Tuesday, March 28, 2006
They are just figuring this out now?
Officials: Water in Mass. Possibly Tainted
These are the same people that have elected Ted Kennedy every 6 years since the mid 60's and Jon Kerry since the mid 80's. Of course the water is tainted.
These are the same people that have elected Ted Kennedy every 6 years since the mid 60's and Jon Kerry since the mid 80's. Of course the water is tainted.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Blogger is worth...
...every penny that I have never paid for it....
Friday, March 03, 2006
Loving the Old Commie Bastard
Our friend with the stained head, Mikhail Gorbachev, is getting a lot of love in the media this week since he is turning 75. Hilariously, the same media who love him would have been out of business real quick had they tried to report anything when good 'ol Gorby was in charge of the Soviet Union. Let's have a look:
MSNBC - MOSCOW — Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is perhaps the prime example of a prophet who is not revered in his own country. Even 15 years after he lost political power, he is still the man most Russians love to hate.
Yet Gorbachev, who is arguably the man most responsible for ending the Cold War...
Gee, maybe they hate his guts because they lived under his tyranny. And, I'll get to the "ending the Cold War" in a second.
Gorbachev, Almost 75, Sounds Off on U.S. ABC - MOSCOW Mar 1, 2006 (AP)— Mikhail Gorbachev's magnetic brown eyes shine as brightly as ever, and he speaks with the same passion about the collapse of the Soviet Union as he prepares to mark his 75th birthday on Thursday.
The man who ended the Cold War and launched democratic reforms that broke the repressive Soviet regime continues to enjoy the limelight, globe-trotting on behalf of his political foundation and environmental group and taking part in charity projects.
With that headline, the body of the story should have said "Who gives a damn what he has to say?"
Anyway, it is beyond pathetic how the media now gives him credit for ending the Cold War. He ended it by being the man in charge when the events Ronald Reagan (the real man responsible for ending the Cold War) put into place came crashing to a head.
Using their logic, allow me to save reporters some work for their future columns and write some similar sentences for them:
- "Japan, who ended World War II by being nuked,..."
- "Mike Tyson, who ended the fight by being knocked out by Lennox Lewis,..."
- "Alexander Hamilton, who resolved his dispute with Aaron Burr by being shot and killed,..."
- "Abraham Lincoln, who caused that night's performance of "Our American Cousin" to end early,..."
F Gorbachev.
MSNBC - MOSCOW — Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is perhaps the prime example of a prophet who is not revered in his own country. Even 15 years after he lost political power, he is still the man most Russians love to hate.
Yet Gorbachev, who is arguably the man most responsible for ending the Cold War...
Gee, maybe they hate his guts because they lived under his tyranny. And, I'll get to the "ending the Cold War" in a second.
Gorbachev, Almost 75, Sounds Off on U.S. ABC - MOSCOW Mar 1, 2006 (AP)— Mikhail Gorbachev's magnetic brown eyes shine as brightly as ever, and he speaks with the same passion about the collapse of the Soviet Union as he prepares to mark his 75th birthday on Thursday.
The man who ended the Cold War and launched democratic reforms that broke the repressive Soviet regime continues to enjoy the limelight, globe-trotting on behalf of his political foundation and environmental group and taking part in charity projects.
With that headline, the body of the story should have said "Who gives a damn what he has to say?"
Anyway, it is beyond pathetic how the media now gives him credit for ending the Cold War. He ended it by being the man in charge when the events Ronald Reagan (the real man responsible for ending the Cold War) put into place came crashing to a head.
Using their logic, allow me to save reporters some work for their future columns and write some similar sentences for them:
- "Japan, who ended World War II by being nuked,..."
- "Mike Tyson, who ended the fight by being knocked out by Lennox Lewis,..."
- "Alexander Hamilton, who resolved his dispute with Aaron Burr by being shot and killed,..."
- "Abraham Lincoln, who caused that night's performance of "Our American Cousin" to end early,..."
F Gorbachev.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Why I Hate College Football Polls, Part 3,654
The new rankings are out, and 2 dopes changed their votes for Number 1, switching their #1 vote from USC to Texas. Take a look at this genius' logic on why:
"I didn't move USC down as much as I moved Texas up," said Joe Giglio of The News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., one of two voters to switch Texas and USC this week. "I feel [the Longhorns] have a more complete résumé and I'm really impressed with how they've handled their business."
A more complete resume? Is he serious? Let's compare resumes:
USC - Undefeated, 28 straight wins, 2-time defending national champions.
Texas - Undefeated, 14 straight wins.
A more complete resume? Give me a break. Look, I am an Arizona State and Penn State fan, so I got no dog in this hunt. But this dope's comments tells you all you need to know how much the ranking system is a joke.
"I didn't move USC down as much as I moved Texas up," said Joe Giglio of The News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., one of two voters to switch Texas and USC this week. "I feel [the Longhorns] have a more complete résumé and I'm really impressed with how they've handled their business."
A more complete resume? Is he serious? Let's compare resumes:
USC - Undefeated, 28 straight wins, 2-time defending national champions.
Texas - Undefeated, 14 straight wins.
A more complete resume? Give me a break. Look, I am an Arizona State and Penn State fan, so I got no dog in this hunt. But this dope's comments tells you all you need to know how much the ranking system is a joke.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Laugh of the month
Last night, a friend of mine and I were talking about the Iraqi vote, and I said, "I haven't seen any stories hinting at fraud yet." He replied, "Oh, you'll see them soon enough. As expected, I saw this inevitable headline on AP and almost fell over laughing:
Iraqis Probe 'Unusually High' Yes Tally
That headline is hilarious on many levels. Think about what it says. Remember when Saddam was winning 99% of the vote all the headlines the AP ran questioning the vote total? Neither do I. And, were Iraqis at that time probing the "unusually high" totals? Of course not. Saddam and his scumbag sons would have had them in the shredder by nightfall. The only people who find the "Yes" total unusual are liberal assholes at places like the AP, who think that Iraqis were better off under Saddam.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's election commission announced Monday that officials were investigating "unusually high" numbers of "yes" votes in about a dozen provinces during Iraq's landmark referendum on a new constitution, raising questions about irregularities in the balloting.
Word of the review came as Sunni Arab leaders repeated accusations of fraud after initial reports from the provinces suggested the constitution had passed. Among the Sunni allegations are that police took ballot boxes from heavily "no" districts, and that some "yes" areas had more votes than registered voters.
More votes than registered voters? Sounds like Philly, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Maybe the Iraqis are getting the hang of this democracy thing even faster than I thought.
Iraqis Probe 'Unusually High' Yes Tally
That headline is hilarious on many levels. Think about what it says. Remember when Saddam was winning 99% of the vote all the headlines the AP ran questioning the vote total? Neither do I. And, were Iraqis at that time probing the "unusually high" totals? Of course not. Saddam and his scumbag sons would have had them in the shredder by nightfall. The only people who find the "Yes" total unusual are liberal assholes at places like the AP, who think that Iraqis were better off under Saddam.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's election commission announced Monday that officials were investigating "unusually high" numbers of "yes" votes in about a dozen provinces during Iraq's landmark referendum on a new constitution, raising questions about irregularities in the balloting.
Word of the review came as Sunni Arab leaders repeated accusations of fraud after initial reports from the provinces suggested the constitution had passed. Among the Sunni allegations are that police took ballot boxes from heavily "no" districts, and that some "yes" areas had more votes than registered voters.
More votes than registered voters? Sounds like Philly, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Maybe the Iraqis are getting the hang of this democracy thing even faster than I thought.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Guest blogging
I am one of the guest bloggers at Right Thinking from the Left Coast for the next two weeks. Stop by...
Sunday, September 04, 2005
That jackass New Orleans mayor strikes again
Kust when I thought New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin couldn't be a bigger jackass, he goes and says this:
"Today was a turning point, I think," he said. "My philosophy is never get too high, never get too low. ... I always try to keep my emotions in check and yesterday I kind of went off a little bit. I was worried about that, but it maybe worked out. I don't know. If the CIA slips me something and next week you don't see me, you'll all know what happened."
Yeah, OK. Just like Bush had Michael Moore, Howard Dean, and Ted Kennedy killed.
"Today was a turning point, I think," he said. "My philosophy is never get too high, never get too low. ... I always try to keep my emotions in check and yesterday I kind of went off a little bit. I was worried about that, but it maybe worked out. I don't know. If the CIA slips me something and next week you don't see me, you'll all know what happened."
Yeah, OK. Just like Bush had Michael Moore, Howard Dean, and Ted Kennedy killed.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
R.I.P. Chief
May God Bless Chief Justice Rehnquist's soul.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Let's speculate for a moment, shall we
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Less than one minute after the levees broke, flooding New Orleans, President Bush announced that he was appointing Rudy Guiliani as leader of the recovery effort. "Tough times call for tested leadership," the President stated. "Mayor Guilani has experience in coordinating recovery efforts and I know he'll do a fantastic job."
Reaction to this announcement was swift. "New Orleans has their own perfectly competent leader," civil rights leader Jesse Jackson angrily replied. "Of course, Bush can't have a black man, especially a former Republican who changed parties, looking good on TV."
Howard Dean, DNC chairman accused Bush of putting politics over saving lives. "In a time of dire need, Bush instead chooses politics over lives in an attempt to annoint his successor rather than let the Democrats in charge of New Orleans and Louisiana get all the glory."
With Bush seeing some of the lowest approval numbers of his Presidency, others have suggested his overeagerness is to deflect attention from his failures in Iraq. "He must think we're stupid," claimed a poor, lesbian, African-American woman who refused to give her name. "He is getting our people killed over there for oil while he does nothing when black people are dying by the thousands."
Is there any doubt this would be the story if Bush took charge from the first minute?
Is there any doubt this would be the story if Bush reacted instantaneously?
Reaction to this announcement was swift. "New Orleans has their own perfectly competent leader," civil rights leader Jesse Jackson angrily replied. "Of course, Bush can't have a black man, especially a former Republican who changed parties, looking good on TV."
Howard Dean, DNC chairman accused Bush of putting politics over saving lives. "In a time of dire need, Bush instead chooses politics over lives in an attempt to annoint his successor rather than let the Democrats in charge of New Orleans and Louisiana get all the glory."
With Bush seeing some of the lowest approval numbers of his Presidency, others have suggested his overeagerness is to deflect attention from his failures in Iraq. "He must think we're stupid," claimed a poor, lesbian, African-American woman who refused to give her name. "He is getting our people killed over there for oil while he does nothing when black people are dying by the thousands."
Is there any doubt this would be the story if Bush took charge from the first minute?
Is there any doubt this would be the story if Bush reacted instantaneously?
Is there a bigger jackass...
than New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin? There can't possibly be.
"Get off your asses and let's do something," the mayor told WWL-AM Thursday night in a rambling interview in which he cursed, yelled and ultimately burst into tears. At one point he said: "Excuse my French _ everybody in America _ but I am pissed."
How about you get off your ass first, you incompetent son of a bitch!! YOU are the mayor the city. It is YOUR job to lead in a crisis like this, first and foremost, not to wait for the big daddy federal government to take care of it. Your government is corrupt, your leadership is a joke.
This incompetent fool ordered the city to evacuate before the hurricane. Where were the buses that you are whining about now back when you made the order? And, when you ordered all those people to the Superdome, did it ever occur to you to make sure there were supplies there, or to get them there quickly?
What we are seeing now is the inevitable result of an incompetent mayor, a corrupt government, and corrupt police force who have failed to address the outrageous crime and murder rate in that city. I am sick of hearing the complainers who have everyone from Bush on down to blame but have offered no help or leadership themselves.
May God save New Orleans.
"Get off your asses and let's do something," the mayor told WWL-AM Thursday night in a rambling interview in which he cursed, yelled and ultimately burst into tears. At one point he said: "Excuse my French _ everybody in America _ but I am pissed."
How about you get off your ass first, you incompetent son of a bitch!! YOU are the mayor the city. It is YOUR job to lead in a crisis like this, first and foremost, not to wait for the big daddy federal government to take care of it. Your government is corrupt, your leadership is a joke.
This incompetent fool ordered the city to evacuate before the hurricane. Where were the buses that you are whining about now back when you made the order? And, when you ordered all those people to the Superdome, did it ever occur to you to make sure there were supplies there, or to get them there quickly?
What we are seeing now is the inevitable result of an incompetent mayor, a corrupt government, and corrupt police force who have failed to address the outrageous crime and murder rate in that city. I am sick of hearing the complainers who have everyone from Bush on down to blame but have offered no help or leadership themselves.
May God save New Orleans.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
God Bless New Orleans, Mississippi, and Alabama
Please pray for our fellow Americans who have been deeply affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Also, if you got a few bucks to spare, please take a look at one of the charities that Professor Reynolds has listed.
Also, if you got a few bucks to spare, please take a look at one of the charities that Professor Reynolds has listed.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
What's the old saying?
Be careful what you wish for...
Palestinians fear Gaza health crisis after Israeli pullout
Everything is Israel's fault, even if Palestinians have inadequate health care. Ridiculous.
Palestinians fear Gaza health crisis after Israeli pullout
Everything is Israel's fault, even if Palestinians have inadequate health care. Ridiculous.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Who is that?
U.S. Dodges Robertson Comments on Chavez
I didn't know anyone cared what Gary U.S. Bonds thought about anything.
I didn't know anyone cared what Gary U.S. Bonds thought about anything.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Is that 2005?
Because you never know with these clowns.
Envoys: Iran Faces Sept. Deadline on Nukes
VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. nuclear watchdog expressed "serious concern" Thursday over Iran's resumption of nuclear activities that could lead to an atomic bomb and diplomats said Tehran faced a September deadline to stop uranium conversion at a plant in central Iran.
The Iranians resumed work at the nuclear facility in Isfahan earlier this week, despite appeals from European negotiators to maintain a voluntary suspension of nuclear activities.
It gets better.
Diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be quoted, made clear that insufficient progress by Sept. 3 could lead the board to consider reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to slap the regime with crippling sanctions.
I'll bet Iran is scared now.
Envoys: Iran Faces Sept. Deadline on Nukes
VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. nuclear watchdog expressed "serious concern" Thursday over Iran's resumption of nuclear activities that could lead to an atomic bomb and diplomats said Tehran faced a September deadline to stop uranium conversion at a plant in central Iran.
The Iranians resumed work at the nuclear facility in Isfahan earlier this week, despite appeals from European negotiators to maintain a voluntary suspension of nuclear activities.
It gets better.
Diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be quoted, made clear that insufficient progress by Sept. 3 could lead the board to consider reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to slap the regime with crippling sanctions.
I'll bet Iran is scared now.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Funniest thing I've seen in months
Check out these mis-translations on the bootleg Star Wars Episode 3 bootleg DVD. Hilarious!!
Thursday, July 28, 2005
What would we do without CNN?
This headline is beyond hilarious:
Roberts documents reveal a conservative
In other related news, CNN is reporting that documents reveal that Ted Kennedy is a liberal Democrat and that Clarence Thomas is a non-white.
Roberts documents reveal a conservative
In other related news, CNN is reporting that documents reveal that Ted Kennedy is a liberal Democrat and that Clarence Thomas is a non-white.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
"Fake but accurate", and it's Bush's fault
Do you not love how Newsweek and their accomplices in the bullshit liberal media are spinning Newsweek's bullshit story into it being Bush trying to impose censorship on them? There is nothing sillier than hearing people go on 6 different networks and appearing in ever major newspaper crying about that they have no freedom of speech rights. I am beyond pissed about this Newsweek story.
If the media wants to know who took their rights to a free press, all they have to do is look into the nearest mirror. They threw their own rights and their credibility into the toilet when they willingly became shills for the liberal agenda and the Democratic Party.
If the media wants to know who took their rights to a free press, all they have to do is look into the nearest mirror. They threw their own rights and their credibility into the toilet when they willingly became shills for the liberal agenda and the Democratic Party.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Bet they are preparing their surrender already
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Only 3 weeks away
In exactly 3 weeks from this moment, I will be sitting at a midnight showing of Revenge of the Sith. I cannot wait. I got the tickets, I just need the night to get here.
Kevin Smith has seen it. Read his review here. Warning: Spoilers and language mom would not approve of.
And then there is this fake poster put out last year by someone who thought they had the inside dope on the title. Frankly, I like this one better than anything Lucas' people have put out.
General Grevious could be a stroke of brilliance...or an unmitigated disaster. We'll know soon enough.
And, if you read this far, you might be interested in this 7 minute clip I found.
Kevin Smith has seen it. Read his review here. Warning: Spoilers and language mom would not approve of.
And then there is this fake poster put out last year by someone who thought they had the inside dope on the title. Frankly, I like this one better than anything Lucas' people have put out.
General Grevious could be a stroke of brilliance...or an unmitigated disaster. We'll know soon enough.
And, if you read this far, you might be interested in this 7 minute clip I found.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
This might be fake, but who cares?
Monday, April 25, 2005
All your Star Wars info can be found...
at my favorite place, TheForce.Net.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Thank you Holy Father
Sometime in the next day or so, or even tonight, the Pope will be gone. I wanted to recommend to each of you that sometime perhaps in the near future that you take a few minutes to read about one of the finest men who ever lived, Karol Wojtyla, known to the world as Pope John Paul II.
Whether you are Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Atheist, or Agnostic, or you just don't care at all about religion, it does not matter. The Pope is a man of both theological and secular brilliance, of pure decency, and has had a tremendous impact on our world since 1978. We will all be a bit poorer after his loss.
I think that many of you would be surprised how much agreement you would find with him, whether you are liberal or conservative. For example, here are some things about the Pope that you might not know:
- He is an unwavering, unapologetic opponent of the death penalty, and has spoken out for years about it.
- He was against the war in Iraq
- He fought both publicly and behind the scenes to help free Eastern Europe
- He has been a staunch advocate for the poor and underprivileged
- He is friends with U2's Bono
- He single-handely convinced Fidel Castro to let Cubans celebrate Christmas again.
- He is a staunch opponent of abortion
- He is against euthanasia
Perhaps you do not agree with all of his positions. I certainly don't, and I love an respect the man to no end. I saw him speak at Giants Stadium years ago, and I will never forget it. And, I will never forget when he came to visit Philadelphia in 1979 and my mother took me to see him. 2 million people lined up over a 2 1/2 mile stretch just to have a glimpse at him.
Like I said, take a few minutes to read about the man, no matter what you believe politically or religiously. I think you'll be surprised at how great a human being he is, and how many things you agree with him on.
May God Bless his soul.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Review of the Star Wars Trailer
Once again, I remind you, my life is a real joke sometimes. I spent all day and night working on a 35-page appellate brief and spent 2 1/2 hours studying Civil Procedure. (BOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRIIIIIINGGGGG!) Then, I got home at around 11 or so and immediately went on the laptop to get the Star Wars Trailer. (You can download it here)
After breaking it down and re-watching it frame-by-frame like it was the Zapruder film, all I can say is that this really does look like the movie the last two should have been. It looks dark and nasty, and there is nothing feel good about it. (Although I expect to be quite happy after leaving the theatre) This is the way it is supposed to be. That criminal George Lucas expects it to be the first Star Wars movie to be PG-13, and he doesn't have a problem with it, which is a good thing. (Although I hope he doesn't chicken out. After all, this movie is a guaranteed winner no matter what)
I cannot wait until May 19th. You?
After breaking it down and re-watching it frame-by-frame like it was the Zapruder film, all I can say is that this really does look like the movie the last two should have been. It looks dark and nasty, and there is nothing feel good about it. (Although I expect to be quite happy after leaving the theatre) This is the way it is supposed to be. That criminal George Lucas expects it to be the first Star Wars movie to be PG-13, and he doesn't have a problem with it, which is a good thing. (Although I hope he doesn't chicken out. After all, this movie is a guaranteed winner no matter what)
I cannot wait until May 19th. You?
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Episode III Trailer
If you are a deadbeat loser like me, and can't wait until tomorrow night to see the new Star Wars III trailer, then you can get it here. I watched it 6 times in a row. Not the best quality, but not bad either.
Yeah, I believe every word of this
Ex-Marine Says Public Version of Saddam Capture Fiction
A former U.S. Marine who participated in capturing ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said the public version of his capture was fabricated.
Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army.
"I was among the 20-man unit, including eight of Arab descent, who searched for Saddam for three days in the area of Dour near Tikrit, and we found him in a modest home in a small village and not in a hole as announced," Abou Rabeh said.
"We captured him after fierce resistance during which a Marine of Sudanese origin was killed," he said.
He said Saddam himself fired at them with a gun from the window of a room on the second floor. Then they shouted at him in Arabic: "You have to surrender. ... There is no point in resisting."
"Later on, a military production team fabricated the film of Saddam's capture in a hole, which was in fact a deserted well," Abou Rabeh said.
Abou Rabeh was interviewed in Lebanon.
Yeah, OK. Here's a reminder of what Saddam looked like when he was captured. It sure doesn't look like he was living in a house to me.
I am sure we will hear the rebuttals from our fine soldiers in the next day or so.
A former U.S. Marine who participated in capturing ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said the public version of his capture was fabricated.
Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army.
"I was among the 20-man unit, including eight of Arab descent, who searched for Saddam for three days in the area of Dour near Tikrit, and we found him in a modest home in a small village and not in a hole as announced," Abou Rabeh said.
"We captured him after fierce resistance during which a Marine of Sudanese origin was killed," he said.
He said Saddam himself fired at them with a gun from the window of a room on the second floor. Then they shouted at him in Arabic: "You have to surrender. ... There is no point in resisting."
"Later on, a military production team fabricated the film of Saddam's capture in a hole, which was in fact a deserted well," Abou Rabeh said.
Abou Rabeh was interviewed in Lebanon.
Yeah, OK. Here's a reminder of what Saddam looked like when he was captured. It sure doesn't look like he was living in a house to me.
I am sure we will hear the rebuttals from our fine soldiers in the next day or so.
Uh...let's not
This, my friends, is why I despire Kofi Annan and the U.N.
Let's accept Hezbollah: Annan
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations must recognise Hezbollah as a force to be reckoned with in implementing the UN resolution calling for the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanon and the disarmament of the country's militias, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said later on Tuesday.
He was responding to a question about the disarmament of Hezbollah, which showed its strength on Tuesday at a huge pro-Syrian rally in Beirut attended by thousands of people who chanted anti-US slogans.
Annan said the world needs to accept that in every society different groups may hold different views. "Of course, we need to be careful of the forces at work in Lebanese society as we move forward," he said.
"But even the Hezbollah — if I read the message on the placards they are using — they are talking about non-interference by outsiders... which is not entirely at odds with the Security Council resolution, that there should be withdrawal of Syrian troops," Annan told reporters.
"But that having been said, we need to recognise that they are a force in society that one will have to factor in as we implement the resolution," he said.
Only Kofi Annan would take that protest in Beirut seriously, conveniently disregarding the fact that Hezbollah bused in most of those people. Some "moral authority" the U.N. has. When people protest for freedom, they have nothing to say. But when there is "support" for terrorists, Annan can't legitimize it fast enough.
Annan is scum. I will never forgive him for his actions (and inactions) in letting the Rwanda genocide happen.
Let's accept Hezbollah: Annan
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations must recognise Hezbollah as a force to be reckoned with in implementing the UN resolution calling for the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanon and the disarmament of the country's militias, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said later on Tuesday.
He was responding to a question about the disarmament of Hezbollah, which showed its strength on Tuesday at a huge pro-Syrian rally in Beirut attended by thousands of people who chanted anti-US slogans.
Annan said the world needs to accept that in every society different groups may hold different views. "Of course, we need to be careful of the forces at work in Lebanese society as we move forward," he said.
"But even the Hezbollah — if I read the message on the placards they are using — they are talking about non-interference by outsiders... which is not entirely at odds with the Security Council resolution, that there should be withdrawal of Syrian troops," Annan told reporters.
"But that having been said, we need to recognise that they are a force in society that one will have to factor in as we implement the resolution," he said.
Only Kofi Annan would take that protest in Beirut seriously, conveniently disregarding the fact that Hezbollah bused in most of those people. Some "moral authority" the U.N. has. When people protest for freedom, they have nothing to say. But when there is "support" for terrorists, Annan can't legitimize it fast enough.
Annan is scum. I will never forgive him for his actions (and inactions) in letting the Rwanda genocide happen.
Monday, March 07, 2005
"I am not Saddam Hussein"
This is a direct quote from that scumbag Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who said this in Time magazine:
"Please send this message: I am not Saddam Hussein. I want to co-operate."
I'll bet he does. Bush means business, and clowns like him know it.
Mark Steyn has more brilliance here on this subject.
"Please send this message: I am not Saddam Hussein. I want to co-operate."
I'll bet he does. Bush means business, and clowns like him know it.
Mark Steyn has more brilliance here on this subject.
Let me tell you about North Korea - if I can afford it
Someone linked to a website promoting travel to the worker's paradise North Korea. They aren't too happy about it. Get this:
Due to some inconsiderate people linking directly to our multimedia we were forced to take the content offline since it generated too much traffic.
This kind of careless linking to high-profile sites is typical of the internet where people no longer respect that such links could make free content less available.
We will never charge money to pay for the bandwidth, so if people are going to expect high-quality content they should make their own copy of the large file and share it from their own server.
Questions can be sent to support@korea-dpr.com for technical advice.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Due to some inconsiderate people linking directly to our multimedia we were forced to take the content offline since it generated too much traffic.
This kind of careless linking to high-profile sites is typical of the internet where people no longer respect that such links could make free content less available.
We will never charge money to pay for the bandwidth, so if people are going to expect high-quality content they should make their own copy of the large file and share it from their own server.
Questions can be sent to support@korea-dpr.com for technical advice.
Thank you and have a nice day.
The Honeymoon is Over
Now that Bush has been re-elected, and the main goal of the press is to portray Hillary as a moderate and popular with Republicans, our friends in the media will no longer be writing puff pieces on that "maverick" John McCain.
McCain Group Got Big Cable Donation
WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain pressed a cable company's case for pricing changes with regulators at the same time a tax-exempt group that he has worked with since its founding solicited $200,000 in contributions from the company.
Help from McCain, who argues for ridding politics of big money, included giving the CEO of Cablevision Systems Corp. the opportunity to testify before his Senate committee, writing a letter of support to the Federal Communication Commission and asking other cable companies to support so-called a la carte pricing.
McCain had expressed interest in exploring the a la carte option for years before Cablevision advocated it, but did not take a formal position with regulators until after the company's first donation came in. Cablevision is the eighth largest cable provider, serving about 3 million customers in the New York area.
I hope he saved all of those fawning stories about him, because those days are over, especially since he is considered a threat to Hillary in 2008.
McCain Group Got Big Cable Donation
WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain pressed a cable company's case for pricing changes with regulators at the same time a tax-exempt group that he has worked with since its founding solicited $200,000 in contributions from the company.
Help from McCain, who argues for ridding politics of big money, included giving the CEO of Cablevision Systems Corp. the opportunity to testify before his Senate committee, writing a letter of support to the Federal Communication Commission and asking other cable companies to support so-called a la carte pricing.
McCain had expressed interest in exploring the a la carte option for years before Cablevision advocated it, but did not take a formal position with regulators until after the company's first donation came in. Cablevision is the eighth largest cable provider, serving about 3 million customers in the New York area.
I hope he saved all of those fawning stories about him, because those days are over, especially since he is considered a threat to Hillary in 2008.
All the news that fits, they print
I could not help but laugh at this part of a New York Times editorial.
The Republicans are claiming that 51 votes should be enough to win confirmation of the White House's judicial nominees. This flies in the face of Senate history.
Next thing you know, those damn Republicans will claim that the 14th Amendment allows states to keep felons from voting, or that Article I Section 2 forces the House members to stand for election every 2 years.
Seriously, if this flies in the face of history, they must mean real recent history. But, like many have always said, to liberals, history started 10 minutes ago.
The Republicans are claiming that 51 votes should be enough to win confirmation of the White House's judicial nominees. This flies in the face of Senate history.
Next thing you know, those damn Republicans will claim that the 14th Amendment allows states to keep felons from voting, or that Article I Section 2 forces the House members to stand for election every 2 years.
Seriously, if this flies in the face of history, they must mean real recent history. But, like many have always said, to liberals, history started 10 minutes ago.
Gee, I wonder where they got this idea?
Kuwaitis demonstrate for women's suffrage
KUWAIT (Reuters) - Around 500 Kuwaiti activists, mostly women, have demonstrated outside parliament to demand female suffrage amidst tensions in the Gulf Arab state over a government drive to grant women political rights.
"Women's rights now," chanted the crowd, which included women dressed in abayas, or traditional long black cloaks. Some of the demonstrators at Monday's protest wore veils over their faces.
"Our democracy will only be complete with women," said a placard written in Arabic. "We are not less, you are not more. We need a balance, open the door," said one written in English.
For the New York Times, the AP, and CNN, it will be "unclear" as to why these demonstrations are taking place at this point in time. For everyone else, it will be crystal clear.
By the way, am I the only one that finds it interesting that everytime you see protests in foreign countries, especially ones where English is not spoken, most of the signs are in English?
KUWAIT (Reuters) - Around 500 Kuwaiti activists, mostly women, have demonstrated outside parliament to demand female suffrage amidst tensions in the Gulf Arab state over a government drive to grant women political rights.
"Women's rights now," chanted the crowd, which included women dressed in abayas, or traditional long black cloaks. Some of the demonstrators at Monday's protest wore veils over their faces.
"Our democracy will only be complete with women," said a placard written in Arabic. "We are not less, you are not more. We need a balance, open the door," said one written in English.
For the New York Times, the AP, and CNN, it will be "unclear" as to why these demonstrations are taking place at this point in time. For everyone else, it will be crystal clear.
By the way, am I the only one that finds it interesting that everytime you see protests in foreign countries, especially ones where English is not spoken, most of the signs are in English?
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Bush sends his greetings!
I love this part of an article in the New York Times today:
But it is unclear what kind of additional pressure Mr. Bush and his European allies are willing to bring. In Martyrs' Square here, the scene of many demonstrations in recent weeks, thousands of protesters came Saturday morning to watch a broadcast of Mr. Assad's speech on projection screens, at times booing and jeering, or calling "Liar!" and "Bush sends his greetings!"
The protesters, many dressed in white, waved Lebanese flags and called for "freedom, sovereignty and independence."
I wonder if that choice of words has anything to do with what our fine American soldier said when he captured Saddam in that spider hole.
They were about to execute a "clearing procedure" -- firing into the hole or dropping a grenade into it -- when someone saw upraised hands belonging to a bearded, bedraggled man. The man had a pistol but did not fire it.
When the soldiers assisted the man from the hole, he said, in English: "I am Saddam Hussein. I am the president of Iraq. I want to negotiate."
The soldiers replied: "President Bush sends his regards."
Hmmmmm.
But it is unclear what kind of additional pressure Mr. Bush and his European allies are willing to bring. In Martyrs' Square here, the scene of many demonstrations in recent weeks, thousands of protesters came Saturday morning to watch a broadcast of Mr. Assad's speech on projection screens, at times booing and jeering, or calling "Liar!" and "Bush sends his greetings!"
The protesters, many dressed in white, waved Lebanese flags and called for "freedom, sovereignty and independence."
I wonder if that choice of words has anything to do with what our fine American soldier said when he captured Saddam in that spider hole.
They were about to execute a "clearing procedure" -- firing into the hole or dropping a grenade into it -- when someone saw upraised hands belonging to a bearded, bedraggled man. The man had a pistol but did not fire it.
When the soldiers assisted the man from the hole, he said, in English: "I am Saddam Hussein. I am the president of Iraq. I want to negotiate."
The soldiers replied: "President Bush sends his regards."
Hmmmmm.
A communist would never lie
I wonder how much the media will push this storyline on us:
Italian Journalist Rejects U.S. Account
ROME - The Italian journalist wounded by American troops in Iraq after her release by insurgents rejected the U.S. military's account of the shooting and declined Sunday to rule out the possibility she was deliberately targeted. The White House said it was a "horrific accident" and promised a full investigation...
Sgrena, who works for the communist daily Il Manifesto, did not rule out that she was targeted, saying the United States likely disapproved of Italy's methods to secure her release, although she did not elaborate.
"The fact that the Americans don't want negotiations to free the hostages is known," Sgrena told Sky TG24 television by telephone, her voice hoarse and shaky. "The fact that they do everything to prevent the adoption of this practice to save the lives of people held hostages, everybody knows that. So I don't see why I should rule out that I could have been the target."
I love the way she put this. She never said she was a target, only that she does not rule it out.
The U.S. military has said the car Sgrena was riding in was speeding, and Americans used hand and arm signals, flashing white lights and warning shots to get it to stop at the roadblock.
But in an interview with Italian La 7 TV, Sgrena said, "There was no bright light, no signal." She also said the car was traveling at "regular speed."
I find it difficult to believe that our troops shot at the car for no reason. Simply, put, I think she is full of crap. Here's my favorite part:
Suddenly, she said, she remembered her captors' words, when they warned her "to be careful because the Americans don't want you to return."
Sgrena wrote that her captors warned her as she was about to be released not to signal her presence to anyone, because "the Americans might intervene." She said her captors blindfolded her and drove her to a location where she was turned over to agents and they set off for the airport.
I would not be surprised if her kidnapping was staged. Never trust a Communist-sympathizer, nor anyone who rates a BBC puff piece.
Oh,, and via Little Green Footballs comes this howler contained in another left-wing teabag rag, the Guardian:
Sgrena told colleagues the vehicle was not travelling fast and had already passed several checkpoints on its way to the airport. The Americans shone a flashlight at the car and then fired between 300 and 400 bullets at if from an armoured vehicle.
Yeah, sure. If our people fired 300 to 400 bullets, no one would be around to talk about it now.
Italian Journalist Rejects U.S. Account
ROME - The Italian journalist wounded by American troops in Iraq after her release by insurgents rejected the U.S. military's account of the shooting and declined Sunday to rule out the possibility she was deliberately targeted. The White House said it was a "horrific accident" and promised a full investigation...
Sgrena, who works for the communist daily Il Manifesto, did not rule out that she was targeted, saying the United States likely disapproved of Italy's methods to secure her release, although she did not elaborate.
"The fact that the Americans don't want negotiations to free the hostages is known," Sgrena told Sky TG24 television by telephone, her voice hoarse and shaky. "The fact that they do everything to prevent the adoption of this practice to save the lives of people held hostages, everybody knows that. So I don't see why I should rule out that I could have been the target."
I love the way she put this. She never said she was a target, only that she does not rule it out.
The U.S. military has said the car Sgrena was riding in was speeding, and Americans used hand and arm signals, flashing white lights and warning shots to get it to stop at the roadblock.
But in an interview with Italian La 7 TV, Sgrena said, "There was no bright light, no signal." She also said the car was traveling at "regular speed."
I find it difficult to believe that our troops shot at the car for no reason. Simply, put, I think she is full of crap. Here's my favorite part:
Suddenly, she said, she remembered her captors' words, when they warned her "to be careful because the Americans don't want you to return."
Sgrena wrote that her captors warned her as she was about to be released not to signal her presence to anyone, because "the Americans might intervene." She said her captors blindfolded her and drove her to a location where she was turned over to agents and they set off for the airport.
I would not be surprised if her kidnapping was staged. Never trust a Communist-sympathizer, nor anyone who rates a BBC puff piece.
Oh,, and via Little Green Footballs comes this howler contained in another left-wing teabag rag, the Guardian:
Sgrena told colleagues the vehicle was not travelling fast and had already passed several checkpoints on its way to the airport. The Americans shone a flashlight at the car and then fired between 300 and 400 bullets at if from an armoured vehicle.
Yeah, sure. If our people fired 300 to 400 bullets, no one would be around to talk about it now.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Picture of the weekend
Bush is so incompetent...
...he can't even create terrorists in Iraq anymore.
Militants Scour Europe for Iraq Fighters
BERLIN - Islamic terror groups are becoming increasingly active in Germany and coordinating with militants across Europe to recruit fighters to join the insurgency in Iraq, equipping them with fake passports, money and medical supplies, security officials say.
Militants Scour Europe for Iraq Fighters
BERLIN - Islamic terror groups are becoming increasingly active in Germany and coordinating with militants across Europe to recruit fighters to join the insurgency in Iraq, equipping them with fake passports, money and medical supplies, security officials say.
Laugh of the weekend
I saw this at Powerline and laughed uncontrollably:
Niger cancels 'free-slave' event
The government of Niger has cancelled at the last minute a special ceremony during which at least 7,000 slaves were to be granted their freedom.
A spokesman for the government's human rights commission, which had helped to organise the event, said this was because slavery did not exist.
If slavery didn't exist, why schedule the event to begin with?
Niger cancels 'free-slave' event
The government of Niger has cancelled at the last minute a special ceremony during which at least 7,000 slaves were to be granted their freedom.
A spokesman for the government's human rights commission, which had helped to organise the event, said this was because slavery did not exist.
If slavery didn't exist, why schedule the event to begin with?
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Mark Steyn - Man of Brilliance
In a nutshell, this is why I think Mark Steyn is the top writer in the world today.
The other day I found myself, for the umpteenth time, driving in Vermont behind a Kerry/Edwards supporter whose vehicle also bore the slogan ‘FREE TIBET’. It must be great to be the guy with the printing contract for the ‘FREE TIBET’ stickers. Not so good to be the guy back in Tibet wondering when the freeing thereof will actually get under way. For a while, my otherwise not terribly political wife got extremely irritated by these stickers, demanding to know at a pancake breakfast at the local church what precisely some harmless hippy-dippy old neighbour of ours meant by the slogan he’d been proudly displaying decade in, decade out: ‘But what exactly are you doing to free Tibet?’ she demanded. ‘You’re not doing anything, are you?’ ‘Give the guy a break,’ I said back home. ‘He’s advertising his moral virtue, not calling for action. If Rumsfeld were to say, “Free Tibet? Jiminy, what a swell idea! The Third Infantry Division go in on Thursday”, the bumper-sticker crowd would be aghast.’
But for those of us on the arrogant unilateralist side of things, that’s not how it works. ‘FREE AFGHANISTAN’. Done. ‘FREE IRAQ’. Done. Given the paintwork I pull off every time I have to change the sticker, it might be easier for the remainder of the Bush presidency just to go around with ‘FREE [INSERT YOUR FETID TOTALITARIAN BASKET-CASE HERE]’. Not in your name? Don’t worry, it’s not.
A man of brilliance he is. Anyone want to dispute that?
[Update: I fixed the article, so I believe you do not have to register now. If you still do, or have have to register for site, don't. Go to Bug Me Not to get a login. I always do.]
The other day I found myself, for the umpteenth time, driving in Vermont behind a Kerry/Edwards supporter whose vehicle also bore the slogan ‘FREE TIBET’. It must be great to be the guy with the printing contract for the ‘FREE TIBET’ stickers. Not so good to be the guy back in Tibet wondering when the freeing thereof will actually get under way. For a while, my otherwise not terribly political wife got extremely irritated by these stickers, demanding to know at a pancake breakfast at the local church what precisely some harmless hippy-dippy old neighbour of ours meant by the slogan he’d been proudly displaying decade in, decade out: ‘But what exactly are you doing to free Tibet?’ she demanded. ‘You’re not doing anything, are you?’ ‘Give the guy a break,’ I said back home. ‘He’s advertising his moral virtue, not calling for action. If Rumsfeld were to say, “Free Tibet? Jiminy, what a swell idea! The Third Infantry Division go in on Thursday”, the bumper-sticker crowd would be aghast.’
But for those of us on the arrogant unilateralist side of things, that’s not how it works. ‘FREE AFGHANISTAN’. Done. ‘FREE IRAQ’. Done. Given the paintwork I pull off every time I have to change the sticker, it might be easier for the remainder of the Bush presidency just to go around with ‘FREE [INSERT YOUR FETID TOTALITARIAN BASKET-CASE HERE]’. Not in your name? Don’t worry, it’s not.
A man of brilliance he is. Anyone want to dispute that?
[Update: I fixed the article, so I believe you do not have to register now. If you still do, or have have to register for site, don't. Go to Bug Me Not to get a login. I always do.]
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
The UN Fights Back
Wanna bash Bush? Just run a poll
I cannot believe how many anti-Bush stories are based on polls. I just love this headline in the New York Times:
New Poll Finds Bush Priorities Are Out of Step With Americans
Americans say President Bush does not share the priorities of most of the country on either domestic or foreign issues, are increasingly resistant to his proposal to revamp Social Security and say they are uneasy with Mr. Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the retirement program, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
Yeah, OK. We are supposed to trust a poll by the 2 biggest Bush-defamers out there. (By the way, whatever happened to that "300 tons of missing weapons" story these two put out there a week before the election?) For laughs, let me analyze a few parts:
Still, 42 percent now say that Mr. Bush would have been better off trying to counter the threat of North Korea before invading Iraq, compared with 45 percent who think Mr. Bush was correct to focus first on Iraq.
If we went after North Korea first, the poll would have said we should have gone after Iraq first. This is a waste of a paragraph.
Four months after Mr. Bush won a solid re-election over Senator John Kerry, 63 percent of respondents say the president has different priorities on domestic issues than most Americans.
And that means...what? Bush has different priorities than me too. So what?
Asked to chose among five domestic issues facing the country, respondents rated Social Security third - behind jobs and health care.
Shocking! A New York Times/CBS polls finds that Americans' priorities are exactly the same as the Democratic Party platfrom.
And nearly 50 percent said Democrats were more likely to make the right decisions about Social Security, compared with 31 percent who said the same thing about Republicans.
Must be the same "nearly 50 percent" who voted for Kerry.
Lisa Delaune, 37, a student from Houston and a member of the Green Party, said in a follow-up interview, "My opinion is that the president favors big business over the health and well-being and overall stability of the entire American population."
Exactly what one would expect from a Green Party member. Does anyone take those people seriously outside of the Times?
And Mr. Bush does not appear to be much more in step with the nation on what the White House has long viewed as his strong suit: 58 percent of respondents said the White House did not share the foreign affairs priorities of most Americans.
4 months ago, Bush was re-elected. Yet, overwhelming majorities are against both his foreign and domestic policies. Why believe the vote totals when polling says otherwise?
And here's a Times staple: Someone who voted for Bush who disagrees with him.
"I don't think he's listening to the people concerning Social Security," said Beverly Workman, a West Virginia Democrat who said she voted for Mr. Bush. "I think the public wants him to leave it alone."
This is my absolute favorite part:
On North Korea, 81 percent said that that nation does indeed now have nuclear weapons.
We need to have a poll to decide if North Korea has nukes or not? Oh, please. Let me leave you with one of my favorite cartoons, which tells you all you need to know about polling.
New Poll Finds Bush Priorities Are Out of Step With Americans
Americans say President Bush does not share the priorities of most of the country on either domestic or foreign issues, are increasingly resistant to his proposal to revamp Social Security and say they are uneasy with Mr. Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the retirement program, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
Yeah, OK. We are supposed to trust a poll by the 2 biggest Bush-defamers out there. (By the way, whatever happened to that "300 tons of missing weapons" story these two put out there a week before the election?) For laughs, let me analyze a few parts:
Still, 42 percent now say that Mr. Bush would have been better off trying to counter the threat of North Korea before invading Iraq, compared with 45 percent who think Mr. Bush was correct to focus first on Iraq.
If we went after North Korea first, the poll would have said we should have gone after Iraq first. This is a waste of a paragraph.
Four months after Mr. Bush won a solid re-election over Senator John Kerry, 63 percent of respondents say the president has different priorities on domestic issues than most Americans.
And that means...what? Bush has different priorities than me too. So what?
Asked to chose among five domestic issues facing the country, respondents rated Social Security third - behind jobs and health care.
Shocking! A New York Times/CBS polls finds that Americans' priorities are exactly the same as the Democratic Party platfrom.
And nearly 50 percent said Democrats were more likely to make the right decisions about Social Security, compared with 31 percent who said the same thing about Republicans.
Must be the same "nearly 50 percent" who voted for Kerry.
Lisa Delaune, 37, a student from Houston and a member of the Green Party, said in a follow-up interview, "My opinion is that the president favors big business over the health and well-being and overall stability of the entire American population."
Exactly what one would expect from a Green Party member. Does anyone take those people seriously outside of the Times?
And Mr. Bush does not appear to be much more in step with the nation on what the White House has long viewed as his strong suit: 58 percent of respondents said the White House did not share the foreign affairs priorities of most Americans.
4 months ago, Bush was re-elected. Yet, overwhelming majorities are against both his foreign and domestic policies. Why believe the vote totals when polling says otherwise?
And here's a Times staple: Someone who voted for Bush who disagrees with him.
"I don't think he's listening to the people concerning Social Security," said Beverly Workman, a West Virginia Democrat who said she voted for Mr. Bush. "I think the public wants him to leave it alone."
This is my absolute favorite part:
On North Korea, 81 percent said that that nation does indeed now have nuclear weapons.
We need to have a poll to decide if North Korea has nukes or not? Oh, please. Let me leave you with one of my favorite cartoons, which tells you all you need to know about polling.
Teaching tomfoolery in Berkeley
Betsy, one of my favorite bloggers, who I am sure is a fine teacher, has this revealing post about how Berkeley high school teachers are taking out their contract woes on their students. Read it.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
The Constitution? The Supreme Court once heard of it
Were I a legislator, I would certainly vote for a law that banned the death penalty for those who committed the offense before they were 18. (Just like I would vote to disallow abortions by those under 18 without parental consent) If all I cared about were the outcome, I would not have a problem with the outcome of Roper v. Simmons, in which the Supreme Court (only 16 years after saying otherwise) found that executing those under 18 is unconstitutional.
Read Kennedy's majority opinion, especially Part IV. (And, especially read Scalia's brilliant-as-usual dissent) I do not care much for the "national consensus" rationale, but I can deal with that. What I really despise is the Court citing international treaties, especially ones that we are not a signatory to. Here's an example of what I mean, from Kennedy's opinion:
Our determination that the death penalty is disproportionate punishment for offenders under 18 finds confirmation in the stark reality that the United States is the only country in the world that continues to give official sanction to the juvenile death penalty. This reality does not become controlling, for the task of interpreting the Eighth Amendment remains our responsibility....
It is proper that we acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion against the juvenile death penalty, resting in large part on the understanding that the instability and emotional imbalance of young people may often be a factor in the crime. See Brief for Human Rights Committee of the Bar of England and Wales et al. as Amici Curiae 10.11. The opinion of the world community, while not controlling our outcome, does provide respected and significant confirmation for our own conclusions.
Not controlling? Yeah, right. At least he admits that the world community provides confirmation for the opinion. There is no hiding that, so he might as well say it. I especially find it troubling that Kennedy cited the U.N. Convention on the Rights of a Child, because the United States has not ratified it, and because of the way the U.N. themselves treat young girls all across the world. Perhaps Kennedy should instead lecture Kofi Annan on that treaty, and not us. Kennedy is a judge, not a legislator. His reasoning and justifications are those of lawmakers, and it is disgraceful. Like I said, I agree with the outcome, but no one voted for Kennedy to make the law.
And get this part. Someone needs to remind Kennedy that we kicked the British out of here a long time ago, and that Parliament does not make our laws.
Though the international covenants prohibiting the juvenile death penalty are of more recent date, it is instructive to note that the United Kingdom abolished the juvenile death penalty before these covenants came into being. The United Kingdom's experience bears particular relevance here in light of the historic ties between our countries and in light of the Eighth Amendment's own origins. The Amendment was modeled on a parallel provision in the English Declaration of Rights of 1689, which provided: "[E]xcessive Bail ought not to be required nor excessive Fines imposed; nor cruel and unusuall Punishments inflicted." As of now, the United Kingdom has abolished the death penalty in its entirety; but, decades before it took this step, it recognized the disproportionate nature of the juvenile death penalty; and it abolished that penalty as a separate matter. In 1930 an official committee recommended that the minimum age for execution be raised to 21. House of Commons Report from the Select Committee on Capital Punishment (1930), 193, p. 44. Parliament then enacted the Children and Young Person's Act of 1933, which prevented execution of those aged 18 at the date of the sentence. And in 1948, Parliament enacted the Criminal Justice Act, prohibiting the execution of any person under 18 at the time of the offense. In the 56 years that have passed since the United Kingdom abolished the juvenile death penalty, the weight of authority against it there, and in the international community, has become well established. (citations omitted)
I cannot believe that our Supreme Court is citing to what the House of Commons said on the issue 75 years ago. That is beyond ridiculous. Our law may derive from English law, but that surely does not mean that English Law should have any relevance now.
One more thing. What exactly is Kennedy talking about here?
"When a juvenile offender commits a heinous crime, the state can exact forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties, but the state cannot extinguish his life and his potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity."
What does that mean? Is that a legal concept? At best, it sounds like something a legislator might say when trying to get votes on his side. (Granted, as a law student I should not be criticizing Kennedy like this, but I suspect if I offered this exact sentence as reasoning in a paper, my professor would flunk me.) That part is really interesting especially in light of the first paragraph of the first part of Kennedy's opinion.
Simmons proposed to commit burglary and murder by breaking and entering, tying up a victim, and throwing the victim off a bridge. Simmons assured his friends they could "get away with it" because they were minors.
Sure seems to me that Simmons had a mature understanding of his own [in]humanity.
Kennedy lets loose this howler too:
Over time, from one generation to the next, the Constitution has come to earn the high respect and even, as Madison dared to hope, the veneration of the American people.
Yeah, everyone except Kennedy and 4 other justices on the Court.
And one more thing:
Enough about Kennedy. Justice Scalia says it best:
The Court thus proclaims itself sole arbiter of our Nation's moral standards--and in the course of discharging that awesome responsibility purports to take guidance from the views of foreign courts and legislatures. Because I do not believe that the meaning of our Eighth Amendment, any more than the meaning of other provisions of our Constitution, should be determined by the subjective views of five Members of this Court and like-minded foreigners, I dissent.
And more of Scalia's briliance:
The Court should either profess its willingness to reconsider all these matters in light of the views of foreigners, or else it should cease putting forth foreigners' views as part of the reasoned basis of its decisions. To invoke alien law when it agrees with one's own thinking, and ignore it otherwise, is not reasoned decisionmaking, but sophistry.
The Wall Street Journal has this terrific editorial on this.
Orin Kerr offers some good analysis here.
Even the Harvard guys at Ex Post, who agree with the outcome as I do, see Kennedy's opinion as indefensible. {ed. They are from Columbia, not Harvard)
[Update: A law school classmate e-mailed to tell me that the Court only uses the international cases and treaties when interpreting 8th Amendment. That is incorrect. They have used it in Due Process and Equal Protection cases too]
[Update II: Ex Post are from Columbia. Ex Parte are the Harvard guys. I regret the error.]
Read Kennedy's majority opinion, especially Part IV. (And, especially read Scalia's brilliant-as-usual dissent) I do not care much for the "national consensus" rationale, but I can deal with that. What I really despise is the Court citing international treaties, especially ones that we are not a signatory to. Here's an example of what I mean, from Kennedy's opinion:
Our determination that the death penalty is disproportionate punishment for offenders under 18 finds confirmation in the stark reality that the United States is the only country in the world that continues to give official sanction to the juvenile death penalty. This reality does not become controlling, for the task of interpreting the Eighth Amendment remains our responsibility....
It is proper that we acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion against the juvenile death penalty, resting in large part on the understanding that the instability and emotional imbalance of young people may often be a factor in the crime. See Brief for Human Rights Committee of the Bar of England and Wales et al. as Amici Curiae 10.11. The opinion of the world community, while not controlling our outcome, does provide respected and significant confirmation for our own conclusions.
Not controlling? Yeah, right. At least he admits that the world community provides confirmation for the opinion. There is no hiding that, so he might as well say it. I especially find it troubling that Kennedy cited the U.N. Convention on the Rights of a Child, because the United States has not ratified it, and because of the way the U.N. themselves treat young girls all across the world. Perhaps Kennedy should instead lecture Kofi Annan on that treaty, and not us. Kennedy is a judge, not a legislator. His reasoning and justifications are those of lawmakers, and it is disgraceful. Like I said, I agree with the outcome, but no one voted for Kennedy to make the law.
And get this part. Someone needs to remind Kennedy that we kicked the British out of here a long time ago, and that Parliament does not make our laws.
Though the international covenants prohibiting the juvenile death penalty are of more recent date, it is instructive to note that the United Kingdom abolished the juvenile death penalty before these covenants came into being. The United Kingdom's experience bears particular relevance here in light of the historic ties between our countries and in light of the Eighth Amendment's own origins. The Amendment was modeled on a parallel provision in the English Declaration of Rights of 1689, which provided: "[E]xcessive Bail ought not to be required nor excessive Fines imposed; nor cruel and unusuall Punishments inflicted." As of now, the United Kingdom has abolished the death penalty in its entirety; but, decades before it took this step, it recognized the disproportionate nature of the juvenile death penalty; and it abolished that penalty as a separate matter. In 1930 an official committee recommended that the minimum age for execution be raised to 21. House of Commons Report from the Select Committee on Capital Punishment (1930), 193, p. 44. Parliament then enacted the Children and Young Person's Act of 1933, which prevented execution of those aged 18 at the date of the sentence. And in 1948, Parliament enacted the Criminal Justice Act, prohibiting the execution of any person under 18 at the time of the offense. In the 56 years that have passed since the United Kingdom abolished the juvenile death penalty, the weight of authority against it there, and in the international community, has become well established. (citations omitted)
I cannot believe that our Supreme Court is citing to what the House of Commons said on the issue 75 years ago. That is beyond ridiculous. Our law may derive from English law, but that surely does not mean that English Law should have any relevance now.
One more thing. What exactly is Kennedy talking about here?
"When a juvenile offender commits a heinous crime, the state can exact forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties, but the state cannot extinguish his life and his potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity."
What does that mean? Is that a legal concept? At best, it sounds like something a legislator might say when trying to get votes on his side. (Granted, as a law student I should not be criticizing Kennedy like this, but I suspect if I offered this exact sentence as reasoning in a paper, my professor would flunk me.) That part is really interesting especially in light of the first paragraph of the first part of Kennedy's opinion.
Simmons proposed to commit burglary and murder by breaking and entering, tying up a victim, and throwing the victim off a bridge. Simmons assured his friends they could "get away with it" because they were minors.
Sure seems to me that Simmons had a mature understanding of his own [in]humanity.
Kennedy lets loose this howler too:
Over time, from one generation to the next, the Constitution has come to earn the high respect and even, as Madison dared to hope, the veneration of the American people.
Yeah, everyone except Kennedy and 4 other justices on the Court.
And one more thing:
Enough about Kennedy. Justice Scalia says it best:
The Court thus proclaims itself sole arbiter of our Nation's moral standards--and in the course of discharging that awesome responsibility purports to take guidance from the views of foreign courts and legislatures. Because I do not believe that the meaning of our Eighth Amendment, any more than the meaning of other provisions of our Constitution, should be determined by the subjective views of five Members of this Court and like-minded foreigners, I dissent.
And more of Scalia's briliance:
The Court should either profess its willingness to reconsider all these matters in light of the views of foreigners, or else it should cease putting forth foreigners' views as part of the reasoned basis of its decisions. To invoke alien law when it agrees with one's own thinking, and ignore it otherwise, is not reasoned decisionmaking, but sophistry.
The Wall Street Journal has this terrific editorial on this.
Orin Kerr offers some good analysis here.
Even the Harvard guys at Ex Post, who agree with the outcome as I do, see Kennedy's opinion as indefensible. {ed. They are from Columbia, not Harvard)
[Update: A law school classmate e-mailed to tell me that the Court only uses the international cases and treaties when interpreting 8th Amendment. That is incorrect. They have used it in Due Process and Equal Protection cases too]
[Update II: Ex Post are from Columbia. Ex Parte are the Harvard guys. I regret the error.]
A 12-year run is over
After tonight, I can no longer say that I missed every single episode of NYPD Blue.
'NYPD Blue' Signing Off After 12 Seasons
I never watched the show. Not once. Perhpas the prospect of seeing Dennis Franz's ass scared me away.
'NYPD Blue' Signing Off After 12 Seasons
I never watched the show. Not once. Perhpas the prospect of seeing Dennis Franz's ass scared me away.
Hypocrisy of the Highest Order
Read this quote:
[The university] released a statement Tuesday that said the "case is not one of academic freedom, but rather one of inappropriate behavior outside the classroom by a university professional. His attitude was threatening and disrespectful to students."
Ward Churchill? Of course not. Read this.
[The university] released a statement Tuesday that said the "case is not one of academic freedom, but rather one of inappropriate behavior outside the classroom by a university professional. His attitude was threatening and disrespectful to students."
Ward Churchill? Of course not. Read this.
America-bashing only goes so far
Sooner or later, Gerhard Schroeder will be gone. He got himself into office by bashing America, and now the Germans are reaping everything they deserve.
German jobless rate at new record
The figure of 5.216 million people, or 12.6% of the working-age population, is the highest jobless rate in Europe's biggest economy since the 1930s.
Here's my favorite part:
The German government insists its efforts to tackle the stubbornly-high levels of joblessness with a range of labour market reforms are only just getting under way.
The core is the "Hartz-IV" programme introduced in January to shake up welfare benefits and push people back into work - even if some of the jobs are heavily subsidised.
So, basically, the same welfare paid out, only they get to say the jobless rate is lower. This is what Socialism is, and why it has failed everywhere it has been tried.
My feelings can be summed up in a word that all Germans understand: schadenfreude
German jobless rate at new record
The figure of 5.216 million people, or 12.6% of the working-age population, is the highest jobless rate in Europe's biggest economy since the 1930s.
Here's my favorite part:
The German government insists its efforts to tackle the stubbornly-high levels of joblessness with a range of labour market reforms are only just getting under way.
The core is the "Hartz-IV" programme introduced in January to shake up welfare benefits and push people back into work - even if some of the jobs are heavily subsidised.
So, basically, the same welfare paid out, only they get to say the jobless rate is lower. This is what Socialism is, and why it has failed everywhere it has been tried.
My feelings can be summed up in a word that all Germans understand: schadenfreude
Your tax dollars at work
Data Suggest Obesity Is Rampant in NFL
Really? My eyes have been telling me the same thing for years. Have you seen Corey Simon lately? Or Gilbert Brown?
Next thing you know, they'll have a study telling us that hockey players have higher dental bills than the average.
Really? My eyes have been telling me the same thing for years. Have you seen Corey Simon lately? Or Gilbert Brown?
Next thing you know, they'll have a study telling us that hockey players have higher dental bills than the average.
Star Wars Episode III Fan Trailer
Someone was kind enough to send me this link to a fan-created trailer for Revenge of the Sith. Hurry up and watch it before George Lucas has his legion of stormtroopers, er, lawyers, shut the site down.
The trailer is pretty awesome. I have seen all kinds of spoiler pictures, and some small video clips too. I'd love to know how this guy got these shots from the film. Inside job, perhaps? (Oh, and General Grevious looks like one mean mother-shut your mouth!)
By the way, someone tell that greedy bastard George Lucas that if he hasn't gotten tired of extracting my money from me (along with millions of other suckers), that I have a great idea for him. Release the original trilogy in its original form on DVD. None of those idiotic "Greedo shoots first" re-edits, or changing Darth Vader's dialogue from a pissed-off "Bring my shuttle" to "Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival." That should make him another $50 million or so a lot quicker than selling worthless Mon Motha action figures.
The trailer is pretty awesome. I have seen all kinds of spoiler pictures, and some small video clips too. I'd love to know how this guy got these shots from the film. Inside job, perhaps? (Oh, and General Grevious looks like one mean mother-shut your mouth!)
By the way, someone tell that greedy bastard George Lucas that if he hasn't gotten tired of extracting my money from me (along with millions of other suckers), that I have a great idea for him. Release the original trilogy in its original form on DVD. None of those idiotic "Greedo shoots first" re-edits, or changing Darth Vader's dialogue from a pissed-off "Bring my shuttle" to "Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival." That should make him another $50 million or so a lot quicker than selling worthless Mon Motha action figures.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
The sad state that is my life...again
It is near Midnight Saturday. I am out at a bar or seeing a movie like a normal human being? Of course not. I am home, watching a homemade documentary I downloaded called Deleted Magic, which is cut into 10 video clips. And, I am reading a BBS bulletin board (via Google) full of posts made, are you ready for this, 1984 and 1985!!
All I can say is that it is better to be a no-life loser in 2005 than it was in 1985.
Oh well. At least I had a better day than Maurice Clarett.
All I can say is that it is better to be a no-life loser in 2005 than it was in 1985.
Oh well. At least I had a better day than Maurice Clarett.
Good reading
Philly Inquirer John Grogan columnist has changed his mind about Terri Schiavo. If you think Schiavo should be left there to starve to death, perhaps this column may give you pause.
These guys are scum but...
...even they deserve fundamental fairness when it comes to the criminal justice system.
New trial for skinheads
OTTAWA (CP) - A group of neo-Nazi skinheads should face renewed prosecution on charges of inciting hatred against Roma refugee claimants, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Thursday.
The defendants were acquitted in 1999 by a Toronto trial judge who cited legal confusion between the terms Roma and Gypsy - names usually taken as synonymous.
The Supreme Court, in a 9-0 verdict, threw out the acquittals and ordered a new trial.
Justice Louise Charron, writing for the court, said the original judge "misdirected himself" by focusing on narrow technical issues rather than on the evidence as a whole.
So the constable has blundered, therefore the state should get a second bite at the apple. Luckily, for all of us here in this country, we have the Double Jeopardy Clause, which bars this type of outcome. Remember this when you think that Canada is somehow more enlightened than we are.
New trial for skinheads
OTTAWA (CP) - A group of neo-Nazi skinheads should face renewed prosecution on charges of inciting hatred against Roma refugee claimants, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Thursday.
The defendants were acquitted in 1999 by a Toronto trial judge who cited legal confusion between the terms Roma and Gypsy - names usually taken as synonymous.
The Supreme Court, in a 9-0 verdict, threw out the acquittals and ordered a new trial.
Justice Louise Charron, writing for the court, said the original judge "misdirected himself" by focusing on narrow technical issues rather than on the evidence as a whole.
So the constable has blundered, therefore the state should get a second bite at the apple. Luckily, for all of us here in this country, we have the Double Jeopardy Clause, which bars this type of outcome. Remember this when you think that Canada is somehow more enlightened than we are.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Socialized Medicine Anyone?
Anyone who thinks that the government should control our health care should read this article.
How sweet it is - Girl eats real food for first time in 7 1/2 years after doctors at Stanford solve mystery
The mystery wasn't too hard to solve. Nothing was wrong with her. This poor little girl has had a big part of her childhood stolen.
How sweet it is - Girl eats real food for first time in 7 1/2 years after doctors at Stanford solve mystery
The mystery wasn't too hard to solve. Nothing was wrong with her. This poor little girl has had a big part of her childhood stolen.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Woe Canada
I had to laugh when I read this headline.
Canada Opts Out of U.S. Defense Shield
TORONTO - Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday that Canada would not join the contentious U.S. missile defense program, a decision that will further strain brittle relations between the neighbors but please Canadians who fear it could lead to an international arms race.
That will make the Canuck leftists quite happy. Sadly, they fail to understand that so our enemies, hitting Toronto would be as good as hitting Seattle.
The Bush administration has tried to make a public show of understanding that Martin heads up a minority government that could fall over such a contentious debate. But after the announcement, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci told reporters he was perplexed over Canada's decision, which he said effectively allows Washington to decide what to do if a missile was headed toward Canada.
"We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty — its seat at the table — to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada," said the outgoing ambassador, who had vigorously urged Canada to sign on the plan.
Canada has already given up its sovereignty to us. They have since they let theri military turn into a pathetic wasteland. Besides, they know exactly what we would do if they were attacked. We would defend them as if it were ourselves.
Here''s the best part:
Martin, ending nearly two years of debate over whether Canada should participate in the development or operation of the multibillion-dollar program, insisted his decision had not relinquished Canada's sovereignty over its airspace and that Ottawa would expect to be consulted what to do about any missile passing over Canada.
"We are certainly intending to defend our sovereignty and our air space and if anything develops in our air space, we expect, as a sovereign state, to be notified and have influence on any decisions," he said. "Canada's a sovereign nation and we would expect and insist on being consulted on any intrusion into our air space."
Canada is free-riding off of us, pure and simple. Thansk to their ridiculous socialism, they can't afford it. But why say that when you can pander to the gutless, government-dependent Canadian voters?
Canada Opts Out of U.S. Defense Shield
TORONTO - Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday that Canada would not join the contentious U.S. missile defense program, a decision that will further strain brittle relations between the neighbors but please Canadians who fear it could lead to an international arms race.
That will make the Canuck leftists quite happy. Sadly, they fail to understand that so our enemies, hitting Toronto would be as good as hitting Seattle.
The Bush administration has tried to make a public show of understanding that Martin heads up a minority government that could fall over such a contentious debate. But after the announcement, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci told reporters he was perplexed over Canada's decision, which he said effectively allows Washington to decide what to do if a missile was headed toward Canada.
"We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty — its seat at the table — to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada," said the outgoing ambassador, who had vigorously urged Canada to sign on the plan.
Canada has already given up its sovereignty to us. They have since they let theri military turn into a pathetic wasteland. Besides, they know exactly what we would do if they were attacked. We would defend them as if it were ourselves.
Here''s the best part:
Martin, ending nearly two years of debate over whether Canada should participate in the development or operation of the multibillion-dollar program, insisted his decision had not relinquished Canada's sovereignty over its airspace and that Ottawa would expect to be consulted what to do about any missile passing over Canada.
"We are certainly intending to defend our sovereignty and our air space and if anything develops in our air space, we expect, as a sovereign state, to be notified and have influence on any decisions," he said. "Canada's a sovereign nation and we would expect and insist on being consulted on any intrusion into our air space."
Canada is free-riding off of us, pure and simple. Thansk to their ridiculous socialism, they can't afford it. But why say that when you can pander to the gutless, government-dependent Canadian voters?
Picture of the day
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
More, please
Everyone who reads this page knows I rip the New York Times often. If the New York Times ran columns like this with the same vigor they vilify Bush and pound Abu Gharib over our heads, I would never say a word about them. The Times is a powerful paper, and this Nicholas Kristof column is the proper way to use that power.
Read it.
Read it.
This headline is four words too long
Los Angeles seeks to be declared disaster area after storms kill nine
If they had stopped at, "Los Angeles seeks to be declared disaster area" I would have been all for it.
If they had stopped at, "Los Angeles seeks to be declared disaster area" I would have been all for it.
Misleading headline of the day
Fla. Right-To-Die Case Goes Back to Court
This isn't about the right to die. It's about preventing her husband, who has moved on with his life, from having the state sanction her death. A huge difference.
This isn't about the right to die. It's about preventing her husband, who has moved on with his life, from having the state sanction her death. A huge difference.
Headline I just couldn't ignore
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
This is outrageous
Imagine the outcry if a judge ordered a dog not to be fed and placed in a room to waste away until the dog died...
Imagine the outcry if a terrorist killed 30 Americans and was ordered to sit in a cell at Guantanamo Bay until he starved to death...
Can't you easily imagine it? Then why isn't there any serious outcry about Terri Schiavo?
Court clears the way for husband to remove tube
A Florida appeals court has cleared the way for the husband of Terri Schiavo to remove the feeding tube that has been keeping her alive for 15 years.
The attorney representing Terri's husband had said Michael Schiavo will act as soon as legally permissible to have doctors remove the tube.
Michael Schiavo said his wife wouldn't want to be kept alive artificially. But her parents believe she could improve with proper therapy, and they've fought to keep her alive.
There is some serious doubt here. If it were me, I would not want to be kept alive. But it isn't me sitting in that hospital room. In the absence of her clearly expressed wishes, I cannot believe anyone could let this woman waste away like this in good conscience.
Imagine the outcry if a terrorist killed 30 Americans and was ordered to sit in a cell at Guantanamo Bay until he starved to death...
Can't you easily imagine it? Then why isn't there any serious outcry about Terri Schiavo?
Court clears the way for husband to remove tube
A Florida appeals court has cleared the way for the husband of Terri Schiavo to remove the feeding tube that has been keeping her alive for 15 years.
The attorney representing Terri's husband had said Michael Schiavo will act as soon as legally permissible to have doctors remove the tube.
Michael Schiavo said his wife wouldn't want to be kept alive artificially. But her parents believe she could improve with proper therapy, and they've fought to keep her alive.
There is some serious doubt here. If it were me, I would not want to be kept alive. But it isn't me sitting in that hospital room. In the absence of her clearly expressed wishes, I cannot believe anyone could let this woman waste away like this in good conscience.
The U.N. has a blog
I'll be sure not to read the U.N.'s new blog at least three times a day. But I will mention this post:
UN: 1 in 12 Children Worldwide Involved in Child Labor
I wonder if that 1 in 12 number includes all the children that U.N. personnel are raping in the Congo and other places.
UN: 1 in 12 Children Worldwide Involved in Child Labor
I wonder if that 1 in 12 number includes all the children that U.N. personnel are raping in the Congo and other places.
Democracy and Freedom for Me, But Not For Thee
The tomfoolery from the Associated Press never stops:
Poll Shows Doubts Over Bush Democracy Push
WASHINGTON - President Bush is calling on European leaders to support his campaign to spread democracy abroad at a time people in many of those countries have doubts whether that should be the U.S. role in the world, Associated Press polling found.
A majority of people in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain said they thought it should not be the U.S. role to spread democracy, according to AP-Ipsos polls. A majority of those living in Canada, Mexico and South Korea also disagreed with that role.
The first thing that comes to mind is, "Who gives a damn what they think?" And then I say, "If not the U.S., then who?" And then I say, "They've got a lot of balls."
Just take a look at the countries listed. Democracy would not exist in any of them if it weren't for us. We saved France twice. We rebuilt Germany. South Korea would be no different from Communist North Korea if it weren't for people like my grandfather. Canada free rides off of our military. Mexico would collapse if we closed the borders. Spain is filled with gutless worms who hid under their blankets after one bomb. Like it or not, they are in the position to criticize us because we put them in it. Great Britian and Italy are a real friends, with great leaders, so I don't get their attitude at all.
South Koreans really make me laugh. Want to get them angry? Tell them Americans are going to stay on the bases we have there. Want to get them angrier? Tell them we are leaving.
Resistance to Bush's plans to promote democracy abroad was strongest in France, with 84 percent saying the United States should not play that role, according to the polling conducted for the Associated Press by Ipsos, an international polling firm.
What does France think, that they should play the leadership role? Why doesn't someone ask them how that Ivory Coast thing is working out?
I suggest you read this interview with the last person from the Warsaw Ghetto that is still alive. He gave it last year. This says it all:
Interviewer: But there are people who say it's not our business.
Edelman: And whose business is it? Every war with fascism is our business. In 1939 there were also many people who said that the war in Poland was not their war, and what happened? Great nations fell because politicians listened to those who were saying that it's not worth dying for Gdansk [Danzig]. If only we'd intervened militarily after Hitler re-entered Rhineland we probably would not have had the war and the Holocaust.
Interviewer: Many people do understand that, but they don't understand why the Americans have to go to the other side of the world and fight over Iraq now.
Edelman: And why did they go to Europe then? Who defeated Hitler and saved Europe from fascism? The French? No, the Americans did. We thanked them then because they saved us. Today we criticise them because they're saving somebody else.
Amen.
Poll Shows Doubts Over Bush Democracy Push
WASHINGTON - President Bush is calling on European leaders to support his campaign to spread democracy abroad at a time people in many of those countries have doubts whether that should be the U.S. role in the world, Associated Press polling found.
A majority of people in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain said they thought it should not be the U.S. role to spread democracy, according to AP-Ipsos polls. A majority of those living in Canada, Mexico and South Korea also disagreed with that role.
The first thing that comes to mind is, "Who gives a damn what they think?" And then I say, "If not the U.S., then who?" And then I say, "They've got a lot of balls."
Just take a look at the countries listed. Democracy would not exist in any of them if it weren't for us. We saved France twice. We rebuilt Germany. South Korea would be no different from Communist North Korea if it weren't for people like my grandfather. Canada free rides off of our military. Mexico would collapse if we closed the borders. Spain is filled with gutless worms who hid under their blankets after one bomb. Like it or not, they are in the position to criticize us because we put them in it. Great Britian and Italy are a real friends, with great leaders, so I don't get their attitude at all.
South Koreans really make me laugh. Want to get them angry? Tell them Americans are going to stay on the bases we have there. Want to get them angrier? Tell them we are leaving.
Resistance to Bush's plans to promote democracy abroad was strongest in France, with 84 percent saying the United States should not play that role, according to the polling conducted for the Associated Press by Ipsos, an international polling firm.
What does France think, that they should play the leadership role? Why doesn't someone ask them how that Ivory Coast thing is working out?
I suggest you read this interview with the last person from the Warsaw Ghetto that is still alive. He gave it last year. This says it all:
Interviewer: But there are people who say it's not our business.
Edelman: And whose business is it? Every war with fascism is our business. In 1939 there were also many people who said that the war in Poland was not their war, and what happened? Great nations fell because politicians listened to those who were saying that it's not worth dying for Gdansk [Danzig]. If only we'd intervened militarily after Hitler re-entered Rhineland we probably would not have had the war and the Holocaust.
Interviewer: Many people do understand that, but they don't understand why the Americans have to go to the other side of the world and fight over Iraq now.
Edelman: And why did they go to Europe then? Who defeated Hitler and saved Europe from fascism? The French? No, the Americans did. We thanked them then because they saved us. Today we criticise them because they're saving somebody else.
Amen.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Typical of my life
It's 11:00 MST and at 10:00 am tomorrow at law school I have to argue a motion in limine to exclude character evidence. What have been doing for the last 2 hours or so? Reading cases and preparing? Of course not. Instead, I have been reading this thread where dopes like me speculate on the origins of The Death Star, and how Darth Vader conducted the London Symphony Orchestra when they did The Imperial March.
Also, I keep a clock on my desktop that counts down until Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith opens. Currently it says: 85 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes and 12 seconds. (Get your own here)
That, my friends, is my life in a nutshell. Stephanie thinks I'm nuts. She's right.
Also, I keep a clock on my desktop that counts down until Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith opens. Currently it says: 85 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes and 12 seconds. (Get your own here)
That, my friends, is my life in a nutshell. Stephanie thinks I'm nuts. She's right.
Tomorrow is the day
Tomorrow the Supreme Court will hear the most important civil rights case of the year, Kelo v. New London. If you are as interested in property rights as I am, you should watch the outcome of this case very carefully. One day it might be your home being given to a developer for less than a fair price.
Read my previous diatribe about this case here.
Here's some more information about the issue.
Read my previous diatribe about this case here.
Here's some more information about the issue.
Time to play some serious hardball
League hopes for deal by May
The Sports Network of Canada (TSN) is reporting the NHL board of governors will meet March 1 in New York City to discuss its next step in trying to resolve a labor dispute that has canceled the entire 2004-05 season.
The NHL Players' Association also plans to meet in the next month but president Trevor Linden admits he isn't sure what will happen there.
"It's uncharted territories, where we go from here I don't think anyone is quite sure," Linden said.
The league and commissioner Gary Bettman would prefer a deal be in place by May. It would not only allow sufficient time to save the NHL entry draft, held every year in late June, but also give teams and the league plenty of opportunity to reach out to fans and corporate sponsors and market new rules meant to open up the game.
The players' timeline could be a little different. They aren't due a paycheck until next October.
"I'm not sure that I would sense that sense of urgency," NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin told TSN when asked about the league's wish to settle before the draft.
How about this? The NHL should bust up the players union. Declare an impasse, and open up training camps to anyone who wants to show and play under a salary cap. Do exactly what the NFL did in 1987 and what the MLB owners chickened out of doing in 1995. Use replacement players, strike-breakers, whoever. I am beyond aggravated with both sides, but I am realistic. The money just isn't there to pay the NHL players like they're in the NBA or NFL. The sooners those cementheads understand that, the better.
The Sports Network of Canada (TSN) is reporting the NHL board of governors will meet March 1 in New York City to discuss its next step in trying to resolve a labor dispute that has canceled the entire 2004-05 season.
The NHL Players' Association also plans to meet in the next month but president Trevor Linden admits he isn't sure what will happen there.
"It's uncharted territories, where we go from here I don't think anyone is quite sure," Linden said.
The league and commissioner Gary Bettman would prefer a deal be in place by May. It would not only allow sufficient time to save the NHL entry draft, held every year in late June, but also give teams and the league plenty of opportunity to reach out to fans and corporate sponsors and market new rules meant to open up the game.
The players' timeline could be a little different. They aren't due a paycheck until next October.
"I'm not sure that I would sense that sense of urgency," NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin told TSN when asked about the league's wish to settle before the draft.
How about this? The NHL should bust up the players union. Declare an impasse, and open up training camps to anyone who wants to show and play under a salary cap. Do exactly what the NFL did in 1987 and what the MLB owners chickened out of doing in 1995. Use replacement players, strike-breakers, whoever. I am beyond aggravated with both sides, but I am realistic. The money just isn't there to pay the NHL players like they're in the NBA or NFL. The sooners those cementheads understand that, the better.
The MSM is under siege..and can't stand it
The executive editor of the New York "Once Upon A" Times is whining about the loss of prestige for his paper and the media in general. I'm going to cry.
On the state of print journalism in America today, Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, said, “This is not a time when editors swear off alcohol.”
Keller was the keynote speaker at Friday night’s Blue Pencil Dinner, an annual Spectator fund-raiser held in Low Rotunda. The event served both as a chance for Spectator staffers to learn about journalism from insiders and for alumni to reconnect with the paper.
Keller’s speech focused on the struggle of print journalism to maintain its relevance in the face of constant cable news updates, increased blogging, and failures in credibility.
He noted that, according to a recent opinion poll, the public’s trust in journalists is at its lowest point in decades. He attributed this in part to the increasingly polarized nature of the American public, who look to the press for support of their viewpoints.
“At the moment,” he said, “the major press is under attack from ideologues on the right and left.”
Keller also sees “blogging,” or online writing that blurs news and commentary, as a mixed blessing. While he celebrated the blogger’s ability to uncover breaking news, he noted that a blog’s inherent bias might be detrimental to the reader. “A blog is still a view of the world through a pinhole,” he said, noting that it can sometimes fall as low as being a “one man circle jerk.”
“There is a pressure to feel well informed without ever confronting an opinion that confronts your prejudices,” he said of blog readers.
Ah, the hilarity!! The executive editor of the NY Times complaining about bias. Stop me before I pee myself. Really, what did he expect? People are tired of being played like idiots. I trust Instapundit, Powerline, Little Green Footballs, and The Viking Pundit, amongst others, to give it to me straight. I know where they are coming from, because they tell me every single day. The New York Times and their cohorts in the MSM think this is still 1968 and they have a monopoly over what we hear and don't hear, and can't stand that their viewpoint isn't the only one out there.
Blogs of all sizes are here to stay. It is time for the MSM to get used to it.
On the state of print journalism in America today, Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, said, “This is not a time when editors swear off alcohol.”
Keller was the keynote speaker at Friday night’s Blue Pencil Dinner, an annual Spectator fund-raiser held in Low Rotunda. The event served both as a chance for Spectator staffers to learn about journalism from insiders and for alumni to reconnect with the paper.
Keller’s speech focused on the struggle of print journalism to maintain its relevance in the face of constant cable news updates, increased blogging, and failures in credibility.
He noted that, according to a recent opinion poll, the public’s trust in journalists is at its lowest point in decades. He attributed this in part to the increasingly polarized nature of the American public, who look to the press for support of their viewpoints.
“At the moment,” he said, “the major press is under attack from ideologues on the right and left.”
Keller also sees “blogging,” or online writing that blurs news and commentary, as a mixed blessing. While he celebrated the blogger’s ability to uncover breaking news, he noted that a blog’s inherent bias might be detrimental to the reader. “A blog is still a view of the world through a pinhole,” he said, noting that it can sometimes fall as low as being a “one man circle jerk.”
“There is a pressure to feel well informed without ever confronting an opinion that confronts your prejudices,” he said of blog readers.
Ah, the hilarity!! The executive editor of the NY Times complaining about bias. Stop me before I pee myself. Really, what did he expect? People are tired of being played like idiots. I trust Instapundit, Powerline, Little Green Footballs, and The Viking Pundit, amongst others, to give it to me straight. I know where they are coming from, because they tell me every single day. The New York Times and their cohorts in the MSM think this is still 1968 and they have a monopoly over what we hear and don't hear, and can't stand that their viewpoint isn't the only one out there.
Blogs of all sizes are here to stay. It is time for the MSM to get used to it.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Help if you can
I am doing some legal research on spyware. What I need are some suggested reading on how spyware operates, i.e. techincal journal articles or things like that. I really need some explanations in layman's terms rather than real techincial stuff. Any links or suggestions would be greated appreciated. Please leave your ideas in the comments or send me an e-mail. Thanks!!
Saturday laughter
I just got this e-mail from a fellow law student. It made my day.
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are
things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now
published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while
these exchanges were actually taking place.***
Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.
_________________________________*
**Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?**
**A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.***
**__________________________________***
**Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?***
**A: Yes.**
**Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?**
**A: I forget.**
**Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?**
**_____________________________________***
**Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up
that morning?***
**A: He said, "Where am I. Doris?"**
**Q: And why did that upset you?**
**A: My name is Susan.**
**______________________________________***
**Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he
doesn't know about it until the next morning?***
**A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?**
**___________________________________***
**Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?***
**A: Yes.**
**Q: And what were you doing at that time?**
**______________________________________***
**Q: How was your first marriage terminated?***
**A: By death.**
**Q: And by whose death was it terminated?**
**______________________________________***
**Q: Can you describe the individual?***
**A: He was about medium height and had a beard.**
**Q: Was this a male or a female?**
**______________________________________***
**Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?***
**A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.**
**Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?**
**A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.**
**______________________________________***
**AND TO SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST!!!!!!**
**Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?***
** A: No.**
**Q: Did you check for blood pressure?**
**A: No.**
**Q: Did you check for breathing?**
**A: No.**
**Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began
the autopsy?**
**A: No.**
**Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?**
**A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.**
**Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?**
**A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing
law somewhere***
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are
things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now
published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while
these exchanges were actually taking place.***
Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.
_________________________________*
**Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?**
**A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.***
**__________________________________***
**Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?***
**A: Yes.**
**Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?**
**A: I forget.**
**Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?**
**_____________________________________***
**Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up
that morning?***
**A: He said, "Where am I. Doris?"**
**Q: And why did that upset you?**
**A: My name is Susan.**
**______________________________________***
**Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he
doesn't know about it until the next morning?***
**A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?**
**___________________________________***
**Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?***
**A: Yes.**
**Q: And what were you doing at that time?**
**______________________________________***
**Q: How was your first marriage terminated?***
**A: By death.**
**Q: And by whose death was it terminated?**
**______________________________________***
**Q: Can you describe the individual?***
**A: He was about medium height and had a beard.**
**Q: Was this a male or a female?**
**______________________________________***
**Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?***
**A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.**
**Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?**
**A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.**
**______________________________________***
**AND TO SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST!!!!!!**
**Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?***
** A: No.**
**Q: Did you check for blood pressure?**
**A: No.**
**Q: Did you check for breathing?**
**A: No.**
**Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began
the autopsy?**
**A: No.**
**Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?**
**A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.**
**Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?**
**A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing
law somewhere***
A gander at the headlines
Let's see what is going on today, before I have to sit down and finish a 12-page trial brief for my Advocacy class.
Bush Says He Harbors No Bitterness Toward Chirac
He is much too forgiving. I'll never forgive that HoJo soda jerk for any of the crap he has pulled.
N.Y. Man Arrested Over Instant-Message Spam
Spammers and those scum who are responsible for all the spyware and viruses should get life without parole.
Sen. Clinton Says Iraq Insurgents Failing
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday a string of attacks killing more than 50 Iraqis in two days were failed attempts to sow sectarian strife and destabilize the country.
I would vote for a llama before I voted for her, but what amazes me is that Democrats refuse to learn from her political brilliance. I may not like her or what she stands for, but I repect her saavy. One arguing point to tell your liberal friends: Just say to them, "Notice that Democrats feel the need to embrace the Republican platform to get their power back, and no Republican feels the need to embrace any of the Democrat agenda?"
Bush, Clinton Tour Tsunami-Ravaged Areas
BAN NAM KHEM, Thailand - Former President Bill Clinton's voice trembled with emotion as he and George H.W. Bush put aside their once-bitter political rivalry Saturday in the intense heat of a Thai fishing village where children gave the American politicians drawings of giant waves sweeping away their relatives.
Wonder if Bill bit his lip too. One other thing. Bush Sr. and Clinton have been on good terms for a long time now, so I don't understand how they "put aside" their once-bitter political rivalry. Just like Hillary, you gotta admire Bill's political brilliance, even though he has been out of office for 4 years now, he's still the consummate politician.
Women Sue Over Gorilla's Breast 'Fetish'
WOODSIDE, Calif. - Two fired caretakers for Koko, the world-famous sign-language-speaking gorilla, have sued their former bosses, claiming they were pressured to expose their breasts as a way of bonding with the 300-pound simian.
Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, both of San Francisco, claim they were subjected to sexual discrimination and then wrongfully terminated after reporting health and safety violations at Koko's home in Woodside, an upscale town in the south San Francisco Bay area...
They were threatened that if they "did not indulge Koko's nipple fetish, their employment with the Gorilla Foundation would suffer," the lawsuit alleged.
The lawsuit claims that on one occasion Patterson said, "'Koko, you see my nipples all the time. You are probably bored with my nipples. You need to see new nipples.'"
I don't even know where to begin with this one. The jokes write themselves.
Chalabi calls for quick Saddam trial in push to lead Iraq
Ahmad Chalabi, the former Pentagon ally who had a falling out with his U.S. backers, pressed ahead Thursday with his campaign to be Iraq's next leader by promising to bring the country's former dictator to speedy justice.
"I want to get the trial of Saddam Hussein going," Chalabi said in an interview. "This is a unifying thing."
Oh, I can't wait until that trial starts. Every accusation Saddam and his attorneys level at Bush will be rushed to print and CNN will report them all breathlessly. Yet, they won't say much about the people Saddam shredded, gassed, maimed, and tortured.
Bush Says He Harbors No Bitterness Toward Chirac
He is much too forgiving. I'll never forgive that HoJo soda jerk for any of the crap he has pulled.
N.Y. Man Arrested Over Instant-Message Spam
Spammers and those scum who are responsible for all the spyware and viruses should get life without parole.
Sen. Clinton Says Iraq Insurgents Failing
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday a string of attacks killing more than 50 Iraqis in two days were failed attempts to sow sectarian strife and destabilize the country.
I would vote for a llama before I voted for her, but what amazes me is that Democrats refuse to learn from her political brilliance. I may not like her or what she stands for, but I repect her saavy. One arguing point to tell your liberal friends: Just say to them, "Notice that Democrats feel the need to embrace the Republican platform to get their power back, and no Republican feels the need to embrace any of the Democrat agenda?"
Bush, Clinton Tour Tsunami-Ravaged Areas
BAN NAM KHEM, Thailand - Former President Bill Clinton's voice trembled with emotion as he and George H.W. Bush put aside their once-bitter political rivalry Saturday in the intense heat of a Thai fishing village where children gave the American politicians drawings of giant waves sweeping away their relatives.
Wonder if Bill bit his lip too. One other thing. Bush Sr. and Clinton have been on good terms for a long time now, so I don't understand how they "put aside" their once-bitter political rivalry. Just like Hillary, you gotta admire Bill's political brilliance, even though he has been out of office for 4 years now, he's still the consummate politician.
Women Sue Over Gorilla's Breast 'Fetish'
WOODSIDE, Calif. - Two fired caretakers for Koko, the world-famous sign-language-speaking gorilla, have sued their former bosses, claiming they were pressured to expose their breasts as a way of bonding with the 300-pound simian.
Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, both of San Francisco, claim they were subjected to sexual discrimination and then wrongfully terminated after reporting health and safety violations at Koko's home in Woodside, an upscale town in the south San Francisco Bay area...
They were threatened that if they "did not indulge Koko's nipple fetish, their employment with the Gorilla Foundation would suffer," the lawsuit alleged.
The lawsuit claims that on one occasion Patterson said, "'Koko, you see my nipples all the time. You are probably bored with my nipples. You need to see new nipples.'"
I don't even know where to begin with this one. The jokes write themselves.
Chalabi calls for quick Saddam trial in push to lead Iraq
Ahmad Chalabi, the former Pentagon ally who had a falling out with his U.S. backers, pressed ahead Thursday with his campaign to be Iraq's next leader by promising to bring the country's former dictator to speedy justice.
"I want to get the trial of Saddam Hussein going," Chalabi said in an interview. "This is a unifying thing."
Oh, I can't wait until that trial starts. Every accusation Saddam and his attorneys level at Bush will be rushed to print and CNN will report them all breathlessly. Yet, they won't say much about the people Saddam shredded, gassed, maimed, and tortured.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Game on?
Report: NHL, NHLPA agree to CBA deal
The Hockey News reported on its website Friday that the labor meeting between the NHL and the Players Association on Saturday will result in a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement that features a $45 million salary cap.
In an official statement Friday, the union confirmed it will meet with the league on Saturday in an attempt to resolve the current labor dispute and save the 2004-05 season, which was canceled by Bettman on Wednesday.
I hope this is true. More on this later.
The Hockey News reported on its website Friday that the labor meeting between the NHL and the Players Association on Saturday will result in a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement that features a $45 million salary cap.
In an official statement Friday, the union confirmed it will meet with the league on Saturday in an attempt to resolve the current labor dispute and save the 2004-05 season, which was canceled by Bettman on Wednesday.
I hope this is true. More on this later.
If I had my law degree, I'd defend this guy
I don't know whether to call this guy a nut or a rugged individualist going after the money in the true American spirit.
Texan arrested; said he was after bin Laden bounty
SANSOM PARK — A Texas man who told authorities he was headed to Syria to try to collect the $25 million bounty on Osama bin Laden was rarely home and mostly kept to himself, neighbors said.
But a few weeks ago, Matt Mihsen walked through the yard of his tiny, white-clapboard A-frame house carrying a shotgun over his shoulder, wearing a green Army jacket and looking disheveled, a neighbor said today...
Mihsen, 47, remained in federal custody in Detroit today, three days after his arrest at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. He told agents that he was going to Syria in hopes of claiming the reward, offered by the U.S. government, for information leading to bin Laden's arrest and conviction, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Mihsen, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Syria, said he was a registered private investigator and wanted to conduct an independent probe into the illegal sale of uranium by extremists, authorities said.
He had flown Tuesday on Northwest Airlines from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport en route to the Netherlands and Syria, via Detroit, authorities said.
He was arrested on charges of making false statements to federal investigators, trying to smuggle bulk cash out of the United States and attempting to export money and goods to Syria without a permit or authorization. The third charge, the most serious, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mihsen denied carrying a large amount of cash before agents found he had nearly $14,000. They found a stun gun, 40 rounds of ammunition, pepper spray, a bulletproof vest and three Geiger counters in his luggage, the affidavit said.
Mihsen told agents he planned to use the items as bait to lure possible uranium smugglers, authorities said.
At least he was trying to get out of the country with this stuff, and not trying to get in with it. I would not be surprised in the last if there were quite a few people who returned to the homeland to try and find bin Laden and collect this bounty, and we don't know about it.
Texan arrested; said he was after bin Laden bounty
SANSOM PARK — A Texas man who told authorities he was headed to Syria to try to collect the $25 million bounty on Osama bin Laden was rarely home and mostly kept to himself, neighbors said.
But a few weeks ago, Matt Mihsen walked through the yard of his tiny, white-clapboard A-frame house carrying a shotgun over his shoulder, wearing a green Army jacket and looking disheveled, a neighbor said today...
Mihsen, 47, remained in federal custody in Detroit today, three days after his arrest at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. He told agents that he was going to Syria in hopes of claiming the reward, offered by the U.S. government, for information leading to bin Laden's arrest and conviction, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Mihsen, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Syria, said he was a registered private investigator and wanted to conduct an independent probe into the illegal sale of uranium by extremists, authorities said.
He had flown Tuesday on Northwest Airlines from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport en route to the Netherlands and Syria, via Detroit, authorities said.
He was arrested on charges of making false statements to federal investigators, trying to smuggle bulk cash out of the United States and attempting to export money and goods to Syria without a permit or authorization. The third charge, the most serious, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mihsen denied carrying a large amount of cash before agents found he had nearly $14,000. They found a stun gun, 40 rounds of ammunition, pepper spray, a bulletproof vest and three Geiger counters in his luggage, the affidavit said.
Mihsen told agents he planned to use the items as bait to lure possible uranium smugglers, authorities said.
At least he was trying to get out of the country with this stuff, and not trying to get in with it. I would not be surprised in the last if there were quite a few people who returned to the homeland to try and find bin Laden and collect this bounty, and we don't know about it.
Non Sequitur of the Day
I am dumbfounded at this article from our friends at Reuters:
Limbaugh to visit Afghanistan with US aid official
WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is expected to visit Afghanistan with the top U.S. aid official to spotlight America's aid work there, officials said on Thursday.
Political commentator Mary Matalin, a former White House aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, will also be on the trip. She said she was not being paid to go and would pay her own way to Dubai but she believed the U.S. government would cover the cost of her visit to Afghanistan from there.
The Bush administration has come under sharp criticism for the Education Department's payment of $240,000 to conservative commentator Armstrong Williams to tout President George W. Bush's education plan.
Spokesmen for Limbaugh were not immediately available to comment.
And what exactly does Armstrong Williams have to do with Limbaugh going to Afghanistan? If I wrote this in Journalism 301, I would have flunked. (Unless of course I called Limbaugh a big fat idiot. The leftist professor I had would have given me an A in that case.)
Limbaugh to visit Afghanistan with US aid official
WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is expected to visit Afghanistan with the top U.S. aid official to spotlight America's aid work there, officials said on Thursday.
Political commentator Mary Matalin, a former White House aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, will also be on the trip. She said she was not being paid to go and would pay her own way to Dubai but she believed the U.S. government would cover the cost of her visit to Afghanistan from there.
The Bush administration has come under sharp criticism for the Education Department's payment of $240,000 to conservative commentator Armstrong Williams to tout President George W. Bush's education plan.
Spokesmen for Limbaugh were not immediately available to comment.
And what exactly does Armstrong Williams have to do with Limbaugh going to Afghanistan? If I wrote this in Journalism 301, I would have flunked. (Unless of course I called Limbaugh a big fat idiot. The leftist professor I had would have given me an A in that case.)
Laugh of the day
The ol' Brillo-pad head has a beautiful flower named after him.
Kimjongilia Estimated as King of Flowers
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Immortal Kimjongilia is now appreciated by people at home and abroad as a "flower of the sun revered by all people", "valuable flower representing the times", "the best flower in the world", "king of flowers", etc. This flower was awarded a special prize, gold medal, diploma and other top prizes at the 12th International Flower Show held in Czechoslovakia in May 1991, the Nordic Flower Show in Sweden in March 1995, the Jilin, China, Flower Exhibition in August 1997, the China 99 Kunming World Horticultural Expo in May 1999, the Begonia Show held in California of the United States in August 2004, etc. The facts go to clearly prove that Kimjongilia is the most beautiful flower in the world.
Kimjongilia. Ha! Sounds like something a sailor might catch while on shore leave in Bangkok.
Kimjongilia Estimated as King of Flowers
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Immortal Kimjongilia is now appreciated by people at home and abroad as a "flower of the sun revered by all people", "valuable flower representing the times", "the best flower in the world", "king of flowers", etc. This flower was awarded a special prize, gold medal, diploma and other top prizes at the 12th International Flower Show held in Czechoslovakia in May 1991, the Nordic Flower Show in Sweden in March 1995, the Jilin, China, Flower Exhibition in August 1997, the China 99 Kunming World Horticultural Expo in May 1999, the Begonia Show held in California of the United States in August 2004, etc. The facts go to clearly prove that Kimjongilia is the most beautiful flower in the world.
Kimjongilia. Ha! Sounds like something a sailor might catch while on shore leave in Bangkok.
Mr. Chief Justice and may it please the court...
...please remember the lessons of Justices Field, Hughes, and Douglas and retire with your dignity.
Rehnquist to Miss High Court's Opening
WASHINGTON - Ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will be absent from the bench when the Supreme Court returns for the second half of its term next week, the court announced Friday.
The 80-year-old Rehnquist, battling thyroid cancer, plans to skip the two-week cycle of oral arguments that starts Tuesday, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. He will continue reading transcripts of the arguments and voting on decisions, she said.
The Chief Justice has had a distinguished career and has served us all honorably for decades. I also understand that retirement is not a very attractive option to him. But, for his dignity and the integrity of the court, he needs to step down.
When Supreme Court Justice Field was old and infirm, another justice (I forget who) went to see him and tell him it was time to retire. He reminded Field that 30 years before, Field had to do the same thing to Justice Grier, who was also old and of little use to the Court. Field replied, "Yes, and a dirtier days work I've never done."
And, the last days of Justice William O. Douglas, when he tried to participate in cases even though he was retired, will always be sad stain on his career. (Mayube not as much as his 4 wives though).
I am sure no one wants to do the dirty deed, and since Rehnquist sadly lost his wife a few years ago, there is probably no one who could tell him it is time to go. I pray that he accepts the inevitable and exits with his dignity intact.
Rehnquist to Miss High Court's Opening
WASHINGTON - Ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will be absent from the bench when the Supreme Court returns for the second half of its term next week, the court announced Friday.
The 80-year-old Rehnquist, battling thyroid cancer, plans to skip the two-week cycle of oral arguments that starts Tuesday, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. He will continue reading transcripts of the arguments and voting on decisions, she said.
The Chief Justice has had a distinguished career and has served us all honorably for decades. I also understand that retirement is not a very attractive option to him. But, for his dignity and the integrity of the court, he needs to step down.
When Supreme Court Justice Field was old and infirm, another justice (I forget who) went to see him and tell him it was time to retire. He reminded Field that 30 years before, Field had to do the same thing to Justice Grier, who was also old and of little use to the Court. Field replied, "Yes, and a dirtier days work I've never done."
And, the last days of Justice William O. Douglas, when he tried to participate in cases even though he was retired, will always be sad stain on his career. (Mayube not as much as his 4 wives though).
I am sure no one wants to do the dirty deed, and since Rehnquist sadly lost his wife a few years ago, there is probably no one who could tell him it is time to go. I pray that he accepts the inevitable and exits with his dignity intact.
That nuanced Dean
I remember that the day after Saddam Hussein was captured, Howard Dean gave some foreign policy speech in Los Angeles that was called "nuanced" by the New York Times (before they transferred that word to John Kerry's foreign policy) but it was nothing but a bunch of crap. Yesterday, Howard Dean debated Richard Perle, which is like a 19-year old Mike Tyson fighting me. Dean offered yet another example of his brilliance:
"Defense is a lot broader than swaggering around saying you're going to kick Saddam's butt," Dean said Thursday, drawing cheers from the crowd in this city that overwhelmingly voted Democratic last November.
What genius!! What nuance!! Someone needs to remind Dean that he tried this red meat approach before, and it went over like a lead balloon. If Dean keeps this up, Republicans will be in the majority for the next 20 years, which isn't good for anyone, because we need 2 strong parties. The Dems aren't holding up their end, and Dean's rhetoric might get him appluase in psych-liberal Oregon, but the people where the Democrats need to make some inroads aren't too impressed.
[Update: Chris just e-mailed me this video from the debate. Watch how Perle handles the shoe thrower.]
"Defense is a lot broader than swaggering around saying you're going to kick Saddam's butt," Dean said Thursday, drawing cheers from the crowd in this city that overwhelmingly voted Democratic last November.
What genius!! What nuance!! Someone needs to remind Dean that he tried this red meat approach before, and it went over like a lead balloon. If Dean keeps this up, Republicans will be in the majority for the next 20 years, which isn't good for anyone, because we need 2 strong parties. The Dems aren't holding up their end, and Dean's rhetoric might get him appluase in psych-liberal Oregon, but the people where the Democrats need to make some inroads aren't too impressed.
[Update: Chris just e-mailed me this video from the debate. Watch how Perle handles the shoe thrower.]
The story inside the story
I read this and said to myself...hmmm:
Jury Finds Boston Herald Libeled Judge
BOSTON - A jury Friday ordered the Boston Herald to pay $2.1 million for libeling a Superior Court judge, saying it misquoted him as telling lawyers that a 14-year-old rape victim should "get over it."
In a case closely watched by the media and legal communities, a jury deliberated for more than 20 hours over five days before finding that the newspaper and reporter David Wedge libeled Superior Court Judge Ernest B. Murphy in articles that portrayed him as lenient toward defendants. Another reporter, Jules Crittenden, was cleared.
That's all well and good, but this part intrigued me:
The Herald's articles were picked up by media outlets across the country and Murphy was excoriated on talk radio shows. He became known as "Easy Ernie" and "Evil Ernie."
He was bombarded with hate mail, death threats and calls for his removal from the bench. In an Internet chat room, someone suggested that Murphy's own teenage daughters should be raped.
Two of Murphy's daughters were so frightened, they went to live with family members and friends. Murphy said he went out and bought a .357-caliber Magnum.
"I was afraid that someone was going to shoot me," he testified.
Think about that for a minute. A Massachusetts judge gets himself a gun as soon as he feels threatened. Remember, this is a state with ridiculous and draconian gun laws. Just ask mASS BACKWARDS.
I wonder how sympathetic he would have been to a defendant charged with simple gun possession before this happened.
Jury Finds Boston Herald Libeled Judge
BOSTON - A jury Friday ordered the Boston Herald to pay $2.1 million for libeling a Superior Court judge, saying it misquoted him as telling lawyers that a 14-year-old rape victim should "get over it."
In a case closely watched by the media and legal communities, a jury deliberated for more than 20 hours over five days before finding that the newspaper and reporter David Wedge libeled Superior Court Judge Ernest B. Murphy in articles that portrayed him as lenient toward defendants. Another reporter, Jules Crittenden, was cleared.
That's all well and good, but this part intrigued me:
The Herald's articles were picked up by media outlets across the country and Murphy was excoriated on talk radio shows. He became known as "Easy Ernie" and "Evil Ernie."
He was bombarded with hate mail, death threats and calls for his removal from the bench. In an Internet chat room, someone suggested that Murphy's own teenage daughters should be raped.
Two of Murphy's daughters were so frightened, they went to live with family members and friends. Murphy said he went out and bought a .357-caliber Magnum.
"I was afraid that someone was going to shoot me," he testified.
Think about that for a minute. A Massachusetts judge gets himself a gun as soon as he feels threatened. Remember, this is a state with ridiculous and draconian gun laws. Just ask mASS BACKWARDS.
I wonder how sympathetic he would have been to a defendant charged with simple gun possession before this happened.
Wow, twice in one day
I've been around about 15 months and the highest ranking blogs to ever link to me was Right-Thinking From the Left Coast and The Viking Pundit. Today, I get both Instapundit and Powerline linked to me. (Thank God it was them and not Kos and Kevin Drum)
Thanks to them for linking and I hope their visitors come back from time to time.
Thanks to them for linking and I hope their visitors come back from time to time.
Someone call the Harvard feminists
It is a shame that Lawrence Summers isn't behind this, or there would be some real outrage.
Borgata tells its Babes to stay thin or be fired
ATLANTIC CITY - Sex has its standard.
And at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, it's the 7 percent solution.
On Valentine's Day, the casino began randomly weighing its 217 Borgata Babes, a brigade of shapely and mostly female cocktail servers, to determine a baseline for each. If any gain an ounce over 7 percent of that weight, they are to be suspended without pay. Servers are to be fired if they fail to lose the pounds during a prescribed period on a weight-loss program offered by the casino, according to the policy.
The casino expects to complete the mandatory weigh-ins within several months. The servers - who earn $4.50 an hour plus tips that, in a good week, could raise pay to $1,000 a week - are informed by supervisors when they are to be weighed.
I worked in the night club business a long time, and let's be honest here. None of these women would have been hired the begin with if they weren't "babes." Most of the women know what they got and use it shamelessly, and play men like fools to get that extra few bucks out of their pocket, especially in the casinos.
Like it or not, that's the way it is, and it works both ways. Men want good-looking women to look at, and will decide where to gamble based solely on the quality of the women who work there. As a result, the good-looking women who work there will reap a nice income. It sucks for the woman who are unfairly forced to lose weight or their job, but they knew the deal when they took the job.
Borgata tells its Babes to stay thin or be fired
ATLANTIC CITY - Sex has its standard.
And at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, it's the 7 percent solution.
On Valentine's Day, the casino began randomly weighing its 217 Borgata Babes, a brigade of shapely and mostly female cocktail servers, to determine a baseline for each. If any gain an ounce over 7 percent of that weight, they are to be suspended without pay. Servers are to be fired if they fail to lose the pounds during a prescribed period on a weight-loss program offered by the casino, according to the policy.
The casino expects to complete the mandatory weigh-ins within several months. The servers - who earn $4.50 an hour plus tips that, in a good week, could raise pay to $1,000 a week - are informed by supervisors when they are to be weighed.
I worked in the night club business a long time, and let's be honest here. None of these women would have been hired the begin with if they weren't "babes." Most of the women know what they got and use it shamelessly, and play men like fools to get that extra few bucks out of their pocket, especially in the casinos.
Like it or not, that's the way it is, and it works both ways. Men want good-looking women to look at, and will decide where to gamble based solely on the quality of the women who work there. As a result, the good-looking women who work there will reap a nice income. It sucks for the woman who are unfairly forced to lose weight or their job, but they knew the deal when they took the job.
Yeah sure
Iran Does Not Intend to Build Nuclear Arms-Putin
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was convinced Iran was not trying to build a nuclear weapon and that Russia would press ahead with nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic.
Putin's defense of Iran, where Russia is building a nuclear power plant, comes in the face of U.S. concerns that Tehran could be using Russian know-how to covertly build a nuclear weapon.
"The latest steps by Iran convince Russia that Iran indeed does not intend to produce nuclear weapons and we will continue to develop relations in all sectors, including peaceful atomic energy," Putin told Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rohani.
"We hope Iran will strictly stick to all agreements with Russia or the international community," Putin said at the start of talks with Rohani at the Kremlin.
What's the old saying? Once KGB, always KGB. I wouldn't believe Putin if he told me Siberia was cold until I flew there and felt the cold myself. When Iran has a nuclear weapon, Putin will be as "shocked" as Kofi Annan was when he found out about the oil-for-food scandal.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was convinced Iran was not trying to build a nuclear weapon and that Russia would press ahead with nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic.
Putin's defense of Iran, where Russia is building a nuclear power plant, comes in the face of U.S. concerns that Tehran could be using Russian know-how to covertly build a nuclear weapon.
"The latest steps by Iran convince Russia that Iran indeed does not intend to produce nuclear weapons and we will continue to develop relations in all sectors, including peaceful atomic energy," Putin told Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rohani.
"We hope Iran will strictly stick to all agreements with Russia or the international community," Putin said at the start of talks with Rohani at the Kremlin.
What's the old saying? Once KGB, always KGB. I wouldn't believe Putin if he told me Siberia was cold until I flew there and felt the cold myself. When Iran has a nuclear weapon, Putin will be as "shocked" as Kofi Annan was when he found out about the oil-for-food scandal.
Geffen is right
GEFFEN UNLOADS ON HILLARY: 'SHE CAN'T WIN'
Sen. Hillary Clinton should not count on help from Hollywood mogul David Geffen in her possible run for the White House.
Geffen, who was a generous supporter and pal of Bill Clinton when he was president, trashed Hillary's prospects last night during a Q&A at the 92nd St. Y in New York City.
"She can't win, and she's an incredibly polarizing figure," the billionaire Democrat told his audience. "And ambition is just not a good enough reason."
Lloyd Grove reports in fresh editions of the NY DAILY NEWS the audience broke with "hearty applause" over Geffen's comments.
While Geffen is right, I have a simple response to any Hillary supporter you know. Ask them, "What states that Bush won in this last election would go to Hillary the next time around?" Here, at UNM Law, I always get, "Well, here in New Mexico." And I say, "Not enough. Where else?" I never get an answer.
Go ahead, name one red state that will turn blue for Hillary? You can't. That is why she won't ever be President.
Sen. Hillary Clinton should not count on help from Hollywood mogul David Geffen in her possible run for the White House.
Geffen, who was a generous supporter and pal of Bill Clinton when he was president, trashed Hillary's prospects last night during a Q&A at the 92nd St. Y in New York City.
"She can't win, and she's an incredibly polarizing figure," the billionaire Democrat told his audience. "And ambition is just not a good enough reason."
Lloyd Grove reports in fresh editions of the NY DAILY NEWS the audience broke with "hearty applause" over Geffen's comments.
While Geffen is right, I have a simple response to any Hillary supporter you know. Ask them, "What states that Bush won in this last election would go to Hillary the next time around?" Here, at UNM Law, I always get, "Well, here in New Mexico." And I say, "Not enough. Where else?" I never get an answer.
Go ahead, name one red state that will turn blue for Hillary? You can't. That is why she won't ever be President.
My first Instalanche!!
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Nanny-state nonsense
Legislators, especially in the liberal wacko states, have way too much time on their hands. Via The Viking Pundit comes this example:
In her years in city government, Council Member Gale Brewer has sat through plenty of interminable hearings and tedious debates. When she goes to the movies, though, the Upper West Side Democrat wishes she didn't have to endure the preliminaries.
That's why Ms. Brewer introduced a bill yesterday that would require movie theaters to advertise the actual start time of a movie, rather than the time the previews are supposed to begin.
"I go to the theater on 68th and Broadway pretty regularly, and I go to the independent one," she said when asked about her movie-viewing habits. "I've seen all the ads accumulating. We can't stop the ads, but if people are more aware of the times it could help."
She decided to introduce legislation, Ms. Brewer said, after receiving more than a dozen complaints from her constituents about having to sit through previews and commercials for 15 minutes or more every time they go to the movies.
Things must be real good in New York if this is all she can complain about. Every single moviegoer in this country knows there are commercials and previews, and that the movie does not start at the time listed. So what? Even if there weren't previews and commercials, I'd still get there 20 minutes before the show to get a decent seat. Besides, I like the previews. And I suspect many more people like seeing them too. I don't know who is more pathetic, this council member or the people who complained to her.
However, if she introduced legislation to ban that Moviefone.com commercial I always see before a movie where some ugly dunce wishes to herself that there was a Moviefone.com candy bar with nuget in the middle, and "I'll bet the Japanese have a candy bar like that," I'd support that councilwoman in a second.
In her years in city government, Council Member Gale Brewer has sat through plenty of interminable hearings and tedious debates. When she goes to the movies, though, the Upper West Side Democrat wishes she didn't have to endure the preliminaries.
That's why Ms. Brewer introduced a bill yesterday that would require movie theaters to advertise the actual start time of a movie, rather than the time the previews are supposed to begin.
"I go to the theater on 68th and Broadway pretty regularly, and I go to the independent one," she said when asked about her movie-viewing habits. "I've seen all the ads accumulating. We can't stop the ads, but if people are more aware of the times it could help."
She decided to introduce legislation, Ms. Brewer said, after receiving more than a dozen complaints from her constituents about having to sit through previews and commercials for 15 minutes or more every time they go to the movies.
Things must be real good in New York if this is all she can complain about. Every single moviegoer in this country knows there are commercials and previews, and that the movie does not start at the time listed. So what? Even if there weren't previews and commercials, I'd still get there 20 minutes before the show to get a decent seat. Besides, I like the previews. And I suspect many more people like seeing them too. I don't know who is more pathetic, this council member or the people who complained to her.
However, if she introduced legislation to ban that Moviefone.com commercial I always see before a movie where some ugly dunce wishes to herself that there was a Moviefone.com candy bar with nuget in the middle, and "I'll bet the Japanese have a candy bar like that," I'd support that councilwoman in a second.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
And that's that
The NHL season has been pronounced dead. And the sport itself in this country may not be far behind. I don't even know where to begin to express my disgust with the players union. I blame the players because the money just isn't there. They will rue this day. Brandon said it best in the comments:
7 months from now, the NHLPA will crawl back to the bargaining table, accept a $30 million cap, and like it.
The players may even have to go lower than that. What, do they think that people will just come back and pay $82 for lower level seats like nothing happened? (Especially since a lot of teams had huge problems selling those seats before.) There will be no money for any of them come next season. Of course there will be cries of collusion and the usual B.S. from the player agents, but that won't change the fact that the league is on life support. In fact, don't be surprised if a lot of those guys end up out of the NHL completely. I expect several teams to be gone when the dust settles. My prediction: Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins are history. And there is a real chance we will see the end of the Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, and the Ottawa Senators. (I would have picked the Coyotes too if it wasn't for the new arena they have hardly even used.)
The NHL should declare an impasse, and unilaterally impose the terms. Gary Bettman should open camps up in September and say anyone who wants to play under these terms, come on in. If not, have fun in Russia, Germany, or wherever. It'll bust the union just like the NFL did to theirs in 1987.
The saddest part of all this is that few people really care. Brandon, Schpeen, and I are a small minority in this country.
7 months from now, the NHLPA will crawl back to the bargaining table, accept a $30 million cap, and like it.
The players may even have to go lower than that. What, do they think that people will just come back and pay $82 for lower level seats like nothing happened? (Especially since a lot of teams had huge problems selling those seats before.) There will be no money for any of them come next season. Of course there will be cries of collusion and the usual B.S. from the player agents, but that won't change the fact that the league is on life support. In fact, don't be surprised if a lot of those guys end up out of the NHL completely. I expect several teams to be gone when the dust settles. My prediction: Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins are history. And there is a real chance we will see the end of the Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, and the Ottawa Senators. (I would have picked the Coyotes too if it wasn't for the new arena they have hardly even used.)
The NHL should declare an impasse, and unilaterally impose the terms. Gary Bettman should open camps up in September and say anyone who wants to play under these terms, come on in. If not, have fun in Russia, Germany, or wherever. It'll bust the union just like the NFL did to theirs in 1987.
The saddest part of all this is that few people really care. Brandon, Schpeen, and I are a small minority in this country.
If only they had midnight basketball
I was reading Betsy and came across this:
Outside View: Peacekeepers or predators?
To add insult to injury, the report also states that Congolese women and children were raped by U.N. blue helmets because of "the absence of any programs for off-duty peacekeepers," as though the presence of a few pinball machines might have provided an effective diversion.
This my friends is the "moral authority" of the United Nations in action.
Outside View: Peacekeepers or predators?
To add insult to injury, the report also states that Congolese women and children were raped by U.N. blue helmets because of "the absence of any programs for off-duty peacekeepers," as though the presence of a few pinball machines might have provided an effective diversion.
This my friends is the "moral authority" of the United Nations in action.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Memo to NHL Players: Take the deal
It is coming down to the wire for the NHL season. As one of the small minoriy of people who care deeply about the NHL, I hope the players come to their senses and settle by tomorrow. A 28-game season is better than nothing. Plus, the future of hockey in this country is at stake. The players need to realize that the money is just not there.
More on this tomorrow, after we see what happens.
More on this tomorrow, after we see what happens.
Today's headlines
More crap about Kyoto. I'll start with the end of the article.
Bush Sees Jobs at Risk in Climate Treaty
Former Vice President Al Gore was a main participant in putting the Kyoto accord together in 1997. Before then, however, the Senate went on record opposing some of the treaty's principles, including the idea of exempting developing nations from any of its targets.
"The evidence of this worsening crises continues to mount," Gore said Tuesday, accusing the Bush administration of showing the world "a stunning display of moral cowardice."
Well it seems that Al Gore did not do much of a good job helping put together the Kyoto accord because the Senate in the Byrd-Hagel Resolution said they would reject it if submitted to them by a vote of 95-0. I guess Bush is so evil, he had Karl Rove build a time machine and go back in time to have the Senate reject Kyoto.
Tsunami victims to sue French hotel chain, Thailand, US forecasters
VIENNA (AFP) - A group of Austrian and German victims of the Asian tsunami disaster are to file a lawsuit demanding that Thailand, a French hotel chain and US forecasters prove they reacted adequately to the disaster, their lawyers said.
The suit, naming the French hotel chain Accor and the US-run tsunami early warning system in the Pacific as well as Thai authorities, will be filed in a New York district court this week, the lawyers said in Vienna.
"We found that serious lapses were committed," said Herwig Hasslacher, one of the three lawyers for the group.
And here's the best part:
They said the suit was not, at present, designed to demand compensation but to uncover evidence that would prove negligence.
Yeah, right. It is always about the money. Why else prove negligence. Let's analyze this a little. (Remember, I am only a first-year law student)
Act/Omission: They failed to warn about the tsunami. So what, I say.
Duty: Did they owe a duty to the victims? Was the tsunami reasonably forseeable? What is the policy? Here, Accor gets summary judgment and is off the hook. And, so should the US-run tsunami early warning facility, because they had no duty to the victims.
It is stories like this that make people hate lawyers, and it is hard to blame them after this.
Toll to drive downtown?
San Francisco would become the first city in the nation to charge drivers just for driving in its chronically congested downtown under a sure-to-be controversial proposal being aired today.
Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, chair of the San Francisco Transportation Authority, will ask the agency to study a downtown toll zone -- whereby drivers would need to purchase a daily pass to drive in The City's most congested streets -- as a potential solution to the Municipal Transportation Agency's woeful budget problems.
This is liberalism at its finest. Tax, tax, tax, and tax. Last month it was a 17-cent shopping bag tax. And now this. Wasn't it Justice Brandeis who said that states should have some leeway to experiment with laws and policies, and act as a laboratory? Well, if San Francisco were a science experiment, the peer reviwers would have laughed it off years ago. It is only a matter of time before that city has a serious financial collapse.
Modeled on similar "congestion charging" zones in London, cameras would record license plates and tickets would be issued for motorists who failed to purchase a pass. The intent is for drivers to pick other routes, avoid coming downtown or switch to Muni, which would travel more efficiently in the faster flowing streets.
No one will complain about those cameras until they are used as evidence to solve a crime. That is what it will take to get the civil-liberties crowd upset. If I were a politician against this tax, I'd play up the civil liberties angle to no end.
Lawsuits Spread in Over Penis Enlargement Claims
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A New Jersey man has filed a false advertising lawsuit against a maker of herbal penis enlargement pills, alleging the medicine does not fulfill its promises, the plaintiff's lawyer said on Monday...
In the latest case, filed on Jan. 21 in New Jersey state court, plaintiff Michael Coluzzi claimed he paid $59.95 for a 30-day supply of Alzare pills but "experienced no increase in penis size," and then was unable to collect a promised refund from manufacturer Alzare LLC of Boca Raton, Florida.
I think someone should explain to this guy the concept of acceptable losses. For $59.95, he has made himself a laughingstock.
Bush Sees Jobs at Risk in Climate Treaty
Former Vice President Al Gore was a main participant in putting the Kyoto accord together in 1997. Before then, however, the Senate went on record opposing some of the treaty's principles, including the idea of exempting developing nations from any of its targets.
"The evidence of this worsening crises continues to mount," Gore said Tuesday, accusing the Bush administration of showing the world "a stunning display of moral cowardice."
Well it seems that Al Gore did not do much of a good job helping put together the Kyoto accord because the Senate in the Byrd-Hagel Resolution said they would reject it if submitted to them by a vote of 95-0. I guess Bush is so evil, he had Karl Rove build a time machine and go back in time to have the Senate reject Kyoto.
Tsunami victims to sue French hotel chain, Thailand, US forecasters
VIENNA (AFP) - A group of Austrian and German victims of the Asian tsunami disaster are to file a lawsuit demanding that Thailand, a French hotel chain and US forecasters prove they reacted adequately to the disaster, their lawyers said.
The suit, naming the French hotel chain Accor and the US-run tsunami early warning system in the Pacific as well as Thai authorities, will be filed in a New York district court this week, the lawyers said in Vienna.
"We found that serious lapses were committed," said Herwig Hasslacher, one of the three lawyers for the group.
And here's the best part:
They said the suit was not, at present, designed to demand compensation but to uncover evidence that would prove negligence.
Yeah, right. It is always about the money. Why else prove negligence. Let's analyze this a little. (Remember, I am only a first-year law student)
Act/Omission: They failed to warn about the tsunami. So what, I say.
Duty: Did they owe a duty to the victims? Was the tsunami reasonably forseeable? What is the policy? Here, Accor gets summary judgment and is off the hook. And, so should the US-run tsunami early warning facility, because they had no duty to the victims.
It is stories like this that make people hate lawyers, and it is hard to blame them after this.
Toll to drive downtown?
San Francisco would become the first city in the nation to charge drivers just for driving in its chronically congested downtown under a sure-to-be controversial proposal being aired today.
Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, chair of the San Francisco Transportation Authority, will ask the agency to study a downtown toll zone -- whereby drivers would need to purchase a daily pass to drive in The City's most congested streets -- as a potential solution to the Municipal Transportation Agency's woeful budget problems.
This is liberalism at its finest. Tax, tax, tax, and tax. Last month it was a 17-cent shopping bag tax. And now this. Wasn't it Justice Brandeis who said that states should have some leeway to experiment with laws and policies, and act as a laboratory? Well, if San Francisco were a science experiment, the peer reviwers would have laughed it off years ago. It is only a matter of time before that city has a serious financial collapse.
Modeled on similar "congestion charging" zones in London, cameras would record license plates and tickets would be issued for motorists who failed to purchase a pass. The intent is for drivers to pick other routes, avoid coming downtown or switch to Muni, which would travel more efficiently in the faster flowing streets.
No one will complain about those cameras until they are used as evidence to solve a crime. That is what it will take to get the civil-liberties crowd upset. If I were a politician against this tax, I'd play up the civil liberties angle to no end.
Lawsuits Spread in Over Penis Enlargement Claims
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A New Jersey man has filed a false advertising lawsuit against a maker of herbal penis enlargement pills, alleging the medicine does not fulfill its promises, the plaintiff's lawyer said on Monday...
In the latest case, filed on Jan. 21 in New Jersey state court, plaintiff Michael Coluzzi claimed he paid $59.95 for a 30-day supply of Alzare pills but "experienced no increase in penis size," and then was unable to collect a promised refund from manufacturer Alzare LLC of Boca Raton, Florida.
I think someone should explain to this guy the concept of acceptable losses. For $59.95, he has made himself a laughingstock.
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