Right Of The Star

Friday, November 11, 2005

Sick Again, Sick Again...

Jiggity Jig - or something like that, except I don't have the energy to jig (More like Ickity Ick!) and it's actually sick still!

Sorry - Especially sorry the Stop the ACLU blogburst and my Rockford Bloggers updates!

Keep going back to Stop the ACLU to keep updated about the state of the struggles!
DKK

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies at Home

AP:

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday evening at his home in suburban Virginia, said Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.

A statement from the spokeswoman said he was surrounded by his three children when he died in Arlington.

"The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his dues on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days," she said.

Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice in 1971 by President Nixon and took his seat on Jan. 7, 1982. He was elevated to chief justice by President Reagan in 1986.
DKK

Monday, August 08, 2005

Ramblings Of A Feebled Mind - Great Quotes

(Random, unedited thoughts that I saved on Blogger while I was ill, originally dated 06/02/05 15:46)

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer." -- Ben Franklin, 1766

Dane
DKK

(This was taken from the quotes on Danegerous, I love that there is a new quote there each time you visit!)

Is it Wrong......Sweeney

Is it wrong that I can't say John Sweeney's (AFL-CIO President) name without pronouncing it:

John's Weeney?

DKK

Previous Wrongs: (Wrong me, wrong me!)
Richards
Cox
Poopie Shoot
Peckerwood

Ramblings Of A Feebled Mind - Are You On The List (WCHD)

(Random, unedited thoughts that I saved on Blogger while I was ill, originally dated 06/09/05 08:54)

Did you know.....

that the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) is one of 11 local health departments in the nation that meets bioterrorism preparedness standards and is now "Public Health Ready" as per the certification requirements of NACCHO/CDC?
DKK

Update - That info is outdated as of July 13, 2005. Another 15 agencies have been added to the list. To see if your's is ready you can find out at the NACCHO Public Health Ready Map.

Update II - Having checked out that map I am amazed how few are certified as ready! Unless you live in Idaho (which is pretty well covered) most of us are screwed!
DKK

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Peter Jenings 1938-2005, RIP

Peter Jennings Died Tonight from lung cancer.

One of the last legends of the nightly national news.

Bless him and his family.
DKK

Ramblings Of My Feebled Mind - Zero Sum

(Random, unedited thoughts that I saved on Blogger while I was ill, originally dated 08/24/05 17:47)

It's not a zero sum game but the left and much of the world seems to think it is. It is, of course, easier to rip on others then address your own system.
DKK

Brad, WTF were you thinking?


Am I the only person in the world who can see that Angelina Jolie is freaky ugly?

What is worse is that she looks just like her brother --

FREAKY UGLY!!!

DKK

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Quick Thoughts From An Ill Mind - Too Much to Hope For, or Not

During my recent relapse I had many quick thoughts - some I was actually able to save as drafts in the Blogger system - I will post some of these over the next few days - but most were lost as my mind fluttered.

The two that I kept alive with handwritten notes and daily repetition must have been what I considered top priority. They both involve the Valerie Plame situation.

First - I can't help but feel that somehow Joe Wilson and his wife will be indicted by Fitzgerald either for perjury or for disclosing classified information. I know this seems like too much to hope for but it just seems that there are too many inconsistencies in their story and to me it is wrong for any CIA employee (and spouse) to attempt to undermine an administration (covertly using lies about classified information), how could that be legal. I could be way off on this but wasn't this a crime or was it just morally reprehensible (the left is quite good at the ends justify means thing)?

Second - I am amazed at the MSM's arrogance! I am shocked that some want to provide them with "special rights" via a shield law. They are people, no better no worse then the rest of us! They don't have an absolute right to know anything and they don't have an absolute right to break the law or to shield those who break the law from prosecution! (You think gay rights are special rights - journalism is just a profession and we are trying to give them extra rights!)

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

There indignation is very telling, it is clear they hold themselves to be in a class by themselves, some type of extra-citizen, protected by some clause in the constitution that the rest of us aren't covered by! In reality we are all covered by the first amendment! The press isn't even given it's own amendment - they are lumped in with religion, speech, assembly and petition!

It truly is chilling how they believe themselves to be this type of extra-citizen!
DKK

Atomic Weapons, The Humanitarian Peace Weapon!

This is a retread of a post I made August 9, 2004. Today is the 60th anniversary of the use of the first atomic weapon and I am amazed at the handwringing that we are doing over it's use.

Yes, it had devistating effects - but most things in war do!

Like police who killed the man who used his child as a human shield our main crime is doing what it took to win a war and save ourselves and others.

This wasn't debated on American streets when I was a child - it was simply a fact!

WE DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB BECAUSE WE WERE AT WAR AND WANTED TO WIN!

Now too bad we can't still want to win - a blog I read recently said it would be a lot easier to win this war if we didn't have our left hands tied behind our backs!

During WWII we used both hands and feet!

Victor Davis Hanson has this great post on NRO.

Now on to the post:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I proudly say Thank God! Yes, America is the only nation to ever use atomic weapons! And you should thank your God as well - no matter where you are from! (Yes I mean you - you EU weenie!)

Although there are many on the left who claim that the use of this weapon was not necessary (let alone developing Atomic weapons in the first place) looking at the truth in the history will show that it's use was not only justified, warranted, but was a humanitarian move on the part of the United States.

The death toll from both weapons is estimated at about 260,000. Hardly sounds like a humanitarian move but lets look at just a few facts -

Hardly ever mentioned are the bombings of Tokyo which took the lives of over 83,000 during the fire bombings in March of 1945. This is more killed then were killed at Nagasaki. (American involvement in WWII)

The Battle of Okinawa is distinguished among battles, yet often unrecognized when referring to the great battles of the Second World War. Over 250,000 people lost their lives. Approximately 150,000 Okinawans, about a third of the population, perished.(1) At the battle's end, somewhere between a third and half of all surviving civilians were wounded.(2) No battle during the Second World War, except Stalingrad, had as massive a loss of civilian life. The stakes were high. The Japanese, determined to fight to the last man, almost achieved their objective, but in defeat 100,000 Japanese combatants died rather than surrender.(3) In the end, fewer than 10,000 of General Mitsuri Ushijimas's Thirty-Second Army were taken prisoner.(4) (Military History Online)

Justified? Well:

From the invasion of China in 1937 to the end of World War II, the Japanese military regime murdered near 3,000,000 to over 10,000,000 people, most probably almost 6,000,000 Chinese, Indonesians, Koreans, Filipinos, and Indochinese, among others, including Western prisoners of war. This democide was due to a morally bankrupt political and military strategy, military expediency and custom, and national culture (such as the view that those enemy soldiers who surrender while still able to resist were criminals). (Freedom,Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War)

Other Options:

Casualties were expected to be extremely heavy. Admiral William Leahy estimated more than 250,00 killed or wounded on Kyushu alone. General Charles Willoughby, Chief of Intelligence for General Douglas MacArthur, estimated American casualties from the entire operation would be one million men by the fall of 1946. This was considered, by many, to be a very conservative estimate. (The End of WWII by Haile H. Jaekel )

Keep in mind that the Japanese were determined to fight to the last man - person more accurately. Civilians, men, women, and children were all preparing and training to repel the invaders.

Harry Truman said in defense of, WHY I DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB. "It was a question of saving hundreds of thousands of American lives. You don't feel normal when you have to plan hundreds of thousands of deaths of American boys who are alive and joking and having fun while your doing your planning. You break your heart and your head trying to figure out a way to save one life. I made the only decision I knew how to make. I did what I thought was right. I still think that". (The End of WWIIby Haile H. Jaekel )

Another option would have been accepting a conditional surrender from the Japanese. The allies had early on decided that a conditional surrender was unacceptable for many reasons. Throughout history conditional surrenders are rarely successful in the long term - take the recent Gulf War and Saddam's 12 years of failing to live up to his agreement. With the millions killed by the Japanese and German bankrupt societies over the course of less then 15 years these governments could not be allowed to remain in power.

Result -

Short and long term results were very impressive.

In the short term Millions of Japanese were saved, more then a million American and Allied servicemen were saved, and millions of innocent civilians were saved from the Japanese death camps (something China still hasn't forgiven the Japanese for - see this story about Japanese/Chinese soccer match this month.)

Long term, prior to 1945 humans had managed to build up quite a track record of death! We had an ever increasing death toll in war that had built up year after year to a historic high of approximately 10 million people per year ! Let me repeat that - estimates are that nearly 60 million people died in World War Two with nearly half of these being civilian! (Western/World Civ. Surveys; Modern Irish History;Anglo-Irish relations; Modern Europe)

Just one more time for the record - NEARLY 60 MILLION PEOPLE DIED IN WWII, THAT IS NEARLY 10 MILLION PER YEAR!

Following the end of WWII the annual world death toll dropped dramatically, averaging about 1 million per year - in ALL wars, civil, ethnic cleansing, etc. One of the major reason for this drop and stagnation were atomic weapons and the policies that were implemented by the nations that controlled these weapons. (Death Toll from Disasters, War & Accidents)

So the next time someone cries out that the US is the only country to ever use atomic weapons - proudly tell them they are right and they should thank God we did. FYI the population in 1935 was about 2.1 billion @ 10 Million per year for the past 65 years is 650 million (650,000,000) people -- just under a third of the entire population of the world in 1935! There are just about 6 billion people alive today! In my mind these lives were well worth the cost of the cold war, wouldn't your favorite liberal agree?

DKK

Friday, August 05, 2005

Gone but not out - Yet!

Wow, what a very bad couple of months! (More on that in later posts)

For those who don't know I am disabled with a chronic illness similar to Lupus and MS.

One of the worst parts is seeing my mental capabilities slip a bit each day. Simple spelling abilities vanish along with the ability to remember words and definitions. The last two months I worked (Spring/Summer 2002) I was often unable to finish sentences, thoughts, and concepts when I was meeting with clients.

Each day over the past two months I attempted to restart writing but each day, just like today, I was either too exhausted or it was too difficult to form a coherent thought. (For example, how many ways can you spell "hoping" - and have none of them look correct?)

I haven't even been able to comment on other blog's posts.

This simple post has taken me 46 minutes to type so far - that is about 20 seconds per word!

During this time I kept updated by reading the blogs in my blogroll and I wanted to thank them for being there and helping news junkies like me get through some very hard times, though most of them will never know it they were there when I needed them!

I also wanted to compliment the new Tucker Carlson show on MSNBC - I am really shocked that show hasn't been noticed by more bloggers because it is set up like my favorite blogs! It covers many subjects in brief but thorough reporting and gives opinion - the only improvement would be if there were some way for comments to be included.

Over the next few days I hope to be able to put together some thoughts on events that happened during my missing months - including here in my life and thoughts on one year of blogging.

Oh, and I know it's a little late, but I too am switching this from a blog to an online magazine.

Until then thank you to the blogs, Fox News, Tucker Carlson's Situation, and especially to all who stopped in and asked about me!
DKK

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Boobs, The Lot Of Them

That tit is none other than the Great Tit, the largest tit in the Tit family, and one of the most common tits in Europe, a continent practically overflowing with tits. Why, there are over 1.6 million pairs of tits in Great Britain alone.

Typical of the AP, not to know a tit when one is practically staring them in the face. Boobs, the lot of them.

Silflay Hraka (Show Us Your Tits) points out that amazingly the media can't even get bird identification correct. It is really easy to do if you just look in a bird book or online -- and by incorrect I mean half a world away

Actually it isn't amazing, but you know they have all those levels of fact checking, right! Still, these are the best sentences of the week, I laughed like a school girl when I read them!
DKK

Monday, May 23, 2005

Disgusting....Disturbing.....Totally Expected

Have you seen NewsWeek's Japan/International edition from February 2, 2005? If you haven't seen it yet go look, DANEgerus has the cover and asks if we can call them anti-American yet? The picture is of a US flag in a trash can. The headlines read:

The red text at the left just above the “Newsweek” logo says:

“America forsaken.”

The big white and yellow text says:

“The Day America Died — The ideal of ‘freedom’ falls to the ground due to Bush continuing in office.”


Someone needs to walk up to the idiot who was being a dick at the White House press briefing asking questions like, "with all due respect, but who made you the editor of Newsweek", and hit him square upside his head with a two by four! Of course the White House knew what type of slime they were dealing with.

I don't subscribe to Newsweek but if I did I would cancel!

They have proven that they are anti-American and shouldn't get any money from ANY Americans!
DKK

Friday, May 20, 2005

Rougher Then I thought

A really bad chest cold set in early this week. I tried to sleep in yesterday but I wasn't able to.

It has kept me from bloggin, I always underestimate the toll things take on me physically! That is part of the problem because then I over do things causing a setback in my disability.

Hope to get bloggin again Friday, but for sure over the weekend.
DKK

Thursday, May 19, 2005

It'll Be A Late Start

Hey, bloggin will start late Thursday.
DKK

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Result of The Apple cart Upset

For the past three years the establishments of diplomacy and world government have been in a tizzy because this President has upset the apple cart. Following 9/11 he looked at the world and demanded results. The old ways hadn't worked and were only endangering us with every day they were allowed to continue.

From that point the US was no longer going to accept stability for stability's sake. We were going to only accept freedom and with freedom came security.

American Future is a great resource for the world's reactions to this policy including this regarding the Arab world's reaction to Bush:
For a people mired in historical pessimism, the message of this outsider was a powerful antidote to the culture of tyranny. Hitherto, no one had bothered to tell the Palestinians that they can't have terror and statehood at the same time, that the patronage of the world is contingent on a renunciation of old ways. This was the condition Mr. Bush attached to his support for the Palestinians.

Those who were in the cart are now trying to catch up as they start to see results. But it hasn't been and won't be easy, after all many of them are losing their stable cash cows!

The path we are on is as life altering as the end of the cold war.
DKK

Correction - that is American Future I don't know why I put American Security, link was correct. I fixed it now - sorry.

Do We Want Them To Like or Respect Us?

You know instinctively I have never bought the fact that we had to win the battle for the hearts and minds of the Arab street. We keep hearing about how we are in a battle for the Muslims hearts and minds.

After investigating the Koran issue for hours yesterday I looked up from my computer and realized that the Muslim faith is so specific as to it's requirements specifically related to acceptance of others that it leaves no room for compromise - for example even the exchange of knowledge of another religion is forbidden:

Question
I wanted to give a copy of a translation of the meanings of the Qur’aan to a kaafir man, but he said “I will not take it unless you take from me a copy of the Bible in Arabic, and I will not read it unless you read [the Bible].” Should I do that or not?
Answer

He should not do that, because the Bible may have an effect on the Muslim, but it seems that the Qur’aan will not have an effect on this evil person, because he is insisting that the Muslim should take the copy of the Bible.

Last night The Insanity that is Colmes (Hannity and Colmes) had a former CIA interrogator on and he made the most common sense and logically intelligent comment I have heard on this subject.

He said:
I don't think we can win the battle for the hearts and minds of the Muslim world, but we CAN win their respect and that is what we are doing in Iraq!

Based on what I had read about Islam and it's inability to accept others I know in my heart that he is correct. I forgot his name, he had been on Fox before. I will check for a transcript later and link if I can find it.

The key is that we we will never be liked - it will never happen! We can't even get our own liberals or media to like the US, how are we going to get Arabs to like us! But we can get them to respect us and we can do that by having our actions match our words, being tough where we need to be (without fear), and helping them achieve freedom and democracy!
DKK

Desecration 101 - Or How I Spent A Few Hours And Still Don't Know

After hearing the arrogance of the media and their defenders yesterday claim that there are numerous claims of desecration of the Koran I decided I would try to figure out exactly what desecration of the Koran is.

I also know that, as LGF has reported, the terrorist plan for and intend to use cries of civil and religious rights abuse claims against us, but that shouldn't excuse actual claims or preclude our investigating. I just know that we have got to be realistic - we are at war after all. Shoot, I remember we were originally ripped for debating whether or not we would allow them to have a Koran and the proper head covers, but we did.

Well, after about 45 minutes of searching I decided to eat dinner then came back for another hour and a half and this is what I have found out.

Please keep in mind that this is not at all inclusive nor is it intended to reflect upon Islam in any way or indicate a knowledge of Islam.

The first rule is:
It is unlawful (haram) for someone not in the state of wudu to carry a Qur'an, even by a trap or in a box , or touch it, whether its writing, the spaces between its lines, its margins, binding, the carrying strap attached to it, or the bag or box it is in.

So by having anyone touch the Koran that wasn't a Muslim was desecration, whether it was the soldier who packed it for shipping or the chaplain who handed it out using clean gloves.
The Holy Qur’aan should not be touched by anyone except those who are purified. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure)” [al-Tawbah 9:28]

On this basis, the kaafir should not be permitted to touch the Qur’aan, whether he is a Christian, a Jew, a Buddhist, a Hindu or anything else.

But one must be pure and cleansed prior to even that - unless the Koran is about to be burnt, get wet, or touched by someone who is impure - which is any non believer. Of course no menstruating women allowed

But that is just touching the surface, the list goes on and on. Did you know that you can't have a dog in the house when you read the KoranThis appears in accurate based on new searches that state dogs are not mentioned in the Koran, unless that dog is for hunting, farming, or herding.

It could be considered desecration of the Koran to even bring it into a bathroom, unless you are afraid it will be stolen if left and it is in a bag and the bag is kept away from the toilet (it is allowed to bring cell phones or PDA's with the Koran saved on it in digital form!). So in a one room cell.......is that allowed? Good question but not the only one. It seems that the rules are complicated enough that true believers have to submit questions about what the proper handling of the Koran is.

Oh, when reciting the Koran you should be alone:
so that no one interrupts one, forcing one to mix the words of the Qur'an with replying, for this nullifies the effectiveness of having taken refuge in Allah from the Devil at the beginning;
This is one of the 37 rules of inviolability of the Qur'an (but not all handling rules) that includes this:
not to place other books upon the Qur'an, which should always be higher than all other books, whether they are books of Sacred Knowledge or something else

My point - we couldn't win regarding the Koran. We could have kept them from having them but we already heard an uproar about that. You can't win when your own media disagrees with every aspect of the war that you didn't start.

We know that the Koran is considered holy enough to riot and kill over, is it difficult to believe that any handling would have been interpreted and reported as desecration by those who intend to do us harm?

An even better question is what mind set or illness is it that makes one put all of your faith in the enemy and zero faith in those who are risking their lives to protect our very way of life.
DKK

Update - DANEgerous ads a key point!
desecration : To violate the sacredness of; profane. --Pretty subjective huh?



May 2008 fixed expired links and corrected dog passage.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

NPD and The Media

Yesterday I was looking for strange and unusual quotes and I came across this site of actual quotes from people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Most of them are quite funny in a strangely sad way.

But this new development between the press and Americans today -- and that is what it is, it isn't the press against the administration or the President -- it is the press against Americans, reminded me of some of the quotes I had heard there.

Here are some examples, go read the very long list and see if you don't see todays liberal media attitude reflected in these NPD quotes:

"I'm right back at the centre of attention - where I belong!"
"I would feel no different if I lost my mom or if I lost a pencil, or a movie I wanted to watch."
"I tell you things on a need to know basis. If I think you need to know I'll tell you"
“If people are stupid enough to let me run all over them...I'm gonna take advantage”
"A lie is as good as the truth if you can get someone to believe it."
"Look what you made me do!"
"I mean, come on, do you honestly think I would do something that wasn't in my own best interest?"
"While drunk and standing on top of his wood stove (no fire going) "I am God and the world revolves around my a**hole."
DKK

Death By Reporting - Murder Via The Pen

That is what Newsweek did.

They are NOT impartial observers - they can not yell fire in a theater! Their actions have consequences. They have cost lives and untold dollars to our nation.

The media has walked the fine line of criminal action for years and Americans are sick of it - check out their ratings and subscription rates.

This holier then thou - we are the media, not Americans attitude has to stop NOW. Let's have this be the tipping point!
DKK

Your Damn Right I Am!

Via Drudge - the media is getting up in arms that most of us believe something should be done to correct Newsweek's error that led to damage to our national interests as well as the deaths of at least 17 people.

REVENGE OF THE PRESS: WHITE HOUSE REPORTERS RIP BUSH SPOKESMAN OVER NEWSWEEK MESS


Q Are you asking them to write a story about how great the American military is; is that what you're saying here?

MR. McCLELLAN: Elisabeth, let me finish my sentence. Our military --

I said it before, how about their next issue address the things we have done right and have improved and empowered the Muslim people.

Of course with the attitude of the media today they couldn't find enough material for a full issue, but lets start with the tsunami.

What is so strange about asking the media to report fairly and support our national interests. I am not asking them to lie or inflate anything just report accurately and fairly!
DKK

EXTRA: Go read the whole Drudge Flash here! It is truely amazing!

OH MY GOD - how fucked up do you have to be to feel no responsibility for actions that have killed and caused irreparable damage to our country! To not care about our national interest and the serious damage that has been done is truely a sign of some type of personality disorder - possibly NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER.

Like the high minded, nuanced liberals these people consider themselves above any standards or accountability. They feel they have no blame for their murderous reporting, and that is what this was.
DKK

BTW, Definition of Fixed

For those moonbats (and CNN) out there who are trying to read a British Memo - try using the King's English (Merian-Webster Online):

1 a : to make firm, stable, or stationary b : to give a permanent or final form to: as (1) : to change into a stable compound or available form fix nitrogen> (2) : to kill, harden, and preserve for microscopic study (3) : to make the image of (a photographic film) permanent by removing unused salts c : AFFIX, ATTACH
2 a : to hold or direct steadily fixes his eyes on the horizon> b : to capture the attention of fixed her with a stare>
3 a : to set or place definitely : ESTABLISH b : to make an accurate determination of : DISCOVER fixing our location on the chart> c : ASSIGN fix the blame>
4 : to set in order : ADJUST
5 : to get ready : PREPARE fix lunch>
6 a : REPAIR, MEND fix the clock> b : RESTORE, CURE the fixed him up> c : SPAY, CASTRATE
7 a : to get even with b : to influence the actions, outcome, or effect of by improper or illegal methods the fixed>
intransitive senses
1 : to become firm, stable, or fixed
2 : to get set : be on the verge we're fixing to leave soon>
3 : to direct one's attention or efforts : FOCUS; also : DECIDE, SETTLE -- usually used with on
synonym see FASTEN
DKK

Updated - I forgot the link to the memo, sorry.

May 21, 2005 Wizbang agree's. This memo is actually pretty good evidence in opposition to the moonbats theory.

Yea, Yea, We Know

Sometimes I feel like I am preaching to the choir, but I plan to continue preaching!

As I have thought about whether another Tet is possible, if we would recognize one, and how one could come about I thought it necessary to reemphasize the feeling of much of the media and most of the left.

You see, there is a large part of the left (which EVERY study I have seen includes most of the media (68% voted Kerry-25% Bush)) believe war should never be an option. Never! They think that by showing the horror that is war that we will give up and find a better, more nuanced, even European solution - you know, the flaccid military option.

The problem they have is that the majority of Americans, including some that voted for Kerry, know that war is a dirty ugly business! War is hell, we know that. But we also know that war is sometimes the best choice available when given the options. In other words, hell, or a worse option.

We didn't choose this war. Even if your short sighted enough to feel that Iraq isn't a front in the war on terror you need to remember that Saddam started this war in 1991. The story that things changed for the President, as it did for many of us, made the status quo - kick the can down the road philosophy that was the policy of our government for most of the 1990's.

Do I think another Tet is possible? If we hadn't been attacked on 9/11, perhaps. It is still possible that the media will tailor their anti-war, anti-Bush, anti-military, anti-American message in a way that could lead to Americans turning on the media and government as happened following Tet, but I doubt they can wrap their minds around the feeling most Americans know in their bones - that this war on terror is necessary in order to preserve our very way of life.

This inherent understanding most Americans have is why I wondered if a Tet could work by inflaming an entire religion. This is what the Islamic fascists want and this is the opening Newsweek gave them.
DKK

The Killers Misdirection

I am a big fan of The Killers and their album Fuss.

I have looked forward to seeing their performances on TV twice in the past month. Unfortunately I made the mistake of TRUSTING THEIR (label sponsored) WEBSITE!

It stated that they would be on Leno on the 14th of April, they weren't there and there was no comment on their site.

Their site stated that they would be on MTV's X-Box unveiling on May 19. Unfortunately that show aired May 12 - again with no comment or correction on the site.

Since the advent of the internet (thanks Mr. Gore, hehehehahahah) it has always irritated me when a company only does business half way on the net. Either go for it or don't bother! That applies to updating your performances - you, you Killers!
DKK

Rockford Blog Trek - 051605

Update -- I have updated and posted Rockford Bloggers my Right Of The Star Blog, here is a link to the category.

I found the following new sites in the Northern Il area:

SisterTalk - Beloit/Rockford recent MBA graduate Lesbian Blogger - Good site, updated regularly, quite good thoughts from a gay liberal slant!
The Moment - Not really a blog, but a Indie/Punk/Electroica Rock Group from Rockford, 3 songs and schedule here. Quite a good sound, good guitar and tech sound. Kinda got a Yes feel to them, the guys voice reminds me of John Anderson who I LOVE - Hey Snug Harbor (see below) they will be in Byron on the 20th. I would recommend seeing them based on the 3 songs on their site.

By the way, another from my blogrolls is from N. IL. Angry Republican Mom is from Paw Paw.


Here is what is happening in the Rockford Blogs list. If you are a Rockford area blogger or know of one let me know so I can add them to these updates. I would encourage you to visit them all!

Snug Harbor Byron IL. - Completed his switch from Booger!
Power and Control - fairly well known blogger, some really good posts.
Ryan Packer - 18y/o - getting ready to graduate
Phil's Observations - Last update March 15
Purple Medical Blog - Medical Info, some good stuff
The Speed Shop - The Bodyshop Blog - took home the bracket trophy from Sunday’s VAPOR Drag day
T1Rex - Telecom Tech - some really great tech stuff.
Brainspinning - far left Roscoe, IL - appears inactive 2/16/2005

I will be dropping Brainspinning from the list if there are no updates this week and Phil next month.
DKK

Kerry 180 Tuesday

107 days ago, John Kerry promised, on national TV, to sign form SF-180 and release his military records. He has yet to do so.

This posting was part of the Tuesdays Kerry 180 Blogburst - check out the links on the right and stop in at Cao's Blog to enroll.
DKK

Monday, May 16, 2005

Newsweek Riots: Newsweek retracts

Not just an apology, but a full retraction.

Fox News - NEW YORK — Newsweek on Monday retracted a story alleging interrogators at Guantanamo flushed the Koran down a toilet in front of detainees.

“Based on what we know now, we are retracting our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay,” editor Mark Whitaker said in statement released Monday evening.

White House would like more, as would I! How about a full issue to explain what we have done right as well as a full honest disclosure of what they did wrong!
DKK

Reading, Writing, and Ridiculous

On May 5, I wrote about the Rockford Public School's No Child Left Behind Follies (NCLB Follies) which allowed nearly $700,000 of NCLB money to be forfeited because the superintendent couldn't meet the program auditors when they showed up for a surprise audit. His excuse was that he didn't intend to use the reading program NCLB required anyway so he didn't screw up getting the money, he more accurately screwed us out of getting the money!

When I first started looking into this I was amazed to learn that many school districts have chosen to give up these funds as their administrators have chosen to use another curriculum, for example Madison Wisconsin, just to 45 minutes North has forfeited $2 Million (yes, MILLION) dollars.

Well, I did some investigating into the two reading programs cited in the news direct instruction and balanced literacy and what I found out is that it is like the new math/old math argument (BTW the results of testing shows that new math hasn't worked as well as hoped).

Here are the arguments from the Register Star's reporting on this issue:
A direct instruction classroom is compared with a balanced literacy classroom. Here’s what critics and supporters have to say.

Direct instruction:

Students are grouped based on ability. Teachers work directly with students, leading all instruction. Teachers read scripted lessons and demonstrate a skill. Students chorus the skill back, then individually show the skill. Strict direct instruction uses a fast pace with teachers sometimes using a clicking device to keep up the pace.

If students are learning the word “boat,” the word in their books is written with a small letter “a” to show that the “o” will dominate the “oa” sound.

* Critics: Students do not learn other reading tools or necessarily understand why they read. Not all words can be sounded out. Teachers are no longer diagnosing weaknesses and strengths, but simply reading scripted material. The program was developed as an intervention for at-risk students.

* Advocates: Students with strong phonics will pick up other words. Students are taught to understand what they read and, in fact, are reading Langston Hughes and other authors. A long list of research backs up direct instruction’s effectiveness. (emphasis added)

Balanced literacy:

Teachers diagnose students’ weaknesses and use various methods to strengthen reading skills; direct instruction among them. Chief instructional officer Martha Hayes also wants teachers using guided reading. In guided reading, students work in small ability groups. A teacher meets with one group, while other groups do more self-directed activities. A teacher may use the book that students are reading to emphasize phonics or other reading tools.

If the word is “boat,” a teacher may ask students if they have ever been on a boat so that they relate to the word. Or a teacher may ask the student to read the sentence and figure out the word based on context.

* Critics: Struggling students get lost in the self-directed reading groups. Teaching them to use nonphonics tools hinders learning phonics. Not every teacher has experience to use a variety of techniques to ensure students learn to read. “Balanced literacy has been espoused in Rockford the last 15 years. Show me some results,” said Bill Bursuck, who created a reading program that improved reading in three Rockford schools.

* Advocates: Students must have all the tools to read. Research shows students need more than phonics to be good readers. New administration is working to get the district on stable financial ground to more fully support teachers. Every elementary school now has a reading coach to help teachers. Next summer, workshops will provide further support to teachers.


The Rockford School district has been running deficits for years as have many districts nationwide. Recently there was a three month heated debated that ended when the distract contracted 186 of it's custodial and maintenance jobs in an effort to reduce it's deficits. Custodians and other workers in the Rockford Building and Maintenance Association had offered a 10 percent pay cut in a package that contained $2.3 million in savings. Their offer did not compete with the $3.5 million in savings that a private contract offers. (BTW, I support this contracting, lets face it with proper accountability private businesses can always outperform government)

It seems to me that for nearly $700,000 in lost NCLB funds - money that now has to come out of the Rockford taxpayers pockets you could make Old Reading work, unless there is another motive that I am unaware of.

Studies show that direct instruction works! If given the choice of two programs that work, one that comes with $700,000 and one that doesn't, which do you think is best for the kids?
DKK

Strange How It's The Same Story

More info on the story that lead to the Newsweek Riots. Isn't it strange that we get the same excuse from the media that we got during the Rathergate story:
"Obviously we all feel horrible about what flowed from this, but it's important to remember there was absolutely no lapse in journalistic standards here," he said. "We relied on sources we had every reason to trust and gave the Pentagon ample opportunity to comment. . . .(WaPost via Roger Simon)

That is exactly the same story we heard from the media and the left about the Rathergate story and their unimpeachable source:
Half an hour later, Roberts called "60 Minutes" producer Mary Mapes with word that Bartlett was not challenging the authenticity of the documents. (HT:Wizbang)
This is just LAME!

How many times did I hear that from the moonbats! Well it's their fault, they didn't deny it.....well, it appears that they are honest enough to only comment on what they KNOW.

This is a serious flaw in today's media - their desire to believe the worst about America, and Republicans more specifically!
DKK

By the way, Wizbang made this point about Rathergate here:

CBS Blames the Whitehouse (again)

BTW, can you imagine if the administration had commented? The story would have gone like this, "Bush Administration Tries To Kill Memo/Koran Story."
DKK

Is It Wrong..........(Richards)

Is it wrong that I want Richard Gere to start an underwear line and call it:

DICK GERE

Hey, maybe he could sell it at that Euro Boutique, you know the one:

Peter Sellers

I got a copy of one of their employees applications:

last - first
Fonda, Peter

By the way, they refer to their STAFF as their:

Dick Army

I could go on for hours, but then it would be wrong! After all I have to get to my scheduled:

Dick Piel (ouch, surgical or chemical procedure? Procedure conducted by Dr. Dick Carpenter!)

Seriously, I worked with a guy and that was his name - we called him Big Dick because he was about 6'5" as opposed to Little Dick (Bowers) who was about 5'3".

DKK

Previous Wrongs: (Wrong me, wrong me!)
Cox
Poopie Shoot
Peckerwood

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Survivor al Qaeda

Um, if the contestants on Survivor (which I don't watch, but happened to catch this when I was surfing) can stand for over 8 hours how can it be cruel for al Qaeda?
DKK

Did Newsweek Hand al Qaeda Their Tet?

By now you have already learned about the Newsweek apology and admission that they may have been wrong about their report that sparked riots in the Muslim World killing at least 16 and causing 300 Muslim clerics to call for a Jihad against the US.

The same day that Newsweek was publishing it's f-upped story about the desecration of the Koran I wrote this in Would We Recognize A Modern Tet?
But today we have a media that has been hostile toward the administration and has always been against the GWOT (Greater War On Terror), including the fronts in Iraq and as strange as it may sound some were even against Afghanistan. As such, like the boy who cried wolf their cries of Tet would have little effect.

Terrorist organizations by their very nature are about propaganda and influencing public reaction and behavior.

If I understand this why in the hell don't those bitches at Newsweek?

Remember this is the magazine with the editor, Evan Thomas who predicted that the press would be able to hand John Kerry 10 or 15 % points he’d never have gotten on his own. (Thanks Anchoress)

Does anyone think for a minute that Newsweek would have put out a story during WWII that the US was abusing posters of the Emperor of Japan during in an attempt to get Japanese prisoners to talk? No, wouldn't have happened because during WWII the press realized two things, 1) The US was the good guy and they were on America's side and more importantly 2) THE PRESS REALIZED THAT THEIR ACTIONS HAD CONSEQUENCES AND THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PRINT EVERY RUMOR THEY HEARD IF IT COULD HARM THE US OR IT'S INTERESTS!

They no longer feel that way - as I said beforee :
somewhere along the line they decided that being pro-American might "taint" their coverage of the news! You know, that high minded nuanced position! Problem is they have become anti-American. The MSM is no better then the UN. That is why Fox is kicking their butt! Fox makes no bones about being pro-American in their coverage and they admit it is their one bias! (see also Media Contradictions)


So, did Newsweek hand al Qaeda it's own modern Tet Offensive? Only time will tell, but Newsweek's weak apology isn't enough - they have already killed 16 and put the US and it's interests at risk for a long time to come. Anything we had done to improve relations with the Muslim world is now at risk thanks to one sloppy magazine.

If you haven't read the story be sure to check out:
Michelle Malkin (Many links there too)
CQ
Anchoress

Knowledge is Power
DANEgerous
Ace

Check them all out!
DKK

Just an extra thought (5/16/05) - Tet had it's main impact here at home, with my thought that we are getting desentized to their rantings turning their Tet to the Muslim world makes lots of sense.
DKK

Saturday, May 14, 2005

My Ads, I Paid For Those! - Repost

While we're on the subject of cable TV, here is an old post about my cable that still applies!


Okay, first off this isn't about Unions or 527's buying ads attacking our President, and I am sure you can figure out that I think a Union using member dues to buy ads is a complete farce! They have completely distorted the purpose they were founded for and have become parasites that exist only to grow larger - but I am sure I will write more on that later. And the 527's, well they had to have a law didn't they! (As an aside - American's are great at finding the loopholes aren't we.)

No, what I am talking about now are the commercials for Cable TV. I don't know about where you’re at, but here we get 8 to 12 commercials an hour for Cable TV, Cable Internet, or Digital Cable. One of them even says Cable Internet will do for the Internet what Cable TV did for watching TV. I hope not (full disclosure, I have cable Internet - love it, but not happy about the price!) That is all I need, infomercials all day, tons of stuff I don't want, and more advertisements for the stuff I can't get unless I am willing to pay more.

They advertise extra special channels coming soon.......OH COOL.......on digital....OH CRAP... but nothing for me. Oh sure, they added golf, home, women’s....but nothing I really really want. Being in a smaller market I have 65 choices of stuff I don't want. Why, because they have packaged these together to appeal to such a broad market that there is no way they can appeal to anyone. At least when we only received 3, and then later 4 broadcast channels they had stuff on that we watched - it might have been crap, but it was the only crap on. With more choices we have more crap.

Congress is supposed to be working on this, coming up with an ability to choose the channels you want and pay only for those you choose - but of course the Cable Company says the price will go up and then something will be on a channel one time and you will probably have to pay for 6 months worth or something foolish like that.

Why do I complain? I know I paid for those ads! How do I know? My rates keep growing at almost the same pace as the number of those ads. And I really wonder if they really help or if more people are like me, becoming more and more irritated with the Cable Company each and every time I see them?

I know the economics with the cable companies losing business to the only competition - the dishes - they need to keep reminding you all Cable gives you. But couldn't they sell half that time and cut my rates? Or better yet sell half that time and give me some of those extra special channels they keep trying to tempt me with in those ads.

Seriously though, if they don't give me a true choices soon I am going to start looking at alternatives, and it won't be Digital Cable - at least not as long as they are running all of these commercials.
DKK

It's Official, There Are Only Three

Yep it's official, there are only three programs on TV anymore:

1) Law and Order (or one of it's evil children)
2) CSI (or one of it's evil children)
3) Survivor (or one of it's evil children)

Does anyone else find that sad? As I said in Past The Peak, We Will Run Out:
We can't say for sure when we will approach TDTMD, if we aren't there, but I fear for our civilization when that day arrives. Of course I also fear what it means for our civilization if our top artists are just too damn lazy or untalented to make new music but that is a discussion for another day isn't it!

Lazy and untalented or just reproducing a successful formula, it is still sad.

PS - Someday soon there will be a Law And Order channel on Digital Cable if there isn't already!
DKK

How Many Dead Was That? The Facts Come Out

Via Tim Blair:
Researchers surveyed 808 households for a study published last year by The Lancet which concluded that as many as 100,000 “excess deaths” had occurred in Iraq since liberation.

The UN has now released a survey of more than 21,600 households:

The invasion of Iraq and its aftermath caused the deaths of 24,000 Iraqis, including many children, according to the most detailed survey yet of postwar life in the country.

The UN report paints a picture of modern Iraq brought close to collapse despite its oil wealth. Successive wars, a decade of sanctions and the current violence have destroyed services, undermined health and education and made the lives of ordinary Iraqis dangerous and miserable.

The survey for the UN Development Programme, entitled Iraq Living Conditions Survey 2004, questioned more than 21,600 households this time last year. Its findings, released by the Ministry of Planning yesterday, could finally resolve the debate over how many Iraqis were killed in the war that overthrew the regime of Saddam Hussein in April 2003.

The 370-page report said that it was 95 per cent confident that the toll during the war and the first year of occupation was 24,000, but could have been between 18,000 and 29,000.

According to CNN, the UN survey was conducted throughout all of Iraq’s 18 provinces (the Lancet study examined 11). Also from CNN:
Iraq’s unemployment rate was 10.5 percent of a population of 27 million people, the report found.
That figure blows out to 18.4 percent when workers not looking for a job are included; the number of unemployed seeking work, however, compares reasonably well with data from France (unemployment: 9.4 percent).

While there has been progress since Saddam Hussein’s fall, “these data depict a very tragic picture of the quality of life,” Iraqi transitional Planning Minister Barham Salih said.

Salih said the mismanagement of Saddam’s government and his regime’s internal conflicts and those with its neighbors took a toll that spared no sector of the country’s infrastructure.

"Saddam Hussein has left us a wasteland,” Salih said. “This country could have been the economic powerhouse of the Middle East."

And might well become so, in time, now that Saddam is gone and his sons are dead. (Via Scott Campbell and Alan R.M. Jones)

Interesting how the left has been using those unsubstantiated numbers for the last few months, despite their being shown to be very inaccurate.

Of course they don't want to know the truth because it would be Unexpected!
DKK

Friday, May 13, 2005

"Illegal" Must Not Translate!

As if any of us needed any proof that the boarder patrol's idiotic move to discredit the Minutemen Project (Boarder Patrol, "Don't" - We're Screwed!) Mexico grants this outrageous attempt to protect their income stream - Mexico furious at tough US law on migrants.
Mexico has reacted furiously to a bill signed into law by the US this week that would fund a border wall and prevent illegal Mexican migrants from obtaining US driving licenses.
Wait, our right to control our own boarder and what happens inside that boarder is our right! At least it was prior to our willingness to give up our sovereignty, something this President has attempted to reverse. This is the same issue behind Kyoto and the ICC.
President Vicente Fox said he would lodge a diplomatic complaint, and was considering complaints to multilateral bodies if Mexico could not unable to resolve the problem bilaterally.
First off this law is only a problem for Mexico! Second I say bring it on - your government is already suing to protect it's income stream (Mexico's Poverty Plan). An estimated $17 billion dollars were sent from workers in the US last year. In comparision for 2004 EIA estimates Mexican oil export revenues were $21 billion.

According to Lou Dobbs (thanks to Diggers Realm):

Those earnings have added up to nearly $17 billion in the past year. Remittances, as they're called, are expected to become Mexico's primary source of income this year, surpassing the amount of money that Mexico makes on oil exports for the first time ever.

They will do whatever it takes to protect this income!

In the US, leaders of the Mexican community threatened to strike to send a message to US employers that they could not survive without cheap Mexican labor.

Santiago Creel, Mexico's interior secretary, said the “Real ID” law was “negative, inconvenient, and obstructionist”.

“Building walls doesn't help anyone build a good neighbourhood,” he said. “Taking away the possibility of obtaining driving licenses for people who are working in legal jobs, who pay their taxes there, who send remittances home here, seems to us to be an extreme measure, particularly given the new understanding that we thought we had after the re-election of President Bush.”


This is the key right there! Seriously, is it a legal job when your an illegal worker? And as far as their threat to US employers - well if they all strike at least we would know who was illegal wouldn't we!

DOESN'T THE TERM ILLEGAL TRANSLATE TO SPANISH? Someone help me out on this one.

The Mexican governments attitude toward the US and our sovereignty could blow back in their faces in ways that could destabilize their government. That would not be good for us, but it would be even worse for them.

It should definately get the attention of a President who has made every effort to regain our sovereignty and restore our right to take the actions that are in our best interests. Fox may have just stepped over the line - at least I hope that is the case, but based on the administrations record of boarder security so far I wouldn't bet on it.
DKK

Entertainment Trek - Orbitz Is So Gay

Just watching Will and Grace, yea, I get my Gay'ly fix and they just had an Orbitz commercial - the game show theme one - "Take On Orbitz".

But unlike their old one this one went like this:

"He's a travel editor and he has a new boyfriend! Orbitz the fastest way to find a gay friendly hotel!" Hugging and jumping by the boyfriends!

Okay, just high fives, jumps, and hugs but still it was nice to see.

I am not an in the fact type gay - as most of you probably figured out, but seeing gay issues treated as a normal fact of life is nice!

Commercial Closet has a review of the ad (you can view it there also) and determines that it is neutral (versus positive or negative).

This is the third dedicated gay commercial from Orbitz, which also does gay print media advertising. The company was able to uniquely determine exactly how many gay customers they had because of a dedicated Gay Travel section, which it calls a microsite, found on the home page along with other specialized travel interests. The company says it was the first general travel site to feature a gay section.

“Orbitz continues to make diversity a priority via our extensive gay travel microsite as well as in our marketing efforts and community outreach,” Mitch Truwit, president and CEO at Orbitz in Chicago, told Commercial Closet.


DKK

Boarder Patrol, "Don't" - We're Screwed!

U.S. Border Patrol agents have been ordered not to arrest illegal aliens along the section of the Arizona border where protesters patrolled last month because an increase in apprehensions there would prove the effectiveness of Minuteman volunteers, The Washington Times has learned.


That's it, with this type of boarder management we're screwed, simply screwed!
DKK

Thursday, May 12, 2005

They Have No Idea

While we are on the subject of the news;

Lets face it, if you read trusted and respected blogs (such as my blogroll) you are some of the most informed people in the world. If you just visit Drudge a couple of times a day you are ahead of 75% of the public.

Speaking of Drudge, he really needs to hire someone again! His news is old and stale. Just a few months ago Jason asked me if shows like Fox and Friends just read Drudge and covered those stories, and it seemed as if that were the case. But today - now that his contributor moved on to the Huff and Puff Place his site isn't updated overnight most nights, and even during the day the updates are few and far between. He missed the NY Grenade story, the runaway bride returns (really up his ally), and pope news.

I am seriously considering finding a new news/breaking news page (if you have a good one let me know in comments.)

Back to the point, there are three or four TV news people who are as informed as blog readers are. Notably Brit Hume, Shepard Smith, John Gibson, Neil Cavuto, and Joe Scarborough.

And that is it!

On occasion you will get comments from people like Chris Mathews, Cal Thomas, or Bill O'reilly (who, because of his radio show, is a bit better informed) who only trust the "real" media sources like the AP or NY Times. These guys have repeatedly made comments that indicate that they have no clue when a story has progressed throughout the day beyond the birdcage liner.

The majority of the MSM are just media snobs who are out of date and will be left with their ink stained fingers of old news as their viewers realize they know more about the story then these hosts. What blogs they know of blogs are rumor and smear blogs (can you say Kos).

In Thomas' column today he proves that he, along with many of his compatriots, is now completely out of touch with modern media and information gathering. As Ace says;
Here, Cal Thomas makes an old-fogey jackass out of himself by screaming at the neighborhood kids to "Keep your damn blogs out of my yard!"
Cal says;
serious subjects such as the war and coming conflicts with China and possibly Russia take a back seat.If the public is unprepared for new threats and challenges, it will largely be the big media's fault for failing to prepare them. The public will share the blame for fixating on blogs.
In this he is completely and utterly wrong! Readers of blogs like those in my blogroll know more about these issues then Cal. Perhaps Cal needs to get his grandson to redo his bookmark file, and set the clock on his VCR while he is at it?
DKK

Update -- Hog On Ice has a great post about Wankette (Wonkette) where he describes the media's knowledge of bloggers like this:

Anyway, Wankette has no compunctions about accepting invitations to go on panel shows and give incorrect answers to questions about blogging, a phenomenon with which she has no personal experience. And the lazy morons in the press, who still know nothing about blogging, persist in inviting her. This is like Art Linkletter inviting The Monkees on his show in 1969 and asking them what it's like to be a real rock star.
DKK

How Do They Do That?

There are some stories the media just can't ignore and some, that if it weren't for talk radio and the blogs, they would do their best to bury or ignore.

So how do they report the good news that they can no longer ignore after giving us months and years of nay-saying experts and opinions?

"Unexpectedly high ......"

Unexpectedly high turnout in Iraqi elections
Unexpectedly high employment
Unexpectedly high GDP growth
Unexpectedly high dollar rate
Unexpectedly high exports

Why is the good news only unexpected when Republican policies work and who wasn't expecting it? Surely not the, field journalists - aka bloggers.
DKK

Stop the ACLU Blogburst - Felon Voting/Rights

Should felons be allowed to vote? Should the states be allowed to decide that? Before you answer that question go here and read the entire story.

Beyond the question of voting rights for felons (by the way the constitution grants the ability to restrict voting to the states for criminals, there is no right to vote) is the question of how we treat criminals in general.

When I was growing up I remember learning that when you choose to commit a felony you choose to give up many of your rights - in essence, choosing to live outside of society and it's laws you gave up some of the rights granted to you under those laws. Since that time, thanks to our legal system and the ACLU, our punishment system has become nothing more then a keep away system. Criminals can't be punished for their crimes any longer.

Luckily over the past 10 to 15 years, in large part due to voter frustration, some of the liberal soft on crime policies have been reversed, and the crime rates have gone down.

I read a posting on a blog yesterday, and I can't remember where it was -- looked all day today but can't find it, if I do I will update this post, or if you saw it let me know in the comments please - - where a group that supports criminal rights was complaining that a convicted mass murdered had too rough of a life while they were awaiting the end of their appeals prior to their execution. Of course no mention of the family or the trauma on a society. Based on their argument there is a solution, a faster execution, don't let this murderer languish at taxpayer's expense!

A greater solution would be a change in our criminal justice system. Eliminate, through legislation and if necessary via an amendment, the right for a convicted felon to sue the people (you and I) while they are incarcerated. As an integral part of this change establish a mediation system within the prison system that would expedite inmate grievances and render binding judgments for abuse of prisoners. Eliminate inmate rights that have been created via litigation and restore punishment to our criminal justice system.

This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst! If you would like to join, it is very simple.
Go to our new portal at Protest The ACLU , click where it says "sign up now", and fill out a simple form. This will enable us to send you a weekly newsletter with information, and keep your email private. Current members who have not registered, please do so. There are additional advantages and features that will be available for you there...you can opt to use them, or not. Thank you!

In addition take a minute to visit the other sites on the Stop The ACLU blogburst, their links are on the right hand side of this page.
DKK

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

I Sleep With Dead People -- Or Is It Just Billy

A professor at the University of North Carolina was giving a lecture on the supernatural. To get a feel for his audience, he asks "How many people here believe in ghosts?"

About 90 students raise their hands.

"Well, that's a good start. Out of those of you who believe in ghosts, do any of you think you've seen a ghost?"
About 40 students raise their hands.

"That's really good. I'm really glad you take this seriously. Has anyone here ever talked to a ghost?"
About 15 students raise their hands.

"Has anyone here ever touched a ghost?"
3 students raise their hands.

"That's fantastic. Now let me ask you one question further...
Have any of you ever made love to a ghost?"

Way in the back, Billy Ray raises his hand. The professor takes off his glasses, and says, "Son, all the years I've been giving this lecture; no one has ever claimed to have made love to a ghost. You've got to come up here and tell us about your experience." The big redneck student replied with a nod and a grin, and began to make his way up to the podium. When he reached the front of the room, the professor asks, "So, Billy Ray, tell us what it's like to have sex with a ghost?"

Billy Ray replied, "Shit! From way back there I thought you said, "Goats!"


Joke of course and it's probably an old one. But I had a dream last night where I was saying Goat - I woke up with the word Goat on my mind. Now I don't remember seeing a goat, just using that word in my dream. I am not sure what that means but it reminded me of this.
DKK

Rockford Area Bloggers Trek - Update 051005

Update -- I have updated and posted Rockford Bloggers my Right Of The Star Blog, here is a link to the category.

Hey, came across another Rockford Area Blogger yesterday while commenting on the Hog On Ice site.

Snug Harbor Conservative from Byron IL. (new site - just switched from booger here, Snug Harbor!)

But his URL is moving soon. I will update when it does.

To update the ones from my last post:
Power and Control
Ryan Packer - 18y/o - interesting thoughts he had on the history of a road, went to prom and a great sounding boat ride on prom night!
Phil's Observations - Last update March 15
Purple Medical Blog - Medical Info
The Speed Shop - The Bodyshop Blog - Great pic's of a 66 Corvette! Beautiful car.
T1Rex - Telecom Tech
Brainspinning - far left Roscoe, IL - appears inactive 2/16/2005
DKK

Is It Wrong......(Cox)

Is it wrong that when Fox News announced the possible run of Nixon son in law Edward Cox to challenge Hillary Clinton for her New York Senate seat (no link yet) they said:

"The Clinton-Cox Battle..." - Donna Fiduca 11pm CDT news update

I immediately (and I mean Immediately) pictured the battle of the Clinton Cox, I mean Bill's against Hillary's!
DKK

Previous Wrongs: (Wrong me, wrong me!)
Poopie Shoot
Peckerwood


Updated with Edward's first name - here is an old link but not the one from tonight (Hillary Clinton Faces Campaign Challenges - April 18, 2005).

Mexico's Poverty Plan

Michelle Malkin's spin off The Immigration Blog has a great rundown of the follies that our relations with our own boarders have become.

Why can't we secure our boarders? Why is the Mexican Government suing everyone? Why would they be so pissed when someone proves that their cheating their own system?

You break the law, get caught and your government sues those who arrested you! That is what happened to Sgt. Patrick Haab, the guy who performed a citizens arrest on a group of illegals last month.
Mexico is reportedly working with a "human rights group" in Los Angeles on the matter. "Mexico may sue reservist in migrant detention" has a few more details:
The lawsuit could argue that reserve Sgt. Patrick Haab engaged in assault or illegal detention of the immigrants or caused them mental anguish, [Geronimo Gutierrez, the Mexican deputy foreign secretary for North America] said.

I can think of at least three usual suspects that Mexico might be working with, and I'll update this post if I find out which it is.

Go on TV and point out that the Mexican ID cards are for sale on every street in the US and you get investigated by the Mexican Government -- by the way, I am not even sure he violated a law here in the US, but I could be wrong.

In this regard, I would kindly ask you to surrender to this Consulate General the forged identification card which you have claimed you purchased in California in order to begin the corresponding investigation along with the federal authorities in New York and California. I am also advising you that our attorneys are currently exploring all legal avenues on this matter to determine responsibilities in the purchase and use of a forged Mexican government issued ID.


And Wizbang has this one

Last week, I told the tale of Police Chief Garrett Chamberlain of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, and his novel approach to dealing with illegal aliens. He charged Jorge Ramirez, 21, of Mexico, with "criminal trespass" for being in New Ipswich (as part of the United States) illegally. Last week Ramirez pleaded guilty and agreed to report for deportation in exchange for the $1,000 fine being waived.

But that was before the Mexican government got involved. They hired a local attorney for Ramirez (who had appeared without counsel in his first appearance), who filed a withdrawal of his plea. The court accepted it, and he now faces trial in July.

This has the earmarks of becoming a case of David vs. Goliath, as the entire government of Mexico puts its weight behind one of its wayward citizens in his fight with a small town in New Hampshire. But I think I see a way to even things up a bit.


The key is that Mexico will go to any length to protect their number one cash cow -- emigrants in the US who send some $17 billion dollars home last year. This is Mexico's poverty program and they will protect it.

The thing none of us understands is why the Feds won't do anything about the boarder problem, it makes no sense and no one has bothered to tell us what is up. It shouldn't take Minutemen on every mile of the boarder but perhaps that is what we need to do.
DKK

Wictory Wednesday - Kerry's 180

Today is Wictory Wednesday!

But I have two problems:

  1. It is a repeat of Kerry's 180 from yesterday
  2. I really messed it up and it screwed up the entire side bar
So please drop in to Polipundit for today's Wictory Wednesday while I figure out how to post this on blogger.
DKK

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Words Look Wrong

Not having a good health night, mental functioning has declined and brain fog has set in. That often happens when my health start a downturn.

Words just don't look right - can't spell for crap.

Just thought I would let you know why things like battle was spelled battel and booger was spelled bogger. The spell check has caught many more but sometimes I just stare at it and can't see a difference......oh well.
DKK

Warning Against A History Rewrite

A big but under reported point that was a part of the President's visits and speeches this week --

Don't rewrite history!

We have done good things (Nazi's, freedom) and some not so good (Yalta, ignore Soviet horrors), but they are our history -- if we forget it or change it we risk repeating it! (Germany, Russia, France, yes we mean you guys!)

DKK

Who Shuts Down Midday? Booger That's Who!

Yep, big breaking story about an explosive device being thrown at the President and Blogger AKA booger is down!

Of course booger is the only company I deal with that shuts down midday on a weekday, but it's free so......... I can bitch and not worry about my rate going up.

Seriously, though, what is up with Drudge? He has been behind the 8 ball on breaking stories for weeks now! Especially overnight. He really needs to hire someone to replace that guy who went to work for Huffinton!

It took 20 minutes for him to hit this story, and hours on some of the others like the pope choice and the runaway bride found story!

I have offered my services since I am often up waiting for meds to kick in overnight but he hasn't answered my notes.
DKK
BTW, I am the worst speller in the world for an edjamacated man!

Anti Anti -- Could it happen?

Victor Davis Hanson at the AEI.

An excellent analysis of the possible rise in Anti anti-Americanism.

I would argue with only one point -- the rise in anti-Americanism is not a new thing, as I pointed out just yesterday, Everything Old.........

While VDH doesn't note that the anti-Americanism started long before the cold war ended he understands our reactions to our "allies" better then most! It is our reaction that could force the change.
There is another wild card at play that explains the decrease in anti-Americanism. After September 11, the American people are in a much less apologetic mood--more likely to pull troops or cut off aid than to ask forgiveness for imaginary grievances. No one here laments that we left the Philippines or are departing Germany. We took out Saddam without Belgians and Frenchmen, without bases in Turkey, and despite, not because of, the U.N. or Arab league.

America runs high trade deficits with Asia and Europe. It lets 20 million illegal aliens cross our borders. It spends liberally on defense, patrolling sea-lanes and protecting commerce rather than setting up autocracies and stealing oil.

Americans are finally beginning to wonder whether all these ungrateful folks are worth the toil and treasure. In response, critics abroad are beginning to sense that their cheap rhetoric may have real consequences, that maybe the U.S. was a good deal for the world, after all.

George W. Bush did not cause this new round of anti-Americanism. But he may well have done more than anyone to end it.

Remember, when you control the purse strings -- are the purchaser -- you have more power then when you are the seller. The threat of 300 million or more unemployed Chinese is power.

Loan a man 100 and you own him, loan a man a million and he owns you!
DKK

What's In A Thank You - Updated

This issue was gracefully resolved, if anyone thinks I over reacted I am sorry.

I specifically didn't mention any names and won't because as I said, "Or maybe I am reading too much into it, after all mistakes happen." Which was indeed the case.

I waited about 7 hours to post this so it didn't appear to be posted in anger, which it wasn't. I wasn't angry - just confused because the person usually does give thanks and it seemed strange.

I have made my share of mistakes and if I ever post without a thanks please let me know and I will fix it.
DKK





So you send people to a blog, they have a pretty good daily traffic (way bigger then yours) so your helping their numbers and they get referenced quite a bit by some of the bigger blogs. It seems they give out regular thanks to some people.

You give them visits - and they bounce back via site meter to see who is sending them, say at 7:41am CDT.

They enter on a page, spend 3 minutes 51 seconds and leave via another page (posted a week or so ago).

At 5:50am PST they make a post based on story on the page they exited - using the source that was referenced in your post (and acknowledge that they missed the old story last week).

Do you say anything? Should I feel slighted? Maybe it's because of how I smell? (see below) Or because I am disabled?

Or maybe I am reading too much into it, after all mistakes happen.

Just wondering.
DKK

UPDATE - Thanks for the note Pulpit Pounder, but it wasn't you.

BTW, I NEVER SAID ANYONE PLAGIARIZED ANYTHING!

Is It Wrong.....(Tires)

Is it wrong that I can't hear the Goodyear Aqua-shoot commercial (Captain Picard narrates) without blurting out:

Poopie Shoot

("Number One, engage Poopie Shoot!")
DKK
Previous Wrongs: (Wrong me, wrong me!)
Peckerwood

Everything Old.........

I spent most of the 80's studying and working - both too hard, but as someone once said hard work is it's own reward! Strange as it seems now I didn't pay as much attention to politics then, still I instinctively knew Ronald Reagan was doing something right.

As I reflect on those years I realized that the past couple years have felt like a strange deja vu.

During the 1980's we were inundated with the reports of how much influence the Christian organization known as The Moral Majority had on Republicans, the President, and our government. I also recall how that was spun to be a very bad thing at that time. What followed were repeated stories and investigations into Jim and Tammy Fay Baker, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggert, Billy Graham and anyone else involved in anything Christian.

From Demopedia (don't ask, it's wickipedia for the insane):
In 1981, a series of exposes by Memphis reporter Mike Clark led to the condemnation of the interactions between Moral Majority and the Republican Party. Though it claimed to represent the views of the majority of citizens, opinion polls as well as election and referendum outcomes suggest that it was less representative of public opinion than its name suggests. This, combined with what some saw as discrimination and elitism, led a humorist to remark, "The Moral Majority is neither moral nor a majority."
Sound familiar?

Don't get me wrong, there were serious problems with the ministries of some of those claiming to be moral, but the result of the media and secular liberals helped to entrench the anti-religious zealots that have gained extremely high levels of power in America. For example, the ACLU can change land use, education, historic symbols, etc. with nothing more then a threat.

But that wasn't all that came to mind from the 80's. As you might recall I love music, virtually all music and in the 80's who couldn't love new wave/techno music? The other day I remembered a song by a German guy, Peter Schilling. He had a cool song called Major Tom but that isn't the song that came to mind.

In 1983 this was the European attitude toward America:

where oh where is mickey mouse
live and well in the White House
whats the word on common sense
it's been sitting on the fence
have you seen the mastermind
someone's bashed it from behind
leaders saints and honest men
whats become of them today

let's play USA, let's play USA
how I love the life I lead
cannot think and cannot read
watch our values slip away
play the game of USA

even though we lost the race
to get the first man into space
we will be the first country
to run automatically
soon the robots we create
starring on the great wide wait

let's play USA, let's play USA
how I love the life I lead
cannot think and cannot read
watch our values slip away
play the game of USA

won't it be a lot of fun
every man will own a gun
shoot the ones whose point of view
makes a point that bothers you
go on and pollute the land
clean air will be sold in cans
did you hear the master plan
one nation under disney land

let's play USA, let's play USA
how I love the life I lead
cannot think and cannot read
watch our values slip away
play the game of USA

Flattering isn't it. Back then I was able to just skip that song whenever I listened to the album, I don't know if I could do that today. Frankly, this and other rants like this are one of the reasons I grew to have little respect for the Europeans and their "enlightened" worldview.

But read those lyrics again, remember these are from 1983, aren't these the same arguments we heard in the run up to the election from the left and the Euro Weenies? (President stupid, cowboys, ruining the environment, gun crazy....) Don't they realize that their playbook is at least half a century old and we've stopped listening!

Also, and this isn't just a minor point, but I can't recall a single anti-European song from those unsophisticated, closed minded Americans. Strange that the hatred would come from the, liberal, open minded, and accepting Euro's isn't it? Just as most of the hate today comes from the liberal side.

My point? Everything old is new again! Isn't it amazing we survived the Moral Majority and stranger still we survived our evil Cowboy Ways! Strange, not only did we survive, in fact we have greatly out performed the Euro's over the same 20 year period, destroyed the Soviet Empire which brought freedom to 50 million of their Euro brothers and I could go on, but you know the history already.

Bottom line, don't buy the line that America has lost respect in the world because of President Bush, don't buy the line that we are becoming a theocracy!
DKK