Whhhhhyyyyyyy?

Why? Just tell me what the heck they're thinking with this?

Apparently the Wings' new agenda is:

- Use up as much budget as possible to give as many over-the-hill players a chance as we can

- Try to set league record for the team with most 40+ year old players

- Focus on regular-season ticket sales with washed-up champion goalie

- Shoot for first-round playoff elimination against team in the central time zone (the travel is just too hard on our older players...)

Totally. Pathetic.

Despicable

As hard as it is for decent people to look at a picture of dead children, I encourage you to check out this link (as referenced on Rush today) demonstrating how Hezbollah is manipulating the media to win the PR war.

The only people who don't care about these dead children are the Hezbollah freaks over there. Remember, these are the same people who value human life so much that they train their children to strap bombs on their bodies and blow themselves up just to take out a few Israeli civilians. All of their attacks on Israel are directed at kiling civilians.

Of course, the MSM are so brainless they're happy to be manipulated by these freaks. (after all --isn't Bush supporting Israel? Ya-Ya-Hezbollah! Here we come!) The MSM isn't interested in pointing out Hezbollah atrocities against civilians that have taken place over the last 30+ years.

The reason you aren't seeing Israeli bodies paraded about for the camers is because (a.) that is disgusting and Israel has more respect for their dead and (b.) Isreal cares about their civilians enough to warn them to take shelter when attacks are coming in. They don't find the most concentrated civilian location to launch rockets from, hoping that their enemy will retaliate and kill those civilians in the area to give them some more good press.

Remember, there is only one side here who does not value human life. All in the cause of killing every Jew and American or other offensive Westerner. All in the cause of Islamo-dictatorships. Nothing else matters to these freaks. And shame on the rest of the world for not acknowledging that reality.

Happy Friday

A lot going on, but I'm definitely about ready to check out for the weekend...

AtlasShrugs is a great blog (link on the right) and definitely one of the best places for up-to-date information on the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. There's a nice video clip on there today of Hezbollah terrorists piling into the back on a U.N. van --also love the cartoon of "The Pirate of Turtle Bay." I was first drawn to the blog for its name --Atlas Shrugs is one of the greatest books of the 20th century-- now appreciate the rarity of perspective from a Jewish Republican in NYC. Considering there are probably 25 Republicans in the whole town to begin with, I don't know how she survives...

Condi has continued to amaze and impress me throughout this week, with her whirl wind world traveling and tough talk. And even the liberals have to love how she impressed all those foreign leaders at recent Asian security talks with her piano skills.

Looking forward to watching the Tigers this weekend --they face a tough series against the Twins. Who's your Tiger??

Let's hope for all our sakes that Kitna works out better than Joey did... (Why am I thinking about the Lions??? It's still July!)

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Even you liberals --smile! It's summer. And you can sleep safely knowing our president and military are looking out for us.

UPDATE: To add to our Friday joy, the Dow just had its biggest one week gain in 3 years...

Reality Check

We've covered it here before, but this is a nice, comprehensive list of Islamic freaks attacking Americans going back to 1979. Good fodder for delusional liberals who still think this war started on 9/11 or that Bush was in any way responsible for its inception. (Though I do think Dubya will definitely be a major player in its conclusion.)

On another note, I'm glad to see that Bush and Condi are still sticking to their guns in their support of Israel and condemnation of Hezbollah. Am I the only one who was amazed that the Saudis, Jordanians and Egyptians, instead of going along with Lebanon's condemnations of Israel, wanted to condemn Hezbollah in the Arab League meeting this past weekend?? Again, the effects of "cowboy diplomacy..."

Here's a great editorial summing up the favorable consequences of the Iraq war in the greater Middle East. Don't forget, it was Bush, Condi and their team that have had the vision, strength of character, and resolve to implement real change in a volatile region that has spawned American-Israeli hating terrorists for the past 30+ years.

An excerpt:

While the success of Iraq's democracy hangs in the balance from an operational perspective, the strategic advantages created by the invasion of Iraq are working very favorably for the U.S. in the current Israeli-Lebanon crisis in very tangible ways.

Were Saddam still in power, the Arab world would not feel nearly as threatened by Hezbollah, the Frankenstein's monster of Iran's creation. Instead, they would have sided with the Syrian foreign minister's strong support for Hezbollah. Saddam himself might even have offered cash rewards to anyone attempting martyrdom against the Jews.

Instead, they came to no consensus. The leading Arab League states, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt, call Hezbollah's actions "inappropriate and irresponsible." This lessens the urgency of calls from the international community, whether the G8, U.N., or EU, for a ceasefire. That lessened urgency creates something very precious indeed: a moment in time and space wherein Israel has the most fleeting of opportunities for decisive action against Hezbollah, an avowed foe, a terrorist organization, and a constant threat to the security of its populace.

Delusional Liberal Kook of the Week

Old Lurch is back. He was unfortunately in New Fallujah yesterday. According to the hampster-kisser,

"If I was president, this wouldn't have happened," said Kerry during a noon stop at Honest John's bar and grill in Detroit's Cass Corridor.

Bush has been so concentrated on the war in Iraq that other Middle East tension arose as a result, he said.

"The president has been so absent on diplomacy when it comes to issues affecting the Middle East," Kerry said. "We're going to have a lot of ground to make up (in 2008) because of it."

Absent on diplomacy? Are you kidding me? There has been more dipolmacy going on in the Middle East under Bush than in the last 50 years put togehter! This administration is the first ever to have a long-term, comprehensive plan to change the hearts and minds of would-be terrorists and as they say, create a "new Middle East," where freedom replaces despotism.

And "other Middle East tension arose" as a result of the Iraq War? Is that not one of the most idiotic statements this medal-thrower has made? Sure, Kerry, you're right -- the only reason Israel is involved in a war is because Bush is president and went into Iraq. All their neighbors just loved them before Iraq. Never any turmoil before Bush, that's right. These anti-Israel sentiments are definitely new Middle East tensions.

Remember when Clinton brokered that "peace deal" between Arafat and Israel that lasted for about 5 minutes? Well, I'm sure Kerry could have brokered one that lasted at least 10.

Israel v. Terrorist Freaks Update

Ann makes a great point in reaction to this most recent Israel-Hezbollah war...

The fact that Israel is able to launch an attack on Hezbollah today without instantly inciting a multination conflagration in the Middle East is proof of what Bush has accomplished. He has begun to create a moderate block of Arab leaders who are apparently not interested in becoming the next Saddam Hussein.

Amen. It is surprising that most anti-semetic Euros are condemning Israel, yet its Arab neighbors have been much more cautious in their views of this conflict... Maybe we're still seeing the effects of Cowboy Diplomacy, after all....

Oh, and just in case you didn't know how delusional (or is it really anti-semetic?) the EU is, they don't feel it's necessary to add Hezbollah to their list of terror organizations. Honestly, I wish no ill will on anyone, but you hear stuff like that and a part of you can't help thinking --maybe if they wiped out one of your ships or embassies and killed hundreds of your people, you'd finally be able to face reality. A group that openly calls for the destruction of Israel and death and destruction to all Israelis and Americans and these guys don't consider them terrorists??? I'm beginning to think the Euros are nothing more than a bunch of freaks, too.

Please, Condi!

Please reconsider your decision not to run. I know it means many more years of devoting your life to public service, but please recognize how much your country needs you!

That would be my hope, anyway, especially after this rather depressing poll about '08 presidential hopefuls.

The funniest thing about this article is its tone of surprise that Republicans don't approve of McCain. Are you kidding? He's about as Replubican as Jumpin' Jim and Arlen Specter. I have complete confidence he'd never get through the primaries. The only person I know who actually likes McCain is my WWII vet grandfather (a lifelong democrat, by the way, who is simply too disgusted by everyone else in his party at the moment and therefore has turned to the more moderate democrat hiding in ours...).

I like Guiliani a lot --he would definitely be the candidate most likely to attract undecided or "centrist" voters. Yet I also have concerns how he would do with the base. And we know that for Republicans to win, their base has to show up and vote.

I like Newt and Jeb, but the former I couldn't see as our prez. and the latter would never stand a chance, at least not in '08. (Could you imagine the liberal fury? Oh, no! You're running Hitler's brother now!?!?!) Then there's Frist --wow, what leadership. I love how we control both houses of congress and the White House and we still can't hardly get anything passed. He's as wavering and wimpy as they come. No, thanks. Romney seems like a good guy, though I don't know much about him...

So aside from Condi, our classy and brilliant stateswoman and spokesperson for our country, this doesn't look so good. Granted, we still have two years...

But then I looked at the Democrat list and I feel a lot better now. How many old, washed up losers could they find? Algore? Are you serious? Well, now that he's in with Hollywood, I guess I should be afraid. They helped so much in the last election... (actually, they did, just not who they inteded to help.)

And Kerry? That flip-flopping, medal-throwing, hampster kissing, Lurch-faced loser is actually still dreaming of the presidency? Surely you jest?

And then there's the shrill-voiced shrew who would not be tamed -Kate, I mean Hillary Rodham. Do I really need to go there?

But the most hilarious thing about this poll was that Edwards --John Edwards!-- tops the list as most favorable to Democrats. Can anyone name one thing Edwards has done (aside from chasing ambulances) for this country? Any major legislation he's pushed through? Policy breakthroughs he's championed? He's been a Senator for what, 6 years?? But you never know, he might by our most formiddable challenger, assuming that a vast majority of Americans will vote for that winning smile...

Well, there's still this November to get through, but it is fun to look ahead...

Hezbollah Freaks Threaten U.S.

Many delusional Americans like to tell themselves that it's our fault terrorists attack us, we brought 9/11 on ourselves, and all subsequent terrorist attacks against us or the Iraqi people were because of our decision to take out the Taliban and Saddam. They do not believe our country is good. They do not believe that our country is the defender of what is good in the world. In short, they're a bunch of liberal kooks.

The war that Isreal has been dealing with for the past 60 years against Islamic facism has recently broken out into renewed and escalated fighting, sparked by the capture by Hezbollah terrorists of two Isreali soldiers.

We've been fighting this war for about the past 35 years, though most Americans did not want to view it as a war. Unfortuantely for us, as most of us woke up to on 9/11, the Islamic facists have realized all along that it was, indeed, a war.

It's a war against our culture, our liberty, our prosperity, against our very lives.

Iran is infested with many Hezbollah freaks, in addition to the ones in Lebanon. It's very convenient for them that the world is now condeming Isreal for defending itself instead of debating sanctions for Iran's defiance over nuclear weapons. This statement by Iran's Freakbolla spokesman sums it all up:

"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," said Iranian Hizbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli, speaking by telephone from the central seminary city of Qom.

"They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three ... we welcome it," he said.

<>Iranian religious organisations have made great public show of recruiting volunteers for "martyrdom-seeking operations" in recent years, usually threatening U.S. interests in case of any attack against the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.

Well, they seem to be ready. The question is, are we? Can we step up? Can we acknowledge this for the war it is? And would we rather deal with these freaks now or when Iran actually has nuclear weapons? Now is not the time to appease or waffle. Now is the time to be strong in our support of our democratic ally, to stand up for what we believe is right, and to stick to our guns about our resolve to fight this war on terror.

You heard that Iranian freak "--if America wants to ignite WWIII." They are playing into the hands of Cindy Sheehan, Ward Churchill, Hollywood and all those freaky liberals who think America is the bad guy. They're trying to put the blame on us for something they started long ago with their goals of Isreal's destruction and Islamic facism. We can't let them. We need to stick together and let the cowboy in us all shine through. We have the best military in the world, these people are freaks, and I say ---yee haw, bring it on if you think you can intimidate us.

Another Cold War???

What's the deal with these Ruskies trashing the good old U.S. of A.? First Putin, then Gorbachev. (Though Putin's comment was actually quite funny) Ah, well, it's so fashionable to bash the U.S. these days, I don't know what I was expecting...

This story about Gorbachev's comments starts off:

Mikhail Gorbachev is generally regarded as the man who broke down the "iron curtain" that separated the communist world from the West and thawed the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

No, ABC, Gorbachev is not generally regarded as the man who broke down the curtain (except among self-delusional elitists like the MSM and their cronies). Everyone else knows that Reagan told him to do it. Or rather, forced him to do it, by creating the "Star Wars" missile defense program, forcing Russia to bankrupt itself trying to thwart our efforts and compete with us in the arms race. (You know, that silly, ridiculous program the Left bashed in the 80s that's now helping protect us from N. Korean missiles, etc.)

Gorbachev asks in this interview:

"Do you really think you are smarter than we are?"

Well, yes, actually. See we're sitting pretty over here enjoying our capitalism. That whole ideological battle between communism and capitalism --we were right. (Though, again, I'm sure many elitist Lefties here would like to give communism just one more chance.) The better economy in Russia of late and the booming economy in China is thanks to letting a little capitalism in. It's just magical how that works, isn't it? (Kind of like how when tax rates are lowered for corporations and the rich, the government sees MORE tax revenue come in. Works like a charm, every time it's done, but I know it's still difficult for Democrats to grasp.)

Probably Gorby's most ridiculous statement:

The former general secretary of the Soviet Union Communist Party accused Americans of arrogance and trying to impose their way of life on other nations.

"Americans have a severe disease — worse than AIDS. It's called the winner's complex," he said. "You want an American style-democracy here. That will not work."

Worse than AIDS, eh? I bet there are tens of thousands of people in Africa right now who would beg to differ with him. I'm sure they'd much prefer to be suffering from "winner's complex."

As far as us trying to "impose" our way of life on everyone, what utter rubbish! You don't have to "impose" the desire to live freely upon people. It's already built there, from birth. As our founding fathers so perceptively recognized, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (which does include deciding where you want to work, electing people to make the laws that govern you, etc.) is simply a part of the human spirit. No one who knows anything different would willing say --gee, I think I'd like to live under a dictator who spends all of the country's resources on weapons while I anguish in poverty and oppression and need a revised Google so I don't look up anything controversial when I'm surfing the net.

Personally, I think Gorbachev has it backwards. The Russians need to get over their Loser's Complex and move on.

What a Week

Our thoughts and prayers go out to India, who suffered devestating terrorist attacks earlier this week.

The focus quickly shifted to Isreal, who is retaliating for Hezbollah freaks operating from southern Lebanon capturing two Isreali soldiers. The popular opinion seems to hold that the Hezbollah attack was either encouraged or orchestrated by the Freak of Iran, along with Syrian support. (Getting everyone riled up against Isreal is a nice distraction from Iran's support of insurgents in Iraq and quest for nuclear weapons, eh?) Personally, I don't think it would be a bad idea to do a little target bombing of Ahmadinejadorwhateverhisname's homes. (it worked with Kadafi...)

Just read a breaking news flash that oil's hit $78/barrel. Ouch...

On these happy notes, hope every has a good weekend. Who's your Tiger?

Italy Wins World Cup

It's finally over; Italy's won. Who cares, you may be asking? I thought the Conservababes were true, red-blooded Americans who only cared about real sports like hockey, football, basketball and baseball. This is entirely true.

However, we do care. In the first place, we won't have to see any more annoying World Cup highlights on ESPN, taking away valuable air time from above mentioned real sports. Secondly, France lost.

France lost. I cannot deny that gives me small comfort. And they didn't just lose, they lost in the most embarrassing manner --after their captain decided to head butt one of the Italian players in overtime and was tossed from the game. Of course, that still didn't stop them from giving him the best player award. (Ahh, how those western Euros love to appease...)

France is obnoxious enough when they're defeated (as they've much experience with), can you imagine if they'd won? What the rest of the world would have to endure? And can we please focus on baseball again?

Delusional Liberal Kook of the Week

Hey-- guess what? Michael Moore is making another movie. This one apparently deals with health care issues in our country. (He's probably bemoaning why illegal immigrants are not immediately granted free health care the second they step over our border. At the very least, you know it will be dripping with his socialist utopian dreams in which working Americans have more of their money wrested away by the federal government and the quality of our health care drops down to that of countries who's wealthy or especially suffering come here for major surgeries.) If this new movie is as accurate and fairly portrayed as the war on terror was in his 9/11 comedy, I'm sure we're all in for real enlightenment.

Personally, even were it not for his long list of pathetic documentaries (Did anyone actually see Roger and Me?), a guy who looks like he consideres two Big Macs, a twinkie and some doughnuts a light snack and hasn't darkened the door of a gym since high school is the last person I'd give any credence to when it comes to an issue even remotely conncected with health care...

Lest we become complacent

This story is appalling --more for the paper's emphasis on the airport security mishandling of the event (by allowing this obviously suspicious man on the plane).

The report states that a man with a Middle Eastern name and a ticket for a Delta Airlines flight to Atlanta shook his head when screeners asked if he had a laptop computer in his baggage, but an X-ray machine operator detected a laptop.

A search of the man's baggage revealed a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it and a copy of the Quran, the report said. A screener examined the man's shoes and determined that the "entire soles of both shoes were gutted out."

The real question here should go well beyond the security decisions. I'd like to know why a Middle Eastern man had that computer in his baggage and lied about it, why there was a battery and Quran taped to it and why the hell his shoe soles were hollowed out. Before 9/11 we know that the terrorists made pre-flights to assess the security situation, etc. Why is the media ignoring the real story here??? It certainly wouldn't be the first time...

Looking Ahead to November

In addition to ousting that incompetent Canadian with Dick DeVos, we have a Senate seat up for grabs here in Michigan. I'm partial to Keith Butler; Mike Bouchard is also running --either man would be far superior to "Do-Nothing Debbie" Stabmenow.

Speaking of her, this is a silly but rather humorous interactive site to learn more about what she hasn't done for the state of Michigan... the state suffering some of the highest unemployment numbers in the country and a mass exodus of college-educated younger workers. Stabmenow's about at flagrantly liberal as they come --she does NOT represent the way most Michiganders think.

Week's dose of laughter...

Our girl Ann is at it again. This interview is hilarious!

It was nice to see The New York Times commemorating Independence Day this week with a tribute to its favorite Revolutionary War hero, Benedict Arnold. Times editor Bill Keller spent the day attending Revolutionary War battle re-enactments, where he passed the Continental Army's secret battle plans to the British.

Delusional Liberal Kook of the Week

Cindy's back. Her hunger strike was so moving, don't you think? Personally, I suspect it was just her latest diet fad so that next time she's arrested her muffin top won't be quite as fleshy. She now professes how she would much rather live under her buddy, Hugo's, communist dictatorship than here in America under President Bush. I've got one word for ya, Cindy --MOVE.

The Captain Retires

Still in a state of shock over here in New Fallujah. Not that Steve Yzerman's announcement came as a surprise --we knew he was 41, we knew his knees were bad (though he did fool us by out-playing those 15 years his junior as the best Wing on the ice during our disappointing series with Edmonton earlier this spring), we knew he had been considering retirement for years and it was inevitable. But I don't think it will really sink in until October, when I watch the first Wings game of the year and there's no #19 out there. No Stevie Y. It doesn't seem possible --he's been on the team for as long as I've watched the game and, no matter what the team did or how they played, won or lost, Stevie Y. never let us down. Not once.

For those of you unfamiliar, I highly encourage you to check out some of these links:
Blast from the past 1983 interview
Early years with the team
How he ranks among our all-time greats
A Captain moment

The Captain, as he is affectionately known here, inspires stories and memories in us all. For me, he was my first crush (admittedly why I started watching the sport which I eventually went on to play and coach --I mean, he looked like Johnny Depp and he played hockey --what more could you ask for?). And, aside from those entertaining bouts of the "Bruise Brothers," Stevie Y was the only thing about the Wings worth watching in the '80s. I remember always being bitter that he never got the recognition he deserved because he hadn't won a Cup and was competing against two of the greatest players of all time -that wimpy Wayne guy and Mario Lemieux. I remember how annoyed I was that he would never look into the camera when quietly being interviewed.

Then there was the emergence of the great team of the '90s. And finally, Stevie Y had what he deserved, what had in fact been built around him, and what continued to be inspired by him --he had a team that could finally, after so many long years, contend for the Cup. We in Hockeytown had been in a 42-year drought --the longest in NHL history. And do you know what my first thought was (and I'd guess the sentiment felt by many others around here) when we finally won it in '97? It wasn't --yea, we're the champions or anything like that. It was --Yes! Stevie finally got his much-deserved Cup! To see him hoist that trophey over his head that year was truly one of the greatest things I've ever seen in sports. Of course I remember where I was, who I was watching the game with --every detail-- and always will.

On a random Stevie Y note --this is my personal favorite Yzerman story. I was out in Boston, freshman year of college, inaugural season of the Fleet Center. The Wings were in town to play the Bruins and a good friend of mine said she'd go to the game with me. So after somehow managing to find trustworthy scalpers (Butchie and "Maaaak" --that's Bostonian for Mark), we had our tickets. I was getting much flack for my bright red #9 jersey (Bostonians seem to think Bobby Orr was better than Mr. Hockey, imagine...), but the crowd was rather genial seeing that the Bruins were winning 5-1 toward the end of the second period. At one point in the game, Yzerman got a penalty shot. He tried a certain deak; it didn't work. Well, I'll be darned if the Wings didn't come back in the 3rd to tie the game up 5-5. O.T. - Stevie Y. gets a breakaway. Does the same move he tried during the penalty shot, but this time it goes in. Wings win 6-5. What a game; what a guy.

There are so many other memories --how scared I was when his knee hit that goal post and we wondered if he'd ever be the same. I was at the game sitting down in the corner for a perfect view of him taking that puck that so very narrowly missed his eye. Earlier this year watching him score in overtime shootouts and how estatic we were because it was Stevie Y. scoring. I could go on, as could all of us who've known and loved him these past 23 years.

He will never be replaced, he will never be equaled. It wasn't just his skill or leadership qualities; he was truly a classy man that anyone could look up to, a true role model even for the non-athlete. The Wings will never be the same without Stevie Y., which is why we ardently hope to see him behind the bench as a coach before too long... And the sooner #19 hangs from the rafters, the better.