February 2007 Archives

Republicans Lost-Problem Remains

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by Tina Grazier

They’re at it again! Lawmakers are adding billions in pork to the presidents Iraq funding measure and, I imagine, counting themselves as clever for having done so. Note to Congress…the American people are sick of pandering, power plays…and Pork! Read the article Democrats to Load Iraq Bill With Add-Ons by Andrew Taylor to discover the many things your hard earned tax dollars will buy…while the troops, standing in harms way, wait for funding.

(AP) While Democrats try to restrict how President Bush can spend the $100 billion he wants for Iraq, they also hope to load his measure up with $10 billion in add-ons _ from aid for avocado growers to help for children lacking health insurance.

Oink, Oink, OINK!!

Apparently some folks who make it to higher office are just too blind…or stupid…to realize how ridiculous they look from out here. At least one has his head on straight:

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio: "Our focus must be on supporting our troops in harm's way _ without strings attached _ not on using a military spending bill as an excuse to fund pork-barrel projects and other unrelated projects."

Well, DUH!

HOORAY!!

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Tehran - Iran is ending all scholarships to study in the United States, Canada and Britain because Iranians studying there are barred from signing up for nuclear sciences and similar subjects, the state radio said Wednesday. /snip/ ''Because these countries do not accept Iranian students in modern technology majors such as nuclear sciences, the Science Ministry will not send students,'' Reuters, by Staff

We are doing some things right.

A Reply To "What's The Point"

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by Jack Lee

Tina, your fantastic insight into the nature of global terrorism is head and shoulders above the average citizen's and I really appreciated what you had to say! The current evidence says you couldn't be more RIGHT! In fact, the evidence is so abundant it should NOT be subject to debate...yet it is and at the same time too few Americans are really that aware of the problem, which is amazing considering what happened on 9/11!

Why are we so divided over these very real threats?

Is it human nature to deny evil exists because its too disturbing to think about? Are we so narcissistic that we can't see beyond our immediate self centered vanities? Or is that we are we so simple minded we would rather emerse ourselves in tabloid stories about Anna Nicole's corpse or Brittany Spears shaved head?

Whatever it is, there is a big disconnect with the risks that threatens us. That brings up another problem, I really don't think we have a lot of time to get our act together before the next big confrontation. World events tell me we are fast approaching many critical decisions on many levels from Iraq to Iran to Pakistan and dozens of other places where we have either radicals like the Taliban, Al Queda or their allies (some right here in the USA) who hate our system and our success and would like to do us great harm.

What’s the Point?

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Looking at Jihad in America

by Tina Grazier

There are a number of American’s that believe the war on terror in Iraq is something the president made happen just so he could send large bags of cash to his 'buddies in the oil industry"…some even believe the towers came down on 911 on Bush’s orders…others go so far as to think that President Bush takes direction in Iraq from his perceived conversations with God. People believe what they want to believe even when there is mounting evidence that terrorism is, and has been for many years, a serious and growing global threat. Whatever we believe and whether we agree with our current president’s war policy or not, it would be wise to take note of all terrorist events as we look to the next election.

I read a very good article in the New York Sun last night by Alicia Colon titled, “Jihad In America”. I found it interesting because it takes us back to an incident in 1997 at the Empire State Building:

After Ali Abu Kamal shot and killed a man and wounded six others on the observation deck of the Empire State Building in 1997, his wife claimed he had been despondent over losing a great deal of money. Now, 10 years later, the Daily News on February 18 ran a special report by Mahmoud Habboush in which Kamal's 48-year-old daughter, Linda, said her father "wanted to punish the U.S. for supporting Israel — and revealed her mom's 1997 account was a cover story crafted by the Palestinian Authority."

What is particularly interesting about the Empire State Building incident is that it confirms the "hate America" pathology has been with us long before President Bush and the war in Iraq.

There’s a good chance that terrorism will be with us for years, maybe decades, to come. As we consider the various presidential candidates in the current cycle terrorism will be hard to ignore. It will be important to choose someone who understands the threat and is willing to fulfill the presidential duty to protect Americans from enemies both foreign and domestic. If we fail to consider and address this very real threat to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” there won't be much reason to think about any other issue...and that's the point.

It's a Bloody Day For Wall Street

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by Jack Lee

Afternoon update: Tues. Wall Street continues to slide losing almost 500 points in the closing hour which represents a loss of about 190 billion dollars in equity.

What does this drop in the stock market signal? Nothing good, thats for sure, but you can't tell a heck of a lot from one day. Analysts worries center around the recent declines in retail sales, home prices and the 9% drop in the Chinese market. We have been hitting record highs in the recent months and profit taking is too be expected when the market turns south as it has today, which exacerbates an already bad situation. Rarely has the market made such dramatic plunges without a prolonged down turn. The DOW has only closed with a 500 point loss 3 times in history.

However, some risk takers might consider this a buying opportunity for bargain priced stocks and this could reverse some of the big losses in the closing minutes...but, the truly smart investors are going to wait to see if those bargain stocks don't become even better buys in the days to come!

It was interesting to watch China's largest internet company China.com hit the skids. Symbol "CHINA" was trading at 8.87 at 3:19PM and has shed -1.44 -13.97% on a volumn of 9,944,254.

UPDATE: Dow closed down 416 points.

THAT'S SOME BIG FOOT

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by Tina Grazier

Here’s your Oscar winner update:

If you feel strongly about something, strong enough to create a movie and launch an entire movement, does it follow that you would naturally live the dream? Apparently, the task would be just a bit too much to ask for the world’s greenest Oscar winner. An article by Drew Johnson sheds some light on the size of Gores household energy footprint:

In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh — more than 20 times the national average.

Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.

Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.

Big Oil in Iraq

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by Tina Grazier

On Monday the government of Iraq found accord on a most contentious and divisive issue, the issue of oil revenue and development. Find the New York Times article HERE. The draft law, which still must be approved by Parliament, allows the central government to distribute revenues to the provinces based on population and grants regional oil companies or governments to make contracts with foreign companies for development and exploration. The agreement is a positive step for the people of Iraq as they begin to build their economy.

“At the end of the day, we all supported this thing because it’s workable for all the parties,” said Barham Salih, a deputy prime minister and the head of the committee.

Al’s Inconvenient Quest

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Winning Oscar Just a Start
by Tina Grazier

“It’s the economy stupid!” So said Al Gore while running for VP with ol’ Billy Boy back in the day. Fast forward a few years and we find that his real heart’s desire is “saving” the planet. In order to fulfill this quasi- religious quest he will use lots of flash and glitz with a little bit of Hollywooood thrown in for good measure. Hollywooood, of course, being the home of fantasy and illusion, with nary a worry over small matters such as scientific proof or economic impact...stupid or not.

“An Inconvenient Truth” has now won two Oscars and Al has promised to dedicate “all his efforts to pressuring governments to act on climate-crisis issues.” He said this backstage…after making the following statement onstage:

"People all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis. It's not a political issue. It's a moral issue."

If global warming is not a political issue why will he dedicate “all his efforts” pressuring “governments”?

In fact Gore has made this issue political from the beginning. His theater of operation may have changed but his ambitions to affect the world politically still take center stage…and his use of the art of illusion remains true. An article by Kevin Mooney points out that Gore’s documentary violates the standards for documentary filmmaking but will, none the less, be given a pass by the PC Hollywood elites:

… while it is permissible to employ storytelling devices such as re-enactments, stock footage, stills and animations, the emphasis must be on fact and not fiction.

Gore "crosses a line" that takes his documentary from fact to fiction by flatly claiming polar bears are drowning, when in reality, there is no hard evidence to substantiate his claim, Berlau said.

In past years, the Academy has applied "very strong standards against the manipulation of animal scenes in film," Berlau said.

One apologist for ignoring the rule had this to say:

Since the thrust of the film is about "Al Gore's quest," Seavey said, there should be no contention as long as "nothing is fictionalized about Gore's quest."

Oh, I see, it’s “Al Gore’s quest,”...stupid…and that sums it all up nicely. Neither flawed material, nor lack of scientific proof, nor warnings of economic overburden and taxation shall stop this non-political politician from his quest.

The China Solution

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by Tina Grazier

This is one of those shocking stories out of China:

‘Their souls are gone to the online world’

Alarmed by a survey that found that nearly 14 percent of teens in China are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the Internet, the Chinese government has launched a nationwide campaign to stamp out what the Communist Youth League calls "a grave social problem" that threatens the nation.

Internet “addiction” is the problem…the Chinese solution includes electric shock, counseling, military discipline, drugs, and hypnosis. Parents pay as much as $1300.00 a month to send their kids to a facility; a heavy burden for most families since that’s ten times the average salary. It’s obvious that these parents are concerned about their children given the cost and severity of the treatment.

Sun Jiting spends his days locked behind metal bars in this military-run installation, put there by his parents. The 17-year-old high school student is not allowed to communicate with friends back home, and his only companions are psychologists, nurses and other patients. Each morning at 6:30, he is jolted awake by a soldier in fatigues shouting, "This is for your own good!"

The methods can be harsh depending on the level of addiction. There’s some evidence that treatment centers may be coming to your neighborhood soon:

There's a global controversy over whether heavy Internet use should be defined as a mental disorder, with some psychologists, including a handful in the United States, arguing that it should be. Backers of the notion say the addiction can be crippling, leading people to neglect work, school and social lives.

This story invokes many questions:
How many American kids are being harmed in this way and does it mean they're mentally ill?
Are these methods considered vile...in the same class as "torture"?
Why isn't the global community filled with alarm over this?
And the big one...Fellow adult bloggers and internet friends…should we be concerned for our own sanity?

Also of note in the story is the generally oppressive aspect of the “solution”:

The Communist government runs a program limiting Web access, censoring sites, controling online political dissent, and “has passed regulations banning youths from Internet cafes and has implemented control programs that kick teens off networked games after five hours.

Immigration Law

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1. There will be no special bilingual programs in
the schools, no special ballots for elections, and all
government business will be conducted in our language.

2. Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote, no
matter how long they are here.

3. Foreigners will NEVER be able to hold political
office.

4. Foreigners will not be a burden to the
taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care,
nor any other government assistance programs.

Monkey Business

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An amazing discovery out of Africa is reported in the Washington Post today:

Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals -- the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans.

Using their hands and teeth, the chimpanzees were repeatedly seen tearing the side branches off long, straight sticks, peeling back the bark and sharpening one end. Then, grasping the weapons in a "power grip," they jabbed them into tree-branch hollows where bush babies -- small, monkeylike mammals -- sleep during the day.

Folks, it's a jungle out there!

Update-Blair Decision

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This story out of The Scottsman reveals a different strategy from the one reported yesterday:

THOUSANDS of British troops will remain in Iraq well into next year, and a complete UK withdrawal may come only when United States forces also leave the country, Tony Blair signalled yesterday.

"What all this means is not that Basra is how we want it to be, but it does mean that the next chapter in Basra's history can be written by Iraqis" - TONY BLAIR

England is experiencing the same kind of division that we have here in America. More than anything what this means, is that we all have to dig to find out what's really going on.

Pelosi Tattles on Cheney

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by Tina Grazier

The Vice President was in Tokyo recently and said this about the Pelosi/Murtha plan to restrict funding for the war:

"I think if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we will do is validate the Al Qaeda strategy," the vice president told ABC News. "The Al Qaeda strategy is to break the will of the American people ... try to persuade us to throw in the towel and come home, and then they win because we quit."

The queen of the House, all in a huff, said this:

"And you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to call the president and tell him I disapprove of what the vice president said," Pelosi said. "It has no place in our debate."

Gee Senator, you’re playing with the big boys now…get a grip!

Find the full story on FOXNEWS.com.

Iraq: More Troops Good - Less Troops Also Good

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On Aug 14, 2004 President Bush told a group representing small businesses, "I want your child home as quickly as possible. But we must not send mixed signals. We must stay the course until the job is done. The other day, my opponent said in the heat of political -- in the heat of the political arena, said, well, they'll -- if I'm elected, they'll be -- the troops will be substantially reduced in six months. That's a bad signal to send.... it not only affects the thinking of the enemy, it also affects the thinking of allies."

Now contrast that with this: "Britain will withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq in the coming months and aims to further cut its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer if Iraqi forces can secure the country's south, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday. The announcement, which came as Denmark said it would

Choose Wisely

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by Tina Grazier

The place we choose to call home matters. Laws and values in the community must be consistent with our own if we are to flourish and find happiness as we raise our families. When they are not, an atmosphere for fracture is evident and can often lead to tragedy. A recent story out of England is reflective of this unheeded wisdom:

A father killed his wife and four daughters in their sleep because he could not bear them adopting a more westernised lifestyle, an inquest heard yesterday. Mohammed Riaz, 49, found it abhorrent that his eldest daughter wanted to be a fashion designer, and that she and her sisters were likely to reject the Muslim tradition of arranged marriages.

Immigrating to a different country cannot be easy. The choice to come to America is often made when staying in the country of ones birth means oppression and injustice. We have a long tradition of welcoming people in the U.S., still, we ask that when you choose to come to America, you come prepared to embrace our culture and the laws that govern our nation. This is for the good of the nation and her people, but it is also for the benefit of those who will call America home. Please, choose wisely.

Score One for The Good Guys

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In a major victory for Bush, an appeals court upheld a 2006 law restricting detainees' access to US courts.

In an important ruling announced Tuesday, a divided federal appeals court panel here dismissed cases filed by 63 detainees raising fundamental legal challenges to various aspects of the Bush administration's approach to the war. The ruling applies to every pending or future case – in effect closing all but a few doors to the courthouse for those being held at Guantanamo. "Federal courts have no jurisdiction in these cases," the appeals court declared.

Read the story in The Christian Science Monitor

Religion, Politics & the Left

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by Tina Grazier

Jesus.jpg The 2008 race for the presidency has begun. One group that I believe will become quite vocal is the newly acknowledged “religious left”. Democrats have been known to poke fun at religion, especially the religious right, but the last presidential election found liberals whining that “they were religious too!” Since that time bible quotes and prayers are showing up regularly in their speeches and activities. Recently, for instance, they invited Husham Al-Husainy of the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center to lead the prayer at their annual winter meeting:

"We thank you, God, to send us your messages through our father Abraham and Moses and Jesus and Mohammed. Through you, God, we unite. So guide us to the right path. The path of the people you bless, not the path of the people you doom. Help us, God, to liberate and fill this earth with justice and peace and love and equality. And help us to stop the war and violence, and oppression and occupation. Amen."

The prayer seems relatively harmless until we ask the obvious...just who are the doomed. A report by Debbie Schlussel last summer revealed that Imam Al-Husainy led "almost-daily protests of thousands of Hezbollah supporters on the streets of Dearborn and Detroit, swarming with swastikas and anti-Semitic, anti-American signs.” Judging from this overt involvement it seems quite probable that Al-Husainy, in his prayer for the democrat party, is expressing the Muslim belief that Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed were all Muslim prophets and that Judaism and Christianity were created through corrupt teachings by Moses and Jesus. Does his prayer make the subtle but poignant suggestion that Christians and Jews are the doomed people? Read the full article, Known by the Company They Keep? by David Limbaugh.

There are those on the religious left that hate America and believe she represents an evil threat in the world.

Quoting the President

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“If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made against me, this shop might as well be closed to any other business. I do the very best I know how — the very best I can. And I mean to keep on doing it until the end. If the end brings me out all right, then what they say against me will not amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, then ten angels, swearing I was right, would make no difference.”

President’s Day Quiz

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Other than the obvious, what do the following Presidents of the United States all have in common?

William Henry Harrison (1840), Abraham Lincoln (1860), James Garfield (1880), William McKinley (1900), Warren G. Harding (1920), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1940), John F. Kennedy (1960).

Wild Parachute Ride

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A skydiver, an attractive young German female was swept up to 30,000 feet in freak weather. She was caught amid lightning and hail before she could decend from the thin air. Remarkably she suffered only mild frostbite and some bruising. See video.

Spice Up Your Life While Fighting Cancer

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by Dr. Suzanna Zick, University of Michigan

spices.jpgDid you know you can spice up your diet to fight cancer, lower your blood pressure and even look younger?

It's long been known that certain spices, such as basil, oregano and garlic, will help you fight cancer, lower blood pressure and even maintain a healthy weight. That's not all! Regularly sprinkling rosemary on your favorite dishes will fight aging and help you to look younger, according to Suzanna Zick, a naturopathic physician and researcher with the University of Michigan Health System. Using more herbs and spices and fewer traditional seasonings like sugar, salt and fat, can help to improve the overall health benefits--and flavor--of the foods we eat every day.

Here's a new wrinkle on the aging process...

Why do we get wrinkles, jowls and that droopy appearance as we age? You can blame it on one surprising factor: Your bones. It's more than gravity. According to research by Dr. David Kahn, a plastic surgeon in Palo Alto, Calif.,

“Roadmap Out of Iraq”

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The Hillary Plan
by Tina Grazier

Find the story HERE ladies and gentlemen.

040116-A-2995R-022-hr.jpgIt calls for stopping President Bush's plan to send more troops into Iraq, and would cap troop levels at January figures; it aims to protect troops by ensuring they are properly trained and equipped; it would end what Mrs Clinton called the "blank check" for the Iraqi government; it would convene an international conference on Iraq; and it would start a phased redeployment out of Iraq in 90 days.

"We have to end this war in a smart way, not a Republican or a Democratic way, but a way that makes us safer and gets our troops home as soon as possible," Mrs Clinton said. "If (President) George Bush doesn't end this war before he leaves office, when I'm president, I will."

Wow! Are we impressed? Well, hardly. Leave it to an ambitious unscrupulous female to think she has the capacity to just end war...and by fiat no less. She calls this “smart”. Well, lets take a look:

Her plan is to make America “safe” by taking her ball and going home…maybe she’ll stick out her tongue for good measure.

Man Flies Without A Plane

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http://jet-man.com/playervideo.swf?video=jetman2007.flv

Follow this link to see some amazing video of a man flying with homemade wings and a jet pack...this is unreal.

Are you ready for some unbelievable statistics? Now check this link, sit back and behold!

Citizen Warriors-America Needs YOU

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by Tina Grazier

If you are mad as he** after the mess in the congress last week, and you are eager to join the fight here at home, go HERE and HERE. You will find a group of very committed individuals with tools and information to make your participation easier. They will succeed in tossing all of the republican posers with gelatinous spines out on their ears in 08! We need strong support for our troops and victory in the war. Do whatever you can.

Hugh Hewitt:
The effort to recruit, support, and elect victory Congressmen is going to require a great deal of effort, and NZ Bear has set up easy to understand ways to get involved. The first set of tools are there, and the Victory Caucus is not going to pursue any other agenda except victory in the war. If that matters to you, get involved and tell your friends about it.

The Victory Caucus is dedication with a sense of humor:

And just in case you think we're humorless tools: we do like to have a little fun. Today's example: our photoshop contest to visually demonstrate our opinion of White Flag Republican Ric Keller of Florida .

This weeks best joke, rated PG:

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Submitted by TinmanB

A woman named Jill stood up during her church's prayer request time one Sunday morning, took the microphone from one of the church ushers, and bared her soul to the enrapt congregation: "I want to tell you about the awful accident that my husband, Jim, has suffered this past month. He was riding his bike, lost control, ran off the...

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The latest telephone poll taken by the Governor of California yielded results on whether or not people who live in California think illegal immigration is a serious problem:

41% of the respondents answered: "Yes, it is a serious problem."
59% of the respondents answered: "No es un problema serioso!"

The Inequality of Home Prices

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New data on home sales indicate which metro areas have the narrowest gaps in housing prices—and which ones have the widest. by Peter Coy

Who hasn't driven around a city and marveled at the disparity in the sizes and prices of houses, from ordinary tract homes to palaces? The gaps seem to be bigger in some metro areas than others. Miami, for example, stands out as a city with a huge spread between the glittering precincts of Fisher Island and the vast areas of old, small, and slowly deteriorating homes.

When Johnny Comes Home

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by Tina Grazier

The soldiers in the “protest surge” seem to think that marching Johnny home will mean victory for them. They haven’t thought beyond the rush they anticipate when they have “ended” the war. After all, those silly Al-Qaeda guys are just going to drop everything and go home…to plant flowers and raise kittens…right? Yeah, sure they will, as soon as the evil warmongering efforts of that illegitimate White House “occupant” are crushed!

‘Spose they’ll notice the big door that swings wide open as they snuggle happily in their "safe" little beds? I anticipate one of those deer in the headlights moments myself...temporarily at least...then we'll all be subjected once again to a lesson learned the hard way.

Ultimately the enemy want to crush our economy and bring us under subjugation. Consider the thousands of men around the world like the ones featured in this story out of Canada:

An online message, posted by The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Arabian Peninsula, declares "we should strike petroleum interests in all areas which supply the United States ... like Canada," the No. 1 supplier of both fuels to the U.S.

Last week's message is contained in Sawt al-Jihad (Voice of Jihad), the group's online magazine. A feature article, titled "Bin Laden's Oil Weapon," encourages al-Qaeda operatives to continue to follow directives from Mr. bin Laden to strike oil targets not only in Saudi Arabia, but elsewhere, according to a translation by the SITE Institute, a non-profit U.S. group that monitors terrorist websites

Three western countries are singled out in the call-to-arms -- Canada first, followed by Mexico and Venezuela. Would-be attackers are instructed to target oilfields, pipelines, loading platforms and carriers.
It also is "an operational suggestion to the 'homegrown jihadists' and independent groups that follow the inspiration message of al-Qaeda. To them, it outlines a suggested list of potential new targets. Canada is at the top of that list."

They are committed and continue to plan and plot “death to America” The war against the West will continue…they will follow Johnny when he comes marching home.

More On.... A Scandal Brews

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A post from Tina

Jack, your observations are right on. As congress busies itself covering butt on the war for the next election cycle, none of us out here can afford to hold our collective breath on the issues of the border and drugs. I'll leave the drug enforcement issue to you who are expert.

I know that 911 shifted the focus in many ways and made some issues come forward with even more emphasis and necessity. The border certainly is a big part of that. The need to concentrate energies and attention on issues in Iraq have, no doubt, preoccupied the president in ways he didn't expect. Words don't get it done unless they are followed by continuing actions until the desired result is achieved.

Unfortunately the drug problem is, I believe, a societal problem first and foremost. I'm not sure anything but thankless tail chasing can be done unless we can change the culture. If the market goes away so will the need for law enforcement. Changing our society will take a concerted effort over many years but it is the heart of the problem. Our president agrees:


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The Scandal Brews...

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by Jack Lee

Our Libertarian friend and writer, Jeff, has made some interesting points about the drug war and our failed policies and I can't really disagree with him, but perhaps I can ad a new perspective...as an insider. I was a drug warrior in combat for many years.

Our drug enforcement system is seriously broken and it is most broken on our border with Mexico where the illegal drugs flow into the USA freely. What we are doing and have been doing for years is so outrageously expensive and ineffective, it is an abomination on the integrity of the White House and Congress who have long known the seriousness of this situation and the many failures along the way.

Currently up to 96% of all drug shipments make it across the Mexican border. That's not my statistic, this comes from the agency that I was trained by and worked with, the DEA! This is the unpublished, confidential statistic for in house use only. But, don't fault the DEA, Border Patrol or Customs or the many narcotic task forces...the deck is stacked against them, so much so that they can't make a dent in this problem no matter how hard they try.

Progressive Visions of America Part II

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by Tina Grazier

A more mainstream progressive vision can be found in a talk given by Bill Moyers titled For America’s Sake. Bill begins by painting a picture of the down and out and then ,i>progresses by taking pot shots at Reagan:

Here is the real political story, the one most politicians won't even acknowledge: the reality of the anonymous, disquieting daily struggle of ordinary people, including the most marginalized and vulnerable Americans…blah, blah, blah… searching for dignity and fairness against long odds in a cruel market world. Everywhere you turn you'll find people who believe they have been written out of the story. Everywhere you turn there's a sense of insecurity grounded in a gnawing fear that freedom in America has come to mean the freedom of the rich to get richer even as millions of Americans are dumped from the Dream.

Reagan's story of freedom superficially alludes to the Founding Fathers, but its substance comes from the Gilded Age, devised by apologists for the robber barons. It is posed abstractly as the freedom of the individual from government control--a Jeffersonian ideal at the root of our Bill of Rights, to be sure. But what it meant in politics a century later…is the freedom to accumulate wealth without social or democratic responsibilities and the license to buy the political system right out from under everyone else, so that democracy no longer has the ability to hold capitalism accountable for the good of the whole.

There are several points to be made here since this same old sob story has been used by democrats for decades. Reagan’s story of freedom was not superficial. It did rely on the notion that in America anyone can achieve his dream…and that to do so he must define it and work toward it responsibly with his own will, brains and energy. And Reagan didn’t believe, as progressives do, that most people can never achieve their dreams without the aid of some government program. Reagan’s story never meant “freedom to accumulate wealth without social or democratic, (I would call it civic) responsibility”. Indeed, the proof that this is pure fantasy is revealed in a new book, “Who Really Cares” by Arthur C. Brooks. According to Professor Brooks:

"If liberals and moderates gave blood at the same rate as conservatives, the blood supply of the United States would jump about 45 percent."

Progressive Visions of America Part I

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by Tina Grazier

“California, the nation-state, the harmonious state, the prosperous state, the cutting-edge state, becomes a model, not just for the 21st-century American society, but for the larger world.” Arnold Schwarzenegger quoted by Prof. Gar Alperovitz

“We have the economic strength, we have the population and the technological force of a nation-state.” Arnold Schwarzenegger quoted by Prof. Gar Aperovitz

I won’t try to crawl into the mind of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to figure out what he meant when he said these things but I was interested in the thoughts about the governors remarks expressed by Prof. Aperovitz in a

Part II - Walid Shoebat (ex-terrorist) and Muslim Students

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by Jack Lee

I hope you had a chance to read part one of this story on Walid Shoebat . Now, as promised, I'm going to give you the opposing view as presented by the UC Davis Muslim Student Association (MSA). I think you will find their arguments interesting and it may shed a little light into the concerns of the Muslim-American community. They gave me a prepared statement and I will include that first and then my comments:

"We repudiate and unequivocally condemn terrorism, as a grave and serious crime that should be punished in the strictest means possible. We are concerned that a self-confessed "ex-terrorist" is walking

Voter Fraud

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by Tina Grazier

The next time democrats scream foul accusing the GOP of voter fraud and stealing elections keep
this story
in mind. You'll notice that the writer fails to mention any ties or associations with a political party. Here's a hint for you, Jesse Jackson has been known to “associate‿:

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A man who worked for an advocacy group that signs up new voters pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to voter registration fraud, the U.S. attorney's office said. *** Dale D. Franklin, 44, was hired by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, to work with Project Vote, another not-for-profit group that helps register voters.


Misconceptions About Libertarians

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New contribution from Jeff:

There is a general misconception about Libertarians, especially by Republicans, that I feel compiled to clear up. People assume that we Libertarians advocate drug use and support the legalization of drugs out of self interest.

I know how nicely conservatives will defend that 2nd Amendment, and how quick they point to statistics, the Constitution, American history and so forth. And that's a good thing, for they are right.

And Liberals want to ban guns and blame manufacturers, while exaggerating the dangers of them.

For the previous sentence, substitute the words "Conservative" for "Liberals," and "drugs" for "guns," and you have the same faulty reasoning for the left as well as the right. Conservatives, please use your power of logic and apply it to what you preach-personal responsibility. Then take the next step: ask yourself if spending tens of billions of dollars on the futile "Drug War" is fiscally conservative. Then, go get some real statistics, and pour over them (this may be eye-opening even to the most bias "drug warrior"). Finally, go to the Constitution, read the 9th and 10th Amendments. If you ignore the Constitution, real statistics, personal responsibility and blame inanimate objects, be aware that you're using the same method as Liberals. And it's wrong.

Again, Libertarians only advocate personal responsibility, not drugs. It only appears to be an important plank of the Libertarian philosophy because it's the one big thing Conservatives keep trippin' on.

Jeff

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Posted by Nick F.

I want to thank Mike Wacker for his suggestion to watch Maurice McTique's speech to the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. It was great to hear so much common sense in one 45min session. If you are interested in what would happen if we actualy implemented the suggestions of men like Milton Freidman you need to watch this!!!

Type in www.uccs.edu/~csgi/mctigue2004august.shtml....if that fails type in "Rolling Back Government" and it will be the first link.

Thanks again Mike.


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A Minor Injustice

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by Jack Lee

parking.jpg Metered overtime parking in the City of Chico will cost you $15 and that's bad enough, but, IF you fail to pay it within 15 days, you will be charged another $30 !

Why the huge $30 penalty for a $15 ticket? Well, it seems this is the "lowest penalty" set by the City Council and it applies to fines starting out at $15 and all the way up to $250. That makes the least of all City Code infractions (overtime parking) the highest penalized and that makes no sense to me whatsoever.

People living on social security likely pay their bills once a month and that means they will pay a late penalty if they don't pay that parking ticket within the two week window and the elderly/disabled can least afford to pay this fine, let alone a whopping 2X penalty...thats really unfair. But, don't talk "unfair" to our liberal city council, they approved this injustice.

It gets worse: Fail to pay the $45 and City will turn you in to the credit bureau and stop you from registering your car next year and all over a few minutes of overtime parking....me thinks this is a little too "Cool Hand Luke".

By the way the cities of Oroville, Paradise and Gridley have abandoned their metered parking as being bad for PR and cost ineffective. The Chico Downtown Merchants Association might want to take this parking fine/double penalty up with the City Council, because it's just another reason for consumers to shop the malls where the parking is free.

From Terrorist to Peace Activist - Part 1

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by Jack Lee

walid2.gif Walid Shoebat, pictured on the left, is a former member of the PLO who grew up hating Jews. According to his autobiography, his grandfather was the Muslim Mukhtar (chieftain) of Beit Sahour-Bethlehem and a friend of Haj-Ameen Al-Husseni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and notorious friend of Adolf Hitler in WWII. Walid's great grandfather, Abdullah Ali Awad-Allah, was also a fighter and close associate of both Abdul Qader and Haj Amin Al-Husseini, who led the Palestinians against Israel.

Today, many in this world would like to see him dead, ... not for his terrorist activities, but because he renounced terrorism! Shoebat's life is an amazing story that comes with a warning.

Walid Shoebat is the author of "Why I Left Jihad" and he's currently on a lecture tour that includes a number of California Universities. His new book, "Why We Want To Kill You" is about to be released this month. I caught up with him last night at UC Davis, where he was the honored guest speaker, sponsored by the Foundation For the Defense of Democracy.

Security at the event was to say the least, obvious and intense. And justifiably so, given the recent death threats against Shoebat. Attendees were treated like airport passengers and with the exception of the media, cameras or recorders were NOT allowed inside. Thanks to the high level of security the crowd filtered slowly into the 1300 seat auditorium which caused the show to open about 25 minutes late. This gave me an opportunity to interview some guests, that included a few Muslim students that occupied an entire center section near the press seating.

It was hard not to notice each Muslim student wore red duck tape on their right arms, which they later used to cover their mouths when Shoebat began speaking. The consensus answer was, this was to protest the extent to which their voices were being shut down by on campus racist groups such as the group that set up this event. When I asked for specifics exactly how they were being denied their free speech or were victims of bigotry I didn't get one example, but some vague generalities. I moved on to ask why they had a problem with a reformed terrorist and the consensus answer was, he's a phoney and a hate monger, and he stereotypes all Muslims as terrorists. More on this later. Now it was time for Shoebat to take the stage and he came out of a side door about 10 feet away from my "press" box.

Just before Shoebat took the podium to a nearly packed house, the MC reminded the audience of the First Amendment and that it was illegal to engage in certain disruptive activities and that violators would be arrested and prosecuted. The majority of the crowd gave a loud and extended applause! The Muslim students simply sat silent and observed. When Walid Shoebat walked on stage to take the podium he received a warm welcome with most of the audience, a fair mix of students and adults, standing. At this time the Muslim students in the center seats removed the red tape from their shoulders and placed it over their mouths. As Walid started to speak they stood up for a moment, made their presence known and then sat down.

Shoebat's speech summarized his childhood growing up in Jordan and later in Isreal and the occupied territory among Palestinians. He focused on his public school education where he was said he [indoctrinated] to hate Jews from day one and his eventual evolution of hate led him to being a radical Muslim terrorist. He concluded with his view of radical Islam, its growth and why we need to fight it.

What Comes Around

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by Tina Grazier

I remember fondly the "old liberal cause" of NO NUKES. Martin Sheen himself showed up quite often to protest in front of the gates at the Lawrence Livermore Lab. The rag tag bunch of twenty or so t-shirt and bell bottom clad sign carrying screamers paraded in a circle for a day and really thought they had "made a difference". Barbra Streisand acting boldly, held her first concert ever, inviting friends and neighbors to her backyard for the outdoor event. She used the concert to announce the creation of a foundation dedicated to the elimination of nukes. She generously donated her Malibu compound to the "cause"
(...and, I imagine, avoided taxes at the same time).

Tina's War Front Snips:

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Tina's War Front Snips:

arab.jpgWith the prospect of three civil wars looming over the Middle East -- and Iran poised to gain from them all -- Saudi Arabia has abandoned its behind-the-scenes checkbook diplomacy and taken on a central, aggressive role in reshaping the region's conflicts. (snip) "Usually the Saudis prefer to maneuver behind the scenes. Lately they've been noticeably active." New York Times

Baghdad - Iraqi and US forces killed a top official of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's organisation in a raid on his home north of Baghdad on Sunday, calling him a ''rogue leader'' of Sadr's Mehdi Army militia. An official in Sadr's political office, Abdul-Mehdi al- Matiri, called the killing of Khadhim al-Hamadani in the village of Huweidar near Baquba an ''assassination''. The US military said in a statement that Hamadani had reportedly been responsible for attacks on US and Iraqi troops Reuters

Deep in the mountains of eastern Iraq, a cluster of mud huts and the chatter of machinegun fire reveal another

Happy Birthday Mr. President

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reagan_pencil.gifYou Speak to Us Still...

by Tina Grazier

"Today, in their memory, and for all who fought here, we celebrate the triumph of democracy. We reaffirm the unity of democratic people who fought a war and then joined with the vanquished in a firm resolve to keep the peace. From a terrible war we learned that unity made us invincible; now, in peace, that same unity makes us secure. We sought to bring all freedom-loving nations together in a community dedicated to the defense and preservation of our sacred values. Our alliance, forged in the crucible of war, tempered and shaped by the realities of the post-war world, has succeeded. In Europe, the threat has been contained, the peace has been kept. Today, the living here assembled -- officials, veterans, citizens -- are a tribute to what was achieved here 40 years ago. This land is secure. We are free. These things are worth fighting and dying for." Ronald Reagan-40th Anniversary of D-Day

"We, the members of the New Republican Party, believe that the preservation and enhancement of the values that strengthen and protect individual freedom, family life, communities and neighborhoods and the liberty of our beloved nation should be at the heart of any legislative or political program presented to the American people." Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911 - 2004)

"[Ronald Reagan] believed that people were the most important resource and that our natural resources should be used in ways that would benefit mankind. Ronald Reagan knew that a growing economy and an improving environment would go hand-in-hand. He understood the absolute necessity of employing sound science to management of natural resources and environmental standards. He rejected the Socialist view of environmental management and the regulatory scheme of 'one size fits all' regulations. He supported the principle of federalism in environmental management and was strongly committed to the principle of protection of property rights. And Reagan knew that environmental policies that emanate from liberty are the most successful." Becky Norton Dunlop

Find these quotes and other information at the Patriot Post tribute page to our 40th president Ronald Reagan.

Press Release

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Press Release - Public Service Announcement

A six week course on the America’s Constitution and Bill of Rights will be presented on Wednesdays, starting Feb. 7th from 6 to 8pm at the Chico Library. This educational video course is hosted by world renowned Constitutional scholar and lecturer, Michael Badnarik. A study book entitled “Its Good to be King? by Mr. Badnarik does compliment the course, but is not necessary.

This course is presented free to the community as a public service and is sponsored by the Butte County Libertarian Party.


What Motivates Our President?

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by Tina Glazier

The president has remained steadfast in his duty and commitment to defend the American people from our enemies. He has said over and over again, that his decision to take the fight to the enemy was made so as to avoid fighting them here at home. He has said the war would be long and difficult and that it would be fought on many fronts. Mistakes have been made but in times of war, what president has not made mistakes?

Those in our country who refuse to support the president create an unpleasant and unhelpful reality in this war and the disunity is unsettling. It makes defeat of the enemy a more difficult challenge. It gives the enemy aid and comfort. Even a small child is smart enough to understand that unchallenged bullies don't give up. What about President Bush's decision is so difficult for some adults to comprehend? Why is it so difficult for some to get and support the goals and motivation for fighting back? The only answer that I can stomach is that we now live in a different world than the one we grew up in...and they simply refuse to believe it.

A few months ago a HREF="http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/appeasement-takes-hold-again/2007/02/04/1170523957031.html">French high school philosophy teacher wrote an article published in Le Figaro titled "What should the free world do in the face of Islamic Terror?" He summed up his theme by saying that while Christian and Jewish religions delegitimize violence, Islam exalts violence, both in their text and in practice. After the story was published Robert Redeker and his family were forced into hiding due to threats and intimidation.

They remain in hiding still.


But They Aren't Biased

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by Tina Grazier

The latest example of bias from a MSM source can be found in an article titledA
Ban on Victory
highlighting a recent New York Times diatribe:

Question: When is a U.S. military victory not a victory?

Answer: When it's reported by The New York Times.

Read the account from Baghdad in the Jan. 30 Times about a battle the previous weekend in the city of Najaf - one of the biggest engagements of the war - and you'd think that U.S. and Iraqi forces had suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of what was described as "an obscure renegade militia."

"Iraqi forces were surprised and nearly overwhelmed by the ferocity" of the fighters arrayed against them, read the piece by correspondent Marc Santora, who added, "They needed far more help from American forces than previously disclosed."

Not until the article's sixth paragraph - 200 words into the 1,100-word piece - did this sentence appear: "The Iraqis and Americans eventually prevailed in the battle."

What Happens IF this FLU Turns Deadly?

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ATLANTA, Feb. 1 — In the event of a severe flu outbreak, schools should close for up to three months, ballgames and movies should be canceled, and working hours should be staggered so subways and buses are less crowded, the federal government said Thursday in issuing new pandemic flu guidelines to states and cities.

This Is Only a Drill Health officials acknowledged that such measures would greatly disrupt public life, but argued that they would provide the time needed to produce vaccines and would save lives because flu viruses attack in waves lasting about two months.

Presidential Race

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by Jack Lee

hillary.jpg I keep hearing what a great thing it would be if we were to elect Hillary, so we could have our first woman president. Or if we elected Barack Obama, so we could have our first black president. People that want them to be president because its a first, but they always stop short of any further explanation and that bothers me. Sure, I think it would be great to have a female president or a black president or both...a black female president! However, I need to see a few other attributes than sex, skin color and a cheery personality to get my vote.

I want to see real accomplishments and know we have a steady candidate. I want to see the legislation they've passed. I want to know their political philosophy, perhaps by reading a book or two they've written on the subject. In short, I just want to know a heck of a lot more than their sex or skin color, but a good deal of people apparently don't. This is emotional voting and it's not only dumb and shortsighted, its dangerous. Afterall we are talking about the position of the President of the United States and that would make them instantly the most powerful person in the world.

Hillary has the Clinton name (for whatever thats worth) and from her first entry into politics it seems as if all of her moves have been calculated towards one thing, often times this has got her talking out both sides of her mouth...who hasn't seen this and yet people think she would be a great president? Obama is great at one thing, he's a great talker...I'll give him that. He's very eloquent and poised and has a lot of personality, but he hasn't really come up with anything new or unique that would lead me to think he is really presidential material.

Granted, we could use a good talker in the White House. Bush sure isn't..he's terrible, but he has a lot courage and he sticks to his values, you got to give him that. Anyway, whoever it is that shows up on our final ballot, I just want to know as much as I can about him or her and none of us really knows much about Obama, do we? Thats why I think Obama may not be ready for a serious run at the White House, least not just yet. In fact, I don't see any steller candidates on the democratic side so far. On the flip side, I like ol Newty. About 10 years ago I happened to be one of his body guards for a few days and I even bought him a beer after his speech...one of lifes little ironies. But, to be honest the dems have done such a good character assassination on him, I doubt he would have much a chance, although he has the good track record, the great ideas, the knowledge of past, present and a future vision that would help him be a great president, if he had the chance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINA

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Miami Predicted to Go Under

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040421_earthday.jpg
Global warming: Using computer models, scientists have created a series of maps that show areas susceptible to rises in sea level. The above map shows that a 6-meter (20-foot) rise would swamp Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and the entire Florida coastline, in addition to parts of Orlando and other inland areas.

THE FLU IS HERE!

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by Jack Lee

As you have probably read in the paper, the flu is upon us! So here are some things that might help you prevent the flu and should you become ill, there's a list of flu symptoms so you know the difference between a mere cold or the flu!

There's basically five ways to treat and prevent a flu: Flu vaccines, antivirals, antibiotics, over-the-counter treatments and non-medical alternatives. Regarding the last category, alternatives, I've found a really fantastic sore throat remedy. Mix a teaspoon full of red pepper in about 6 oz of water and gargle. Repeat 3 times about every 15-20 minutes until the soreness goes away. If it's really bad you may have to repeat this 4-5 times, but it won't hurt anything if you do and the best part is it really works!

Flu sympton are, sudden onset, temp over 100 degrees, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, fatigue and body aches, but of course only your medical professional can tell if you really have the flu and prescribe medication that will effectively limit its duration and severity.

If you have these symptoms, be courteous and stay home so you don't spread it to others. If you want to avoid it, try a hand sanitizer a few times a day, especially if you have a lot of public contact (handshaking) and most importantly keep your hands away from your face.


Humorous Tidbits of Life....

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1. Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggert have written an impressive new book. It's called "Ministers Do More Than Lay People."

2. Transvestite: A guy who likes to eat, drink and be Mary.

3. The difference between the Pope and your boss...the Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.

4. My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it is gone.

Personal Savings at Depression Levels

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2006 Personal Savings Drop to 74-Yr. Low
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER

WASHINGTON (AP) - People once again spent everything they made and then some last year, pushing the personal savings rate to the lowest level since the Great Depression more than seven decades ago.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the savings rate for all of 2006 was a negative 1 percent, meaning that not only did people spend all the money they earned but they also dipped into savings or increased