Turning on Each Other in Iraq

Iraqi factions are battling the al-Qaeda contingent led ostensibly by Musab al-Zarqawi. The locals are apparently not pleased about the killing of local leaders and al-Qaeda's desire for a strict Islamic code.

There's definite hope there that Iraq won't turn into another Islamic state.
(Hat tip: Michelle Malkin)
(See also: This post on al-Qaeda in Iraq at least as early as 2002.)

L-l-l-l-l-l-let's get ready to rumbl-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-e!

Sandra Day O'Connor has announced her retirement, effective upon the confirmation of her successor.

The President is expected to make an announcement soon.

Confirm Them and Bench Memos become daily reads.

Update: Not today with respect to Bench Memos, though. Their last thought before apparently going on vacation was "Go ahead and take the day off", intimating that the Chief Justice was not going to announce a retirement.

They were right, but they forgot about Sandra Day O'Connor...

al-Qaeda and Iraq

Among the multitude of 'whereases' in Senate Joint Resolution 46 of October 2002, was this:

Whereas members of al Qaida, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens, and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq;

The sponsors of this resolution were Joe Lieberman (D-CT), with 16 cosponsors, among them John McCain and John "Silky Pony" Edwards of North Carolina. They purported to know that al-Qaeda was there more than 3 years ago.

Why all the pissiness now regarding the events of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda and Iraq being all part of a world-wide war?

For the record, here were the people who voted against the bill in the Senate:
Akaka (D-HI), Bingaman (D-NM), Boxer (D-CA), Byrd (D-WV), Chafee (R(?)-RI), Conrad (D-ND), Corzine (D-NJ), Dayton (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Graham (D-FL), Inouye (D-HI), Jeffords (I-VT), Kennedy (D-MA), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Mikulski (D-MD), Murray (D-WA), Reed (D-RI), Sarbanes (D-MD), Stabenow (D-MI), Wellstone (D-MN), Wyden (D-OR).
(source: the Daily Kos Encylcopedia, entry on the Iraq War Resolution)
A pretty Left-leaning group. But you know? I don't see Harry Reid's (D-NV) in there.

That's because he voted for it. (No one abstained in the 77-23 Senate vote.) Will the Minority Leader claim that he didn't really believe the part about al-Qaeda in Iraq and therefore had his fingers crossed behind his back? That he didn't read the resolution carefully?

"Let's start with ... his house!"

SCOTUS ruled that local governments can use eminent domain to take away a person's property, even to give over to ANOTHER private concern to build over. The local government need only look at a potential for greater revenue from the new property than they had for the old.

Needless to say, this is upsetting.

One man has proposed that we start with Justice Souter's house:

On Monday June 27, Logan Darrow Clements, faxed a request to Chip Meany the code enforcement officer of the Towne of Weare, New Hampshire seeking to start the application process to build a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road. This is the present location of Mr. Souter's home.

It does indeed get better. Go have a look.

Tsunami Hope Chest: SOLD!

It looks like the high bid was accepted for the Tsunami Hope Chest after all, even though it was short of the reserve price.

Here's the thread over at the WWA. Apparently someone who posts there bought it after all!

An open question lingers from earlier: "What color do you s'pose they'll paint it?"
yes... that's a joke

More Than One Way for a Vacancy to Appear on the Supreme Court

A sobering possibility was raised in the comment section of this post over at ConfirmThem.

Commenter "Gray Temples" wrote:

it is possible the CJ is terminal and has been told he has ____ days/weeks to live…..and, now that we are in recess, he will not resume his spot on the bench before his death...

That could explain why there was no announcement of a resignation as well as any other theory.

A Question on the Occasion of SCOTUS's Ten Commandments Decisions Today

SCOTUS has now gotten into the art criticism business.

The Kentucky display featuring the Ten Commandments is just a little too... I dunno... fundamentalist for our tastes. This one... this one from Texas. Now that's good stuff!

Apparently context is the key to having an allowable visual representation of the Ten Commandments.

So here's the question that I take from their two decisions today:

How many non-Judeo-Christian elements must be part of a public building's installation to sufficiently dilute the impact of the Ten Commandments?

Something tells me the answer will be highly variable, not unlike the famous porn definition. If that is the case, has SCOTUS now set themselves up to examine every public building in America, allowing one display, but throwing out another?

Negotiating with Terrorists?

The Sunday shows were abuzz with talk that the US had had "secret talks" with the "insurgents" in Iraq. Rumsfeld said that in fact there had been many more than the two that his interviewer had confronted him with.

Why would something like this come to light? Why would the administration admit it?

Perhaps to illustrate the similarity between the enemies of freedom and certain elements of the United States Congress. Specifically: a demand for a firm timetable for US withdrawal from Iraq. (See Also: Chester)

The administration brings it out thinking that the political hay that could be made comparing the defeatists at home with the terrorists in Iraq would be greater than could be made over "negotiating with terrorists"? Possible. Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin and Ted Kennedy as heads of the Ansar al-Donkey fighting against us in the war from right here in Washington, D.C.? An interesting image.

Stem Cell Discovery

The Stones Cry Out has a story on stem cells--adult stem cells. In a nutshell they have the same ability to multiply as embryonic stem cells--and that has been hailed as a significant reason why embryonic stem cells need to be used.

If adult stem cells multiply just as well, differentiate just as well and can be obtained without killing anyone--something that cannot honestly be said about embryonic stem cells--why wouldn't we just use adult stem cells?

Space Invaded by a Female Revisited

Don't shed too many tears for the supposedly 'devout' Muslims in Guantanamo Bay having their space invaded by women.

It didn't bother the 9/11 hijackers when they visited Olympic Garden Topless Cabaret in Las Vegas. Why should it bother these 'paragons' of Islam?

Morning Reading

Interesting thread brewing over at Jack Kelly's Irish Pennants about potential Presidential matchups in 2008. According to Zogby McCain stomps either Hillary Clinton or John Kerry.

As I commented over there, it will be a long time before I believe Zogby with respect to Presidential polling.

Meanwhile, Carol Platt Liebau has posted what the Left said in the aftermath of 9/11/2001 apropos of Karl Rove's remarks at the Conservative Party of New York the other night:

"Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 in the attacks and prepared for war; liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers."

Patrick Ruffini's got a list, too. Check out Shifting the Goal Posts, especially the comments section where liberals get all defensive-like.

Tsunami Hope Chest: Updated Press Release

Here's the latest press release from the keyboard of Tampa Tom Iovino:

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2005
Media Contact: Tom Iovino, Publicity Manager
WWA_Publicity@yahoo.com
Woodworker's Website Association www.woodworking.org

Tsunami Hope Chest Proceeds to Help Survivors Rebuild

December 26, 2004 will long be remembered as one of the most tragic days in the World’s history. A massive undersea earthquake spawned a tsunami of epic proportions which ended nearly 200,000 lives in the nations surrounding the Indian Ocean.

And, while stories such as the death of Pope John Paul II, rising oil prices and the re-election of British Prime Minister Tony Blair have replaced tsunami news on world headlines, millions still struggle every day to rebuild their communities, families and their very lives.

To assist with this effort as we approach the six-month anniversary of this tragedy, the Woodworker’s Website Association’s (WWA) is teaming up with the Mercy Corps’ tsunami relief efforts ( http://www.mercycorps.org/items/2288/ ) to bring relief to those who need it most.

An exquisite handcrafted chest, built by Dave Shaw of Australian Wood Art ( www.australianwoodart.com ) is now available to bid on at eBay.com, and will continue through Sunday, June 26 – the six-month anniversary of the tragedy. WWA members donated nearly $3,000 to purchase exotic woods and supplies. The fine workmanship and creative development of this beautifully crafted piece can be seen in a series of photographs posted on the Internet at http://www.australianwoodart.com/tsunami.htm .

For auction previews and bidding, the chest may be seen at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5401393185 . All proceeds will be donated to assist the Mercy Corps’ relief fund in the tsunami-affected areas.

The WWA, a worldwide association of woodworkers, was established in 1997, and currently has nearly 5,000 registered members. The site features an interactive discussion forum, an expansive tool accident survey, tool reviews, numerous articles written by members and many other useful links to other woodworking sites. The site does not accept advertising from outside corporations, and is funded solely through membership fees. Notable members include the late woodworking author Danny Proulx, John Lucas of woodshopdemos.com and Tom Hintz, Webmaster of newwoodworker.com. For more information on the WWA, visit http://www.woodworking.org .

Editor’s Note: Photos available digitally upon request

Durbin Apologizes. More or less.

Here's the link to Durbin's statement on his site.

I'm still not buying the "sorry if you were offended" rhetoric. That's not an apology.

Oh, and his schedule's pretty tight, so he won't be joinging me for an afternoon at the Holocaust Museum.

Not So Christian After All

World Magazine has a short article online called "A Nation of Deists." According to social science researchers at the University of North Carolina, it isn't just 'deism' it is "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."

The summation of the researchers' findings is as follows:

(1) "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth."
(2) "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions."
(3) "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself."
(4) "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem."
(5) "Good people go to heaven when they die."

Where are they getting this? What are all these Church-going kids actually learning? Read the article.

Going to Washington

I'll be heading out for Washington, D.C., in a few days. I thought I'd ask my senior Senator if has time for a tour of the Holocaust Museum with me. It does require a timed-entry pass, but I'm willing to work around the Senator's schedule.

His Washington office number is busy and his Chicago office won't open for another 10 minutes or so.

We'll see what the staff says.

Happy Midsummer!

Throughout Scandinavia, Midsummer is the most popular festival this side of Christmas. Last night was Mid Summer Eve or Jonsok ([St.] John's Wake) in Norway, Sankt Hans aften (St. John's Eve) in Denmark.

Here's a nice one-page summary.

The Coalition of the Willing in Pictures

Chrenkoff has photos of the Coalition of the Willing. Along with the photos (nations in alphabetical order) there are some inspiring stories such as this one under the photo of the Salvadoran contingent:

One of his friends was dead, 12 others lay wounded and the four soldiers still left standing were surrounded and out of ammunition. So Salvadoran Cpl. Samuel Toloza said a prayer, whipped out his knife and charged the Iraqi gunmen. In one of the only known instances of hand-to-hand combat in the Iraq conflict, Cpl. Toloza stabbed several attackers swarming around a comrade. The stunned assailants backed away momentarily, just as a relief column came to the unit's rescue.

There's a lot more. Check it out!

(via the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler)

Chester has a few suggestions for Bush's June 28th Address

For the first anniversary of the return of sovereignty to the people of Iraq, GWB has planned a major address. Chester has some good points from the history of warfare and some suggestions for how to follow up and educate the American people.

(See also: This post from last Friday.)

Vietnam War Hero Killed; Killer About to Be Set Free

Colonel James Rowe had been a POW in Viet Nam during the war, and was scheduled to be killed. Why was he about to be killed? Because his identity as an American Special Forces officer was given to the Viet Cong. And who gave it to them?

The anti-war Left:

Acting on a request from the North Vietnamese, students in a so-called anti-war organization in the United States researched public records and formulated biographies on Americans captured in Vietnam. After reading Lt. Rowe's biography, his Viet Cong captors became furious. They marched him into a cramped bamboo hut and forced him to sit on the damp clay floor. Several high ranking Viet Cong officials were staring down at Lt. Rowe. They held out a piece of typed onion skin paper.

"The peace and justice loving friends, of the National Liberation Front, who live in America, have provided us with information which leads us to believe you have lied to us," they informed Lt. Rowe. "According to what we know, you are not an engineer . . . you have much military experience which you deny . . . You were an officer of the American Special Forces."

He managed to escape that time, only to be shot dead in 1989 in a Quezon City traffic circle by members of a radical organization known as NPA.

One of those men was tried and convicted. His sentence is over in less than two weeks. Read the whole thing.

Thanks, Wretchard, for sharing the story of Col. Rowe, as well as for reminding us how the acts of the anti-war Left were used by the enemies of this nation.

Torture Center Discovered in Western Iraq

Powerline has a little article up about a torture center that our Marines found in western Iraq. John Hinderaker asks the question:

"What do you think; do you suppose we need a lot more news stories about how a guard at Gitmo accidentally touched a Koran?"

I think not, but a story like this is only going to stoke the Left's fire a little hotter. "See?!" they will shriek, "They saw the pictures from Abu Ghraib and now they're doing it to Iraqis!"

To which I would answer: "I think the people doing this in Iraq already knew how." Or I could point not to Abu Grabass photos, but to a movie called "Three Kings" wherein a US service man was captured and tortured by Iraqis during the 1991 Gulf War. Looks more similar to that, based on the article's description.

By the way, aren't these "insurgents" the guys that Mike al-Moore called 'The Minutemen'? When I was in school, I never read about Paul Revere torturing his fellow colonists--even the Tories. I must have missed that day.

Abstinence Education Really Does Work

Rush is fond of saying that 'Abstinence education works everywhere it is tried'. The Washington Times had an article dated June 18 showing that in the case of a program called Best Friends, Rush was Right. According to a study in the journal Adolescent & Family Health kids from the Best Friends program were:

• Six-and-a-half times more likely to remain sexually abstinent.
• Nearly twice as likely to abstain from drinking alcohol.
• Eight times more likely to abstain from drug use.
• More than twice as likely to refrain from smoking.

Here's the Washington Times story, which includes the opposition of Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) to such programs.

(Hat tip: Carol Platt Liebau)

Trodwell rocks

I love this line from the end of a piece on Canadians desiring a private choice in healthcare:

"Your job is to shut up, pay your taxes, try not to get sick, and keep pushing the Liberal lever every few years in hopes of getting a food pellet instead of the "2,000-volt gotcha."

That defines, I think, the hopes of Socialist-leaning officials everywhere, including American Democrats. Keep voting for us or the Bad Guys will take away your cake!

Edit: Now that I reflect on it, shouldn't the 'Democrats' in this country take a different name, given their utter contempt for the people?

Another Thought in Passing re: Dick Durbin's Statement on the Floor

When you read some of the graphic descriptions of what has occurred here—I almost hesitate to put them in the RECORD, and yet they have to be added to this debate. Let me read to you what one FBI agent saw. And I quote from his report...

The thing that bugs me is this: is he REALLY quoting from the FBI memo? Or is he ahem elaborating from it? This last has been whispered already.

Turn over the memo, Senator. Let's see it.

Senator Dick's Non-Apology Apology

I caught this portion of Senator Dick Durbin's non-apology apology over at the Potbelly Stove:

"I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood."

"And over-used like a common, hackneyed cliche, cheapening the meaning of true attrocities. And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!"

Okay, the last part is mine. I didn't really see an apology to the families of Holocaust victims, concentration camp survivors--ESPECIALLY survivors--residents of the actual Soviet Gulag, Cambodians lost to Pol Pot's Killing Fields.

And how about a straight-up apology to John McCain, while we're at it. Senator McCain's stay in the Hanoi Hilton is well-known. How can Senator Durbin look the senior Senator from Arizona in the eye after this?

Kos Stands Up for Durbin Slander; Jawa Shows Him Where He's Wrong

Kos is read by thousands every day. The other day his readers got this:

The torture that was so bad under Saddam, is equally bad under U.S. command. And Dick Durbin had the balls to say it so on the Senate floor.

The Jawa Report has a graphic (I wouldn't count on it being safe for work, nor for those with more delicate sensibilities. In other words, this stuff that Saddam had done is revolting) comparison of Durbin's accusation and what really went on in Saddam's Iraq.

Here it is and don't say I didn't warn you.

(Hat tip: Hugh Hewitt, Froggy Ruminations)

The Bidding Has Begun for the Tsunami Hope Chest

Bidding for Dave Shaw's gorgeous Tsunami Hope Chest has begun on EBay! The proceeds from the auction are going to Mercy Corps.

Here's the updated press release from Tom Iovino:

For Immediate Release: June 17, 2005
Media Contact: Tom Iovino, Publicity Manager
WWA_Publicity@yahoo.com
Woodworker's Website Association www.woodworking.org

Tsunami Hope Chest Goes to Auction

The Woodworker’s Website Association’s (WWA) Tsunami Hope Chest is going to auction, and you don’t want to miss your opportunity to help the victims of last December’s Indian Ocean Tsunami while owning a piece of history.

The exquisite handcrafted chest, built by Dave Shaw of Australian Wood Art (www.australianwoodart.com) is now available to bid on at eBay.com, and will continue through Sunday, June 26 – the six-month anniversary of the tragedy.

All proceeds will be donated to assist the Mercy Corps’ relief fund ( http://www.mercycorps.org/items/2288/ ) efforts in the tsunami-affected areas.

For auction previews and bidding, the chest may be seen at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5401393185 .

WWA members donated nearly $3,000 to purchase exotic woods and supplies. The fine workmanship and creative development of this beautifully crafted piece can be seen in a series of photographs posted on the Internet at http://www.australianwoodart.com/tsunami.htm .

The WWA, a worldwide association of woodworkers, was established in 1997, and currently has nearly 5,000 registered members. The site features an interactive discussion forum, an expansive tool accident survey, tool reviews, numerous articles written by members and many other useful links to other woodworking sites. The site does not accept advertising from outside corporations, and is funded solely through membership fees. Notable members include the late woodworking author Danny Proulx, John Lucas of woodshopdemos.com and Tom Hinz, Webmaster of newwoodworker.com. For more information on the WWA, visit http://www.woodworking.org .

Editor’s Note: Photos available digitally upon request

Now with Trackback!

So I went ahead and installed the haloscan comment and trackback system. Unfortunately it has blown away all the comments from before. Sorry about that.
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Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Chris Muir's Day By Day Takes a Poke at Durbin

You want the June 17th strip here. Thanks once more to my fellow Illinoisians for making us ALL look like freakin' moonbats in the eyes of the world.

Ralph Peters on GTMO

"Has the Bush administration made mistakes regarding Guantanamo? You bet. The biggest one was attempting to placate the critics."

Here's the link to Ralph Peters's "Gitmo Cocktail", but registration is required.

The nut of the article is this: Democrats (he doesn't use the name, but I will) and the terrorists have in common a deep-seated urge to see the United States fail, and becasue of that neither can be appeased.

GWB didn't try to appease "the evildoers" in this world. So why in the world does he perpetually try to appease carping Democrats? Perhaps this goes back to the rumored "Big Plan" of Karl Rove to take away chunks of the Democrat's platform in an attempt to undermine their coalition of support for years to come. If so, it may make Congressional Democrats all the more determined to drum up support for Impeachment hearings. (The GOP did it to Clinton, and you can take it to the bank that the Democrats are going to stop at nothing to attempt to do it to Bush.)

Heard earlier on the Bill Bennet's Morning in America, an emailer wrote that George Bush needs to get back to communicating to the American people why it is we fight, what he stakes are. It is far from obvious to the mass of people in the United States what the scope of the war is--that includes Congress, as well.

The Democrats may never shut up, but if they do it would only be because the polls have changed to show that opposition to the global war is still a big loser in the 2006 midterm. That won't happen without a serious education effort.

The nature of this conflict may well be etched as clearly as Waterford crystal in the President's mind. I just urge him to share "that vision thing" with us, clearly and plainly. No one else is going to do it.

(Hat tip: Jack Kelly over at Irish Pennants)

Jed Babbin talks with "Non" Reagan on MSNBC

or... 'You can tell which dog's been hit, cuz its the one that barks loudest'

Writing for the American Spectator, Jed Babbin recounts his time talking with Non Reagan on his new MSNBC show. The topic of the question was the Downing Street memo, something that the left has been flogging for the better than a month now.

Here's a quote:

After Ron Reagan pressed me to admit our casus belli was a tissue of lies, I told him that the fact we haven't found Saddam's WMD proved precisely nothing. That's so, I said, because while we fiddled and diddled in the U.N. for six months before military action began, Saddam almost certainly moved all his WMD and scrubbed away all the evidence of it.

When Reagan pressed me further, contending that none of the commissions investigating the missing WMD said they had been moved, I cited the report of Charles Duelfer's Iraq Survey Group, which spent many months searching for WMD in Iraq. That report, I said, showed the substantial body of evidence that a lot of people, money, and materials, possibly including WMD, were smuggled out of Iraq in the months before March 2003. The destination of these cargoes was Syria. I had touched a nerve: by the time I got home, the "Media Matters for America" blog had accused me of lying, and dozens of nearly identical e-mails (on the intellectual plane of, "liar, liar, pants on fire") were pouring in. I quickly stopped reading them and just hit "delete" when I saw them.

I hadn't merely touched a hyperlib nerve. I had challenged the basis for the hyperlibs' existence: to discredit George Bush and the war at any cost...

(italics are Jed's, the boldface is mine.)

Read the whole thing, which includes a link to the Duelfer Report.

My Senator's Remarks on the Senate Floor

On behalf of the people of Illinois, I offer an apology for our Senator Dick Durbin. I wish I could say that it won't happen again, but the Senator is somewhat of a loose cannon.

Here's a verbatim transcript straight out of the Senate record:

We still would have the ability to hold detainees and to interrogate them aggressively. Members of al-Qaida would not be prisoners of war. We would be able to do everything we need to do to keep our country safe. The difference is, we would not have damaged our reputation in the international community in the process.

Stand by for some real damage...

When you read some of the graphic descriptions of what has occurred here—I almost hesitate to put them in the RECORD, and yet they have to be added to this debate. Let me read to you what one FBI agent saw. And I quote from his report:

Hold on! Gotta get my really, really tiny violin. Okay. Here we go. Some sad, sad music for this dramatic reading by Senator Dick:

On a couple of occasions, I entered interview rooms to find a detainee chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor, with no chair, food or water. Most times they urinated or defecated on themselves, and had been left there for 18–24 hours or more. On one occasion, the air conditioning had been turned down so far and the temperature was so cold in the room, that the barefooted detainee
was shaking with cold. . . . On another occasion, the [air conditioner] had been turned off, making the temperature in the unventilated room well over 100 degrees.

The detainee was almost unconscious on the floor, with a pile of hair next to him. He had apparently been literally pulling his hair out throughout the night. On another occasion, not only was the temperature unbearably hot, but extremely loud rap music was being played in the room, and had been since the day before, with the detainee chained hand and foot in the fetal position on the tile floor.

Tough interrogation? Sure. Is it torture? I don't think so. If we had plucked the mans hairs out one by one? Maybe, sure. But here's the money quote:

If I read this to you and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime—Pol Pot or others--that had no concern for human beings. Sadly, that is not the case. This was the action of Americans in the treatment of their prisoners.

I would have to say... no, I wouldn't assume this was any of the above. The people above might have gassed them or given them over for medical experiments, worked them to death planting turnips in the permafrost (to borrow a line from Lileks), or massacred them while they tried to run away.

By using this kind of over-the-top hyperbole on the floor of the Senate, I believe Senator Durbin has just encouraged the worst kind of anti-American sentiment in the world, and made life ever more difficult for our armed forces abroad. And for what? Well, I can't say for sure, naturally, but if I had to take an educated guess, I would sum it with "fund raising". Red meat for the left-wing, Blame-America-First crowd.

That's right. He's impugned the character of his own country for filthy political gain.

Here's another little bit:

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator’s time has expired.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 3 additional minutes.

Senator A: Should we stop him?
Senator B: Forget it. He's rolling

Mr. DURBIN. It is not too late. I hope we will learn from history. I hope we will change course. The President could declare the United States will apply the Geneva Conventions to the war on terrorism. He could declare, as he should, that the United States will not, under any circumstances, subject any detainee to torture, or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Oh! Like beheading? Making them beg for their lives and showing the videos on al-Jazeera TV?

The administration could give all detainees a meaningful opportunity to challenge their detention before a neutral decisionmaker.

Yes, friends, the Geneva Conventions. If we really applied the Geneva Conventions, these men, not fighting under the flag of any country and without uniform, would have been summarily executed right on the field of battle. Not what he means, I'm sure. He admitted earlier that al-Qaeda members wouldn't count under the GC. I'm not sure who else he had in mind. Bring them before a neutral decisionmaker? If I know my Democrats like I think I do, that could only mean a Federal judge appointed by Clinton or Carter.

Supposing that we let them go, what does he believe would happen? They'd go back to a quiet life in the suburbs of Riyadh or Islamabad or Amman?

Sure. Or maybe they'd go back out and attempt to kill Americans. Like this. (Hat tip: the Jet Set Chick, via Rantburg)

9/11/01 Ground Zero Memorial

The Blame-America-First crowd has taken over the Ground Zero site.

That's right. The site where more than 3000 people lost their lives for no other reason than they were at work the day that crazed Islamists plowed jet airliners into their offices is going to be a place that "will host debates and note points of view with which you–and I–will disagree." So says Richard Tofel, the COO of the so-called International Freedom Center that is scheduled to open on the site in 2010.

Debra Burlingame is the sister of the pilot of the AA flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon. Her website, Take Back the Memorial contains an action list for fighting the construction of the IFC which will be more of a Leftist 'why America deserved it then and really deserves it now' type of attraction than an exposition on those that fell that day.

(See also: this Powerline article for more links)

New Blogroll Entry

I've been remiss in updating the blogroll up until lately. I've added Kory O, the Jet Set Chick to the list. It's a cool blog featuring an eclectic mix of subjects from travel to the Cocktail of the Week. Go forth and check it out.

Lileks in great form

6/13 Screedblog shows Lileks in great form, fisking the recent Time mag story that purports to talk about 'harsh treatment' of detainees in GTMO.

Items such as "Invasion of Space by a Female" don't sound like torture to me... but then I wasn't raised to believe that women are icky.

Charitable Giving to African Nations

The G-8 just approved a $40,000,000,000.00 debt forgiveness package for about 20 African nations. Supposing for a moment that the $40,000,000,000.00 was owed equally to the 8 nations, that would amount to a $5,000,000,000.00 charitable write off for the US alone.

Further supposing that there are 50,000,000 individual Federal Income Tax payers, that would amount to a charitable gift of $100.00 per tax payer, taken on a flat rate. If we did this in proportion to the amount of income tax paid, some folks wouldn't be eligible for as much as others--Heavens forfend.

It is my considered opinion that we, the tax paying public, deserve to add this to our annual charitable donations! It can be called the African Debt Relief Write-Off Act of 2005 by an enterprising Congressman. And that's something everyone can feel good about.

Janice Rogers Brown Confirmed: 56 - 43; Pryor Confirmed 53-45

Congratulations to Janice Rogers Brown on her confirmation to the DC Court of Appeals!

The vote fell pretty much along party lines. Ben Nelson joined the Republicans in voting to confirm. The rest of the Democrats stood on the proverbial court house steps to try to keep her out. (Yes, even Barack Obama.) Dim Jim Jeffords abstained.

Next up: William Pryor.
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Update: William Pryor remains in after a 53-45 vote. Not voting this time were Dim Jim and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). The Yeas and Nays were a bit more of a mixed bag this time.

Dems voting for Confirmation:
Ben Nelson (NE)
Ken Salazar (CO)

Heffalumps voting Nay:
Lincoln Chaffee (RIno)
Susan Collins (notice ME)
Olympia Snowe (notice ME)

Maybe Pryor is too Southern for these Northeastern Liberals? There's nothing on any of their pages to suggest why the 'No' vote. Given that Pryor has already been serving on the Appeals court via a recess appointment without controversy, I'm at a loss.

A Power Tool Accident of Another Kind

A relative newcomer to the WWA forum describes a collapsed table under his brand new Delta planer here.

That being a tool on my wish list, I'll learn from his story and build its support table stout. (A cool technique for flattening a wide board using a planer can be found here at Ken Kyler's joint.)

Hopefully the story will end well, but I'm not going to stay up tonight to find out.

UPDATE: It did. The subject piece was pine, but importantly nothing went shooting out of the planer.

Former AI Activist Smacks Down Irene Khan's Gulag Remark

(hat tip: Carol Platt Liebau)

It isn't often that you see a Brookings guy writing in the Washington Times, but here is such an occasion. Michael O'Hanlon, a former Amnesty International activist and volunteer puts Irene Khan's Gulag remark in proper perspective.

The reason he comes forward is because he fears that Ms. Khan's remarks are hurtful to AI and its cause. I'm not too concerned about their brand damage, but he's absolutely right. AI looks like nothing more than a bunch of knee-jerk anti-Americans.

Lileks launches new blog

Want to read about the goings on around Jasperwood? Then you want The Bleat. But if you want to read James Lileks with a good head of steam up about the War on Terror, then my friend, you want Screedblog.

The first post is up and it's a particularly good one.

Gap in the tape

Has all of the Deep Throat coverage on the 'news' got you all nostalgic for Watergate? Well, take a look what's going on up in the Great White North. They appear to have their own version of the infamous 18 Minute Gap.

RightThinkingPeople's Trodwell has assembled a pretty convincing case against PM Paul Martin.

LAT: Potential Arms Matieral Missing in Iraq

Here's a link to the story that Jack Kelly posted over at his site.

Unfortunately the story doesn't explicitly state "since when." As in: This material has gone missing since... March 2003? Some later time?

It is interesting to note that the determination that material is missing has been made by UN satellite imagery experts. With respect to vessels that could host all manner of chemical reactions, acting chief weapons inspector Demetrius Perricos said, "Due to its characteristics, this equipment can be used for the production of both commercial chemicals and chemical warfare agents."

Does that mean that it definitely was used for chemical weapons. No, of course not. Does that mean that it could have been? Naturally. Is that good enough for me? I think so.

Would it have been good enough information for a hoard of Democrats to come swarming out of the woodwork with torches and pitchforks, claiming 'George Bush was asleep at the switch!' had some of that material had gone BOOM on American soil?

Tsunami Hope Chest auction moving forward

Here's a copy of a letter from "Tampa Tom" over at woodworking.org describing the THC:
--
After the news of the Tsunami Disaster in the Indian Ocean last December, the nearly 5,000 members of the Woodworker's Website Association (WWA) agreed we had to do something in order to help the relief effort.

It was decided that one of our most talented members - Dave Shaw of Australian Wood Art (www.australianwoodart.com) - would be commissioned to build a hope chest to be auctioned off - with all proceeds to be given to assist the International Red Cross' efforts in the affected areas.

Nearly $3,000 U.S. was voluntarily collected from our members to purchase the exquisite woods and necessary supplies to build the piece.

As far as the woodworking process was concerned, the work was fascinating to watch. Mr. Shaw certainly has talent!

The final productis a sight to behold. Crafted of native Australian timbers, the piece features a hand-carved dove - the international symbol of peace - created from individual pieces of natural wood.

Here is the link to the site to show the progress:
http://www.woodworking.org/hopechest.html

And, here are some photographs of the completed piece:
http://www.australianwoodart.com/tsunami.htm

We are currently planning on listing the piece on eBay for an auction to end June 26, the six month anniversary of the tragedy. Again, all proceeds of the project will be donated to the International Red Cross to assist with Tsunami relief efforts.

At the WWA, our membership is international, with members from five continents. When the news of this tragedy broke, it affected us all. This effort, while small in comparison to other financial contributions, is what some humble craftsmen and women have to offer to help put people's lives back in order.

Thank you for your time, I will follow up with more information as the auction begins.
--
It's a gorgeous piece of work and for a worthy cause. Take a look at the pix if you haven't seen them yet. Stunning!

The EU Constitution

The EU Constitution has gone down in flames in both France and the Netherlands (Big time, to paraphrase VP Cheney). Is it because the people of those nations do not want to be talked down to by the elite classes of Europe? The document was so huge and detailed that it effectively told everyone not only to eat cake, but the specific kind of cake, and the particular types of icing that would be allowed on the cake.

Actually they are already eating cake in the form of 34-hour/4-day work weeks, extraordinarily liberal leave policies for the people who actually do work, cradle-to-grave health care paid for by their fellow tax payers, month-long vacations.

Why would they give that up?

Jim Mattson, sufferer of BDS

JimM is one of the administrators of woodworking.org, home of the Wood Workers of America. It is a place I frequent and even support monetarily.

He's been away for awhile. Why? Because he's pissed off about the War. Here's his "Enough already!" post.

Now come on, Jim. I know how you feel. I dropped a lot of dollars to get the entire sordid bunch of Clintonistas out of the White House in 1996. It didn't work out. I got over it. And I most certainly did NOT isolate myself from all others on the off-hand chance they MIGHT have an opinion different from mine.

Are you really going to stay away from your own site until the War is over? How do you reckon when that will be? If we keep troops stationed in Iraq, as we have in Germany and Japan since the end of WWII, will that keep you away indefinitely?

Or do you mean you will be away until the larger war against violent Islamism? If you are going to wait for the last suicide bomber ever blows up, I'm guessing you'll be away at least 20 years.

Life's too short to live constantly pissed off. Ask me about it. I spent a good 4 years of my life lamenting the sorry state of a country that would re-elect a man to the Presidency who would certainly have been hounded out of a corporate boardroom for using a female intern as just another office supply.

Amnesty International and the Gulag

In this day and age there is no cheaper shot to take than one against the United States. In the last week, AI showed its anti-Americanism proudly by declaring the detention center at GTMO to be the Gulag of our times.

This is hyperbole on par with comparisons to Hitler, the Holocaust, etc., and it dilutes the whole concept of those earlier atrocities. AI should be ashamed. I won't hold out hope for a public apology, of course.

It is estimated that some 24 million people went to the gulag from the 1920s to the 1940s. That's more than twice the current population of Cuba. Thus far there have been no reports of detainees dying of exposure or forced labor at Guantanamo, quite unlike the many unfortunate souls who passed away in Siberia. There was Newsweek's irresponsibly published allegation of a Koranflush, since retracted. A former detainee did claim that he 'witnessed two people get beaten so badly that I believe it caused their deaths.' Then again, an al Qaeda training manual discovered by police at a software company tells, in section XII to always claim mistreatment, even torture while in custody.

In this light, can any of these claims be taken at face value? Unless you are part of the Dead Tree Media, of course, still trying hard to turn the present conflict against violent Islamism into Vietnam II, the answer should be "no".

Cue the "Mark of the Beast" Crowd in 5...4...3...

From Drudge comes the headline "World ID Card?..."

New SHS Michael Chertoff says he wants to head off a tech war like that of Beta vs. VHS. (Or DVD-A vs. SACD or BluRay vs. HD-CD or...)

Gitmo Detainee Recants Koranflush Story

The folks at Media Slander have reported the Gitmo detainee at the heart of Newsweek's Koran Flush Story has recanted.

I echo the comments from that thread. Good to see them on the job.

New Blog added to the Blogroll

Jack Kelly has a blog called Irish Pennants. I've got it on my daily read list. Check it out.

Priscilla Owen has been confirmed as a Circuit Court Judge

Congratulations to Priscilla Owen on become our nation's latest Circuit Court of Appeals Judge. It has been a long time coming. Thank you for hanging in there.

The vote was 56-43. Two Democrats (Landrieu of Louisiana and *gasp* Byrd of West Virginia) voted for her. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) voted against her. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii didn't vote.

That leaves two more judges on the "Memorandum of Understanding": Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor. Brown was initially supposed to go next, but a vote on UN Ambassador nominee John Bolton has been pushed to the foreground.

Cap'n Ed says that's a big mistake. We'll see.

Frist doesn't seem particularly adroit when it comes to political momentum.

A question

If there was a button you could push that would make your previously incurable affliction go away, while at the same time killing one person--not a family member or anything... in fact, no one you know personally-- would you press it?

The GOP Attention Whore Caucus

Here are the "GOP" Senators who signed off on a deal to block a vote to kill filibusters against judicial nominees, and for that matter, to keep any future filibuster going on future, "uncommitted" nominees:

John McCain (AZ)
John Warner (VA)
Mike DeWine (OH)
Susan Collins (ME)
Olympia Snowe (ME)
Lindsey Graham (SC)
Lincoln Chafee (RI)

Enjoy your cocktail parties, ladies and gentlemen. Perhaps the New York Times will fund your future campaigns. I won't.

If you didn't read the text of the deal, here are the two nominees these Attention Whores threw under the bus: William Myers (9th Circuit) and Henry Saad (6th Circuit). No reasons are given, but Minority Leader Reid has alluded to Judge Saad's FBI file... something he should not have seen himself, since he is not a member of the judiciary committee. No member of that committee is supposed to make a peep about those files, either. (This is per point #5 of Rule 29... one of the hallowed Rules of the Senate these bozos hold dear.)

Don't get me wrong. I'm not holding my breath waiting for a motion to throw Uriah Reid out of the Senate. It's just ironic is all.

Mae Magouirk passed away

Mae Magouirk, a person who was recently saved from being dehydrated to death, a la Terri Schiavo passed away of natural causes. She died surrounded by family and thankfully not by lawyers and police.

Senate committees blocked by Democrats

Democrats are now obstructing all work of the Senate. That's going to play well next year. :)

The Weekly Standard on... Whole Foods?

I'm not an avid reader of the Weekly Standard. I usually just go there to read Hugh Hewitt's columns, or as with today, one by John Hinderaker. I stayed to browse around and found this piece on Whole Foods. It seems that Peter Singer--utilitarian bioethicist and Princeton professor--has given his grade A stamp of approval to Whole Foods.

(If you haven't previously seen Singer's views on sex-with-animals and the killing of infants, here's a Wikipedia article which outlines them. Mind your gag reflex.)

I'm sure Whole Foods has put this letter up for the same feel-good reasons as every other piece of socially conscious, touchy-feely claptrap they put up in their stores, that being "Look at us! We're socially conscious progressives who love animals!" And I'm holding out hope that Whole Foods may love animals, but they don't love animals.

Here's the link to the Standard piece, Brainwashing, Aisle 3, which includes the whole text of the letter in question.

Mid East Protest over Newsweek

Newsweek screwed the pooch. They lied and this time at least 15 people have died, to paraphrase the LLL bumper sticker.

Here's a photo via AP from a protest in Pakistan:


Newsweek should be banned! Why? Presumably for publishing a story without checking it out. Bush should apologize! Why? Because Newsweek had this incredible story about how....

Well anyway, hopefully the two gents won't come to blows.

CBS does it again

As reported on the Corner (hat tips to Rush Limbaugh and Steve over at Rantburg), CBS has carved up some interview tape of Judge Ken Starr and misrepresented the judge's opinion.

I posted a request to cbsnews.com's feedback form (head to cbsnews.com, go to the bottom and click on "Contact Us" for the popup form.)

"Please release the complete transcript of the interview with Ken Starr that was the basis for Gloria Borger's report. I take Judge Starr at his word when he says his opinion was misrepresented by your report. Let the viewers see his words and the context in which they were spoken. In short, let us decide for ourselves."

Illini ... football

Yes, they do still play football at the University of Illinois. I was glancing at Mel Kiper, Jr.'s look at NEXT YEAR'S draft. (reg. required) As I expected there wasn't a single Illini mentioned.

No wait! There one is, down toward the bottom of the screen: Steve Weatherford, best punter in the nation.

If that doesn't sum up recent Illini Football history, I don't know what does.

Right Thinking People take on... Vampires

A review of the finest portrayals of vampires on screen is underway at Right Thinking People.

I find it hard to disagree with Trodwell's favorite.

The miracle of ... poverty?

I was reminded by a recent post over at the Potbelly Stove of an article I encountered via the Chicago Sun-Times. I found it so intuitive that I clipped it out and slapped it on my refrigerator.

As it happens, it was originally published in Reason magazine, and last night I found it online, for those times when I'm not at home and need a refresher on dictatorial skills. Here it is, then: Poor Planning: How to achieve the miracle of poverty by Ronald Bailey.

My letter to Senator Bill Frist, M.D.

I sent this letter to Senate Majority Leader Frist today.
--
Senator Frist,

I have received a few fund raising letters from VOLPAC. Thank you for those; I will keep them under advisement as I continue to watch the continuing saga of highly qualified judicial candidates be held up by the minority party. In your letter you talked about holding the Senate open for 48 straight hours. That was a start, but it was hardly "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" territory. If the Democrats want to filibuster, by God, make them filibuster! Make them answer questions as to why they are reading from the Verizon directory instead of voting on, say, Janice Rodgers Brown!

Bill, I'm one of the grass-roots donors that helped dump Minority Leader Daschle in 2004. We made thousands of small contributions to bring in new Republican senators like John Thune, Saxby Chambliss, Jim Talent, John Cornyn, John Sununu, Norm Coleman, Lindsey Graham, Jim DeMint, Mel Martinez, Richard Burr, David Vitter, and Tom Coburn. I'm trying to decide where to send my campaign contributions in this election cycle, and I know I'm not alone.

Make the choice easy for me. Get the ball rolling today on President Bush's nominees. Call the vote to change the Senate rule to eliminate the filibuster of judicial nominees.

If you are more concerned about what the Washington Post or the New York Times says about you, see how many dollars they will contribute to your campaign.

If you are worried about what will happen to the Republicans when you are back in the minority, you will end up there quicker than a hiccup.

Don't be fearful! The Republicans have won election after election! But it won't last forever if you can't get anything done while you are in the majority. Be not afraid, Senator.

Go win!

Mae Magouirk has left the building

The Birmingham News has a brief story that states Ora Mae Magouirk is currently at the UAB medical center. On the order of the judge, 3 doctors--including one from the renowned UAB medical center--examined her and determined that her condition was treatable.

Heard it on the Glenn Beck show yesterday, but couldn't blog it since I was in the car. All day.

NoiSING - DIY get-together in Singapore

Enjoy the Music has a nice pictorial of an audio DIY gathering in Singapore. Check out the Zen Lite on page 2. Why is it in the vacuum tube room? Maybe the light bulbs as MOSFET drain loads were sufficient for entry?

Comfy about the Schiavo case?

A woman who was perfectly lucid is now being starved to death in a Georgia hospice in direct contravention of her living will.

Read the whole thing.

No one is safe anymore. Best not to become... inconvenient.

(World Net Daily via Rantburg)

Harr... what be yer pirate name?

http://www.fidius.org/quiz/pirate/ has a quiz whereby you can be dubbed with a suitable pirate name.

My pirate name is:

Black Jack Cash

Like anyone confronted with the harshness of robbery on the high seas, you can be pessimistic at times. You're musical, and you've got a certain style if not flair. You'll do just fine. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

InDC Journal on the WashingPost

Bill from InDC touts his new advertiser thusly:

often one of the least biased MSM outlets (comparatively)

Is being the least biased MSM outlet like being the tallest midget?

If it is only OFTEN the least biased, does this taller-than-average midget occasionally stand on its toes to become tallest?

Tsunami Hope Chest revealed

And it is indeed a stunner! If you've been following the progress, hold onto yer hat when you see what was under the black circle:

http://www.woodworking.org/Exchange/Forum2/HTML/020646.html

My only regret is that I won't be able to summon enough cash to win the auction. That being said, some lucky family is going to have one gorgeous piece of art for generations to come.

A standing ovation for Mr. Dave Shaw!

It's over

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Schindler family was denied access to see their daughter in her final hours.

New Blog Added to the Blogroll

I've added The Potbelly Stove to the blogroll this week.

The style looks a lot like this blog... but with a cool piece o' clipart at the title. I may have to change my look now...

... okay, I did it. Now I should say, "The Potbelly Stove looks like this blog used to look." It is authored by none other than my father. Go have a look.

UPDATE: Something odd seems to have happened to the template overnight. All the links were gone and my goofy profile was back. Huh.

Something else that worries me

Looking around suburbia, I can't help but note the proliferation of Starbuck's and Chipotle stores. Can it be long before rival gangs come to blows over available strip-mall store fronts?

(Sorry... just wanted to insert a post that was not about Terri Schiavo's cruel fate.)

"The time has come for dispassionate discharge of duty"

The words of Judge Stanley F. Birch, Jr:

"Any further action by our court or the district court would be improper," Judge Stanley F. Birch Jr. wrote. "While the members of her family and the members of Congress have acted in a way that is both fervent and sincere, the time has come for dispassionate discharge of duty."

It is the duty of the Court to see to it that Terri Schiavo dies? Why? Because Michael Schiavo--a man who has fathered two children by another woman since his wife's accident--said that she said that she didn't want to live "that way".

May I never find myself living in Florida or any other state covered by the 11th circuit.

NYPost bows to judicial overlords

Everyone go home! The courts have spoken! So declares the New York Post Editorial Board. "The time has come to let Terri Schiavo die with dignity - and in peace."

"Let" her die? Until one Friday afternoon nearly 2 weeks ago, Terri Schiavo wasn't dying of anything! With no documentary evidence in support of her supposed wish to "not live like that", and going only on the say-so of a husband who has shacked up with another woman and had two children by her, Judge George Greer and the rest of the Men In Black have sentenced this poor woman to death by dehydration.

Rich Galen on Judge Whittemore

Rich Galen logically lays out a potentially case for the Impeachment of Judge Whittemore over at Mullings.

I tend to agree with him regarding the Senate, though.

THC gets its door hinges

Today's update shows the doors in place. The interesting difference about the hinges? Dave makes them out of wood--"timbers" as they say Downunder.

Check it out... note that he still has at least one more surprise up his sleeve.

UPDATE: The WWA has created a links page for ease in watching the progress. You can get there from here: http://www.woodworking.org/hopechest.html

The people pictured in the cartoon on that page are (left to right): Larry "Uncle Fester" Norton, Gail O'Rourke and Alden Miller, all three frequent visitors to the "Infeed/Outfeed" forum.

Charles Krauthammer on the crux of the Schindler/Schiavo case

In Wednesday's Washington Post, Charles Krauthammer gets right to the heart of the Schindler/Schiavo case.

I disagree that Congressional action to give jurisdiction in the case to the Federal courts was a violation of the Separation of Powers. Indeed Article III, Clause 2 gives Congress explicit right to determine the jurisdiction of the Federal courts.

Still Krauthammer has a very clear and appealing solution.

Read the whole thing.

Tsunami Hope Chest continues to take shape

Meanwhile, over at the WWA, the Tsunami Hope Chest now has drawers. This post shows the back of the drawers, and a tease as to how the fronts look... all paper-jointed together. What's that? Have a look and see.

Dave didn't show the process of splitting the fronts back out again, but... it would have been a harrowing thing for me to do. (As I said earlier: "I am not worthy!")

TigerHawk chews up NYRB and spits it out

TigerHawk does a masterful job of fisking an article in New York Review of Books regarding the Dan Rather/TANG/fake-documents-but-we-swear-the-story-is-true affair.

Check it out here.

From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks

From Larry King last night... Michael Schiavo:

KING: Have you had any contact with the family today? This is a sad day all the way around, Michael. We know of your dispute.

M. SCHIAVO: I've had no contact with them.

KING: No contact at all?

M. SCHIAVO: No.

KING: Do you understand how they feel?

M. SCHIAVO: Yes, I do. But this is not about them, it's about Terri. And I've also said that in court. We didn't know what Terri wanted, but this is what we want...

I knew it. I always get the creepiest feeling whenever I hear Mr. Schiavo speak. Perhaps this is why.

I'm sure he wishes he could take that one back.

(Hat tip to: The Happy Catholic, by way of The Anchoress and Hugh Hewitt)

Could this be the finest woodworker in the world?

Dave Shaw -- "Dave in Cairns" -- has been commissioned by the Woodworkers of America to build a wooden hope chest. The chest will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go toward tsunami relief. Here it is as of mid-March. Check this out!

To say "I am not worthy" would be an understatement. You can check out more of the beautiful work the Genius-From-Downunder does (furniture, too) at his site: http://www.australianwoodart.com/.

A further thought on Terri Schiavo and Living Wills

Yesterday I posted an article from National Review Online regarding the sub-par medical care that Terri Schiavo has received. Today, 2 hours before her slow death by dehydration begins, I want to urge you to consider carefully before making out a Living Will.

You may think that you wouldn't want to live a certain way. That is well and good, and certainly easy to say now that we are not living that way. Think carefully, though, about how you'd like to die. A combination of dehydration and starvation isn't on top of my list. I'm not sure I'd want to spend it with my lungs struggling for air the moment a ventilator is turned off, either.

Thought you knew all about Terri Schiavo?

Perhaps you've heard of the sad tale of Terri Schiavo and pigeon-holed the information as a tidy, little right-to-die case. If so, take a gander at this article published in the National Review Online.

The facts presented here are stunning, particularly that Terri had NEVER been given an MRI. Her diagnosis of "Persistive Vegetative State" is therefore HIGHLY suspect. (The article cites board-certified neurologists on this point.)
(Anyone who has seen the video, the way she lights up when her parents came into the room, can see that PVS is bogus on its face.)

Right now the Florida legislature is working on a law that would prevent people who don't have a living will from being abused and neglected like Terri Schiavo has. Hopefully it will go into effect before she starves/dehydrates.

Starves.

Think of that for a moment. If we were withholding food and water from detainees at GTMO, the world would be up in arms. If deathrow inmates were starved to death, "CRUEL" and "UNUSUAL" would be all over the news, 24-7. Yet here is an innocent woman doomed to be starved, starting Friday afternoon. Perhaps she will be given a final meal? I'm not sure what the logic of these court rulings is. Maybe Judge Greer had a tee time or something? Yank the feeding tube--used because Terri is unable to swallow--then hit the links!

Would that Michael Schiavo and Judge Greer could be confined to that hospice room with Terri to watch the suffering they've demanded first-hand.

At any rate, if you truly believe in your heart of hearts that you wouldn't want to be fed via a feeding tube, put it in a Living Will!

Good sounds

(ht: 6moons Audio)

Check this out! Juicy Music is truly a cottage industry. The proprietor is no newcomer to the audio biz, though, having first founded Paragon back in the 1970s.

The names are, as 6Moons reviewer Steve Marsh put it, a little on the granola side, but I dig 'em. The BlueBerry tube preamp is my kind of wonky-looking gear! The wooden cabinet makes me all nostalgic for my old Scott 388 receiver: the centerpiece of My First Stereo as a youngster.

It also reminds me... gotta finish up the Pass balanced line stage soon.

Senator Vegas whines on the Capitol Steps

First, the link to Sen. Vegas's comments.

If you've never heard Sen. Vegas ("Harry Reid") speak, I suggest that your mind's inner ear hear a cross between Underdog, Droopy and Elmer Fudd... not that he makes his Rs into Ws... but the register of his voice is similar.

On to the fisking!

Remarks by Senator Harry Reid
Preserving Checks and Balances
U.S. Capitol Steps
Tuesday, March 15, 2005

It begins with a history lesson. Put another log on the fire, eh?

On a late September day in 1787, the Constitutional Convention finished its work. As Benjamin Franklin walked down the steps of Independence Hall, a Philadelphia woman named Elizabeth Powell stopped him and asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got: a republic or a monarchy?”

He responded, “A republic. If you can keep it.”

For more than two centuries, we have kept our republic because Americans have understood that our liberty is protected by our laws and by a government of limited powers.

Snort... I wish the Democrats understood what limited government power was all about.

Our Constitution provides for checks and balances so that no one person in power – so that no one political party – can hold total control over the course of our nation.

Actually it is so that no single BRANCH of the government can dominate the other two. Given the state of the Judiciary since the Warren Supreme Court, though, it is probably a moot point. That's a story for another day, though.

But now, in order to break down the separation of powers and ram through their appointees to the judicial branch, President Bush and the Republican leadership want to eliminate a two-hundred-year-old American rule saying that every member of the Senate can rise to say their piece and speak on behalf of the people that sent them here.

It's Senate Rule XXII. It's been talked about a lot.

The fact is that this President has a better record of having his judicial nominees approved than any President in the past twenty-five years. Only ten of 214 nominations have been turned down.

They haven't been turned down until they've had an up-or-down, simple-majority vote.

So it is clear that this attempt to strip away these important checks and balances is not about judges. It is about the desire for absolute power.

boogah-boogah! Is ya skeered?

Actually it is about the minority party about to be made redundant, and their clinging to their last bastion of security by their fingernails.

But our nation’s basic rules are there for the moments when the eyes of the powerful grow large and hungry; when their willfulness makes them determined to do whatever it takes to win, and prevail at whatever the cost.

Yikes... who writes this crap? Keep in mind the "Fudd/Droopy/Underdog" voice. Not that James Earl Jones could make this sound good.

I read this as: "The only place we can win for our Leftist agenda is in the courts... and you will have to pry it from our cold, dead hands." (Politically, not literally.)

Presidents and parties have grown drunk with power before. Two Presidents of my own party – Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Roosevelt – began their second terms of office with majorities in Congress and then tried to change the rules governing judges so that they could stack the court with those who would do their bidding. They were wrong to try to change our basic American rules – and Americans, and Senators of both parties, stood up to tell them so.

Senator Vegas goes 'bi-partisan'. Or is it 'maverick'? Since the courts are already stacked with judges who will do the bidding of the left... he sees no change necessary.

Today, another attempt is being considered to rewrite the rules so that those in power can get their way.

It would mean that the U.S. Senate becomes merely a rubber stamp for the Executive Branch.

Here he admits, in backhanded fashion, that the nominees his party considers so 'controversial' would have no problem whatsoever in getting 51+ votes... if only the votes were allowed to take place.

It would mean that one political party – be it Republicans today or Democrats tomorrow – gets to have all the say.

No, actually it means you'd have to work for a living, trying to persuade the majority on the merits. I'm thinking that "Well, People for the American Way says..." is not going to be a convincing reason to most Republicans.

It would mean that one man, sitting in the White House, has the practical ability to personally hand out lifetime jobs to judges whose rulings can last forever.

That is pretty much how it is written up in the Constitution, yeah. Although the courts themselves can be restructured.

That's not how America works.

Here, in America, the people rule – and all the people have a voice.

Duly noted.

We pledge allegiance to “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” Not liberty and justice for whoever may be in the majority of the moment. Liberty and justice for all. In America, everyone gets their say and their due.

Yep. Consider your piece said. By the way, did you get special dispensation from any of your Constituency Groups about using "under God"?

Today, we say to the American people: if you believe in liberty and in limited government, set aside your partisan views and oppose this arrogant abuse of power.

Okay. I agree. I oppose the Democrats' use of the filibuster to oppose the normal workings of the Constitution as laid forth in Article II, section 2, clause 2:

Clause 2: [The President] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

There. I feel better. Back to Senator Vegas:

Our freedom as a people was purchased by soldiers and Senators, by those who fell for our country and those who rose to speak for it, even when they stood alone.

The courage of patriots has given us a republic. Now, it is our task – and our test – to show that we can keep it.

Feel better, Senator? Good. You've risen--albeit outside. You've spoken.

Now let's have an up-or-down vote on these eminently qualified judicial nominees! If they are so scary, they'd never get even 50 votes. Or is it that they are only scary to the people who fund and push your agenda?

Now that Dan Rather has more time on his hands...

He could work at the Nixon Library part time. I'm sure he'd LOVE that. (He could even split time between that and the George H. W. Bush Library in Houston.)

Or perhaps he could dole out the frequencies for Air Traffic Control! "United 623, it's one-one-seven-point-four-three. Courage!"

Will it be the Center for Concern?

Hat tip: Drudge

Dems name a building after defeated former leader.

Did you ever notice...

...that the Green Lantern looks a lot like Bill Lumbergh? Well, I admit I never did either. But someone over at IdiotWork evidently did.

Here it is in all its League of Justice meets Office Space glory. (Beware the profanity.) TPS. Hat tip to Jonah over at The Corner.

Advise and Consent in the Senate

Hugh Hewitt raises the question of GOP Senate leadership: "Grant or McClellan" in his latest Vox Bloguli.

Right now Harry Reid has threatened to shut down the Senate. To quote a certain San Fransisco Police Inspector: "Go ahead... make my day." This would be, as Hugh pointed out, the greatest gift the Democrats could give to the GOP.

So why am I worried?

The Senate GOP has traditionally been an amiable bunch of gentlemen playing a gentleman's game of debate. The idea of changing a long standing Senate rule--the one by which a fillibuster of a judicial nominee facing an up-or-down floor vote can be ended with only 51 votes instead of 60--is going to be tough for them. The very fact that they refer to this as "the nuclear option" shows just how reluctant they are to do anything.

I am worried that they will go the way of McClellan--endlessly planning and never taking action. Judicial nominees will continue to be bottled, the GOP leadership will remain nonconfrontational... and there it will sit until at least the mid-term elections.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so. Frist is just too... "nice".

The GOP should be thinking "60 in '06". I'm not ready to part with any long green toward that end, though, until I see at least a little movement from the leadership. Bringing the judicial nominee issue to the forefront would get me off my wallet in a hurry.

Juror #53

I've been on jury duty this week. So far I've been dismissed before lunch on Monday and Tuesday. Today I don't have to return until 1pm. I'm hoping against hope that I'll be dismissed for the rest of the week and will get to travel back to the DC Area to visit LOML a couple days sooner.

I wonder if blogging would make me more or less likely to get picked for a panel...

EDIT: I didn't even get a chance to find out. The case they had called us all in for was settled without a trial, and we were dismissed for the rest of the week.

Washing Post: Jordan Resigns

Well we won't have Eason Jordan to kick around anymore. At least not at CNN.

The WashingPost's Howard Kurtz -- also the host of a show on CNN, incidentally: filed the following: (registration required)

CNN's Jordan Resigns Over Iraq Remarks
News Chief Apologized For Comment on Troops

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 12, 2005; Page A01


Eason Jordan resigned last night as CNN's chief news executive in an effort to quell a bubbling controversy over his remarks about U.S. soldiers killing journalists in Iraq.

Even as he said he had misspoken at an international conference in suggesting that coalition troops had "targeted" a dozen journalists and insisted he never believed that, Jordan was being pounded hourly by bloggers, liberals as well as conservatives, who provided the rocket fuel for a story that otherwise might have fizzled.

Translation: "And we would have got away with sweeping it under the rug if it weren't for you meddling bloggers!"

Eason Jordan said he was resigning so that CNN wouldn't be "unfairly tarnished."

Unfairly? I'm not sure. I'm thinking his previous silence about 12 years of Saddam Hussein's atrocities in Iraq would have tarnished them pretty darn well as it was.

Jordan, 44, said in a statement yesterday that he was quitting after 23 years at the network "to prevent CNN from being unfairly tarnished by the controversy over conflicting accounts of my recent remarks regarding the alarming number of journalists killed in Iraq. . . . I never meant to imply U.S. forces acted with ill intent when U.S. forces accidentally killed journalists, and I apologize to anyone who thought I said or believed otherwise."

I am skeptical, but I'd have thought that he'd be one to choose his words more carefully. "Targeted" has a pretty specific meaning. I suppose what he means by this is they were killed accidentally... or were mistaken for terrorists.

*snip*

Jay Rosen, chairman of New York University's journalism department, who has covered the controversy on his PressThink blog, said he didn't think Jordan "had engaged in a firing offense."

Bloggers "made a lot of noise" about the Jordan flap, Rosen said. "But there was basic reporting going on -- finding the people who were there, getting them to make statements, comparing one account to another -- along with accusations and conspiracy thinking and the politics of paranoia and attacks on the MSM, or mainstream media."

That's the nature of this game; the open source aspect brings in all types. I speculated rigth along that Eason was trying to trigger a congressional investigation what with Barney Frank (D-MA) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) in the audience. It is good to have some recognition of the basic reporting. (Michelle Malkin, who got Chris Dodd and Barney Frank on the phone, comes to mind, as does Captain Ed who tracked down Jordan's previous statements regarding the alleged torture of journalists, and La Shawn Barber.)

*snip*

Blogs operated by National Review Online, radio talk-show host Hugh Hewitt and commentator Michelle Malkin were among those that began slamming Jordan last week after a Davos attendee posted an online account, but the establishment press was slow to pick up on the controversy.

It has been postulated that the establishment press doesn't have the first clue about what goes on in the blogosphere. If it isn't in the NYT or the Washing Post they don't know about it. You'd think after the ludicrous documents CBS tried to pawn off as the basis for a story on George W. Bush's TANG days, they'd get a couple folks each monitoring the goings on in the blogosphere. I recommend at least an hourly scan of Glenn Reynolds for starts.

The Washington Post and Boston Globe published stories Tuesday and the Miami Herald ran one Thursday. Also on Thursday, Wall Street Journal editorial board member Bret Stephens, who was at Davos, published an account accusing Jordan of "defamatory innuendo," and the Associated Press moved a story. As of yesterday, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and USA Today had not carried a staff-written story, and the CBS, NBC and ABC nightly news programs had not reported the matter. It was discussed on several talk shows on Fox News, MSNBC and CNBC.

Eventually the other cable news channels were bound to dive on their wounded rival. I'm not shocked by the failure of the broadcast networks to mention it, though. I doubt they like to think about cable much.

Gergen said last night that Jordan's resignation was "really sad" since he had quickly backed off his original comments. "This is too high a price to pay for someone who has given so much of himself over 20 years. And he's brought down over a single mistake because people beat up on him in the blogosphere? They went after him because he is a symbol of a network seen as too liberal by some. They saw blood in the water."

He also had a pattern of slandering the military. (Go back to the Captain Ed link above for some examples.) If it helps, think of it as more of a lifetime achievement award.

In his statement, Jordan said: "I have great admiration and respect for the men and women of the U.S. armed forces, with whom I have worked closely and been embedded in Baghdad, Tikrit, and Mosul" and other places. "As for my colleagues at CNN, I am enormously proud to have worked with you, risking my life in the trenches with you."

I guess he supports the troops when it suits the audience he's in front of.

Jordan made at least 15 trips to Iraq over the years and was fiercely and emotionally involved in the coverage.

...except where precious access could be at risk.

*snipped the very last paragraph in which Mr. Kurtz finally gets around to telling his readers--at least those who stuck around that far--about CNN's silence over 'some of' Saddam Husseins atrocities.*

Howard Kurtz hosts CNN's weekly media program.

(just to show that it was mentioned) And I'm sure this had nothing to do with Mr. Kurtz's reticence to publish anything on the subject sooner.

Sisyphean Musings: Eason Jordon WEF Video

Sisyphean Musings: Eason Jordon WEF Video

Sisyphean Musings is working to get a copy of the WEF video wherein Eason Jordan slandered the US military.

Developing, as it were.

Update:
The WEF folks are not going to give up the tape. Sisyphus has posted an exchange with Mark Adams here.

A bummer, that, but I can understand the Davos viewpoint. The same non-attribution philosophy is the underpinning for software process assessments.

Still, CNN's reputation has been further tarnished by the story, at least among the blognoscenti. Anecdotes such as Hugh Hewitt's regarding Chris Matthews's disbelief and Judy Woodruff's not having heard any of this don't surprise me. They have the New York Times and the Washington Post and perhaps the LA Times and the Boston Globe. Beyond that... they don't know anything. If those sources don't report, the people who inhabit the former monopoly media just don't have a clue.

WWA Gloat

I made it through the February woodworking quiz/maze! Each answer leads you to another question, and another. Should you answer incorrectly, eventually you will run into a dead-end and will need to back track to figure out where you went wrong. It is a time consuming process but once you get to a certain point, you have only a few minutes to answer the remaining questions correctly--thankfully you can go back and fix your errors within the time limit!

I didn't get it done first, but I did take third this month... not bad for a guy returning to the woodshop for the first time since high school. :)

Katz Touts Illini for Perfect *Regular* Season

Listening to the game at the Izzone last night, ESPN's Andy Katz was on at halftime with Loren Tate. He said that if the Illini held on against Michigan State "they would run the table."

Today Katz repeats it online. He isn't going so far as to say they'd sweep the Big Ten tournament and the NCAAs after that... but he gives his analysis of the last 8 games of the season here.

Meanwhile, Dicky V reports on the historical difficulties of going undefeated in the Big Ten right below.

It won't be easy. But it does appear do-able for the Men in Orange. I suspect after last night's 13 3-pointer performance, teams are going to put more emphasis on guarding the perimeter. It'll be up to Augustine's play in the post, the driving ability of Head and Brown, and the backdoor cuts of Roger Powell to make 'em pay.

Oh Eason, where art thou?

Eason "Access over the Truth" Jordan, CNN News exec, apparently dropped one whopper of an allegation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Now if Eason Jordan really does know something about US troops intentionally killing journalists in Iraq, he would have one helluva story on his hands. And given that Fox News Channel is beating the living daylights out of CNN, don't you think they'd already be running with this story like a marlin on a mackeral?

Presumably he doesn't really know anything. Abovitz describes Eason as backpedaling when pressed, but also wavering the other way when pressed by others. That doesn't sound like a man with the courage of his convictions to me.

However, two of his fellow panelists were Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA). Given the American Left's penchant for demanding investigation based on nothing so much as an allegation--"It is the seriousness of the charge, more than the nature of the evidence..."--it smells like Jordan is trolling for a Congressional investigation. And then CNN can run with the story of calls for investigation.

If this is just so-much-BS as I suspect, Jordan needs to come clean, and quickly. I don't know how much credibility CNN has after Jordan admitted to covering up the news CNN knew about in Iraq for 12 years. But to turn around and engage in blatant newsmongering at a Forum entitled "Can Democracy Survive the Media?" could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
--
Edit:
Hat tip to Hugh for lighting off this blogstorm.
A gracious personal thanks for correcting the link. Something went ker-blooey when I last tried to edit this.
--
Edit 2:
GayPatriotWest writes that Barney Frank also pressed Jordan for details, for which Jordan could provide none to bolster his claim of targeting journos. If a call for investigation were to come from Congressman Frank's office, I suspect Eason Jordan could be called up as a witness.

Kudos to the Congressman from Massachussets!
(Hat tip: New Sisyphus)

The Stones Cry Out: Moyers a Moonbat

I didn't believe in a year 2000 calamity. Yet, somehow I'm beginning to think that something did indeed happen that year. The election of George W. Bush seems to have had serious impact on the mental health of many in this country. That he has been re-elected has caused some on the left to screech even louder.

Former PBS commentator Bill Moyers is one such. He has left TV but still writes the odd screed. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune picked one of them up for their editorial page. (Registration Required)

The lads over at Stones Cry Out fisked it rather wonderfully. Check that out here.

Another Tuesday...

...and another Big Ten road game for the Illini. This time Big Orange travels up to the Breslin Center in East Lansing to take on Michigan State. While no road game is easy in the Big Ten, this is a particularly difficult place to play.

The guys have been talking about this game since right after the win over Minnesota, so they're going to be up for it. Just as long as they are not TOO up for it out of the gate--if the Illini bigs get too aggressive at the outset and end up in early foul trouble, this game could get ugly.

I was pessimistic before the huge win over Wisconsin a week ago. When Illinois came back from 8 down late in the game in front of the Grateful Red at the Kohl Center, I was blown away by their grace under pressure.

Can Illinois do it again? Yes. Will they? We'll see.

Charm City Blogger: Happy Birthday!

Charm City Blogger: Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, from this Illini fan. :)

Yep... the Illini won at the Kohl Center on Tuesday and the Terps ("Fear the Turtle!") beat the Dookies at Cameron Indoor last night 75-66.

In the unbeaten ranks that leaves Illinois (20 - 0) and Boston College (17 - 0).

While on the basketball topic... LOML's school (Northwestern) beat Iowa up in Evanston, too. Happiness all around!

Could this be the end of the run?

The #1 Fighting Illini have made it to 19 - 0, and now face a stern test at Madison. The last several years have seen the Illini go into Madison and come out beat. Supposing that they don't come out 20 - 0, how far down the rankings do you think Illinois will slide?

The ESPN darlings, Duke, are now in 2nd. My guess is that Illinois will drop to at least 7th. No doubt there will be at least one team with 2 losses ahead of them.

Pessimistic? Maybe. We'll see.

--
Yes. Pessimistic. I was pretty impressed by the way the Illini came back from an 8 point lead in the second half. In years past they would almost certainly have folded.

This year, though, they put on a final kick and won it by 10. First time in 6 years they've beaten the Badgers up at the Kohl Center. Nice work, fellas.

Social Dance Debut

I finally did it. I stepped out on the floor with a couple members of the Chicago Rebels for a little West Coast Swing last night. It went pretty well, but I've still got a ton to work on with respect to my lead. As it happens, Rebels president and my chief instructor Jimmy Mulligan was there. He offered encouragement to go back for more... which I did.

Both of my partners were good sports and I'll definitely go back again.

New Sisyphus

New Sisyphus just came to my attention. The author is a member of the State Department Republican Underground (SDRU), who's latest post describes a downright pleasant experience in...Phrawnce?!? Complete with a crepe artisan who wanted the American people to know... well, I won't spoil it. Read the January 19 post "The Word From Paris: 'You TELL The Americans...'".

Jay Marvin's got a blog

Jay Marvin, ex of WLS-AM, has a blog over at Salon.com.

He may call himself a commie, but it always sounded to me like he had some good Libertarian potential. I'll keep checking in to see if backslides.

Katie Scarlett (1993 - 2005)

My sister had to put down our first family dog, Katie Scarlett. She was a tri-color beagle with a sweat, somewhat submissive disposition. The news that she had a tumor on her spleen came as a rude shock to us all this morning--the vet had previously suspected kidney failure, but nonetheless had ordered the ultrasound. She had lost so much weight (7 pounds in less than 2 months), and the spleen was peevishly close to rupturing. My sister decided that putting her down would be the most humane thing.

I like to think Katie gets to chase bunnies and eat cookies perpetually now.