Western Civilization Is IGNORANT

• Once again we see evidence of: Islam will do what it says.

And to that I say once and for all:

Islam is what Islam does.

It is no more complicated than those two sentences.

BZ

You Want Soldiers?

Note to the Bush and subsequent administrations:

You want soldiers?

Make all serving soldiers or honorably discharged veterans and their families absolved of any and all federal taxes, having served.

Period.

BZ

"L" for Losers

Once again the Democrats go OUT of their way to completely misunderstand the issues at stake today in this nation and the world. From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP) - The struggles of the nation's blacks - a loyal Democratic voting bloc - topped the agenda Thursday as the party's eight presidential candidates gathered for their third primary debate.

Topped the Democrat agenda for presidential candidates.

NOT any of these topics:

• Keeping America safe;
• Fighting Islamists;
• Protecting our borders, north and south;
• Iran's actions;
• North Korea;
• Energy independence;
• Taking advantage of our OWN available resources;
  

And now, this just in about Putin's Arctic Invasion:

Russian President Vladimir Putin is making an astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic - so he can tap its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth.

His scientists claim an underwater ridge near the North Pole is really part of Russia's continental shelf.

One newspaper printed a map of the "new addition", a triangle five times the size of Britain with twice as much oil as Saudi Arabia.

This move by Russia has incredibly serious, serious global implications which cannot afford to be placed on anyone's "back burner."

Particularly considering:

With U.S.-Russia relations at their lowest point in years, stirring memories of the Cold War, Bush hopes to ease tensions when the two leaders hold informal talks on Sunday and Monday at the Bush family estate in Kennebunkport, Maine.

. . . July 1st and 2nd.

And also recently considering Russia flexed its "missile-test muscle" on Thursday:

Russia Holds Successful Missile Test
Jun 28 12:44 PM
US/Eastern
MOSCOW
(AP) - Russia successfully tested a new sea-based ballistic missile Thursday after several previous failures, a naval spokesman said.

Capt. Igor Dygalo told The Associated Press that the Bulava missile hit its target on the Pacific peninsula of Kamchatka after being launched from the submarine Dmitry Donskoi in the White Sea.

According to published Russian news reports, the Bulava is designed to have a range of 6,200 miles and carry six individually targeted nuclear warheads. It is expected to be placed on three new Borei-class nuclear submarines that are under construction.

President Vladimir Putin has hailed Bulava as a key component of the nation's future nuclear forces and boasted of its ability to penetrate any prospective missile defenses. However, three tests of the Bulava ended in failure in recent years.

Putin and Russia are not only flexing their military muscles, they are simultaneously -- and knowing the meet with the US is a few days away -- pushing their "land grab" into the face of the United States.

If that were insufficient, Venezuela is making noise it wants to be a nuclear power:

Friday June 29, 2007
The Guardian
President Hugo Chávez yesterday hinted that Venezuela could try to become a nuclear power, during a visit to Russia apparently timed to antagonise the White House.

And a major debate point for Democrats has to do with blacks -- not any of these other issues. How narcissistic and navel-gazing can the Democrats be at this point in time?

BZ

Dead

The immigration bill is dead.

Dead, dead, dead.

BZ

P.S.

Here is how the Senators voted, directly from the US Senate webpage:

Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---46
Akaka (D-HI) Bennett (R-UT) Biden (D-DE) Boxer (D-CA) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD)Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Clinton (D-NY) Conrad (D-ND) Craig (R-ID) Dodd (D-CT) Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH) Hagel (R-NE) Inouye (D-HI) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Kyl (R-AZ) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ) Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Obama (D-IL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Salazar (D-CO) Schumer (D-NY) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA)Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)

Or better yet, those GOP Senators who voted FOR the bill:

• Bob Bennett from Utah;
• Larry Craig from Idaho;
• Lindsay Graham from South Carolina;
• Judd Gregg from New Hampshire;
• Chuck Hagel from Nebraska;
• Jon Kyl from Arizona;
• Trent Lott from Mississippi;
• Richard Lugar from Indiana;
• Mel Martinez from Florida;
• John McCain from Arizona;
• Olympia Snowe from Maine;
• Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania;

REMEMBER THESE PERSONS IN YOUR FONDEST VOTING WISHES . . .

Traitorous

When you screw with Sean Hannity, you screw with 10-million people who tune in specifically to see him. Republican Senator George Voinovich, Ohio, attempted to slap the crap out of Sean Hannity last night with regard to the immigration bill, and showed a massive amount of disrespect. I suspect this may largely backfire on the senator. I repeat: see my first sentence.

And: haven't you ever wondered, recently, why seemingly all of a sudden the Fairness Doctrine is being thrown into the public domain?

In other words: why here, on the immigration bill and, most importantly, why now?

I can provide the answer, for both sides of the aisle:

• For Trent Lott, the defeatist RINO, it's because YOU DISAGREE WITH HIM.
• For John McCain, the defeatist RINO, it's because YOU DISAGREE WITH HIM.
• For the ENTIRE Democrat Party, it's because YOU DISAGREE WITH THEM.

The re-emergence of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" has NOTHING to do with fairness and EVERYTHING to do with the most expeditious fashion to make YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP so that you NO LONGER have the greatest amount of input into politics. And now Senator Lindsay Graham enters the fray as well with disparaging comments about talk radio, that talk radio is a problem. For those not familiar, Graham said:

Graham suggested that critics of the immigration bill were motivated by racism, saying on ABC News, “We’ve been down this road before — ‘no Catholics,’ ‘no Jews,’ ‘Irish need not apply.’ ”

Do you understand me?

This is all, on BOTH sides, an attempt to completely abrogate the FIRST AMENDMENT.

This is an attempt to HIJACK the US CONSTITUTION.

And why?

Because our collective voices HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE.

And BECAUSE we have been EFFECTIVE in exposing hazards and untruths about the immigration bill to date, the WAY we make our opinions KNOWN must be REMOVED. Our ACCESS to the FREE SHARING of THOUGHTS and OPINIONS must be deleted. Oh, so sorry to all, that simply is not "appropriate."

To me, this is heinous.

It is not just heinous, it is TRAITOROUS.

I do not bandy this word about lightly:

traitor
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English traytour, from Anglo-French traitre, from Latin traditor, from tradere to hand over, deliver, betray, from trans-, tra- trans- + dare to give — more at date
Date:
13th century
1 : one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty

2 : one who commits treason

treason
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English tresoun, from Anglo-French traisun, from Latin tradition-, traditio act of handing over, from tradere to hand over, betray — more at traitor
Date:
13th century
1 : the betrayal of a trust : treachery

2 : the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family

treachery
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural -er·ies
Etymology:
Middle English trecherie, from Anglo-French, from trecher, tricher to deceive, from Vulgar Latin *triccare — more at trick
Date:
13th century
1 : violation of allegiance or of faith and confidence : treason

2 : an act of perfidy or treason

I leave it to YOU to determine if my label is proper. I generally dislike labels but, in these instances, it is proper and applicable. And just wait for cloture tomorrow -- and its results.

BZ

The Push Continues

Two more voices to revive the so-called formerly-moribund "Fairness Doctrine":

John Kerry on YouTube.

Democrat Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois:

It’s time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine,” said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “I have this old-fashioned attitude that when Americans hear both sides of the story, they’re in a better position to make a decision.”

But of course it won't just kill Conservative talk radio; it'll kill Air America and any other "talkers" and, primarily, ALL of the AM side of radio. And a good portion of news "content" in television. Trust me, the lawsuits'll be flying all over this one.

I wish I could say I trusted my GOP leaders to respond appropriately.

I fear they lack two necessary items (as certainly history has shown):

• The guts
• The cohesion

BZ

Everything EXCEPT Free Speech

Appearing on John Ziegler's evening show on KFI 640 AM in LA, U.S. Senator James Inhofe says he overheard Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barbara Boxer saying they want a "legislative fix" for talk radio.

Inhofe is now backtracking, however, saying that conversation occurred about three years ago; Boxer and Clinton, through staff, say it never happened.

The Republicans seem to hate Talk Radio when it is not congruent with their conventional thoughts as per Trent Lott (talk radio is Running America) ; we should expect no less when it comes to the Democrats because, after all, "talk radio" carries a distinguished reputation for pulling numbers, selling the books (the ARB, as it's called in the trade), and rallying the GOP (and more importantly) and its Conservative base.

Anything effective CANNOT be tolerated.

And so-called "Talk Radio" CANNOT be tolerated, as cannot blogs, publications and the like.

Radio is the first on the chopping block by way of the "Fairness Doctrine." See my posts here and here on the issue.

Expect that it will be carried out -- shortly. Expect this to be the next Democrat "push."

Plus:

American journalists contribute to the Democrat party vs. the GOP on a basis of 9-to-1.

This isn't anything we as Conservatives didn't already know inherently.

And here comes the Standard Blame attributed to the Right (and why Right-Leaning blogs, talk radio and journals need to be completely ERADICATED):

What changed? First came the conservative outcry labeling the mainstream media as carrying a liberal bias. The growth of talk radio and cable slugfests gave voice to that claim. The Iraq war fueled distrust of the press from both sides. Finally, it became easier for the blogging public to look up the donors.

Huh. Imagine that. Information being made AVAILABLE to the PUBLIC. Shocking! Unacceptable! Betrayal!

BZ

In All the Universe

I can remember someone telling me, years ago when a child, that the universe was infinite. I didn't know what that word meant and my parents (and brothers!) luckily had lots of books about -- including a large dictionary. I looked up the word. It wasn't until I began to read voraciously at 12 or 13 that the word "infinite" began to take on meaning for me.

My brothers had a few science fiction paperbacks laying around in the early 60s and that, good readers, was my introduction to SF. One of the first books I ever remember reading was the compilation of stories published by Ballantine Books in 1962 (I had the second printing; the first was in 1955), entitled STAR Science Fiction Stories No. 3 (50-cents!). I absolutely devoured these wondrous stories, such as:

• It's Such a Beautiful Day, by Isaac Asimov;
• The Strawberry Window, by Ray Bradbury;
• The Deep Range, by Arthur C. Clarke;
• Alien, by Lester del Rey;
• Foster, You're Dead, by Philip K. Dick;
• Whatever Happened to Corporal Cuckoo? by Gerald Kersh;
• Dance of the Dead, by Richard Matheson;
• Any More At Home Like You? by Chad Oliver;
• The Devil On Salvation Bluff, by Jack Vance and
• Guinevere For Everybody, by Jack Williamson.

These, dear readers, are absolute bottom line stone blue all-star classic science fiction short stories written by geniuses in the art. I still have that paperback. It is kept in a glass case.

From there I can recall reading (and the copy of which I stole from my brother and possess to this very day -- and I am looking at now) the first paperback edition of the ground-breaking novel Dune by a little known author called Frank Herbert. This thick ACE paperback book, going for $1.25 in 1965, changed science fiction forever. Say what you will about the subsequent books, Dune was a benchmark in SF.

From there I was hooked. Any spare cash I spent on Matchbox cars (55-cents each at Bob's Toyland in Town & Country Village, Sacramento), monster models (Frankenstein, the Wolfman, the Mummy, all readily available for 98-cents -- plus tax = $1.02) and SF paperbacks. Star Trek became my favorite series. I owned every James Blish adaptation of the TV shows. I snatched the very last paperback copy of The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield from the hands of my (then) best friend Rick Back when his attention was momentarily diverted from the book rack.

I reveled in the Harry Harrison stories of The Stainless Steel Rat and The Deathworld Trilogy. I read every Asimov I, Robot story. I enjoyed Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers but failed to grok his Stranger In A Strange Land for quite some time.

That led me into what some would call harder military SF, such as Joe Haldeman's Forever Wars and thence into two of my all-time favorite SF books:

• Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination
• George RR Martin's Tuf Voyaging
  

I went so far as to purchase a private printing of Martin's Tuf Voyaging compilation that cost me -- well, let's just say it cost me.

Along the way I've enjoyed the Phaid the Gambler, Citizen Phaid and The Song of Phaid the Gambler series by Mick Farren, as well as When Gravity Fails and A Fire In the Sun, both by George Alec Effinger. The absolute toughest series to find (I defy you!) involves a horrible life form known as The Vang: The Military Form and The Vang: The Battlemaster, both by Christopher Rowley. Excellent, frightening books. Good luck.

Recently, I've read some SF novels that I would highly recommend:

• The John Scalzi series, Old Man's War;
• Robert Buettner's Orphanage and Orphan's Destiny.

Best current SF going: Death's Head by David Gunn. Wow. Wotta ride!

Which brings me back to my original rambling thought for this Sunday's post:

Infinite. Infinity. What is it? What does it mean? Could I even wrap my brain around the concept?

The answer then and now is: no. I cannot.

In my late teens and early 20s I would posit this inside my mind: Infinity. Never stops. Keeps going. Imagine there was a massive reach, a huge distance. Then there was a brick wall. Then what was BEYOND the brick wall?

How could this BE? How could there be something that goes and goes and goes and NEVER STOPS? It engaged my mind and then it exceeded my mind. Just as it does today.

Then there is the so-called "UFO" issue.

Photos tarted and maligned; clearly cheapened and staged. Obvious and poorly done. Then there is the Area 51 issue. And the Groom Lake issue.

And even now, this week:

One of the largest UFOs ever seen has been observed by the crew and passengers of an airliner over the Channel Islands.

An official air-miss report on the incident several weeks ago appears in Pilot magazine. Aurigny Airlines captain Ray Bowyer, 50, flying close to Alderney first spotted the object, described as "a cigar-shaped brilliant white light".

My question:

Is there life in the Universe other than that of our own?

I believe so.

BZ

Killing Conservative Communication

Trent Lott has entered the Fairness Doctrine arena by saying, essentially, that having an informed electorate is a death knell for the immigration bill; to wit:

Comments by Republican senators on Thursday suggested that they were feeling the heat from conservative critics of the bill, who object to provisions offering legal status. The Republican whip, Trent Lott of Mississippi, who supports the bill, said: “Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem.”

Talk radio is "running America." Per Trent Lott. Republican.

Which means, by the logical extension, that blogs are running America, as are various publications. More focused, it really means:

CONSERVATIVE talk radio is running America;

CONSERVATIVE blogs are running America;

Translated further, it means (not unlike McCain's early-on comments following the bill's initial introduction): shut the fuck up. You're interfering with my attempt and McCain's attempt to shove this bill down the electorate's throat.

That's what Trent Lott means.

Thanks Senator Lott. Thanks for helping to ensure that the return of the Fairness Doctrine (see my prior posts on the FD, here and here) is coming closer to reality (see this post on Broadcast Law Blog).

Boxer and Hillary were overheard complaining about talk radio, by GOP Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma:

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Senate colleague Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., want to "fix" talk radio because of its conservative influence on America, according to Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla.

Appearing on John Ziegler's evening show on KFI 640 AM radio in Los Angeles, Inhofe reported hearing Clinton and Boxer discussing plans for a "legislative fix" and
confronting them about it. Inhofe told Ziegler he'd been walking to a vote "with two liberal gals" who were outraged over something a conservative radio talk show host had said, according to the Breitbart.tv recording.

So go ahead, Senator Lott. Trash conservative talk radio and conservative blogs -- your finger is pointing directly at me.

Just wait until you want support on an actual conservative issue you want promoted nationally, something you espouse and seek -- but you won't be able to rally that support, as you may have earlier, because your ridiculous comments managed to stifle talk radio and/or blogs due to the Democrats having pushed and passed a precise copy or a variant of the Fairness Doctrine. Then we'll see what kind of a "problem" that is.

You clearly can't see farther than a few inches from your face.

BZ

P.S.

Good news: Oregon Public Broadcasting has agreed to air the PBS-funded documentary "Islam vs. Islamists" next month. "Muslims Against Jihad" is being aired by Fox tomorrow night, 9 PM Eastern time, a second film made by these producers. Good news indeed for freedom of information and your federal tax dollars allegedly at work, stifled as best the CPB and PBS possibly could.

Zone

This is an "Asshat-Embracing" zone.


BZ

Dovetailing -- And Poorly

More news items are dovetailing, and not well either:

1. The Bush Administration To Close Guantanamo Bay:

The advisers will consider a proposal to shut the center and transfer detainees to one or more Defense Department facilities, including the maximum security military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where they could face trial, said the officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal deliberations.

Not just a bad decision, just about the worst decision that could be made at this point. And this decision has absolutely NOTHING to do with efficiency or cash -- it is completely a "public relations" decision. Gitmo needs to be OPEN now, more than ever -- and it does NOT need to move to Leavenworth, Kansas. This is a horrible decision and sends the message: America will not hold the line and public opinion can fold American tactics like a house of cards. Please President Bush, do NOT be this gullible and stupid!

2. The Un-Dead Immigration Bill Will Essentially Guarantee Amnesty:

The top priority in this bill is extending amnesty as quickly and easily as possible to as many illegal aliens as possible," writes Kris W. Kobach, professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. "The cost of doing so is to jeopardize national security."

Kobach, former chief adviser on immigration law to Attorney General John Ashcroft, contends it's a "certainty that many more illegal alien terrorists are quietly at work in the United States."

There is NOTHING in this bill as written that proscribes people from terrorist countries entering the United States. The enforcement segment is woefully lacking.

The former bill would levy back taxes and a $5,000 fine. WHO would track these back taxes, and decide what the taxes would be? Who would enforce the tax levies? Who would level the $5,000 fine? Is that per person or per family? Who would enforce the fine? From WHERE would one TAKE the fine? From the individual? The family? Those two aspects, even to the most dimwitted of Americans, is recognized as entirely UNENFORCEABLE. Gang members and absconders could acquire a Z visa. Who does all this? What bureau? How MANY bureaus?

What does our federal government do (absent the military) that is beneficial, well-run and a model of efficiency, quality and innovation? I would answer: nothing. What makes us think a so-called "comprehensive" bill would change history? I would answer: nothing.

This needs to be done in stages:

1. Build a WALL. Build it now. Build it completely: 40' high, 30' down;

2. Back the wall with an increase in USBP officers and necessary technology;

3. Hold EMPLOYERS RESPONSIBLE for HIRING illegal immigrants;

4. STREAMLINE and, moreover, make the process by which ALL eligible immigrants wish to enter this country become more EFFICIENT. It shouldn't take YEARS to determine if someone is fit to become an American citizen; at most it should take a few MONTHS;

5. REFUSE to accept immigrants from terrorist-sponsored states, territories or enemies of our country;

6. REFUSE to accept immigrants with criminal backgrounds or communicable diseases;

7. REFUSE to provide ANY benefits whatsoever to illegal immigrants;

8. PROVIDE a phone number or internet site for employers to vet employees (trust me, sue one company for a few million dollars and businesses will be SCRAMBLING to fall into line);

Without a fence, our deportations are worthless. Some MS-13 gang members turn themselves in on holidays so they can be with their families, at US taxpayer expense. Then they come back when it suits them.

If it were up to me, after a built wall, I would FIRST put those American employers who hire illegal immigrants in PRISON.

3. Eliminate Incentives: Jobs, Benefits and Anchor Babies:

A woman died in an LA emergency room after having called 911 FROM that ER -- because emergency rooms are grossly overcrowded -- because ERs are being USED by ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS for standard doctor visits.

4. The Fundamental Problem: Enforcement:

How can our Senate wish to pass more laws when it refuses to enforce laws already on the books? The American public is left tattered and wanting, because it realizes its very own government will not enforce laws already extant. How can its government hope to maintain credibility and veracity when true educated Americans have already expressed, 95-to1, their displeasure with the current bill.

THE ANSWER IS NOT THE CURRENT

AMNESTY BILL.

1. Build a fence.

2. Arrest employers

We don't have to deport; illegal immigrants will "self-deport" if we but determine to enable the above bullet points.

Additionally, the OTM (Other Than Mexican) list at our borders is growing exponentially. More Islamic bullshit:

MUSLIM WOMEN IN BRITAIN, WEARING HEAD-TO-TOE VEILS WITH EYESLITS ONLY, defy British convention:

Some who wear the niqab, particularly younger women who have taken it up recently, concede that it is a frontal expression of Islamic identity, which they have embraced since Sept. 11, 2001, as a form of rebellion against the policies of the Blair government in Iraq and at home.

"For me it is not just a piece of clothing, it's an act of faith, it's solidarity," said a 24-year-old program scheduler at a broadcasting company in London, who would allow only her last name, Al Shaikh, to be printed, saying she wanted to protect her privacy. "9/11 was a wake-up call for young Muslims," she said.

How much shall we bend for those who would destroy our country, fellow readers?

Washington continues to mischaracterize the American people. America is a nation of laws, laws that the bulk of Americans obey daily. When they see a select few segments of denizens disobeying our laws WITH the tacit CONDONATION of our official government, they are disillusioned and collectively wonder: what OTHER laws might we choose, at will, to disobey?

BZ

Addendum:

This country needs Guantanamo as a site for its egregious torture. I condone, and I EXPECT that my country WILL torture those individuals it deems subject to these strictures. I couldn't care less about their so-called "rights;" if these interrogations manage to avert another heinous massive casualty event, then my country has my complete and total blessing. If one explosive event is deterred, if two persons are saved from a Homicide Bomber, then it has, again, my blessing. In these times, in these events, the ends do justify the means.

Ch-ch-ch-Changes: The Usual Suspects

Out with the old and in with the new. My list of Usual Suspects is ch-ch-ch-changing.

Unlike most other blogs, I've noticed, I make a public display of who comes and goes.

First to go: Nightcrawler. Sorry dude; no posts = buh-bye. Inactive blogs are a death knell in the Blogosphere.

A sad deletion: Gunny John. Gunny was a Marine who wrote valiantly and from the heart. His blog is completely gone but I must respect his decision. That was a terrible day indeed. . .

NEW TO "THE USUAL SUSPECTS" LIST:

First and foremost (and sadly, I've been behind the Power Curve here), I am adopting The Ranando Report! Ranando classifies his blog as: "A Online Magazine about the people I've met, places I've been and things I've done since January 28, 1952." Salient, witty, with a perspective equaling his maturity, Ranando and I are seeing, these days, common threads in American politics.

Second, I've added Crazy Politco's Rantings, who typifies himself as "The crazed rantings of Bob on just about anything. Remember they are my opinions, you can borrow them, share them, reference them, even cross post and index them, but you can never take them away from me."

Third, in an attempt to enable a true new perspective to Bloviating Zeppelin, I've linked to the Yid With Lid, a Jewish blogger who indicates he is "Exploring themes of Political Relativity." Want to know what true Jews think of events transpiring in Israel and the world? Check out YWL.

And whilst adding blogs I actually read, I've added some reference links as well:

Joel C. Rosenberg's blog; Joel is a former Jew, now a Christian, who has written a host of books I cannot recommend more highly, such as: The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll and Epicenter.

The Heritage Foundation: instead of funding the RNC, my last major check was written here. THF espouses actual TRUE Conservative values and crosses no political lines to keep themselves on track.

The Politico has become a Big Dog in GOP and Conservative thinking and news access; my link here merely acknowledges their relatively-newfound power.

The Free State of Pig, or the Politically Incorrect Gazette, is a valuable source of national and global news relating to conservatives and typified as "For The Discriminating Individual."

So there you have it; the newest deletions and additions.

Ab uno disce omnes.

BZ

The UK Takes It Up The ASS for Islam; And So Does the United States

My very own brother (thanks, Don!) pointed out this article to me:

Until recently the national flag was flown at all prisons in England. They are English prisons after all. Unfortunately, the banner of Saint George, the red cross of the martyr on a white background, was worn on the uniforms of some infidels who liberated the Holy Land during the Crusades.

Therefore:
England’s chief inspector of prisons banned flying the flag of England on prison grounds, since it featured the cross of St. George, which might be offensive to Muslims. Britain’s version of the department of motor vehicles has also banned the English flag, as has Heathrow Airport …

As MBT reminded us a few months ago, prison administrators in Britain are also celebrating diversity by making other reasonable accommodations for Muslim stakeholders:

British authorities are spending taxpayers’ money to rebuild prison toilets so Muslim inmates don’t have to face Mecca while using them.

The Islamic religion prohibits Muslims from facing or turning their backs on the Kiblah — the direction of prayer — when they use the toilet, according to the Sun newspaper in London. Muslim inmates complain that they have to sit sideways on prison toilets to comply with that prohibition.

But now jail officials have bowed to pressure from Muslim leaders and agreed to turn toilets 90 degrees at London’s Brixton prison.

Authorities have refused to reveal the cost of the project . . .

In the United States, (my post on this) Muslims at the Kansas City Airport find:

When you're Muslim and it's time for prayer, you have to wash your feet? It is called "ablution." So foot-washing basins make it easier for Muslims instead of sticking their feet into sinks. The Kansas City International Airport has added washing stations to the bathrooms to prepare the Muslim taxicab drivers for their prayers.

Question to my readers:

How much more butt-kissing can we manage in the Western World?

Corollary question: how much does this disgust you?

BZ

Passport Photos Taken Here

Thanks, Fred!

BZ

Hamas Is Fatah & Fatah Is Hamas

Roughly 1.4 million people live in the Gaza Strip. Some are complete innocents; many are simply terrorists and killers, plain and simple. Businessmen have gone; the so-called "middle class" got out long ago. This leaves nothing but those who cannot leave and those who enjoy killing Jews and their brethren.

Israel is in a tough spot. So I'd like to make some suggestions. But first, a few points:

- Israel has a new President, to take office on July 15th:

JERUSALEM – Elder statesman Shimon Peres was elected Israel's ninth president Wednesday, capping a campaign to extend his six-decade political career in a race marred by rape allegations against the sitting president.

- Ehud Olmert continues as Prime Minister.

- Ehud Barak is sworn in as the new Defense Minister.

- The rocket hits just keep on coming and Olmert holds back.

- Olmert looks forward to working with the new Palestinian cabinet absent a Hamas presence.

- Ariel Sharon still lies in a coma and many citizens wonder if Olmert is an acceptable PM.

- A new poll shows Israelis favor Benjamin Netanyahu as the next Prime Minister.

- The Golan Heights is more Israeli than Syrian, claims Israeli newspaper website Haaretz.com.

- As Noah Pollak writes: “ 'Palestine' and Israel are heading in separate directions, and fast."

And perhaps, overarching all, is this disappointing news from Yoni The Blogger (Yoni Tidi, Israeli blogger prominantly featured on the Hugh Hewitt show, and a former master sniper and anti-terrorist member -- with contacts in "the community"):

US Renews Aid to PA
(IsraelNN.com) US President George W. Bush spoke to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and expressed support for the new PA and its Prime Minister, Salam Fayad. The US has pledged to renew economic support for the PA, now that it no longer includes the Hamas terrorist organization. During the conversation, Abbas encouraged Bush to push to restart the peace process with Israel and to give Arabs in Judea and Samaria a “political horizon”.

Yoni sums it up with:

What did I tell you, we are all being played big time.

But America is going to push Israel into making a Palestinian State, which will be a terrorist state for, as you all know, Hamas is Fatah and Fatah is Hamas.

Yoni is precisely correct.

My solutions?

Simple. Do what Israel has every right to do:

• Reoccupy Gaza completely;
• Completely occupy the Golan Heights;
• The same for the West Bank;
• Completely remove all non-Israelis.

Enough pablum. Take off the velvet gloves. The survival of Israel is at stake and the UN can go to Hell. It's the Middle East vs. Western Cultures and I'm ALL about the West WINNING.

BZ

"Ratatouille"

My wife and I attended a "sneak peek" of the new Pixar animated film "Ratatouille" this weekend.

A direct cut to the chase: it's one of the two best movies I've seen this year. My other nomination for "best," to date, is 300.

My list of "good" movies this year include: Breach, Zodiac, and The Last King of Scotland.

List of considerably monumental turds:

Spider Man III;

Pirates III;

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

The above three movies were overblown, over-long, poorly scripted (if at all) and, in the case of Pirates, barely comprehensible. Quite frankly, there was little character development, slapdash plotting and the heaviest possible reliance on CGI. Not to mention that all three were plainly stupid.

I'll put it this way: in the packed theatre for the showing of Ratatouille I attended, the place was rife with kids, adults with infants and teens. There was no talking, no yelling and, at the end, the audience spontaneously broke out in applause. They had been, in fact, caught up in the movie.

Why? Because the movie had a plot and the viewer cared about the characters.

At a time when plot and character development are minimal at best, and computer imaging overshadows all (to the point where audiences are simply jaded anymore), Ratatouille was a burst of cool, fresh air in an oppressive, lackluster, oven-toasted summer movie season.

I won't spoil the plot (which it definitely has), but I will tell you the animation is absolutely incredible. Ratatouille is appropriate for both kids and adults. Just go see it. It's great fun.

BZ

Credibility

BZ

Arnold Is CORRECT

Fornicalia Governor Arnold Schwarzennegger stepped out of his normally-more-cautious role on Friday; according to FoxNews:

Schwarzenegger, who immigrated to the U.S. from Austria, recently told a group of Hispanic journalists that immigrants should stay away from Spanish-language television, books and newspapers.

"You've got to turn off the Spanish television set," Schwarzenegger said Wednesday night at the annual convention of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists in San Jose, Calif. "You're just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster."

Naturally, so-called Hispanic groups bristled at the suggestion; in my opinion they can all go to Hell. Arnold is right. Want to be an American? Try this:

• Speak like an American: learn ENGLISH, the language of success;
• Immerse yourself in American culture, like an American;
• OBEY THE LAWS like good Americans;
• Respect the borders; like all Americans;
• Fly the American flag, like good Americans;

The above items would be what one normally would term "a good start."

Why would "Hispanic" groups and politicians object? I have a few ideas. But before that, let's get something straight:

"Hispanics" are NOT "Hispanic." For the most part they are MEXICANS. Mexicans are from MEXICO -- you know, that country directly to our south. They are NOT "Hispanic." For those historically-challenged: Spain CONQUERED Mexico. Mexicans are generally Indians from numerous tribes in that area: Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs, etc. Mexicans speak SPANISH precisely because Spain CONQUERED that country.

And in many ways Mexicans are no different from a large portion of citizens born in the US: they want what they want, and they want it for free, and they want it now. They don't want to have to do anything for it. And they don't mind shipping a good portion of their cash BACK to the home country.

Hey Mexicans: you want to BE an American? How about this reiteration:

• Put up a US flag.
• Learn English.
• Become an American citizen LAWFULLY.
• IMMERSE yourself in OUR culture.
• Respect OUR borders and OUR laws.

And then you really CAN be one of US.

I don't think there's one person reading this blog who would object to those conditions. As long as we ALSO seal BOTH our borders, north and south.

And oh, a small aside, a teeny-tiny voice of reason buried at the bottom of the article:

Rafael Olmeda, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, said most NAHJ members would agree with the governor's statements.

"Most people I've spoken to walked away believing that he was trying to say that we must learn English to succeed in American society," Olmeda said.

ALL SIGNS in America should be in English. All official government publications should be in ENGLISH. Mexicans should stop watch TV stations and listening to radio stations broadcasting in Spanish. Here's a suggestion: keep the content; change it to ENGLISH.

You like the country, Mexicans? Try EMBRACING it instead of trying to CHANGE IT and DISOBEYING its sovereign laws.

BZ

P.S.

Check out the above photograph; why don't you think Arnold is standing before an Austrian flag? Another aside: my wife is Mexican. And she completely concurs.

Israel's Huge Mistake

Israel and Western Cultures continue to make mistakes with regard to Islam.

Recent events in the Gaza Strip (essentially the warlords having taken over):

Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority president, on Thursday night dismissed his Hamas-led government and declared a state of emergency, although with little prospect of imposing it in the Gaza Strip after Hamas routed his Fatah loyalists there in the space of a week.

His decrees marked the end of a unity government the two parties formed in March after agreeing in Mecca on a programme to end their factional strife. In the latest round of violence, Hamas gunmen seized almost all the main Gaza bases of security forces that answer to Mr Abbas.

These events only serve to confirm what I already know:

• Islam is a religion of the mindless, the ignorant and the barbaric;
• Islam is a religion of hate, murder, bloodshed, intolerance and sexism;
• Islam respects only force;
• Islam respects only males;

Many will excoriate me for these views; to them, likely those whose religion is Islam, I say: put your mouth, publicly, where your thoughts are. Easy to front me on my own blog. Why not stand up and stand out, and voice your thoughts in public?

Answer: because you're a coward. You know that doing so will mark you in the eyes of your fellow Islamic brothers and cause you to fall subject to actions ranging from scorn to, literally, your declared and possible death.

So much for the "peaceful, tolerant" nature of Islam, eh?

Palestine is falling apart; Hamas and Fatah are fighting for all the cards. The above photograph shows Hamas militants in the office of "Palestinian President" Mahmoud Abbas. And further, now, Hamas has taken complete control over Fatah.

It could get worse:

There are fears that if the fighting spreads to the West Bank, it will further weaken Abbas and ultimately stir up trouble for Jordan, said a Jordanian government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the situation's sensitivity.

Roughly half of Jordan's 5.5 million population is Palestinian. A Gaza-style civil war in the neighboring West Bank could spark clashes between the factions' supporters in the kingdom -- particularly in refugee camps where many support Hamas, the official said.

There will NEVER be peace in any Islamic country. EVER. It is because Islam is ruled by barbaric, nomadic, tribal men whose only goal is power and the saving, at all costs, of what the Japanese commonly term "face." The only peace to be achieved under Islam is that which is acquired at the point of a sword, an AK-47, and by a dictator as ruthless (or moreso) as Saddam Hussein.

When will Western Cultures finally realize: you cannot reason with ignorant, barbaric cultures and religions? Everyone does not think as do Westerners.

Israel INVITED the monsters into their back yard when they acquiesced to so-called Palestinians. And what we see in the Middle East, here, now, and in Europe, is PRECISELY what we shall get in the United States if we continue to "look aside," in terms of political correctness, and tolerate Muslims and Middle Eastern culture on our shores. Increasingly aggressive, increasingly hostile, increasingly intolerant, don't be surprised when small enclaves of Sharia Law (Islamberg, for example) spring up across the nation. If we don't FIGHT, and NOW, for our country, we are in fact doomed.

We must realize here and now: Islam understands and respects NOTHING but POWER and FORCE.

BZ

Passing

My wife's mother passed away this morning at 3:15. My wife said she had been having a dream specifically about her mother, when her cell phone rang. It was her brother with the news.

We dressed in the dark and drove to the hospice care. It was a blessing. She no longer had to struggle so horribly for air. Just as my mother had when she passed in 2002 from COPD, there were cannula marks on Lucy's face from the mask.

We spoke to my wife's brother, who has a 2-year-old girl. He said his daughter, at the foot of the mother's bed the prior night, looked up at the ceiling and said "bye bye."

BZ

A Great Step

Presidential runner Rudy Giuliani has presented his "12 Commitments to the American People" document, which I discovered on Hugh Hewitt's blog. Giuliani has written:

• 1. I will keep America on offense in the Terrorists’ War on Us.
• 2. I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen in our nation.
• 3. I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.
• 4. I will cut taxes and reform the tax code.
• 5. I will impose accountability on Washington.
• 6. I will lead America towards energy independence.
• 7. I will give Americans more control over, and access to, healthcare with affordable and portable free-market solutions.
• 8. I will increase adoptions, decrease abortions, and protect the quality of life for our children.
• 9. I will reform the legal system and appoint strict constructionist judges.
• 10. I will ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
• 11. I will provide access to a quality education to every child in America by giving real school choice to parents.
• 12. I will expand America’s involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world.

Quite frankly, I like what I see. And this is a great way to advance his stance, keep it simple, and then hit the bullets continuously. He can fill in the details during in-depth interviews.

Fred: time to weigh in. And I do mean time.

BZ

P.S.

Sorry about the run-on paragraphs. I have yet to discover why it's occurring on this "foreign" laptop. Nor, evidently, can I throw photos into posts. I'll do the best I can with what I've got. And for those who may be wondering: "why waste time blogging when. . ." This is not a good time right now. We all handle stress differently. My wife has her way; I'm finding that hitting the keyboard helps me cope. So, thanks for reading. . .

Support for Fred

Fred Luntz on Hannity & Colmes just said on Wednesday, June 6th:

Fred Thompson has the highest recognition-to-support ratio of any candidate, Republican or Democrat.

Rather an amazing amount of power for someone who has been essentially background, is it not?

BZ

P.S.

We are still is Fresno. My wife figured out how to make her computer tap the internet from the motel room. I shall blog when I can.

Away

Dearest Readers:

I just received a phone call from my wife, who indicated she was the recipient of a phone call from her brother. Her brother was told by a hospice nurse that my wife's mother has perhaps a day or two left. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer roughly a month ago. After drafting this post and sending it, I'll be packing and leaving within the hour.

I don't know how long I'll be away, quite frankly. It could be a few days, it could be a week. But at this point family trumps blogging. Please keep my wife's family in your prayers.

As I've written when leaving for a bit: never fail to tell those you love how you feel about them.

Please keep you and yours safe and healthy.


BZ

Dead

The immigration bill is dead, after having failed its first vote on Thursday. And this just in: the bill has now failed its second vote. It will likely be pulled completely on Friday.

And yes, that is an actual photo of a portion of the US/Mexico border fence.

BZ

P.S.

Here's a little peek at our future: the number two most popular name for boys in the United Kingdom is now Mohammad. The number one name is Jack.

P.P.S.

Also, the US border fence was completely approved 6 months ago, for a 700 mile segment. Why have only three miles been built?

Ethical Nancy Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already been caught in an ethical conflict (see my post here) in re Starkist Tuna.

But wait; there's more in terms of Pelosi and her guarantee to all America that the Democrat-majority Congress will be THE MOST ETHICAL in all history:

A database company that has showered money on Bill and Hillary Clinton – and is alleged to have aided scam artists – now appears to have close links to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's family as well.

The firm InfoUSA, headed by major Clinton backer Vinod Gupta, has placed Pelosi's son, Paul Pelosi Jr., on its payroll – even though he has no experience in the company's main business activities, NewsMax has learned.

As NewsMax previously reported, InfoUSA repeatedly rented marketing databases to unscrupulous persons who used the information to defraud the unsuspecting elderly, investigators found.

The company is also under fire in a shareholder lawsuit which alleges that Gupta is appropriating company funds for personal use and his political pet projects. Shareholder critics are furious that Gupta had InfoUsa pay former President Bill Clinton $2.1 million in "consulting fees" since he left the White House, with another $1.2 million promised.

What? you ask.

You mean that the Democrats are dissolving before our very eyes, their ethics continuously compromised in as little as the first few months of their so-called "rule"?

That would be a resounding: yes.

Their ethics are in the toilet.

As I wrote in a recent post:

-- Guess what, Democrats?
-- You're ALREADY pushing the US electorate squarely back into the GOP camp.
-- So for that, you have my most humble thanks.
-- Keep up the good work!

BZ

Survey

The Heritage Foundation sent a survey to my home a few days ago. I'm going to fill it out and return the completed form.

I also think I'm going to route the cash formerly earmarked for the RNC to The Heritage Foundation itself.

The letter accompanying the survey reads, in part:

Dear Fellow American:

Are you satisfied with the performance of President Bush and Congress?

Here at The Heritage Foundation, we've generally supported the President's policies. But we think he's made some critical mistakes, and we've been very open in telling him so.

BZ: As do I; failure to admit that the GOP or President Bush has made some tactical errors does little for Conservatism. Believing that all is well does nothing to 1. identify the errors and then 2. craft solutions and then 3. enact them.

We think conservatives in Congress went off the track in many areas when they were in the majority.

BZ: they made some major mistakes. Whilst power was in the hands all the ready for wielding, they failed, failed to use that power and instead bent against many of the core tenets of Conservatism.

And now that they're in the minority, they need to return to basic conservative principles in order to take an effective stand against the liberal majority.

BZ: agreed. In spades!

Conservatives and Republicans have been hesitant to criticize President Bush and congressional conservatives in public -- because we don't like to give ammunition to the radical Left. But you probably have a lot to say about what you think they are doing wrong, and what they need to do differently.

BZ: do I ever. And no, I did not then and do not now agree that it is wrong to publicly disagree with President Bush or various Republicans when they deviate from the path that brought them to their elected positions and when that path deviates from the true Conservative philosophy or platform.

That's why we've prepared the enclosed SURVEY FOR CONSERVATIVES AND REPUBLICANS ONLY. It's your opportunity to tell President Bush and conservatives in Congress what you think about their policies, and what you think they need to do now.

We believe the surveys you see in the media are often inaccurate, because they don't ask the right questions.

BZ: in any survey, it's HOW you phrase the questions that can skew them from the first step.

For example, they tell us that a majority of Americans do not support the war in Iraq. But they don't tell us how many people want us to surrender, and how many want us to fight harder and develop a better strategy to win the war against radical Islamists. They don't tell us how many think eavesdropping on foreign suspects is a threat to our civil liberties, and how many think we should be doing more listening in.

BZ: dingdingdingdingding! BINGO. The Heritage Foundation just summarized, in one paragraph, how MANY of the true Conservatives are thinking these days -- myself included! The point is not to leave; the point is get MEDIEVAL in Iraq and make our soldiers real soldiers instead of cops with cop-rules. The point is to PROTECT OUR PEOPLE and use whatever tools are at our disposal.

How do you think we should deal with illegal immigration? BZ: build the wall; build it now, build it completely. Is the government taking the war on Islamic terrorism seriously enough? BZ: let's call our enemies our enemies and STOP frisking little old black ladies with walkers, my 87-year-old father, and concentrate on MIDDLE EASTERN MEN and WOMEN, BOTH of whom have been historically utilized as terrorists against us and as Homicide Bombers. What do you think about the enormous, pork-laden federal budget? BZ: pork, you ask? How about my last two posts? How about the federal budget growing MORE in Bush's two terms than any other President in our history? Should the government promote traditional values? BZ: yes, yes and yes, as much as lawfully allowable -- and this includes the proper appointments to the SCOTUS.

But better yet, check this out:

We will not release the results of this survey to the media. It is strictly for the eyes of the Bush administration and conservative members of Congress. We don't think CBS or The New York Times care what you think. Neither do Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi.

A few paragraphs later:

You might be discouraged because so many of our hopes are not being fulfilled. I'm here to tell you that we need to keep fighting. We need to tell our elected officials what they are doing wrong, and what we expect from them.

Amen, Heritage Foundation. Amen.

Which is why I believe then and now that glossing over the errors made by the Bush Administration and our Republican leaders is a LARGE MISTAKE. They are not perfect and blind support can do nothing but lead to blind obedience when, in truth, as I have written time and again (and is now confirmed clearly by the respected Heritage Foundation):

WE NEED TO TELL OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHAT THEY ARE DOING WRONG, AND WHAT WE EXPECT FROM THEM.

Some people call those who support our President, no matter what, "Bush Bots." I dislike labels. I prefer, instead, to continue with my prevailing philosophy:

• We need to point out errors;
• Once identified, we need to make plans to correct them;
• Without knowing our errors, identifying our mistakes, we run the risk of complete collapse and a stultifyingly-immoral complacence and political stagnation;

I can see this survey as nothing but a GOOD thing. I'm mailing it tomorrow morning.

And by the way, I cut a check for $500 to The Heritage Foundation an hour before I wrote this post.

BZ

Honest Democrat

Ah, those ethical and honest Democrats, honed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and, themselves, charged with and carrying out the most ethical Congress in American history.

Oh damn. Except for when they get caught. I hate it when that happens.

To wit:

WASHINGTON -- Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted today on federal charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering in a long-running bribery investigation into business deals he tried to broker in Africa.

The indictment handed up in federal court in Alexandria., Va., today is 94 pages long and lists 16 alleged violations of federal law that could keep Jefferson in prison for up to 235 years, according to a Justice Department official who has seen the document.

Guess what, Democrats?

You're ALREADY pushing the US electorate squarely back into the GOP camp.

So for that, you have my most humble thanks.

Keep up the good work!

BZ

Democrats Rule

Ah, the beauty of a Democrat majority:

WASHINGTON (AP) - After promising unprecedented openness regarding Congress' pork barrel practices, House Democrats are moving in the opposite direction as they draw up spending bills for the upcoming budget year.

Democrats are sidestepping rules approved their first day in power in January to clearly identify "earmarks"—lawmakers' requests for specific projects and contracts for their states—in documents that accompany spending bills.

Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them.

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., says those requests for dams, community grants and research contracts for favored universities or hospitals will be added spending measures in the fall. That is when House and Senate negotiators assemble final bills to send to President Bush.

Such requests total billions of dollars.

I repeat for those who forgot: THIS Congress, this Congress controlled by a Democrat majority, was to have been the FINEST, the most UPSCALE, the most ETHICAL Congress ever. Because, after all, it featured a Democrat majority and the Dems are the most ethical of all American parties.

What? They're . . . not? Ah, Democrats -- the other white meat.

BZ