-04-25T20:59:00.002-05:00

Is she planning to be on a hunger strike for eight years?

U.S. Reporter Jailed in Iran on Fifth Day of Hunger Strike

TEHRAN, Iran — The father of an American journalist who has been convicted of spying in Iran says she has gone on a hunger strike to protest her imprisonment.

Reza Saberi has told the Associated Press that "she went on a hunger strike Tuesday to protest her imprisonment. Today is the fifth day."

He added Saturday that his daughter Roxana Saberi will remain on a hunger strike "until she is freed."

The 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen was sentenced to eight years in prison just days after she was tried behind closed doors earlier this month.

Saberi was arrested in late January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But earlier this month, an Iranian judge charged her with spying for the United States.

I honestly don't get the point of a hunger strike. What exactly does it accomplish, other than doing bodily harm to yourself? You're not hurting anyone else by starving yourself!!

Does she think that if she starves herself that she's going to garner sympathy and be freed?

Here's the deal. If her press credentials expired, she should have known that they needed to be renewed. If she didn't have press credentials to begin with, she should have known that she needed them in order to work as a reporter. She has been in Iran for six years. She's well aware of the laws of the country.

If she was actually spying which she's been accused and convicted of doing, what's the problem? We convict people for spying and jail them. Hell, most of those people are sentenced to a hell of a lot longer than 8 years. Try, oh I don't know, for LIFE!!

The question remains, did she receive a fair trial? We don't know!! She has the right to appeal, and that's how this should play out.

She will be allowed to appeal her conviction which is far more than I can say for what the United States does. At least she had a trial, fair or not!! They could have pulled a card from our deck and thrown her in a Gitmo-like environment, never to be charged, go to trial, or see the light of day again!! But Iran didn't do that!! Why? Because Iran is NOT the United States!! The United States doesn't care about the rule of law, be it our own or that of another country!!

The President doesn't get to stand up and think that he has a right to demand anything from another country. Clinton doesn't get to stand up and think that she can engage in a pissing match with Iran to see how much more shit this country can stir up.

Tea Parties And Other Bullshit

2009-04-14T14:48:00.003-05:00

When was the last time I blogged here? Who cares, right? Let's get to the main event now before the expiration date, well, expires.

I have to talk about these tea parties that are taking place supposedly all over the country. You probably have heard these imbeciles say that this is NOT, repeat, NOT a right-wing event.

Sure, and the Pope ain't Catholic, a bear does not shit in the woods and the sun will not come out tomorrow.

When such brain-trusts as Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich and Joe The Plumber Crack (someone flush this turd already) are arrayed around the country, you should seriously ask the question: how goddamn stupid do these slugs think we are?

Now, each and every one of you know how I feel about Barack Obama.

How I think that he's a corporate shill just the way Hannity, Gingrich and Joe Blow Me are.

How I think he says and does what his corporate masters want him to say and do, just like Rush Slimeball and Bill "Someone Lock My Ass Up For Sexual Harrassment And Stalking Already" O'Reilly do.

But what separates me from these ass-clowns is this:

I would be out there protesting these giant colossus corporations, hoping millions of my fellow Americans would be doing the same, but not really giving a shit if I was there alone.

Put GE out of business. Kick Goldman Sachs in the fucking nuts. Tell Citigroup to go fuck themselves.

Then and only then will the same old, same old end.

But, of course, these fucking nimrods go out and decide they're going to toss tea into water everywhere.

Let me ask you a question. Suppose this tea pollutes the shit out that water. Suppose some genius decides, instead of tea, he's going toss Drano or motor oil into the harbor, lake, pond, ocean, whatever. Suppose he decides to drive a car into the body of water (and wouldn't that be ironic?).

What do you think that genius is going to be shouting about in a couple months?

That's right. "We gotta fucking pay for the clean-up?!? Fucking environmentalists! Goddamn it!"

These people are so bright, I took my shades off a long time ago.

What's the real reason Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich and Joe The War Correspondent are out there with the rest of the under-50 IQ house plants?

They didn't "win" the "election". Simple as that.

Someone else got into "power" and now they can't handle it. Anyone remember when these same dumbasses talked about people sucking off the government tit? Yeah, the irony is not lost on me, either.

So, not more than three months into the four years of the same old, same old that we've had forever, they want everyone to look the other way yet again. Want to divide the people up yet again. Want you to be under-50 IQ house plants yet again.

I, for one, am bored of all this shit.

Did You Hear The One About The.....?

2009-04-12T20:50:00.002-05:00

No, this isn't a joke!! Did you hear the story about the FEMALE "CHRISTIAN" Sunday School Teacher who murdered an 8 year old child in California? Probably not, considering that the media doesn't want to talk about it much!!

They don't want to talk about it because the killer doesn't match their typical scapegoat, and they can't say I TOLD YOU SO!! Not only is the killer not a MAN, but the killer is also not a SEX OFFENDER. The killer is a woman, and a supposed CHRISTIAN too!!

Maybe they'll think twice before pointing the finger at their typical scapegoat. Yeah right!!

The family says that they can't fathom what the motive would be for the killing. I can think of a few excuses that may come up.

1) God told her to do it because the child was possessed by the Devil.

2) The Devil made her do it.

And if you think I'm joking, just wait and see!! Those are two very common excuses that Christians like to use whenever they do something wrong.

Cry Me A River!!

2009-03-27T21:42:00.002-05:00

As everyone I'm sure is well aware, Chris Brown is accused of beating the singer Rihanna. Now his little buddies want us to feel sorry for him.

Tyrese Gibson Says Scandal Taking Toll on Chris Brown

Chris Brown may not be the most popular guy right now, but friend Tyrese Gibson says everyone needs to take a step back and give him and Rihanna breathing room while they sort through a trying time.

"Although he appears to be really strong through all of this, it's really taking a toll on his spirit," Gibson said at Sunday's 2009 Ball Up Street Ball Tour. "People like me and Puff, we're just trying to show him love and keep his spirits up while he's going through all of the heat, and there are a lot people doing the same for Rihanna."

In February, Brown, 19, allegedly assaulted the Barbadian singer and his name has since appeared in countless negative articles and discussions of domestic abuse. Rihanna, too, has faced fallout, including criticism for taking Brown back. (According to one source, they have since decided to take a break.)

"It's really hard for him to focus right now on his music, even though he really wants to," said Gibson. "At the end of the day, I'm not trying to justify it because wrong is wrong, but unfortunately, us as entertainers, we have to grow up on stage with a lot of people looking at us. And a lot of people forget that he's 19, she's only 21."

First of all Mr. Gibson, Chris Brown wouldn't be feeling any "heat" if he hadn't beat Rihanna in the first place. He has only himself to blame for the situation he's in.

Second of all, cut the crap with this "we as entertainers have to grow up on stage with a lot of people looking at us" and this age bullshit. Nobody forced him into the spotlight. He CHOSE that life just like everyone else!!

Age has absolutely nothing to do with the present situation. I'm tired of hearing that he should somehow get a pass because he's only 19. And? I'm 29. Should I get a pass too? Or is it only those who are "young" and FAMOUS who are deserving of a pass?

Many things are obvious in this situation Mr. Gibson.

Rihanna was beaten. Pictures don't lie!! Chris Brown has been accused of the beating. He has been charged for the beating.

Chris Brown has failed to take responsibility for his actions. If the latest reports are true about the demand that felony charges be dropped and he receive no JAIL TIME, why would anyone have sympathy for him?

He is not a little boy. He is an adult. Actions have consequences!! He is not willing to face the consequences that he deserves. He deserves a jail sentence. You can't beat someone and expect not to be punished.

This is not a "man" who is young and immature. This is a "man" whose actions suggest that he feels he doesn't deserve to be punished for what he did. I, or anyone else, would have been tried, convicted, and punished already.

If music is his "priority" right now, he clearly hasn't learned anything from this!! Forgive me Mr. Gibson if I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for Chris Brown.

T-Shirts And The Israeli Army

2009-03-27T21:32:00.002-05:00

Have you seen them? Members of the Israeli military have been wearing reprehensible t-shirts.

Check them out!!

Israel Military Condemns Violent Anti-Palestinian T-Shirts

JERUSALEM — Israel's military condemned on Monday T-shirts worn by soldiers that depict scenes of violence against Palestinians as the army faces increasing domestic criticism over its conduct during the recent Gaza war.

The T-shirts, ordered by troops to mark the end of basic training and other military courses, were worn by a number of enlisted men in different units, the daily Haaretz newspaper reported. They were not made or sanctioned by the military.

One depicts a child in the cross-hairs of a rifle with the slogan, "The smaller they are, the harder it is," said one of T-shirts shown in Haaretz. Another shows a pregnant woman in the cross-hairs and the words "1 Shot 2 Kills." Others depict a soldier blowing up a mosque and Palestinian women weeping over a gravestone.

The Tel Aviv factory that made many of the shirts, Adiv, refused to comment.

The shirts "are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless," the army said in a statement. "This type of humor is unbecoming and should be condemned."

The statement said disciplinary action would be taken against troops wearing the T-shirts.

The Israeli military has been facing increased criticism at home for its conduct in Gaza in the aftermath of published testimony from several unidentified soldiers released last week.

The soldiers' testimony described troops killing Palestinian civilians, including children, by hastily opening fire under relaxed rules of engagement. The soldiers also reported the wanton destruction of civilian property.

The three-week Gaza offensive, launched to end years of rocket fire at Israeli towns, ended on Jan. 18. According to Palestinian officials, around 1,400 Palestinians were killed, most of them civilians. Thirteen Israelis died, three of them civilians.

Yeah right!! This is NOT CONDEMNATION!! The very fact that they would label this as "humor" shows exactly what they think about it.

The Guardian, Israel, And "No Opinion"

2009-03-27T20:39:00.002-05:00

I often find myself browsing The Guardian website for discussions on various topics. Yesterday I came across an interesting discussion that I wanted to continue here.

The writer of the piece that generated the discussion was talking about Israel, and how she's tired of being asked for an opinion on everything Israel related because she's Jewish.

Basically the writer explains that she doesn't feel that simply because she's Jewish she must answer for or condemn Israel's actions. She doesn't feel that she should even have to comment on them. Yeah, I agree!! Just because she's Jewish doesn't mean that she has to say anything. However, being a HUMAN BEING and all religion aside, how can you not have an opinion? The reality is, she does have an opinion.

She doesn't want to have to "justify" Israel's actions because there is no justification. What Israel has done and continues to do is not SELF-DEFENSE. It's called MURDER!!

I get a vibe from the article that perhaps she doesn't feel that what Israel did should be condemned. How can one not condemn the blatant targeting and killing of innocent people? Everyone is quick to condemn Hamas, yet they say nothing about Israel.

She doesn't want to have to comment on such issues because then she would have to say what SHE really thinks, and she can't use her religion as an excuse. After all, her opinion has nothing to do with being Jewish.

She went on to say:

"The question is, would a teacher dare to confront a second-generation Pakistani boy at school to explain why the Mumbai attacks happened? Would members of the public ring a British-Pakistani imam to demand answers? Of course not, and rightly so. The idea is preposterous and offensive. British Pakistanis here have no more control over actions of individuals from Pakistan or the Pakistani government than British Jews have over the Israeli government."

Must I point out the obvious? She clearly has no idea what she's talking about, and hasn't been paying attention to the world around her.

After 9/11, Muslims were targeted. They continue to be targeted. Anyone who even "appears" to be Muslim or of Middle Eastern heritage is targeted.

Each time there is a "terrorist" attack, there is always a demand for Muslims to condemn such attacks. There's never a demand for EVERYONE to condemn such attacks. It's always specific to one group of people!!

Unfortunately by the time I came across this piece the comments section was closed. I would have loved to respond!! Feel free to comment here!!

Pro-Lifers Lose Another Round!!

2009-03-27T20:20:00.001-05:00

I have no doubt that the panties of all the pro-lifers out there are in a gigantic wad tonight. Their favorite target of harassment, bombings, and attempted murder has been acquitted of all 19 charges against him.

Jury finds Kan. doctor not guilty in abortion case

WICHITA, Kan. – One of the nation's few late-term abortion providers was acquitted Friday of misdemeanor charges stemming from procedures he performed, but moments after the verdict the state's medical board announced it was investigating allegations against him that are nearly identical to those the jury had rejected.

Prosecutors had alleged that Dr. George Tiller had in 2003 gotten second opinions from a doctor who was essentially an employee of his, not independent as state law requires, but a jury took only about an hour to find him not guilty of all 19 counts.

Tiller, who could have faced a year in jail for even one conviction, stared straight ahead as the verdicts were read, with one of his attorneys patting his shoulder after the decision on the final count was declared. His wife, seated across the courtroom, fought back tears and nodded. The couple declined to speak to reporters afterward.

"You would hope it would be over," said Tiller attorney Dan Monnat, "but there is a group of people who want to suppress the constitutional rights of women."

Tiller, 67, has claimed that the prosecution was politically motivated. An attorney general who opposed abortion rights began the investigation into Tiller's clinic more than four years ago, but both his successor, who filed the criminal charges, and the current attorney general support abortion rights.

Prosecutor Barry Disney said the case was one "that needed to be tried for the community, for everyone to have resolved."

Soon after the verdict was announced, the state's Board of Healing Arts made public a complaint against Tiller that alleges, as prosecutors did, that Tiller and Neuhaus had financial or legal ties that violated the law regarding abortions performed in 2003. The complaint was filed in December but not released until Friday.

The board, which regulates doctors, could revoke, suspend or limit Tiller's medical license, or fine him.

Board spokeswoman Kristi Pankratz said the criminal case and its outcome did not affect the administrative case, which will "proceed on its own merits." No hearings have been scheduled yet, she said.

Tiller has been a favored target of anti-abortion protesters, and he testified that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats. His clinic was the site of the 1991 "Summer of Mercy" protests marked by mass demonstrations and arrests. His clinic was bombed in 1985, and an abortion opponent shot him in both arms in 1993.

Kansas law allows abortions after a fetus can survive outside the womb only if two independent doctors agree that it is necessary to save a women's life or prevent "substantial and irreversible" harm to "a major bodily function," a phrase that has been interpreted to include mental health.

Dr. Ann Kristin Neuhaus provided second opinions on late-term abortions before Tiller performed them.

According to trial testimony, Tiller's patients paid Neuhaus $250 to $300 in cash for providing the consultation and the only way patients could see her was to make an appointment with Tiller's office.

Tiller testified that he used Neuhaus based on advice from his lawyers and from Larry Buening, who was then executive director of the Board of Healing Arts.

Prosecutors tried to show that Tiller ultimately relied on his lawyers' advice — an important distinction because the judge told attorneys before their opening statements that relying on the advice of an attorney cannot be used as a legal defense to criminal charges. They also questioned Tiller about the conversation with Buening, noting that Tiller had testified that Buening said he couldn't quote him.

Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, said abortion opponents were never confident that Tiller would be prosecuted aggressively enough by Attorney General Steve Six.

"Even if Tiller had been found guilty, he would have appealed to the Supreme Court," Culp said, noting that four of the Kansas high court's seven justices were appointed by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who supports abortion rights.

Phill Kline, the former attorney general who started the investigation, expressed frustration at the prosecutors who tried the case, noting that their only witness was Neuhaus.

"You do not win cases nor achieve justice by calling one witness and ordering your staff not to initiate any additional effort to gather evidence," Kline said in a written statement.

Disney said his office had thoroughly investigated the case and "presented all the evidence that there was."

Tiller said he is one of three doctors in the U.S. who currently perform late-term abortions. The others are in Boulder, Colo., and Los Angeles, he said.

The decision to acquit was the correct decision. Whether you like him or not, the case was flimsy at best and completely asinine!! Seriously, he was charged for performing abortions "illegally" because he got a second opinion from someone who was "essentially an employee of his"? Give me a break!! What did they want him to do? Travel to Colorado or Los Angeles to get a second opinion from one of the other "late-term abortion providers"?

Pro-lifers have lost yet another round in their attempt to control the reproductive decisions of women. Forgive me if I don't shed a tear for them!!

JUST CURIOUS!!

2009-03-26T19:58:00.004-05:00

Jailed for 10 years, the Muslim pilot who paused to pray before taking emergency action in plane crash that killed 16

A Muslim pilot and co-pilot who paused to pray before taking emergency measures as they ditched a passenger plane in the sea, killing 16 people, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Pilot Chafik Gharby and co-pilot Ali Kebaier were convicted of taking inadequate emergency measures by an Italian court.

The 2005 crash at sea off Sicily left survivors swimming for their lives, some clinging to a piece of the fuselage that remained floating after the ATR turbo-prop aircraft splintered upon impact.

There were 34 holidaymakers and five crew on board the plane when it went down.

A fuel-gauge malfunction was partly to blame, with technicians putting the wrong type of gauge on the plane before it took off.

It meant the pilot and crew believed they had more fuel than they actually did. The plane's engines cut out simultaneously when the fuel ran out.

However prosecutors also said the pilot succumbed to panic, praying out loud instead of following emergency procedures.

They claimed he then opted to crash-land the plane instead trying to reach a nearby airport.

'This was an unprecedented sentence but we have always maintained that it was an unprecedented incident,' observed Niky Persico, a lawyer for one of the victims.

'Never before in the history of aviation disasters has there been such a chain of events and counter events,' he added.

Another five employees of Tuninter, a subsidiary of Tunisair, were sentenced to between eight and nine years in jail by the court, in a verdict handed down yesterday.

The seven accused, who were not in court, will not spend time in jail until the appeals process has been exhausted.

I'm just curious about something, and I'll throw it right out there. Aside from the panic, if this had been a CHRISTIAN PILOT that paused to pray, would we even be having this discussion right now? I seriously doubt that we would!!

Vermont May Allow Gay People To Marry

2009-03-20T19:21:00.003-05:00

It's about damn time!! Vermont may finally allow gay people to marry.

Vermont Senate panel approves gay marriage bill

MONTPELIER, Vt. – A state Senate committee unanimously approved a gay marriage bill on Friday, moving Vermont one step closer to allowing same-sex couples to legally wed.

"It provides ... gay and lesbian couples the same rights that I have as a married heterosexual," said Sen. John Campbell, vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chief sponsor of the bill.

The measure would replace Vermont's first-in-the-nation civil unions law with one that allows marriage of same-sex partners beginning Sept. 1.

The committee's vote ended an intense week highlighted by a public hearing Wednesday night in which more than 500 people swarmed the Statehouse to speak for and against allowing same-sex marriages.

If approved, Vermont would join Massachusetts and Connecticut as the only U.S. states that allow gays and lesbians to marry.

Civil unions, which confer some rights similar to marriage, would still be recognized but no longer granted after Sept. 1.

Campbell said marriage is an improvement over civil unions both substantively and as a matter of wording.

On the first score, he said, marriage is more widely legally recognized than civil unions. If a couple from Vermont got into an accident in Kansas, a spouse likely would have a stronger claim to hospital visitation rights if they were married than if they were in a civil union, he said.

Semantically, Campbell argued that if there were no difference, opponents of same-sex marriage would not be so vehement that the term marriage should apply only to heterosexual unions. "Children should be able to say to their friends that their parents are married, and not have to explain what a civil union is," he added.

Both Houses, under Democratic control, are expected to pass the measure. The Senate is taking the lead and is expected to debate the bill next week.

Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican, has said he opposes the bill but has declined to say whether he will veto it if it reaches his desk.

"I've made my position quite clear that I believe marriage is and ought to remain the union of a man and a woman, that our civil unions law affords equality of opportunities and rights under state law and that that should suffice," the governor said on the eve of the Senate committee vote.

The bill would exempt members of the clergy from performing same-sex marriages if their faiths forbid such unions, and would bar lawsuits prompted by such refusals.

The exemption would not extend to justices of the peace and other public officials who perform civil marriages but who might object to officiating at same-sex unions. Those people are agents of the government and are barred by law from discriminating based on sexual orientation, Campbell said.

Vermont in 2000 became the first state in the country to pass a civil unions law, which grants many of the rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. But gay marriage advocates have argued since then that the law does not go far enough. California, New Jersey and New Hampshire also permit civil unions.

Friday's committee vote followed the panel's rejection of an amendment proposed by Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, that would have put the gay marriage question to a statewide referendum next March. After the amendment was defeated, Mullin joined his colleagues in voting 5-0 for the bill.

The committee's action drew praise from a leader of the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force, one of the leading organizations supporting gay marriage in the state, and condemnation from a leader of the anti-gay-marriage Marriage Advisory Council.

"The committee was attentive throughout the week. They heard a wide range of witnesses on a wide range of issues, and I think, ultimately, they did the right thing," said Beth Robinson, a Middlebury lawyer and chairwoman of the Freedom to Marry Task Force.

Stephen Cable, president of the group Vermont Renewal, an organization that opposes same-sex marriage, said the civil unions law and the possible passage of gay marriage bill shows the state "no longer seeks to promote that each child have a mother and a father. And I think that's shameful and very sad."

No, what is shameful is that people like Mr. Cable feel that they have the right to deny other people their rights. Where does it say in the Constitution that heterosexuals have more rights than homosexuals? I apparently missed the part where it lays out the rights of heterosexuals versus the rights of homosexuals. Or is it just one of those things that we're making up as we go along? Remember, the Constitution was just a "goddamn piece of paper"!!

Every child has a mother and a father. That will never change. However, what people choose to consider a family is THEIR business. It is their right, and people like Mr. Cable don't have a right to deny them that.

And while we're on the subject of marriage, WHO THE HELL DECLARED THAT IF YOU MARRY YOU MUST PROCREATE? Seriously, I want to know!! He says that if the marriage bill is passed, it "shows that the state no longer seeks to promote that each child have a mother and a father." What about the people that choose not to have children? Or those that can't have children? Are they not married? By Mr. Cable's definition it would appear that they're not.

Again I say that it's about damn time Vermont cut the bullshit with civil unions and gave all people, regardless of sexual orientation, the right to marry.

Pawlenty Of Bullshit Strikes Again!!

2009-03-19T15:27:00.004-05:00

I'd like to send a special THANK YOU to Baylee for bringing this story to my attention.

People wonder why we don't like Governor Tim Pawlenty!! THIS IS WHY!! I love to refer to him as Pawlenty of Bullshit!! My mom refers to him as Pawlenty of Nothing!! Either he does nothing for the state of Minnesota, or he takes everything from the people of Minnesota.

Pawlenty's budget: 2.2 percent spending cut
by Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio
January 27, 2009

Governor Tim Pawlenty has unveiled a budget plan that slashes or delays state spending, borrows against tobacco revenue and relies heavily on a federal stimulus check to solve a nearly $5 billion deficit.

St. Paul, Minn. — Despite tough economic times, the Republican governor is also proposing increased spending for public schools and a package of tax breaks for businesses. DFL leaders say they want to work with Pawlenty, but they're concerned about the potential impact of some of his proposed cuts.

Under Governor Pawlenty's $33.6 billion budget, state spending would drop more than 2 percent, or $750 million. The hardest hit spending areas include aid to cities and counties, higher education and health and welfare programs. An estimated 84,000 people would lose eligibility for state-subsidized health care over the next two years, but the governor says his plan would protect eligibility for children. Pawlenty said he built the spending plan based on what he views as state government's priorities.

"We identified those things that we thought were most important to the strategic future of the state of Minnesota and made sure that our commitments to them were either maintained or improved," Pawlenty said. "And then [we] moved down the list into things that we thought were less strategically important or out of alignment or benefited from significant increases in the not too distant past."

Budget spending Pawlenty is also proposing a package of tax breaks for businesses, including a cut in the corporate tax rate, to try to jumpstart the state economy and grow jobs. His budget preserves funding for veterans programs and public safety and increases spending for K-12 education. While House Democrats are pushing for an overall increase in the state's school funding formula, Pawlenty ties his increase to school districts that raise student achievement.

"That would be the real miracle in Minnesota, to actually have a system that's accountable, that's transparent and puts kids first and student learning first instead of worrying about the vagaries of a formula that almost nobody can understand," Pawlenty said.

Pawlenty also proposes a wage freeze for all public sector employees. Pawlenty said he does not favor layoffs of state employees as a way to cut costs, saying layoffs would only make the unemployment picture worse.

A bigger help, Pawlenty says, would be to freeze the wages of all public sector workers, including those who work in state and local levels of government, and in public education. That toals about 390,000 people. Pawlenty says freezing teacher salaries, for example, would help school districts cope with budget problems.

"Most school distrcts will tell you that if they could get a wage freeze for their staff and a benefit freeze for their staff, even with a modest increase or no increase, they could still do pretty well in the coming year or two," said Pawlenty. "The thing that drives the spending train for most local units of government, particularly school districts, is staff costs."

The governor's proposal includes relatively small cuts to agencies that oversee the environment and natural resources. The Department of Natural Resources would take a 5 percent reduction in general fund money, or about $5 million.

The DNR says it will look for $2 million in savings in facilities around the state, possibly by closing some offices, and it will charge more for crossing state land for power lines, roads, etc.

Pawlenty decided to make extra investments in forestry, because of the depressed timber economy. The agency's enforcement division will not see cuts.

Conservation advocates and hunting and fishing groups will be watching to see whether the DNR will try to reduce funding for some conservation or habitat programs because of the anticipated income from the new sales tax increase, approved by voters last fall.

DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten said the agency may reduce some grants to local governments, such as for shoreland restoration. But he said those reductions from the general fund could be replaced with money from the Game and Fish fund or the Natural Resources fund -- money that comes from licenses and user fees, not state taxes.

Pawlenty is recommending that the state invest $118 million from the new sales tax revenues for clean water, and $53 million for parks and trails.

In addition to spending cuts, Pawlenty's budget-balancing plan uses more than $1 billion in accounting shifts. He's also counting on at least $920 million in federal aid and he also wants to raise nearly $1 billion from selling half of Minnesota's ongoing tobacco payments.

DFL leaders in the House and Senate have said they want a structurally-balanced budget that avoids one-time money, shifts and gimmicks. House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher of Minneapolis says the governor's plan looks to be full of gimmicks.

"It's not to say that at the end of the day some of those things, they might work in this situation because of how bad it is," Kelliher said. "But it is a concern that if you build a budget completely out of those things, the long term stability of the financial health of the state could be at risk."

Legislative committees begin dissecting the governor's budget proposal this week. DFL leaders also plan to hold meetings throughout the state in the coming weeks to get additional public reaction to the plan.

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller of Minneapolis was still digesting some of the governor's proposed spending cuts, but he already had concerns about the potential impacts.

"I think we're concerned that perhaps people are being cut off of health care, that's not a smart or necessary thing to do," Pogemiller said. "And we believe that pushing the problem down to local governments to force up property taxes is probably not the wisest thing to do."

Republican legislative leaders had generally positive reviews of the budget plan. House Minority Leader Marty Seifert of Marshall says there aren't a lot of options to solve the deficit.

"If not this, what? That's what our statement is," Seifert said. "If not this, there's little details that we can change around. I'm largely supportive because I think it's a solution that focuses on the priorities of job growth, education and veterans. We have to make some tough decisions here."

The budget debate is just beginning, and Governor Pawlenty said his proposal will need some adjustments in the coming weeks to reflect new financial information.

One change will come when Minnesota learns the amount of its share of the federal economic stimulus bill. Another will come next month, when finance officials update the state economic forecast, which is expected to project an even larger budget deficit.

(MPR reporter Stephanie Hemphill contributed to this report)

I had to laugh at the notion that Pawlenty of Bullshit wants to increase spending on Education. I don't know where you live Baylee, but where I live they have constantly cut funding for Education.

It all started when they decided to open a charter school here. They took money from the public schools and used that to fund the charter school. The public school system here is dead. Between the major lack of funding from the state and the charter schools, public schools are just dead. Each year the School Board threatens to close another school. In a year or two they're cutting down to two high schools, which threatens to further increase the already tense divide between RICH & POOR and EAST & WEST. They're closing several elementary schools. But we're supposed to believe that Pawlenty of Bullshit really gives a shit, and is going to fund Education.

On another note, it's not surprising that he would cut health care or welfare programs. Allow me to share a little story with you all. I'm not ashamed to talk about it either.

I couldn't afford private health insurance. I was no longer in college so my parents couldn't keep me on their insurance. My job didn't offer insurance. So, I chose to apply for health insurance through the county. My application was approved. But as always, there was a catch. For those who haven't had the "pleasure" of dealing with something like that, it's not a joke!!

If a person gets insurance through the county and has a job, they're only allowed to make a certain amount of money per month. If they exceed that amount, they lose their insurance. At the time, I was not allowed to exceed $500 a month. I was forced to make a choice. Do I have health insurance or do I work? For a little while, I chose the health insurance. I had to be careful only to work a few hours a day so that my paychecks weren't large. I finally got tired of having to do that, and ended up losing my insurance because I "worked too much". Today I have health insurance because I have a different job. But I had to "buy" that insurance. It wasn't provided to me as a benefit of my employment.

The point is, this is how people have to live and it's pathetic!! They shouldn't be forced to choose between working "too much" or having health insurance. Now even more people will be without health care coverage because Pawlenty of Bullshit clearly doesn't see it as worthy of funding.

Thanks again to Baylee for bringing this to my attention. And to think, this piece of trash actually wanted to be Vice President!! Trust me people!! You don't want him as your Vice President or President, EVER!! Having him for a Governor is bad enough!!

The Heinous Catholic Church Won't Excommunicate A Child Rapist

2009-03-08T10:49:00.003-05:00

I blogged last week about a 9 year old child who had an abortion after being raped by her stepfather. The Catholic Church has since excommunicated her mother and the doctors who performed the abortion. However, they will NOT excommunicate the rapist!!

Vatican defends excommunication for 'raped' nine-year-old girl's abortion

A senior Vatican cleric has defended the excommunication of the mother and doctors of a nine-year-old girl who had an abortion in Brazil after allegedly being raped by her stepfather.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, head of the Catholic church's Congregation for Bishops, told the daily La Stampa on Saturday that the twins the girl had been carrying had a right to live.

"It is a sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two innocent persons, who had the right to live and could not be eliminated," he said.

Re, who also heads the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, added: "Life must always be protected, the attack on the Brazilian church is unjustified."

The row was triggered by the termination on Wednesday of twin fetuses carried by a nine-year-old allegedly raped by her stepfather in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco.

The regional archbishop, Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, pronounced excommunication for the mother for authorising the operation and doctors who carried it out for fear that the slim girl would not survive carrying the fetuses to term.

"God's law is above any human law. So when a human law ... is contrary to God's law, this human law has no value," Cardoso had said.

He also said the accused stepfather would not be expelled from the church. Although the man allegedly committed "a heinous crime ... the abortion - the elimination of an innocent life - was more serious".

Battista Re agreed, saying: "Excommunication for those who carried out the abortion is just" as a pregnancy termination always meant ending an innocent life.

The case has sparked fierce debate in Brazil, where abortion is illegal except in cases of rape or if the woman's health is in danger.

On Friday, President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva hit out at Sobrinho's decision, saying: "As a Christian and a Catholic, I deeply regret that a bishop of the Catholic church has such a conservative attitude."

"The doctors did what had to be done: save the life of a girl of nine years old," he said, adding that "in this case, the medical profession was more right than the church."

One of the doctors involved in the abortion, Rivaldo Albuquerque, told Globo television that he would keep going to mass, regardless of the archbishop's order.

"The people want a church full of forgiveness, love and mercy," he said.

Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao also slammed the archbishop.

"Two things strike me: the assault on the girl and the position of this bishop, which is truly lamentable," he said.

The girl, who was not identified because she is a minor, was last week found to be four months' pregnant after being taken to hospital suffering stomach pains.

Officials said she told them she had suffered sexual abuse by her stepfather since the age of six.

Police said the 23-year-old stepfather also allegedly sexually abused the girl's physically handicapped 14-year-old sister.

He was arrested a week ago and is being kept in protective custody. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

The website of the news group Globo reported that another girl, aged 11, had been found to be seven months pregnant following alleged sexual abuse at the hands of her adoptive father.

The girl has said she does not intend to seek an abortion, according to reports.

So let me get this straight!! The mother and the doctors have been excommunicated, but the rapist will not be. The rapist will not be excommunicated because "although his crime was heinous, the abortion was a more serious crime."

I can't say that I'm surprised by the response of the Catholic Church. These are, after all, the same people that have no problem with child rape. They have no problem with pedophile priests and nuns, and they still refuse to accept responsibility for all the years that they allowed the pedophiles to rape children. So, it's no surprise that they wouldn't excommunicate a child rapist and instead declare the mother, doctors, and the CHILD to be the real criminals!!

To quote a great man, "If you're pre-born, you're fine. If you're preschool, you're fucked!!" This is totally true about the Catholic Church. They don't give a damn that the life of this CHILD could have ended if she continued to carry her rapist's spawn. They weren't interested in saving her life because you see, she was already BORN.

They didn't care that the truly HEINOUS crime of rape by her stepfather caused the situation in the first place. They don't care about his crimes. They have no shame!! They should be criticized each and every single day. Brazil and every country should toss the HEINOUS Catholic Church out on their asses!!

Here We Go Again!!

2009-03-04T17:18:00.002-06:00

Can someone please tell why the Catholic Church is even allowed to exist when they are beyond completely asinine, and are downright FUCKING EVIL?

9-Year-Old Girl Carrying Twins Has Abortion Despite Objections From Catholic Church

RIO DE JANEIRO — A 9-year-old girl who was carrying twins, allegedly after being raped by her stepfather, underwent an abortion Wednesday despite complaints from Brazil's Roman Catholic church.

Police said the stepfather has been jailed since last week.

Abortion is illegal in Brazil, but judges can make exceptions if the mother's life is in danger or the fetus has no chance of survival.

Fatima Maia, director of the public university hospital where the abortion was performed, said the 15-week-old pregnancy posed a serious risk to the 80-pound (36-kilogram) girl.

"She is very small. Her uterus doesn't have the ability to hold one, let alone two children," Maia told the Jornal do Brasil newspaper.

But Marcio Miranda, a lawyer for the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife in northeastern Brazil, said the girl should have carried the twins to term and had a Caesarean section.

"It's the law of God: Do not kill. We consider this murder," Miranda said in comments reported by O Globo.

Calls to Miranda were not immediately returned.

Brazil is home to more Catholics than any other nation.

Here we go again!! First they bitched about an 11 year old rape victim who had an abortion after her stepfather had raped her since she was 7. Anyone involved in that abortion was excommunicated from the Church. They said nothing about the stepfather who had raped the girl.

Now they're bitching about a 9 year old rape victim who had an abortion after her stepfather raped her.

Despite the fact that it has been said that the CHILD couldn't carry one fetus let alone two because her uterus isn't developed enough, this motherfucker has the audacity to say that she SHOULD HAVE CARRIED THE PREGNANCY TO TERM.

All I want to do is scream, SHE COULDN'T YOU STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!! Did they want her to die because of a crime that her stepfather committed against her? Oh yeah, because that's God's will right? Yeah, well if their damn God is so great, why did he allow this child to be raped in the first place?

And yet again, there is no condemnation of the rape by the Catholic Church. There's only condemnation for the abortion that was performed to save this CHILD'S life!!

The Catholic Church is fucked up, and they feel no shame when they demand that rape victims have their rapist's child. They feel no shame in labeling a CHILD a KILLER because she, being a crime victim, had her life saved by having an abortion. They feel no shame in not speaking out against child rape. They have no shame, PERIOD!!

Assuming Makes An Ass Out Of You And Me

2009-02-11T05:49:00.002-06:00

What's my favorite part of the Obama administration thus far?

Watching all of the people who assumed that he was going to be "different" or that there was going to be "change" coming to understand that, guess what, he isn't and there won't be.

The latest "victim"?

The ACLU.

The real victims are those that the ACLU are representing.

From the ACLU list that I subscribe to:

"Dear ACLU Supporter,

"Yesterday, ACLU lawyers encountered a recurring -- and troubling --obstacle in our lawsuit seeking justice for torture victims caught upin the CIA's extraordinary rendition program. But this time, theobjections were not coming from the Bush administration.

"To our surprise and disappointment, the new Justice Department urged afederal appeals court to dismiss our lawsuit charging a Boeingsubsidiary with providing critical support for the CIA'srendition program based on the same "state secrets" claimthat the Bush administration had repeatedly invoked to avoid anyjudicial scrutiny of its actions. During the course of the argument,one judge asked twice if the change in administration had any bearingon the Justice Department's position. The attorney for thegovernment said that its position remained the same.

"This isn't the kind of change we need if we want an America wecan be proud of again.
If the judges rule in the government's favor, our clients -- whowere tortured as part of the government's rendition program --will never get their day in court."

Hmmm. Imagine, the Obama administration playing the exact same game that the Bush administration did. I can't believe it. I'm quite shocked.

Well, not really, because didn't I say something about there not being "change", oh, only for the last year, every single time I typed out some comment on this blog?

Weren't there people, other than me, warning about Obama and just how in bed he was with the status quo, the established order? And weren't they called racist or crazy or insane or told to shut the hell up and let him get into office before they criticized him?

He's in office now, is it okay to criticize him?

Congratulations, ACLU, on figuring out that Obama's not actually the guy that you thought he was. Too bad it'll be a short-lived awakening. By the time I read your next e-mail, I'm confident you'll be back in the fold.

"It's hard to explain why it's important."

2009-02-02T20:01:00.003-06:00

Did you know that it's hard to explain why spending money to prevent HIV/AIDS is important? That's according to a "Democratic source" after the cowardly Democrats dropped that funding from the stimulus bill as a "symbolic gesture" to Republicans.

(CNN) -- A group of Republican senators drafted an alternative stimulus measure that narrows government spending to infrastructure programs and helping unemployed Americans, addresses the housing crisis and relies mostly on tax cuts.

The $713 billion plan was put together by Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, who has been working with a handful of other GOP senators.

The proposal includes $430 billion in tax cuts, $114 billion for infrastructure projects, $138 billion for extending unemployment insurance, food stamps and other provisions to help those in need and $31 billion to address the housing crisis.

The draft Martinez put together is a broader approach than what some GOP leaders have suggested.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans appear to want to limit the stimulus to tax cuts and addressing the housing crisis.

But the draft is more narrow than the Democrats' plan because it eliminates spending on government programs that Republicans and some Democrats say shouldn't be in the bill because they don't create jobs.

Martinez has just started showing the plan to his colleagues, and it is too early to tell how much traction this idea will get among other lawmakers.

McConnell on Monday dismissed the idea that Republicans are trying to block passage of the economic stimulus plan.

"Nobody that I know of is trying to keep a package from passing," he said at a news conference Monday. "We're trying to reform it."

The House last week passed an $819 billion stimulus bill without a single Republican vote, despite Obama's efforts to work with both sides of the aisle.

The House version is two-thirds spending and one-third tax cuts.

Much of the $550 billion in spending is divided among these areas: $142 billion for education, $111 billion for health care, $90 billion for infrastructure, $72 billion for aid and benefits, $54 billion for energy, $16 billion for science and technology and $13 billion for housing.

Republicans have blasted numerous measures in the package, such as funding for veterans in the Philippines, sod on the National Mall and honey bee insurance.

On Monday, Senate Democrats dropped two controversial spending programs in the Senate economic stimulus bill: $75 million for anti-smoking programs and $400 million for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

Two Democratic leadership sources told CNN on Monday that the Democrats dropped the programs as a "symbolic gesture" to show Republicans they are listening to their objections.

But one of the Democratic sources also said, "It's hard to explain when you're in the midst of a crisis why these programs are important. When people are struggling and thinking about their jobs, it's hard to make that connection."

Republicans, and even some Democrats, have been pointing to both of these items as prime examples of "excess spending" that doesn't belong in the stimulus bill.

Sen. John McCain said Monday that he would not be able to vote for the Senate bill in its current form.

The former GOP presidential nominee said President Obama and Democrats will have to "seriously negotiate" with Republicans if they want to pass a stimulus plan with bipartisan support.

"I think we are clearly prepared to sit down, discuss, negotiate a true stimulus package that will create jobs," McCain said on CNN's "American Morning."

"But now it's time, after the way it went through the House without any Republican support. It's been rammed through the Senate so far. We need to seriously negotiate. We haven't done that yet."

McCain said he's been working with fellow Republican senators to come up with a plan that eliminates policy changes that have nothing to do with job creation.

He said the way to separate what's pork and what isn't is by asking two things: Does it take effect in the next year or so? And does it create jobs?

One change already made in the Senate version is the addition of $71 billion to fix the Alternative Minimum Tax, which was intended to place a tax on the wealthy but now hits many middle-class families.

The Senate bill also adds a $300 payment to seniors, disabled people and others who can't work and suspends taxes on the first $2,400 on unemployment benefits.

Meanwhile, House Republican leaders put out a list of more than 30 "wasteful" provisions in the Senate version of the stimulus, including:

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion pictures

• $650 million for the digital television (DTV) converter box coupon program

• $248 million for furniture at the new Department of Homeland Security headquarters

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees

• $1 billion for the 2010 Census

Asked if it would be better for the president to offer up two separate bills -- one for job creation and another for programs Democrats think were neglected during the Bush years -- Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska, said that "might be a better way to bifurcate the issues."

"But, at times, you put things together because of the efficiency of getting something done," he said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "And there's no pork in this. Let me say that right away. But there may be some sacred cows."

Nelson and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, spent the weekend scrubbing the bill of spending that does not narrowly target job and economic growth so moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats will be more likely to vote for it.

President Obama said Monday that both parties need to work together so that a bill can be passed quickly.

"There are still some differences between Democrats and Republicans on the Hill, between the White House and some of the products that have been discussed on the Hill," he said. "But what we can't do is let very modest differences get in the way of the overall package moving forward swiftly."

Obama's remarks came after meeting with Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican governor who supports the economic stimulus program.

The president also was meeting Monday with Democratic congressional leaders.

Obama said Sunday he's confident that his economic package will have Republican support once the final plan is hammered out.

"I've done extraordinary outreach, I think, to Republicans because they had some good ideas. And I want to make sure that those ideas are incorporated," he said in an interview with NBC.

"We're going to be trimming up -- things that are not relevant to putting people back to work right now," he said.

In other words, fuck you right? Who cares if you contract a deadly disease? After all, it's too hard to explain to someone without a job that it's important to try and prevent diseases!! Hey, look at it this way. If you contract HIV and die from AIDS and you were employed, a job has freed up for an unemployed person who just couldn't understand why it was important to prevent you from dying!!

Isn't America great?????

What other "symbolic gestures" are the Democrats going to offer up? I have a gesture of my own to offer up!! Care to guess what it is?

What Will It Take?

2009-02-02T19:28:00.002-06:00

I'm sure that by now everyone has heard that Michael Phelps was photographed smoking what was allegedly pot. Whether or not it was pot is a different story, but he's not denying it and nobody is claiming that it was something else.

Does embattled Michael Phelps deserve a break?

NEW YORK – A young man appears to be smoking pot at a party. Big deal, right? Our new president has freely admitted doing just that in his youth — inhaling, too — and it didn't derail him one bit. So should we expect more of Michael Phelps?

It depends on what we want and expect our youthful role models to be: perfect, or flawed like the rest of us.

And so as the Olympic swimmer's many corporate sponsors were wrestling with their options Monday, a day after an embarrassing photo emerged of the decorated athlete appearing to inhale from a bong, some were looking at the bright side.

"We should grab this teachable moment," said Lisa Bain, executive editor of Parenting magazine. "It's a good opportunity to talk to your kids about role models. They're human. They're not gods."

"Any conversation you can have with your kids about the choices people make, especially those they hold up as role models, is a good thing," Bain said.

To her and to many others, there's no question that Phelps is a role model for young kids, as opposed to, say, a mere celebrity endorser. Only role models appear on Kellogg's cereal boxes, for example. And that complicates the problems for this young man, whose journey to eight gold medals in Beijing last year captivated the world.

"Breakfast cereal — that's really speaking to kids between 6 and 12," said Marian Salzman, known as a trendspotter in the advertising industry. "He has big, important deals, in a terrible economy. This is just wacky."

But that doesn't mean Phelps, 23, doesn't deserve a break, says Salzman, chief marketing officer of the Porter Novelli public relations firm. She blames his handlers, who should have done a much better job protecting him from the foibles of youth, from newly won freedom, and from piles of money.

"He's probably a nice boy who didn't get enough guidance," said Salzman — especially after a drunken driving arrest following the 2004 Olympics. "I think he accomplished that huge dream in Beijing, and then his people just relaxed."

Of course, smoking pot, assuming that's what Phelps was inhaling from that bong, is not nearly as serious as endangering lives on the road.

Indeed, perceptions of marijuana use have changed since 1987, when federal appellate judge Douglas Ginsburg withdrew from consideration for the Supreme Court after reports surfaced about his smoking marijuana while a student and a law professor.

In 1992, candidate Bill Clinton admitted he'd tried it as a student in England, didn't like it, and, famously, didn't inhale. Fast forward to 2006, when Barack Obama said just as famously: "I inhaled frequently. That was the point."

Still, as Bain points out, "No matter what we may have done in our youth, you can't be saying to kids that it's not so bad. First, it's illegal. And also, it can lead people to make bad choices."

The Phelps affair is sure to revive the debate over whether athletes should even be considered role models. "I don't think they are," Salzman said. "We have a tendency to deify people who are great at one thing. We assume they're great at everything. When we want them to be infallible, aspirational, perfect, it never works."

Especially in 2009, when a simple visit to a party can be recorded on a cell phone camera. "The whole question of role models is a big problem in the age of 24/7 connectivity," she said.

So maybe our expectations of a 23-year-old exploring his freedom and new celebrity are too great. On the other hand, Phelps signed contracts with morals and behavior clauses, which allow sponsors to cancel deals over egregious behavior, noted Carol Weston, an author of books for young girls and the advice columnist for Girls' Life magazine.

"He knew he was being hired not just because of his accomplishments in the pool, but also for his ongoing behavior in public," Weston said. "It's part of the deal."

That said, Phelps' apology sounded genuine to her. "It wasn't the lame, 'sorry-if-anyone-got-offended' kind," she said. And in the athlete's defense, she added: "I often think, 'Wow, he spent a lot of time underwater. When did he even get to hang out with friends?'"

It remains to be seen what happens with Phelps' sponsors. Apparel company Speedo, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega and sports beverage PureSport all say they support him. But other big sponsors, such as Visa Inc. and Kellogg Co., aren't talking yet.

His agency, Octagon, said Phelps has spoken personally with his sponsors to apologize and that the agency was encouraged by his sponsors' support.

Weston, the author, fears that if Phelps emerges unscathed, parents seeking a teachable moment are going to have a tricky situation on their hands. "If this all works out for him, parents are going to have a pretty hard time saying drugs are bad," she said.

Whatever happens, syndicated ethics columnist Randy Cohen sees a different problem. He takes no issue with possible pot smoking — only with what he sees as hypocrisy implicit in Phelps' apology.

"So the guy smokes pot," Cohen said. "For once I'd like someone to say, 'Yeah, I smoke pot, it's harmless and I enjoy it.'" Instead, he said, Phelps is lying by pretending he'll never do it again.

As for whether Phelps is a role model for kids, Cohen dismisses the notion that any athlete or celebrity, for that matter, should be seen that way.

"The people who should be shaping our kids' conduct are parents, friends, people they know in the community," Cohen said. "Michael Phelps' glory is that he's an incredibly talented swimmer. Unless your child happens to be a fish, why do you want him to be a role model?"

The answer is quite simple. NO!! Michael Phelps doesn't deserve a "break".

I don't give a damn that he was smoking pot, aside from the fact that it is a banned substance during competition testing. Why it's not a banned substance in sports while athletes aren't competing is beyond me. Everything else is banned!! So shouldn't this be too?

The point is, this is a man who was arrested for driving drunk after the Athens Olympics. His excuse then was that he was 19 and it was a "youthful mistake". Now he's caught on a photograph smoking what is supposedly pot, and his excuse is that he is 23 and it was a "youthful mistake". When is he going to truly accept responsibility for his actions?

Driving drunk is not a "youthful mistake". It is a crime, and it could have resulted in the injury or death of another person. I wasn't aware of that incident until last year mainly because the media didn't talk about it much if it all. However, people out there said to cut him some slack or give him a break.

Now three months after the 2008 Olympics he's caught smoking pot, and we're supposed to cut him some slack or give him a break.

My question is, why should we? Why should he get a break when we'd get thrown in jail for doing what he's done? What's it going to take before people stop cutting him some slack and giving him a break? What does he have to do? Kill someone? Even then I question whether or not people would hold him accountable.

If he goes to the 2012 Olympics and does something afterwards, what's his excuse going to be then? I'm 26 and it's a youthful mistake? He's not a youth. He's an adult. It's about time that he starts acting like one, and taking TRUE responsibility for his actions. Stop blaming it on his "handlers" not paying as much attention to him. Stop saying that we should give him a break because he's a role model. The only role model your children should have is YOU!!

Boycott Anyone Involved In Octuplet Mom Scheme

2009-02-02T15:29:00.003-06:00

I encourage everyone to boycott anyone that becomes involved in this scheme. This woman doesn't deserve a dime!!

Octuplets' Mom Wants $2 Million From Oprah, Media Deals

The mother of octuplets born in California last week is seeking $2 million from media interviews and commercial endorsements to help pay the costs of raising the children, the Times of London reported.

Nadya Suleman, 33, plans a career as a television childcare expert. It was learned last week that she already had six children before giving birth to eight more. She now has 14 children younger than 8 years old.

Although still confined to a Los Angeles hospital bed, Suleman reportedly intends to talk to two influential television hosts this week — media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Diane Sawyer.

Her family has told agents she needs cash from media deals.

Suleman is being deluged with offers for book deals, TV shows and other business proposals, but according to her publicist she hasn't decided what she might do once she leaves the hospital.

On Friday she retained the Killeen Furtney Group public relations firm to handle what company President Joann Killeen says are hundreds of offers arriving daily. They include requests for paid interviews, TV show appearances, book deals and other opportunities.

Killeen says Suleman is "the most sought after mom in the world right now," but she hasn't decided what she'll do next, other than care for her children.

But Suleman's earning power could be diminished by the growing ethical and medical controversies surrounding her octuplets' birth. Experts believe that the unnamed fertility specialists who gave her in vitro fertilization (IVF) should not have implanted so many embryos, and in choosing to carry all eight to term, Suleman ignored guidelines, risking both the babies' health and her own.

Public reaction has been mixed: Many have asked how an unemployed single mother can raise 14 children, as her first six have already strained the family budget. Angela and Ed Suleman, Nadya’s parents, bought her a two-bedroom bungalow in the Los Angeles suburb of Whittier in March 2007, but soon fell on hard times and had to leave their own home.

I call this a scheme because that is exactly what it is!! This is an attempt to be famous, and to use her children to make money. She should have thought about that before she decided to have 14 children without any means to support them. I, for one, refuse to contribute even a penny to her or her family.

Whoever performed the in vitro procedure should have his or her license revoked, and should be barred from practicing medicine for life. It doesn't matter that we don't know the whole story. The point is, it's a really fucked up story.

According to some accounts, this woman was perfectly capable of getting pregnant without any medical intervention. According to her mother, she conceived all of her children via in vitro. Now I'm not a doctor but even I know this is fucked up.

Here are the questions I have. She had six other children ranging in age from 2 to 7, and two of those children are reportedly twins. That means that she got pregnant almost every year. What doctor would give a patient in vitro every year, especially when it's recommended that you space out pregnancies? What doctor would give a patient in vitro if they don't have a history of fertility problems? What doctor would knowingly treat a woman who is "obsessed with having children" and may have "mental health issues" according to her mother? Finally, who in the hell would implant that many embryos in a patient, knowing that they would be risking their license if they did not to mention the lives of their patients? The answer? Nobody!!

So, that leaves me with more questions. Who did she con into doing this? If she's capable of getting pregnant without medical intervention, she's not a viable candidate for in vitro. Did she lie on the medical forms? If she did, that's fraud!!

When the woman who cares for her 3 year old autistic child asked her how she can afford the in vitro treatment costs, she told her "I get paid for it". The last time I looked, they don't pay you for undergoing in vitro. Not to mention, it is against the law to pay someone for a pregnancy. I would take a guess that it's also against the law to accept payment for a pregnancy.

This woman is not only looking for her 15 minutes of fame, but she's also delusional. She acts as though we (be it the media or society) owe her for having these children. She acts as though she's entitled to compensation for being pregnant and sharing her story. And to top it off, she actually believes that she's going to be a TV PARENTING GURU. Anyone who would take advice from her needs a mental health evaluation of their own. What advice is she going to give people? How to have a billion children, and expect society to pay for them?

I'm boycotting anyone and any company that gets involved here. She deserves NOTHING!!

Don't Fall For It!!

2009-01-29T11:23:00.003-06:00

Today, Obama signed The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Don't be fooled by the title of this bill!!

Obama says, "If we stay focused, as Lilly did, and keep standing for what's right, as Lilly did, we will close that pay gap and ensure that our daughters have the same rights, the same chances, and the same freedom to pursue their dreams as our sons." That is a slap in the face to every woman!! This bill does NOT force employers to pay women equal wages. It doesn't close any pay gap. And it sure as hell doesn't ensure that we have the same rights as men.

The only thing this bill does is that it changes the 180 day period in which a complaint can be filed. Previously employees only had 180 days from the date of their first "unfair" paycheck to file a complaint. This bill changes that to 180 days from the date of their most recent paycheck.

It's not going to help us get an equal and fair wage. In fact, it keeps intact the burden on the employee to PROVE that they received an unequal and unfair wage instead of forcing the employer to pay an equal and fair wage in the first place.

Ladies, don't fall for this!! It's just another attempt by Congress and Obama to look like they care about women. They don't!!

Screwing New York Over One Senator At A Time

2009-01-25T08:35:00.002-06:00

David Paterson has to be either the dumbest governor alive, or he's getting his strings pulled by the new administration!!

Pro-gun US Senate pick makes some NY pols unhappy

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – If Gov. David Paterson thought announcing his choice to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate after nearly two months of deliberation would bring an end to the political strife, he was clearly mistaken.

Even before the governor took the podium Friday to introduce little-known upstate Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand as his pick, a Long Island congresswoman elected on a pledge to stem gun violence was telling reporters she would either challenge Gillibrand in the Democratic primary next year or find someone who would.

"I don't think someone with a 100 percent NRA rating should be the next senator from New York," said Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, who ran for Congress after her husband was killed and son wounded in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting massacre. "The majority of New Yorkers believe in trying to reduce gun violence."

After the announcement, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in a lukewarm endorsement of Gillibrand, noted his "strong disagreement with one area of her record as a member of Congress: illegal guns."

The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent mayor, who has been one of the nation's most vocal gun control advocates, said Gillibrand (pronounced JILL-ih-brand) "has actively opposed the efforts of New York City, and cities around the state and nation, to enact commonsense measures that keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals."

Bloomberg and McCarthy both said Gillibrand co-sponsored legislation to deny information cities and police need to track illegal gun criminals. The legislation passed in the House but was never considered by the Senate, McCarthy said.

Recently sworn in for her seventh two-year term, McCarthy conceded that Democratic leaders have warned her to temper her remarks, but she appeared unrepentant: "I told the governor my feelings. I said I am strongly against one person and I gave him my reasons for it. Believe me, this is a personal issue for me."

A group called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence also criticized Gillibrand. "In fact some of her gun control stances are detrimental to law enforcement and their efforts to prevent crime by going after illegal guns," the group said in a statement.

Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said Paterson's first year in office, after succeeding the disgraced Eliot Spitzer, has been so hectic that he has not had time to establish himself as the unchallenged leader of his party.

"He's had to manage one crisis after another, from the economic meltdown to the search to replace Hillary Clinton," Sheinkopf said. "He needs to find the time, find the people and put an operation together to make clear who's the boss."

Lawrence Levy, executive director of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, said it was possible Gillibrand might change her views on gun control now that she represents the entire state.

"She's no longer representing a district with an 80,000 margin of registered Republicans, so who knows?" he said. "She has to ask herself if she is going to modify her position, how much risk is involved."

Jay Jacobs, the Democratic leader in Nassau County, where McCarthy lives, agreed.

"I'm hopeful as our new senator begins to recognize she now represents the entire state of New York rather than a small Republican congressional district, that she will modify and moderate her views," he said.

Gillibrand appeared to offer an olive branch to McCarthy during her news conference after being introduced by the governor. She complimented the state's entire female House delegation, saying McCarthy has "provided outstanding leadership in fighting against gun violence and keeping our children safe. I pledge to work with her on her signature bill for updating background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals."

A spokesman for McCarthy said afterward that the congresswoman's position had not softened.

Who the hell do these people think they are telling Carolyn McCarthy to tone down her remarks against Gillibrand? Excuse me? Carolyn McCarthy has every right to be pissed about having a Senator who doesn't believe in gun control. This is a woman whose husband was murdered and whose son was injured by a lunatic with a gun. She has a right to say that this is bullshit. I have no doubt that Gillibrand would have supported that lunatic's right to have a gun.

Forget the gun issue for a second. That's just one of many issues with this woman. This woman has repeatedly refused to truly acknowledge what her position is on many issues. She is supposedly pro-choice, but do we really know that? After all, she never voted on an abortion related bill while in the House. She supposedly supports gay rights. How do we know that? She's never voted on a gay rights related bill while in the House.

Here's what we do know about her. She was a Representative in the House for two years. She has a 100% rating from the NRA. She claims to support the withdrawl of troops from Iraq, yet continues to fund the war. She didn't vote on a bill that discussed troop withdrawl from Iraq, permanent base bans, and limiting interrogation techniques. She voted to repeal the D.C. firearm ban, which among other things, would allow people to possess semi-automatic weapons.

She was picked for two reasons. She brings in money for the party, and someone is most definitely pulling the strings here. The people of New York don't know her. The people of New York wanted Andrew Cuomo. Clearly Paterson didn't listen to the people which doesn't bode well for his election hopes in 2010. Keep pulling those strings Rahm!! Keep pulling those strings!!

And So It Begins

2009-01-24T16:30:00.001-06:00

Four days, that's how long Barack Obama has been the president of the US.

And it took him only three to kill as many civilians as he could in one go.

Was there any doubt that he would do this?

I mean, I only said that he wanted to bomb Pakistan, what, a year ago?

Someone told me that that would be insane.

Really? You think?

Here we go again.

Is this change?

Despite all of the window-dressing (supposedly limiting lobbyists from running roughshod over his administration or disallowing anyone from lobbying his administration after they've left; check this one out if you want to have a laugh; the closure of the Guantanamo Gulag, etc.), there are some things that never change.

US policy is to bomb the shit out of anyone that can't stand up and fight back. That doesn't change just because the president changes.

The people in North Waziristan are basically a people without a country, even if Pakistan still claims the region. While the Pakistani government gets upset about the US murdering the people there, they don't declare war on the US and they have yet to fight back, to defend their own people.

Barack Obama is no different than George W. Bush or Bill Clinton or any other thug that has ever lived in the White House.

Congratulations, America.

Get Over It Michelle!!

2009-01-24T10:09:00.002-06:00

They haven't even been in the White House a week, and Michelle Obama is already bitching about a toy company.

Michelle Obama: 'Inappropriate' to use daughters to sell dolls

WASHINGTON (CNN) – They’ve been in the White House less than a week, but the first daughters have already been co-opted by marketers — and Michelle Obama isn’t happy about it.

Ty, the toy company responsible for the popular Beanie Babies dolls, is now marketing “Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia” dolls.

The first lady’s office said Friday Ty was out of line. “We feel it is inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes,” said a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama in a statement.

A Ty representative told CNN the company generally avoids naming dolls for “any particular living individual,” because doing so might interfere with how kids use their imaginations to play with them. But they wouldn’t reveal the source of their inspiration for the new figures, telling CNN that information relating to the development of the company’s merchandise — including how it comes up with products, product names, and trademarks – is proprietary.

What the hell is her problem? She can't sue the company for anything. These dolls look nothing like her daughters, so she can't claim that TY stole their likeness. They haven't promoted these dolls as being that of Sasha and Malia Obama. She can't sue because of the names. What is she going to do? Copyright their names so that nobody can ever use the name, or name their children Sasha and Malia? Talk about being on a fucking ego trip!!

The Obamas have had no problem exploiting their children. They talk about wanting to keep them out of the public eye. But they're constantly paraded out in front of the cameras. You don't hear them bitching about the exploitation of Barack Obama's image on everything from earrings and candles to clothing and more.

God forbid that a toy company decides to make two African American dolls!! Who the hell is it hurting? Nobody!! Yet TY is accused of exploiting the Obama children.

If the Obamas were getting a cut of the profits, would Michelle Obama be bitching?

A Slap In The Face

2009-01-16T15:14:00.002-06:00

Remember back in the summer of 2005 when New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina? Remember when there were questions raised about the Army Corps of Engineers and the levees? Well have no fear people!! The Army Corps of Engineers will finally be working. Wait, it gets better!!

Will they be working on the levees in New Orleans? Nope!! Will they be working on the levees somewhere else in the United States? Nope!! They'll be put to work for ISRAEL!! That's right!! ISRAEL!!

Never mind that they haven't done shit since Hurricane Katrina hit, and people in New Orleans pray every hurricane season that they don't get another one. Never mind that our levee system in this country is complete and total shit!! They can't be bothered!! They have more important things to do for ISRAEL!!

U.S., Israel agree on plan to halt Gaza weapons smuggling

WASHINGTON — The United States has agreed to Israel's request to lead an international effort to halt weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip , raising the prospects for a cease-fire in a conflict that's claimed more than 1,000 lives, U.S. officials and diplomats said Friday.

Under the agreement, the outgoing Bush administration pledged to help track and interdict weapons shipments before they reach Gaza , which the militant Palestinian group Hamas has used as launching pad for rocket attacks on Israel .

The deal was being signed Friday in Washington by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , in one of her last official acts in office, and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni .

Rice said Friday that the U.S.-Israeli memorandum of understanding "should be thought of as one of the elements of trying to bring into being a durable cease-fire, a cease-fire that can actually hold."

Israel , which began attacks on Gaza three weeks ago in response to the rocket fire, has said it won't reopen the territory's border crossings until steps are taken to stop arms smuggling.

The deal seems likely to provide a boost for cease-fire talks in Cairo, Egypt , that the Egyptian government is mediating. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said Thursday that while the talks were making progress, it could take several more days to reach a deal.

The United States and Israel also have discussed having the Army Corps of Engineers build some kind of barrier — such as trenches or a submerged wall — to prevent the digging of underground tunnels for smuggling weapons from Egypt into Gaza , officials and diplomats said.

The diplomats and officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

I propose that the first thing the Messiah should do after taking the oath is to rename this country The United States of Israel. Might as well!! Israel clearly takes precedence over people, cities, and states in our own country.

Snapshots Of Future Past, Part One

2009-01-13T14:34:00.003-06:00

In a 2002 interview with CNN, Eric Holder, soon-to-be Attorney General, said:

"One of the things we clearly want to do with these prisoners is to have an ability to interrogate them and find out what their future plans might be, where other cells are located; under the Geneva Convention you are really limited in the amount of information that you can elicit from people. It seems to me that given the way in which they have conducted themselves, however, that they are not, in fact, people entitled to the protection of the Geneva Convention. They are not prisoners of war."

For those of you in the anti-war, anti-torture movement, such as it is, the following question:

Still feel jubilant, still hopeful about the so-called change coming in a week's time?

Israel Bombs UN Schools, Blames Hamas

2009-01-06T13:14:00.002-06:00

As if we haven't heard the same old excuse from Israel a million times, now they've bombed two UN schools in Gaza and they're shouting to anyone who will listen that Hamas shot at them from the schools.

BULLSHIT!!

Israel: Hamas mortars prompted attack near U.N. school

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Three artillery shells believed to have been fired by Israeli forces struck near the perimeter of a U.N. school in northern Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 30 people and wounding 55, a U.N. official said.

The Israeli military said Hamas militants had fired mortar shells at Israeli forces, prompting return fire, according to its initial investigation.

U.N. Relief and Works Agency Director John Ging said most of the casualties were outside the school in the Jabalya refugee camp.

"It's a very built-up area, so of course it was entirely inevitable that if artillery shells landed in that area there would be a high number of casualties," he said at a U.N. briefing from Gaza City.

Palestinian sources said 44 were killed in the attack.

The Israeli military said it is checking the report. The Israeli government has barred CNN and other news from entering Gaza.

A short time later, another artillery shell struck inside a second U.N. school in Jabalya, but Ging said the boys' prep school was empty at the time.

It was the third Israeli strike affecting a U.N. school in Gaza. Three Palestinian men, all members of the same family, were killed Monday night in Gaza City by a direct hit on an elementary school, the U.N. agency said.

The schools were in use as shelters for civilians fleeing the military operation. The buildings were "clearly marked" with U.N. flags, and the agency said it had given the global-positioning coordinates of all its schools to Israeli authorities.

The U.N. agency said 400 Palestinians were staying in the Asma Elementary School at the time of Monday night's airstrike.

The latest incidents came as Israeli ground forces surrounded densely populated Gaza City after at least 50 airstrikes pounded the region overnight.

Other airstrikes hit the homes of people linked to Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, including the Wadi family in Jabalya, Hamas security sources said. Eight people were killed in that strike. An overnight airstrike hit the Jabalya home of Imad Siam, one of the leaders of Hamas' military wing.

Israel claimed Tuesday to have killed 130 Hamas fighters since beginning a ground offensive at dusk Saturday. An Israeli soldier was killed Tuesday morning in northern Gaza City, the Israeli military said, bringing to six the number of Israeli forces who have died in Gaza since Israel launched its ground incursion.

As Israeli forces encircled Gaza City -- which has a population of about 400,000 -- diplomats turned up the heat for a cease-fire.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice briefed President-elect Barack Obama on Monday about American diplomatic efforts in the conflict, her spokesman said Tuesday.

Rice will confer Tuesday at the United Nations with officials including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the State Department said. iReport.com: Share reactions to "all-out war" in Gaza

Abbas plans to present a resolution drafted by the Arab League to the U.N. Security Council. The resolution will call for Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza and for Hamas to cease firing rockets at the Jewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday told French President Nicolas Sarkozy that Israel wanted a "full solution" to the conflict, not just a cease-fire that allowed Hamas to fortify itself, Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said.

"Before the last cease-fire with Hamas began, Hamas had missiles with a range of 20 kilometers," Regev said Tuesday. "By the end of the cease-fire, the range of the missiles grew to 40 kilometers. Israel does not want the next cease-fire to allow them to get missiles with a range of 60 kilometers."

A Hamas rocket penetrated farther than ever before into Israel on Tuesday, landing in the town of Gadera, about 23 miles (36 kilometers) north of the Gaza border, the Israeli military said. On Monday, a rocket hit a kindergarten in Ashdod, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) north of Gaza.

Hamas had fired 30 rockets at Israel by Tuesday afternoon, the Israeli military said. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida has warned Israel that the militants will continue rocket attacks "for many months" and vowed to strike deeper into Israeli territory. iReport.com: Families walk in charred rubble, broken glass

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated. Hundreds of wounded people swarmed into Gaza's largest hospital.

The Israeli military said 80 trucks with humanitarian aid would be allowed to pass into Gaza on Tuesday at the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Before the second school attack, Palestinian medical sources said 23 people were killed Tuesday in Gaza, bringing the Palestinian death toll to 555 since Israel commenced airstrikes December 27.

Remember boys and girls, Israel never lies. Israel is never guilty of anything.

Over on another blog, a commentor actually had the audacity to state "If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have and could have killed far more than 500 Palestinians." Gee thanks for sharing that with the rest of the world. Isn't it wonderful to hear that if Israel wanted to commit genocide they could have and would have already? Isn't it great to know that it would be considered acceptable? Self defense right?

It's now day 11 and the Messiah has nothing to say other than "The loss of innocent civilian lives concerns me. But, there's only one President at a time in the United States." Ooh, great leadership there Messiah!! I can't wait to hear what you have to say when you're in office. What's that I hear? Oh yeah, SILENCE!!

The Messiah will continue to allow Israel to murder anyone they want to without any consequences. If you think I'm joking, just wait!!

Israeli Propaganda Comes To A TV Near You!!

2009-01-06T13:08:00.003-06:00

Did you see it? Israeli propaganda has come to US television!! As I was watching the news this morning, I believe on MSNBC, they aired a commercial. Or I should say, Israeli propaganda. In this propaganda piece, they were talking about how Israel is in desperate need of help and we must help them now. They had the audacity to ask for money to give to Israel.

Welcome to the United States of Israel!! Get set for more propaganda pieces to air because there WILL be more.

Still Think It's Self-Defense?

2008-12-30T20:55:00.003-06:00

Yet more examples of Israel's "self-defense".

He looks like a terrorist, right? BULLSHIT!!

Terrorists, right?

Stupid, stupid, stupid!! That's a war crime right there!! Israel bombed a mosque!! Not that anyone cares or will hold Israel accountable, but add it to the list of countless crimes committed by Israel!!

"Israel's taking every step to minimize civilian injuries and deaths." BULLSHIT!! Tell that to this kid who probably is already dead as I'm typing this.

Israel's Murderous Idea Of "Self-Defense"

2008-12-28T16:57:00.005-06:00

The following photos, courtesy of the Daily Mail, represent Israel's idea of "self-defense", and your "Messiah" has absolutely nothing to say about it.

In case you took the time to pull yourself away from beer drinking and football watching long enough to pay attention to what's happening in the world, the death toll is 280 plus dead Palestinians to 1 dead Israeli.

Self-defense my ass!!

And Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned

2008-12-28T16:16:00.002-06:00

Or, if you want to get current, Obama shopped while Palestinians died.

Once again, the second most criminal country on the planet (no one could supplant the US) has decided that it's time to exterminate the Palestinian people.

And, once again, the collective yawn from the shores of the US have sounded.

Nowhere are those yawns more deafening than from the "ranch" at Crawford, Texas and the shopping malls and golf courses of Hawaii.

Says the so-called president, "Well, shit, let the Palestinians eat death."

Says the so-called president-elect, "Get me Condi. I gotta make sure I buy the exact same thing she would in this instance."

Can you smell the change?

But all's not lost, good Democrats and other sycophants of the would-be messiah.

See, David Axelrod, mouthpiece, shill, motherfucking ass clown for the Obama transition team, says, "There's only one president who can speak for America at a time. And that president now is George Bush."

Remember this in 23 days when Barack Obama slides his hand onto the fictional word of "god" and says that he's the guy in charge now.

Because, in 23 days, when Barack Obama slides his hand onto the fictional word of "god" and says he's the guy in charge, all you're ever going to hear is how George W. Bush should have done something about this "problem" for the last eight years.

At which point, I will probably do a spit-take and shake my finger at the television set, saying, or screaming, "Nope, sorry, doesn't work like that. There's only one president who can speak for America at a time. And that president now is Barack Obama."

Of course, I also live in the real world where I read shit like this:

"Asked if he anticipates that the Obama administration would be just as supportive of Israel as the Bush administration has been, Axelrod said Obama 'recognizes the special relationship between the United States and Israel.'"

In other words, bomb the shit out of the Palestinians, Israel. Keep doing it until your black Nazi hearts are content. Barack Obama recognizes a fellow mass-murdering nation when he sees it.

And he likes it.

Recall that shortly before the end of the Democratic primary Obama went to AIPAC and declared that the very first thing (the very first thing) that he'd do once in office would be to give Israel $30 billion worth of whatever the hell they wanted to kill as many people as they wanted.

And people wonder why Iran wants to explore nuclear?

How do you like your guy now, Obama-ites?

What the fuck do you think of "hope" and "change" now?

Peace candidate, soon-to-be peace president, my ass. There's a whole lot of Palestinian blood on his hands already.

Barack Obama Facts - Fact #7

2008-12-18T07:19:00.003-06:00

Barack Obama loves bigots.

What? You think I'm just making this shit up now?

To the left (hey, he's to the left for the first time in his life!) is Obama hanging out with his pal, Rick Warren, back in August of this year.

And if Obama doesn't like bigots, please try to explain why he's going to be doing this...

Pastor Rick Warren To Give Inauguration Invocation

Here's what CNN's headline looks like:

Obama's inaugural choice sparks outrage - CNN.com

Well, I should hope the fuck that there's some outrage.

Back in the primary season, back in January, February or March, I made the statement to numerous people, including Mike Malloy, that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, to say nothing of John McCain, didn't give a shit about gay people and their rights.

And now, again, I've been proven to be correct.

Barack Obama thumbs his nose at LGBT people by inviting Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, the same Rick Warren who supported one of the most bigoted pieces of legislation in the history of this country, Proposition 8 in California, outlawing gay marriage, the same Rick Warren that equates being homosexual to being a pedophile and so much more.

Said People For The American Way President Kathryn Kolbert, "There is no substantive difference between Rick Warren and James Dobson."

How many of you Obama-ites think James Dobson is just an old lovable, cuddly teddy bear?

Meantime, Obama's spokesgeeks are scrambling to put a nice face on this whole thing.

Linda Douglass, Obama's chief spokegeek:

"This is going to be the most inclusive, open, accessible inauguration in American history...The president-elect certainly disagrees with him on [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] issues. But it has always been his goal to find common ground with people with whom you may disagree on some issues."

Oh, well, that makes it all okay, right? Because Barack Obama wants to be all-inclusive and he wants to "find common ground" with assholes like Rick Warren and James Dobson.

Is there anyone out there that wants to challenge me on this one? Is Barack Obama really just a misunderstood guy?

I think Andrew Sullivan sums it up quite well in the CNN piece.

"It's shrewd politics, but if anyone is under any illusion that Obama is interested in advancing gay equality, they should probably sober up now."

Barack Obama, the Chicago Public School System and the Future Of American Education

2008-12-17T08:30:00.007-06:00

Yesterday, our soon-to-be savior declared that his Education Secretary would be Arne Duncan, the CEO (huh?) of the Chicago Public School system.

I just had to add that HUH there behind the acronym CEO because, typically, everyone thinks of CEOs as being men or women that head up corporations. Is that the way Chicago schools are run, like corporations?

No wonder Barack Obama thinks so "highly" of the Chicago system. Or not.

What did Mr. Obama have to say about his friend Arne, I mean, after all the bullshit was clear about how great a basketball player he is?

"First of all, I think Arne, Joe, myself all agree that the Chicago public schools aren't as good as they need to be."

This was in response to a question by a reporter that asked if he thought so much about Duncan's accomplishments as CEO of Chicago schools, why didn't Obama send his girls to public schools.

Read that answer again.

Doesn't sound a whole hell of a lot like he thinks Duncan was a genius to me. How about you? That answer was Obama grasping at straws.

But keep that answer in mind while you think about this.

Arne Duncan has been CEO of Chicago public schools since 2001. In those seven, nearly eight years, according to Obama and Joe (I guess Biden, right?), Chicago public schools haven't been "as good as they need to be". Certainly not good enough for Obama's own children.

And yet, Barack Obama is going to foist Arne Duncan, a failure in Obama's own words, onto the entire country as the Secretary of Education.

Sounds like No Child Left Behind just got a new sibling: No School Worth A Shit.

The Salvation Army Discriminates Against Its Own!!

2008-12-06T19:40:00.003-06:00

You just have to love those "Christians". The Salvation Army is discriminating against one of its own.

Salvation Army Leader May Lose Job Over Forbidden Marriage

OSHKOSH, Wis. — The leader of a Wisconsin Salvation Army will lose his job if he goes ahead with plans to marry outside the organization.

Capt. Johnny Harsh of Oshkosh is engaged to a woman who's not affiliated with the Salvation Army. They're planning to marry in June.

Harsh says he's well aware of the agency's rule that says an officer may only marry another officer of the organization. But he doesn't think it's fair.

Salvation Army Advisory Board member Helen Lord Burr says the agency's rules are the same all over the world.

Harsh became engaged after losing his wife, Capt. Yalanda Harsh, to complications of a heart attack last June.

The Salvation Army and DISCRIMINATION know each other very well, so this is no surprise at all. Instead of discriminating against gay people, which is one of the reasons I refuse to give them a damn dime, they've turned on one of their own.

What exactly did Johnny Harsh do? In reality he did nothing wrong. Well, that is the reality for those with a functioning, NORMAL brain!! If you belong to the Salvation Army, Johnny Harsh has apparently committed the ultimate sin. He's marrying a woman who isn't one of them. Apparently she's not PURE ENOUGH. She hasn't been indoctrinated!! And for that, he must lose his job!!

If you don't believe that the Salvation Army discriminates and hides behind religion to do so, you're blind and ignorant. Now the Salvation Army believes that they have some "divine right" to decide who you're allowed to marry, and if you dare to question them you're threatened with losing your job.

No money from me will ever be dropping in a red kettle again!! I will give to people directly because at least I know that they're receiving my donation, and they're not being discriminated against in the process!!

Barack Obama Facts - Fact #6

2008-12-04T16:13:00.004-06:00

Been a while since I did one of these and today I'm back with the start of what I'm sure will be either a real eye opener or a shit-throwing contest.

I will simply tell those that would throw shit to look into what I'm saying and quoting and then prove me to be a liar. I have no problem with admitting to being wrong if someone has some evidence to disprove what I've been saying.

All right then.

Barack Obama Fact #6 starts the Iraq "War" debate and whether or not he's ever been interested in ending it.

Today's fact comes from Paul Street's new book "Barack Obama and the Future of American Politics" and is located on pages 145 and 146 under the title "Obama's Mercenary Position".

In its entirety:

Another important thing [author and journalist Jeremey] Scahill discovered was that an Obama presidency would be likely to sustain the occupation through the continued deployment of controversial private security contractors in Iraq. As Scahill noted in an important expose entitled "Obama's Mercenary Position," published in early March 2008 by The Nation, the Obama campaign could not rule out using private military corporations like Blackwater Worldwide, Dyncorp, and Triple Canopy in Iraq. Obama refused to sign on to the Stop Outsourcing Security (SOS) Act proposed by Congresswoman and Obama ally Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), which would have banned the use of such force in U.S. "war zones" by January 2009.

This was no small matter. By early 2008, there were 100,000-plus contractors in Iraq, and some observers wondered if we were "facing what Democracy Now's Juan Gonzales called "the possibility that a Democratic president would in essence reduce the troops but increase the mercenaries." As Joseph Schmitz, a leading Blackwater executive said, "There is a scenario where we could as a government, the United States, could pull back the military footprint, and there would be more of a need for private security contractors to go in." Obama appeared ready to sign on to the possibility of such a scenario before any measures could be passed to hold private security firms accountable for crimes against Iraqis like the ones committed in September 2007, when Blackwater killed seventeen civilians in Baghdad's Nisour Square. Thanks to numerous atrocities and regular indignities committed by private security forces since the beginning of the occupation, their presence had become an especially volatile source of "anti-American" sentiment in Iraq. Iraqi government officials have repeatedly demanded the banning of Blackwater and other corporate "security contractors" -- hated symbols and agents of the occupation -- from Iraq.

Understand that? The man of peace and hope and change believes that the US should allow killers to continue to roam the streets of Baghdad and the countryside of Iraq, in search of more victims. And they should do so unchecked.

How can Barack Obama claim to be "anti-war" when he's not opposed to thugs and murderers like Blackwater?

Such a bill of goods this country was handed. For those of us that got IT about Obama, all we have left to do is teach.

Back tomorrow with more lies that Obama told.

Five Years To Certain Death

2008-12-03T09:07:00.002-06:00

Or at least that's what the dynamic duo of Jim "Lack Of" Talent and Bob "The Thing That Wouldn't Die" Graham would have you believe.

They were just on C-SPAN, as a matter of fact, trying to get the masses to buy into the same old, same old deal of fear and trepidation.

You knew it was coming, didn't you? I mean, there's only so much "hope" and "change" that you can "believe" in before it comes back down to Earth and you have to face the "fact" that you're going to die a very painful death.

Unless, of course, you listen to and obey the powers that be and be a good little consumer and be a good little drone.

Barack Obama's right there on the frontlines with this bullshit story, too, dispatching his "vice-president" and his "director" of "Homeland Security", which, by the way, is paramount in this incoming administration, as Barack Obama and Joe Biden repeatedly told the media on Monday.

Biden and Napolitano had a sympathetic ear, said Talent and Graham, and they assured them that this was an issue of great concern for the Obama thugs.

Too bad Graham and Talent didn't have as much success with the American people.

There were people that told them that they were outright liars, with one woman telling them that "Al-Qaeda is simple propaganda", garnering a reaction of restrained fury from Graham, who assured her that Al-Qaeda was real.

I was really hoping for the old saw of "They attacked us on September 11" but it never came, which is interesting in and of itself.

The coup de grace came when someone asked what it was that we could do to prepare for...I don't know, I guess Armageddon. That's my definition of what the caller sounded like when they were asking the question.

Graham looked as if he didn't know how to react for a split-second and then said, "That's an excellent question."

He then went on to explain, with a straight face, mind you, that you should prepare "like you would for a hurricane". So I guess water and flashlights and a backpack of items you'll need and you'll be just fine. I was really hoping for the duct tape and plastic sheeting. Remember that one, kids?

He followed that up with another laugh line when he said that this "war on terror" is a fight from citizen to citizen and, as such, if the "terrorists know that community A is more prepared than community B, they'll be more likely to attack community B".

Yes, he said that with a straight face, too.

Because everyone knows, there are no more discerning people on the planet than "terrorists".

Christ!

What I find most interesting is that this "report" comes out now, just before Obama steps foot into the Oval Office for the next four years, and Graham and Talent give this country five years to live. Or whatever it is they give us.

What happens just before those five years are up, ladies and gentlemen?

Yep, got it in one.

The "election" of 2012.

Do you like how Barack Obama has been "protecting" you? If so, mark this fake-ass ballot next to his name.

Don't like him? Well, we have an "alternative" that says he/she is going to kill more people, more efficiently than Obama has. Mark this fake-ass ballot next to his/her name.

This is something that I thought people would have learned to identify quite easily, especially given the last eight years.

And some of them have but we're a long way from understanding, as a country, just how this country really works.

Some people still think that there's such thing as freedom in this country.

We've got our work cut out for us.