Rush Limbaugh and "24".

Ah-HA! 24 is officially now an outlet for the evil Republican Empire to spread their lies and propaganda. Spread the word, people. If you watch 24 you might as well be watching Fox News.

How do I know? Because El-Rushbo his very self visited the set and interviewed the writers and producers. And we all know that if El-Rushbo saw fit to grace them with his presence, it must mean he has reprogrammed everyone involved with 24 to be Right Wing Robots!

Boycott 24!!

(I hate it when my liberal, evil twin Sunshine Freelove gets out...)

Love this photo. Although Keifer needs to consider wearing less makeup. Just sayin'.

Culture of Violence

What would you do if say, the security guard at your office building wouldn't let you through the door without swiping your ID badge? If the first thought that came to mind was "I'd slap them," then you have something in common with Democratic House Rep. Cynthia McKinney. (only in her case, it was a metal detector and an actual police office who she slapped)

So let me get this straight --first the Democrats come out with a national security plan that is both smart AND tough and now they're slapping police officers. This is clearly evidence of the Democrats' culture of violence.

(remember that phrase --get it out during interviews with the press or any political-related discussions!)

UPDATE: Here we go. I knew it wouldn't take long for the race card to be played. McKinney's lawyer says that she was "just a victim of being in Congress while black." Really? Because I'm thinking, black or white, had she not been in Congress, her butt would have been instantly arrested and sitting in jail right now for being STUPID enough to slap a police officer.

McKinney was quoted saying: “That’s just typical of the type of treatment I receive. It’s typical. So, I’m not surprised and I’m not offended,” McKinney said in the film. “Okay. Thank you. Some things never change."

Oh, poor you. Seeing as I'd be in jail right now for doing what you did, my sympathy doesn't extend that far.

But at the end of the day, remember folks --it's not a big deal. If she was a Republican, then it would be a big deal. She'd probably be called a lying, racist, bigot, homophobe, too. But she's a Democrat, so it's "no big deal."

Um...whoa.

The party that's calling for "no war" and "peace" and "group hugs" has produced the following comment on the Huffington Post. (and I've read many, many similar quotes at Democratic Underground and Kos as well - this is far from an anomaly. Emphasis added by moi.)

I think it is about time we start talking about a violent overthrow of our government. Is political assassination really out of the question? I have always been a non-violent person, but things are getting out of hand. How about some domestic terrorism? America is a blight on the world community, and I think that rational well-intentioned people should start thinking about doing something before our government gets us all killed. It's not just politics. Our economic system perpetuates a greed that will destroy us. The market assumes that we will all act in our own self-interests, so we shouldn't be shocked when corporations fight regulations that seem to make perfect sense. No one wants the world to die as global warming reaches a tipping point, but no one wants to pay the financial price necessary to stop it. Eco terrorism may be our only way out. Kill the corporations; Kill the government; Save the planet. Be on the right side of history. Viva la revolucion!" -- Soymda, A Commenter At The Huffington Post

Crazyness.
(thanks to Right Wing News)

Update: For a voice of reason, please go check out Grandaddy Long Legs' very link-heavy and researched post entitled "What if Bush Didn't Lie?" You won't regret it.

The New York Times takes on Prayer.

Well, that does it.

The New York Times says prayer doesn't work. Wonder what I've been doing all these years since the NYT - the prescient newspaper of America as we all know - says it's futile. Guess I should just stop praying, then.

That's sarcasm, of course. What do these idiots think. That prayer is like some kind of magic spell? Something scientific that they can study and decide whether or not it "works" or not? Do you think they for one second thought about that abstract issue of "God's will"? No, of course not. They had some "scientists" with nothing better to do divide people up into groups. Some people got prayed for some people didn't. The ones being prayed for didn't immediately jump up from their hospital beds and start doing the samba...therefore prayer doesn't work.

Horsepucky. "God" is such a huge, abstract and personal thing - how do they think they can measure it? I can almost understand someone thinking "hm. I wonder if we can actually MEASURE the power of prayer". But to not only go through with some stupid "experiment" - but to PUBLISH it in the NYT as fact? Are these people insane?

The answer, my friends, is yes. Yes, they are.
Next they're going to run around saying they've scientifically proven that God doesn't exist. Oh, wait. They've done that already.

One of my favorite lines from a move is from "Contact" (dumb movie with Jodi Foster and Matthew McCoughilly or however you spell his name). Jodi Foster is an agnostic and asks Matt's character - a priest - to prove the existence of God. Matt's character says "did your father love you? " Jodi's character of course says "of course". Matt's character then says "prove it".

Faith is the belief in the unseen. God exists, alright. He can't be measured or studied or seen, but he exists. Ask any Christian to tell you a story about a prayer that God answered or a situation where God intervened in a real way...and you'll know he exists, too.

Random Detroit stuff.

I stumbled upon some very interesting websites dedicated to our great city and some of the sadly beautiful sights and buildings around town.

It fascinates me to see our beautiful architecture (yes, we have gorgeous buildings) in disrepair, covered in graffiti and left to rot. You see it all over the city - once-loved buildings falling apart, literally, before your eyes.

Anyway, if you're interested in all at stunning architecture and/or the great city of Detroit, take a look!

The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit - great site for a tour of some of the more recognizable buildings (for Detroiters, that is)

Detroit Funk - inside views of some of the abandoned towers and office buildings. Very cool. Also a pretty extensive photo essay of the Detroit Zoo that our lovely Mayor might let go the way of Tiger Stadium. (let's hope not)

Funniest headline of the day.

The award for funniest headline of the day goes to CNN for this gem (thanks to Fark.com):

Dems offer National Security Platform.

The referring headline at Fark is snort-worthy all by itself: Democrats attack Republicans as having no National Security plan. Release plan with no details which is attacked by Republicans. American public seen banging head against a table.

I couldn't have come up with a better synopsis of the article myself.

"We are uniting behind a national security agenda that is tough and smart, an agenda that will provide the real security President Bush has promised but failed to deliver," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said.

Oooh! Cool! It's "tough" AND "smart"! Oh, and Dingy, m'boy? We haven't been attacked again in 5 years. Five. Years. If that ain't "security" I don't know what is.

His counterpart in the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said Democrats were providing a fresh strategy -- "one that is strong and smart, which understands the challenges America faces in a post 9/11 world, and one that demonstrates that Democrats are the party of real national security."

Oh dear, I just sprayed Fresca all over my laptop. If the Dems actually think, in their black little heart of hearts that they "understand the challenges" of a "post 9/11 world", I will eat my shoes. I'll eat both of them if they honestly think America is buying this latest load of guano.

Indeed, the Democratic statement lacks specific details of a plan to capture bin Laden, the al Qaeda chief who has evaded U.S. forces in the more than four years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But Democrats suggest they will double the number of special forces and add more spies to increase the chances of finding al Qaeda's elusive leader.

I see. So we need to "redeploy" our troops currently IN Iraq and Afghanistan, but screw over those poor special forces guys and DOUBLE their presence. Shoot, why don't they just send Joe Wilson back over there. He can come back after a month-long vacation and notify us all that Bin Laden doesn't exist.

Better yet, let's just sic Helen Thomas on them to get more details. She's probably unable to sleep at night knowing that there are missing details that need to be FOUND, dammit! Oh wait, that's only if it's a Republican plan. Nevermind.

Republicans have sought to use that division to their own political advantage, claiming that Democrats simply attack the president and his fellow Republicans without presenting proposals of their own.

And this is an errant "claim"...how, again?

All I can hear right now is Lurch's voice saying "I...have a PLAAAAN...."
I need to go listen to Minnie Ripperton to get the awful, awful sound out of my head.

Does someone want to tell me...

she doesn't have the hardest job in the land???

Dubya's down there chillin with Fox and Harper in Cancun while poor Condi has to meet with the frickin' French. God bless her.

(what is going on here, btw? He seems very intersted in her hand... she seems very anxious to have it back...)

Immigration Rant

Earlier this week, thousands of people have protested in major American cities against new immigration legislation being debated in Congress. We've recently learned that these protests were well organized by the Spanish language media. Makes sense, if I had my way, those Spanish language media folks would be out of business, but they obviously want as many Spanish-speaking people pouring in as possible; they can charge higher advertising rates then. Heck, from their standpoint, it would make sense to encourage so much Hispanic immigration that our national language gets changed to Spanish!

My question is --what's up with Congress? An excerpt from this link:

National polling data could not be more emphatic — and has been so for decades. Gallup Poll (March 27) finds 80 percent of the public wants the federal government to get tougher on illegal immigration. A Quinnipiac University Poll (March 3) finds 62 percent oppose making it easier for illegals to become citizens (72 percent in that poll don't even want illegals to be permitted to have driver's licenses). Time Magazine's recent poll (Jan. 24-26) found 75 percent favor "major penalties" on employers of illegals, 70 percent believe illegals increase the likelihood of terrorism and 57 percent would use military force at the Mexican-American border.
An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (March 10-13) found 59 percent opposing a guest-worker proposal, and 71 percent would more likely vote for a congressional candidate who would tighten immigration controls.
An IQ Research poll (March 10) found 92 percent saying that securing the U.S. border should be a top priority of the White House and Congress.
Yet, according to a National Journal survey of Congress, 73 percent of Republican and 77 percent of Democratic congressmen and senators say they would support guest-worker legislation.

Why aren't our elected representatives listening to the will of the American public? Personally, I would have protested the legislation they've been debating, too --it doesn't go far enough or do enough about this problem. Unfortunately for all of us, Congress doesn't really see illegal immigration as the problem that the rest of us recognize it as.

Here's my take on immigration --yes, this is a country founded by immigrants. LEGAL immigrants. Got that? LEGAL. It is not fair to punish those on long waiting lists to get into this country legally to grant amnesty in any form to those who come here illegally. Any type of amnesty granted, no matter how it's disguised in legislation, sends the message loud and clear: as long as you make it here, we won't kick you out. We'll find a way to let you stay in our country.

My other issue with this massive flood of illegals who, let's be realistic, are primarily Mexican, is our catering to them. There are places that insist classes be taught in Spanish. Why does my ATM first ask me if I want my transaction in English or Spanish? How about every 800# you call, etc. Prior to this recent flood of Mexican illegals over the last 40 years, immigrants that came to this country wanted to assimilate to our culture. They learned English. Sure, they might have lived in a neighborhood where people spoke their native language, but they learned English in order to prosper in the greater American society.

Not only does illegal immigration present a national security concern (how many terrorists are slipping in with the Mexican families?), but it does threaten the identiy of our country. and all the PC crap you want to prattle isn't going to change that. People that come in legally take citizenship classes and learn a little about this country; they have more respect for our systems and history. Oh, and we know where they are and can monitor them if we think they're terrorists.

Sillyness.

Remember a little while ago we posted Dick Cheney's outrageous Hitler-esque demands for his hotel accomodations? You know, asking for decaf to be brewed upon his arrival?

That one page of suggestions?

Check out John Kerry's. All. Four. Pages of it. He hates celery. And *snort* tomatoes. (apparently, in fairness, some of the "demands" are made by that ever classy dame and role model to children everywhere, Teresa Heinz Kerry...)

And the Republicans are the snooty elites.
Whatever.

Cats are evil?

UPDATE: Cats gone wild. *pfwahahahaha!!*

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Residents of the neighborhood of Sunset Circle say they have been terrorized by a crazy cat named Lewis. Lewis for his part has been uniquely cited, personally issued a restraining order by the town's animal control officer.

"He looks like Felix the Cat and has six toes on each foot, each with a long claw," Janet Kettman, a neighbor said Monday. "They are formidable weapons."

The neighbors said those weapons, along with catlike stealth, have allowed Lewis to attack at least a half dozen people and ambush the Avon lady as she was getting out of her car.

Some of those who were bitten and scratched ended up seeking treatment at area hospitals.

Animal Control Officer Rachel Solveira placed a restraining order on him. It was the first time such an action was taken against a cat in Fairfield.

In effect, Lewis is under house arrest, forbidden to leave his home.

Mycathatesyou.com. Classic.

****

Debbie Schlussel hates cats. Like, really hates cats. Apparently they spread bird flu, too. Oh and? She hates cats. Well, y'know what? I'm not a huge fan of dogs. Sure, I love, love LOVE other people's dogs (especially you, Zoey and Jesse, Maggie and Marty, Madeline - you know who you are. Love you guys. Big kisses.), but for me, a cat is perfect. No letting them out at 4am, no bathtime, no hiring someone to watch said dog when you go on vacation. Nope, cats take care of themselves very well, thank you. They're perfect. Especially Mr. Perfect himself, Isaac. He's affectionate, loving, attentive, loyal, smart. And cute. Did I mention cute? He can catch a fly, mid-air, with one paw, too. Very entertaining. Until you catch him licking himself, humping a furry pillow, or eating an earwig. Then I wonder what I see in him. Oh. And he doesn't like anyone else but me. And he tends to scratch furniture and leave hair on black articles of clothing. He also sometimes throws up in wierd places. But other than...well, that stuff, he's the perfect pet.

"Once upon a time, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this."

"Dogs have owners, Cats have staff".

"You haven't been ignored 'till you've been ignored by a cat"

Totally unrelated...I just noticed our TTLB Ecosystem rating is "Adorable Little Rodent". (awww...) You know, speaking of cats and all. :)

Hey Now!

OK, I have to take exception to the below post. I happen to drive a Chevy Equinox. LOVE it. My brothers have TrailBlazers --LOVE them. My parents also like their Cadillacs. I've also driven the new Impala and Malibu and found both fun to drive. GM, particularly Chevy, have definitely turned things around in the last five years or so with good new product designs and better quality. Obviously, they have a long way to go to change public perception.

As far as the engineers getting laid off goes --don't bash their products and then complain when the designers of those products you're bashing are getting laid off. Come on, what are we here --the French? Do we expect job guarantees for life? (I've also heard these workers are getting fabulous payouts for leaving (some to the tune of $200,000) BTW) Sure, I feel for them. But GM isn't going to be able to start building better cars cheap enough to compete with the Asians without making some major changes.

The facts are that GM is struggling. Its biggest problem is health care and pension costs for former employees. (Union employees used to have health care covered by GM for LIFE) The entire manufacturing industry in America is changing as we become more and more of a global economy. How could GM compete when they're paying great wages and covering health care for life for Union employees when Toyota can go down south, hire cheap, non-union employees, and not come close to matching GM benefits? Is it any wonder Toyota could have put that extra money into other aspects of their product?

I'll acknowledge that the U.S. auto makers took a big siesta in the 1980s and 90s, never dreaming that the Asians were a threat. They've recently woken up and are starting to turn around. GM is the largest auto maker, so it's got the biggest clean up job. Personally I'm glad that they're trying to fix things themselves instead of selling out to the Germans. (cough- did you refer to them as Chrysler before?) The Jeep brand aside, "Chrysler" was not doing so well until a few years ago either and their products were nothing to boast about.

At the end of the day, we should be more supportive of our employers. Whether you work directly for them or for a supplier, the entire economy of the New Fallujah area depends on the Big 3. And I applaud the product improvements GM has been making.

And once again, let me tell you that my Chevy Equinox is the most fabulous small SUV out there. It has more rear seat leg room than any SUV in its class, the AWD is hardly challenged unless we have at least a foot of snow, it has a NHTSA five-star frontal and side impact crash test rating, and has more standard horsepower than the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape. So THERE.

Black Tuesday

Bastards.

Since I work for a "supplier" of the General, I get to hear all the meaningless platitudes by upper management talking about how this could be a "good thing in the end" and how they're "positive" about the future.

Sure, if they can get their collective overpaid, overinflated heads out of their collective butts, maybe. BIG "maybe".

This is the same mismanaged company who can't design a decent car to save their lives. (Aztek, anyone? HHR? Does anyone think they missed the boat on the whole HHR thing? Looks like they're a bit late to compete with the success of the PT Cruiser, don't you think?) This same company who for years hasn't been able to keep up with the new and cool - not to mention well-made - designs coming out of Chrysler and foreign automakers. (Ford isn't exactly doing a stellar job either, frankly)

So what do they do? Unceremoniously get rid of people who have dedicated 20, 30, or 40 years to the company.

This is not a good time to live in New Fallujah. Not at all. I'll probably get in trouble for bashing the company that essentially signs my paycheck, but at this point? I don't care. I drive a Jeep, not a Chevy, for a reason.

Bastards.

I'm in a very dark place today, so please excuse the light posting.

Sean Penn: Sicko

(but we already knew that)

Apparently he gets his sick jollies "violating" a little doll that bears the likeness of Ann Coulter.

No, I'm not kidding.
What a freak.

There's a certain brand of 'gay'

...that simply disturb me. (more here, here, and here.) Will and Grace sometimes makes me cringe, too, but this? Is enough to cause nightmares.

This is almost as bad.

(both links SFW)

A picture worth a thousand words...

There's a blog I visit often as a mom-to-be that usually contains some advice, stuff to buy, and other little gems. If you're a parent or a parent to be, go visit someday.

This morning I was surfing around, having gotten up at 7am again - darn internal clock - and found this absolutely priceless photo. (I hope I'm not plagarizing anything or using this without "proper permission" - not sure how the site's Flickr Pool is supposed to work...)


If the little guy was a bit older, I can just hear my grandfather blaming the noxious fumes filling up the room on one of his two bull mastiffs (it usually WAS the dogs' fault, in fairness). I wonder what mischief the kid got into that is being blamed on the poor dog.

Anyway, it made me laugh out loud - at 7am - so I needed to share it with ya'll.
Have a wonderful Sunday!

Dangerous Precedents

Can anyone tell me when I moved to China? Because until the last year I always thought that I lived in America, land of the free.

Sure it's been building up for years --people telling me how I should live my life. You're evil if you smoke, drive an SUV, eat red meat, spank your kids, etc., etc., etc. But other than being annoyed, I was able to ignore the screaming advice and admonitions.

My first real glimpse into this parallel communist universe was the Supreme Court's unconstitutional eminent domain ruling. I still can't believe that this happened in the United States of America. I further can't believe that there's not more outrage among my fellow Americans. Have we become so lazy and self-absorbed that we either don't realize the significance of this ruling, or don't care enough to be outraged? Rest assured, when a developer decides to build condos or a mall on top of your house, you'll probably start to care then.

The latest communist antics come out of the most unlikely place --Texas. Police officers there have decided that it's not acceptable for legal adults to consume too much alcohol at a bar. (Including hotel bars, where the drinker is spending the night; this has nothing to do with driving) This is not the police being called in to arrest an unruly drunk disturbing the peace or threatening other patrons; the police are actually doing sweeps of bars to arrest people that they feel, at their disgression, have drank too much.

What happened to the concepts of personal responsibility and accountability? If I want to chain smoke whilst guzzling a bottle of Jack and eating a massive steak with ice cream on top, no one should be able to stop me! Regardless of your personal aversion to alcohol or meat or your superior exercise and dietary behaviors --in the words of Montgomery Gentry, You do your thing, I'll do mine.

We in modern-day Chino-America need to get involved, we need to be outraged. We need to stand up for individual rights and freedoms. Before this commi-culture road we're walking down goes too far.

A Friday funny.

It was the first day of school and a new student named Pedro Martinez, the son of a Mexican restaurateur, entered the fourth grade.

The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American history".

"Who said 'Give me Liberty, or give me Death?' " She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Pedro, who had his hand up.

"Patrick Henry, 1775."

"Very good!" apprised the teacher. "Now, who said, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth?"

Again, no response except from Pedro: "Abraham Lincoln, 1863."

The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed! Pedro, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do!"

She heard a loud whisper: "Screw the Mexicans!" "Who said that?" she demanded.

Pedro put his hand up. "Jim Bowie, 1836."

At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna puke." The teacher glared and asked, "All right! Now, who said that?"

Again, Pedro answered, "George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991."

Now furious, another student yelled, "Oh yeah? You suck!"

Pedro jumped out of his chair waving his hand and shouting to the teacher, "Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"

Now, with almost a mob hysteria, someone said, "You little s***. If you say anything else, I'll kill you!"

Pedro frantically yelled at the top of his voice, "Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, 2001."

The teacher fainted, and as the class gathered around her on the floor, someone said, "Oh s***, we're in BIG trouble now!"

Pedro whispered, "Saddam Hussein, 2003."

Finally someone throws a eraser at Pedro, someone shouted "Duck"!
The teacher came to and asked "Who said that?

Pedro: Dick Cheney 2006!

It's finally Friday.

And I think I see snow outside. Yep, I definitely see white stuff flying through the air. Sigh. It was actually quite promising-looking this morning. Some sun, not too cold...and now, snow.

As per our "tradition" lately, here are some random Friday nibbles for ya'll. Hope it's warm and balmy and sunny where YOU are.

GAH! My eyes! Ow...ow...

Speaking of "celebrities", this is SO wrong on SO many levels. Naturally, I feel the need to share. Get the brain bleach ready...(SFW)

"Thespian Carbuncle of Bile", Helen Thomas. (extra points for knowing what a "carbuncle" is...)

Your Friday Steyn..."Down with Stability".
Also a very enlightening interview with Hugh Hewitt:

Steyn on Iraq and this mythical "civil war":

When people use terms like insurgency and civil war and all this, think about the meaning of those terms. We've seen what civil war is within recent memory, in Rwanda and Bosnia and Ivory Coast, just to pick three examples. That's where the country gets split from top to toe between different ethnic groups, and they all start killing each other, and rival governments spring up, and there's massive population displacements. None of that is going on in Iraq, and it's absolute...you know, Tim Russert said today, he defended NBC, the media's Iraq coverage, by saying we capture reality. Yeah, they capture reality in the same sense that those insurgent guys capture people. They saw it's head off and shout Allah Akhbar at reality. That's what they're doing when they capture reality. The reality of what's happening in Iraq is very different from what Tim Russert thinks it is.

Steyn on the ABC producer's e-mail:

Well, I think the fact of the matter is, I wouldn't put Bush makes me...you know, a lot of people make me nauseous, but I wouldn't put it on an e-mail, because I wouldn't assume that everyone who saw that e-mail agreed with me. What is reveals is that what the media think of as their impartiality is in fact rather a bland assumption that they all think the same way. And that's what's revealing about this, that he knew he could send that e-mail to all his chums at ABC, and that they would all agree that Bush makes them puke. And the difference is, you know what I think, and I know what you think. And why doesn't...I'm happy that this has come clean, that Bush makes him puke.

I found the two links below yesterday. But I saved them for today. Pretty disturbing, actually. (especially the first one. And yes, both links are SFW.)

Hoarding. It's not all fun and games!

More hoarding. Only this is not as gross. It's just...head-scratchingly wierd that someone would CHOOSE to live like this. (as opposed to the first "hoarding" example that is just downright disgusting)
(both links thanks to Ace)


Anybody doing anything especially exciting this weekend? Just curious.

*heavy sigh* So WHAT?

Is it bad that I read things like this and think "Yeah? So?"

It's a good thing nobody accessed my e-mail during the 2004 campaigns...they'd have read a LOT worse than that regarding Kerry.

Yeah, I know I'm not the head of a major news organization. But is it a suprise to ANYONE out there that the media doesn't like Bush? Anyone?

Oh, and also filed under "Sigh, so what" is Cheney's backstage...er...downtime suite rider. Do you know that friend-shooting, Halliburton-loving fascist likes to have his room set at *gasp* 68?? And that he is so cruel as to ask for decaf coffee to be brewed for him when he arrives? I wouldn't blame the hotel staff if they cried abuse! torture! Aieeee!!! Don't shoot me!

His wife, apparently, in a show of complete spinelessness likes Perrier. What? The VP's wife is supporting the cheese-eating surrender monkeys? Sacre bleu! Off with her head.

Like myself and the Sage, though, he requires...nay, DEMANDS Fox News. Sage, bless her heart, changed rooms on a business trip at 2am because her room didn't have Fox News. Now THERE'S a patriot for you.

Thanks to Drudge.

But...but...everybody's doing it!!

No...no...they're not. Interesting how the MSM and the entertainment industry wants us to believe certain things. Interesting how they've managed to convince us we DO believe certain things.

Until polls like this one come out. (Zogby)

• 59 percent agree that abortion ends a human life while only 29 percent disagree.
• 50 percent of Americans believe life begins at conception while just 19 percent say life begins at birth.

That's a BIG discrepancy from what we've been led to believe. Oh, you think life begins at conception? ::patronizing expression:: You poor, misguided little thing.

Is it any wonder they don't want to put gay marriage and abortion to a vote? They KNOW they're going to lose. Big time.

There's more at that link. Much more. Pretty eye-opening, actually.

Ann Coulter has a few things to say about polls, too. Of course. Dang it, I think I'm a little in love with Ann Coulter. (yeah, yeah, Sage. I know. This isn't a newsflash, is it.)

Sacre Bleu! Riots in France Again

This time it's young people of France protesting a controversial new law that makes it easier to fire younger workers. Wow, that's a novel concept. Firing an employee who is not performing up to scratch... guess that's against their socialist mantra. But like labor unions who would rather see 10,000 auto workers laid off than agree to a reduction of wages or benefits, these young people in France are shooting themselves in the foot. Unemployment is very high in France; it's significantly higher for young people in their twenties. Now, if employers can't fire these young, untested people with little or no work experience, why would they want to take the chance by hiring them in the first place? Just maybe, giving them the out of being able to fire workers who were not up to scratch, might make employers more likely to take the chance with younger workers; after all, their salaries are lower. But then, I wouldn't expect socialists to grasp this common sense concept.

I have some further advice for the young French protesters --um, if the employers didn't want to take the risk by hiring you before, rioting and protesting is NOT going help change their minds! Just a helpful hint...

Yep, they have real problems over there. Personally, I would look to the glorious history of France for ideas to solve their current problems. They could round up the politicians that anger them and bust out the old guillotine. Or they could just surrender to the unemployment and other social problems. Or they could try to exchange barrels of oil for the passage of favorable laws. Any one of these time-tested measures might work for them.

And these are the people that so many on the Left worried didn't support us in the Iraq War... Alrighty then.

Some photos:

Do you think there might be another reason this person has trouble getting a job??


Well, I must say it's nice to see someone else's head as the focal point of a protest, for a change


Can you imagine if they put this much energy into their country's defense??


OK, this guy's wearing a Yankees hat; he deserves to get beat up


On a serious note, I truly do feel bad about what the French are going through. The lasting effects of socialism, folks. Remember it.

What makes a liberal? What makes a conservative?

According to this new "study", The whiny kids tended to grow up conservative, and turned into rigid young adults who hewed closely to traditional gender roles and were uncomfortable with ambiguity.The confident kids turned out liberal and were still hanging loose, turning into bright, non-conforming adults with wide interests. The girls were still outgoing, but the young men tended to turn a little introspective.

Okay, then. I take it "hewed closely to traditional gender roles...uncomfortable with ambiguity" means "black and white" type thinking. Right is right and wrong is wrong? And that's a bad thing...how? I count it a good trait that one isn't ambiguous about what they believe is right and wrong. A good, healthy inquisitive nature is to be encouraged, but so is thinking for one's self and having a backbone. I certainly don't want my daughter to be some namby-pamby, goes where the wind takes her, falls for anything type of person. No, I want her to be the type of woman who says "this isn't right" or "I need to learn more about this" and sticks to her decisions. Gee, kind of like a lot of conservatives I know and admire. (like, dare I say it, our President.)

On the liberal side...if "bright, non-conforming adults...outgoing...a little introspective" means this, or this, or this, or this? I'm going to pray that my baby girl is as whiny as they get.

Update: Please also see the new Washington Post weblog "Red America" and its take on this particular "study".

Another example of "bright, non-conforming...outgoing...a little introspective"

And another...
And those "loose" liberals comfortable with amiguity in gender roles...

Apparently these two were whiny children, doomed to be *gasp* conservatives.



Out of these photos, whom would you like running the country in the age or terrorism? I, personally, would like a man (or woman in the case of Condoleeza Rice) with a spine. A sense of right and wrong and the cajones to do what's right in the face of criticism and persecution. Thank you very much.

Why are there so many liberals?

The Pew Research Center recently came out with its report detailing Americans' news consumption habits. It's a really interesting read, if you have the time.

Some interesting findings...

Most Americans pay only a moderate amount of attention to what is traditionally referred to as hard news coverage of international affairs, politics and events in Washington, local government, and business and finance. A smaller group of news consumers less than a third of the public (31%) consistently focuses on these types of stories. At the other end of the spectrum, about one-in-ten Americans (13%) do not follow these subjects at all, preferring other kinds of news or no news at all.

Clearly, ignorance spawns liberalism. The majority of Americans don't even pay attention to the news, so that would explain why so many of them persist in voting for liberals.

The report has a graphic showing the sources of where Americans who pay attention to hard news go. At the top is actually Rush Limbaugh. (56%, compared to a national average of 31%) No problems with that; Rush covers most important issues of the day and reports the facts accurately. But on the lower end, I was pretty disturbed to see that 23% of Americans who "pay attention" to hard news get their news from The Daily Show! That's a comedy program! It's not news! Wow. I bet those people are all liberals, too....

Um...wha?

UPDATE: Now *this* is a rant. The Anchoress, as usual, gets her point across without profanity (ahem) or hysteria. I feel her pain. And bonus? It makes sense!

UPDATE II/Related: Gateway Pundit notes that when it comes to the war, Democrats have always been wrong, wrong, wrong. And will continue to be wrong. Forever and ever, amen.

****

Can someone explain this post to me? I'm curious. The author is apparently really really upset about...something. Nothing, of course, is substantiated in any way whatsoever, but man, is she PISSED off.

Ya'll know I never visit leftist blogs or troll or anything. I found this blog through another blog relating to parenthood. I found the author's sense of humor entertaining and I'd visit periodically to peek in on someone else's life and get a chuckle at the same time.

But today? I read this latest post and thought...what in the name of all that's holy is she talking about? I can't figure it out. Maybe you can? (I mean no disrespect to the author of this blog - as I said, I've enjoyed her sense of humor in the past. I'm just a bit perplexed by this latest...rant?)

Has anyone else had as much fun as I have watching these neo-cons and war mongers as they attempt to back peddle their stance on Iraq in an attempt to look like something more than George W.’s bitches? From Time to Newsweek to CNN all I’ve seen lately are right-wingers admitting they may have been too hasty to support their boy in office, while not really apologizing for supporting their boy in office. What they are doing now is attempting to salvage credibility instead of admitting that three years ago they were a bunch of p*ssies that were unwilling to question the supreme word of their ruler.

Huh? Um, sweetheart, there are reams and boxes and stacks of information out there saying unequivocably that Bush DIDN'T lie. Who's "admitting they may have been too hasty"? The only "credibility" that needs to be "salvaged" is the liberals' now that information is coming out supporting our reasons for going to Iraq.

This war was nothing more than a personal vendetta that the Bush family had with Saddam Hussein. When the debacle that was the 2000 election happened, I said to my Republican co-workers at the time, that if I was Saddam Hussein, I’d get the hell out of Bagdad, because it was only a matter of time before Junior would try to avenge Daddy.

Bweep! Bweep! Moonbat talking points alert! Bweep! Bweep!

They’ve had complete control for six long years, and in that time our country has gone to total sh*t. We are so crippled in the eyes of the world that we couldn’t invade South Dakota if we wanted to right now. The Arab countries think we’re a big joke, Europe thinks we’re crass, and the Asian countries think we are fiscally irresponsible. Not that I give a flying f*ck what anyone else in the world thinks, but if we are seen as bumbling idiots, then it’s only a matter of time before some really bad things start happening here.

Um...what? Something really bad like...9/11? Good thing we've removed Saddam Hussein and the Taliban, gone after terrorists domestically, and kicking the butt of terrorists all over the place, eh?

How has this country gone to...um...ka-ka? The economy is the best it's ever been, unemployment is down to record lows...oh, heck. I'm preaching to the choir, aren't I.

No more sob stories or tales of woe on how they sort of felt like objecting, but didn’t want to seem unpatriotic, and after all, a world without Saddam is a better world, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Are you saying it's not, honey? Should we just apologize to Saddam and give him his throne back?

Wow. She's really upset about whatever it is she's upset about. I just don't get where she thinks we're all backpedalling. If anything, we've been bolstered by the latest avalanche of information coming out from these translated documents. Which, apparently, she hasn't read.

Here endeth the one and only foray into left-wing blog reading, ya'll.

That manly prime minister

Libs still like to use the word "unilateral" when describing our actions in Iraq and the war on terror. They conveniently forget the coallition of 30+ countries we went into Iraq with.

Let's not also forget our staunchest ally, Great Britain. And let's give thanks that the current English prime minister is a Churchill, not a Chamberlin. Tony Blair, despite his differences with the Bush administration on other issues and despite public opinion in his own country, has the intellectual honesty and the courage to continue to stand up for his strong convictions regarding the war on terror and how to fight it. In short, Blair is "manly." (Libs beware!) He's set to give a series of three speeches on this topic.

Some excerpts on what we can look forward to:

"The only way to win is to recognize this phenomenon is a global ideology; to see all areas in which it operates as linked and to defeat it by values and ideas set in opposition to those of the terrorists," the speech will say.

Blair will contrast his approach with one he calls the "doctrine of benign activity," a doctrine he says sees setbacks in Iraq and Afghanistan as a reason why Saddam Hussein and the Taliban should have been left in place.

"The terrorists know that if they are to succeed either in Iraq or Afghanistan or indeed Lebanon or anywhere else wanting to go the democratic route, then the choice of a modern future for the Arab or Muslim world is dealt a potentially mortal blow," Blair will say.

"Likewise if they fail and those countries become democracies and make progress, then not merely is that a blow against their whole value system but it is the most effective message against their wretched propaganda about America, the West and the rest of the world."

"Manliness" is what's wrong with the Bush White House.

Give me a very large break. This is the most ridiculous article I think I've read yet so far. And that's saying a lot.

...the manliness of the Bush White House has a darker side that has proved more curse than advantage. The prime example is the war in Iraq: the administration's assertion of the right to engage in preemptive and unilateral war; the resolute avoidance of debate about the "slam-dunk" intelligence on weapons of mass destruction; the determined lack of introspection or self-doubt about the course of the war; and the swaggering dismissal of dissenting views as the carping of those not on the team. (and that's bad...how again?)

The administration's manliness doesn't stop at the water's edge. Pushing another round of tax cuts in 2003, Vice President Cheney sounded like a warrior claiming tribute after victory in battle: "We won the midterms. This is our due," Cheney reportedly said. After the 2004 election, Bush exuded the blustering self-assurance of a president who had political capital to spend -- or thought he did -- and wasn't going to think twice before plunking down the whole pile on Social Security.

Lucianne links to this Washington Post article by Ruth Marcus - who apparently thinks Bush should get in touch with his feminine side and quit being so masculine and leadershippy like. Because that's bad. Ugh. Give me a break.

Read at your own risk - it made me throw up a little. (the real entertainment, as usual, is in the commentors on the main Lucianne page.)

Previously: Don't hate us because we're beautiful.

Sad State of Affairs

Great article about the former Taliban spokesman now attending Yale. This article contrasts reactions Yale staff/students have over the former Taliban member to past reactions over former Nazi staff members at the prestigeous, Ivy League school (that, by the way, many Americans would love to attend, but will be denied admission because the school needed to fill their spot and boost campus diversity with a former Taliban member).

Excerpt:

At the same time it might be useful for Yalies to discuss how his case is both different from and similar to those of Vladimir Sokolov and Paul de Man, the Nazi propagandists in Yale's past.

I'll tell you how it's different --it's because sadly, many in academia don't think the Taliban is all that bad. After all, they're fighting the evil Americans, so we should have some sympathy for them, right? Yes, that is the sick, sad truth. Everyone acknowledged the evils of the Nazis; it was OK back then because Democrats were presidents when we defeated that enemy.

To blatantly ignore the Taliban's atrocities in Afganistan, not to mention the murder of 3,000 Americans on 9/11, is to say the least appalling. But the left-leaning academics would rather try to understand and get along with these poor, misunderstood people and expose other Yale students to this great guy's "diverse" background.

Oh, gross.

Consider yourself warned.

(yes, it's SFW)

Oh, and since I'm being all random with the posting today, I got sort of schooled on the "overgeneralizations are bad" thing this afternoon. On 696 today I saw a Prius with a bumper sticker that read "Doing my part to piss off the heathen left".

So...okay. Not everyone that drives a Prius is a liberal. Point taken.

Cindy's our hero

It's been far too long since we've given you a Cindy Sheehan update, so here it is. I found some of these "insights" highly amusing...

...before the death of her soldier son Casey and the political trajectory of her anguish propelled her to divorce, to estrangement from friends, and to a frenetic campaign to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq.

(Or maybe it was just her freakish nature, scary obsession with Bush, detachment from reality and gross muffin top that drove her husband and friends away...)

Her public rhetoric grows angrier. In the earliest interview, after her first meeting with the president, she gingerly described him as sincere while suggesting he didn't satisfy her about the war. In recent months, she has branded him "The Fuhrer" and a mass murderer, demanding his impeachment.

(One has to wonder what happened within her mind to make her opinion of the president change so drastically from right after meeting with him to when he didn't feel it necessary to meet with her again... Didn't she recognize those Fuhrer-esque traits the first time she met Dubya?)

Sheehan has been severed from much of her old life -- or she has severed it herself. Her marriage, her job, her home. Loss of most of her friends, whom she cannot forgive for voting to re-elect Bush. Loss of her Catholic faith (a former youth pastor, she has abandoned Christianity and envisions a universal spiritual creator.)

(Hmmm.. maybe that's her real problem...)

And because the world just doesn't know enough about this brave press whore, Susan Sarandon is set to portray her in a biographical movie! I wonder if Susan will abandon her usual make-up and bulk up to more acurately portray this hero.... I certainly can't wait for the premier; I hope she invites her buddy, Hugo. Should be a smash!

Third Anniversary of the start of the Global WOT

As we stop to remember all that we've accomplished these past three years, lets also remember to pray for our soldiers, marines and sailors overseas - and their families.

Two must-read articles regarding this important anniversary:

From the American Thinker - one of the most succinct, comprehensive outlines of our reasons for doing what we're doing and how we're doing that I think I've ever read.

Prepare to celebrate an important anniversary, someting to mark with pride. Rest assured the loony left has its own colorful plans in the works.

On March 19 three years ago President Bush addressed the nation, and the world, from the Oval Office:

“My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger. On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein’s ability to wage war. These are the opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign. More than 35 countries are giving crucial support…every nation in this coalition has chosen to bear the duty and share the honor of serving in our common defense.”

Operation Iraqi Freedom had begun.

Taking the decision to go to war is always a grave one. The reasons, the casus belli, President Bush considered before acting were more than sufficient to justify that decision.

And he goes on from there to carefully and concisely wrap up all our reasons and causations for doing what we did - and will continue to do. Very much worth the read.

From Ace of Spades - more proof that we're doing the right thing. As if we needed any. The comments section of this post is particularly entertaining, if you have time to read through all 159 (at last count) of them.

Previously:
Bush didn't lie.
For the last time. A comprehensive look at the WOT that even a liberal might be able to comprehend. (if only they'd read it...)

Happy First Day of Spring!

Mind you, it won't LOOK like spring here in New Fallujah until about...oh, June or so. I think it was last year that we got snow in May? Something like that.

Anyway, when I went outside this morning to start the car, I saw daylily sprouts peeking out of the frozen ground, and there was even a robin hopping around on my front lawn.

My mom had a lovely poem she used to share with us kids when we were little that still cracks me up to this day:

Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
I wonder where the birdies is?

Hee.
Happy Monday!

A must-read: Ben Stein blasts Hollywood.

Thank you to Timmer over at Righting America for posting this letter by Ben Stein (that you'll never read in the MSM...gee, wonder why...). You must go read the whole thing.

A snippet:

Hollywood is above all about self: self-congratulation, self-promotion, and above all, self-protection. This is human and basic, but let's not kid ourselves. There is no greatness there in the Kodak theater. The greatness is on patrol in Kirkuk. The greatness lies unable to sleep worrying about her man in Mosul. The greatness sleeps at Arlington National Cemetery and lies waiting for death in VA Hospitals. God help us that we have sunk so low as to confuse foolish and petty boasting with the real courage that keeps this nation and the many fools in it alive and flourishing on national TV.

Indeed.

Peace Symbol drawing for Dummies and other Sunday stuff...

Good catch, Michelle Malkin. Good for a snicker or two, at least.

Rumsfield says leaving Iraq now would be like leaving postwar Germany with the Nazis. Well...DUH. Of course it would be. This is news? I thought it was common sense. Are people stupid enough to think that this war would be over in a year? Contrary to what the MSM wants you to believe, Iraq has drafted a constitution, the Iraqi Police have taken over the vast majority of security functions. There is sectarion violence and things like that, but overall the seeds of democracy has been planted and we can't leave. Period. I thought that was obvious. 'Course I also thought it was obvious that we would go INTO Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11, but I found out the hard way that there are people out there that believe war never solved anything. Except for ending communism, fascsim...oh, but you've seen the bumpersticker. :)

From Lucianne, more translated documents and commentary...don't look for this in the MSM. Ever.

These documents add to the growing body of evidence confirming the Iraqi regime's longtime support for terrorism abroad. The first of them, a series of memos from the spring of 2001, shows that the Iraqi Intelligence Service funded Abu Sayyaf, despite the reservations of some IIS officials. The second, an internal Iraqi Intelligence memo on the relationships between the IIS and Saudi opposition groups, records that Osama bin Laden requested Iraqi cooperation on terrorism and propaganda and that in January 1997 the Iraqi regime was eager to continue its relationship with bin Laden. The third, a September 15, 2001, report from an Iraqi Intelligence source in Afghanistan, contains speculation about the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda and the likely U.S. response to it.

More: A must-read post over at Amy Proctor's blog. Well-researched and written as usual.

Have a fantastic Sunday, ya'll!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'll be sure to drink enough green beer for DP, too. Hope everyone is having a good Friday.

Miscellaneous Thursday...

NEWSFLASH!! Bush is proven to be the reincarnation of Hitler. No, really. Go look! There are pictures!!

This? Is disgusting. For pete's sake, this woman is an absolute embarassment.

Buddy the wonder dog. Don't ask. I was mesmerized.



Yeah, yeah, okay fine. Politics. Guess what? More documents have been translated. And guess what? Saddam and Al Qaeda had ties. *feigning suprise* I wonder if this will shut ANYONE up? Yeah, you're right. Probably not. Especially when yesterday I posted about some of the translated documents uneqivocably stating that Bush didn't, in fact, lie about anything - we get a comment like this:

"Ummm... "newly discovered information", in other words, it was unknown before??

I have never called Bush a liar, sure I criticize him (that's my job as a responsible citizen). But it sounds like you are justifying a lie, because in the end, he may have been right."

Ummmm...WHAT? If anyone speaks Moonbat, please translate this for me. Thank you.

Also please see the Anchoress' roundup.

On a happier note, a supplier of mine just gave me chocolate. Lots of it. AND...there are chocolate chip cookies in the office kitchen. Makes for a happy pregnant lady. (FAT pregnant lady...but happy all the same)

Speaking of which, can you all believe yours truly is EIGHT and a HALF months along? And I'm finally looking it. For the last 8 months nobody believed I was pregnant. Guess all those years of teaching boxing and working out and whatnot paid off...even though I've been a lazy slug since I found out I was expecting. Hope this means I'll be back looking halfway decent (minus 35 pounds) in no time? Yes? What's that? Oh, fine. Hey, it's my lie, I'll tell it however I want.

Wednesday stuff...

(bumped to the top)

First up: An unintentionally hilarious (unintentionally by Ms. Stabmenow) photo sent to us by our friend PCD. (Note to self: when attacking someone, make sure that the attack itself doesn't make you look like a complete and utter moron. Sort of takes the teeth out of whatever it is you're trying to accomplish.)

Update: The Photoshopping has begun...



It is SO hard to come back to "reality" after being on vacation for 5 days. I walked in the office this morning to piles and stacks of paperwork, 54 e-mails, and a voice mail box full of messages.

Nice to be missed.

I didn't really listen too much to the news while I was gone, which I probably should have. (hey, I was BUSY, ya'll!)

I was made aware of some goings on this morning, so I'll be sure to blog about it once I'm un-buried from under this pile of stuff that needs my attention. Mostly I heard tidbits about some "censure" thing that I believe Sage mentioned below (whatever), Saddam is acting up at his trial (whatever), and some FAA lawyer is in deep doo-doo for coaching witnesses in the 9/11 trial (sigh).

Who watched "24" on Monday? What the #$% is going on over there that they're killing everyone off? Dang it, I liked Edgar. Blogs for Bauer doesn't believe Tony's dead, by the way. Neither do I. So. When's President Noodlespine going bye-bye? Soon? Was anyone else glad to see Samwise Gamgee go? Nice that he got to go out like a hero after he caused the whole darn mess in the first place. I just feel sorry for the security guard guy, though.

ALSO: Please go wish our friend Peakah a heartfelt "Happy Anniversary". But first you have to read the post to go along with the anniversary announcement that left me all blubbery and teary-eyed. It's a beautiful, sweet post about his wedding day. Happy Anniversary, Peakah!!

Credit card companies suck.

Remember my rant from a while ago about how credit card companies (one in particular) were giving me fits?

Check this out.

Scary, isn't it.

You won't see this in the NYT anytime soon - if ever.

Bush didn't lie. This is no newsflash for any of us living in reality where the sky is blue and we all breath oxygen and whatnot, but I'm sure it will cause the moonbats some indigestion. Not that they'll ever hear it in their isolated echo chambers through their tinfoil hats or anything.

Newly translated Iraqi documents from Saddam Hussein's regime show that President Bush was factually accurate when he told the nation in his 2003 State of the Union Address that Iraq had recently sought uranium from Africa.

Bush's 16-word statement had formed the basis for the claim adopted by administration critics that "Bush lied" about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs.

But according to the Washington Times today, an unnamed U.S. official reports that "newly translated Iraqi documents . . . tell of Saddam seeking uranium from Africa in the mid-1990s."

The documents also speak of burying prohibited missiles, a government official familiar with the declassification process told the paper.

In his January 2003 address, Bush told the nation:

"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

The statement prompted former ambassador to Iraq, Joseph Wilson to complain to the New York Times seven months later: "I have little choice but to conclude that some of the intelligence related to Iraq's nuclear weapons program was twisted to exaggerate the Iraqi threat."

The new documents strongly suggest, however, that Wilson was wrong - and that the "Bush lied" mantra adopted by most Democrats since Wilson first made his complaint has been based on bogus information.

No. Really? Shocker.

Walk the Walk if you're gonna talk the talk, desperate losers

Here's my blogging contribution for the week... Bill Frist finally did something I approve of. He said OK, Feingold, if you want to run your mouth whining about censuring the president, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and let's put it to a vote. All you Dems who like to smear our president for the cameras and your liberal followers out there, let's actually make you stand up and do something about all that sh*t you're saying. You like to talk trash. You have been whining for MONTHS now about Bush's "domestic spying" and how he's "made up" laws, etc. Let's now act on all that he's done that you're so angry about.

But do the Dems actually want to vote on the censure any more than they wanted to vote on impeachment? Well, no, uh, we don't actually want to vote... Why? Because they'll be shown for the desperate losers that they are.

BTW --did you hear about the awful tornadoes in the midwest over the weekend? It's terrible. There have been at least ten people dead, hundreds of homes destroyed... And to add to Rush's point this week --WHERE was FEEMA? Didn't Bush KNOW that the trailers that were devastated couldn't stand up to a cat 5 tornado? You know what this proves, don't you? President Bush hates white people!

(psst...Sage. He hates Hawaiians, too.)

Have a good week, ya'all

Light Blogging this weekend! (random open post)

Since this is an open thread, why don't I throw random stuff on it?

Why not ideed.

• For starters, I am totally ordering like 50 sets of these. Forthwith.

• Seeing as how I'm not a guy - but rather a very straight chick - Pam Anderson disgusts me.

• Have any of you waited tables in your lifetime? If you have, this is a terrific site for waiters/waitresses. The guy's a waiter at a snooty upscale NY restaurant. His writing style is hypnotic. Check it out.

• This should really be its own post, but Evil from Land of the Evildoers sent me this link today. At first I was incensed. Then I started reading other people's opinions. I'm not done thinking about it yet, but I thought I'd put it out there for your consideration.

Addition: Yet another opinion for your consideration.
I'm definitely going to have to do a post on this. But by the time I get back and get around to it it'll be old news.

*****

Hi ya'll, Patriotette here. I will be in another state (where it's WARM, thank you very much) Friday through Tuesday. I can pretty much guarantee you that I won't be posting much - if at all - during that time. (Sage probably will, though. She's cool like that.)

There's a good chance we'll be posting throughout the day today, though...

I don't know how this will go over, but we can consider this an open comments/trackback post for anyone with any burning issues to discuss. I'll (or the Sage, or both) check in periodically to see how everyone's doing.

Have a fantastic weekend!
Patriotette

DeLay wins primary in Texas.

UPDATE: It didn't take long for the liberals to start caterwauling about a "conspiracy" and how the primaries in Texas were "rigged".

****

Wow, this is gonna leave a mark...

HOUSTON (AP) -- In his first election since he was indicted and forced to step aside as majority leader, Rep. Tom DeLay held off three challengers to keep the Republican nomination to the U.S. House. Now he faces what many consider the real contest - a general election fight against an organized, well-funded Democrat with a score to settle.

Blah, blah, whatever. I think it's funny that this journalist is having a hard time spitting out the words "DeLay won" anything. And has to keep throwing in Abramoff and "indicted" and whatnot to make it more palatable. Because, as we know, there have been NO Democrats involved with Abramoff, right, Howie Dean?

Oh and?

(Wikipedia calls this his 'smugshot'. Love it. har.)

Bring it.

From Insolublog comes one of the best rants I think I have ever read. Hands-down.

You must go read the whole thing. You won't regret it.

A taste:

Is now the time to reach across the aisle, to our fellow Democrat?

This was the subject of an e-mail I received today. The body of the mail included a admission of liberal intent, with the standard claim of personal hatred for the president...

...Bring on all those ‘527s, paving the road to hell, with the intentions of shallow brained, walnut sacked moderates, who wouldn’t know enough to step off the train tracks with a 130db steam whistle heating their ears and a mega-candlepower headlight burning out their orbs. Let the train run them down, full speed, as they are checking their wet fingers for the breezy direction from all those ridiculous media opinion polls.

I love the divisive, rock-em-sock-em robots in Washington. Bring on Zell Miller. Give him that snake-killing shovel. Point him in the direction of Jim Carville and say:

"See that snake, Zell? It's threatening your grandchildren. Go kill it, brother!"

I want every dork that Borked Bork, get Borked themselves and dragged through the ideological streets of the capital, with a rope fashioned by their own rhetoric, behind the conservative chariot.

Screw the hand-pumping, smile on the face, with a dagger under the toga, duplicitous, bipartisan, hypocritical Senate posturing. The Wellstone funeral, the King funeral, the SOTU speech antics and the SCOTUS hearings proved that we don't need no stinking decorum. Cast it away, I say. Take the padded boxing gloves off, and put on chain mail, and brass knuckles.

Oh, yeah. Go read it all.

Because we heart our male readers

here's something just for ya'll.

(h/t Beautiful Atrocities)

Bush: Good Republican or Socialist in Disguise?

Speakers at the Cato Institute's recent conservative forum did not have many good things to say about President Bush. In fact, they go so far as to call him a "socialist." Personally, I think some of these people sound as stark ravingly paranoid as a liberal.

We're Bush fans here at Conservababes. We think he's a good guy --honest, genuine, etc., who truly cares about this country. We support his strategy to win the war on terror. We're glad he got tax cuts through (can we PLEASE make them permanent now??), and are happy with his Supreme Court appointments.

However, he does spend A LOT of money. I'm all for spending on the military. I understand why we wanted to give aid to victims of Katrina (though not sure the aid has been appropriated in the right way...). But I do see the point these speakers made about his spending and growth of government.

Reagan was the man. Wish we had ten more of him to run this country. I like Bush, but he's no Reagan. Someone needs to remind him that Republicans like SMALLER government and LESS spending.

What does everyone think???

BTW, we have no wish to hear from you rabid Bush-hating liberals out there. Your opinions don't matter on this one. Thanks.

Here's something even the liberals can help me with...

UPDATE II: Sheesh, it's "All 24 all the time" around here these days. Stumbled on this funny post by the Conservative UAW Guy (yeah, I thought the same thing) entitled "24 Fun Facts!" Cute. (thanks, Peakah)


UPDATE: (finally, I can post. Sheesh ,with Blogger down for so long I actually had to WORK!!)

*ahem* Anyway, I spoke to my brother last night who informed me that there is a lapse of time between seasons. Then (thank you PCD and Gear Daddy!!) I came in today and found some of our buddies helped out, too. I feel so much more fulfilled now. Thanks! (even though I feel like a total liberal...I mean dork for having to ask.)

Speaking of television and whatnot, have you ever been to Television Without Pity? Great recaps of shows over there. So if you miss an episode, trot on over there and you'll get the lowdown. Like this synopsis of Monday night's "24". And I found this in the forums regarding continuity...



I have a question. A burning question for the ages that I need answered. Seriously. This is very very important.

Who watches "24"? Anyone?

It seems that each season is a "day". Right? I got that part. I've been watching the first season in an attempt to catch up lately and I have a Very Important Question.

Since they've been calling Palmer "President Palmer" in the episodes I HAVE seen from other seasons (reruns), does that mean that he was elected, then only president for...what. Three days? There must have been an interim President (who was killed when terrorists blew up his airplane with his son on board - saw that episode), which put President NoodleSpine...I mean Logan in office but where did he come from if only 4 days have elapsed?

Maybe someone will tell me that there are years between seasons or something.

Just asking, because I'm sure I'm not going to watch the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons on DVD.
Thanks in advance, ya'll.

A heaping helping of "Awwwww".

This is so syrupy sweet and sappy.
Cheesy and gratuitous, even.

But on a day like today, don't we all need a big ol' spoonful of "Awwwww"? (click photos for larger, click link for more...)

Here, a monkey and a kitten share some tender moments...


And a baby squirrel named Finnegan hangs with some Papillon puppies.


What. I said it was sappy.
Now go enjoy more of it. Go ahead. I won't tell anyone.

Trip to the UN...free.

Updated 3/7: Well, we were rather kind. I had an opening to be catty and nasty and I refrained. (patting self on back)

HOWEVER. Ace has some definite opinions to share on the topic (Well, the call her Peace Mom not Peace Milf. ouch!).

Beautiful Atrocities stages a fashion intervention.

Funny, funny stuff. (warning, photos contained in links are eye-bleedingly horrific. Click at your own risk...)

****

Appointment with UN Missions representative...free.

Being a screeching moonbat...free.

Getting arrested for being a screeching moonbat...priceless.

Yeah, yeah, she'll be out by dinnertime. Still loved the pictures, though. Can't you just hear her? "BUT I'M CINDY FRICKIN' SHEEHAN YOU FASCIST!!"

An actual conversation.

In response to news such as this, I remembered an actual conversation with a friend of mine that went something like this (the conversation took place many years ago, so my responses weren't as pithy as they would have been had this exchange happened, say, today):

Friend: "Why SHOULDN'T other countries be able to have nukes? Who are we to tell them they can't?"

Me: "Um, because they'll use them against us."

F: "How do you know that? Don't they deserve to have the same weapons we do? What makes us so special?"

M: "We're a superpower. We're America for crying out loud. We can't have whacko countries like Iraq (Iran in this case) develop weapons that can be used against a) their neighbors and b) us - or anyone they happen to disagree with!"

F: "But who are we to say?"

It went on from there. On and ON and ON from there. (update: my friend sure sounds an awful lot like this guy. Like "Bennish Lite" or something. The Diet Coke of Bennish. Just one calorie - not stupid enough.)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons and faces "meaningful consequences" if it persists in defying the international community, Vice President Dick Cheney said on Tuesday.

Cheney, speaking to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, also reaffirmed that the United States was keeping all options on the table -- including military force -- in its determination to prevent Iran from developing nuclear arms.

"The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course the international community is prepared to impose meaningful consequences," Cheney said.

Cheney spoke as the 35-nation International Atomic Energy Agency governing board was meeting in Vienna to decide its next steps on Iran.

"For our part, the United States is keeping all options on the table. ... We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Cheney said.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said late on Monday that Washington would seek to have European allies and others, possibly including Russia and China, join it in imposing travel and financial sanctions on Iran if it refused to halt nuclear uranium enrichment.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had dinner on Monday night with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and was to hold further meetings on Tuesday.

If you're gonna call somebody stupid...

...at least try to spell it right.

Update: this morning she's blaming it on her typist. SHE didn't make the errors. It's someone else's fault. Typical lib. Never take responsibility for anything...if something goes wrong, blame it on someone else!!

(like President Bush. or Karl Rove.)

Off-topic mini-rant about credit card companies...

Last year I got a "The Great Indoors" master card (owned by Sears...that should have made me say "no thanks" right off the bat...) to help buy some kitchen-related goodies when I was renovating. It was no interest or payments for a year so I said "sure! why not." It paid for my appliances and whatnot, and still has a relatively low interest rate which is a good thing.

About 6 months ago, while on a business trip that lasted two weeks, I forgot to schedule my online payments for my bills. Consequently my TGI Master card was about...oh, 8 days or so late. Not too bad, oopsie me, whatever. NOT according to Sears. They called me 4 times in one day, then 3 times the next day. I finally gave in and answered the phone the 4th time they called. Took care of it, apologized for being somewhat late, explained the situation, and was nice to the guy on the other end of the phone.

I thought that was that. I was wrong. They CONTINUED CALLING ME for a week - or until my payment had cleared. Now, please explain this to me: I wasn't 30 days late. I wasn't 90 days late. I hadn't even technically missed a billing cycle. I talked to someone there, who supposedly made a "note" in my "file" that things were "arranged" and yet I continued to be harassed. Am I just being ultra-sensitive?

Flash forward to this month. I was paying my bills online (on time, this time) and noticed on my TGI statement that there was a "late fee" from last month even though the statement showed my payment posted well within the due date. "Hm", I thought. I called and politely asked why there was a late fee. I was very embarassed to find out that I had somehow paid the wrong amount. Oops. I again apologized for being a dyslexic dolt and told the guy at the customer service hotline place that I'd make the full payment by the due date this month. And I'm sorry and how did that happen and thanks for your help. "No problem, ma'am, I'll make a note of it thanks for calling". Done. Right?

Wrong. Today - this morning - I get a call from TGI. Yep, so they can tell me I underpaid last month and owe them money. I took a VERY deep breath and told the nice man on the other end of the phone that I talked to someone about this already and they'll get their payment by the 13th. Both he and I considered the matter closed ("thank you, ma'am, sorry for the trouble, I'll make a note, blah blah"), and we hung up.

Since that conversation at 9am today, I have received no fewer than 3 calls from TGI. (update: 4:25 - two more calls...)

Isn't that harassment?
Just sayin'.

Thank you for listening. Had to get that out of my system.
We now return to our regularly scheduled blogging.