Yeah, Right, Whatever

Cynthia McKinney just had a news conference (with Danny Glover and Harry Belefonte) concerning the incident the other night when she hit a Capital police officer while she was rushing to "get to a meeting on time." She claims that this is purely a case of "inappropriate touching and stopping of me, a female, black congresswoman." (uh... is there such a thing as a "male congresswoman"? -B)

So, you decide not to wear the nice pin that identifies you as a Congresscritter (after "counseling with Capital Police more than once because of this little issue), don't bother to stop when a security officer (put there to protect your rear, by the way) calls out for you to stop, and then you hit him when he stops you to find out who you are... and somehow this is a racist, sexist attack on you. Did I get this right?

CongressCritter McKinney, you do realize that there are 535 people who have those special pins, right? And, 468 (give or take) of those people get shuffled around every two years. And, each of those 535 people have who-knows-how-many people working for them. So... there are over 10,000 people who work in that building (or the office building), not to mention all of the people who are there for various hearings or just to see the building or whatever.

So... you, CongressCritter McKinney are so important that you should be recognized over 10,000 other people as you rush past without your pin or ID showing. And if The Man doesn't see you coming and bow down and worship you, then he deserves to be punched. Right?

There's only one problem with that... all of this is on video. If you make this an excessive force issue, the Capital Police will probably have to release the video to the public. There is a witness who says it happened the way the news originally reported it. Do you really want everyone (especially your constituents in Georgia) to see you acting like the megalomaniacal harpy you are?

So, I'm driving home from my close encounter with a 20 gauge needle, and I notice a herd of skulls full of mush walking up a side street toward the highway, waving... wait for it... Mexican flags. When I got to the house, I called the school to inform them that they had some escapees. The nice secretary told me that they knew, and they were taking care of the situation. The exchange went something like this:

"Vista Ridge High School, may I help you?"
"I was wondering if you knew that you are missing some students."
*sigh* "Yes, we are aware of that. The Vice Principal saw them leave. We're taking care of it. Evidently they're on their way to Whataburger."
"WHATABURGER? Is that how you protest these days?"
"I guess the socially conscious thing to do these days is to protest immigrant rights at fast food restaurants."
"um... will they be punished for this?"
"Oh, yeah... starting with unexcused absences. Not sure about after that. The principal hasn't decided yet."

So... when you want to show your support for amnesty and whatever else they're "rallying" for, the best way to do that is to break the law (truancy laws and all that) to march down a side street where not a whole lot of people will see you, and invade a local fast food establishment.

According to the LISD High School Handbook, they could either receive unexcused absences or something called "failure to attend".

Failure to Attend: A student fails to attend school when the student misses a class or classes without parental consent. A student who fails to attend school is subject to campus disciplinary consequences and may also be referred to the appropriate justice court. These absences are coded (F) on attendance printouts. Each class missed will result in disciplinary action.

I hope the principal goes that route. These kids have no idea what it is they are "protesting"- I dare say, based on where they were headed, they're not even protesting. They're using other people's protests as an excuse to cut class. Throw the book at them for their abject stupidity.

Light posting alert for this weekend (which is usually pretty light, anyway). I get stabbed in the back again tomorrow morning. And, on top of that fun, I think I'm coming down with a bug (which, if rumor is fact, will knock me on my keister).

Y'all behave yourselves while I'm trying to maintain consciousness, ok?

The US military plans to detonate a 700 tonne explosive charge in a test called "Divine Strake" that will send a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas, a senior defense official said.

"I don't want to sound glib here but it is the first time in Nevada that you'll see a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas since we stopped testing nuclear weapons," said James Tegnelia, head of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Tegnelia said the test was part of a US effort to develop weapons capable of destroying deeply buried bunkers housing nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

"We have several very large penetrators we're developing," he told defense reporters.

"We also have -- are you ready for this - a 700-tonne explosively formed charge that we're going to be putting in a tunnel in Nevada," he said.

Now, why in the world would we be testing a bomb that makes a BIG boom and can destroy buried bunkers? We wouldn't be sending a message to anyone, now, would we?

WhiskyTangoFoxtrot e-mailed this to me, and then he posted it on his site. It's common sense... which is quite uncommon these days...

"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters. We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights."

ARTICLE I:

You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II:

You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III:

You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV:

You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V:

You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI:

You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII:

You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big
screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII:

You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX:

You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness which, by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X:

This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!

(lastly....)

ARTICLE XI:

You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history and if you are
uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!

When high school kids in several cities across the country cut class this week to rally in favor of... what is it that they're rallying for?... immigrant "rights"? amnesty? Aztlan?... it was pointed out that many of them were carrying Mexican flags "to honor their heritage." School administrators, I'm sure, are turning a blind eye to the unexcused absenses (probably even encouraging the little skulls full of mush). But... this... this... this is insane.

Reagan High School Principal Robert Pambello was ordered to remove a Mexican flag Wednesday morning that he had hoisted below the U.S. and Texas flags that typically fly in front of his school — a symbol he agreed to fly to show support for his predominantly Hispanic student body.

Geez... I'm surprised he didn't fly it above the other flags. HISD made him take it down, but they haven't decided if there will be any disciplinary action taken against Pambello.

HISD leaders said no decision has been made about possible discipline against the principal, who declined interview requests Wednesday.

"It is appropriate to fly the flags of the United States and Texas over schools in the Houston Independent School District, since we are a public entity of the state," HISD spokesman Terry Abbott said. "It would not be appropriate for the school district to advocate allegiance to a country other than the United States. Therefore, it is not appropriate to permit use of school district flagpoles for the purpose of flying flags representing other countries."

The only reason I can think of to fly the flag of another nation at a US school is if there happens to be a visiting dignitary. (No, I have no idea why a visiting dignitary would be visiting an American high school, but I'm sure it's happened.)

There's another reason why the Mexican flags are being waved during these rallies... a reason the kids might not even know or understand. Among the signs at the large rally in La Ciudad de Los Angeles last Saturday were ones reading " Continente Robado" (Stolen Continent) and "Esta es nuestra tierra, y no nos vamos!" ("This is our land, and we're not going!") One site (I've misplaced the link... I'm looking... I'm looking) had quite a few photos of the march in LA, complaining about the number of American flags present, and explaining that they want to reclaim the continent, not assimilate into the United States. Another site spews anti-Semitic and anti-White rhetoric. But, no... they just want to earn a decent living and enjoy a small piece of the American dream, right?

Here's an idea. Vincente Fox recently said that it will take generations to equalize the financial outlook of people on both sides of the border. I know a way to bring that to pass a whole lot quicker. While El Conquistador en Jefe is in Cancún, he should declare war on Mexico (based on the illegal invasion by Mexican civilians and military personnel). Then we can take control of their economy and turn things around. Don't worry... they wouldn't be a drain on our economy for long... with all of those resorts and the oil reserves, combined with a little American ingenuity, they all be productive American citizens before long...

Yeah... I know it won't work... but, still...

Twenty-five years ago today, President Reagan, presidential press secretary James S. Brady, D.C. police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Timothy J. McCarthy were shot by John Hinckley, Jr. The Washington Post has a pretty good recap of what happened that day.

There are plenty of days in one's life where they look back and say "I remember when that happened." I have quite a few, and I'm sure I'll have plenty more. Two of those days for me happened in the span of a few months... the hostages being freed in Iran (if I remember correctly, my teacher rolled a tv into the classroom to watch the Inauguration, and then it stayed on because of the hostages), and President Reagan being shot. I was at school when it happened, and I remember coming home from school, grabbing a snack, and sitting on my parents' bed, watching their TV as we waited to hear if the President and James Brady would make it.

During the coverage of the illegal aliens/amnesty/ guest worker/ border debate, I've heard a couple of things that are just... wrong. They're tied together, and it's really been bugging me.

First, there's the concept that illegal aliens are doing jobs that Americans won't do. Take one look at a West Virginia coal miner, and then tell me that Americans are unwilling to do a job... any job. What Americans won't do is do a job for far below minimun wage. (OK, I'll admit that there are some Americans who choose to sit on their rears, collecting a paycheck from the government for their laziness... I'm not talking about them. That's for another post.) Illegal aliens, quite resourcefully, can and will do many jobs for wages far below what employers have to pay legal immigrants and citizens.

Which leads us to the second problem. No "guest worker"/ amnesty program will work, because of my first point. You see, if you give out "guest worker" IDs and give them all amnesty, well, that's all well and good, except for the fact that many of those now legal immigrants will find themselves jobless. Employers use illegal alien labor because it's cheap, and they don't have to pay FICA or other payroll taxes on their workers. If all of these workers are suddenly legalized and documented, then the government knows where they work... which means they will hunt the employers for those taxes and to make sure they are paying their workers at least minimum wages. Their costs will skyrocket, and they'll have to lay off at least half of their work force.

My final "gripe" is only marginally tied to the first two. It's the idea that the bills in Congress right now will "criminalize" illegal aliens. What else would "illegal" mean? They're criminals already. They are breaking the law every day that they are here, no matter how noble and honorable their intentions are.

I stand by what I've said before. The only solution that I can think of that will work (and will really, really annoy La Raza and other confused organizations) is to profoundly tightening the borders, rounding up the illegal aliens by the busload, and sending them back home (especially since they are so fond of waving their home country's flag and not the flag of the nation they want to live in). Americans, I hope, will be willing to pay more for goods and services if it means that our borders are safer and people aren't breaking the law left and right.

Being a member of Mensa is supposed to mean something, right? It means that you're smarter than 98% of the population. OK, maybe not as smart... you have a higher IQ than 98% of the population. There seems to be a wide gap between high IQs and smarts.

Case in point: Sharon Stone. According to her publicist, she's a member of Mensa with an IQ of 148 or 154 (depending on which press release you pick up). (A Mensa spokesperson pointed out that she's never been a member... oops... ) This fine specimen of brainiac power has been more than willing to share her wisdom with the world. Here are some of her best tidbits of brainiacism:

• In May 1999, Sharon Stone called police to take away her guns and made the following statement: "Our world has changed and our children are in danger. I choose to surrender my right to bear arms in exchange for the peace of mind of doing the right thing". (very not safe for work photos on that page)
  
• She encouraged teen girls who were being pressured into having sex to... um... go the oral route. "If you're in a situation where you cannot get out of sex, offer a blow job. I'm not embarrassed to tell them." (uh... did she just say that you should reward a would-be rapist with what I think she just suggested???)
  
• She said that Hillary Clinton is too sexy to be President. (I'm sorry... "Hillary" and "sexy" in the same sentence??? no... not just no... )
  

Uh... dang... I feel so... intellectually inadequate... NOT.

I wish I could remember the context, but a group of us (mostly bloggers, some not) were chatting, and Mensa came up in the conversation. Then general concensus was that most of us could be members of Mensa... very few of us had any desire at all to be members. We know our IQs... and we don't really care if anyone else does or not.

Says something, doesn't it?

Al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui testified Monday that he was supposed to hijack a fifth airplane as part of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and fly it into the White House, according to U.S. media reports.

Uh... yeah... you know, I'd almost believe that, except for a few things. First, he claims that Richard Reid was supposed to be in on this. Uh... Reid? The Maxwell Smart of Terrorism? I'm not sure Reid would have been intelligent enough to pull that one off. Second, the Ron Jeremy look-a-like captured in Iraq (the guy who PLANNED 9/11, IIRC) said that Zac wasn't part of the plan. Third, this goes against everything he said in all of the other versions of his story.

So... while I'd love to believe him and see him fry... I'm afraid he's just engaging in a little grandstanding... he should still fry, but... well... you know...

the fact that Sean Penn has a doll of Ann Coulter, that he tortures it when he gets angry, or that he readily admits it?

Penn reveals, "We violate her. There are cigarette burns in some funny places. She's a pure snake-oil salesman. She doesn't believe a word she says."

Uh... isn't that usually a sign of mental illness? First it's toys, then animals, then you take your frustrations on real live conservatives...

Sean... you need therapy... really...

Total Guitar Magazine (who, evidently doesn't have their own web site) has come out with their list of the Greatest Guitar Solos Ever.

1. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
2. Van Halen - Eruption
3. Guns N' Roses - Paradise City
4. The Eagles - Hotel California
5. Metallica - Enter Sandman
6. Cream - Crossroads
7. Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
8. Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train
9. Free - All Right Now
10. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

Thoughts? Disagreements?

At least that's what I would call it if the San Fran Board of Supervisors goes out of their way to officially condemn your rally... your evangelical teen rally.

More than 25,000 evangelical Christian youth landed Friday in San Francisco for a two-day rally at AT&T Park against "the virtue terrorism" of popular culture, and they were greeted by an official city condemnation and a clutch of protesters who said their event amounted to a "fascist mega-pep rally."

Oh, yeah... fascism is exactly what I think when I think of a bunch of Christian teens getting together...

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco,... told counterprotesters at City Hall on Friday that while such fundamentalists may be small in number, "they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco."

Wow... that's ...tolerant, isn't it? I wonder what is so horrible about these kids, anyway... this is their mission statement:

To provoke a young generation to passionately pursue Jesus Christ and to take His life-giving message to the ends of the earth!

Well, yeah... I can see how that could be construed as fascist by... by... well, by someone, I'm sure...

Here's more from their brainwasher founder/organizer:

Luce didn't flinch in the face of the counterprotest. The author, host of the "Acquire the Fire TV" cable television program and a President Bush appointee to a federal anti-drug-abuse commission, wants teens to find Bible-based solutions for the spread of sexually transmitted disease, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and suicide.

The villains, Luce said, range from the promiscuity and "sexualization" of young people on MTV and the popular online meeting hub MySpace.com to a corporate culture that spends millions trying to woo the under-21 crowd. Battle Cry will try to bring them back to God through two days of religious rockers, speakers and the debut of what Luce called a Christian alternative to My Space.com.

"This is more than a spiritual war," Luce said. "It's a culture war." Military metaphors abound in Luce's descriptions of the struggle. He tells young people of how "an enemy has launched a brutal attack on them." At a pre-Battle Cry rally Friday afternoon on the steps of City Hall, Luce told his mostly teenage audience that "terrorists of a different kind" -- advertisers -- were targeting them and that they were "caught in the middle of the battle."

Scary, ain't it? Kids, ready to tell the world that they don't want what the world has to offer. Yeah... I can see how some people might find that offensive... those trying to promote what the world has to offer. Those who are trying to convince everyone (especially themselves, it seems) that anything goes, and no one should think otherwise. But, wait... let's see what the City Supervisors had to add.

"There is a real intolerancy to homosexuality in a lot of these organizations," said Peter Cobb, an organizer with Not In Our Name.

Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city."

..."Even if it is done by a Barnum & Bailey crowd with a tent and some snake oil, I think we need to pay attention to it," said Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who authored the condemnation resolution. "We should not fall asleep at the wheel."

This is tolerance? Wow... I hate to see... intolerance... from these people.

But, they're right, you know. Homosexuality is pretty much a big bad no-no, according to the Bible. Killing innocents is quite verboten, as well. The list of "don't dos" is pretty long. I bet these kids even had the nerve to wear silver rings.

I think that's the problem. In San Francisco, the epitome of almost everything that is going wrong in pop culture today, to have a bunch of teenagers gather and proudly say, "we want something more... we want something better than what you can offer us," is probably more than these "enlightened ones" can possibly handle. These kids... the future of our country, are standing in love (not hatred or disrespect) and saying "we're not going to buy into your world view."

I wonder if it makes any of them think, "what if those kids are right?"

... put a red button on the internet, and then dared people not to push it. How silly is that?

You know you want to press it... you know you do...

h/t to Zippo... I think...

People are always complaining about other drivers- they're eating and driving... talking on the phone while driving... putting on make-up while driving... driving too fast... driving too slow... taking up too many lanes... you name it. Well, I saw one today that was a new one to me.

At a stop light, in the SUV next to me, a woman was plucking her eyebrows. I'm not sure what surprised me more... the fact that she was actually doing that, or the fact that she had to pre-plan that particular activity (not many women I know have tweezers in their purses).

Weird... just plain weird...

Many of you know that I'm a big fan of Brad Stine (though, not nearly as big of a fan as the boys... I think they have his cds memorized). His quote is currently at the top of the blog ("Who is more irrational? A man who believes in a God he doesn't see, or a man who's offended by a God he doesn't believe in?") And then there's the boys' favorite quote of all time (and it's on the back of one of my t-shirts that I have to guard carefully... T1 is going to try to steal it one of these days):

"If you can't say anything nice about a second-rate European nation that would have been wiped off the face of the Earth twice in the last century if if wasn't for the U.S. and has brought nothing of value to the culture but wine and cheese, both of which are made better in California...then don't say anything at all. And I live by that." -Brad Stine

He has a new book out (it was supposed to be released Thursday), and he's doing the news show circuit (Monday and Tuesday on FoxNews, Wednesday on MSNBC). Yes, I'm going to get that book... as soon as possible.

He also has a blog (which he updates about as often as some other bloggers I can think of). Today's post is thought-provoking and enlightening... and very Brad. I mean... how many other people can use the statement "In other words in 3 short weeks I think I have evolved a little. That parts great , now what do I do about these feathers on my butt?" and have it make perfect sense?

Go read the whole thing. It's worth it.

Here are a few things that caught my eye this morning:

• Adwaitya, possibly the world's oldest tortoise, has passed away.


• Scientists think they know how Earth's water got here.
  


• A young boy pays the price for knowing that a female can't be "Daddy."
  


• 911 calls go unanswered... because the dispatchers were on break.
  


• Edwards is still trying to divide America. (The election is over, dude... way over.)
  


• Cheney isn't quite the spoiled brat. but... Diet caffeine-free Sprite? I thought it was all decaf)


• uh... I didn't know snails had hands...
  


• A beer health spa opens (with a kegger?)


• Barking doorbell leads to fine.
  


• Close Encounters for Dummies?


• Whale song can be diagrammed. (uh... Shamu... that was a dangling participle.)


• Microscopic tunnels = bacteria on Mars?


• Town council almost as bad as a homeowners association.
  

I'm convinced that my children want nothing more than to get the snot beaten out of them this weekend.

Why do you ask? Well... why else would they pack their UT and OU t-shirts for a weekend trip to A&M?

Well... that's what Hillary Clinton thinks would happen if a GOP sponsored immigration bill passes.

Surrounded by a multicultural coalition of New York immigration advocates, Clinton blasted the House bill as "mean-spirited" and said it flew in the face of Republicans' stated support for faith and values.

"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures," Clinton said, "because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."

Wow. Where do I start? Maybe with what the bill actually says, ok? It would make unlawful presence in the United States a felony (it's currently a civil offense). It also penalizes those who hire illegal aliens and those who help them (with forged documents, smuggling... etc.) Got it?

Now... we'll look at what Bible Scholar and Senator, Hillary Clinton, said. First, she said that the Good Samaritan would be considered a criminal. Let's see what he did, ok?

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' (Luke 10:30-35)

So... I guess she's either saying that the Samaritan would be considered a criminal because the man he helped was illegally in the country, or he was a criminal because the Samaritan was illegally in the country. Either way... she's wrong. The Samaritans were hated, yes, but there was no law against them being there. And the man in the story was traveling legally in the area, as well.

OK, then she said that Jesus might be considered a criminal under this law. uh... why? Even if we take away the fact that he was sinless, what in His story would lead one to believe that any of his acts of compassion would fall under this bill? I would love to know when, during His Earthly ministry, he fed, healed, or in any other way ministered to people who were in the country illegally. Or, is she implying that Jesus was an illegal alien?

So, Theologian Clinton, can you provide chapter and verse on this? Where in the Bible does it promote illegal activity? (I seem to remember the exact opposite- see Romans 13).

No, we're not to obey the government when it is corrupt, but that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about a government that is trying to secure its borders and protect its citizens (and the legal immigrants, as well).

Call me hard-hearted, but I think that any time a person is caught in this country illegally (and no, I don't really care how long they've been here or how many family members they have here) they should be taken into custody and given 72 hours to prove they're here legally. If they cannot do it within 72 hours, then they should be put on the next regularly scheduled toss-out flight to their country. (At first, one daily to Mexico City, and probably once a week to most Central American countries. Everywhere else, I'd need to see the stats... ) Then, their names would be put on a list and they would not be able to get a visa to legally enter the US for X number of years (probably twice the time it takes to get a normal visa for the country of origin). (ok, yeah... temporary visas for emergencies might get special consideration... but they would be watched like hawks). Cost too much money? Well, when you consider the amount we spend to educate their kids and care for their medical problems... I'd bet it's a wash, or close.

And, no... I wouldn't care if I had to pay more for my veggies or whatever. Seriously. It's worth it.

Overheard today during a Pentagon press conference:

If you believe everything you read by Maureen Dowd, you need to get a life. - Donald Rumsfeld.

My dad let me know about this story, and all I could do was just shake my head.

A radio personality at 550 KTRS was fired on the spot this morning after using the word “coon” on the air in a conversation about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

If that's all you heard about the story, you'd probably think that it was right for this idiot to be canned immediately. But, when you hear the details, it's not so clear.

Lenihan’s comment was made during a discussion about Rice’s credentials to become commissioner of the National Football League, a topic that has been fodder for sports talk radio since the current commissioner announced he would retire later this year.

Lenihan was listing what assets Rice could bring to the league, including her tenure as a top academic officer at Stanford University and the fact that she is African-American.

“She’s just got a patent resume, of somebody that’s got such serious skill,” Linehan said on the air. “She loves football, she’s African-American, which would kind of be a big coon, a big coon – oh my God, I am totally, totally, totally, totally, totally sorry for that, OK? I didn’t mean that. That was just a slip of the tongue.” Lenihan later said he meant to use the word "coup."

Like I said, it's not so cut and dry, when you hear the whole thing. It's obvious that he has a lot of respect for Dr. Rice- he was singing her praises. And he caught himself and apologized on the air immediately. He didn't even finish the sentence. He realized his mistake and corrected it right away. OK, there is never an excuse for saying something like that, but it's not like he was slamming her left and right. He's a fan who made a horrific mistake (yes, I'm taking him at his word... I've meant one word and said another one before... it happens...

But Lenihan never had a chance. Growing up near St. Louis, I can attest to the fact that tensions are a bit high when it comes to race relations. There are plenty of activists in the area that will jump on an imagined slight. There's no telling what would have happened if KTRS hasn't tossed him on his keister before the show was over. Boycotts would have been the least of their worries.

The St. Louis area has suffered greatly under the influence of the Left, and, in all honesty, I think the black community has suffered the most. For generations, many blacks have been taught that the government will take care of them, and the cycle of poverty and welfare is a sad norm in the area, along with the gangs and criminal behavior that go along with it. And, then, those who are stuck in the cycle are told that those not in cycle are intent on keeping them down. And they are offended at the slightest little thing, because, after all, every person who doesn't look like them is just another racist pig.

And this isn't a black thing, or a racism thing, or a St. Louis thing. It's a Nanny State, entitlement, victimhood thing. The Left in this country has done everything in its power to segregate the population into "victim groups," (women, minorities, laborers) telling them that the DNC are the only ones who care, the only ones who will take care of them. And, because they've been told that for generations, the "victims" dutifully drink the Kool-aid and join the zombie masses, afraid to break the cycle that has held them captive.

But, back to our story. In all of this, what strikes me most is the blatant hypocrisy in all of this. This guy was fired for saying one insanely stupid thing on the air. However, when Howard Dean's assistant calls a Hispanic Senate candidate a "House Mexican", it's hardly reported. When Ray Nagin bemoans the possibility of New Orleans becoming "vanilla", the MSM just chuckles. When Dan Rather uses the term "Buckwheats", it's not even worth mentioning. For some reason, Lenihan's remark was just too racist to be tolerated. (I don't know if he's a liberal or a conservative, but... I'm willing to place a bet on it.)

No, he shouldn't have said. Yes, he should have apologized, and he should send an apology to Dr. Rice. And, no... I seriously doubt he should have been fired.

I found this over at DeathKnyte's site:

Beth will have to write:

I will not lie about my multiple personalities

'What will you have to write on the chalk board?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Commercial spaceflight needs to be regulated... right? Leave it to the FAA to come up with "the rules" and thanks to Wired for the translation:

The first draft of the Federal Aviation Administration's rules and requirements for civilian space travel has landed! It's a solid proposal, but we have some comments and suggestions for tweaking the, uh, non-nominal bureaucratic lingo. - James Lee


PAGE 4

What it Says
The [Commercial Space Launch Amendment Act] requires that a space flight participant be informed of the risks of taking a ride on a rocket ...
What it Means
Use caution opening overhead bins, as objects may shift ... in space! In the event of cabin depressurization, dude, you are totally hosed.

What it Says
... and the FAA may issue regulations requiring space flight participants to undergo an appropriate physical examination.
What it Means
If you get seasick, airsick, or carsick, you're likely to get spacesick, too. And if you don't, the person seated next to you will.


PAGE 5

What it Says
When the FAA licensed SpaceShipOne missions, the agency accepted the pilots' commercial pilot certificates as demonstrating adequate skills ...
What it Means
"Adequate"?! Knowing how to drop a 737 into La Guardia is good enough to make the jump to hyperspace?


PAGE 6

What it Says
The performance standard would require each member of the crew to be able to withstand the stresses of space flight sufficiently to carry out his or her role on board so that the vehicle will not harm the public ...
What it Means
You must be able to play at least 10 hours of Halo 2 nonstop without a bathroom break to ride this ride.


PAGE 7

What it Says
[A]lthough different vehicles may impose different stresses, those stresses are likely to include micro-gravity, acceleration, and vibration.
What it Means
Additional stresses may include aliens bursting out of your chest or a vengeful Ricardo Montalban.

What it Says
For example, SpaceShipOne's pilots underwent training that included aerobatic maneuvers and unusual attitude recovery training to match the anticipated stresses of the eventual flight environment. Unusual attitudes may include high rates of roll and all-attitude spins.
What it Means
If by "all-attitude spin" you mean "Jane, get me off this crazy thing!" see comment above, re: spacesick.

What it Says
The FAA would require crew training to include nominal (i.e., normal) and non-nominal flight conditions. Training to respond to planned and unplanned events would allow the crew to better respond to emergencies.
What it Means
Is there any word you can hear on a spacecraft more terrifying than "non-nominal"? Perhaps "unplanned"?

As many of you know, there's going to be a BIG meet up in Austin at the end of April. Here's the latest info on the adventure that will be. (FYI, if you're planning on making the trip to Austin, make sure to leave a comment with a link at the official site- they'll get you on the list, IF blogspot cooperates).

Friday evening, festivities begin with a road trip to the Salt Lick. I haven't been there, but I hear the food is quite yum. (Rachael Ray went there when she visited Austin for her "$40 a Day" show on the Food network.) They are in a dry county, but it is BYOB (beer only), and they only take CASH. Keep that in mind. (I'll let everyone know what time when I find out.)

Saturday morning starts off with a trip to the gun range. I need some info from those who are thinking about going on this little field trip. We have 3 range options- 2 indoor ranges (one north of Austin, one south... same owner) and one outdoor range (about 45 minutes from downtown Austin). The indoor ranges open at 9am, cost $12 to shoot, with $7.50 rentals (you must use their ammunition), and have handgun and rifle lanes. The outdoor range is a little more pricey ($20 with $12 rentals plus ammunition), open at 10am, have rifle (50, 100 and 200 yard) and handgun (7, 15 and 25 yard) ranges, and shotgun and clay areas. (One "upside" to the outdoor range is that we practically have to drive past the house, so I might be persuaded to fire up the grill for lunch- if everyone pitches in for the munchies.)

Saturday afternoon, one possibility is Eeyore's birthday party.

Saturday evening, we may hang out at the hotel and just chill and visit. Or... we might head downtown and hang out on the patio of one of several bar/restaurants.

Sunday morning, I've heard rumblings about finding a breakfast buffet... more on that when I find out more...

A couple of notes... the plans that we come up with are just suggestions... feel free to come and go as you please. I'm going to try to find a sitter for any little critters that may stow away in luggage... but I need a count for that...

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering why there are signs, bumper stickers, t-shirts that say "Keep Austin Weird"... uh... um... click here... that's Leslie Cochran ... probably not safe for work in some instances... just not right in all instances. We may not have the most moonbats, or even the craziest... but we have our special ones... (and no, I'm not entirely sure I'm proud of that.)

Today, when I saw these photos from the Cindy Sheehan love-fest this weekend, I got upset. And then I thought about it. They were announcing the release of a new postage stamp "supporting the troops." Here's the stamp:

That's a stamp "supporting" the troops? Under the banner of "Bring them home now"? They are encouraging people to buy the stamps (at a mark-up of at least $7 per sheet of 20 stamps- the proceeds support some of our favorite whackos) and use them on letters to their Congress Critters. To make a statement.

Giving voice to the majority of Americans who now support the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, the “Bring ‘Em Home Now!" store offers 39 cent postage stamps (approved by the US Postal Service), as well as t-shirts, buttons & stickers featuring the popular "Bring 'Em Home Now!" yellow ribbon designs.

Like I said, I was a bit miffed when I first saw this. For the USPS to make such a partisan stamp... promoting anti-war, anti-Administration organizations just seemed beyond the pale. But then I remembered this. You can make almost any postage stamps you want. So, this is ok... I may not agree with them, but... it's legal.

So... who's going to design the counter-stamp? Any volunteers?

A friend of mine (who prefers the term "Godless heathen" instead of "atheist") sent me this link. He asked me if this wasn't undignified and counter-productive. I responded yes, it's undignified, but not necessarily counter-productive.

Can professional-style wrestling really be the next frontier for Christian outreach?

Small bands of masked evangelists, clad in tights and armed with biblical names, argue it is. The violence and intensity of wrestling, they claim, can be the perfect way to attract the alternative, younger crowd.

At the beginning of some "Wrestling for Jesus" shows, wrestler Chase "Darkness" Cliett is strapped to a massive wooden cross on stage as piercing music is played. A group of evil wrestlers beats and bloodies him before the good guys dramatically come to his rescue. Later, after a horned fellow in a red suit is knocked out, the preaching begins.

... One performance ended with real fighting, real cursing and a repentant participant stretched-out face-down in the ring weeping.

Um... you had me, right up until the "real cursing"...

I know that Ted Dibiase is doing a lot of Christian speaking, and he's part of the Power Wrestling Alliance, with the wrestlers formerly known as Sting and Nikita (who, it appears, does stuff with "Wrestling for Jesus" as well).

So... does this work? Is it just a hook? Is it taking away from the Message, or is it reaching a group who otherwise might blow off religion?

Thoughts?

A fellow blogger sent me an e-mail that contained an interesting "letter". Well, here it is:

North Dakota News Bulletin

This text is from a county emergency manager out in the western part of North Dakota state after the storm.

Amusing, if it were not so true...

WEATHER BULLETIN

Up here in the Northern Plains we just recovered from a Historic event — may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" with a historic blizzard of up to 24" inches of snow and winds to 50 MPH that broke trees in half, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed all roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

FYI:

George Bush did not come....
FEMA staged nothing....
No one howled for the government...
No one even uttered an expletive on TV...
Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.....
No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House....
No one looted....
Phil Cantori of the Weather Channel did not come....
And Geraldo Rivera did not move in.

Nope, we just melted snow for water, sent out caravans to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars, fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Aladdin lamps, and put on an extra layer of clothes because up here it is 'work or die'. We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for 'sittin at home' checks.

Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early...we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

"In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 48 degrees North Latitude, 90% of the worlds social problems evaporate."

Like I said... not quite true. What is true is:

• There was a major snow storm in North Dakota that received little or no press.
  
• Celebrities (Hollywood and political) never showed up.
• The local and state police, along with the National Guard, were able to take care of the situation.
  
• They did ask for major disaster status.
  
• North Dakota is trying to recoup some of its expenses from FEMA.
  

The rest of the "e-mail" was pretty accurate. Sure, the disasters, as Snopes points out, were very different. But each area had prior warning. They knew what was coming. And they responded differently. I'm not saying that the people in Louisiana sat on their duffs, waiting to be saved by Uncle Sam, because of welfare or anything like that. That's not the point.

Maybe, since it snows every year in North Dakota, they knew how to handle it. Maybe they were just plain better prepared for the emergency. Maybe the people in New Orleans became complacent after the Big One missed them so many times. Maybe they just weren't paying attention.

I don't know... just made me think...

The House of Representatives is on track this year to be in session for fewer days than the Congress Harry Truman labeled as “do-nothing” during his 1948 re-election campaign.

Members of Congress are taking an entire week off for St. Patrick's Day. It's the latest scheduling innovation to give members more time to meet with constituents.

Through Friday, the House was in session for 19 days, compared with 33 for the Senate. If they stick to their current schedule — including two weeks off in April, a week in May and July, plus all of August — House members will spend 97 days in Washington this year.

Originally, Congress was supposed to be a part-time job. Congress Critters (of both varieties) were supposed to have real jobs, and represent their neighbors in their "spare" time. Over time, it's become a full-time job, much to the detriment of our country (in my never-to-be-considered-humble opinion). They forget who they're representing, and begin to think that their purpose is to get re-elected, not do what's best for the country.

One of the best things that ever happened was when government was shut down back in 1995. Pity it didn't last longer... we don't need a big government. We need a federal government that does its job and then goes home...

Imagine my dismay when I read this opinion piece, and the first thing I thought of was "and this is why women shouldn't be President". Yikes. I mean, I'd love for Condi to run for VP or something (she's too quiet on some social issues for me to be comfortable with just putting her in charge... ya know?) but, with very few exceptions, women are far too emotional to hold that kind of power.

Let's look at some of what Ms. Marcus had to say, and you'll see what I mean. I won't even go over the over-used, oft-refuted liberal talking points (mostly about the Iraq war... do we really have to explain AGAIN???). We'll go over the other... stuff...

• The administration's manliness doesn't stop at the water's edge. Pushing another round of tax cuts in 2003, Vice President Cheney sounded like a warrior claiming tribute after victory in battle: "We won the midterms. This is our due," Cheney reportedly said. (uh... hon... they won based on those tax cuts... WE WANTED THEM.-B)
• After the 2004 election, Bush exuded the blustering self-assurance of a president who had political capital to spend -- or thought he did -- and wasn't going to think twice before plunking down the whole pile on Social Security. (and more's the pity that privatization didn't get a fair hearing-B)
  
• And the administration's claim of almost unfettered executive power is the ultimate in manliness: how manly to conclude that Congress gave the go-ahead to ignore a law without it ever saying so; how even manlier to argue that your inherent authority as commander in chief would permit you to brush aside those bothersome congressional gnats if they tried to stop eavesdropping without a warrant. (it was legal... they didn't ignore a law... Congress was briefed... and so on... -B)
  
• What this country could use is a little less manliness -- and a little more of what you would describe as womanly qualities: restraint, introspection, a desire for consensus, maybe even a touch of self-doubt.

Restraint? When the World Trade Center fell, we should have been restrained? When all of the major world powers thought that Iraq had WMDs or were working hard to get them, we should have been restrained? When we knew that Iraq was providing material support to Al Q, we should have been restrained?

Introspection? During war? There is time for that... later... much later.

Consensus? You do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, NOT because a majority of uninformed (or, worse yet, misinformed) sheep tell you via a poll that it's the right thing to do.

Self-doubt? A leader loses his ability to lead if those he commands sense his doubt... in himself... his direction... his vision. There is a saying- Sever the ignorant doubt in your heart with the sword of self-knowledge.

During a time of peace, you might... MIGHT... be able to make a case for the need for more "feminine" characteristics in a leader. Personally, I NEVER want a President who doubts his (or her) vision or ability. I want a President who is forceful... commanding... manly.

With all due respect to Jarheads everywhere, these guys are a few candies short of a full jar... or a few fries short of a Happy Meal... or... you get the idea.

Lance Cpl. Athanasios Genos, 22, a combat correspondent for the 2nd Marine Division out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., took a break from missions the other day and experienced something new: a haircut and massage at the Turkish-run Marine Express barber at Camp Fallujah, Iraq.

Not so unusual?

Part of the full haircut, shampoo and massage service, which runs $9 total, includes an Arab tradition of dipping a cotton swab into alcohol, setting it on fire and tapping the customers’ ears and neck area to burn away tiny hairs.

You know... most people try to avoid singeing their hair. Then again... most people aren't Marines.

Tonight, TV Land will host its awards ceremony (does EVERY cable channel have to have their own awards show these days?), and they will honor the 40th anniversary of the Batman tv series. (No, I DON'T remember when it was in its first run.) Adam West and Burt Ward will be honored.

Yeah, it was campy. Yeah, the stunts were... bad. But "WHAM!" "POW!" , etc., are part of American pop culture because of that series. They gave life to the comic books, instead of making another adventure show (like Superman). It was something different, something fun.

How else do you explain this?

I could have sworn that I just had this conversation with a couple of redheads just a few days ago...

If you live in the DFW area, and you notice storm clouds gathering, try not to worry. It's just Spats, losing his cool because TO is going to the Cryboys... this is going to be ugly, isn't it?

Imagine this headline:

Flying Cow Leaves Two Police Cars in Flames

It's a joke, right? Nope... really happened... near Seguin, TX. Go figure.

Talk about a wild night near Seguin. A cow came flying out of its trailer, sent DPS and police scrambling, and left two police cars going up in flames.

"It was almost hard to believe," said Detective Sergeant Maureen Watson. She has been in law enforcement for 15 years, and says she "never had a day like this. I mean the best way to characterize this it, is it's bizarre. It's really really strange."

It's strange because it started out with a truck towing cattle, and ended in fire.

Watson told News 4 WOAI, "We believe the gate of the cattle trailer came open, and the cow, for lack of a better phrase spilled out onto the Interstate. It was pretty chaotic for a while."

Several cars hit some of the cows. One cow died. DPS troopers called for backup.

You really can't make this stuff up, can you?

The cow did not die in vain. Somehow, Seguin Police managed to arrest two illegal immigrants during the fiasco.

Amazing...

The Future Mrs. Brit Student (aka Republican Princess) has a cool blog, and a sweet shop where you can buy all kinds of cool goodies. I want one of these and one of these and maybe one of these.

Well... let's see what you're not seeing on the MSM...

• umm... oops?

  Two founders of the cryonics movement - whose members are frozen after death - have been cremated after a freezer mishap.
  
  ...But, 22 years after his mother's body was put into cold storage, their son discovered the freezer unit had broken down, reports the Guardian.

  That's kind of sad... if you're one to believe that you can come back from the dead. I know of two people who've managed that, and one had an assist from The Other.
• And this is surprising... why?

  The head of the Democratic Party criticized the Justice Department for approving a plan for New Orleans to hold its first elections since Hurricane Katrina.
  
  ...As Cybercast News Service reported, the NAACP scheduled a "special trip" to the city this week to express its opposition to the way the April 22 state and local election will be conducted. The civil rights group said many blacks who tend to vote for Democrats left the city during the hurricane and have not returned.

  Let's see... they "left the city and have not returned", eh? Maybe because they decided to start a new life somewhere above sea level? But don't let that keep 'em from voting in local elections... don't forget to add all of the people who have died in the last 50 years to the rolls while you're at it, ok?
  
• In a scientific "well, duh" moment:

  Scientists announced today new evidence supporting the theory that the infant universe expanded from subatomic to astronomical size in a fraction of a second after its birth.
  
  The finding is based on new results from NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite, launched in 2001 to measure the temperature of radiant heat left over from the Big Bang, which is the theoretical beginning to the universe.

  Like I said, well, duh. And I can tell you when it happened, too. Right after the words, "Let there be light."
  
• In the battle of South Park v. Scientology... Scientology's kicking rear:

  "South Park" has declared war on Scientology. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of the animated satire, are digging in against the celebrity-endorsed religion after a controversial episode mocking outspoken Scientologist Tom Cruise was yanked abruptly from the schedule Wednesday _ with Internet rumors it was covert warfare by Cruise that led to its departure.

  Add that to the fact that Isaac Hayes, the voice of Chef, has asked to be released from his contract (he says it's because of intolerance and bigotry, but Matt Stone and Trey Parker claim it's because they picked on Hayes' religion- and that Hayes had no problem with them making fun of other religions) and you've got a L. Ron Hubbard sci-fi dream come true... or something like that...
  
• umm... what is the deal with Denny's?

  A gunman opened fire early Friday at a Denny's restaurant, killing one man and seriously wounding another, police said. It was the third fatal shooting at the restaurant chain in Southern California this week.

  I guess I'm lucky that I'm just not a big fan of the Grand Slam breakfast, eh?
  
• This might just be brilliant... if Americans were more observant.

  Rather than trumpeting a recently released document linking Saddam Hussein to al-Qaida and the Taliban, presidential press secretary Scott McClellan today said any such developments should be left to the American people to judge.
  
  As WorldNetDaily reported today, one of the documents released online yesterday by the Pentagon is a letter from a member of Saddam's intelligence apparatus indicating al-Qaida and the Taliban had a relationship with the regime prior to the 9-11 attacks.

  Unfortunately, the average American gets their information from the Lamestream media, so... kind of hard for the people to judge if it gets NO AIR TIME. I guess the plan is for the blogosphere to do all of the legwork, getting the word out. I hope it works.
  
• And... leading the US "delegation" to Slobodan Milosevic's funeral is... Ramsey Clarke. Yes, our favorite lawyer on the "Free Saddam Legal Eagles" team is headed to Pozarevac. I think what bothers me more than the fact that the little weasel is paying his repects to the monster is the fact that fifty foreign delegations are going to be attendance. He was a war criminal, not a hero.
  

Well... that's about it...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Blogging will resume... soon. As soon as I come up with something to write about. Tomorrow, maybe.

No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities. -- Bovee.

We ran into the mother of one of the boys' friends today at The Evil Big Box Store of Doom™ (I should really buy stock in that particular little company.) While we were chatting in the shoe department, T1 wanders over, and she said, "oh, my, he's taller than you." I pointed out that I had on flip flops, and he had on real shoes, and that's probably why. "Barely."

Shush... my babies aren't old enough to be taller than me. Taller than Mugga, yes... Me? no way.

My delusion. Deal with it.

I just didn't see it coming. (h/t to Cute Overload)

... at what point does Kitty realize that his friend would make a tasty snack? (click on "great lil video")

When you head to the ballpark to see a game, concessions are an important part of it, right? You need a beverage (or three)... some nachos with plastic cheese... maybe a giant pretzel or a hot dog. If you go to some of the newer stadiums, you can get pizza or subs or wings. Sushi is even available at some major league parks. This, however, was not on my list of "yummies to munch on".

The ballpark sandwich will include a hamburger topped with sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon -- all between a "bun" made of a sliced Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut.

If you can find a (loop)hole in your cardiologist's advice, calorie counters predict the monster will set you back about 1,000 calories and 45 grams of fat.

... The Grizzlies are no strangers to self-promotion through caloric innovation. Two years ago they introduced what they called "Baseball's Best Hotdog," a dog topped with two strips of bacon, sauteed onions, sauerkraut and cheddar cheese sauce. They upped the ante last year with the "Swiss Brat," a bratwurst with a slice of Swiss cheese in the middle of it, topped with sauerkraut.

Here's what it looks like:

That doesn't look even remotely appetizing. I've thought about taking the boys to a Grizzlies game the next time we're in STL... I'm not so sure now... my arteries are hardening just looking at that thing... I'm pretty sure my cholesterol level will rise just walking into GMC Stadium.

While Cuba played the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, a spectator in the stands raised a sign saying: "Down with Fidel," sparking an international incident that escalated Friday with the velocity of a major league fastball.

The image of the man holding the sign behind home plate was beamed live Thursday night to millions of TV viewers _ including those in Cuba. The top Cuban official at the game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan rushed to confront the man.

Puerto Rican police quickly intervened and took the Cuban official _ Angel Iglesias, vice president of Cuba's National Institute of Sports _ to a nearby police station where they lectured him about free speech.

"We explained to him that here the constitutional right to free expression exists and that it is not a crime," police Col. Adalberto Mercado was quoted as saying in El Nuevo Dia, a San Juan daily.

The brouhaha gathered steam Friday when Cuba's Communist Party newspaper, Granma, called the sign-waving "a cowardly incident." Cuba's Revolutionary Sports Movement exhorted Cubans to demonstrate in Havana late Friday, saying U.S. and Puerto Rican authorities were involved in "the cynical counterrevolutionary provocations."

That actually surprises me. I would have thought that they would have flat out lied and said that the sick individual was taken into custody for his own good and is receiving treatment for his mental disorder. Isn't that what they say when someone disagrees with El Papa?

I loved that Iglesias confronted the guy. I bet he actually thought the guy would be arrested. Probably came as quite a surprise that it's perfectly legal to tell Fidel where to go in most other countries.

Too bad. So sad. Any chance we'll have an defectors this time around?

This commentary was a bit of a blast from the past. But, let's see what she had to say first.

The other day at work, some colleagues and I were discussing a chain restaurant known for its scantily clad waitresses. I was taken aback for a moment. "They have the best sports bar in my area," one person said. "I hear they have great Buffalo wings," said another.

It was a moment of disconnect. "But how can anyone go to places like that?" I asked. "What about the objectification of women's bodies?" The what of the who?

My colleagues, many of them young enough to be my offspring, gave me puzzled, bemused looks.

"This is one of those feminist things, isn't it?" someone asked.

"Yes, I'm a feminist. Yes, I did consciousness raising," I said.

"What's consciousness raising?"

She was confused, for a couple of reasons. First of all, the "objectification of women's bodies" isn't what it was back in the day. Society has changed, for better or worse, because of feminism or in spite of it (I think both to both). I mean, the girls at Hooters wear FAR MORE than most of the young hotties at the swimming pools these days. They work there because they get really good tips- there isn't some bizarre slavery ring that forces them to wear those outfits. Second, women, in spite of what you see on the media, have a much better self-image than they did back when you were a young feminist, Debra. Either that, or they have more means to change their appearance.

As for the whole "consciousness raising" thing... never heard of it? Here's Debra's explanation:

How could I describe these little groups of women who met once a week in the 1960s and 1970s, just to talk about their lives, their assumptions, their feelings as women?

How is that different than what groups of women have been doing since... well, since the first women? From sitting around a fire, trying to figure out the best way to cook whatever it was the guys brought back from the hunt to high tea to quilting bees and coffee clatches... this is nothing new. Sorry to burst your bubble, but 1060s feminism did not invent "dishing."

And then we get to this little nugget- the one the feminists could never quite understand:

The young women in my workplace see themselves, no doubt, as equal to the men. But when they get pregnant and have babies, guess what happens? They're still the ones who drop out of the workforce, or work part time, or, more rarely, go back to work full time but are overwhelmed with guilt. I sure don't see that same angst in men too often.

There's a good reason for that. Back in the 70s, feminists were harping on women's rights and how women had been shackled to the home for too long. The problem was that there were many women who wanted to stay at home with their kids, who thought that the greatest career is the housewife. Climbing the corporate ladder was irrelevant to them. They were quiet for a while, and they they had enough. Many (usually conservative) women started speaking up on the joys of motherhood, and the good side of walking away from the rat race. And now, thanks to the feminists and those who consider themselves "traditional feminists" (those who embrace and aspire to all things traditionally feminine... think Proverbs 31 kind of woman), the young women of today can truly see their full range of options. They can climb the corporate ladder, or they can climb the ladder at the playground with their kids. They know the pros and cons of each choice, and neither is put down (too much). (I have my personal opinions on which is the "better choice"... care to guess?)

At the end of her commentary, she wonders if the young women in her office would support an Equal Rights Ammendment. I can only hope not.

Flashback time... in the early 1980s, I was in junior high, and the ERA was a big deal. 35 states had ratified it, and the 1982 (extended) deadline was approaching, and then passed without the necessary 3 states ratifying it. In 1983, I was sitting in my freshman Honors Social Studies class, and somehow the ERA came up. I commented on how pointless ERA was, and one of the guys said, "you, of all people, should be in favor of ERA. Why aren't you?" (Why he thought I, of all people, would be in favor it is beyond me.) I asked him to point out one right in the Constitution that he would have at age eighteen that I would be denied - he could not come up with one. "Then why do I need NOW adding something that's already written there?"

What's sad is that there are still groups who feel we need an ERA. Then again, these are the same groups that think the majority of Americans support abortion on demand any time, any reason. They're convinced that Christian fundies are behind every evil out there. They just don't get it. I guess they never will.

Next Wednesday, March 15th, is the 4th Annual Eat and Animal for PETA Day. Take this opportunity to enjoy your favorite form of animal, cooked to perfection. Go to a steak place. Grill something at home. JUST EAT MEAT!!!

Also occuring that day, United For Peace and Justice will be holding "local media protests" nationwide. Oh, yay.

Have a burger for them, too... many of them probably belong to PETA, too.

I added a couple of links under the "About Me" and "The Rules" links on the sidebar. Both of those are links to Central Texas pollen index counters. For those of you who live in the area, these will let you know exactly what it is that is driving your nose and sinus cavities insane today. After all, this is the allergy capital of the country.

For those of you who don't live around here, I'm trying to figure out how to link (in a more reasonable format) to these sites which offer pollen indexes from around the country. There is a site that offers a button link, and all you would have to do is type in your address and click on "go". Hopefully, I can get that code. If not, I'll put up a link similar to the ones I did for Central Texas.

UPDATE: The site in question does not offer the service to "Blogs" or personal sites. Their loss. The links will go up in the sidebar in a couple of minutes.

(h/t to Harvey) I'm not sure what to think of this.

The photos are very cool, but it seemed... almost sacriligious. But I read this from the FAQ:

Rev. Smith has stated that the goal of The Brick Testament is to give people an increased knowledge of the contents of The Bible in a way that is fun and compelling while staying very true to the original versions. To this end, all stories are retold using direct quotes from The Bible.

So... thoughts, anyone? I think it could be a useful tool... but only a tool...

I love our dogs. Really, I do. They're sweet and lovable and fun to be around. They are also the scourge of the neighborhood.

Today, I got a phone call from the nice lady (no, she really is a sweetheart) who lives across the street. "Beth, I think your dogs are out again." Lovely... rustle the dogs back into the yard, and find something to block the gaping hole in the gate that they used to make their escape. Off I go to run around a bit.

When I get home, there's a notice on the door. Someone from the sheriff's department had been there, and the dogs were out again. (Evidently, my method of emergency hole repair didn't quite work.) We were in violation of Restraint Law, and there was a complaint by a citizen. "You can't let your dogs run loose." (No sh*t, Sherlock!) At least Officer Moeller was kind enough to rig a quick fix for the hole in the gate. Lovely...

So, I need to find a way to keep the Evil Canines in their confines. Tried an electric fence... it worked for a while, but... it kept falling apart. Shock collars won't be very effective unless I shave the dogs (they both have heavy coats).

My current plan is chicken wire. Yeah, it's going to look horrid at first, but I think it will be ok if I plant some ivy in front of it to hide the fact that it's... well... chicken wire. I'm going to go all the way around the fence with it (the big mutt, Mike, has been known to go through other parts of the fence).

I think I know why he puts holes in the fence (the little dog probably couldn't put holes in the fence... but she sure does enjoy going through them). The fence is one of those 6ft privacy fences, and you can't see through it (duh). The dogs hear something on the other side of the fence, and, being the curious animals that they are, they need to find out what that noise was. Easiest way is through the fence. Mike head-butts it a few times, and away they go.

No, I'm not trying to excuse away the Big Mutt's behavior... he's a big lug who would have spent a lot of time in detention if he had gone to doggy school. But I can't help but wonder if he'd put as many holes in the fence as he has over the years if he'd been able to see what was on the other side.

Anyone have any other suggestions? (comments on bbqing will be ignored, of course).

... but this just doesn't sound smart.

Here's the story. A 13-year-old girl went missing on Monday morning. Later in the day, she sent several text messages to her mother. Her cell phone went unanswered (it went straight to voice-mail, which means it was turned off... which may mean that the girl is one smart cookie- B). The police are calling the case "suspicious."

Here's my "problem" with it. Why are they going public with the fact that the girl is sending text messages? It seems like the police (and her mother, who I'm giving a pass because I'm sure she's quite distraught, willing to do anything to get her daughter back safe and sound). IF she is still alive now, her captor is not going to be happy once s/he finds out, which will happen since it's been plastered all over the news and the internet. And chances are her captor will take it out on her.

Maybe the police have an Ace up their sleeve. Maybe they're keeping back some other vital information, hoping to draw the kidnapper out. We can only hope so.

UPDATE: She has been found, safe and reasonably sound. She may or may not have been abducted, but they are looking into filing charges against someone. This is disturbing... and weird...

... that the home security system let's you know that there is a low battery in one of the sensors... at 2am? And 2:15am? And 2:30am?

... does it taste good fried with cocktail sauce? Or maybe just some nice drawn butter? And how long do you boil it?

Oh, wait... that's 3 questions... sorry...

I have a story for you guys, and I'd like you to keep a few questions in mind as you read it: #1- was the family being selfish?; #2- were the grandparents being impolite?; #3- did everyone make a mountain out of a molehill?; and #4- if applicable, who was right, and who was wrong? (Yes, I want you to be honest. Dad- shush... you know too much of the story to be... impartial.)

Here's the tale:

There's this family with pre-teen boys. Their grandparents decide to come and visit. At the last minute, they decide to bring along the 6-year-old nephew/cousin. They told him that it was ok, but they didn't ask the family first. Now, the family loves the little boy, but he's very clingy and the sons feel overwhelmed by him following them around and having to be right with them, doing whatever they're doing most of the time. So, the family feels a little stuck (not wanting to seem like total meanies), but they really didn't want him coming- they just wanted to spend time with the grandparents. When the grandparents did finally ask if it was ok for the little boy to come along, they were shocked and angered to be told, "no, not really." The grandparents brought up stuff "it's family- we shouldn't have to ask" and "well, the kids will just have to deal with it- it's the right thing to do". The family pointed out that it was incredibly rude to put them in this position, and they don't want their kids to be annoyed (or miserable) for a few days when there were compromises that could have been made.

Now, everyone's mad at everyone.

Well... there it is... thoughts? Please... I know some of you guys... keep it civil, ok?

If you, for even an instant, thought that we might be close enough for me to sign your name to a get well card for a mutual friend... well... um... uh... I just did.

Hope no one minds!

Get well SOON, Delfts!

I just heard from MamaMontezz, and her hubby, Delftsman, is in the hospital. He's in CICU with congestive heart failure, and they are running more tests.

Please keep him (and Mama and the rest of the family) in your prayers.

Mama will keep everyone updated on D-man's blog.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that CongressCritters never actually read The Document they swore to protect and defend. They keep stomping on it every chance they get.

Case in point:

The U.S. Senate is moving to curtail the influence of non-profit interest groups that routinely contact citizens and urge them to petition their congressmen or senators on issues of concern.

The so-called Lieberman-Levin Amendment would impose "unconstitutional and unfair" restraints on non-profit grassroots lobbying activity, the Family Research Council warned...

...According to Perkins, the Lieberman-Levin amendment violates the constitutionally protected right of citizens to petition government, stifles debate, and shuts out the voice of average citizens.

Some civil liberties have been lost, a bit at a time. Most recently, it was due to McCain-Feingold. Now they want to restrict groups from informing citizens about legislation moving through Congrss? What are y'all afraid of, anyway?

Yeah, well, boys and girls, let's contact our Senators and Representatives while it's still legal and tell them that if they keep ignoring The Constitution, they're in for problems. Getting voted out of office is one possibility... push some far enough, and this quote will be brought to the public's notice once again:

We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government (emphasis mine-B), laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

We did it once before... who's to say we won't do it again? There are already people contemplating it.

If I didn't know better, I would think this is a bad parody of a Monty Python skit:

Eighty-one-year-old Myron Manders wants the Social Security Administration to know that he still is alive. The problem is, it doesn't seem to be listening.

Last November, Manders was preparing to leave a hospital where he was treated for pneumonia when a social worker said his insurance company would not pay the bill because it believed Manders died on Sept. 1...

...Jarrett said Eunice Manders has been paid a survivor's benefit, which he said is now considered an overpayment she will be responsible for paying back, although she will have a right to appeal.

Manders, who describes himself as an almost-retired architect, sought to clear up the problem by showing up at a Social Security office. The in-person appearance did not help.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, recognizing that Manders served in the Army during World War II, notified Eunice that she is a beneficiary on his Veterans Affairs life insurance policy and that Social Security had notified the VA of Myron's death.

The latest correspondence from Social Security came Monday addressed to Eunice, advising she is entitled to monthly widow's benefits. Myron Manders would not say exactly what was going through his mind. "Curse words," he hinted.

Like I said, a bad parody of The Holy Grail. Curse words, indeed.

How does walking into an office and saying, "uh... I'm alive here people" NOT help a situation like this? Oh, wait... this is the gubmint we're talking about. It's probably a whole lot easier declaring someone dead (unless they actually are or something) than to prove you're alive.

This article brought to mind this organization, so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone.

First, several actors and other VIPs will be arriving at the Oscars Sunday night in "green vehicles."

Oscar nominees Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal and Frances McDormand are among those expected to step out of green vehicles and onto the red carpet at the Academy Awards ceremony Sunday.

In all, 25 VIPs are participating in the fourth annual "Red Carpet, Green Cars" event sponsored by Toyota Motor Corp. and the environmental organization Global Green USA. McDormand, Phoenix, Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney are all expected to arrive at the Oscars in Toyota or Lexus hybrids, including the Toyota Prius, Lexus RX crossover and a hybrid version of the Toyota Camry, which goes on sale in May.

You know, I think I'm ok with that. These are the celebrities who do nothing but whine about how America is ruining the planet- it only makes sense that they drive enviromentally friendly cars. If they drive them around LA when the cameras aren't on them, I'll be impressed [yeah, I know some of them do. I also know that some of them criticize the way America uses too much oil, and they tool around in SUVs (not the hybrid kind) and use private jets (and they don't make them environmentally friendly yet.)]

Onto the next link... there's a new group (well, it's new to the media, at least) called the Evangelical Climate Initiative, and they're making quite a stir. Here's a bit from their site:

The same love for God and neighbor that compels us to preach salvation through Jesus Christ, protect the unborn, preserve the family and the sanctity of marriage, and take the whole Gospel to a hurting world, also compels us to recognize that human-induced climate change is a serious Christian issue requiring action now.

In case you were wondering, "climate change" is a clever way of saying "global warming." Now, I've already stated my feelings on "evangelical environmentalism" and the farce that is global warming. There is plenty of evidence out there that global warming is more religion than scientific theory .

Why did environmentalists feel the need to change terminology from "global warming" to "climate change"? Maybe they figured out that they were being a little... alarmist? The general public are beginning to look on global warming as a variation of "crying wolf"... they're ignoring their prophecies of gloom and doom. So, they had to change the message, while leaving it the same.

Once again... we can't cause that kind of global change, short of a nuclear holocaust. We're far too insignificant on a cosmic scale to do that kind of damage. The Earth was created to be quite resilient- our Creator knew what was coming. That's not to say that all of us- Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jew, Pagan... you name it- should carelessly waste what God has given us. I'm saying to use a little common sense.