Oklahoma City: We're Fat Bastards

Hey, don't blame me.

Talk to the mayor about it.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With a button-popping spread of cornbread, sausage and gravy, chicken fried steak and pecan pie designated as Oklahoma's official state meal, it's no surprise that Oklahoma City's mayor wants to put the city on a diet.

Mick Cornett has challenged the city to shed 1 million pounds as its New Year's resolution.

Prompted in part by his own struggle to lose weight, Cornett wants to end Oklahoma City's dubious distinction as one of America's fattest cities.

"The message of this obesity initiative is that we've got to watch what we eat," Cornett said Thursday. "Exercise is part of it and the city is trying to change into a city that is less sprawling, has more density and is more pedestrian friendly, but you're not really going to take on obesity unless you acknowledge that we eat too much and don't eat the right foods."

As part of the initiative, residents can sign up and track their weight loss on a new Web site, http://www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com. More than 2,600 people had registered by Thursday. They've lost more than 300 pounds.

To be fair, the folks in Oklahoma City aren't the sloppiest in the United States, and let's give them credit for trying to shed this poor image.

Still, have people become so helpless they need to government to tell them to get it together?

Oklahoma City ranked 15th in a 2007 survey of America's fattest cities conducted by Men's Fitness magazine. The survey examined lifestyle factors in each city, including fast-food restaurants per capita and availability of city parks, gyms and bike paths.

"I can't tell you exactly where you rank in our 2008 survey, but I can tell you that Oklahoma City is in the top 10," magazine spokeswoman Jennifer Krosche said. "That's not good."

For the record, as noted in the previous link, Las Vegas was listed as the fattest city for 2007.

Israel's next (current?) land problem

This falls under the category of unintended consequences.

I found this editorial in the Arab News.

In it the author addresses the issue of something called Blueprint Negev. In a nutshell you have groups of nomads, the Bedouins, who have set up some ramshackle settlements in the Negev region. Because of the Israelis pulling out of Gaza they need someplace to put the citizens.

Negev seems like a logical spot since it is largely unpopulated but needs massive work on infrastructure to make it viable. In some editorials or news articles I read in researching this the Bedouins are transformed into Palestinians. I am no expert on how Israel handles its' property rights but the groups opposed seem to be most opposed to the government transferring the ownership of the land to private citizens, but forbidding anyone other those of Jewish ancestry from owning it.
The back and forth on this has been going on for some time, back to around 2002 it looks like.

The Jewish National Fund is the driving force behind the development of the Negev region. Here is their stated blueprint.

The biggest opposition group appears to be something called NeoHasid.

There is more information in an article I found here.

This is just one of the side effects of Israeli's pull out from Gaza and I am not taking sides so much as just bringing attention to a situation inside of Israel that will no doubt be getting more attention in the coming years.

So now if you ever hear about this you can say you have heard of it.

British Troops Forced to Change Out of Uniform Before Being Allowed into Airport Terminal

Nothing like a smack in the teeth after spending time in Afghanistan risking your life.

Just utter idiocy and a black eye for the boobs who made this happen.

Was the presence of military personnel in uniform going to cause emotional distress to someone?

Just disgraceful.

Scores of soldiers flying home from Afghanistan on Christmas leave were ordered to change out of their uniforms on a freezing runway before being allowed into a civilian airport terminal.

Troops were told not to be seen in public in their uniforms - which they had worn with pride while risking their lives during months of intense fighting against the Taliban.

Last night the Ministry of Defence and bosses at Birmingham International Airport blamed each other for the indignity suffered by the soldiers - which comes amid mounting anger over the treatment of British troops returning from war.

One soldier, who was ordered to undress for "security reasons", said: "It is an insult to the entire Army to force guys who've been fighting in Afghanistan to obey some jobsworth rule when all they want to do is get home to their families.

"So much for a nation proud of its servicemen. The temperature was Baltic on the runway but most of just wanted to get home so we cracked on."

The December 23 flight, carrying 200 personnel, had been diverted from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to Birmingham because of bad weather.

The troops were told they could either wait for coaches to take them back to Brize Norton or else travel home via public transport - in which case they must change into civilian clothes before entering the terminal.

Around 50 chose the latter option and, because there was no room in the cabin, most changed outside.

Last night the airport authorities denied responsibility, saying: "We support our Armed Forces and whatever form of dress they choose to wear at our airport."

Sure you do.

The incident brought criticism in unofficial military chatrooms. One soldier wrote on the Army Rumour Service forum: "This shows an utter lack of leadership. Who allowed this to happen? Who failed to stand up for his/her men?"

UPDATE: Also at LGF and Michelle Malkin.

Idiot Mother Plays the Victim

Mother of the year plays the victim with Matt Lauer.

The Texas mother who helped her daughter win a “Hannah Montana” essay contest by making up a story about the girl’s father being a soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq says she made a terrible mistake and hopes she can be forgiven.

“I meant no disrespect. I just made a bad decision which I sincerely regret,” Priscilla Ceballos told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer in a prepared statement she read from Friday. “I apologize to my daughter for getting her mixed up in his mess. I wanted to help my daughter realize her dream of seeing Hannah Montana. Instead, I brought so much negative attention to my family. Please accept my heartfelt apology, and please, do not punish my child for my mistake.”

Aww, the poor thing.

“I’ve had to move out of my home,” she told Lauer. “I’ve received a lot of bad — a lot of harassment all over the Internet. I’ve been forced to close down my MySpace page. I have not been able to eat or sleep well. I have been very depressed.”

“She’s been constantly harassed,” her attorney, Frank Perez, added.

“There’s been all types of shows and panels saying she’s not a good mother, when, in fact, she is. Priscilla made a mistake. Priscilla wanted her daughter, Alexis, to see Hannah Montana and didn’t have the means to do that. She used poor judgment in what she did.”

Should have thought about that before making up the bogus tale, sister.

Nothing about the humiliation her poor kid faces.

It's all about her.

Just imagine the horror of having to shut down your MySpace page. How will she continue on?

Oh, and by the way, what's the deal with those eyebrows?

Rooting for a Recession

The media is just salivating this morning over the jobs numbers posted showing only 18,000 jobs have been added to payrolls.

From CNN: Jobs weak, unemployment soars

Unemployment soars? Huh?

The unemployment rate rose to 5 percent, the highest reading since November 2005, from a 4.7 percent reading in November. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate would rise but only to 4.8 percent.

Of course, economists were wrong again (shocker!), but going up 0.3% isn't exactly soaring.

If, say, it went to a Jimmy Carter-like 10%, then you could say it soared.

AP also celebrates:
Jobless rate hits 5 percent, 2-year high

WASHINGTON - Hiring practically stalled in December, driving the nation's unemployment rate up to a two-year high of 5 percent and fanning fears of a recession.

The only ones fanning fears of a recession are the media.

Employers last month added the fewest new jobs to their payrolls in more than four years, according to the employment report released Friday by the Labor Department. The report showed that employment conditions are deteriorating, strained by a housing slump and credit crunch that are sapping economic strength.

"The economy is getting hit by some body blows. The big question is whether the economy can withstand it or will it take a fall," said Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics.

The unemployment rate jumped from 4.7 percent in November to 5 percent in December, the highest since November 2005 after the Gulf Coast hurricanes dealt the country a mighty blow. Payrolls — both private employers and government — grew by just 18,000 last month, the worst showing since August 2003, when the economy suffered job losses as it struggled to recover from the 2001 recession.

Of course, it was the Clinton administration that led us into the 2001 recession, followed by 9/11, but you just never see that mentioned.

It was the tax cuts from George Bush that got us out of that mess, but do you ever seen that pointed out?

Naturally, they bury the positive news.

For all of 2007, the economy added 1.33 million jobs and the unemployment rate averaged 4.6 percent, the same as in 2006. Employment growth averaged 111,000 a month in 2007, down from 189,000 in 2006.

The 5 percent rate is relatively low by historical standards. In the recession of the early 1980s, for example, the jobless rate reached double-digit levels.

So if the 5% mark is relatively low (and it is), why all the hysteria?

Sure, we've had some bumps in the road, but the reporting on the economy has been abysmal.

Just to add to the confusion, check out these dueling headlines.

Wall Street higher on jobs data

That was yesterday.

Now today: Weak jobs data sets up market for lower open

Let's see what actually happens when the markets open.

Iowa grumblings

Or why wasn't I invited to appear on Fox News as a pundit.

Well I guess I can chime in with my 2¢ worth on my impressions of what the Iowa caucus means to me.

First off Iowa is not the be all and end all of this presidential race. It is the opinions of a very small group of people, no doubt suffering some sort of PTSD now that the caucuses are over and the candidates have left town quicker then a flim flam artist out of a brothel with the cops coming in the front door.

The candidates showered all kinds of attention and affection on the residents of Iowa, something the rest of us won't get to experience. So what do I think the results mean.

Let's start with the Republicans.

First that Huckabee could turn on the charm and hood wink a bunch of people who vote Christian but not on issues. I wish the Huckster well in life but I hope his train jumps the track now. Every since I started researching what he did as governor and compared it to what he now says you can see the hypocrisy.

See here:

And here:
And here:

Second is Romney. Considering all the money he has spent the results I am sure are not what he expected. He will gain back some momentum when the races shift to the New England states since he is the sort of liberal Republican they like. He should dust this off and continue on. He will certainly be in the race until the Super Tuesday in February.

Third was a basic tie between Fred Thompson and John McCain. Let's take Thompson first. There is no surprise to readers of this blog that I like Fred. A third place showing for somebody who was constantly dogged by the media pursuing the storyline of being lazy or not having a fire in his belly is good. I believe he is the one true conservative candidate who is still viable that is in the race.

As far as McCain. I cannot forgive him for the amnesty debacle he so strongly supported last year. Before that it was always his constant talk of "reaching across the aisle". John every time you extend a hand in friendship to the Dems they slap you in your face.

Now I know you endured quite a bit as a POW so maybe you are conditioned to that sort of behavior. Well I ain't. I am looking for a person of principles not someone in survival mode who will do anything to survive politically.

Now for the Dems.

Barack is riding the crest of a wave right now. His success was due mostly to the other candidates in his party, who not being able to muster enough votes for themselves encouraged their supporters to throw their support behind him. Not even other Dems can stand Hillary.

Second was Edwards or Mr Gloom and Doom. If misery loves company he certainly proves he has plenty of company. I don't get it. Is it that his supporters are such pessimists that they are just attracted to him like moths to a flame? I want my president to look on the bright side of things, you know find the silver lining in the dark clouds. I don't want to be constantly told how miserable I am.

Even growing up, although I came from a family which my parents described as "Working poor" they never made it seem that way. Here is a guy that is one of the main reasons health insurance is so expensive today telling other people that he feels their pain.

Last, and I really do mean last, is Hillary. The presumed heir to the Clinton legacy not only couldn't get any support in the state she spent so much time but she couldn't even get support from within her own party. Her big plans for government that takes care of you from cradle to grave fortunately still hits a sour chord in a lot of people. It may also be that people are tired of the Bush/Clinton stranglehold on the presidency.

It also became apparent to me that while Iowans like to think they are more informed then other voters because of all the time the candidates spend and the media attention and the ads it became apparent that they really aren't.

It is obvious that they took what ever the candidates spoon fed them at public meetings and whatever the ads beamed into their living rooms were saying and spent to much time listening to the professional pundits and accepted it. They did not do much research on their own, something those of us not bombarded had ample opportunity to do.

In other words, they got suckered. I also noticed some blogs last night talking about how the Dems website seemed to work fine but the Republican one was an embarrassment. This to me also points out that the online community is not as big a force in politics as we would like to think.

That is sort of a bitter pill to swallow. There is a lot of good information on the web but apparently the average citizen is still content to let the professional talking heads tell them what they should think in regards to electing a president.
That is the task of those who read, contribute to or otherwise use the web as a resource have to undertake. Somehow we have to get people to come check us out and quit letting the mass market media give them their spin and analysis and come see what other regular people are saying.

I don't know how and I have noticed that most programs on tv are not real helpful in giving out web sites that deal with political issues. Oh sure they will give that web site for that cool gadget or heartwarming story or even some charity but they are real reluctant to promote anything on the web that might analyze their analysis.

So the campaign continues and hopefully all of these top three in each party will continue on until Super Tuesday and then we will have a much clearer picture of not only the mood in the country but also what sells. This campaign is coming down to image versus substance and unfortunately I think image is winning.

'Islam Is Not A Bad Religion'

As the manhunt continues for Yaser Abdel Said, who police admit could be anywhere in the world by now, Said's wife and son emerged at a candlelight vigil Thursday evening.

LEWISVILLE -- Patricia Said and her 19-year-old son have been in hiding since her teenage daughters were found shot to death Tuesday and her husband, Yaser Abdel Said, was accused of the crime.

With police watching over them, the mother and son emerged Thursday evening to attend a candlelight vigil in honor of the girls. Yaser Abdel Said, 50, has eluded police since the shooting.

The girls' mother sobbed into the microphone at Lewisville High School, where Sarah Said, 17, and Amina Said, 18, were honor students.

"They will be missed," Patricia Said told the crowd of about 100 students and teachers. "They were always happy, even when I was sad."

Their brother, Islam Said, also addressed the crowd to dispel rumors that the family's Muslim faith was a factor in their slayings.

"Religion has nothing to do with this, and it was very wrong," Islam Said said. "Islam is not a bad religion."

Well, that's his opinion.

Others are free to theirs.

Details emerged Thursday about the days leading up to the fatal shootings of the Lewisville teens, who were found Tuesday evening in a taxi that police believe was driven by their father.

Patricia Said and her daughters quit their jobs at a Kroger grocery store in Lewisville just before Christmas, a company spokesman said.

Patricia and Yaser Said were wed in February 1987 when she was 15 and he was 30, Tarrant County marriage records show. The two have had addresses in Euless, Bedford, Grand Prairie and Arlington, public records indicate.

Yaser Abdel Said filed a missing-person report Dec. 26. He hoped police would help track down his wife, according to a report by KDFW/Channel 4.

The incident marked one of the domestic problems that investigators believe may have led to the killings of Sarah and Amina Said.

Friends of the girls have said their father didn't approve of them dating.

Read the rest.

UPDATE: More here.

There has been speculation that the crime was an honor killing, a practice in some Muslim communities where a man kills a female relative who is believed to have shamed the family.

Irving police spokesman David Tull said authorities are exploring all possible motives in the sisters' slayings, including that they may have been the victims of an honor killing. He acknowledged there had been some domestic issues in the family.

"We're well aware of the family dynamics," he said. "Everyone wants to know the motive. The only person that can really tell us is him."

Officer Tull said there had been no progress Thursday in locating Mr. Said but noted that federal authorities are participating in the manhunt.

"We've got a large net cast," he said.

Officer Tull said there's a possibility that the Egyptian-born man may have left the country.

"He's not a stranger to travel," he said.

Zohair Zaidi, a close friend of Sarah's, said she told him her father had recently threatened to harm Amina when he discovered she had a boyfriend.

"Her dad has always been oppressive with her and her sister," said Mr. Zaidi, 18.

"She said that one day when she came home – the day he found out about Amina's boyfriend – he told Sarah, 'I'm going to put a bullet through Amina's head, and you better get used to her because she's not going to be around much longer.' "

Uh, Reuters, it's 'Simon Wiesenthal'

***UPDATED with screen shot of Reuters gaffe***

Scroll down.

Thanks to RadicalRon for the shot.

---------------------------------------

Thank goodness these news outlets have layers of editors and filters.

Otherwise they'd be caught in embarrassing moments like this.

Oh wait...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A week after Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack, a Jewish human rights group has taken out a full page ad in the New York Times on Friday demanding that the United Nations formally address suicide bombings.

The ad by the Los Angeles based Simon Rosenthal Center features a picture of Bhutto beneath the words "SUICIDE TERROR: What more will it take for the world to act?" and calls on the United Nations for a special session devoted to the issue.

"Unless we put suicide bombing on the top of the international community's agenda, this virulent cancer could engulf us all," it reads. "The looming threat of WMDs in the hands of suicide bombers will dwarf the casualties already suffered in 30 countries."

In the ad, which will also run in the International Herald Tribune, The Simon Rosenthal Center also calls on the United Nations to declare suicide bombings "crimes against humanity."

Hey, idiots, it's the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Idiots.

In case they snap to it and fix it, here's a Google reference.

H/T Jihad Warrior at LGF

In addition to the screen shot, NewsBusters notes the colossal error and the sloppy attempt to fix it.

Now THIS is even funnier...

Reuters did, indeed, make their correction around mindnight central time. Yet, they DID NOT ADMIT the mistake we are pointing out here. They did admit some mistake, but they did not admit the Rosenthal/Wiesenthal gaffe.

Here is the correction notice that now sits at the top of the story:

(Corrects spelling of Hier in paragraph 7)

...Yet not a word about the mistake of calling the Simon Wiesenthal Center the Simon Rosenthal Center. But, on the other hand, the Simon Wiesenthal Center is now CORRECTLY noted in the new version of the story! Somehow, Reuters conveniently forgot to notate the correction. So, are they so embarrassed they are trying to pretend it never happened?

Click to enlargen the image.

Said 'Could be Anywhere in the World'

Michael Nguyen, 17, holds a poster made from a photo on Sarah and Amina Said's MySpace page, during a vigil for the two sisters at Lewisville High School on Thursday. From left: Nguyen, Anysha Sadruddin, 18; Noel Truong, 18; and Justin Joseph, 14. The poster was made by Jacqueline Duong, 17, not pictured. (Star-Telegram/Laurie L. Ward)

The manhunt continues for Yaser Abdel Said and the latest report out of Dallas isn't that encouraging.

Let's just say I hope they've checked flight logs out of DFW for anything headed toward Cairo.

In the meantime, an unidentified cabbie who found Said's murdered daughters spoke with CBS11.

A man who found two North Texas sisters murdered in a taxi cab says that he first thought they were asleep. That man is talking exclusively to CBS 11 News.

Thursday was the first day back at class, since Christmas vacation, for Lewisville High School students. Amina and Sarah Said were well known at the school; Sarah was still a student there. Students, family and friends held a candlelight vigil for the sisters Thursday night.

The search continues for the girl's father, Yaser Abdel Said. The 50-year-old man, who is the prime suspect in the double homicide, has been charged with capital murder. Said is Egyptian and is rumored to have objected to his daughter's embracing American lifestyles and fashions.

Irving police say on Tuesday night Said left the bodies of his daughter's in a cab that he drove. Said then allegedly parked the vehicle in the 'taxi Q' of a Las Colinas hotel.

A fellow cabbie, who doesn't want to be identified, later thought the cab had car trouble and looked inside. "I knocked on the windows real hard, but no one wake up," he said.

The man told CBS 11 News that he thought the sisters were asleep, but then he noticed that one of the cab doors was only partly shut. "I opened the door and I saw the lady on the passenger side seat. The hand just fall down, it's not moving. I think she is dead," he told reporter Bud Gillett.

Clearly there's premeditation and there was some time between the killings and the discovery of the bodies, which leads investigators to believe he may well have fled the country.

Irving police say they are concentrating the search for Said locally. Officials say the man is armed and extremely dangerous, but admit that with the crime proximity to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport the Irving father could be anywhere in the world.

Meanwhile, students and teachers gather Thursday night for a tribute to the slain sisters.

They'll be Hungry in an Hour

So, how bad are things getting in Zimbabwe? Last we heard, they were starting to eat their pets to survive.

Now China is sending them food to help out.

China is sending 5,000 metric tons of food aid to Zimbabwe, official media reports, to help the African nation cope with dire food shortages.

China's deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe made the announcement, adding that the two countries wanted to increase trade to $500m (£253m) in 2008.

More than 3m Zimbabweans, 25% of the population, depend on UN food aid.

With a per capita GDP of about $7,800 a year, China is not exactly overflowing with a surplus of produce themselves, either.

Talk about your lame leading the halt.

China has expanded its economic relationship with Zimbabwe as the West enforces strict sanctions on the government of President Robert Mugabe.

The country is suffering from the world's highest rate of inflation, mass unemployment and shortages of fuel and basic goods.

The United States and European Union accuse Mr Mugabe of running the economy into the ground and disregarding human rights.

UN joins forces with Marvel Comics

In a move reminiscent of storylines developed during the second world war, the UN is joining forces with Marvel Comics, creators of Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk, to create a comic book showing the international body working with superheroes to solve bloody conflicts and rid the world of disease.
The comic, initially to be distributed free to 1m US schoolchildren, will be set in a war-torn fictional country and feature superheroes such as Spider-Man working with UN agencies such as Unicef and the “blue hats”, the UN peacekeepers.

So they are going to distribute the comics propaganda to our children in school. Here is the UN's stated goal.

The UN’s goals are somewhat different: according to its website, it hopes the comics will teach children the value of international co- operation and sensitise them to the problems faced in other parts of the world.

Now it seems to me there is only one portion of the world that isn't interested in cooperation. You know that sector that gets enraged over cartoons and teddy bears and other silly things. Why aren't they giving them the comic books instead of the indoctranation kiddie programming they have now? Silly me I know the US is the seat of evil in the world, but that seat is located in the UN building.

And just for old times sake here is John Bolton showing some love to the UN.

Undecided Iowa Democrat?

Still undecided about who to support?

Hillary has way too many negatives.

Senator Obama lacks experience.

Neither can defeat a strong Republican nominee.

But there's one person who can and Counterpunch has asked that you at least consider the option.

Think about it. You can help make history.

As the saying goes, "Just do it".

Video courtesy of TheTruthIsHere08

Pakistan Releases Palestinian Hijackers

These scumbags originally were sentenced to death, had those sentences commuted to life in prison and now walk free. No doubt they'll be welcomed home as conquering heroes.

Who said terrorism doesn't pay?

Pakistan Releases 4 in 1986 Hijacking

Pakistani authorities freed four Palestinians on Thursday who were convicted in the 1986 hijacking of a Pan Am jet in Karachi that left 22 passengers and crew dead, a prison official said.

The men were released after completing their jail terms and deported to the Palestinian territories, said the official on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The alleged leader of the group, a Palestinian called Zayd Hassan Abd Al-Latif Masud Al Safarini, was released from prison in Pakistan in 2001 through a series of amnesties, but was arrested a day later by FBI agents in Bangkok on his way to Jordan.

In 2003, a U.S court sentenced Safarini to three consecutive life terms plus 25 years for his role in the hijacking.

The five men hijacked the Pan Am Boeing 747 as it sat at Karachi airport waiting to fly to Frankfurt, Germany, en route to New York. They were demanding the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israel and Cyprus.

Later the same day, Pakistani commandos stormed the plane and the hijackers began shooting and throwing hand grenades at the passengers and crew they had herded into one area of the plane, according to court papers presented at the U.S. trial of Safarini.

In all, 22 people were killed and more than 100 wounded. The five men were arrested.

At a 1988 trial in Pakistan, the Palestinians admitted carrying out the hijacking, but blamed Pakistani troops for the passengers' deaths. All five were given death sentences that were commuted to life in prison, which means serving 14 years in Pakistan.

The men had been held in a high-security prison in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near the capital Islamabad.

Rawalpindi, of course, is now notorious as the location of Benazir Bhutto's assassination last week. Bhutto was in power when their sentences were reduced to the alleged life in prison.

The prison official gave the names of those released Thursday as Mohammed Abdul Khalil Hussain, Daud Mohammed Hafiz, Mohammed Ahmed al-Munawar and Jamal Saeed.

More on Sarafini here. He apparently was a member of Abu Nidal's terror crew.

Nidal was reportedly murdered by Saddam Hussein after refusing to train Al Qaeda fighters.

Abu Nidal, the Palestinian terrorist, was murdered on the orders of Saddam Hussein after refusing to train al-Qa'eda fighters based in Iraq, The Telegraph can reveal.

Despite claims by Iraqi officials that Abu Nidal committed suicide after being implicated in a plot to overthrow Saddam, Western diplomats now believe that he was killed for refusing to reactivate his international terrorist network.

According to reports received from Iraqi opposition groups, Abu Nidal had been in Baghdad for months as Saddam's personal guest, and was being treated for a mild form of skin cancer.

While in Baghdad, Abu Nidal, whose real name was Sabri al-Banna, came under pressure from Saddam to help train groups of al-Qa'eda fighters who moved to northern Iraq after fleeing Afghanistan. Saddam also wanted Abu Nidal to carry out attacks against the US and its allies.

Chow time

Another metro Atlanta county gets aboard the illegal immigration bandwagon.

This time it is Gwinett county. Previously Cobb county had begun a rigid enforcement of identifying and making available for deportation illegals that they detained. Gwinett now wants to be able to do the same thing.

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (Map, News) - The Gwinnett County Commission chairman wants the sheriff's department to begin enforcing federal immigration laws.
Chairman Charles Bannister is calling for Sheriff Butch Conway to sign up for a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program that trains deputies to start deportation proceedings for illegal immigrants booked into the jail.
In 2007, Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren became the first sheriff in Georgia to initiate the ICE program. A spokeswoman for ICE, Pat Reilly, says Whitfield County in north Georgia will begin training deputies this month.

Arizonas' new Employer Sanction Law, which is now in effect is having the desired effect.

No anchor baby for you. Adios!

Army retiree fights to go back to Iraq or Afghanistan.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- An Ohio man who was forced to retire from the Army when he turned 60 wants back in for another tour in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Former Master Sergeant Austin Asher left the service in 2007 after 31 years in the Army, National Guard and Army Reserves, including two tours of Iraq.

Illinois adopts quitting smoking for a New Years resolution. Whether you want it or not.

Minnesota is debating whether to leave some children behind. But I thought they were all about the touchy feely liberal feel good stuff.

When hate is all you have....

Here is a cartoon that is on the front page of the Arab News, "The Middle East's Leading English Daily" according to their web site.

Not sure exactly what they are trying to say other then of course that Israel is the reason there is no peace in the Middle East and they have swept some sort of mass murder under the rug. In other words what they can't blame on America they blame on Israel. This is the sort of propaganda that runs daily in the Arab world. When people are bombarded with these types of images day after day, propaganda worthy of anything the Nazi's did leading up to and through World War II, is it any wonder they have such a deep rooted hatred of Israel. One that is not based on facts but rather plays on the emotion of hate.

Why can't our State Department instead of cowing down to these governments, made famous by Nancy Pelosi wearing a scarf while meeting the murdering ophthalmologist in Syria, bring matters such as this up? I constantly hear from the left, when referring to the Bush administration, that they want investigations and they want to shine a spotlight on whatever the perceived outrage of the day happens to be, but they never, ever want to draw attention to this sort of stuff.

This is not from some wacky Palestinian program or some video clip hosted on Memri. No, this is on the front page of one of the main English language newspapers.

Global Warming Alert

Snow begins to sweep across UK with travel chaos predicted for millions

The first widespread snow of the winter started to sweep across the UK today, with travel chaos predicted for millions of commuters.

Drivers were warned to allow extra time to navigate icy roads as strong easterly winds sent temperatures tumbling.

The Highways Agency said a fleet of gritters was on standby to minimise the treacherous conditions.

Up to 15 centimetres (6 inches, ed.) has been predicted for parts of Scotland, while England and Wales can expect at least a couple of centimetres.

But the first cold snap of the New Year is likely to be short-lived, with temperatures in southern England reaching as high as 8C (46.4F, ed.) by Friday.

Marco Petagna, of MeteoGroup, said: "Temperatures are going to be around 1-4C (33.8 - 39.2F, ed.) but it will seem colder as there will be a biting east wind. But milder weather will be coming in from the west late on Thursday."

Mr Petagna said the snow should not stay around for too long and some areas, such as south west England, may just get rain.

The Highways Agency has issued an urgent alert to motorists telling them to check conditions before setting out and, if possible, to postpone their journeys.

The chaos is predicted to come in the wake of winds from Siberia which are expected to cause temperatures to plunge below freezing tonight.

Read the rest at The Daily Mail, along with some great comments.

Award-winning climatologist al-Goracle was unavailable for comment.

Murderous Muslim Dad Still on the Loose

The media has to be dragged kicking and screaming to this one.

Now the angle is there were dating issues.

Really, just dating issues? Nothing to do with the father practicing Islam and freaking out that his girls were Americanized?

Area police continue to search for a man who they believe killed his two teenage daughters and left their bodies in a taxi at an Irving hotel.

Police sealed off a street and surrounded the man's home in Lewisville for more than five hours Wednesday but found that Yaser Abdel Said, 50, a cabdriver, was not inside.

He is sought in connection with the deaths of Amina Yaser Said, 18, and Sarah Yaser Said, 17.

I dared to suggest yesterday maybe the police should be combing area mosques.

Better yet, have they checked local CAIR offices?

Friends describe Amina and Sarah as quiet but well-liked students at Lewisville High School. They played tennis and soccer and were in many Advanced Placement classes.

"They were extremely smart – like geniuses," said Allison Villarreal, a senior at Lewisville High, where Amina was a senior and Sarah was a junior.

Liz Marines, secretary of the Lewisville High School Student Council, had classes with both of the sisters and remembers their scholastic abilities.

"Amina was very nice with everybody. She helped me in [Advanced Placement English] class," she said. Sarah was a sophomore when she took an Algebra II class with Liz, who was a junior at the time.

She said the sisters, who wore typical American clothes, didn't talk much about their family. "I didn't know they were Muslims until she told me they were Egyptian and Muslim," Liz said.

UPDATE: Bryan at Hot Air has more.

Video from Dallas television here.

Assorted reaction at Memeorandum.

Gateway Pundit has this and an honor killing in Chicago.

More at Michelle Malkin, LGF.

Happy New Year in Iran: 13 Hanged in One Day

The media make such a big deal over the death penalty here in the U.S., but never have much to say when there are public hangings in Iran. At least some human rights groups are being consistent, however, and are speaking out after 13 people were publicly hanged yesterday.

In a crackdown on "immoral behaviour" Iranian authorities have hanged a total of 13 convicted criminals - including a mother of two charged with murder.

Mother Raheleh Zamani, was found guilty of murdering her husband after discovering he was having an affair, reports said.

It was claimed she chopped her husband's body into pieces, and she was hanged alongside seven men convicted of murder, in a mass execution at a prison, the Iranian Student Correspondents' Association (ISCA) reported.

The large number of executions in recent months has drawn criticism from the European Union and Western rights groups.

Rights group Amnesty International says Iran has one of the highest rates of execution in the world.

This number has increased since July when police began their crackdown on immoral behaviour.

The 13 public hangings were believed to be one of the highest in a single day in the past few months.

However, on Sept 5 last year, 21 convicted drug smugglers and other criminals were executed.

In these most recent hangings eight people convicted of murder, including Zamani, were executed in Tehran's Evin prison.

Three drug smugglers were publicly executed in the holy city of Qom, south of the capital, it was reported.

Two other drug traffickers were hanged in the southeastern city of Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan province, notorious for clashes between security forces and smugglers, according to the state broadcaster.

"Of the 11 people who were supposed to be hanged in Evin prison today ... 8 were executed," said the ISNA broadcast agency.

In addition to murder and drug smuggling, a variety of offenses under Sharia law are punishable by death.

Murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery, apostasy and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Iran's Sharia law, practised since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

They don't seem very eager to report the news in Iran.

Chinese Child Abuse

Boys hang from a bar for five minutes as part of a physical training exercise at the Gymnastics Hall of the Shanghai University of Sports. The photo was part of Nir Elias's series "Pain Threshold -- Sports Education in China."

Although it appears the child third from the right may be enjoying himself, you can see the agony most of the others are suffering through.

More photos from the UNICEF Photos of the Year 2007 include this horrific image:

This sobering image, showing a 40-year-old groom sitting beside his 11-year-old future bride in Afghanistan, brought Stephanie Sinclair top honors in the annual Photo of the Year contest sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Via Judith Apter Klinghoffer.

Nit-Picking Monkeys Have All the Fun

Will pick nits for action

We only bring you the best in academic research around here.

Fresh off the latest olfactory news out of Purdue University (P.U.) comes some really interesting news from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

SELLING sex is said to be humankind's oldest profession but it may have deep evolutionary roots, according to a study into our primate cousins which found that male macaques pay for intercourse by using grooming as a currency.

Michael Gumert of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore made the discovery in a 20-month investigation into 50 long-tailed macaques in Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia, New Scientist reports on Saturday.

On average, females had sex 1.5 times per hour.

But this rate jumped to 3.5 times per hour immediately after the female had been groomed by a male - and her partner of choice was likely to be the hunky monkey that did the grooming.

Market forces also acted on the value of the transaction.

If there were several females in the area, the cost of buying sex would drop dramatically - a male could "buy" a female for just eight minutes of nit-picking.

But if there were no females around, he would have to groom for up to 16 minutes before sex was offered.

Holding out for eight more minutes.

Pure torture.

I wonder if there any any bonuses involved for manicures or pedicures?

It figures pimping might be next, considering they can already work with numbers.

A Kinder, Gentler Chavez

Venezuelan thug Hugo Chavez promises to be kinder and gentler in 2008.

Maybe he should first try being competent and sane?

The Reuters editors show their bias and their inability to read/comprehend their own story.

For all of the anti-American bilge Chavez spews, you would think he would have his own government providing basic services. But in Venezuela, you have a hard time just getting the garbage taken away.

CARACAS (Reuters) - If 2007 was Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's year to drive forward a grandiose vision of revolutionary socialism, 2008 could be the year for getting trash off the streets and putting milk on store shelves.

No milk and the garbage is backing up? Sounds like the socialist workers paradise isn't working out so well.

"There are practical problems that do not belong to any ideology and they have to be resolved," he told state television at the weekend. He also promised to fight corruption and "correct and boost our economy."

His comments follow the referendum defeat of his planned constitutional overhaul and growing complaints that he has not done enough to deal with Caracas' trash-littered streets or the highest inflation rate in the Western Hemisphere."

Well, your first mistake there, Sparky, is turning your country toward socialism. Your second is blaming the U.S. for every problem you have, including bad weather. Your third is being, well, dumber than a stump.

But boy, does Reuters love socialists and communists. Get a load of this bias:

A close ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, Chavez has built political support through open confrontation with Washington and oil-financed social programs that benefit the poor.

Benefiting the poor? Hey, Reuters, did you even bother to read your own story?

The "poor" can't get milk for their children or get the garbage picked up. You stated that fact in the story. So how exactly is all that socialism in Venezuela you love so much benefiting the downtrodden poor?

Morons.

Reuters, a monument to stupidity.

Just Don't Leave Bill Alone With the Babysitters

Ice Queen and the Snowman

I wonder if this is even legal?

Meet Hillary Clinton's secret weapon in Iowa: baby-sitters.

In Thursday's caucuses, it all comes down to getting out the vote. And Clinton is going to the extremes, even lining up baby-sitters and day care centers for caucus-going moms.

She is locked in a tight race with Democratic rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards. Securing every extra vote in a race in which fewer than 50,000 people may show up will be the difference between a momentum-building win or a humbling defeat.

The Clinton campaign is opening day care centers across the state, including three in Des Moines, and has enlisted a legion of teenage girls to render their tyke-watching services.

Surely daycare centers must be licensed by the state.

Is the campaign doing any background checks on these babysitters?

What about liability in the event of an accident?

Seems to me this is just another cheesy gimmick by the Clintons.

From a commenter at the Daily News.

Bulzeye Jan 2, 2008 9:12:13 AM

ONLY a democrat would be stupid enough to leave their children with a complete stranger provided by a campaign from a party that supports felon voting rights, the ACLU and the rights of child molesters at every turn (except maybe at election time.) Don't come crying when your children are abused- blame yourself and remember you are a democratic supporter.

Have You Seen This Peaceful Religious Man?

In case you have, call the authorities in Dallas, where he reportedly murdered his two teenage daughters.

A capital murder arrest warrant has been issued for a man suspected in the deaths of his teenage daughters, Irving police said.

Investigators were searching for Yaser Abdel Said, a 50-year-old cab driver, police said. The two teens were found in a Jet Taxi vehicle that Mr. Said drove, Irving police spokesman David Tull said. Jet Taxi operations manager Chris Petersen said he was unable to release any information but that the company was in contact with police.

About 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Irving police received a 911 call from a woman saying she had been shot, but could not provide a location. The call originated near O’Connor Road and Riverside Drive, and officers sent to the location were unable to find the victim.

An hour later, police received another call from someone reporting a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot in the 200 block of Las Colinas Boulevard, which is about a half-mile from where the victim called. Inside, police said they found Sarah Yaser Said, 17, and her sister Amina Yaser Said, 18, both of Lewisville. The two sisters had been shot.

Honor killings, anyone?

Said is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

I wonder if the authorities have searched any local mosques?

More here.

UPDATE: Lots of buzz on this today. Check out Hot Air and Fishwrap, which notes a rather timely story today from Sara A. Carter.

UPDATE II: The girls lived in fear of their father.

Sisters, Amina, 18, and Sarah, 17, were each shot to death. Friends of the girls say their father was Egyptian and critical of popular American lifestyles. "I'm definitely 100% sure that it was her dad that killed her," said Kathleen Wong, a friend of the dead teenagers.

Wong says the girl's father was verbally abusive and that Sarah, especially, lived in fear. "She's always told me that she was always so scared of her dad," says Wong. "Even at school if a teacher joked around like, 'I'm gonna tell your parents about this', she would like totally flip out and start crying like, 'please don't tell'."

Via another Fishwrap update.

How Many Did Al Qaeda Kill?

A ridiculous piece of propaganda from a group calling itself Iraq Body Count.

US-LED coalition and paramilitary forces in Iraq were responsible for some 24,000 violent civilian deaths in 2007, according to an independent group monitoring casualties in the war-ravaged country.

The Iraq Body Count (IBC) whose figures are tallied from media reports, morgue and hospital data, non-governmental and other sources, said in a report that there were between 22,586 and 24,159 violent civilian deaths in Iraq during the past year.

"Perhaps the most accurate description of the security situation for Iraqi civilians in the past year is that it was less bad than if the worst of the late 2006 levels had been sustained throughout 2007," the group said in a statement.

The IBC lamented security that "remains at an abysmally low level" in much of the country.

"For some 24,000 Iraqi civilians, and their families and friends, the year was one of devastating and irreparable tragedy," the IBC said.

So we're to believe U.S. forces are partly responsible for killing up to 24,000 civilians? Please.

Nowhere is it mentioned that in all liklihood most of the civilians killed were a direct result of terrorist activities, unless that's what the vaguely titled "paramilitary forces" refers to, but apparently it's not.

The group said that as of January 1 2008, the total for violent civilian deaths to the end of 2007 in Iraq was between 81,174 and 88,585.

OK, so another 60,000 or so civilians were killed?

Who killed them?

Any time there are accidents where civilians are killed in Iraq, there are investigations at the highest level. The notion 24,000 civilians were killed by either U.S. forces or those working with them strains credulity.

If even a fraction of that number were killed by U.S. forces, the media onslaught would never end.

Silky Express Breaks Down

Heh.

I just hope they got the hair care products off in time.

Oops!

To cap off his four-year campaign to win Iowa's Democratic caucus Thursday night, John Edwards planned a 36-hour marathon bus tour through 15 of the crucial state's 99 counties with a whole series of policy announcements to garner publicity and caucus votes.

But 12 hours into the political odyssey -- billed as Edwards' "Marathon for the Middle Class" -- his Main Street Express bus began making very disturbing noises in western Iowa. In darkness, the bus with the entire Edwards entourage pulled over at a service station and was abandoned.

Oh, the awful symbolism for a political campaign struggling to overcome a new Des Moines Register poll showing him behind Hillary Clinton and way behind -- like eight points -- this senatorial upstart Barack Obama in what everyone admits is a make-or-break contest for Edwards' presidential hopes in the Hawkeye state, where he finished second to John Kerry in 2004.

Edwards is already famous for his tardiness. But 45 minutes after he was to speak in his Council Bluffs office late Tuesday night, the former senator and his wife Elizabeth were still missing. And the crowd of more than 200 people, including The Times' dogged Seema Mehta, crammed the office full and stuffy and spilled outdoors, where the January prairie temperature was in the single digits.

A few minutes late in Iowa's rural society is perfectly acceptable. This is, after all, the agricultural Heartland where the weather is the first item on the radio news, not the last. But 45+ minutes late on a holiday night before a normal workday in 5-degree temperatures seems like a lot longer. "When he's president he can call the shots," hollered one person, who at least arrived an Edwards supporter, "Get him in here!"

"We've got to work in the morning!" griped another.

Unbeknownst to the crowd, Edwards, his wife and staff were scrambling off their broken bus into two minivans and racing to the event. Eventually, they arrived. He spoke. His staff hastily rented another plain bus and the even tardier campaign headed off to a supporter's house in Atlantic.

Meanwhile, he's getting desperate, now calling for all troops and even those training Iraqi forces to be out within 10 months.

Good luck with that.

He just doesn't get it.

Malaysia Health Minister Caught on Sex Video

Maybe Bill Clinton is his role model.

Malaysia MP quits over sex DVDs

Malaysian Health Minister Chua Soi Lek has announced his resignation after admitting being filmed in a sex video.

The widely circulated recording showed the married father of three having sex with a female friend in a hotel room.

On Tuesday, amid mounting speculation, he shocked the nation by admitting to being the man featured in the DVD.

This is the latest in a series of problems for PM Abdullah Badawi, who is expected to call an election in the coming weeks.

According to Malaysia's Star newspaper, the DVDs are believed to be CCTV recordings made in a hotel suite. The hotel and the date are reportedly unknown.

Copies were reportedly left at various locations in Mr Chua's home state of Johor, on Saturday "for people to pick up".

Mr Chua made his admission on Tuesday, hours after the Star reported that the DVDs were being widely distributed in Johor, his home state.

"I am the man in the tape," Mr Chua, 60, told reporters. "The girl is a personal friend."

More here.

Still frames from the recording, shown on national television yesterday, showed a man and woman from a camera above a bed. Copies of the video, which was stored on two compact discs, were dropped off last week at shops and on some streets in Johor, online news service Malaysiakini said.

Prime Minister Abdullah today declined to say whether the recording was politically motivated, though he promised to pursue those who made the tape.

``It was an invasion of privacy,'' he told reporters. ``The police will conduct an investigation.''

Chua's resignation won't influence the outcome of any general election, Abdullah said.

Chua said yesterday he didn't make the tape himself, and said the unidentified woman in the film was in her 30s and a personal friend, Malaysiakini reported.

More from Times Online.

“After I made my confession, I had hoped Malaysians would be able to accept my apology,” he told a press conference today. “Unfortunately, from the feedback I received, I observed that Malaysians cannot accept it. Some Malaysians have a holier-than-thou attitude. At the end of the day, it just tells you that honesty sometimes does not pay.”

“If you want to discuss my private life, please do,” he added sarcastically. “Maybe you would like to watch the videotape with me.”

Is he mulling a new career?

Algore Was Unavailable for Comment

Possible snowfall in Daytona Beach. How can this be?

Ominous silence from the global warming hysterics.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A hard freeze expected in parts of Central Florida early Thursday will bring a chance of snow flurries in Daytona Beach and other areas as temperatures drop into the teens and low 20s.

"There will be clouds that are similar to the clouds that are generated in the Great Lakes states when we have lake-effect snow," Local 6 meteorologist Larry Mowry said. "I'm going to call for the possibility of snow flurries early Thursday morning near the coastline."

Mowry said residents in Daytona Beach, Titusville, Palm Bay and Melbourne may see the snow flurries Thursday.

RFK Jr. Advising Putin?

What is it with these Kennedy scions cozying up to Communists?

In Massachusetts, you have Joseph Kennedy in business with Hugo Chavez, and today comes word Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is advising Vladimir Putin, according to the New York Post, while eyeballing Senator Clinton's seat were she to win her run for the White House.

ROBERT Kennedy Jr. has reportedly become an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin on cleaning up the environment. Kennedy, now in Aspen with his family, is said to have offered Putin his expertise in cleaning up the terrible pollution in Russia during a trip to Moscow last year. The founder of Riverkeeper also told restaurateur Nello Balan he's interested in running for Sen. Hillary Clinton's seat when it becomes vacant.

Apparently, the family has a long history of working with Communists.

Rumrunner Joe would be proud of such appeasement.

Yes, It Smells Like Sh*t

Man, the things college students will do for beer money.

Purdue University students are making some extra cash through a project that might turn some of their classmates' stomachs—by sniffing livestock excrement. Students earn $30 per session as they take whiffs of a variety of smells collected from barns filled with hogs, cows and chickens for odor research being conducted by Albert Heber, a Purdue professor of agricultural and biological engineering.

"Typically they're farm smells—manure, farm waste, hay. The only thing that is good is that we are not smelling it for a long time. It's just a sniff," said civil engineering graduate student Anuj Sharma.

The students' work provides Heber with data for his ongoing research on ways to improve methods for estimating a given livestock farming operation's odor emissions.

Using an olfactometer they place their noses inside, they sniff diluted samples of air that are taken from different locations on farms and diluted to represent the odors that air would have at various distances from the barn.

Heber said the idea is to test different odor-mitigation techniques to see how effective they are. The less diluted the sample needs to be for the odors to be undetectable, the better the method works.

"If it has to be diluted 1,000 times, that's a pretty strong odor," Heber said. "We have had samples in the past that have been over 10,000."

Heber's work has led to a Web site in which people can input variables, such as the type of animal on the farm, the number of animals or how manure is processed, to determine how far the odors will travel.

The information can be used to decide how close a residence can be to a livestock operation and not be affected by the smells.

Heber's paid sniffers said the job isn't as bad as it sounds.

"It gets a little intense, but since I go out and collect a lot of the samples, it's not that bad," said Sam Hanni, a research assistant for Heber. "It's nothing really strong that would bother you."

Luca Magnani, a doctoral student in animal science, said the hogs farms are the worst to smell, but he's used to being around animals, so it doesn't bother him much.

"Grad students are kind of poor. I've done worse than this, he said.

Lord knows what that might be.

UPDATE: Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for the link!

Can you handle Fred as your President?

Or can you handle the truth?


I finally got around to watching Fred Thompson's 17 minute video he made for the folks in Iowa. In watching it I more and more believe that the man is not just a stuffed shirt. When he talks about being a leader he talks about what it really means to be a leader. Most politicians I classify as managers. There is a big difference and I have a little bit of experience at being both.
The questions for Republicans and conservatives is can you really handle a conservative leader like Fred? Look inside yourself. Do you really want somebody who will do the tough things required? Or do you just want somebody who can make you feel good and not interrupt your life? Everybody has their own personal list of what they want the president to address. But how many candidates have stood up and actually said they are looking out for the best interest of the country and not whatever special interest group they happen to be addressing at the moment?
I think Fred is that man. You need to give this video a view and watch it and listen, really listen. At the end if you don't think he is a conservative and you still consider yourself a Republican maybe you need to reevaluate who you consider to be a RINO (Republican In Name Only). Are you looking at the candidates based merely on the "electability" factor or are you willing to vote for someone who will attempt to restore the conservative principles that Republicans used to stand for?
This isn't American Idol. The mere fact that he is having trouble gaining traction in the polls is a combination of several factors, but he isn't one to make excuses. He hasn't changed what he says in this video from what he was saying 3 months ago.
I think at the end of the day it is going to boil down to what does the average American, of whatever political persuasion, is willing to do to keep America the greatest country on the face of the earth. We have a very small minority of the population, those who wear the uniform of this country and are facing head on the specter of the Islamic extremist, and winning, who know what they are willing to sacrifice to make that happen. If the only thing you are concerned about is your 9 to 5 existence and life continuing just as it is then Fred isn't your man. This country was formed, founded, and thrust into it's position of international prominence by men and women who were willing to challenge the unknown. To explore brave new frontiers, whether it was getting on a ship and coming to the new world, pushing westward in the great unknown expanses of this country or "slipping the surly bonds of earth" to explore space.
The issues facing us today internally are those of Social Security, Illegal Immigration, Tax Reform, and Health Insurance, (not healthcare).
The external issues to deal with are the spread of Islamic extremism. To get better informed read some news stories from Europe where their attempts to pander to the radical Muslim community has simply resulted in dead citizens and continued threats of violence against any who would dare question the religious zealots. National security can not and must not begin at our borders. I believe in accommodating the Muslim religion in my country when the Middle Eastern countries allow other religions in their midst. If you didn't know that it is illegal to bring a Bible into Saudi Arabia or that the death penalty awaits any who try to build a new church in the Muslim world then you need to become more aware of what it is these countries, who never miss a chance to condemn and criticize us for alleged Islamic hostility, are all about.
Fred addresses all of these issues and admits that the solutions are not simple, but require everybody working together. If all you are concerned about is whether or not the guy who stands up for America is electable, based on pronouncements from the media and the pundits, then continue watching American Idol and texting in your vote every week but for goodness sake don't participate in our national elections.
So are you going to vote for the guy with the good hair or vote for somebody who can keep this country on it's path of moving forward, being a leader in the world. If you wish to stay in your group mentality and go along with the crowd, not stand out, avoid any kind of attention and just remain a nameless, faceless, dweller of the international prairie dog village, that silently passes from the scene and 2 weeks later folks are asking the question, whatever happened to..., then vote for the guy or girl with the best soundbites or the one you think can win because that is what the voices on the flickering idiot box in your living room told you would win, then Fred isn't your man. If Appalachian State had listened to all those voices they never would have beaten Michigan State in the first game of the college football season this year. If our soldiers in the field had listened to all the expert armchair quarterbacks, instead of the one leading them we couldn't have turned Iraq around.
So listen to the pundits or listen to person who can lead you. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

UPDATED: It appears I have a confirmation of my thoughts concerning Fred from the very person who asked the Do you have the fire in your belly question. Fred is the man to be president.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are those of mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the management or any other contributor to this blog.

'World-Class Genius' Dumber Than a Box of Rocks

Remember a couple of weeks ago when Bill Clinton referred to his wife as a world-class genius?

Obviously, he was lying.

Recall when some reporter tripped Bush up on knowing the name of the prime minister of India back in 2000. We're still hearing about that and what an dolt he's supposed to be.

Well, genius here, who was last seen calling for an investigation of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, apparently doesn't have a damn clue as to what Pakistan's politics are all about.

Whoever labeled the woman the smartest in the world is clearly dumber than she is.

Bryan at Hot Air lays the smackdown.

So Hillary Clinton, smartest woman in the world and veteran of flying into the world’s dangerous hot spots alongside comedian Sinbad, got the Pakistani elections entirely, completely and utterly wrong in all respects.

Thomas Houlahan is incredulous.

And then it hit me:

Sen. Clinton really didn't know that the upcoming elections were for individual seats in Pakistan's parliament. She actually believed that Bhutto, Nawaz and Musharraf would be facing off as individual candidates for leadership of the country in the upcoming elections.

Sen. Clinton didn't know that Nawaz Sharif isn't allowed to run for office in Pakistan because of a felony conviction. She didn't know that President Musharraf won't be on the ballot because he's already been elected.

Sen. Clinton, a candidate for the leadership of the free world, apparently doesn't know the first thing about the country referred to by some as "the most dangerous place on earth."

Also at Power Line, Sister Toldjah.

Rose Bowl Parade of Idiots

The usual suspects were out in Pasadena today for the Tournament of Roses Parade.

Two groups were protesting at the parade. Dozens of anti-war protesters led by "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan staked out spots across from television cameras, hoisting signs reading "Impeachment is Patriotic." The protesters were booed by parade watchers sitting in the grandstand.

"This is not the occasion for this," said Mary Feichtel, 63, of Florida.

One protester was arrested for holding up a sign and obstructing others' view of the parade, Pasadena Police Department Lt. Keith Jones said.

After the parade finished, a group of more than 100 anti-war protesters marched down the route. Sheehan spoke to a gathering of protesters at Pasadena City Hall.

"We are all here for accountability," Sheehan said. "You didn't ruin anybody's parade, they got to see the truth."

What the hell is she babbling about? See if you can decode the message.

She's still running against Nancy Pelosi. Here's her in-depth look at the issues.

Michelle Malkin has more.

Previously.

'You're With Me, Leather'

Who knew Chris Berman was such a ladies man?

Apparently, ESPN is overrun by a bunch of perverts.

WILL Leitch was banned from ESPN in October 2006 after he reported various scandals involving the network's anchors on his Deadspin sports Web site - prompting the cable channel to circulate a memo banning any mention of the site on its shows.

Now Leitch has compiled all those anchors' peccadilloes in a book, "God Save the Fan," in which he strikes back at ESPN with tales of bizarre off-air behavior by Chris Berman, Scott Van Pelt and Sean Salisbury, among others.

In "God Save the Fan," due out from HarperCollins on Jan. 22, Leitch recalls the time back in the '90s when Berman, who goes by the nickname "The Swami" on air, walked into a bar, "waddled up to a woman clad in leather, pointed at her, and bellowed, 'You're with me, Leather.' And it worked." In the wake of Deadspin's posting the anecdote, "a catchphrase was born," complete with its own T-shirt line.

Then there's Salisbury, who holds the No. 3 spot on Leitch's list of "Ten Most Loathsome ESPN Personalities." He writes, "This blustery, mentally deformed NFL analyst reportedly took a picture of his penis and sent it out to female colleagues encouraging them to meet 'Lil Sean.' " After the incident, Salisbury "was suspended by the network" for one week but "has never publicly denied the incident."

"SportsCenter" anchor Van Pelt had his own issues with women - and with Leitch after he shared with his Web site readers a voicemail Van Pelt left for a girl he'd met at a bar, according to the book.

The message went, "Hey, it's Scott Van Pelt. We shared a brief but exceptionally meaningful relationship last Saturday. For what it's worth, you did pass everything on my checklist . . . as if I have any business having a checklist. At this point, I should talk to any woman who doesn't have a club foot or an amputee. If you have four limbs and you don't have Bell's palsy, I probably better just be signing up."

He sounds like quite the catch.

Arizona Beauty Queen Faces Kidnapping Charges

Don't mess with this babe.

A beauty pageant winner and law school student clerking for a federal judge faces charges that she kidnapped and tortured an ex-boyfriend.

Kumari Fulbright, 25, was indicted with three men Dec. 18 by a Pima County Superior Court grand jury on charges of kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated robbery and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Fulbright, 25, was Miss Pima County in 2005 and Miss Desert Sun in 2006, and sought the title of Miss Arizona during those years.

She also clerked for U.S. District Judge Raner Collins as a University of Arizona law school student, the newspaper said.

It said the alleged assailants held a 24-year-old man captive for 10 hours on Dec. 8 while robbing and torturing him.

Court documents said the foursome tied the man up with plastic cable ties and duct tape, holding him at two Tucson homes, during which time they pointed handguns at him, threatened his life, stole his cell phone, briefcase and wallet, taking between $500 and $600.

The newspaper also said the documents accused Fulbright of biting him several times, sticking a butcher knife in his ear, saying she was going to kill him and pointing a pistol at him.

Sounds like she's got a bit of a mean streak, don't you think?

Crazy Uncle Excluded From Debate, Meltdown Ensues

The Paul nuts aren't happy and see conspiracies around every corner.

Jesse Benton, Paul's spokesman, said it was a "big mistake" not to include Paul, especially given Paul's recent success in fundraising. He said the campaign has been trying to reach Fox News to get an explanation for the decision, but its calls had not been returned.

"There very well might be some bias," Benton said. "Ron brings up some topics that aren't very popular with Fox News, as in fiscal responsibility and withdrawing from the war in Iraq ... that does leave us scratching our heads a little bit about whether it was deliberate. Based on metrics, I don't see how you can possibly exclude Dr. Paul."

Some livid Paul supporters are distributing e-mails calling for a boycott of Fox advertisers.

A Fox representative did not immediately return calls for comment about the complaints.

Paul has been invited to a GOP forum that Fox News is sponsoring in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on January 10, Benton said.

The Paulians even have sample letters for the illiterates to send out.

Here's a portion of one. Remember now, they're peaceful and non-violent!

The supporters of Ron Paul are peaceful, non-violent, and law abiding. They desire to live peacefully with their fellow man and respect the rights of others. However, when they see injustice occurring (such as a corporation or network attempting to control the outcome of an election) they will peacefully use their first amendment right to speak up boldly and loudly. I urge you to please allow Ron Paul to participate in this upcoming forum of Republican candidates. There is zero reason to exclude him and every reason to include him! He has a growing campaign, supporters across the nation, and has a huge chest of funds to support his campaign! However, if you do not include him in this upcoming forum you can expect the supporters of Ron Paul to continue speaking up peacefully, boldly, and loudly about your unfair decision. This message will only be one of tens of thousands of additional messages from concerned citizens across the nation.

We know what your network is up to by excluding Ron Paul. Until you include him in this forum we will use our first amendment rights to proclaim far and wide (in a peaceful, non-violent, and completely law abiding manner)...

"WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

Waaah!

Funny, but I don't see Duncan Hunter supporters acting like children over him being excluded.

It's Official: Americans Sick of Iowa and New Hampshire

I've felt this way for a long time. Why do these two states get to hold so much influence over who becomes President of the United States?

According to a national survey conducted for The Associated Press and Yahoo News, just over half of all voters said New Hampshire and Iowa have an extraordinary amount of influence over who wins the two parties nominations.

"They have way too much — WAY too much — say," said Kevin Thomas of Tacoma, Wash. "California's a big state and they don't have any say, and Iowa's not even half the size of California. It really makes me as a voter wonder what's going on."

Fewer than one in five voters said they favor the current system that allows Iowa and New Hampshire to hold the first contests, while nearly 80 percent would rather see other states get their chance at the front of the line.

Surely it's one reason many states have moved up their primary dates.

Perhaps the two major parties can figure out another way of doing things; maybe rotate some new states in earlier every four years.

No doubt it would make political reporters happy if they could spend a couple of months this time of year in, say, Florida, rather than chasing candidates all over the frozen cornfields.

Another suggestion would be to limit the amount of time campaigning. We still have ten full months to go before the general election and people will be so sick of politics by then.