July 2007 Archives

Buying a Used Car - Part II

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

Chicocollisioncenter.jpg

This weeks car buying tips come from Mark Page's Chico Collision Center, 275 East Park Avenue, Chico. 343-2480.

Mark's senior body repair expert is Dave Kauer and that's who guided us around a typical used car, looking for signs of body damage. Dave has nearly 39 years of experience as a body man and teaching body repair in high schools. That's why I say we were very fortunate to find someone as qualified as Dave to give us a few of those "insider" tips!

Dave began by walking me over to a Lexus they were repairing. It was an early 90's, four door model. We stood back and looked it over for a moment, as Dave pointed out how important it was to see the car as a whole unit, with each door line and fender line fitting evenly and proportionately gapped.

DaveKauer.jpg(Dave Kauer on left) Our pro said those lines (gaps) really tell a story about a car. For example, the gap lines can point out poorly fitting doors, due to either worn hinges or even damage, either way it's not a small problem. I know, I had a 1987 Corvette that looked great, but it leaked like the Titanic whenever it rained. Other than the M-35 (duece and a half) army truck I used to drive, the Vette was the worst! Nothing fit right on that thing. I wished I had met Dave before I bought that lemon! lol

Next, we popped open the trunk and Dave pulled up that sort of indoor-outdoor looking carpet all trunks have, to expose where the car body bolts to the frame rails. And there it was, virtually hidden from view, but never-the-less... it was body damage! A long kink in the metal that had been pounded relatively flat, but it was a definite sign of a rear end collision at some point in this car's life. I would have never thought to look there, but Dave says most

Housing Sales In Trouble (Red flag)

| No Comments

NEWSWEEK - Friday July 27, 8:08 am By Maya Roney

First, it was the second half of 2007. Then it was 2008. Now analysts are saying the national housing market may not rebound until 2009. On July 25, the National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes fell 3.8% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.75 million units, contributing to the bleak-and-getting-bleaker outlook.

A COMMON FREEWAY ACCIDENT

| 2 Comments

By Jack Lee

freewayaccident.jpgIn this picture we have South bound traffic on a two lane freeway. It's clear weather, dry pavement and unobstructed visibility. The posted speed limit is 55 mph. Note the accelleration lane for merging as seen on the right. You are in the number 2 lane travelling at 62 mph and the vehicle behind you (10 car lengths) is travelling at about the same speed. The merging vehicle is accellerating and is now about 57 mph, if you hold your speed and position, your vehicle will be hit broadside by the merging vehicle. What do you do?

1. Slow down quickly and let the accellerating vehicle pull in front of you.

2. Hold your speed and let the merging vehicle slow slightly to pull behind you.

3. Quickly change lanes.

Before you read the answer below, here is a link to a good site for driver improvment, it's called you be the judge.

When Will They Learn?

| No Comments

by Jack Lee

Here we go again, he was weaving in and out of traffic, lost control on a curve...suffered critical injuries and not wearing a seat belt.

Pure Joy

| 1 Comment

Posted by Tina Grazier
Iraq Celebrates Asia Cup Victory.jpg Can you imagine the joy that Iraqi's felt today as their national football team won the Asia Cup? What would it would be like to have something so wonderfully exciting happening in the midst of this terrible war? A first hand account can be found over at the "Iraq the Model" blog:

I went out in the early afternoon to bring some food and gasoline for the generator as I had only a few liters left in the generator's tank and I didn't want to take chances.Everyone seemed in a hurry buying what they need to before they all go home to sit in front of the TV sets. *** I returned home, filled all three generators with gasoline just in case one of them fails us, which is something that happens quite often. I also put several cans of beer in the fridge and brought some Pringles chips. The ultimate snack when watching soccer, or pretty much everything! *** The good surprise came at 4:30 when the state electricity came after two days of absence; I assume it's a small "gift" from the government and the electricity department. *** Today is definitely the happiest day for Iraqis in years. Tears of joy mixed with prayers for hope on the faces of millions of Iraqis…Words truly fail me...

This boys face says it all...Post Scripts would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations.

Good Question

| No Comments

Posted by Tina Grazier
H-Bomb Mike.jpgJulian Borger asks such an interesting question in tomorrow’s edition of London’s newspaper “Guardian,” I thought I’d run it by you:

…why is the (Iran) government in such a rush to enrich fuel, when it has no nuclear power plants in which to use it?

Cloning Hillary

| 9 Comments

by Tina Grazier
Hillary2.jpgHillary’s put on her thinking cap and come up with a BIG idea. She wants to create a school to train future politicians to be just like her. The peachy part is that she wants to do it on your dime!

Clinton: Create public service academy
Associated Press, by PAGE IVEY

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton told college Democrats on Saturday she would create a national academy to train public servants. "I'm going to be asking a new generation to serve," she said. "I think just like our military academies, we need to give a totally all-paid education to young men and women who will serve their country in a public service position." An older woman carrying a sign that said "She doesn't care, all she wants is the power" yelled at Clinton while the New York senator was speaking.

This would, of course, become a very elite academy since so many of our universities are already turning out ordinary "progressive" clones to beat the band.

Gitmo Report

| 3 Comments

by Tina Grazier

A new report out of West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center, and based on available public information, finds that 73% of Guantanamo detainees are “demonstrated" threats, and 95% pose a "potential" threat. The demonstrated threat designation means the detainee has met any of the following: 1) Explicitly and without qualification supported or waged hostile activities against the U.S. or coalition partners, 2) Fought for al Qaeda or the Taliban or associated forces, 3) Received training in an al Qaeda or Taliban training camp, 4) Received training in the use of combat weapons beyond small arms (grenades, rpg's, ied's, sniper rifles, etc.)

The Pentagon has said that at least 30 former detainees have returned to fight Americans after deceptively gaining a release. This statistic makes the idea of granting U.S. court trials to detainees a dangerously stupid move. As the editors of The Wall Street Journal put it:

The result of bringing Gitmo detainees into U.S. criminal courts would inevitably be their widespread release—which means leaving them free to kill Americans again.

But, as our progressive friends would say, 'that’s only fair."

Reagan’s Enduring Appeal

| No Comments

Posted by Tina Grazier
Ronals Reagan.jpgA story out of the Washington Times, “Cozying up to the Gipper” sites a new Rasmussen survey that suggests Ronald Reagan is still the ideal in American minds. The survey breaks down like this:

Of five political labels meant to designate presidential hopefuls, "like Reagan" proved to be the most popular in a new Rasmussen survey, trumping a quartet of more familiar descriptors. The survey revealed that 44 percent of the respondents rated the phrase "like Reagan" positively, followed by "progressive," favored by 35 percent, "conservative" (32 percent), "moderate" (29 percent) and at the bottom, "liberal" (20 percent). Strategists take note: Among Republican respondents, 74 percent favored the Reagan label, compared with 61 percent who gave the nod to a blunt "conservative" label. "It may seem strange to distinguish between a candidate who is 'like Reagan' and a candidate who is politically conservative. That gap has arisen because the definition of conservative has been altered by more recent GOP leadership in Congress and the White House," the survey said. "Being compared to Reagan ascribes some personal characteristics that cannot be captured in an ideological label."

The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted July 24-25, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Bald A**ed Socialism or Entrepreneurial Spirit?

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier

A good friend to Post scripts recently had this to say:

“Kaiser works, more or less, beautifully. And it is bald-assed socialism. Everybody pays into the pot ... the sick people take what they need out of the pot ... and Kaiser's administration does its damnedest to see that the ratio of sick people to well people doesn't put them out of business ... as in: "Eat your greens and exercise, for freakin' pity's sake! We don't want to see you in here!" It is absolutely, entirely, the best thing.” – Libby

Her enthusiasm for “socialism” is evident in her gleeful description of Kaiser but is she correct in her assertion or not? To answer this intriguing question we begin by defining socialism:

1. any of various theories or social and political movements advocating or aiming at collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and control of the distribution of goods *** 2. a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state *** state socialism is defined: socialism that advocates utilizing the power of the state to equalize income and opportunity (as by progressive income and inheritance taxes, by compulsory insurance against old age, unemployment, sickness, and accident, and by state administration of industries, public utilities, common carriers, banking, and housing *** Utopian socialism is even more fun: socialism based on a belief that elimination of unemployment and the attainment of economic security by means of social ownership of the means of production could be achieved by a voluntary and peaceful surrender of their holdings by propertied groups (Oh... well…at least it’s “voluntary”)

***

“Find a Need and Fill It” – Henry Kaiser

Oil Companies Still Making Billions

| 2 Comments

July 26th 2007 - Earnings released: Exxon's earnings eased a bit, about 1%, due to rising costs and lower output, but the company still posted a $10.26 billion quarter profit. Shell's net climbed 18% to $8.67 billion on the quarter.

Home Sales Continue To Slump (red flag)

| No Comments

"WASHINGTON — Sales of existing homes fell in June for a fourth consecutive month, further evidence that housing troubles are far from over.

The National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that sales of existing homes dropped by 3.8 percent in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.75 million units. That is the slowest sales pace since November 2002 and the decline was about twice what had been expected.

The median price of an existing home edged up to $230,100, 0.3 percent more than a year ago. The median is the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less.

It was the first price gain in 11 months. Analysts, however, said they were looking for prices to fall further because of the high level of unsold homes.

For June, the median price of a single-family home rose by 0.1 percent and the price of a condominium increased by 2.6 percent compared with a year ago.

"With inventories still way out of line, unless prices fall a lot more, the housing market will not turn around any time soon," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors."

No Argument Here

| 10 Comments

“I was a lifelong Democrat only because the choices were limited. The Democrats are the party of slavery and were the party that started every war in the 20th century, except the other Bush debacle. The Federal Reserve, permanent federal income taxes, not one but two World Wars, Japanese concentration camps, and not one but two atom bombs dropped on the innocent citizens of Japan—all brought to us via the Democrats.” —Cindy Sheehan

Accident Makes Locals Elgible for Darwin Award!

| No Comments

By Jack Lee

rollover-accident-ban.gif Race car #33 does a high speed roll over and surprisingly it wasn't on the Skyway, it was on another race track.

Now for our featured story of the week, in which we shall be using the word allegedly a lot for legal reasons, we (allegedly) have two very deserving candidates for the next Darwin Award! They are, Miss Sheri L. Duncan, 27 of Paradise and her (alleged) friend and fellow dare-devil, Mr. Chris Crippen, 36 also of Paradise!

Lets hear it for our two (alleged) high speed
cutups...Sheri and Chris!!!

Here's how they (allegedly) qualified for a Darwin Award: Sheri was (allegedly) driving her 95 Honda at high speed, perhaps in excess of 80 mph down the Skyway towards Chico. This

Humanitarian Work

| No Comments

Posted by Tina Grazier

He’s been called a liberal journalist but from what I’ve read so far he just does a fine job of reporting...isn't that refreshing!

Out on patrol in Northern Baghdad with a company led by Lieutenant William H. Lord of the 82nd Airborne he describes every event in clear and compelling detail. If you're interested in a first hand account of what’s happening on the ground in Iraq (as opposed to boring media spin) do yourself a favor and wander on over to Michael J. Totten’s “Middle East Journal.” His current offering, “In the Wake of the Surge” features both pictures and commentary including entry into a home from which gunfire had come earlier in the evening. I think you'll appreciate the Lieutenants exchange with the family.

After leaving the Iraqi home Totten had the following conversation with a Lieutenant Wolf, and his response to Wolf is right on the mark:

Lieutenant Wolf:

“Most of what we’re doing doesn’t get reported in the media,” he said. “We’re not fighting a war here anymore, not in this area. We’ve moved way beyond that stage. We built a soccer field for the kids, bought all kinds of equipment, bought them school books and even chalk. Soon we’re installing 1,500 solar street lamps so they have light at night and can take some of the load off the power grid. The media only covers the gruesome stuff. We go to the sheiks and say hey man, what kind of projects do you want in this area? They give us a list and we submit the paperwork. When the projects get approved, we give them the money and help them buy stuff.”

Michael Totten:

“Not everything they do is humanitarian work, unless you consider counter-terrorism humanitarian work. In my view, you should. Few Westerners think of personal security as a human right, but if you show up in Baghdad I’ll bet you will. Personal security may, in fact, be the most important human right. Without it the others mean little. People aren’t free if they have to hide in their homes from death squads and car bombs.”

These men willingly place themselves in harms way to protect and defend America but the reality is they do it so that people everywhere can feel secure in their homes and in their communities. Give them respect, unqualified support and heartfelt thanks.

Thanks also to Michael Totten for risking his life to bring this excellent reporting to the world. Great pictures too.

Countrywide Profit Sinks (red flag warning!)

| No Comments

By Lingling Wei

In another sign of spreading credit problems, Countrywide Financial Corp. said Tuesday losses on certain loans to more creditworthy borrowers contributed to a 33% drop in second-quarter net income.

The largest U.S. home lender again slashed its 2007 earnings outlook on expectations of "increasingly challenging" housing and mortgage markets.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Stocks slumped Tuesday after Countrywide Financial Corp. said its profits took a hit from the housing debacle and Dow component DuPont Co. and American Express also reported weaker-than-expected earnings.

"Continuing concerns over liquidity in the credit markets and its impact on pending deals are bringing out the sellers," said Elliot Spar, an option market strategist at Ryan Beck & Co.

EXCLUSIVE AT POST SCRIPTS
Doctors Facing Bankruptsy

| 9 Comments

by Jack Lee

hot topic.jpg This is something so serious, it is literally threatening to force many doctors out of business in the very near future.

UnitedHealth Groups decided to use the ACN Group of California as it's provider network. In order to improve their bottom line ACN slashed the reimbursement rates so low that chiropractors will not even be able to cover their own costs of providing patient care.

According to one local doctor that break even point runs about $28 per patient. And that is all ACN is allowing for reimbursement! To make matters worse, UnitedHealth merged with PacificCare of California and the patients from the second largest ever merger in managed care all went to ACN. That one merger gave ACN an almost monopolistic leverage to alter the referral network and either force doctors to accept the ACN reimbursement rates or leave the network abruptly. If the doctors try to leave there goes the bulk of their patients and they have to begin anew building up their patient inventory.

To make matters worse ACN requires more paper work adding to the office overhead and the ACN does vigorous oversight to prevent doctors from too many extra costs, such as X-Ray's or orthodic appliances that could help the doctors bottom line. That part is good for ethics and these doctors support reasonable oversight, but sometimes computer generated red flags pop up when there is no problem. Many of the doctors are feeling almost intimidated by this sort of heavy handed oversight.

According to the California Chiropractic Association, "With a combined market share of 26 million members, health care providers are faced with the agonizing choice of dropping the network and immediately losing a large percentage of their patient base or remaining part of the network and losing money on each patient until they can slowly transition away from accepting UnitedHealth Group patients.

Over the last decade the cost of an office visit to a Doctor of Chiropractics has not even been allowed to keep pace with the rate of inflation. A typical office visit in 1995 was about $29, today it is around $35. With the ACN taking a larger bite of their scant profits, California Chiropractors are being forced out of business and ultimately this means fewer choices for the patient. I happen to be a believer in chiropractic care and it's saved me from expensive and risky surgery, no doubt many of our readers have had a similar experience. If one can avoid surgery it seems to me this would be a great cost saving benefit to insurance industry and they would be more supportive of this area of patient care, but in practice it's just the opposite.

“Unacceptable aggregations of market power by health plans should not be allowed to the detriment of consumers and health care professionals,” said Kassie Donoghue, CCA president.

Folks, our private healthcare system in California has hit some serious snags and not just for Chiropractors and their patients. Currently the average family of 4 pays about $1100 a month for health insurance which has been growing by leaps and bounds for decades. At the current rate of growth we could be looking at an average health insurance policy for that same family costing over $2100 a month in the next 5 years. If that happens we will see more families dropping their health insurance. The uninsured gap will grow significantly for those too poor to afford insurance and those making too much money to qualify for Medical. That new and unhappy voter group would only strengthen the base of support for those now demanding socialized medicine for California.

Is that what you really want, a government run healthcare system?

We have to make some tough health care choices in the very near future and I am not sure the mix in our current State Legislature is up to it. If they fail, then by default the socialized medicine lobby will win.

“It’s Cloud’s Illusions”

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier
Shasta Daisy.jpgThe Woodstock crowd is pushing once again to break the will of the American people and crush the war effort. They are quintessential deniers…we endeavor to crush their anti-war delusion.

These folks suffer several aspects of war delusion, one being that the enemy doesn’t exist, and another, that our enemy is the victim! But the one that will keep any sane person up all night is that if we leave Iraq, no one there will be harmed. The people will not be killed, tortured, imprisoned or oppressed in any way. From my point of view this is an incredibly inconsistent position for a group that has always worn the compassion badge and waved the “we’re for the little guy" flag. But, I must remind myself, these are reinvented “progressives,” a mix of old hippies and young hippie knee sitters. Les enfants dream of their very own Woodstock, the elders are still dream of a peace legacy...all operate in little segments of "me". This reality is hip, mind you, and other-worldly…no box to think out of…just “be,” and then…move on.

One of the best examples of this hippie progressive delusion comes from, and you’re gonna love this, our favorite Viet Nam vet, the amazing and pompous, Senator John F. Kerry! Check out this suweeet reminder “It Didn’t Happen” from James Toranto’s “Opinion Journal” in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal online:

After returning from a tour of duty that lasted an astonishing four months, ...

Here's A Way To Make 18% On Investment!

| 6 Comments

by Jack Lee

I've been playing around with the stock market since I was 13 years old and I can tell you that it's real tough to average 12-13% return on your investment. It doesn't matter if it stocks or something else, anything above that sort of return is pretty high risk and it's unlikely. So, when I saw the ad that said, "Make 18% return on your money, guaranteed! " I thought oh sure! But, then I read how it's done and by golly it's true! In fact, it's amazingly simple and here's the secret....

The Search For A Good Used Car! - Part 1

| 8 Comments

By Jack Lee

This is the first of a six part series to help you get the most for your money when it comes time to buy a used car! We will guide YOU from selection right through to that final stop, ownership and the routine maintenance needed to protect your investment. But, first a special thank you to the folks at Wittmeier Auto Center at 2288 Forest Avenue in Chico.

They made it possible for me pass along some really helpful and money saving advice. The following tips noted below are courtesy of these car pro's, Rick Yuhnke, Sales Mgr., Sean Boese, and Shane Turk, both with 9 years in used car sales.

Wittmeir.jpg

Step one: What are you looking for, a cheap car or a good car? There is a big difference! Do you have something in mind or will you just know it when you see it? A lot of us fit into this last category, but once you understand where "value" comes from you just might begin to see a certain kind of car in your future! And that car will depend a lot on YOUR priorities.

Turning Back Your Age

| No Comments

Resistance training not only makes you feel and look better, but also it can reverse aging, making muscles younger through regular workouts, according to researchers from the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, California and McMaster University Medical School in Hamilton, Ontario. They claim the proof is in "genetic fingerprints" that show that human tissue becomes younger after resistance training.

The study: Twenty-five healthy men and women with an average age of 70 engaged in twice-weekly, one-hour resistance training for six months using standard gym equipment. In addition, 25 students from McMaster University with an average age of 26 participated. Before-and-after tissue samples were taken from the thigh muscle of each participant. First, here's a lesson from Biology 101: Mitochondria act as the "powerhouse" of cells. Using the tissue samples, the researchers conducted gene expression profiles involving age-specific mitochondrial function. Multiple studies have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the loss of muscle mass and functional impairment commonly seen in older people. The study was the first to examine the gene expression profile, or the molecular "fingerprint," of aging in healthy disease-free humans. (Netscape editors.)

Here are nine specific ways you can add 30 years to your life.

Bad News For Cola Drinkers!

| No Comments

Monday, July 23 2007 - If you drink more than two servings of cola a day, you could be putting your kidneys at great risk. Consuming just three cans of sweetened or diet cola daily more than doubles your chances of developing chronic kidney disease, reports Reuters Health of a new study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Sideshow - A Deadly Game And Other Cop Stuff

| No Comments

by Jack Lee

sedan_burnout_small.jpg A short time ago I got a cell call from my son (Ken Lee), he's a police officer in Stockton. He's still on duty sitting in his police car, but it's ok, he's taking his break and he was checking in to see how things are going up here in ol Chico. I tell him kinda slow. Then he tells me, late last night they (SPD) formed up with CHP to take down a "Sideshow" event. Ever hear of that? No? Well me either until now, although I just found this article about one..."OAKLAND -- Following a weekend that saw two deaths connected to "sideshow" activities, police said Monday they will put up to 80 additional officers on the streets on many weekends this summer."

Anyway, my son tells me this Sideshow, also called a Hyphy, is where a bunch of young adults and teenagers in cars gather to show off their driving skills. It typically late at night in a large parking lot or remote road and they do spin outs (360's) to entertain their friends. Sometimes there is a race, but, mostly it's spinouts or side skids. Sometimes the passengers hang out an open door as the car is spinning, other times passengers will sit in the door windows

Impeach Him NOW!...or else.

| 5 Comments

by Tina Grazier
Up Close Sheehan.jpgThere's a hot new battle plan on the peacenik front as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, by fearless leader, Cindy Sheehan.

The feedback I have been receiving since I announced that I would challenge U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, for her House seat -- unless she gives impeachment the go-ahead -- has been running about 3-to-1 positive. Some people have offered to quit their jobs to move to California's Eighth Congressional District to help my possible campaign. People are lining up to donate and help…

Holy Cow...they're actually lining up?!!? Not bad, three out of four of her pals are all for it…They sure stick together…love to move around too…buy...sell...could be it’s some newfangled hippie activity…an enterprising Realtor out there should jump on this right away…might make a dime or two.

Look What They Found Washed Up on the Beach!

| 2 Comments

A rare giant squid--one of the largest ever found--has washed up on a remote Australian beach, giving scientists a field day as they examine this mysterious deep-ocean creature they hardly ever see.

squid.jpg
Look at the giant squid--as big as a bus--that washed up on a remote beach in Tasmania! The eyes are as big as volleyballs.

Reuters reports that the mantle (or main body) measures 6.5 feet long, but all told it's as big as a bus, measuring 26 feet from the tip of its body to the end of its tentacles. Found on Ocean Beach on the western coast of the island state Tasmania, the giant squid, whose tentacles were badly damaged, weighed in at 551 pounds. "It's a whopper," Tasmanian Museum senior curator Genefor Walker-Smith told local media.

The photo depicted above is a model located in Canada, but it will give you an idea of the relative size of the creature in Australia.

CA Profs Really Dig Radical Islam

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier

Cinnamon Stillwell has written an excellent
article,
posted at American Thinker, exposing a serious problem on a number of California’s college campuses:

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, it became painfully clear that if America was to become more engaged in the Middle East, it would need to develop a greater understanding of the area. Scholars of Middle East studies at our nation's universities were called upon to explain the religious, cultural and political dynamics of the region to students, journalists, and politicians

Unfortunately, many of the leading academic lights in the field proved to be woefully unprepared for the conflict at hand and-much worse, were actively hostile to the interests of the United States and its allies.

Who Ordered 911?

| 8 Comments

And in the bigger picture, what does it mean?

by Tina Grazier

Imad Mugnihay.jpgAn international intelligence website, Janes.com, is reporting the following from early intelligence information released out of Israel: Israel’s military intelligence service, Aman, suspects that Iraq is the state that sponsored the suicide attacks on the New York Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington. Directing the mission, Aman officers believe, were two of the world’s foremost terrorist masterminds: the Lebanese Imad Mughniyeh, head of the special overseas operations for Hizbullah, Imad_Mugniyah and the Egyptian Dr Ayman Al Zawahiri, senior member of Al-Qaeda and possible successor of the ailing Osama Bin Laden.

Mughniyeh was the only one believed to have tried it before. On April 12th 1997, he was reported to be only two hours away from achieving the highest goal of any terrorist organisation (until last week): blowing up an Israeli El-Al airliner above Tel Aviv. A man carrying a forged British passport with the name Andrew Jonathan Neumann was in a Jerusalem hotel preparing a bomb he was supposed to take on board an El-Al flight leaving Israel, when it accidentally went off. Andrew Jonathan Neumann was very badly injured but strong enough to reveal later to the Israelis that he was not British but Lebanese, and that his operation was supposed to be a special "gift" to Israel from Imad Mughniyeh *** "Bin Laden is a schoolboy in comparison with Mughniyeh," says an Israeli who knows Mughniyeh . "The guy is a genius, someone who refined the art of terrorism to its utmost level. We studied him and reached the conclusion that he is a clinical psychopath motivated by uncontrollable psychological reasons, which we have given up trying to understand. The killing of his two brothers by the Americans only inflamed his strong motivation." *** Experts on Iraq and Saddam Hussein also believe that Iraq was the state behind the two terror masterminds. "In recent months, there was a change, and Iraq decided to get into the terror business. On July 7th, they tried for the first time to send a suicide bomber, trained in Baghdad, to blow up Tel Aviv airport (Foreign Report No. 2651)." *** ...they believe the chief of the Iraqi SSO is Qusai Hussein, the dictator’s son, and his organisation is the most likely to have been involved.

If this little wrinkle in the fabric of world news isn’t sufficient to cause grave concern in the pit of your stomach it certainly should. Unfortunately the story doesn’t end there:

Monkey Business

| 1 Comment

Chimpanzee.jpgby Tina Grazier

BIG business has been criticized as inherently filled with corruption and greed. Corporations are routinely maligned and harassed by government, the legal system and in the press. I find this fascinating since it is corporate strength that is largely responsible for the thriving and growing economy from which we all benefit in so many ways. Unions, on the other hand, create very few jobs and do absolutely nothing to create opportunity or wealth…or to strengthen the economy, yet they are considered, by contrast, to be a great benefit in the community.

Here’s an interesting tidbit from the "Patriot Post" that might intrigue:

Congressional Democrats are demanding greater oversight in virtually every facet of government and the private sector, but they are pulling the leash tight on the government watchdog when it comes to unions. In a none-too-subtle nod to their faithful friends in labor, House Democrats have proposed to cut 20 percent from the budget of the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS), the Labor Department agency tasked with reviewing union-fund disclosures. Congress has added close to $1 billion to the president’s 2008 budget request for the Labor Department as a whole. Every other Labor Department enforcement agency is due for an increase, but OLMS is losing $11 million. It’s not for lack of effort; the office has aided in the convictions of 775 corrupt union officials in the past six years. By reducing its budget, the House hopes to lighten the scrutiny OLMS exercises over how unions spend their members’ dues, which often go into the campaign coffers of Demo candidates nationwide.

Hmmm, Democrats de-funding the agency that has been successful in convicting corrupt union folks...sounds like monkey business to me…BIG monkey business!

One Way to Marital Bliss!

| 8 Comments

by Jack Lee

woman.jpg When your little sweetie says, "Hey! You on the couch... get out there and mow those weeds you jokingly call a lawn..." Researchers have come upon one thing men can do for a real clever come back... say, "Yes, dear!" And say it a lot!!! They say it is the secret to marital bliss.

"The study -1: The participants were 72 couples who had been married an average of seven years. All were relatively happy in their marriages. Each spouse independently completed a questionnaire about relationship satisfaction and did an assessment of overall decision-making within the relationship. Separately, each person was asked to identify a problem in the relationship. Couples were reunited and discussed those problem topics for 10 minutes. After the researchers left the room, these conversations were videotaped.

The results: The researchers rated each couple's interaction for demand and withdraw behaviors, including avoidance, discussion, blame, pressure for change and withdrawal. Overall, the wives not only talked more, but also got their husbands to agree with them.

"The women were communicating more powerful messages, and men were responding to those messages by agreeing or giving in," study co-leader David Vogel said in a statement. "The study at least suggests that the marriage is a place where women can exert some power. Whether or not it's because of changing societal roles, we don't know. But they are, at least, taking responsibility and power in these relationships."

I would like to write more on this subject, but Shari is calling me..."Yes, dear, be right there sweetie pie...."


-1 Findings courtesy of Netscape editors.

A PRISON IS FOR HARD TIME!

| 12 Comments

by Jack Lee

prisoner.jpg California has an average 51% return to prison within one to two years and that means our system is not working. We have the 3rd largest penal system in the country, costing us $5.7 billion dollars a year and housing over 161,000 inmates and the prison population just keeps growing!

Our nation has set a new record for the highest rate of incarceration in the world. According to the Department of Justice, the U.S. prison and jail population grew by 2.7 percent last year, placing a record number of Americans (2,193,798) behind bars. An unprecedented 7 million people—one in every 32 Americans—were either "behind bars, on probation, or on parole by the end of last year." This more than anything else says we have to make some changes and learn from what is working in other parts of the world, because we can't keep this up, we are approaching critical mass. And what is working is the strict prison system with shorter sentences and tough consequences for difficult inmates.

I'm not saying prison is a cushy place to hang out, but things like weight training, law libraries, ethnic meals, observance of Wicken holidays, love letters to and from serial killers, prison marriages, internet chats, smoke breaks, prisoners filing their own writs, tattooing, prisoner advocate groups gaining access to prisons for more prisoner rights, etc., this is all counterproductive to what prisons were meant to be! After visiting prisons around the world in my capacity as a police officer, I am convinced these things contribute to a high recidivism rate, higher budget costs and ultimately higher risks for officers and prisoners.

I found that the prisons with the lowest recidivism rates were the strictest and coincidentally the most economical. Hong Kong under the British protectorate had one of the highest population densities anywhere in the world. Imagine, 7 million people crammed into 428 square miles of land. That would be a law enforcement nightmare in our permissive American culture. Yet, in Hong Kong they had one of the lowest recidivism rates (77% compliance overall recorded in 1995). This concept of a strict, no-frills prison runs totally contrary to our American mindset where we just assume that good prisons need cutting edge technology and psychology with a costly parole system to maximize a prisoner's potential for a successful return to society. But, this just isn't necessarily so.
I worked in California as a peace officer until I retired. I watched over several decades both crime and the prison population climb to unacceptable levels. And at least part of the blame for this can be because we've allowed inmates too much control, so much so that they have developed their own prison culture with their own rules and hierarchy. This contributes to crime inside and outside prison.

Teenagers on the outside are imitating certain aspects of the prison culture, like tattooing, creating gangs, wearing prison like clothing, using prison slang it's having a negative impact. Unfortunately, being in prison is almost considered a right of passage for many inner city youth. Its something to be admired and respected by kids in the burbs who are influenced by the rap music and Hollywood's depiction of gangs and prisons. The problem is getting worse, and it does not appear this is just a passing fad.

My son works juvenile crimes and gangs in one of California's largest and most crime riddled cities in America. He sees this prison culture influence as being one the principle causes of crime, right up there with broken homes and drug abuse. This all points to why I believe we need to get back to the basics, and that is first to isolate the inmate and keep him/her away from society. Secondly, it's a place for punishment where all Constitutional rights are supposed to be surrendered at the prison gate and strict prison rules are expected to be followed. But, I also recognize that prison must be a place for rehabilitation opportunities. We see that being served through remedial education courses and job skill training. So, I endorse tough prisons with strict rules and immediate consequences for any aberrant behavior, but I also recognize the need for rehabilitation. And it must all be done in the proper balance if it is to meet our goals for lowering the recidivism.

The following paragraphs have a series of suggestions that I think could help reverse the high recidivism rate in California and the nation that had caused prison overcrowding. These ideas should help improve security returning more control the prison staff to the point that prisons are so strict the inmates simply don't want to go back and will do even the unthinkable, obey the law, just to avoid re-incarceration!

Sorry Al-My Mistake

| 5 Comments

by Tina Grazier

I strongly believe in being truthful and admitting my errors and so I am delighted today to report to you that Al Gores recent wedding feast was indeed green friendly and not, as I reported, another embarrassing green hypocrisy. Read all about it in the Telegraph, “Al Gores fish dinner turns out green:”

The night before the wedding, People magazine reported, the Gores were at a dinner for 75 at the nearby Crustacean restaurant where a six-course tasting menu included Chilean sea bass - also known as Patagonian toothfish...

Latest Universal Healthcare Alert

| 2 Comments

“Woman dies waiting for brain scans”
Telegraph (London, UK), by Sophie Borland

A high-flying television producer died from a suspected epileptic fit while waiting for vital brain scans on the NHS. /snip/ Miss Price, from Notting Hill, west London, had begged a junior A&E doctor for anti-seizure drugs but had been told they could only be prescribed by a neurologist. Two days earlier she had visited a specialist at Charing Cross hospital and was told she would have to wait six weeks for a brain scan.

BIG Medical Breakthrough!

| No Comments

“New hydrogel can repair, regenerate tissue”

NEWARK, DE, United States (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have developed a biomaterial that has antibacterial properties and can be used as a hydrogel to repair and regenerate human tissue. ** University of Delaware researchers said the biomaterial can be injected as a low-viscosity gel into a wound where it rigidifies nearly on contact, opening the door to the possibility of delivering cells and antibiotics to repair damaged tissue. ** The researchers said the new technology has the potential of regenerating healthy tissue in a cancer-ridden liver, healing a biopsy site and providing wounded soldiers in battle with pain-killing, infection-fighting medical treatment. ** Associate Professors Joel Schneider and Darrin Pochan said their patented invention marks a major step forward in the development of hydrogels for medical applications.

Hat tip: monstersandcritics.com

This Weeks Best Joke

| No Comments

From Tinman....

THE SIGN IN A STORE WINDOW SAID:

"WE WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS WITH A 1000

AL QAEDA TERRORISTS THAN WITH ONE SINGLE AMERICAN"

This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in Philadelphia. You are probably outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory statement. But we pride ourselves on being a society which holds Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty. And after all, it is just a sign. You may ask what kind of business would dare post such a sign?


Answer: A Funeral Home (Who said morticians had no sense of humor?)

Buying a Used Car - (Starts Monday)

| No Comments

Update: The pro's from Wittmeir's will kick off this series of articles on how to buy a used car with tips from other automotive related businesses from around Chico. The series will be published every Monday until it's completed.

Caliphate

| 1 Comment

Dream government for the Middle East or a deadly serious global goal?
by Tina Grazier

A couple of days ago I read an article in The Guardian written by a man named Inayat Bunglawala titled, “Bringing back the caliphate,” in which he suggests an ancient form of government made new for today:

Osama Bin Laden wants it back, as does Hizb ut-Tahrir and also, according to a recent poll organised by an American university, a majority of Muslims across the world do so too. But what is the caliphate (Arabic: Khilafah) and what would it look like today?

Before he died in 632 CE, the Prophet Muhammad succeeded in establishing a single state in Arabia, in which he was both the spiritual head and also the temporal ruler. Within a period of just over 20 years, Muhammad had unified the Arabs, smashed the centuries-old practice of idolatry and inculcated in them a deep love for Islam: voluntary submission to God's Will. *** It was an astonishing achievement and the Islamic state would, after Muhammad's death, continue to expand and draw in new converts to Islam from other peoples. Islam, with its pristine monotheism, stood in stark contrast to the many competing versions of Christianity with their endless bickering over the true nature of Christ and also the rather narrow tribalism of Judaism. *** The Prophet's successors (Caliphs) tried to maintain this system but it was inevitably beset with divisions and rivalries, and in time, multiple regional caliphates came into existence. The last caliphate to be widely recognised - Ottoman Turkey, which in its latter days came to be known as the "sick man of Europe" - was abolished by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1924.

Profession Advice on Buying a Used Car

| No Comments

by Jack Lee

Just to let you know, I am still working on bringing you a series of articles on how to buy a used car. Some of the delay has been my own scheduling problem, some has been just the research, but it's coming together. I think this will be one of those money saving articles you'll want to run off on a printer for future reference. So stay tuned, (no pun intended) It's starting next Monday!

Here's the outline:

*#1. Selecting the model based on economy, reliability and resale.

*Understanding simple mechanical tests to determine roadability and reliability.

*Power basics, engine, transmission, cooling, smog and exhaust.

*Detecting body work from prior accidents.

*Cosmetic care and mechanical preservation (tune ups, oil changes).

Polls, polls and more polls

| No Comments

Are you a poll watcher? Then you might find this link helpful. Bush polls.

Back to the Basics - Understanding Al Qaeda

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

ab.jpg
I wonder how many people really understand the true nature of Al Qaeda? My guess is not nearly enough, because this nation is so divided on how we should deal with them. The left says we are failing in Iraq and we have more terrorists now than before, we need a change in course. The right says we are winning and Al Qaeda is much weaker and we need to stay the course. Now, you can't get much further apart than that! And I'm sure our mutual enemies in Al Qaeda are thrilled by this division that leads to political confusion.

It's about time we understand who and what we are fighting and then rise above the partisan politics to form a cooperative alliance for our mutual defense. To that end, here's a really brief synopsis of bin Laden's Al Qaeda:

In the radical's world, Al Qaeda is seen both as a political and a cultural force. Al Qaeda is therefore part ideology and part theology, and unlike many terrorists organizations of the past, this one has a very loose command structure and they encourage individuals to act on their own. So, Al Qaeda is often just a state of mind by those who would hide behind it's banner while committing acts of terrorism for their own agenda and that's fine by Al Qaeda's commanders because it all serves their purpose for chaos. Al Qaeda has evolved into a two tier organization, one being the actual group and the second tier being the franchise groups that borrow the name and the methods.

Consider, most of the recent acts of terrorism in England were not directed by Al Qaeda operatives, but motivated by the spirit of Al Qaeda, .i.e. the doctors planting car bombs for Jihad. This was a Jihadist plot that came from the Al Qaeda mindset, but not from Al Qaeda's command directly, at least this is what we have been led to believe so far.

Al Qaeda also represents a number of angry Muslims from around the world that feel alienated from the west by the perception of unequal treatment when it comes to U.S. foreign policy, particularly with Israel. Other Al Qaeda members or sympathizers could care less about such technical political things and are motivated more by the Q'ran and their lust for Jihad based on their unique fundamentalist views. But, all of them have at least one major thing in common, they interpret the U.S. war on terrorism as a war on Islam and they would like the rest of the Islamic world to think this too. This is why we have to proceed very carefully.

I want to launch into the pro's and con's of hitting back, in particular in Pakistan's northwest territory where Al Qaeda have a very strong presence, but I think I will save that for another time. For now, please just keep in mind we are fighting a very elusive and dangerous enemy that has no intention of playing nice anytime soon. If we are going to prevail then we're going to have to come together as a nation. Understanding the enemy is step one and the enemy is not a Republican or a Democrat...let's get past that!

Here are some links you might find interesting. BBC Report and International Security Study.

There he goes …again!

| 3 Comments

Daily Telegraph, by Rebecca

ONLY one week after Live Earth, Al Gore's green credentials slipped while hosting his daughter's wedding in Beverly Hills. Gore and his guests at the weekend ceremony dined on Chilean sea bass - arguably one of the world's most threatened fish species.

Buying the Vote

| 4 Comments

Bored with Hillary3.jpgBut, it's for the children…natch!

by Tina Grazier

Americans will go to the polls next year to choose a new leader for our country. It would be a wonderful change if candidates would simply tell us what their platforms entail and how they would go about implementing them. It would be refreshing if they would just explain their basic philosophy and the reasons they believe their suggested policies are consistent with that philosophy…but they won’t. Instead they will make campaign promises, they will make deals, and they will pander, pander, pander to the voters.

As reported by the AP, Hillary Clinton recently played the "promises and deal making" card with a group of representatives from counties across the nation:

The former first lady promised about 2,500 elected county officials attending the National Association of Counties annual convention that she and a Democratic Congress would expand the child health insurance program to cover 9 million uninsured children if she wins next year's election.

The most brilliant woman in the world once again demonstrates her ignorance (or is it simply condescending disregard?) with a tempting but unworkable hook. Her idea is delivered as a promise without a viable financial or administrative plan and she completely ignores the debilitating effect that new or expanded tax structures would have on the nation’s economy or on your personal pocketbook.

Religious School Trains Children to be Suicide Bombers

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

President Hamid Karzai called child suicide bombers, "a fearful and terrible truth. In an interview with the Afghanistan President, Rafiqullah said he and two other 14 year old boys were separated from the other students at his madrassa (religious school) and trained to drive a car. Then they were forced to watch videos of suicide bombers carrying out attacks before they were sent on a mission from Pakistan into Afghanistan where they met another man named Abdul Aziz who gave them a suicide vests loaded with explosives. Rafiqullah said he was afraid of committing suicide and at that point Aziz pointed a gun at him and told him if he didn't do it, he would be killed anyway. The intended target was the provincial governor.

In the same story noting Rafiqullah's experience, it detailed a 6 year old boy that was forced by the Taliban to wear a suicide vest and walk up to American soldiers where he was supposed to trigger his vest. The plot was foiled when the boy instead asked for help from Afghani soldiers.

A Taliban video was captured last April that showed a 12 year old boy forced to cut off the head of a suspected traitor. The video shows the Taliban militants giving instructions to the child.

President Karzai freed the 14 year old boy, saying he did not know what he was doing when he was taken into the clutches of the terrorists. The more I hear about Karzai the more I am impressed. He appears to be a real leader and a man of great courage and conviction. I hope he lives long enough to make a difference.

When it comes to recruiting children and filling them with lies and hate, there can be no forgiveness, no rehabilitation and no mercy. Every leader in that Pakistani madrassas school knew what was happening and they endorsed it. For them and every madrassas like it, moderate Muslims ouight to see it as their duty to Islam and humanity to make sure those religious teachers will not infect one more generation of Muslims. However, given the stand that moderate Muslims have taken in the past to protect their faith from the corrupt influences of radicals, chances are this clean-up task will be left up to us... and just as likely the leftist in the world will hate us for it and call us the problem!

For those few of you out here that think we would be as bad as the terrorists for taking out the radicals, let me point out there's a big difference between justice and cold blooded murder of innocent and unsuspecting people, especially when little children are used as the instruments of death and destruction.

Actual Purpose of Story…Buried

| 1 Comment

by Tina Grazier

The news is a hoot to read because so often the real purpose for the story is hidden somewhere in the text, often toward the end. An example from the AFP can be found posted today on Yahoo complete with this heart wrenching headline:

“Conditions for Iraqi children worsen sharply: UNICEF”

Notice the reference to UNICEF and the strong sense of authority it invokes. They want to make sure you know it’s a “credible” story and deserves your attention…but is it credible and is it noteworthy or just inderstandable given current conditions? Let’s look at the assertion:

"I have no doubt whatsoever that the condition today is much worse," Dan Toole, acting deputy executive director of the UN Children's Fund, told journalists after being asked for a comparison with the situation under Saddam Hussein's regime. ** "Children who have had to flee Iraq -- and millions have fled -- are much worse off than a year ago and they certainly are much worse off than they were three years ago," he added. ** Toole said there were signs that the health and nutrition for Iraqi children was "changing for the worst", despite recently released two-year-old indicators that had shown signs of an improvement.

Well, there’s clue number one…there were signs of improvement…so what happened?

There Goes the Neighborhood!

| 2 Comments

“16 Detainees Transferred From Guantanamo”
Washington Post, by Josh White 7/16/2007

Sixteen detainees were transferred out of the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to authorities in Saudi Arabia, Pentagon officials announced yesterday, amid discussions within the Bush administration about how to close the facility. Included in the unusually large group was Bahraini national Jumah al-Dossari, 33, a longtime Guantanamo Bay detainee who had drawn attention for trying to kill himself nearly two dozen times.

President Nouri al-Maliki - U.S. Forces Can Leave Anytime

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki minimized the feelings of skeptics that his government's military and political progress leaves them vulnerable to an overthow without US military proping them up. Maliki said his forces are quite capable of handling any problems and added that American troops can leave ''any time they want''.

Al-Maliki comments came at a time when many in the US Congress are plotting against President Bush for a quick cut and run retreat, feeling civil war is about to tear Iraq apart. Last Thursday President Bush gave a mixed progress report on the Iraqi government and this didn't help bolster confidence.

President al-Maliki said the difficulty in enacting the reforms was ''natural'' given Iraq's turmoil, but hardly insurmountable. ''We are not talking about a government in a stable political environment, but one in the shadow of huge challenges,'' al-Maliki said. ''So when we talk about the presence of some negative points in the political process, that's fairly natural.''

Al-Maliki said his government simply needs ''time and effort'' to meet the benchmarks setforth by Washington and

Jolt of the Day

| 3 Comments

by Tina Grazier

You'll read this in my article, "A Turning of Tables," but I thought it worthy of special emphasis since you won't hear about it in the press:

Petraeus also is focusing on Anbar Province in western Iraq. A year ago, that area was given up as lost, so firmly was it under al Qaeda’s control. But the more the region’s traditional tribal rulers experienced the reality of al Qaeda rule — e.g. the baking of children in ovens to teach obedience to their parents (as reported by Michael Yon) — the more they looked for a way to escape the group’s clutches.

Where is your compassion and sense of brotherhood...you on the left who so easily dismiss our efforts to stop al Qaeda and other terror groups...wherever they are in the world.

American Report Card II

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier

Imagine my surprise to find the following article after determining to rate the American public on it's defense of the war. It would seem that the American image around the world get's a failing grade through the efforts of some folks who would, no doubt, be shocked to discover they are the problem. Read on Post Scripters...you're gonna love this one.

"Stop Trying To 'Save' Africa," by Uzodinma Iweala:

Last fall, shortly after I returned from Nigeria, I was accosted by a perky blond college student whose blue eyes seemed to match the "African" beads around her wrists.

"Save Darfur!" she shouted from behind a table covered with pamphlets urging students to TAKE ACTION NOW! STOP GENOCIDE IN DARFUR!

Idealistic college students, celebrities such as Bob Geldof and politicians such as Tony Blair have all made bringing light to the dark continent their mission. They fly in for internships and fact-finding missions or to pick out children to adopt in much the same way my friends and I in New York take the subway to the pound to adopt stray dogs.

This is the West's new image of itself: a sexy, politically active generation whose preferred means of spreading the word are magazine spreads with celebrities pictured in the foreground, forlorn Africans in the back. Never mind that the stars sent to bring succor to the natives often are, willingly, as emaciated as those they want to help.

Perhaps most interesting is the language used to describe the Africa being saved. For example, the Keep a Child Alive/" I am African" ad campaign features portraits of primarily white, Western celebrities with painted "tribal markings" on their faces above "I AM AFRICAN" in bold letters. Below, smaller print says, "help us stop the dying."

Do read the full article. It goes on to tell what Africans are doing for themselves without being credited by our press...and it names names and pulls no punches!

A Turning of Tables

| 2 Comments

by Tina Grazier

In poll after poll the war has been pronounced a lost cause and the president unpopular and ineffective. The latest polls put Bush at a low 29% approval with congress polling even lower. It’s said that people are “war weary” and looking for new leadership and direction. I have no way of knowing whether these polls accurately reflect the true thoughts and feelings of most Americans; experts insist that they are pretty accurate. Fine, I can accept that. But if so, what does this say about the American people? What kind of report card or approval rating would the American people inspire? Would we be described as patriotic and committed, a force to be reckoned with, fine examples of that spirit that has always made America great, a people to be counted on when tough times come to call? Or would Americans be described as weak and petty players of contentious “gotcha” politics or worse yet, as a self-absorbed, shallow lot with the attention span of a two year old?

There are definitely quite a few of that first type of American…find them in the U. S. military…a group well deserving of high marks. That they deserve better in terms of support from their fellow citizens is the point of this article.

*****

Let’s begin at the beginning; the place where seeds are planted and American thought starts to take shape…the American press. Media reporting on the war and the president has been adversarial and relentlessly negative. The casual listener would be hard pressed to give even a few examples of successes in Iraq or of positive developments resulting from Bush administration policies. The news hounds among us must dig for information and facts to support defense of the war or our president. Many in the military have taken this added task on for themselves through personal websites and blogging. Their efforts have only a limited capacity to reach large or diverse audiences and therefore have little impact on the general mood and pulse of the nation. And so, yes, we must rely on our media to accurately portray events that so vitally effect our lives.

The Reaper

| 2 Comments

Reaper Pilot.jpg

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AP) -- The airplane is the size of a jet fighter, powered by a turboprop engine, able to fly at 300 mph and reach 50,000 feet. It's outfitted with infrared, laser and radar targeting, and with a ton and a half of guided bombs and missiles.

The Reaper is loaded, but there's no one on board. Its pilot, as it bombs targets in Iraq, will sit at a video console 7,000 miles away in Nevada.

Read the entire story, “Robot Air Attack Squadron Bound for Iraq.”

How About that Air Force!

| 2 Comments

by Tina Grazier

US Airmen.jpg

It would appear that "the surge" involves more than we've been told (or the CIA, Senator Leaky or the press has been able to sneak into headlines for the benefit of our enemies). We 've heard quite a lot about what a "mess" and a "failure" the barely begun surge has been. It's as hard to avoid that kind of "news" as it is to find a story about the progress being made. The following story reminds us that despite daily political bickering and the constant trashing of our president, the effort in Iraq moves ever forward. Our troops continue in the fight, the Navy has moved more support ships into the Gulf, and now this AP story out of Seattle tells us what the Air force has been doing lately.

“Air Force quietly building Iraq presence" by Charles J. Hanley gives a birdseye view of Air Force activity:

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Away from the headlines and debate over the "surge" in U.S. ground troops, the Air Force has quietly built up its hardware inside Iraq, sharply stepped up bombing and laid a foundation for a sustained air campaign in support of American and Iraqi forces. *** Squadrons of attack planes have been added to the in-country fleet. The air reconnaissance arm has almost doubled since last year. The powerful B1-B bomber has been recalled to action over Iraq. *** Early this year, with little fanfare, the Air Force sent a squadron of A-10 "Warthog" attack planes - a dozen or more aircraft - to be based at Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq. At the same time it added a squadron of F-16C Fighting Falcons here at Balad. Although some had flown missions over Iraq from elsewhere in the region, the additions doubled to 50 or more the number of workhorse fighter-bomber jets available at bases inside the country, closer to the action.

The Air Force has a few new toys to play with as well. Pilots can now aim at a target simply by looking at it and in October something called "Rover" will come into play allowing pilots to download real-time aerial video to troops on the ground. I'm sure these innovations will mean a lot to the troops as they work tirelessly to win.

The hard work of the war...getting the job done every day...continues in the White House and on the ground, seas and skies in the Middle East. Thank you Mr. President and staff, and thank you Army, National Guard, Marines, Navy and Air Force.

Appeasing Al Qaeda

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

From the time that Al Qaeda slipped across the Tora Bora Mountains from Afghanistan into the largely tribal areas of northwest Pakistan, they have been fomenting revolt against the government of Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf and staging incursions back into Afghanistan. This lawless region has long been under the control of regional warlords that view Osama bin Laden as a hero.

If there was any land deserving of a good carpet-bombing, this is it. But, despite the proclamations of President Bush that we will track down terrorists until there is nowhere to hide, we've made Pakistan the exception, they can hide there. We have deferred to Musharraf's authority (1) because he's been very supportive in other areas of fighting terrorism, including government raids in and around the capitol city of Islamabad that have netted some of Al Qaeda's top people and (2) it would violate Pakistan's sovereignty and this would undermine one of our few friends in the Arab world. Musharraf's reign would be at an end when the first American soldier's crossed into Pakistan. He's already walking a razor thin line between staying in control and being overthrown or assassinated by Islamic fundamentalists who would love to see a Taliban style government.

Musharraf attempted to end the fighting between police, military and the Islamic insurgents in the mountainous regions near Afghanistan by offering up a truce. Musharraf said, that as long as Al Qaeda behaved themselves within Pakistan’s borders they were free to live without fear of government attack. Well, kiss that off. It just didn't work because Al Qaeda doesn't exist to live peacefully with anyone. Musharraf must have overlooked the part about their quest for world domination.

Now this story from the AP wires, "Militants Kill 38 in Northwest Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - Suicide attackers struck a police headquarters and a military convoy on Sunday in Pakistan's northwest, killing as many as 38 people in an intensifying anti-government campaign in an area long known as a haven for the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Militants in the Afghan border region disavowed a 10-month old truce with the government that critics said gave them a safe haven from which to launch attacks on Afghan, U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan."

If Osama is still alive, it's a good bet that this is where he's hold up. Even if he's not alive, this region is rife with terrorists, smugglers, criminals, Taliban and Al Qaeda.

What would you do if you were the President, play along with Musharraf and allow this lawless region to continue breeding terrorists or go kick some A and maybe take down bin Laden? If the Pakistan government goes under the situation could become many times worse. It's not an easy call by any measure.


College Boozing Still a Big Problem

| 3 Comments

by Jack Lee

Dr. Aaron White and a team of researchers from Duke University in Durham, N.C. and the University of California, San Diego discovered that binge drinking doesn't really cover what today's college men are doing, it goes beyond binge drinking, they call it extreme drinking.

According to the study, 20 percent of freshmen males reported having 10 or more drinks at a time at least once in a two-week period. 8 percent admitted to having 15 or more drinks at a time.

But, it's not limited to just males, one in 10 freshmen women reported consuming eight or more drinks on at least one day, which is twice that of the binge-drinking rate for females. In addition, nearly 2 percent said they had 12 or more drinks on at least one day.

The number of drinks for both sexes could be even higher since many college students often underestimate the standard size of an alcoholic drink, the study reported. While most of the college men and women surveyed did not engage in extreme drinking, 55 percent said they did drink some with the average number of drinks almost six for men and four for women.

White's team analyzed data from 10,424 college freshmen who attended 14 unnamed U.S. colleges. In 2003, the students took a survey prior to taking an alcohol education and prevention class, revealing how many drinks they had consumed each day for the previous two weeks. Their answers were anonymous. "Alcohol is more dangerous than many street drugs, yet it is advertised like candy. It is time for us to finally start taking this drug seriously,"

Based upon the data it doesn't appear the warnings about alcohol poisoning have sunk in much. Can the next alcohol related death at Chico State be that far away?

The Begining of the End?

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

As expected a bill challenging the White House authority over Iraq policy was introduced today, however the surprise was, it came from Senators John Warner of VA and Richard Luger of Ind. The bill demanded a new direction for US policy in Iraq by October 15th which is basically a demand to cut back US missions and start a withdrawl as a result of growing sectarian violence. The bill came on top of the bad news that a decreasing number of Iraqi forces were able to operate on their own.

``American military and diplomatic strategy in Iraq must adjust to the reality that sectarian factionalism is not likely to abate anytime soon and probably cannot be controlled from the top,'' the Warner-Lugar proposal states.

Bush had asked for more time to allow the Surge Plan to work and to re-evaluate the plan in September. Unofrtunately, next year is an election year and too many Republicans don't want to face the war weary voters and are preparing to abandon their President. According to an AP report, "The White House conceded that not enough progress was being made in training Iraqi security forces - the linchpin in Bush's exit strategy for U.S. troops."

Why Is Friday the 13th Bad Luck?

| No Comments

If you're one of those people who avoid traveling, going to work, eating in a restaurant or signing important documents on Friday the 13th, you have paraskevidekatriaphobia. There is no need to call the doctor. It means a fear of Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th is unlucky in North America, Western Europe and Australia and has its roots in both pagan culture and Christian beliefs. In the United States, it is the most widespread superstition. The British Medical Journal reported in 1993 that on Friday the 13th, the number of hospital admissions that are due to vehicular accidents is significantly higher--by as much as 52 percent--than on "normal" Fridays.

Ever since Christ was crucified on a Friday, many Christians believe the sixth day of the week to be unlucky, reports InfoPlease.com. In addition, 13 brings bad luck because that is the number who attended the Last Supper. But such superstitions go back even further than some 2,000 years ago. Norse mythology also reviled the No. 13. Loki, the most loathed of all the Norse gods crashed a dinner party for 12. As the 13th guest, he was said to cause the death of Balder, the god of light, joy, and reconciliation.

Courtesy of Netscape

Our Emboldened Enemies

| 2 Comments

by Tina Grazier

The anti-war movement is increasing in intensity and growing in favor in politics, the press and in the population at home and abroad. They blame the Bush administration for waging an “unlawful” and “unnecessary” war for the increase in terrorist activity. But what if threats have increased because of growing anti-war furor? The trend began with the elections following the train bombings in Spain. The call to end the war and to impeach the president has gradually increased since then and world-wide associations and groupings of radical Islamist terrorists have also increased since then. Certainly Hugo Chavez meeting with Achmadinijad and the public statements they have made about the President and America suggest that as Bush has repeatedly stated, our enemies become “emboldened” when a weakened front is presented.

President Bush - Press Conference

| 7 Comments

by Jack Lee

38 minutes ago.... President Bush gave a press conference this morning following the release of a special interim report on Iraq, ostensibly to head off further undermining of his Iraq policy by Congress. 'I believe we can succeed in Iraq, and I know we must,' Bush said. He made an appeal to the American people and to Congress questioning his Iraq policy, and although it was a good speech, it was mostly a reiteration of previously stated positions.

The Iraq report gave few reasons for optimism. The report said the Iraqi government had made only satisfactory progress towards eight of 18 benchmarks on political, security and military goals previously set by the US Congress. The report indicated the government rated 'unsatisfactory' on legislation explicitly requested by the US to fight sectarian violence.

Spending Ourselves Into the Poor House

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

Q. How do you spend 2 billion dollars in 20 minutes? A. Ask a Democrat in the State Legislature! Because in a committee hearing just last May that is exactly was the dems proposed. At a time when we realized we were probably going to be about $2.5 billion short by the end of the year the spendy Dems approved some obscure programs that will cost you almost $2 billion and they did it during a 20 minute hearing! 4 dems approved it, 2 reps of course voted no. They just spent $100 million per minute folks!

Here's what they approved:

1) Item 8885, Commission on State Mandates, Issue 2: Technical Cleanup Trailer Bill Language. This action delays payments of $230 million to local governments to reimburse them for unfunded state mandates. This money will

Iraq Bill - Much At Risk

| No Comments

by Jack Lee

Sen. Olympia Snowe-R joined Democrats as she co-sponsored a bill calling for withdrawal from Iraq by 2008. However, President Bush is standing firm. He said he will not bow to the mounting pressure from Democrats or from pressure within his own party.

Snowe joined Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., in co-sponsoring a bill that would require troops to start leaving in 120 days. The bill also would end combat by April 30, 2008. The bill requires a super majority of 60 votes to force a cloture vote (1) and that is expected to happen this week. Republicans have been holding back this highly unusual attack on Presidential powers, giving Bush a very thin wall of protection so far, however if only a few more Republican defect this wall will crumble. Political insiders are expecting a major policy shift to come on Iraq adding to the Presidents massive defeat on his Immigration plan.

My Plan’s Better Than Your Plan

| 1 Comment

Hillary2.jpgby Tina Grazier - Hillary got tough on the war today, practically ordering the president to listen to her...or else.

“Our message to the president is clear. It is time to begin ending this war – not next year, not next month – but today,” Clinton said in a speech to about 350 people at the Temple for the Performing Arts.

Her own plan is a list made of clever sounding words of little substance and ultimately echoing a quite familiar tune:


Oh Great…

| No Comments

How about fat? Obese survive better - Associated Press, by Staff Writer

LONDON -- While being fat increases your chances of a heart attack, some studies suggest a puzzling paradox: Obese people seem to have a better chance of surviving one. Scientists are stumped over why that seems to be the case and pose several theories. There may be differences in the hearts of obese and normal-weight people. Or perhaps it depends on where the fat is on their bodies.

Now I feel like Sybil…arghhhh, the conflict!

Head of FDA Executed for Corruption?

| 2 Comments

by Jack Lee

As much as I would love to comment on this as it might relate to corruption in US politics...I won't!!! lol (I'm biting my lip not to say one more thing)

Here's the story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/09/AR2007070900689_pf.html


"How's our schools doing? Call 1-800-Who Cares?"

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

This bumper sticker slogan might as well be from the Calif. Teacher's Association, for all the good they've done for our schools. K-12 now ranks 49th out of 50 for reading and science, but that is just the beginning of this D- report card. 45% of incoming college freshman need remedial English, 37% need remedial math and for all this underperformance, California spends more money on education than any other state and it's the largest slice of our budget pie! You might think all this money would rate us at least a C?

Break it down to per student costs and its about $8600 a year, next year it will be about $11,000 per student and the really enlightening part is the latest, best study says no amount of spending will improve this situation unless it is accompanied by "extensive and systematic" reforms.

Depending on which study you read, overall California ranks about 45th out of 50. As the saying goes, "Your tax dollars at work!"

By a 3 to 1 margin, flexible spending, not solely increasing funds, is the answer to better schools, according to survey of School Superintendents. I've always believed when tax money is spent as close as possible to it's origination, it gets more mileage. And this seems to be true for just about everything in government, not just schools.

Knowledge with Sowell

| 1 Comment

“Today, whole classes of people get their jollies and puff themselves up by denigrating and denouncing American society. Such people are a major influence in our media, in our educational system and among all sorts of vocal activists. Nothing illustrates their power to distort reality like the way they seize upon slavery to denounce American society. Slavery was cancerous but does anybody regard cancer in the United States as an evil peculiar to American society? It is a worldwide affliction and so was slavery. Both the enslavers and the enslaved have included people on every inhabited continent—people of every race, color, and creed. More Europeans were enslaved and taken to North Africa by Barbary Coast pirates alone than there were African slaves taken to the United States and to the colonies from which it was formed. Yet throughout our educational system, our media, and in politics, slavery is incessantly presented as if it were something peculiar to black and white Americans. What was peculiar about the United States was that it was the first country in which slavery was under attack from the moment the country was created. What was peculiar about Western civilization was that it was the first civilization to destroy slavery, not only within its own countries but in other countries around the world as well. Reality has been stood on its head so that a relative handful of people can feel puffed up or gain notoriety and power. Whatever they gain, the rest of us have everything to lose.”Thomas Sowell

Hat tip: “Patriot Post”

End to Korean War?

| No Comments

Reuters, by Staff

New York - U.S. strategists are exploring how to implement a peace accord to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War and hope to start discussions with North Korea as soon as year end, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. North Korea is expected to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor in coming days. *** A formal peace treaty could coincide with the formation of a regional security body to resolve security disputes, along the lines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Amazing! The progress to be made when liberals aren’t tossing stink bombs every other minute…

The Hill & Bill show

| No Comments

Bill&Hill1.jpgNEWSFLASH: So much has been made over former VP Gore's "Live Earth Concert" you might have missed the fact that Hillary is campaigning now with her boy Bill. Catch up with the former first couple in this cute little piece out of Iowa:

NASHUA, IOWA — Hillary Rodham Clinton looked enviously at her husband's malted milkshake at a roadside ice cream shop. Then, unable to resist, she dipped in a plastic spoon. Sitting side by side at the counter, cooing over the array of flavors, the Clintons seemed the picture of marital bliss, like any other husband and wife team that just happened to be running for president once again. **** Elsewhere during nearly three days of campaigning across Iowa, the couple hugged, touched and whispered in each other's ears. He would pat her back. She would touch his arm. In the Fourth of July parade in Clear Lake, they marched along holding hands, fingers interlocked.

Gag me with a copy of "Hell to Pay" by Barbara Olsen...make that three copies.

Try to Keep Up

| 2 Comments

by Tina Grazier

Man, when liberals take over it’s tough to keep up. They’ve been telling us for quite a long time now that discrimination is bad, that profiling is wrong and that “judging others” makes one a bigot, “phobe” or racist. You can imagine the confusion when Gordon Brown recently said:

"…we have got to separate those great moderate members of our community from a few extremists who wish to practice violence and inflict maximum loss of life in the interests of a perversion of their religion."

Call me crazy but doesn’t that mean we must now become profilers? Doesn’t that mean we must learn to discriminate by judging others? Hasn’t he just tossed the PC mantra out the proverbial window? And isn’t it fuunnneee, the way liberals don’t seem even to notice their own hypocrisy?

***

You Know You're From California If....

| 11 Comments

From Tinman, you know you're from California if:

1. A coworker has 8 body piercing and none are visible.

2. You make over $300,000 and still can't afford a house.

3. You take a bus and are shocked at two people carrying on a conversation in English.

4. Your child's 3rd-grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring and is named Flower.

5. You can't remember. Is pot illegal?

Live Earth Report

| 7 Comments

Earth.jpg

The Gesture Jester Holds Court
by Tina Grazier

“Live Earth is about engaging a global movement of people to take action against the climate crisis,” - Live Earth Founder and Producer Kevin Wall

The same old song and dance troupe took center stage this weekend around the world as liberals united to “do something”…this time it’s about the climate crisis formerly known as global warming. The crisis, as we all know, is really, really important…so important that it has been deemed the most critical issue of our time. “Engaging a global movement of people to take action,” which is sixties speak for party hardy and carry a big sign, is this years best effort event for solving this critical problem. The weekend of 07-07-07 hatched “Live Earth,” featuring concerts, rock stars, celebrities and corporate sponsors all across the planet.

In anticipation of criticism Gore and friends have promised to purchase carbon credits to offset the huge footprint this event will generate…but does that justify the extravagance, the waste, the cost to our poor sick planet?

“Live Earth is promoting green to save the planet - what planet are they on?” is a story with a few interesting guestimates:

A Daily Mail investigation has revealed that far from saving the planet, the extravaganza will generate a huge fuel bill, acres of garbage, thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions, and a mileage total equal to the movement of an army. ** The most conservative assessment of the flights being taken by its superstars is that they are flying an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts - nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transport their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher. ** The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists' and spectators' travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com, who specialises in such calculations. ** Throw in the television audience and it comes to a staggering 74,500 tonnes. In comparison, the average Briton produces ten tonnes in a year. ** The concert will also generate some 1,025 tonnes of waste at the concert stadiums - much of which will go directly into landfill sites.

When gestures are the cure…pretence becomes the order of the day, hence the following admonition to performers:

Shifting Sands In Britain's War

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier

Now that Gordon Brown is the new Prime Minister expect a radical shift in the battle against terror…at least I’d bet those on the left who hate this war (and blame Blair and Bush) hope that’s what will happen. But let’s not jump on that peace train just yet. Developments in the recent car bomb attacks reveal that those responsible were educated doctors and respected members of the community, a realization that has shocked and surprised:

“Islamic charity linked to car bomb suspect” It is an innocent looking semi-detached property in the university city of Cambridge from where an Islamic charity, dedicated to peace and interfaith friendship, operates. The leaders of the Islamic Academy are so moderate that they were recently invited to share a platform with Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Yet there are growing suspicions that this suburban house is where the origins of the suspected London and Glasgow bomb plots may lie, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

If it is proved that this “moderate” academy has been the headquarters of terror plots an adjustment in how people think about the enemy is called into play…we must conclude that all will now be suspect and that to continue to deny such is a fool’s game.

Blessed by bin Laden?

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier
Osama bin Laden.jpg

NEVER MIND: The Australian Federal Police have rejected a report that terrorists had planned to set off a car bomb in Britain remotely from Australia...as reported here earlier.

The Times Online reports that the recent terror plots in Great Britain were carried out with Osama bin Laden’s blessing:

The London and Glasgow bomb plots were carried out with the approval of Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, a top foreign intelligence source said last night. *** “It was an established fact from Day 1 that al-Qaeda was behind this and it was planned by its followers in Great Britain with bin Laden’s blessing,” the source told The Times. *** British security officials were more guarded, saying that it was too early to say whether the plot was masterminded by some foreign hand or hatched in Britain. *** The warning an al-Qaeda leader in Iraq delivered to Canon Andrew White, a British cleric working in Baghdad, in April certainly suggested that he knew of the doctors’ plot. “Those who cure you will kill you,” the man said.

One person, a doctor, who responded in the comments section following the article had this to say:

I am ashamed at what these Muslim doctors did.Unfortunately ,I suffer more mental anguish than most,as I am a muslim doctor of specialist level who was happy and proud to have worked many years in the UK.The respect and love shown by the patients and public was great ,but what can one expect now?

American Report Card

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier

Setting the immigration issue aside this snippet from an AFP story tells the sorry tale of the state of our society, the family and our educational system:

US software behemoth Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it would soon open an office in Canada, lamenting tough immigration rules in the United States that make it difficult to hire foreign staff. ''It is about recruiting the best and brightest, and right now, the majority are coming from overseas,'' Marc Seaman, a spokesman for the world's biggest software company, told The Globe and Mail newspaper.

Mr. Brown’s Lovely Idea

| 2 Comments

by Tina Grazier

firemen10[1].jpeg
A name by any other rose smells just as bad! The new PM of Great Britain, however, insists that calling the war against terrorist acts “the war on terror” is just too insensitive...and on top of that, his ministers have been banned from using the word Muslim in connection with terror events:

"Gordon Brown has banned ministers from using the word Muslim in connection with the terrorism crisis. The Prime Minister has also instructed his team including new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that the phrase war on terror is to be dropped. The shake-up is part of a fresh attempt to improve community relations and avoid offending Muslims, adopting a more 'consensual tone' than existed under Tony Blair."

What , pray tell, will the good Prime Minister demand of those... er, fellows from that obscure desert region who like to play really, really rough…um…games, using er, fire and poisonous gases, car and plane crashes and um swords and well, GUNS (oh dear)…when his British citizens, including Muslims, are “offended” by being in the wrong place at the wrong time? (BOOM)

I Didn’t Know That!

| No Comments

Eclyse the Zebrula.jpg

by Tina Grazier

I’ve never heard of a “Zebrula, just didn’t know such a thing existed, but there
it is in black and white! If you care to see more just click HERE. The story is short
but if you scroll down you’ll find a slide show of “Eclyse.”

God Bless America

| No Comments

DC Fireworks.jpg

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated." - Thomas Paine; 1776

JULY 4th, 2007: I AM A CANDIDATE!

| 8 Comments

by Jack Lee, not a consultant...

For over 40 years I have been the voter, but now I am venturing to the other side, as a candidate for the 3rd Assembly District. It's been a long and difficult decision making process, but it's done and I'm running. It's pretty exciting as a whole new dimension to my citizenship has opened up, one that I always knew existed, but never fully appreciated... at least not until now. It's also been a humbling experience too as I took a hard look in the mirror and weighed what this commitment means to me and to you.

I can take failing myself, but I can't take failing you. That's not an option and I had to be sure I would be the kind of guy you needed in Sacramento and I really think I can do this job. I've got a very diverse background from law enforcement, small business owner, real estate politics and farming and thats a combination that could serve us well in Sacramento. It gives me a very real perspective on the challenges we're facing in this state.

Today, I was at One Mile in Chico for the 4th of July celebration and I was wearing my "Jack Lee for Assembly button" for the first time. I was trying to acclimate myself to randomly shaking hands with potential voters and handing out my first election brochures, (which were nothing more than my ideas on typing paper) and all was going really well. Then I think, I've just spent the last 4 hours walking around this event to talk to a total of about 30-35 voters, and that was great don't get me wrong, but there are roughly 63,000 more voters I need to meet! Worse yet, they are spread over seven counties!!! If you figure that a typical work year has about 1920 hours in it and the primary election is 11 months away, then I'm about 4 years behind in man hours and I'm just starting as candidate! lol Well, thank goodness for a great staff of volunteers and the internet. No way can this race be run without a lot of good people behind your every step. Research says I can expect as much as 20% of my support to come from the internet, but that still leaves 50,000+ contacts to go and go we will, but, we sure have our work cut out for us!

It costs a lot to communicate with the voters, for instance to do just three strategic mailings and calculating the

Iraq War Debate Conclusion

| 1 Comment

Response by Nick Freitas....

I'm sorry this took so long in coming, but here is my "wrap it up" statement.

Here is the "how and why" I think the war was a good idea, and remains so.

In my first statement I promised that I would demonstrate why I think the war was and is the right course of action, morally, politically, economically, strategically and legally.

Morally...

Because of our actions:

1. Because of our actions Iraq is no longer a state sponsor of terrorism.

2. The Kurds and Shia are no longer oppressed by the State.

Politically....

Because of our actions:

1. We have demonstrated (although not as thoroughly as I would like) That we have the political will to back our statements with action.

Independence Day Observance

| No Comments

Posted by Tina Grazier
BCrem[1].jpeg

National Review Online features “Why We Fight-a gathering of patriots” to commemorate this 4th of July Holiday. I thought you might enjoy reading what good men have to say about their motives for defending our nation. A sampling:

One of my very first military operations was flying into Grenada on the first day of President Ronald Reagan’s bold intervention to stem Communism in the Caribbean. I had fellow Americans depending on me, and I was mutually dependent on them. It’s a bond that defies description, a kinship and an understanding that only those who share common experiences and common losses can understand. If I didn’t have it before, I certainly had it from that point on — an overwhelming pride in my country and in my fellow servicemen and women. Whether it was through operations in Somalia, Bosnia, or Haiti, I was honored to lead the finest Americans I have ever known and it was my privilege to serve our nation for the betterment of peoples everywhere. - Robert “Buzz” Patterson is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force

Independence Bell

| No Comments

Author Unknown - July 4, 1776

Love of Country Starts Young.jpg

There was a tumult in the city,
In the quaint old Quaker town,
And the streets were rife with people
Pacing restless up and down --
People gathering at corners,
Where they whispered each to each,
And the sweat stood on their temples,
With the earnestness of speech.

ACLU v. Founders

| 4 Comments

by Tina Grazier

georgewashington1b_big.jpegLook in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and you will not find the words, “separation of church and state” anywhere. Still, the phrase has been used and abused in legal matters and the media for a very long time.

A story in “SFGate,” “ACLU Sues City Over Jesus Painting” by Michael Kunzelman, reports that the ACLU (and one offended citizen) is at it again:

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the city of Slidell on Tuesday for displaying a painting of Jesus in a courthouse lobby, saying it violates the constitutional separation of church and state. *** The ACLU sued after the Slidell City Court refused to voluntarily remove the picture and a message below it that reads: "To Know Peace, Obey These Laws." The ACLU says the portrait — an image of Jesus presenting the New Testament — is a religious icon of the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity.

Declaration of Independence - The Lesser Known Story

| 2 Comments

by Jack Lee

PHI1171.jpg

by Jack Lee

Before the Continental Congress, on July 2nd, 1776, a gentleman farmer and Representative from Virginia submitted a resolution explaining the justifications for separating from British control over the colonies. The author was a patriot by the name of Richard Henry Lee and although today history rarely mentions his name, he was well known in his own time for his eloquent writing and political leadership. It was only natural then that Richard Henry Lee was asked to draft an expanded declaration which could be ratified by Congress. Instead, Lee encouraged his colleagues to offer this important task to his young friend, Thomas Jefferson. Of course Jefferson accepted and two days later the 2nd Continental Congress signed into being the Declaration of Independence. At the time it was called, "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America."

In 1776 the American colonies were only uniting in defense of a cause to separate from Great Britain and become a free nation. The actual formation of the United States of America as a country was still a few years off, but the Declaration of Independence is still considered to be our founding document. Although, few realize it all really began with a resolution by Richard Henry Lee that would be expanded and articulated in the Declaration of Independence and now you know the rest of the story.

President Abraham Lincoln would later explain the grand importance of the Declaration of Independence to a small crowd gathered at a civil war battlefield in his Gettysburg Address of 1863 when he said:

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

Equal Rights for Plants

| 1 Comment

by Jack Lee

Progressives are sounding the warning, humankind is consuming up to 24% of the energy captured by plants! This is far more than any other species, and we're doing it for no other reason than to simply to meet our needs and wants. How incredibly selfish of us. Did you realize, more than half of this greedy energy abuse was due to humans harvesting plants?

According to the article, "An agriculture professor at the University of Melbourne, Snow Barlow, said the paper showed humans were taking up too much of an important natural resource." he earth, and we're grabbing a quarter of the renewable resources … we're probably being a bit greedy."

If you are going to be a good progressive, I suppose you shouldn't eat meat, that's cruel and you shouldn't eat plants, thats energy abuse.

Thanks to Coffeesnob for bringing us the original article.

Kamikazis Muslims

| 4 Comments

By Dan B.

Muslimspraying.jpgThe idea that Islamic kamikazis were just a few misguided youths oppressed by poverty and ignorance was mushy-headed Liberal thinking, a global counterpart to the view that violent street crime in America was caused by poverty, racism, and underpayment of teachers, rather than by criminals. It is not strictly a Liberal error either. Remember Bush giving speeches about how all people love freedom and would embrace liberty and democracy if only set free from their evil dictators? What a crock. Muslims want nothing to do with freedom, liberty, democracy, or any of that heresy. There is no such thing as a moderate Muslim. It is not a religion of moderation and tolerance. Make no mistake about it, Muslims hate Christians and want them dead. They also hate Jews, Buddhists, atheists, and anyone who is not a fanatical Muslim.

Quote of the Week

| No Comments

"The conflicts of the future will occur along cultural fault lines seperating civilizations" Samuel Huntington

The Alarming Truth

| 4 Comments

By Jack Lee

Update: “At least six doctors or medical students were among the eight under arrest last night over plots to bring death and carnage to London and Glasgow.

We tend to think of the of terrorists as some struggling young person, living on the edge society, poorly educated, unemployed, isolated from all the good things we take for granted; A desperate person carrying out a desperate act! Then you read about an Islamic terror plot to kill hundreds using car bombs in London and discover two of the plotters were medical doctors.

These (alleged) terrorists were well respected members of British society. One was from Iraq, the other from Jordan. They were well educated, worldly and able to enjoy and participate in every aspect of British society. So much for theory of poor and hopeless kid with a bomb strapped to his body. And if we could only reach out as a caring people, engage the fringe people, give them hope through a responsible, dialog, then soon we could hold hands and go skipping off into the sunset as we sing songs of love and peace.

Most of the 9/11 hijackers were not poor, uneducated people, they were ideologs and they were motivated by a cultural clash, not foreign policy, not ecomics and not about what the USA did or did not do somewhere to somebody. These people have been on a bloody rampage longer than the USA has existed. They are part of a culture of death.

Time and time again, the evidence points to a dysfunctional society that holds a vision of the future that is wholly incompatible with the idealisms commonly found in free and democratic nations. The Islamic culture denounces western society as evil and decadent and theirs as pure and superior. This is not a fundamental social division that can not be easily mediated away. What freedoms shall we surrender and what parts of the Koran shall they dismiss so we can all live peacefully together?

What’s Happening in Iraq?

| No Comments

by Tina Grazier

Special thanks to Meagan for bringing this subject to the fore.

A serious aspect of the war in Iraq is our support of the Iraqi people. It has been contended that we are bombing innocent people and that the people are worse off now than they were under Saddam Hussein. Are we just blowing people up over there or are we uplifting the people and their new government, acting as a supportive force? It’s an important question and the answer deserves more attention than our media has apparently decided to give. We can find reliable answers to this and other questions about our progress in Iraq at the website “Operation Iraqi Freedom-Official Website of Multi-National Force-Iraq.”

Iraq War Debate Part III

| 2 Comments

by Nick Freitas

I have to disagree. September 11th proved that it is the people close to you who can cause you the most harm. Although American people have been saddened by multiple terrorist attacks against various U.S. military buildings and ships – the attacks that happened close to home brought our country to mourning. The closeness of our enemies is very significant. From 100 yards away, with a rifle, you could easily kill me. From 8,000 miles away, even with a really big bomb, you don’t pose that much of a risk to me. It would not be until you began to move that really big bomb much closer that I would consider you a threat!

Meagan, you have missed the point entirely here. If you want to stop an enemy from being able to attack you, you don’t try to guard every possible target. You attack them in their in their home base. If you fail to aggressively pursue your enemy to where the train and plan, then you can never defeat them. They will simply go to their safe haven and choose another time to attack utilizing different tactics techniques and procedures. Let me make this point very clear, “The logical end to defensive warfare, is in surrender.” Napoleon

You can never hope to defeat an enemy if you are unwilling to take the fight to them. Although the target of a bombing, or any other military action for that matter, may not have been the people who have done no wrong – you can read in the paper, on almost a daily basis, about the “collateral damage” from such actions.

Meagan, once again you have failed to address the point I was making. Collateral damage ALWAYS takes place in war. We take great efforts to minimize it, and have done an outstanding job, given the context of history. You’re not questioning whether the war is just in this remark, simply stating that collateral damage has taken place. There is nothing new about this, and if you believe that war is sometimes just than you must accept the fact that it is an unfortunate by product.

I do not believe that violence is never necessary – I believe that violence is a necessary evil. But, it is an evil, and should only be used when there is no other choice. Bringing about the downfall of a regime that we just don’t happen to like at the moment, does NOT – in any way – constitute "no other choice" in my opinion! And, when you get down to it, that is what the war in Iraq is about, bringing down a regime that we don’t like – not that we feel threatened by or that may cause us harm – just someone we don’t like.

Contaminated Counterfeit Toothpaste Alert

| No Comments

It's always somethin'.

toothpaste.jpg

AP-Washington - Counterfeit Colgate toothpaste has now turned up in Canada, where testing has found dangerous bacteria but not the poisonous chemical previously detected in four U.S. states, a health official said Saturday. In addition, store owners and police say they have discovered that the bogus Colgate was sold in Michigan and Virginia. …the products are fake, citing in part misspellings — ''SOUTH AFRLCA'' is one — on the packaging. Its true origin is unknown

Huh? What? Dunno!!

| 3 Comments

The Telegraph [London, UK], by Richard Gray

It failed to bring Jim Carrey happiness in the award-winning film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but scientists have now developed a way to block and even delete unwanted memories from people's brains. ** By injecting an amnesia drug at the right time, when a subject was recalling a particular thought, neuro-scientists discovered they could disrupt the way the memory is stored and even make it disappear.

Hmmmm…gotta be a whole bunch of evil uses for this one!

Government Sponsored Healthcare

| No Comments

If you’re in favor of it, this one’s for you:

Herald Sun [Melbourne, AU], by Kamahi Cogdon

A pensioner who cares for her invalid husband while hobbling around on crutches faces a three-year wait for ankle surgery. Jennifer Haffenden, 65, says she is barely able to care for herself because of an excruciating arthritic ankle. /snip/ she went to an orthopaedic specialist as a private patient a few months ago. The specialist told her she could operate within two weeks. But with the bill expected to hit $4000, Mrs Haffenden was forced to go on the 14-month waiting list to see the same specialist as a public patient.

Government run programs create multiple layers of expensive bureaucracy, waste, diminished care, and waiting lists…none of which make healthcare less expensive or better.

Facing the Enemy

| No Comments

A Gathering of Courage and Will

by Tina Grazier

It’s difficult to sustain a strong will when doubt enters the picture. Doubt will cause the heart to grow faint and the mind to play tricks. Our enemy knows this and uses the appropriate rhetoric to encourage distrust of our leaders and uncertainty about the mission. It is unfortunate that we have among us certain politicians and citizens who, either unwittingly or knowingly for self-interest, model, mirror or inspire this rhetoric.

Meagan asked: Did the President and his team defraud the country?