The Beatdown Continues: 'Hamas Has Nothing Left But Rockets'

These chicken-shit terrorists are still hiding behind children and killing members of Fatah. They can't hold up against the IDF and except for the rockets, all they have left is a sympathetic media. Thankfully the Israelis are largely ignoring the media propaganda and getting the job done.

On the 12th day of fighting in the Gaza Strip, the defense establishment is seeing that Hamas is in deep distress. This isn't only coming to fruition on the physical front, but also in the morale of the organization's political and military echelons.

From Hamas' viewpoint, it seems as though the current IDF operation has crossed all the red lines. Hamas officials are even making statements in the vein that Israel has lost control.

The most significant damage has been sustained by the organization's governmental facilities. Reports show that close to none of the Hamas administrators has an office from which to work. They are even talking about anarchy. Furthermore, all the military infrastructure has been damaged, in particular the ammunition labs.

According to figures collected thus far by Israel's defense establishment, Hamas' military infrastructure has sustained a serious hit, but their rocket capabilities still exist. A number of Hamas commanders have been killed or wounded during fighting, making it increasing difficult for their military wing to function properly.

The defense establishment has also noted that Hamas has been exercising caution in clashes with IDF soldiers. Hamas is tending not to put their forces at risk in areas in which they may fail. The IDF hit some of Hamas' senior commanders, while those who have survived have gone underground. In many instances, the IDF has taken precaution not to target some of these commanders in their various hiding places, many of which are in heavily populated areas, when there is significant risk that innocent civilians could be hurt.

Hamas' method of operation forces Israel to choose between two alternatives – striking the organization's senior officials, along with innocent bystanders, or carrying out surgical strikes, which is more likely to jeopardize IDF forces on the ground.

Another trend coming from Gaza at this stage in the fighting is Hamas' willingness to fight to the very last drop of their population's blood. There is a tacit understanding amongst Hamas officials that the organization is not a shield for the Palestinian population, but there to protect their own associates only.

Hamas is still taking action against Fatah affiliates and is willing to take all measures in order to swipe at them. For instance, this week a 70-year-old elderly man was shot to death when he refused to disclose the location of his son, a Fatah operative.

I'm surprised they didn't parade his body around and claim the Israelis executed him.

New York Congressmen Gladly Accept Pay Hike

Nice message to send to their constituents during a recession.

Saying members of Congress deserve a raise, Rep. Gary Ackerman said he will gladly accept the $4,700 boost to his paycheck amid hard economic times affecting the country.

"I'm one of those who believe public servants are greatly underpaid," Ackerman (D-Roslyn Heights) said of the cost-of-living adjustment that went into effect for members of Congress on Jan. 1.

Noting he spent the weekend on a fact-finding visit to Israel, Ackerman said he flew back overnight and arrived in Washington at 4:30 a.m. Monday so he could attend a hearing on financier Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme.

"I don't get overtime," he said. "I don't think pay for members of Congress is unreasonable. I certainly don't think they are overpaid."

Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) will take the raise, said his spokesman Brian Fallon, though Schumer likely would support a bill to rescind it, if a measure is introduced.

Nice mealy-mouthed excuse there, Chuckie.

Maybe while they're holding hearings on Madoff they can announce when they're going to give back the hundreds of thousands of dollars Madoff contributed to his friends the Democrats.

Reps. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), Steve Israel (D-Huntington), Peter King (R-Seaford) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) also have said they will accept the increase.

The 2.78 percent raise boosted salaries of senators and House members to $174,000.

But Phillipe Reines, a spokesman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), refused to say if she will accept the raise.

Nothing like taking a decisive stand. Why would she have to? She won't be in the Senate much longer, right?

I'm disappointed in Peter King. As one of the few GOP members in the New York delegation, he could score some point if he and his fellow Republicans refused to take the money.

I guess everyone has a price.

Meanwhile, Schumer recently had hernia surgery. No word if he was injured toting around that giant mirror he brings wherever he goes.

The senior US senator from New York entered a Manhattan hospital last Friday to undergo surgery for a hernia. The procedure went just fine, though he couldn't hold his usual Sunday morning press conference. But the lawmaker was at work yesterday. His press secretary, Josh Vlasto, told Page Six, "Sen. Schumer is back doing the heavy lifting for New York once again."

Instapundit links. Thanks!

'It Is Totally Bizarre. It Is a Real Concern That Someone Like That Is Out On the Street'

I believe the operative word here is Dude. Get a load of this freak.

A MAN has smashed his way into an adult shop and had sex with blow-up dolls before abandoning the sex toys in a nearby lane.

Talk about love 'em and leave 'em. Not even buying them breakfast!

Business owners in Cairns believe the same culprit is responsible for break-ins and till thefts at the Sapphire Bar on Lake St and three break-ins at the Laneway Adult Shop off Spence St in recent days.

His method of entry is to smash through walls and squeeze through tight holes, The Cairns Post reports.

The owner of the adult shop, who wished to be named only as Vogue, said that in a first unreported break-in, the man had stolen five dolls and had sex with one of them.

“He has been taking the dolls out the back and blowing them up and using the dolls and leaving them in the alley,” he said.

“It is totally bizarre. It is a real concern that someone like that is out on the street.”

Vogue said a sex toy also went missing in the second break-in and that the offender had a liking for the doll model named "Jungle Jane", which had been taken on both occasions.

He said he was dumbfounded that the burglar also had the "weird" habit of cleaning up the mess he had made after entering the building.

The burglar again smashed through a wall in the roof area of the shop on either Monday night or early yesterday morning but was scared off by a newly installed alarm system.

Vogue and David Sharman, the owner of the Sapphire Bar on Lake St that has a rear entry in the same lane as the adult shop, both believe they have been targeted by the same thief.

Both men said fleeting video images showed the burglar as being a tall, skinny Caucasian. He has left DNA evidence at the crime scene.

Gee, I wonder what that evidence could be?

'Some Are Questioning Leon Panetta's Lack of Intelligence'

Is Barack Obama stepping back from Leon Panetta? Some curious statements at a media briefing this afternoon, as well as an amusing question.

Question: Some are - some are questioning Leon Panetta's lack of intelligence - lack of experience on intelligence matters. Sorry about that. I know this is tricky for you since you haven't announced it yet, but what does he bring to the table for you?

Obama: Well, as you noted, I haven't made - haven't made a formal announcement about my intelligence team.

(cell phone rings)

Obama: That may be him calling now... finding out where it's at.

Obama: I have the utmost respect for Leon Panetta. I think that he is one of the finest public servants that we have. He brings extraordinary management skills, great political savvy, an impeccable record of integrity.

As chief of staff, he is somebody who - to the president - he's somebody who obviously was fully versed in international affairs, crisis management, and had to evaluate intelligence consistently on a day-to-day basis.

Having said all that, I have not made an announcement. When we make the announcement, I think what people will see is, is that we are putting together a top-notch intelligence team that is not only going to assure that I get the best possible intelligence unvarnished, that the intelligence community is no longer geared towards telling the president what they think the president wants to hear, but instead are going to be delivering the information that the president needs to make critical decisions to keep the American people safe.

Still, one can only imagine despite criticism, an announcement is a mere formality, and it's unlikely Panetta will face much, if any, resistance.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden are defending the selection of Leon Panetta to head the CIA.

Members of Congress have voiced surprise and skepticism over the choice, but Panetta isn't expected to face serious opposition when the nomination reaches the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Among those caught by surprise yesterday was the incoming committee chairwoman, California Democrat Dianne Feinstein. After his name surfaced, she expressed skepticism about his qualifications -- as did Kit Bond, the ranking Republican on the committee.

Feinstein's office says Obama called her today and apologized for not keeping her informed on the selection.

Meanwhile, for the second day in a row, Feinstein bucks her own party.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) broke with her party’s leadership Tuesday in calling for Roland Burris to be seated in the Senate once his paperwork is signed by the Illinois secretary of state.

Feinstein, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said that not allowing Burris to be seated could broadly undermine future gubernatorial appointments.

“I can’t imagine the secretary of state countermanding a gubernatorial appointment,” Feinstein said. “The question, really, is one in my view of law. And that is, does the governor have the power to make the appointment? And the answer is yes. Is the governor discredited? And the answer is yes.

“Does that affect his appointment power? And the answer is no until certain things happen.”

She added if Burris isn’t seated “it affects gubernatorial appointments all over the country.”

Feinstein’s break with her party’s leadership is the latest headache for congressional leaders, who blocked Burris Tuesday morning from being sworn in because of the cloud surrounding Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois governor arrested last month on accusations of selling Barack Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Suspected Terrorist Wants An Exorcist

Just when you think you have seen, heard or read it all along comes a story like this.

"Suspected" terrorist Ehsanul Islam Sadequee is claiming that interogators used mind control tactics to coerce a guilty plea out of him and is now asking for an exorcist to cast out the demons.

At Monday’s hearing, Sadequee asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Gerrylin Brill for an “exorcist” to free the “demons” placed in his head by authorities.

Brill denied the request.

Sadequee, whose rap name, er, prison name is Shifa, has also been attacked by another inmate. Of course his family is making all of the usual accusations about mistreatment and they fear for their poor terrorist supporting family member, no doubt being coached by somebody from CAIR.

Shifa, along with another suspect, are being held on charges of rendering material support for a terrorist organization linked to them being picked up while performing a recon mission, er, surveillance, darn it, sightseeing in Washington DC.

Ahmed was a Georgia Tech student at the time.

I did a search for this group that is helping them called the "Legal Justice Committee" with negative results.

Whatever demons may be possesing Sadequee, they weren't put in his head by the federal authorities currently holding him. I suggest he look into any madrasses he attended to look for the root cause of his demons.

'Shock' Poll: Cuomo Crushing Princess Caroline

The headline says it's a shock, but is it really? As repulsive as I find Andrew 'Evil Eyes' Cuomo, he at least has official government experience as HUD Secretary and currently as New York's Attorney General.

Kennedy, you know, has, you know, zero experience.

Caroline Kennedy appears to be losing momentum in her bid for Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat.

A new survey conducted by Public Policy Polling shows 58 percent of voters would prefer to see Gov. David Paterson appoint state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to the seat.

That's compared to Kennedy's 27 percent.

Among Democratic voters, Cuomo leads by about 20 points. That's about the same lead Kennedy enjoyed just a month earlier.

This revelation seems to fly in the face of various reports that have surfaced since the calendar turned to 2009. Sources close to Gov. Paterson have said repeatedly that Kennedy is close to being named as Clinton's successor.

Paterson has said the search is ongoing, but on New Year's Day he cautioned everyone vying for the position by saying whoever is chosen to replace Clinton will have to earn re-election in 2010 on his or her own merits.

Pro-Terrorist Moronic Convergence Saturday in DC

Oh boy, all the freakazoids, socialists, communists and other assorted human debris will be on hand.

Note how these nut jobs call it the Stop the U.S./Israeli War Against the Palestinian People.

Sponsoring organizations and endorsers: ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom, Free Palestine Alliance, American Muslim Task Force, National Council of Arab Americans, Al-Awda - International Palestine Right to Return Coalition, CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations), American Muslims for Palestine, American Muslim Alliance, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Ramsey Clark, Cynthia McKinney, Howard Zinn, Muslimah Writers' Alliance, The National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations, Voters for Peace, Code Pink, Action Center for Justice, International Socialist Organization, Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA, New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW), and hundreds of others.

CAIR graciously offers '10 Steps to Help Gaza' including:

Writing or calling President Bush and members of Congress. CAIR offered "talking points" that include:

* Israeli attacks block efforts to bring peace with justice to the Middle East, harm our nation's image and interests worldwide and strengthen voices of extremism in the region.

* The Palestinian people must be given some hope of freedom from Israeli occupation and domination.

* Israel's immoral and illegal collective punishment of the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip must end.

* America must support a just and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that takes into account the rights and responsibilities of all parties.

* American taxpayer dollars should not be used to for weapons that kill Palestinian civilians.

Funny, but not a peep from these people before Israel decided to defend themselves from nonstop terror attacks.

Chavez Cuts Off Cheap Oil, Useful Idiot Joe Kennedy Hardest Hit

No longer useful

Communist thug Hugo Chavez has announced plans to cut off "charitable" contributions of cheap home heating oil to poor U.S. households and none other than useful idiot Joe Kennedy is suffering the brunt.

Citgo Petroleum Corp., the U.S. refiner owned by the Venezuelan government, will suspend charitable contributions of home heating oil to poor U.S. households -- a sign that falling oil prices may hamstring Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, whose administration has used an oil windfall to win voters' loyalty at home and allies abroad.

In a surprise announcement, former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II said Venezuela would stop deliveries to his Boston-based nonprofit, Citizens' Energy, which last winter received $100 million of fuel that was distributed throughout the Northeast. Mr. Kennedy said Citgo cited falling oil prices and the world economic crisis for forcing the company "to re-evaluate all of its social programs." Neither Citgo nor the Venezuelan government had any comment.

Chavez, good friend of new Huffington Post blogger Bill Ayers, has his priorities, mainly propping up the failed Communist state of Cuba.

The move raises questions about whether Mr. Chavez can afford to continue his oil-fueled largess. Venezuela gives cut-priced fuel to many Latin American nations and sends some 100,000 barrels a day of oil and oil products to Cuba in exchange, in part, for the services of 30,000 Cuban doctors, nurses, dentists, and sports trainers. In 2007, Cuba valued total Venezuelan aid at $7.8 billion. Some analysts say Venezuela is now as big a donor to cash-strapped Cuba as the U.S.S.R. was back in the Cold War.

Kennedy, the useful idiot, refuses to give up.

At a press conference yesterday, Kennedy said Citizens Energy likely will be forced to cut about 20 percent of its heating oil distribution in Massachusetts and halt the program altogether in other states unless it can persuade Citgo to change its mind or can raise money elsewhere to buy oil and fund grants. In addition, he said Citizens would have to lay off 20 staffers.

Kennedy said he has repeatedly reached out to the Venezuelan government, which owns Citgo, in an effort to persuade the company to resume oil donations. He also urged people to write to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Citgo is the US distribution arm of Venezuela's state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, which Chávez indirectly controls.

"We are doing everything we can," Kennedy said. "We're not ready to give up."

Kennedy is being met with little sympathy from patriotic Americans.

"Maybe now, instead of acting as propaganda tool of socialist dictator Hugo Chávez, Joe Kennedy can focus on simply helping those who couldn't afford to question the real cost behind his heating oil," said Barney Keller, spokesman for the Massachusetts Republican Party.

Polls Now Open for 2008 Weblog Awards

Voting is now open for the 2008 Weblog Awards. Your humble hosts here at JWF are up for Best Large Blog after winning the Best New Blog in 2007.

So please consider us for Best Large Blog this time around. Others of note in this category are Sister Toldjah and Fausta, and we're proud to be considered in such company.

Here are some recommendations in some other categories. As I'm not listing them all, go to the main poll page for some other niche categories.

Best Blog: Hot Air.

Best Individual Blog: The Anchoress, although Jules Crittenden, Melissa Clouthier and Rachel Lucas are all fine choices.


Best Humor Blog: Mother, May I Sleep With Treacher.

Best Conservative Blog: Flip the coins daily between Little Green Footballs, Ace of Spades HQ and Michelle Malkin. All have been very nice to JWF and have directed countless traffic our way.

Best Political Coverage: American Thinker.

Best Military Blog: This Ain't Hell, with Michael Yon and Blackfive also deserving.

Best Business Blog: Suitably Flip.

Best Blog Design: Snapped Shot.

Culture Blog: Dirty Harry's Place.

Middle East or Africa: Michael Totten, with Israellycool and Elder of Ziyon also worthy.

Australia/New Zealand: Tim Blair.

Major Blog: Instapundit, who has been most generous with links to JWF.

Best Very Large Blog: protein wisdom, along with Just One Minute, Patterico and Right Wing News are all fine choices.

Midsize Blog: Zomblog and Israel Matzav.

Small Blog: Pirate's Cove, Nice Deb and A Blog For All.

Up and Coming: McClatchy Watch and Sundries Shack.

Polls are open until next Monday. Good luck to all!

Obama Likes His Jonny Cakes

All I know is when I hear Jonny cakes I get flashbacks to that Sopranos arc where Vito went teh ghey up in New Hampshire.

Via here.

Hope, Change and Shameless Merchandising: QVC to Hawk Obama Trinkets at Inaugural

They're not the only ones. Home Shopping Network is also getting in on the act. To be fair, they've done this for previous inaugurals, but of course now there is electricity in the air, so they have to be in DC for the big shindig.

QVC is traveling to Washington to mark President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration this month — and is bringing along plenty of coins, stamps, jewelry and even a small handbag to sell.

The retail network has already sold more than 100,000 items related to Obama's election and sees the inauguration as an opportunity to reach far beyond the group of people regularly interested in political collectibles.

"Frankly, if we were not at the inauguration, we would feel like we were not doing our job," said Doug Rose, vice president of multichannel programming for the retail giant, which is available in 94 million American homes and had sales totaling $7.4 billion in 2007.

QVC will show portions of the parade and conduct interviews with spectators, then air live on the night of Jan. 20 from the Creative Coalition's inaugural ball. Host Leah Williams will be decked out in an inaugural gown.

Obama's inauguration has attracted plenty of interest from TV networks, not only the traditional broadcast and cable news outlets, but specialized venues such as BET and Nickelodeon that don't normally pay attention to live political events.

"We're trying to give the audience a flavor of what the event is like, from the event," Rose said. "We will try to give them a sense of the electricity in the air."

I guess I can now add QVC, HSN, Nickelodeon and BET as channels to avoid that day.

These aren't the only outlets shamelessly cashing in on Obamamania.

NBC is also selling a DVD compilation of Obama speech highlights and NBC News coverage of the campaign.

No word on how much the Obama commemorative barfbag will be selling for.

JetBlue Pays Anti-American, Anti-Israeli Agitator $240,000

Naturally this enemy of society was aided and abetted by the ACLU.

Transportation Security Administration officials and JetBlue Airways are paying $240,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit against a District of Columbia man who, as a condition of boarding a domestic flight, was forced to cover his shirt that displayed Arabic writing.

According to a civil rights lawsuit, TSA and JetBlue demanded Raed Jarrar to sit at the back of a 2006 flight from New York to Oakland because his shirt read "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic.

As Jarrar was waiting to board, TSA officials approached him and said he was required to remove his shirt because passengers were not comfortable with it, according to the lawsuit. The suit claimed one TSA official commented that the Arabic lettering was akin to wearing a T-shirt at a bank stating, "I am a robber."

Oh, and if you have any doubt what this scumbag is up to, just check out his blog, a fetid cesspool of pro-Gaza bilge.

Update: The scumbag noticed the link.

dont worry, i'll get most of the money


AND, I'm sending some of it to Gaza soon.

thanks for the link
raed jarrar | 01.05.09 - 9:26 pm |

NY Teacher Orders Student to Make Penis Video, AP Fails to Disclose Perp's Name

This is on the Newsday site, but it's an Associated Press account. I know all about protecting the identity of children violated by these freakazoids, but what's the deal with not disclosing the offender's name?

A teacher at a private music school in New York City is charged with persuading an 11-year-old boy to take nude pictures and video of his penis and later touching the student's private part.

Queens prosecutors say the 24-year-old teacher has been arraigned on charges of sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and possessing and promoting child pornography.

The guitar and piano teacher faces a maximum seven years in prison if convicted. He's being held on a $25,000 bail.

Prosecutors say the teacher offered the boy money in December to take pictures and video of his penis with the teacher's cell phone in the school's restroom.

The teacher's defense attorney hasn't returned a telephone message seeking comment.

Well, they at least identified him as a male. That really whittles it down. They fail to name the school. Also noted is he has no listed number at his Queen's apartment. Memo to AP: I think he prefers his cell phone, if you know what I mean and I think you do.

Clinton Retread With Little Intelligence Experience Nominated to Be CIA Director

Is there anyone left from the Clinton administration not on board the Hopenchange Express?

Well, I guess Bill Richardson is underneath it.

Seriously though, Leon Panetta?

President-elect Barack Obama has selected Leon E. Panetta, the former congressman and White House chief of staff, to take over the Central Intelligence Agency, an organization that Mr. Obama criticized during the campaign for using interrogation methods he decried as torture, Democratic officials said Monday.

Mr. Panetta has a reputation in Washington as a competent manager with strong background in budget issues, but has little hands-on intelligence experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he will take control of the agency most directly responsible for hunting senior Al Qaeda leaders around the globe, but one that has been buffeted since the Sept. 11 attacks by leadership changes and morale problems.

If we see Roger Clinton performing at some inaugural event, then we know the Clintons have the goods on Obama.

'A Final Evening in Support of Hillary Clinton for President Debt Relief'

This is really pitiful. A fundraiser headlined by Jon Bon Jovi in support of one of America's biggest charity cases: Hillary Clinton. Have these people no shame? The Clintons have cashed in more than any other first couple ever and they have to do fundraisers? How about Obama tossing her a few bucks? Or better yet, why doesn't her husband pay it off?

The final note of Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign may very well be sung by Jon Bon Jovi.

The musician is performing at a fundraiser for the former presidential candidate as she tries to close out her campaign debt, which stood at $6.3 million as of last month.

The Jan. 15 performance at Manhattan's Town Hall is being billed as "a final evening in support of Hillary Clinton for President Debt Relief." Ticket prices range from $75 to $1,000.

The former first lady and New York senator has been working to pay down her debt to clear the way for confirmation as President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of state.

Is HuffPost Worth Only $2 Million?

There was a story pushed by the New York Times last year claiming the leftwing House Organ of Hate was somehow worth $200 million, but that seemed to be wildly over-inflated.

Well, just like their visits are plummeting, so has the value, according to this report.

What if the privately held Huffington Post is worth not $200 million -- a cracked-out number floated last year -- or even $100 million, but, say, $2 mil?

This is not entirely an academic question, given that in December HuffPo astonished media watchers by securing $25 million in additional funding from Oak Investment Partners, a Palo Alto, Calif., venture-capital firm. The timing was particularly amazing, given that the lefty uber-blog's traffic has lately been plummeting -- a possibility my colleague Nat Ives examined way back in October. At the time Arianna Huffington insisted to Nat that the "Huffington Post is no longer as dependent on politics," and so she wasn't particular worried about the usual post-election readership swoon of politically-focused publications.

Sure, maybe it's not so dependent on politics and has now moved to ripping off material from others.

That $200 million figure first appeared in a Brian Stelter piece in The New York Times last spring. "According to one person who was briefed on discussions but was not permitted to speak for attribution," Stelter wrote, "the company has at least looked at the value of the site if it were put up for sale, and a figure around $200 million was used."

Amazingly, that number actually gained currency, though anybody with basic math skills and a halfway-decent bullshit detector knew the figure was nonsense, even before the economy melted down. Consider, for starters, HuffPo's revenue. As Nat reported, from January through August of last year -- the site's most-trafficked year -- "the site collected just $302,000 in ad revenue, according to an estimate from TNS Media Intelligence."

Read the rest. While the estimate of $200 million is no doubt wildly overstated, I think the $2 million seems to be a bit low. But it would puncture the overinflated ego of Arianna Huffington, to say the least.

China Targets Google

It's all about the porn, allegedly.

China launched a major crackdown on Internet pornography Monday targeting popular online portals and major search engines such as Google.

Seven government agencies will work together on the campaign to "purify the Internet's cultural environment and protect the healthy development of minors," according to an announcement on the government's official Chinese-language Web site, china.com.cn.

Pornography is banned in China, though the government's Internet police struggle to block Web sites based abroad.

The government announcement said Google and Baidu, China's two most heavily used search engines, had failed to take "efficient" measures after receiving notices from the country's Internet watchdog that they were providing links to pornographic material.

The statement also named popular Web portals Sina and Sohu, as well as a number of video sharing sites and online bulletin boards, that it said contain problematic photos, blogs and postings.

It said violators will be severely punished, but did not give details or say how long the campaign will last.

A Google spokeswoman in China, Cui Jin, defended the site's operations, saying it does not contain any pornographic content.

They may as well just ban email, the Internet and computers entirely if they think they're going to rid themselves of online pornography.

Good luck with that.

'They Have Controlled the Media by Using Money, Power and Their Lies'

I'm not sure which is more of a preposterous claim. That the U.S. military controls the media or the absurd notion that the Taliban have killed more than 5,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan in 2008. Where'd they get these numbers from, The Lancet?

It'll be amusing to see if anyone actually reports this with a straight face.

The Taliban has long exaggerated its military successes, but its recent claim that it killed more than 5,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan last year may be the militia's most startling yet.

The Taliban said last week on its Web site that it killed 5,220 U.S. and NATO troops in 2008 — an exaggerated figure nearly 20 times the official death toll.

The insurgents also said they downed 31 aircraft last year. Its fighters destroyed 2,818 NATO and Afghan vehicles and killed 7,552 Afghan soldiers and police, according to a statement from a spokesman.

The true damage inflicted on U.S. and NATO fighters over the last year has been "repeatedly hidden by the enemy and they have controlled the media by using money, power and their lies," the statement said.

NATO and its member countries announce all troop deaths, providing names, ages and hometowns and how the soldiers were killed. According to an Associated Press tally based on those announcements, 286 foreign forces died last year in Afghanistan, including 151 American and 51 British.

Though the death toll was highly exaggerated, the Taliban have had increased success recently. Violence in Afghanistan has spiked in the last two years, and Taliban militants now control wide swaths of countryside. In response, the U.S. is planning to pour up to 30,000 more troops into the country this year.

The insurgents' exaggerations are designed to boost morale inside the Taliban and to attract financing from donors sympathetic to their cause, a U.S. military official and a Taliban expert said.

"They put out this propaganda in order to raise capital to continue their operations," said Col. Jerry O'Hara, a U.S. military spokesman.

Even the most die-hard fanatic will be dubious with these assertions.

U.S. Troops To Be Withdrawn From Iraq, Moved to Mexican Border

No, this isn't official policy yet. It's a prediction by someone calling himself the Grand Warlock.

Seriously.

Mexico's self-proclaimed "Grand Warlock" says the United States will pull troops out of Iraq in 2009 and send them to the border with Mexico in an attempt to expand its territory.

The prediction from Antonio Vazquez comes with a word of warning though: his record of projecting the future is spotty at best.

Vazquez has been making predictions since 1980 on events ranging from international events to the private lives of celebrities, based on his reading of tarot cards.

Vazquez erroneously predicted last year that oil prices would be stable and that Cuba's Fidel Castro and singer Britney Spears would die.

Yeah, I think a lot of people had both Castro and Britney in dead pools. Well, we're not really sure Castro is alive, but word is Britney has gotten her sloppy act together.

Charming Terror Supporters Endear Themselves to Manhattan Residents

Poor Flip. Imagine having to listen to this crap all day?

Living a block from the United Nations has its occasional drawbacks. Whenever you see cops setting up metal barricades on Second Avenue, you know one of those drawbacks is getting ready to spoil your day.

Yesterday, the occasion was a noisy protest over the war crimes and genocide being perpetrated by Israel and the United States against Hamas' terrorist leaders the Palestinian people. Fourteen floors up, there was no escaping the blaring din of misplaced outrage, so I trotted downstairs to capture some footage.

Can you count the keffiyehs? How about the number of screaming children being used as propagandist props?

Well, Duh! Newark Bans Barbed Wire, Crime Soars

Absolute genius, those folks in Newark. Let's see, what can we do to improve the image of one of the most crime-ridden cities in America? Here's a great idea: Let's remove one of the best deterrents to criminals!

Fabulous idea. Next thing you know we'll find out cities with handgun bans have high crime rates.

Some business owners in this crime-plagued city say recent enforcement of a decades-old ordinance prohibiting some types of barbed wire and razor wire is making Newark more attractive — to thieves.

Burglaries are up 17 percent from 2007 through November in Newark, which has a young, charismatic mayor who has vowed to help the city rebound from decades of official inaction, incompetence and outright criminality.

The city is aggressively courting new investment and development, but people who have been ordered to downgrade their fences say officials are worried more about aesthetics than security.

John DeSantis, owner of a lot used by an auto repair business in Newark's West Ward, says his property has been the site of more than a dozen burglaries since the summer, when the city forced him to remove razor wire on top of the 7-foot-tall fence that surrounds the lot.

"The bottom line was, they said, 'It doesn't look good and we want to create a new image for the city of Newark,'" DeSantis said.

Let's face it. No amount of work is going to help Newark's image. It's a lost cause.

Heh: Richardson Withdraws Commerce Secretary Nomination

Maybe he can resign as Governor of New Mexico while he's at it.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

"Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact," he said Sunday in a report by NBC News. "But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process."

He said he plans to continue in his role as governor. "I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country."

Notice how these Democrats always discover a love for this country when one of their own is in office?

H/T Hot Air.

Are You Ready for Bush 45?

This is sure to ruin the day for lefties everywhere. Just when they're about to be free of their raging Bush Derangement Syndrome (we hope), along comes Bush 41 promoting Jeb Bush for president.

Former President George H.W. Bush said his son Jeb should run for president and blasted the New York Times for its grossly unfair criticism of another son, President George W. Bush.

During an interview on "FOX News Sunday," the nation's 41st president said Jeb, the former governor of Florida, is "as qualified and as able as anyone I know in the political scene" to be president.

"I'd like to see him run," Bush said. "I'd like to see him be president some day.

"As president, it's about service, service for the greatest country on the face of the Earth and the honor that goes with it," Bush said. "I think Jeb fits that description."

He added: "I mean, right now is probably a bad time, because we've got enough Bushes in there."

In the meantime, Jeb could take another job, his father suggested.

"If Jeb wants to run for the Senate from Florida, he ought to do it," Bush said. "He'd be an outstanding senator. This is a guy that really has a feel for people, the issues in Florida and nationally. And his political days ought not to be over, says his old father."

But the current President Bush's political days will soon be over, prompting the former President Bush to unburden himself about what he calls unfair criticism of his eldest son.

"It's been tough on his father and his mother," the ex-president said. We're not very good sports about sitting around and hearing him hammered, I think, unfairly.

"Now, there were some things that clearly he deserved criticism for," he said. "But I think the idea that everything that's a problem in this country should be put on his shoulders -- I don't think that's fair. And I'm not trying to get back in game by criticizing people, for example, the New York Times, but you know, it's just grossly unfair."

Admittedly, back before they both ran for governor of their respectives states in 1994, I though Jeb had the better prospects for higher office than George W. Bush.

Still, I suspect this country may have well had their fill of the Bush family, but you can never tell how things can shift in four years. Since Jeb likely plans on running for the Senate in 2010, I doubt he's be running in 2012. If Barack Obama does serve two terms, however, things could be wide open come 2016.

'Art Tends to Get Quite Good When the Regime is Oppressive'

Apparently, the proper use of the English language suffers, however. Surely, you ask, this fellow must be talking about all those noteworthy films lensed under the oppressive Castro regime, or in Venezuela, China, Iran or North Korea, right?

Of course not. The oppressive regime is modern-day America under the evil George W. Bush.

Barack Obama's victory could turn Gus Van Sant into a boring filmmaker. The "Milk" director tells The Times of London that a Democratic administration has traditionally coincided with a less adventurous artistic tenor. "Art tends to get quite good when the regime is oppressive. The films I've made under friendlier leaders, like Clinton, have become less challenging. With Bush in the White House, my films got darker and more extreme," Van Sant says. "[Obama's election] suggests I'll get more conventional."

Van Sant and the rest of his ilk will be tripping over themselves to film Obama-friendly films that will tank at theaters just like all the anti-war films have bombed so horrifically the past several years.

The Media 'Literally Wanted to Have Sex With Him'

There certainly is no denying that. The ever-charming Ann Coulter saves her best for Michelle Obama, however.

Right-wing flame thrower Ann Coulter blasts incoming First Lady Michelle Obama as a freakish Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis imitator in a book to be published next week.

In her latest screed, titled "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and their Assault on America," Coulter accuses the liberal left of playing the victim when in fact, she argues, they are the victimizers.

As usual, Coulter throws plenty of bombs herself.

Lashing out at the President-elect's wife, Coulter wrote, "Her obvious imitation of Jackie O's style - the flipped-under hair, the sleeveless A-line dresses, the short strands of fake pearls - would have been laughable if done by anyone other than a media-designated saint."

Indeed, if I see another story designating her as the first lady of fashion I'll puke.

Coulter facetiously and snidely refers to Michelle Obama as a "saint" and "Mother Teresa" and suggests that her public service career "advanced in lockstep with the political advancement of her husband."

In the book, Coulter repeatedly refers to the President-elect as "B. Hussein Obama" and complains that the media "literally wanted to have sex with him."

Great News: Terry McAuliffe to Run for Governor of Virginia

Dear Lord, help us. This abrasive greaseball might be able to raise prodigious sums of money, but his grating personality may not go over well with voters.

It's obvious the Clintons are never going away and now it seems every stooge and lackey that was along for the ride in the 90s aren't going away either.

Former Democratic National Committee chairman and McLean businessman Terry McAuliffe said yesterday that he has decided to run for Virginia governor.

In a three-minute video e-mailed to supporters yesterday afternoon, McAuliffe, 51, said a two-month tour of the state convinced him that his business and political experience prepared him to work on issues of concern to Virginians: creating jobs, improving public schools and working toward energy independence.

McAuliffe did not mention his competitors in the June Democratic primary, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County and former state delegate Brian J. Moran of Alexandria. Instead, he sought to contrast himself directly with the Republican nominee, Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, and to portray himself as a natural successor to former Democratic governor Mark R. Warner, who was elected in November to the U.S. Senate, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D).

Warner and Kaine, McAuliffe said, "know that not every good idea comes out of Richmond. When it comes to fixing our economy, there's no such thing as a Republican job or a Democratic job. It's about bringing people together to create good jobs." McDonnell, in contrast, has opposed the Warner and Kaine administrations for seven years, McAuliffe said.

Democrats always have a funny way of bringing people together. It always seems that involves character assassination and duplicitous behavior.

Racist Dingy Harry to Blago: Don't Appoint Any Black People

Racist

Apparently Harry Reid has had enough of those uppity black folk from Chicago. It's bad enough he has to take marching orders from King Obama the next two years before Nevada voters toss him out in 2010. But he wanted no part of the Reverend Jackson Junior in the Senate. And the best part? He's caught on tape!

Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones.

Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Sources say the Senate majority leader pushed against Jackson and Davis — both democratic congressmen from Illinois — and against Jones — the Illinois Senate president who is the political godfather of President-elect Barack Obama — because he did not believe the three men were electable. He feared losing the seat to a Republican in a future election.

Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero confirmed that Reid (D-Nev.) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) — the new chief of the Senate Democratic political operation — each called Blagojevich’s campaign office separately Dec. 3. Sources believe that at least portions of the phone conversations are on tape.

Before their contacts, Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel called Blagojevich to tell him to expect to hear from Senate leadership because they were pushing against Jackson and others, according to statements the governor made to others.

But ... but ... I thought Rahm Emanuel didn't have any contact with Blago about the Senate seat? Whoops.

Now, since Davis, Jones and Jackson are all black and Madigan and Duckworth are white, one can only assume Harry Reid is a racist. How can I leap to such a conclusion? I'm just using Democrat standards here. Therefore, it's affirmed: Dingy Harry is a racist.

Heroic Construction Worker Survives Four-Foot Plunge at New Yankee Stadium; Senator-Select-in-Waiting Kennedy Bestows 'Profiles-in-Courage' Award

The man survived a four-foot plunge. Shit, I'm six-foot-three. Every time I fall over that's a longer trip to the ground, especially if I land on my head. Not that that has ever happened before.

Seriously, this guy falls four fucking feet and this is news?

A construction worker at the new Yankee Stadium has been taken to a hospital after falling 4 feet off scaffolding.

The city Department of Buildings says the worker was jolted off the mobile scaffold when one of its wheels hit a drain Friday afternoon.

Firefighters earlier estimated the fall at 12 feet, but the buildings agency later said it was shorter.

The Yankees say the worker was hospitalized for observation after the minor accident.

Buildings spokesman Tony Sclafani says the worker initially declined medical attention but was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

This dude will be living large on the NYC tab. Mark it down for about a million bucks per foot.

NFL Wild-Card Games

A curious set of games this weekend as the visiting team is favored in three games and the fourth one is a pick'em.

First, here's a look back at what we predicted for the divisional order of finish and playoff teams entering the season.

We managed to get two right in the NFC, the Giants and Vikings. Considering the Giants are the only repeat NFC playoff team, we'll take it. In the AFC, we got half the teams correct with the Chargers, Steelers and Colts, although we had the Colts winning the AFC South.

I had the Giants winning the Super Bowl and will stick with that, although I doubt they'll be playing the Chargers, but you never know.

For the season we went 132-117-8, capped of with a 10-5-1 mark in Week 17.

Since both Saturday games are on NBC, The Olbermann Rule is in effect from approximately 4 to midnight eastern time.

SATURDAY
Falcons -2 CARDINALS: No team in the playoffs looked worse in December than the Cardinals, but since they're at home we figure they don't get smoked. Still, they can't run and are vulnerable against the run, a lethal combo. You might think Atlanta should be worried with a rookie QB on the road, but Matt Ryan isn't a typical rookie and has been running a pro offense for five years already. Falcons have had little national exposure this year, so a lot of folks will get a good look at Ryan and Michael Turner. Falcons 34-27

Colts E Chargers: The fourth meeting the past two seasons between these two, so there aren't any secrets, an margin was greater than four points, San Diego's 28-24 win in the divisional round last season. The Colts looked miserable early this year but have run off nine straight wins and Peyton Manning today won the NFL MVP. Still, Chargers are rolling, LT looks healthy and Philip Rivers is playing with a chip on his shoulder. Don't be surprised to see overtime here. Colts 31-28

SUNDAY
Ravens -3.5 DOLPHINS: Miami has been a nice rags-to-riches story but it ends here. A few reasons: Baltimore was a league best 12-3-1 against the spread, they beat the Fish 27-13 already in Miami this year and Miami plays with little margin for error while just 8-8 ATS. They've coughed up the ball the fewest times in the league, but Baltimore lives for the turnover and makes you pay for it. Ravens can pound it out and will do just enough to advance. Ravens 17-13

Eagles -3 VIKINGS: Minnesota staggered to the finish line in a bad division while Eagles are rolling. Always like the hot team in this situation. Travaris Jackson is barely serviceable at QB and after destroying Tony Romo last week Philly must be salivating for a crack at him. The only way I see the Vikings winning is if Adrian Peterson goes for about 200 yards. Good luck with that with the Eagles playing nine guys in the box daring Jackson to beat them. Seems even Minnesota fans are dubious, as they can't even sell out this game. One more tidbit: Vikings a miserable 6-10 against the spread. Eagles 24-10

'As Soon As He Saw Me, His Eyes Went Wide With Terror'

Always a good idea if you're in the burglary business to case out your targets before striking. Seriously, how could this thief not know he was in Thor's crib?

A muscle-bound building boss who came home from a New Year's Eve fancy dress party kitted out as Thor scared off a burglar by charging at him in his superhero outfit.

Six-foot-tall fitness fanatic Torvald Alexander, 38, was wearing a full God of Thunder outfit - complete with flying red cape and tinfoil silver-winged helmet - when he spotted the raider in his front room rifling through a desk.

Mr Alexander, who runs building firm Alexander & Summers in Edinburgh, Scotland, said the burglar threw himself out of a first-floor window of his £350,000 home in the Inverleith area of the city when he opened the door and confronted him.

The man landed on a roof outside the window, which broke his fall, enabling him to escape.

Mr Alexander said: 'As soon as he saw me, his eyes went wide with terror.

'He looked like he had had a few drinks and decided to do a late night break-in, but he hadn't counted on the God of Thunder living here.

'We were both startled but then the instant reaction was that I ran at him and he just jumped straight out of the window.

'I think I would be quite scared if someone looking almost like a gladiator ran at them.

Granted, Thor's got some guns on him there, but I'd be doubled over in laughter at some guy who looks like a castoff from Yearly Kos.

Ace links. Thanks!

Hadn't even realized it at first, but this dude's got a serious thing for Thor. Check out the comic book covers framed on his wall. I'm wondering whether he dressed up a second time for the photographer and reporter. A shame he's not living here, he could help slow the collapse of the steel industry.

Update: Thanks also to Hot Air for the link. BTW, if you haven't already, make sure to read the comments at AoSHQ. I'm Thor from laughing.

Israel Set for Gaza Ground Offensive

Prepare for more stories from the lamestream media on the "Holocaust" in Gaza.

No doubt these Hamas thugs are digging in behind women and children and hiding out in hospitals and mosques.

I ask but one thing from Israel: Destroy these monsters.

Israel is poised to launch a major ground offensive into Gaza tonight after allowing hundreds of foreigners living in the devastated territory to evacuate.

After a week of air strikes that have killed at least 420 Palestinians and left scores of buildings in rubble, the Israeli army was set to fling hundreds of troops and tanks into a blitz to stamp out Hamas’s military wing, The Times understands.

Despite the looming onslaught, more Hamas rockets – which have so far killed four Israelis – were fired into southern Israel today.

The Islamist group vowed that its attacks, which have lasted for years and which finally provoked the massive Israeli campaign, would not stop.

Idiot Wearing Nazi Outfit Points Rifle at Police With Predictable Results

Bad move Number 1: Wearing a Nazi outfit. Bad move Number 2: Pointing a rifle at police.

Naturally, the police come under scrutiny because they shoot the idiot.

The University of Washington student shot to death by police in the first hours of 2009 after pointing a World War II-vintage rifle at officers had an abiding fascination with the past, but no love of Nazism.

The 22-year-old student of German and Scandinavian history was wearing a Nazi-era uniform when two Seattle police officers shot him early Thursday morning near the door of his University District apartment.

According to police, officers were called to the 5200 block of 17th Avenue Northeast to investigate a report of two or three men firing weapons into the air. Officers say they fired on the man after he brandished what was described by witnesses as a bolt-action rifle.

The Maple Valley-reared man, whom the Seattle P-I is not identifying because his family had not been notified of his death, died late Thursday morning at Harborview Medical Center.

On hearing of his death, the young man's co-workers from Seattle's Red Mill Burgers gathered Thursday night at the chain's Phinney Ridge location to share their memories of him.

Hattie Taylor, a 20-year-old UW student at whose sorority house the deceased man worked, described him as a kind, if likably odd, young man.

"He wasn't a Nazi," Taylor said. "He was just fascinated with the past. ... He liked to dress up and have fun."

Taylor and others said he often showed up to work at Red Mill wearing antique clothing -- he recently went to work in a Union Civil War uniform -- and collected historical memorabilia. During his first day of work at Taylor's sorority, she said, he arrived wearing a military waistcoat decorated with military ribbons hoping to impress the girls there.

The morning of the shooting, the man had been firing blanks to celebrate the new year, Taylor said. It was a contention held by many of the 18 Red Mill employees gathered at the restaurant, who'd been told so by another co-worker who was at the deceased man's apartment when he was killed.

They also disputed police claims that the man pointed the gun at officers and criticized officers for firing on the man.

Officer Jeff Kappel, a Seattle police spokesman, said officers fired after the man aimed a military rifle with a long bayonet at them and refused to put it down.
...
Police "identified themselves as Seattle police very loudly and ordered him to drop the weapon several times," Kappel said. "The suspect failed to comply."

When the suspect pointed the rifle at police, two officers "fired (several times) in defense of themselves and the other innocent residents in the immediate area," Kappel said.

AirTran Releases Statement on Flight 175 Incident

As a follow-up to my earlier item on the Muslim family kicked off AirTran Flight 175 Wednesday, I've received this statement from the PRNewswire telling AirTran's version of events.

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI) , today issued the following statement regarding AirTran flight 175 originating at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 1, 2009.

At departure time, the Captain of flight 175 informed the airline that there were two federal air marshals onboard who contacted local and federal Washington law enforcement officials for a security related issue onboard the aircraft involving verbal comments made by a passenger and overheard by other passengers. The airline then advised the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). It was determined that all 104 passengers onboard must deplane and passengers, crew, baggage and the aircraft should be re-screened. After the re-screening of the passengers, crew, bags and the aircraft, 95 passengers were allowed to reboard the aircraft and nine were detained for interrogation by the local law enforcement officials, the FBI and the TSA. Flight 175 departed nearly two hours late and arrived safely at its destination.

Later in the day, six of the nine detained passengers approached the customer service counter and asked to be rebooked to Orlando. At the time, the airline had not been notified by the authorities that the passengers were cleared to fly and would not rebook them until receiving said clearance. One passenger in the party became irate and made inappropriate comments. The local law enforcement officials came over and escorted the passengers away from the gate podium.

AirTran Airways complied with all TSA, law enforcement and Homeland Security directives and had no discretion in the matter. The nine passengers involved were all offered full refunds and may fly with AirTran Airways again after having been released from questioning and cleared by the law enforcement officials.

The part about one passenger becoming irate and making inappropriate comments was conveniently left out of news accounts.

American Idle: Couch Potato King Successfully Defends Title

Heck, had I known there was a contest I could probably give this guy a run for his money. Guess that's a poor choice of words. A sit for his money? Between the Twilight Zone and Honeymooners marathons yesterday I also managed to squeeze in a few football games, though I didn't last 19 hours in the recliner.

He's the flat-on-his-back-to-back champion.

Stan Friedman captured his second straight title Friday in the Ultimate Couch Potato Competition, spending nearly 19 hours reclining in front of the TV.

Friedman, 47, a research librarian for Conde Nast, outlasted three challengers to defend his crown at the second annual showdown in the ESPN Zone.

The Manhattan resident spent a laid back 18 hours, 48 minutes and 18 seconds in a recliner facing dozens of televisions inside the Times Square restaurant.

'US, Israel Don't Provoke Muslims to Become Terrorists Like You'

Today's dose of inverted reality. You see, we're the terrorists, not the terrorists themselves. I'm sure the American left will agree with this sentiment.

More than a dozen people were hurt Friday when Indian police used teargas to disperse hundreds of angry Kashmiri Muslims protesting against the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The protesters took to the streets outside the main mosque in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, after Friday prayers, chanting "down with Israel."

They carried banners reading "stop genocide of Palestinians" and "US, Israel don't provoke Muslims to become terrorists like you."

As the protesters tried to march towards the city centre, police used batons and fired teargas to disperse them. Protesters retaliated by pelting the security forces with stones.

"More than a dozen people, including some policemen, have been injured so far," a police officer, Ishfaq Ahmed said.

The marchers set fire to US flags.

Earlier, hundreds of Muslims burnt Israeli flags and chanted anti-Israel and anti-US slogans as they staged a similar protest near Srinagar's main commercial district of Lal Chowk.

Carrying pro-Palestinian banners and portraits of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, they marched through the streets chanting, "death to Israel" and "death to US."

Yawn.

Meanwhile, the terrorists announced a Day of Wrath, which is redundant considering every day in the Muslim world is a Day of Wrath against someone.

Israel is on heightened security alert today after Hamas declared a "day of wrath" after the killing of a senior Hamas leader in Gaza.

Thousands of security personnel were on alert after the Islamists called for "massive marches" after the main weekly Muslim prayers, starting off from the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem and from all other mosques ammunition depots in the West Bank.

Witnesses said that violent scenes had been reported in east Jerusalem, with protesters throwing rocks at soldiers. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that thousands of extra officers had been deployed to deal with the ongoing clashes.

Um, Paterson, You Know, Will Likely Appoint The Princess, You Know: 'It Ain't Nothin' Till I Calls It'

Well, Paterson's boss, Shelly Silver, has already endorsed her, so it's in the bag. All we now need is the date of coronation.

Officials say the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy will be the governor's choice to fill the New York Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Two people close to Gov. David Paterson tell The Associated Press they believe Caroline Kennedy will be his choice, but the governor cautions he's still looking.

The New York Times reports that during a New Year's Day open house at the executive mansion, Paterson said "It ain't nothin' till I calls it." The quote recalls a statement once made by legendary baseball umpire Bill Klem.

Meantime, despite early reservations, New York state's most powerful legislative leader tells the New York Post he'll support Kennedy. State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says he'll work for her election.

This dog-and-pony show will only have Kennedy fill the seat for two years before a special election in 2010 that will also fill it for two more before the regularly scheduled election fdor that seat in 2012. I wonder if, you know, The Princess is up to actually lowering herself to run against some commoner in those two years?

Get Ready for a New Round of Grievance Theater: Muslim Family Removed From AirTran Flight

While this appears on first glance as a misunderstanding, expect the unindicted terror co-conspirators from CAIR to crank out the press releases and hold press conferences decrying "Islamophobia" along with lawsuits to be filed.

Officials ordered nine Muslim passengers, including three young children, off an AirTran flight headed to Orlando from Reagan National Airport yesterday afternoon after two other passengers overheard what they thought was a suspicious remark.

Members of the party, all but one of them U.S.-born citizens who were headed to a religious retreat in Florida, were subsequently cleared for travel by FBI agents who characterized the incident as a misunderstanding, an airport official said. But the passengers said AirTran refused to rebook them, and they had to pay for seats on another carrier secured with help from the FBI.

Kashif Irfan, one of the removed passengers, said the incident began about 1 p.m. after his brother, Atif, and his brother's wife wondered aloud about the safest place to sit on an airplane.

"My brother and his wife were discussing some aspect of airport security," Irfan said. "The only thing my brother said was, 'Wow, the jets are right next to my window.' I think they were remarking about safety."

Irfan said he and the others think they were profiled because of their appearance. He said five of the six adults in the party are of South Asian descent, and all six are traditionally Muslim in appearance, with the men wearing beards and the women in headscarves. Irfan, 34, is an anesthesiologist. His brother, 29, is a lawyer. Both live in Alexandria with their families, and both were born in Detroit. They were traveling with their wives, Kashif Irfan's sister-in-law, a friend and Kashif Irfan's three sons, ages 7, 4 and 2.

AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson agreed that the incident amounted to a misunderstanding. But he defended AirTran's handling of the incident, which he said strictly followed federal rules. And he denied any wrongdoing on the airline's part.

"At the end of the day, people got on and made comments they shouldn't have made on the airplane, and other people heard them," Hutcheson said. "Other people heard them, misconstrued them. It just so happened these people were of Muslim faith and appearance. It escalated, it got out of hand and everyone took precautions."

Don't expect this to go away any time soon.

"It was an ordeal," said Abdur Razack Aziz, the family friend who was also detained. "Nothing came out of it. It was paranoid people. It was very sad."

Well, any time you have Muslims in traditional garb uttering the word bomb, they should expect a certain reaction. Oh, and here's a stunner: CAIR already already sprung into action.

A source told FOX 5 the Irfans were not allowed on another Airtran plane because while at the gate trying to re-book their flight, someone in the family mentioned Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and said the word 'bomb'.

The airline says the 95 other passengers on the original flight and all of their luggage had to be taken off the plane and re-screened. The Irfan family was eventually booked on a U.S. Airways flight on New Year's night, and off to a spiritual retreat in Central Florida.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reports that nine American Muslims were removed from an AirTran Airways flight this afternoon at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and refused re-booking by the airline, despite being cleared by Federal authorities.

That didn't take long. CAIR was already reacting before they got on another flight. The family must have them on speed-dial.

See update to this story here.

'Electing Barack Obama Was This Country Being Very Grown-Up'

What is it with these foreign actors sticking their beaks into American politics and insulting people? Yesterday we noted the British bimbette Kate Beckinsale insulting George W. Bush. Today's idiot is Simon Baker of the television show The Mentalist who so graciously notes he doesn't want to be offensive before he offends us.

"I don't follow sports here. But politics has sort of taken its place. I followed the [presidential] race closely. It's a tricky area, because I don't want to be offensive, and I had no party loyalty. But electing Barack Obama was this country being very grown-up. It was such a positive step for the US to become a part of the world again."

You fit right in with the rest of the Hollywood dimwits, Simon.

It's On! Jets RB Blasts Favre

It's probably a safe bet Brett Favre won't be very welcome back in the New York Jets locker room. Frankly, he should have stayed retired.

Jets fans are not the only ones upset with Brett Favre.

It is becoming clearer he was not beloved in the Jets locker room. Running back Thomas Jones publicly blasted his quarterback in a radio interview Tuesday. Appearing on Hot 97 FM, Jones ripped Favre for his rash of late-season interceptions.

"We're a team and we win together ... but at the same time, you can't turn the ball over and expect to win," Jones said. "The other day, the three interceptions really hurt us. I mean, that's just reality. If I were to sit here and say, 'Oh, man, it's okay,' that's not reality.

"The reality is, you throw interceptions, I'm (ticked) off, I don't like it. You know what I'm saying? I don't like it, I know everybody else on the team doesn't like it."

Favre threw three interceptions in the Jets' 24-17 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday. Head coach Eric Mangini was fired a day later. Favre had nine interceptions in the team's final five games.

Jones said he thought Favre should have been benched.

"If somebody is not playing well, they need to come out of the game," Jones replied. "You're jeopardizing the whole team because you're having a bad day. To me, that's not fair to everybody else. You're not the only one on the team."

Jones laid the blame for the Jets' failures at Favre's feet.

"You're playing to win, you're playing for the Super Bowl," Jones said. "That's what you do all this work for ... So when you get to the wire and somebody is just giving the game up, I mean, it's just not (fair)."

'Nobody Has Confidence In This Guy As Commander In Chief'

Can you blame them?

When asked how they feel about President-elect Barack Obama as commander in chief, six out of 10 active-duty service members say they are uncertain or pessimistic, according to a Military Times survey.

In follow-up interviews, respondents expressed concerns about Obama’s lack of military service and experience leading men and women in uniform.

“Being that the Marine Corps can be sent anywhere in the world with the snap of his fingers, nobody has confidence in this guy as commander in chief,” said one lance corporal who asked not to be identified.

For eight years, members of the U.S. military have served under a Republican commander in chief who reflected their generally conservative views and led them to war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Now, the troops face change not only at the very top of the chain of command, as Obama nears his Jan. 20 inauguration, but perhaps in mission, policy and values.

Underlying much of the uncertainty is Obama’s stated 16-month timetable for pulling combat troops out of Iraq, as well as his calls to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy to allow gays to serve openly in the military, according to survey responses and interviews.

“How are you going to safely pull combat troops out of Iraq?” said Air Force 1st Lt. Rachel Kleinpeter, an intelligence officer with the 100th Operations Support Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, England. “And if you’re pulling out combat troops, who are you leaving to help support what’s left? What happens if Iraq falls back into chaos? Are we going to be there in five years doing the same thing over again?”

No, they'll be busy running a meals on wheels operation in Darfur, in all likelihood.

'Israel Is Once Again Using Air Strikes to Target Journalists'

You can't fix stupid, and this one is about as dumb as they come.

Still, recent press freedom within Gaza is restricted and dangerous.

Parts of the strip have been declared "closed military zones," most notably of which is the Gaza strip's northern boundary with Israel, which extends two miles into Israeli territory. As a result, journalists are restricted from entering the area to report on what's happening.

A more frightening assault on press freedom is repeat behavior from Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon; Israel is once again using air strikes to target journalists.

On Sunday, the Gaza City headquarters of the Hamas-operated Al-Aqsa TV were bombed by Israeli Defense Forces.

Rockets raining down on innocent civilians in Israel apparently isn't frightening to this idiot. Bombing a terrorist television outlet is, however.

Coverage of this latest Israeli incursion in to Gaza has been pitifully poor and making the outrageous claim that Israel is deliberately targeting the media is just absurd.

Naturally, this piece elicits this genius from a reader.

Israel makes Gaza a huge concentration camp of 1.5 million people but America has made all of Iraq a concentration camp of 25 million people. They even have the same play book. Shoot independent journalists, bomb sewage works, blockade medical supplies, food and anything to fix the water treatment facilities to create deadly water born diseases. America has murdered more iraqis than there are Palestinians in Gaza to begin with.

I give props in the genocide stakes to the Zionists for the sheer longevity of their reign of terror but when it comes to scale the Americans death camps are second to no monsters.

At least one commenter isn't buying this BS.

Why no mention about some of the real reasons your colleagues are kept away?

Maybe its because some of them have this bad habit of having to participate in faking or exaggerating events instead of just reporting them.

Remember Reuters suspending one of their stringers for doctoring photos?

Or the faked BBC story where the reporter used one structure in a tight shot to deliberately misrepresented the extent of the damage. She led the viewer to believe it was an entire block of buildings that were bombed when it was only one. If she had pulled the camera back, it would have been obvious she was lying.

The press, especially the foreign press were absolutely in the tank for Hezbollah and I don't expect much has changed. CNN is already referring to the 350 dead as a "holocaust" and the operation itself as "barbaric". I couldn't help think of the 34,000 Jews shot dead at Babi Yar over a two day period and wonder how CNN would have described that ?

Does the name Muhammed al Dura ring a bell?

Hey, CNN, How'd That Kathy Griffin Thing Work Out?

Those live microphones always get you. Very old joke, mildly funny, but a no-no on live television.

Via Ace.

'I Still Think That Trig Is Bristol's Kid, Even If It Doesn't Matter'

No, this isn't from the fevered mind of Andrew Sullivan. I doubt even he'd say something so stupid. It's from a Kos Kid. Mind-boggling stupidity, even by Kos standards. A Trig Troofer now morphs into a Tripp Troofer.

I'm new to Kos. I suspect there are a lot of new people here. For me it started with Sarah Palin's
baby . Was it her's, yes it was, no it wasn't. All over the Net I searched. For some reason it just really intriqued me. Imagine, the audicity to pawn your daughters baby off as your own.

It wouldn't be such a big deal, probably done alot, for insurance or personal family reasons.
But not when you are a Governer of a State, and then you are running for VP.

I stumbled upon Kos. Who had the best, most imformative info on this bizzaro story. Well, we all know where that went. Sarah Palin announces her daughter is 5 months pregnant, and Kos crashed. But you know, I still think that Trig is Bristol's kid, even if it doesn't matter.

Now she is gonna get $300.000 for the baby pics. But did we ever see one photo of her pregnant. That is a big fat no....

Shit, sorry I ran on about the exciting lives of the Wassilla Hillbillies. I meant to ask the question, after that what kept me coming back to Kos. At first I hovered over at Huffington Post, and Kos.

But did you notice at Huffington your comments are always pending. Or at least mine were,
so it just got boring waiting for your comment to turn up.

Plus, at Huiffngton if they got bored, they would write sarcastic peices, but it was kind of confusing. Almost like the Enquirer, which I actually llke, I mean they get the shit on people. But even Enquirer could not crack the Trig baby mystery. Just bitch slapped myself. Stop bringing up that baby! But you know there is one more thing that really bugs me about the whole baby thing. So Bristol has that baby pretty much right on schedule, but we never saw her again after they announced her preggers, and the convention, with daddy to be in tow.

Sooo, what if she actually didn't have a baby at all, and they just scrambled around, and adopted a baby, from another woman/girl. Now that's crazy thinking, but come on, Sarah Palin isn't worried about a little thing called the truth.

This idiot should really seek psychiatric help.

The new year may be young, but we may have found the dumbest Kos Kid post of 2009 already.

Man Suffering From Raging BDS Kills Himself

One less moonbat on the planet. Good riddance.

A man who left bomb threats and homemade bombs around Aspen on New Year's Eve shot and killed himself in his car a few hours after his threats cleared much of the resort town, Aspen Police said.

Assistant Aspen Police Chief Bill Linn said James Chester Blanning, 72, walked into two Aspen banks Wednesday afternoon and left packages wrapped in holiday paper along with notes saying the boxes contained bombs. The notes threatened "mass death" and demanded $60,000 cash, along with criticisms of President George Bush, Linn said.

The Aspen Times newspaper reported that Blanning left a typewritten note at the newspaper's offices Wednesday evening. The profanity-laced note, which appeared to match those Blanning left at banks, said "Aspen will pay a horrible price in blood" if his demands were not met.

Via Instapundit.

As a commenter noted, he didn't blow himself up, he shot himself, so the title is updated.

I blame Bush for my egregious error.

Finally: Crack Dealers Now Accepting Gift Cards

Maybe he can use them to bail himself out.

In tough economic times, merchants have to be flexible – even those selling crack cocaine.

An Athens man who allegedly accepted gift cards as payment for crack cocaine was arrested Monday night by Athens Police.

Anthony Delmar Anderson, 38, of 1927 Cain Drive was arrested after a search warrant was executed at his residence.

“He had been selling crack cocaine and prescription drugs,” said Capt. Marty Bruce. “Officers found 2 grams of crack cocaine, 11 Xanax pills, $899 in cash and $175 in department store gift cards.”

Bruce said Anderson was accepting the gift cards in exchange for crack cocaine.

Next thing you know crackheads will be using food stamps to buy drugs. Oh wait, they already do that.

'I Think It's Just So Fantastic We Have a President Who Can Finally Read'

What's this we stuff, woman? You're not even an American.

Geez, we're only hours into the New Year and here we have to put up with a B-grade actress from overseas insulting George W. Bush. Sure, she's easy on the eyes, but that's about it. I get a sneaking suspicion she's no literary scholar.

In any case, I guess she missed my post from the other day noting how many books Bush has read the past few years.

DID British-born Kate Beckinsale get a green card while we weren't looking? Beckinsale, married to US citizen and director Len Wiseman, told Chris Yandek of CYInterview.com, "I don't care whether [Barack Obama] has a cigarette or not. I think it's just so fantastic we have a president who can finally read." The self-proclaimed smoker also told Capitol File magazine, "I never planned on living in America [but] if I find myself still here in 10 or 15 years, it would be silly not to be able to vote."

Great, another dimwit canceling out my vote.

Australia Loses Mind, Gives $5 Million More To Hamas Terrorists

Couched in the heart-tugging tales of the poor Palestinians providing help for the children, you read stories like this.

AUSTRALIA has pledged an extra $5 million in aid for the people of the Gaza Strip, with the Federal Government saying it is deeply saddened by the loss of life there.

About 400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip in recent days, following the breakdown of a ceasefire arrangement.

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard said today that Australia strongly supported calls for an immediate halt to the violence.

"The Australian Government also urges Israel, Hamas and other militant groups to make every effort to avoid causing further suffering to innocent civilians," she said.

Ms Gillard said the Government would give an extra $5 million worth of aid and stood ready to give more.

The assistance would help ensure Palestinians had adequate access to much needed basic goods, such as food and medical supplies, she said.

An extra $5 Million? Why not just at extra $10 Million? $50 Billion? What does in matter?