Shipp: Dean's discourse not winning over the South

Dean recently appeared in a black church in Columbia, S.C., and, in an uncharacteristic singsong tone, shouted: ''In this house of the Lord, we know that this power rests in God's hands and in Jesus' hands for helping us. But the power also is on this, God's Earth - remember Jesus said, 'Render unto God those things that are God's but unto Caesar those things that are Caesar's.''' The sermon does not quite hang together, but you get the idea.

LOL!!!!

Judge revises his ruling on lesbians' divorce

A judge who granted a controversial divorce to a Sioux City lesbian couple last month has revised his ruling to say it ended only their civil union in Vermont, not their marriage, which is not recognized in Iowa.

(snip)

Iowa bans same-sex marriages and doesn't recognize civil unions.

And people think Dean can win Iowa?

Gephardt banking on momentum in Iowa

A confrontation between supporters of Dick Gephardt and Howard Dean yesterday featured indignant scorn on one side and silent defiance on the other. But the candidate whose appearance prompted the clash - Gephardt - was all smiles.

Labor makes push for Gephardt


Unions flood Iowa as caucus nears

Enuff said.

Green Acres

Gephardt Plows Dean Under for 'Reckless' Farm Comment

Dean (D-VT), according to the Post-Crescent in Wisconsin, said, "I understand farm issues. Nobody else comes from a farm state."

Gephardt (D-MO), who hails from a state with 110,000 farms, took exception to that statement from Dean who hails from a state with only 6,600 farms.

Glass houses, rocks & Howard Dean

There are stark differences between the Cheney and Dean task forces. But the parallel carries more weight when it involves a candidate who has ordered 145 boxes of his official gubernatorial records sealed for 10 years.

It's easy to agree with University of Pennsylvania professor Kathleen Hall Jamieson: "A candidate who attacks on grounds he is vulnerable is foolish."

DEAN TO BUSH: DEM WOULD RATHER SWITCH THAN BE FOOLED

"I myself am a registered Democrat but there is no way I would vote for Howard Dean. I'm going with Bush because I at least have a measure of confidence about his spiritual and moral character."

Think Dean can beat Bush? Think again.

Gephardt calls for eased disability rules

If Gephardt wins the Democratic nomination, Bush will not have an easy task of beating him. As for what Dean has said in the article:

Dean's campaign fired back with a critique of Gephardt's record on special education, arguing that Washington has never fully funded that effort during Gephardt's more than two decades in Congress.

Dean is getting himself deeper in doo doo. Gephardt indeed was in Congress, so were many other Democrats. Then there was Bill Clinton who was president for 8 years on top of that.

Plot to assassinate Saudi royals uncovered

Islamic fundamentalists have mounted an unprecedented series of assassination attempts on senior Saudis, American officials said yesterday, lifting a veil of secrecy imposed by Riyadh.

Loud Mouths 2003 Blog of Shame

Once again the year is coming to an end and as such, we have decided to put forth the energy into some time that results in an opinion that really has no real importance to the journalistic fortitude of blogging.

As stated before, it ain’t the hits that count, it ain’t the spelling or grammar that count, it’s the collective content of the rational thinking behind the misspelling and poor grammar that emulates through the poor typing skills.

So without further ramblings and a drum roll, busy fingers will get to work.

Gregg Easterbrook

What can be said about a professional writer who comes out with this zinnnnnnnnnger.

Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner, is Jewish; the chief of Miramax, Harvey Weinstein, is Jewish. Yes, there are plenty of Christian and other Hollywood executives who worship money above all else, promoting for profit the adulation of violence. Does that make it right for Jewish executives to worship money above all else, by promoting for profit the adulation of violence? Recent European history alone ought to cause Jewish executives to experience second thoughts about glorifying the killing of the helpless as a fun lifestyle choice.

After making such anti-semitic remarks, one would expect an apology.

He did. But first, what about other bloggers who supposedly champion against ant-semitic remarks? What did they say.

Andrew Sullivan.

FIGHTING FOR GREGG: Easterbrook has now been fired from ESPN. His comments, which his colleague Leon Wieseltier has now described as "objectively anti-Semitic," were not written for ESPN; he has never written anything but superb commentary for ESPN; and yet he's now without a job. Slate should pick his football column up again. You can tell ESPN what you think here.
- 9:06:05 PM

Double Standards abound.

Easterbrook should heed his own advice when giving it.

RUSH WENT DEEP WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE HANDED OFF

But what about that apology.

AN APOLOGY: Nothing's worse, as a writer, than so mangling your own use of words that you are heard to have said something radically different than what you wished to express. Of mangling words, I am guilty.

Monday I wrote an item about the disgusting movie Kill Bill, which so glorifies violence as to border on filth. I was indignant that a major company whose work is mainly good, Disney, would distribute such awfulness, in this case through its Miramax subsidiary. I wondered how any top executive could live with his or her conscience by seeking profits from Kill Bill, oblivious to the psychological studies showing that positive depiction of violence in entertainment causes actual violence in children. I wondered about the consciences of those running Disney and Miramax. Were they Christian? How could a Christian rationalize seeking profits from a movie that glorifies killing as a sport, even as a form of pleasure? I think it's fair to raise faith in this context: In fact I did exactly that one week earlier, when I wrote a column about the movie The Passion asking how we could take Mel Gibson seriously as a professed Christian, when he has participated in numerous movies that glorify violence.

(snip)

I'm ready to defend all the thoughts in that paragraph. But how could I have done such a poor job of expressing them? Maybe this is an object lesson in the new blog reality. I worked on this alone and posted the piece--what you see above comes at the end of a 1,017-word column that's otherwise about why movies should not glorify violence. Twenty minutes after I pressed "send," the entire world had read it. When I reread my own words and beheld how I'd written things that could be misunderstood, I felt awful. To anyone who was offended I offer my apology, because offense was not my intent. But it was 20 minutes later, and already the whole world had seen it.

(emphasis added)

As for the attacks on Weinstein, Jack Shafer of Slate, hit the nail on the head when he made the comment that:

Do Disney, Eisner, and Weinstein really purvey the sort of immoral bloody cinema that so outrages Easterbrook? A brief review of Weinstein's credits proves otherwise. If Weinstein worships anything, he worships uplifting and somewhat arty movies. His genius has been finding ways to make money on them. Joe Bob Briggs would have a hard time curating an Ultraviolent Film Festival from the Weinstein filmography if you factored out the Tarantino films and a few Scream-type pics. The real Harvey Weinstein resides in this selective list of films in which he served as executive producer: The Human Stain; The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; Kate & Leopold; The Shipping News; The Others; Chocolat; Love's Labour's Lost; The Cider House Rules; Mansfield Park; She's All That; Shakespeare in Love; Good Will Hunting; The Wings of the Dove; Air Bud; The English Patient; Emma; Flirting with Disaster; Jane Eyre; etc.

Using that same argument, the same can be said to the bigoted remarks Easterbrook made about Christians and making money off violent movies (i.e. Mel Gibson). If one were to examine Icon and the movies produced by Gibson, one would find movies like We Were Soldiers Then, Brave Heart and The Patriot.

Movies that were all told with historical relevance to include the violence. The Mad Max and Lethal Weapon movies were not produced by Gibson and how long ago were those made.

Easterbrook got off easy with his fellow supporters. But what is amazing is the silence of those who attacked Easterbrook when it came to his anti-semitic remarks towards Eisner and Weinstein but were dead silent on Easterbrook's remarks towards Mel Gibson.

Would Easterbrook like a watered down verision of the Passion of Christ where no whips were shown and no blood? The crucifixion of Christ was a very violent action. To make a movie without it would be a farce.

Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan the darling of the darlings in the blogosphere was interviewed by some blogger named John Hawkins. Now keep in mind that John Hawkins is a so-called conservative and thinks Sullivan is the greatest. Now given that Sullivan bills himself as a conservative one has to ask WTF when they read excerpts of his interview.

For the sake of brevity the focus of the interview deals with Dean.

by John Hawkins

John Hawkins: I know it's early, but how do you see the 2004 election shaping up and which candidate are you leaning towards right now?

Andrew Sullivan: It's probably Dean vs. Bush, and I'm leaning towards Bush if Dean doesn't get serious about national security. But if Bush endorses a constitutional amendment against equal marriage rights, I couldn't support him and would urge anyone else who cares about civil rights to follow suit.

(Snip)

John Hawkins: How about dashing off a quick sentence or so about the following individuals...

John Hawkins: George W. Bush

Andrew Sullivan: Dogged

John Hawkins: Bill Clinton

Andrew Sullivan: Flawed

John Hawkins: Ann Coulter

Andrew Sullivan: Bracing

John Hawkins: Howard Dean

Andrew Sullivan: Proud

John Hawkins: Are there any blogs &/or websites you can recommend to our readers?

Andrew Sullivan: Dan Drezner is terrific; Right Wing News is invaluable; then there's musclebears.com (Editor's Note: This appears to be some sort of for pay, gay porn website. Enter at your own risk.)

It is amazing to see stupidity in action. So Sullvian will put his own gayness and
fiscal responsibility above the "security" of the United States by supporting a candidate who made soft statements about Hussein because Bush may support a marriage amendment.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY: "[Bush's] fiscal record is appalling — spending is out of control. The fiscal record of the Bush administration makes Clinton look downright responsible." - Edward H. Crane, president of the Cato Institute, in today's New York Times. If I were Howard Dean, I would combine my populist rhetoric with a laser-beam message about Bush's fiscal recklessness: a left-right two-fer. Fiscal conservatives like me are going to be looking in 2004 for someone - anyone - who can control government spending. We know Bush is hopeless and cares not a whit about this country's future fiscal health. What we need to know is that some Democrat won't be so bad.

BIG GOVERNMENT BUSH: More evidence of the runaway federal government under Bush. The sheer profligacy of this administration continues to astound. If you're a fiscal conservative, Howard Dean is beginning to look attractive.
- 3:14:00 PM


Like we have stated before, Sullivan is a self serving, selfish bigot.

Musclebears indeed. So much for only having "eyes" for his (as he puts it) BF.

Matt Welch

Matt Welch's blog is generally good and well reasoned. But just recently he has continued to harp on Bush and the Royal Saudis. Conspiracies abound about the Saudi Royal family and the Al Qaeda.

Most stories are innuendo or links with Saudis who are not part of the Royal family.

Matt posted this entry on his blog.


Dude, Where’s Your Jacket-Copy Editor?: First paragraph of the wrap on Michael Moore’s Dude, Where’s My Country?:

When the powers-that-be succeeded in ignoring—and then silencing—the nation’s widespread dissent over war, one man stood on an Oscar stage and, in front of a billion people, outed the commander in chief for his fictitious presidency and his fictitious war. Now, just a few months later, those words have remarkably become the accepted truth of the land.This suggests (not “begs”!) a question: How can “widespread dissent” be “silenc[ed]”?
The first chapter (well, at least the Saudi part), is pretty on-target, though. I haven’t been paying any attention whatsoever to the Democratic pre-primaries, but I sincerely hope they are pounding Bush on his disgustingly intimate relations with that obscene royal family. (emphasis added)

12/25/2003 01:46 PM

Most of the bigotry towards the Royal family is borne from 9-11 and is based on information that the Saudi Royal family was involved in 9-11 or they were complicit in 9-11.

Many stories have been posted on this site to the contrary. In fact, one Saudi Prince was assassinated in Algiers by a group that has ties with the Al Qaeda.

And then we have this story coming out on the widespead attempts to assassinate the Royal family.

This story coming out a few days after Welch posted his statements on the Royal family.

Aside from whether or not you like Bush, the Saudis have indeed helped the U.S. in tracking down the Al Qaeda and have been targets themselves.

Damian Penny

Things don't change much with this blogger who is a lawyer. He thinks bin Laden is dead. So does his self made nemisis Michael Rivero, the other kooky conspiracist.

But don't tell him that bin Laden is alive, he wants to see a recent photo of an alive bin Laden.

Now in court you have to have a dead body in order to have a killing. But the Canadian lawyer states bin Laden is dead. Now there is intelligence in action.

And does he think bin Laden is dumb enough to show a recent photo of himself so that he can be tracked? Hussein learned that very quickly.

You know a blogger is a conspiracist when the blogger ignores the facts (no Dead Body) that weigh against their opinion.

Counselor, show us the dead body, until then, we will belive the millions of dollars being spent in Afghanistan and Pakistan on hunting bin Laden is money being well spent.

Atrios

Here is a blogger who liked to think that Davis wouldn't get recalled, felt Bustamante would win the California election and now thinks Dean can beat Bush when conventional wisdom says Nay.

He likes to advertise that het gets 40,000 hits a day. Once again proving that you can be the dunce of the school and be the prom king at the same time.

Glenn Reynolds

Aside from his claims on just about everything, his idea that Atrios and he agree on things is enlightening, when you consider the blogger Atrios thinks Reynolds wears brown-shirts.

Paging Gary Hart. Sheesh.

'Soldiers of Allah' on the Gridiron?
Muslim Football Team Names Raise Some Eyebrows

By CHELSEA J. CARTER, AP


IRVINE, Calif. (Dec. 28) - The idea was innocent enough: A group of young men organize a holiday football tournament and give their teams such innocuous names as "4th and Goal" and "1988'ers." It was some of the other team names that raised eyebrows: Intifada, Soldiers of Allah and Mujahideen.

The furor that followed has forced some teams to change their names and a handful of players to quit. It also sparked a debate that threatens to overshadow the tournament, which was planned primarily for young Muslims and scheduled for Jan. 4.

"This was really just supposed to be about the youth playing football. Now it's become so political that a part of me thinks we shouldn't even play," said Tarek Shawky, 29, one of the tournament's organizers.

Those involved in the league said they never set out to upset or offend anyone. But critics say such names as Intifada and Mujahideen glorify terrorism.

Intifada, "uprising" in Arabic, is a term used by Palestinians for their revolts against Israeli occupation from 1987 to 1993 and over the past three years. Mujahideen, which means "holy warrior," is associated with several Islamic groups that are on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.

"The issue is these are words that are linked to real terrorists, real threats, real murders today," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

"There shouldn't be young Americans chanting the name Mujahideen as American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq are put in danger and attacked daily," Cooper said. "As for Intifada, it has been a disaster for the Palestinians and the nearly 1,000 Israeli children and parents murdered by suicide bombers."


Muslim leaders have asked the teams to reconsider the names.

"Sensitizing our youths is our role as adults," said Hussam Ayloush, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Southern California.

But he also said he believed the players were not being malicious when they decided the names.

"In this case, the choices were totally innocent and meant for a small intra-Muslim tournament whose members all knew what the terms stand for," Ayloush said. "Unfortunately, we are aware that a few of those terms are being tainted by the abominable actions of a few Muslims."

Ayloush and others believe the incident can be used to teach youths about freedom of speech and sensitivity to others.

One member of the Intifada team said a few of his friends were forced to quit because their parents were worried for their safety.

"It's kind of annoying me how big it's gotten," said 16-year-old Mohamad, whose family asked his last name be withheld.

Mohamad, whose family is Palestinian, said little discussion went into selecting the team name.


Mohamad's mother, Nuha, said she wants her son to play despite the controversy but said her sister is considering withdrawing her own son from the tournament.

The uproar began about a month ago after 18-year-old Sabih Khan, who attends community college, began organizing a football tournament for the New Year's holiday weekend. Khan had played football in high school.

"I've been missing it all these years," he said.

Although the league was named "Muslim Football," Khan said it was not limited to Muslims.

He passed out fliers at an Orange County mosque and set up a Web site, inviting teams to register and submit names. Although most submitted names such as "4th and Goal" and "Muslim Football Allstars," three came under fire.

Since then, the tournament's founder has received numerous hate e-mails. The team names also prompted a war of words in local newspapers and on talk radio.

"I don't understand it all. They are just words," Khan said, pointing to professional teams such as the Washington Redskins, a nickname deemed offensive by some American Indian groups.

But Khan said he also has asked the teams to change their names.

While two teams - Soldiers of Allah and Mujahideen - agreed, Intifada has not. Shawky said the team was considering a name change before the tournament.

The league also posted an open letter on the Internet, apologizing "if anyone took offense to what was intended to simply be a positive outlet for Muslim youth."

The letter also defended the use of the word Intifada, citing the Palestinian movement.

Khan and others said they intend to continue with the tournament.

"Controversy comes and goes," he said. "Today it's about the tournament; tomorrow it will be something else."


12/28/03 13:13 EST

Nationalists ahead in Serbia poll

This puts a kabosh on Clark. Kosovo was a failure. Some might even call Clark a hypocrite.



An Analogy: both dictators (Milosevic and Hussein) have been "removed" from power and look what happens in a Democracy such as Serbia.

The question in Iraq is who gets the majority of votes?

AP Enterprise: Dean criticizes Cheney task force, but had own secret energy group

The parallels between the Cheney and Dean task forces are many.

Both declined to open their deliberations, even under pressure from legislators. Both received input from the energy industry in private meetings, and released the names of task force members publicly.

Dean's group volunteered the names of those it consulted with in its final report. While Cheney has refused to formally give a list to Congress to preserve the White House's right to private advice, known as executive privilege, his aides have divulged to reporters the names of many of those from whom the task force sought advice.

The Bush-Cheney campaign and Republican Party received millions in donations from energy interests in the election before its task force was created. Dean's Vermont re-election campaign received only small contributions from energy executives, but a political action committee created as he prepared to run for president collected $19,000, or nearly a fifth of its first $110,000, from donors tied to Vermont's electric utilities.

One co-chairman of Dean's task force, William Gilbert, was a Republican Vermont lawyer who had done work for state utilities. At the time, Gilbert also served on the board of Vermont Gas Systems, a subsidiary of the Canadian power giant Hydro Quebec.

Many state legislators, including Dean's fellow Democrats, were angered that the task force met secretly.

"It taints the whole report," Democratic state Rep. Al Stevens told AP in 1999. "I'd have more faith in that report if the discussions had been open."

Elizabeth Bankowski, who served as the other co-chair of the task force, told the legislature that the requirement the task force meet in secret "was decided in advance by the governor's office and the governor's lawyer." Dean's lawyer argued the secrecy was permitted under a 1988 legal change.

Another secrecy issue has surfaced during Dean's campaign over his decision, before leaving office as governor in January, to seal for 10 years about 145 boxes of his official papers.

Two of Dean's predecessors used executive privilege to seal roughly the same percentage of their documents, but not for so long. A conservative Washington legal group has sued to try to unseal the records.

Dr. Dean the Dim Wit speaks again.

Where is the Beef?

Dean Urges Gov't. Aid for Beef Industry


Dean said such a system should have been set up quickly after the mad cow scare that devastated the British beef industry in the mid- to late-1990s. The Bush administration was still devising its plan when the sick cow was slaughtered Dec. 9, and on Friday the government still hadn't determine the infected animal's origins.


"This just shows the complete lack of foresight by the Bush administration once again," Dean said. "This is something that easily could be predicted and was predicted." (emphasis added for effect of showing another stupid statement)

Hmm, who was President in the mid to late 1990s?

Does quickly mean fours years after it happened in 1996? What a dim wit.

US has to seek its elusive 'most wanted' everywhere

But a senior Iranian security official said: "There have been so many similarly false stories that said bin Laden has been in Tabriz or Qazvin, but they were rumours. People tantalised by the $25m [offered by the US as a reward] have created these myths."

But western intelligence officials are not so sure. One said the main focus of the search remained the Pakistani-Afghan border region but "it is not out of the question that he is in Iran, as we know he has been able to move around".

Those chasing Mr Hussein struggled to find him in the Sunni triangle, north of Baghdad. Those pursuing Mr bin Laden do not have the luxury of restricting their search to one district - or even to one country.

One of the contributors to this site who went under the name Duck Soup posted on Free Republic back in December of 2001 this article.

Osama, Omar both in Pakistan: al Qaeda captives

Fugitive terrorist Osama bin Laden is reported to have escaped from Tora Bora in Afghanistan as early as on November 19 and is hiding in Bajaur area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, according to information received from interrogation of al Qaeda functionaries by US intelligence agencies.

Taliban supremo Mullah Mohammad Omar, who is also on the run, crossed over into Pakistan on December 6 and is stated to be in Gilgit area, informed sources quoting these reports said.

The al Qaeda functionaries, nabbed during the war, are also reported to have told their interrogators that bin Laden was being given shelter in Bajaur by the men of Sufi Mohammad, chief of tribal extremist outfit Tariq-e-Nifaz Shariat Mohammadi.

Mohammad, who had fought alongside Taliban in Kunduz area, was arrested on November 22 by Pakistan when he tried to sneak in through mountain passes, the reports said.

We were right on reports on Hussein having fled three days before the CIA felt Hussein was still in Bagdhad and we have posted the stories that have been right on bin Laden.

Analysts Question Dean's New Discussion of God

A few things jump out here in this article.

1. Gephardt's camp: Howard Dean can never get it straight," said Steve Murphy, campaign manager for Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt (search). "I mean, first, he said that, you know, that southerners shouldn't vote on guns, God and gays, and now he says he's going to use religion more. First, he said, you know, that he was going to be the candidate of people with confederate flag decals, and then he apologized for that. You never know what Howard Dean is going to say. If you don't like it, just wait a little while, he'll change it."

Gephardt will continue to pound Dean on his inconsistencies.

2. The Pew Research Poll: Religious faith has become one of the strongest indicators available of partisan political attitudes. According to a poll released last month from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 63 percent of voters who regularly attend religious services support Republicans, while 62 percent of voters who very rarely or never attend religious services support Democrats.

So where does that leave the black community?

Dean's new religious dialogue may be targeted toward South Carolina, home of the first southern primary on Feb. 3. Among Democrats in South Carolina, African-Americans are expected to play a critical role in the primary. They are also among the most religious of Democrats, and according to the Pew Center, black Baptist and Protestant churchgoers represent the largest segment of the population that frequently attends services, but votes nearly 100 percent with Democrats.

"One important constituency for Democratic candidates are African American churches," said Democratic strategist and Fox News analyst Mary Ann Marsh. "African-American churches in South Carolina, African-American votes are crucial in that primary, and that's the difference between winning and losing."

Can we get an Amen from the Angry White Liberal guy?

U.S. to Offer Humanitarian Aid to Iran

Recap of Loud Mouths 2002 Blog of Shame

Loud Mouths 2002 Blog of Shame

It's not the quantity of hits that counts, because you can be a prom king or queen and still be a moron

The 2002 year is closing and we have decided to come up with the Loud Mouths Blog of Shame. Our focus will be only on the most ignorant and assinine comments made by bloggers.

We could care less about grammar, spelling or sentence structure, cuz as you will see some of the so called best writers on the blogosphere come up with the most assinine statements. So without further adieu and a drum-roll we will start with the most famous and popular blogs and work our way down.

Andrew Sullivan

What more can be said about the self proclaimed gay bigot who likes to use trash talk against the Catholic Church and its policies towards gays. Sullivan is a strong proponent of the gay lifestyle being accepted in the Church and when the focus of the sexual abuse problems of the Church was linked to gay preists, laughably, Sullivan argued celibacy was the problem.

In one Time article, Sullivan stated celibacy was: "an onerous burden that can easily distort a person's psyche."

In another article written for Time, Sullivan stated:

“As a Catholic struggling to keep the faith through all this, I find myself asking: Why? Why can these men not get the enormity of what has happened? The best I can come up with is that they are well-intentioned men who somehow cannot see that what they have enabled is systematic child rape. They resist deep change by claiming that celibacy isn't the issue. But the hierarchy's cover-up of this evil surely has something to do with celibacy. Today's church leaders see sex primarily as an act, fraught with moral danger, not as a relationship, imbued with moral good. And how could they think otherwise? They have never known sexual relations — only sexual fantasy, masturbation and struggle. So perhaps it never occurred to them, as the writer Michael Sean Winters has pointed out, to see this abuse from the child's point of view. “


Well if celibacy is such a burden then why were the Four Now Charged In Child Sex Abuse Case not preists.

Sullivan was dead silent on this news as was the mainstream media for the national outlets. But it was interesting to note Rathmann’s comments on investigative journalism on gays in parks. Evidently Rathmann didn’t like what was being photographed.

As it turns out, some of the rapes occurred in parks. And celibacy certainly did not enter the equation of the criminal behavior of the rapists.

A pattern of behaviour perhaps?

Glenn Reynolds

Next that illogically lopsided law professor who professes to be an Instapundit, Glenn Reynolds. Here is a law professor who if I was a parent and saw that my child's education was influenced by this moron; the buck would stop.

Remember the West NIle virus? Well here is the latest headline: West Nile's Widening Toll

What did Instapundit have to say months back on the virus?

August 03, 2002

I'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL EMAILS suggesting that the West Nile Virus outbreaks may be a biological attack. I doubt it, but if so it's the lamest biological attack imaginable:
While there are 58 known cases of mosquito-borne West Nile virus in Louisiana, one state health official estimated 10,000 to 12,000 other people have been infected, felt no symptoms and are now immune to the disease.
But just in case it was an attack: Neener, neener, nyah, nyah!

Posted by Glenn Reynolds at August 03, 2002 10:24 PM

Hey Reynolds, the 2003 mosquito season hasn't even hit yet.

Next, the illogically lopsided statements this guy makes is truly breathless. On the sodomy laws, the Fox network had the courage to print his opinion on the matter. We will link to a more interesting site on the matter.

In other words, where laws infringe on important rights like property or "personal liberty," the very "nature of republican and free governments" may offer some restraint, even in the absence of specific constitutional language barring such laws. And this is not because of some fancy new right, but because of longstanding principles that the government should not regulate conduct that causes no harm to others.

The gist of the argument is the sodomy laws were bigoted and targeted a certain class and government had no right to regulate conduct that causes no harm to others.

Well, isn't he smart. But one thing, he missed Law and Order: Sex offender is accused of grabbing 10-year-old

This is where a sexual abuser who raped a girl was charged with sodomy. You see Reynolds has an agenda and that is one of a bigoted mindset. The sodomy laws do not only target gays. And lastly, the four men who raped the boy? They too were charged with sodomy.

So where does that leave these two top popular bloggers? At the top of the list of the moronic bloggers.

This is just the tip of the bloggers iceberg, there will be more to come. We do have a few days left to add to the list.

Update

Atrios

Next in-line is a blogger who is proof to the positive that you can be both popular and be an idiot when making statements. So we take our hat off to a blogger who goes by the name atrios.

His gem is his defense of the ex-Congresswoman McKinney. What more can be said about his spin on McKinney.

It is only if you link these two things that her comments were potentially over the line. At least, over the line if she has no further evidence. In doing this, it makes it sound as if McKinney was saying the administration caused or let 9/11 happen in order to reap great profit. Though her radio remarks could be interpreted this way by a reasonable person, I admit, she didn't actually say it. And, her written statement makes quite clear what she meant.

Well what did she say?

First her written statement to the fact that Bush had prior knowledge that the attack was in fact going to take place.

May 16, 2002

Several weeks ago, I called for a congressional investigation into what warnings the Bush Administration received before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I was derided by the White House, right wing talk radio, and spokespersons for the military-industrial complex as a conspiracy theorist. Even my patriotism was questioned because I dared to suggest that Congress should conduct a full and complete investigation into the most disastrous intelligence failure in American history. Georgia Senator Zell Miller even went so far as to characterize my call for hearings as "dangerous, loony and irresponsible."

Today's revelations that the administration, and President Bush, were given months of notice that a terrorist attack was a distinct possibility points out the critical need for a full and complete congressional investigation.

It now becomes clear why the Bush Administration has been vigorously opposing congressional hearings. The Bush Administration has been engaged in a conspiracy of silence. If committed and patriotic people had not been pushing for disclosure today's revelations would have been hidden by the White House.

Because I love my country, because I am a patriot, and because the American people deserve the truth, I believe it would be dangerous, loony and irresponsible not to hold full congressional hearings on any warnings the Bush Administration had before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Ever since I came to Congress in 1992, there are those who have been trying to silence my voice. I've been told to "sit down and shut up" over and over again. Well, I won't sit down and I won't shut up until the full and unvarnished truth is placed before the American people.

Now what about the statements made on radio?

McKinney's comments came soon after her March 25 appearance on the "Flashpoints" public affairs program on KPFA, a public radio station in Berkeley, Calif.

Now is the time for our elected officials to be held accountable," McKinney said on the show. "Now is the time for the media to be held accountable. Why aren't the hard questions being asked? We know there were numerous warnings of the event to come on Sept. 11. Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, delivered one such warning. Those engaged in unusual stock trades immediately before Sept. 11 knew enough to make millions of dollars from United and American Airlines, certain insurance and brokerage firm stock. What did this administration know and when did it know it about the events of Sept. 11? Who else knew, and why did they not warn the innocent people of New York who were needlessly murdered?

McKinney then detailed how some associates of the White House stood to gain from the response to the attacks.

Persons close to this administration are poised to make huge profits off America's new war," McKinney said. "Former President Bush sits on the board of the Carlyle Group. The Los Angeles Times reports that on a single day last month, Carlyle earned $237 billion selling shares in United Defense Industries, the Army's fifth-largest contractor. The stock offering was well-timed. Carlyle officials say they decided to take the company public only after the Sept. 11 attacks. The stock sales cashed in on increased congressional support and hefty defense spending.

So why the innuendo of being a profiteer at the expense of so many deaths? If 9-11 didn't happen, no one would profit under her logic, so in her mind, Bush and his cronies must of ignored the warnings. End of story, cha-ching.


Brendan O'Neill

Here is a blogger who is a self-proclaimed atheist that thinks there should be a 4 step standard for anti-war protesters to live by.

1) Be anti-interventionist

One major problem with today's antiwar movement is that it is not remotely anti-intervention. Indeed, being antiwar today is synonymous with being pro-intervention. Almost every antiwar activist I meet has his or her own preferred option for what 'we' should do about Iraq - suggesting that we should impose sanctions, just bomb Saddam and not the people, or organise a coup.

This is an assinine statement, we are anti-war when it comes to Iraq. We have stated just shoot the sonofabitch. Somehow, using his statements, this would make us pro-intervention? No. Just payback. His collectivism is breathless. But socialist do like the idea of collectivism. Next.

2) Be less anti-American

Today, much of the antiwar movement expresses a corrosive and backward anti-Americanism. Don't get me wrong - I despise Bush and co as much as the next right-thinking man or woman. But this new anti-Americanism is less about challenging America's leaders than it is about questioning certain American (read progressive) values.

This coming from a self proclaimed atheist who lives in the land of socialism? Progressive values, there is that code word for socialism. For many in the anti-war movement, it's about questioning politics that are anti-American (progressive) politics. After all, sending WMD's to Iraq during the Iraq/Iran war was about politics. And under his standard, it is alright for politics to be the driving force behind an immoral act.

3) Be less personal

This is the main point I made in the CS Monitor article - stop putting the personal over the political. It just smacks of bleeding hearts, of a moral rather than a political stance against war. And who's going to benefit from such pompous statements? Certainly not the people of Iraq or anywhere else.

This slaps in the face of the goodness of mankind. He in his collective manner, puts mothers who feel they have a moral duty to protect their children under the title of bleeding hearts. What can you say about this statement other than what can you expect from a writer who during his childhood, was cruel to animals. Maybe he should bone up on the fact that if those sons have to go to war, they are being sent with faulty equipment that will certainly lead to illness that they will be left with. But we are sure he would say that is expected in war and politics must prevail.

Also, nevermind Gulf War Syndrome and the deaths of thousands of soldiers who were in the Gulf War. Under Brendan's standard, the vets from the Gulf War who are protesting the war; they are pompus and don't know what they hell they are talking about. You see, politics must prevail.

Interestingly the progressive self proclaimed atheist who defines "Americanism" in collective jargon has this to say:

At its worse, this kind of individualist stand against war looks down its nose at 'everyone else' - all those ignoramuses too busy making a living or getting caught up in the rat race to be bothered to do anything about war. The logical conclusion of an individuated and moral opposition to war is to judge those who are not antiwar, and even to write them off as useless.

In other words, individual concerns are self centered.We say individuality is the foundation of what separates America from let's say Britian.

4) Be less pacifistic

This is one thing that has always annoyed me about the modern antiwar movement - its focus on violence and military conflict over every other form of intervention. Of course, I hate bloodshed, particularly innocent blood spilled in the name of America's or Britain's or France's political gains. But I don't think the antiwar movement should necessarily be pacifistic.

You cannot resolve international problems by calling for 'peace'. Peace is not an option. International differences and conflicts demand political solutions - sometimes they even demand conflict, so that issues can be worked out and settled. Peace, as an abstract, substance-lite hippy demand, is no good to anyone.

I guess the Catholic Church has that hippy look. Peace is not an option? War is hell and what about those little critters that Brendan picked on during his adolescence? They just got bigger. We wonder if his bullying was done out of politics or morality.

Since he is an atheist, that can be answered by simply saying "creatures great and small" is not part of his thinking


Damian Penny

Here is one of the crazy Canadians who is a lawyer (what is the deal with lawyers who blog) who is lacking in logic as is his mentor Instapundit. If his arguments on his blog are an indication of his abilities in the court room; one piece of advice, get another lawyer or do it pro se.

Here is a lawyer blogger who thinks bin Laden is dead. He is in good company however, his self styled and "I want to have a nemisis", Michael Rivero thinks he is dead also.

In his worthless "I hate these 12" list he pays his respect to bin Laden.

Well all we have to say is, show us the dead body. In order to have a killing, you gots to have a body counselor.

Besides Rivero, who else thinks bin Laden is dead. Yes Penny is in with good company.

On his Thursday August 15th daytime broadcast, Jones stated, "I have it from high level [sources] from inside the Bush administration...that bin Laden died of natural causes and that his family has given the body to the CIA, that they're gonna roll him out right before the election, that he's on ice right now. They will claim they killed him right before the election."

We say, let Penny sleep where dead bin Ladens "lie." He is in good company.

While on the topic of Canadians such as Penny, he had a big beef with Buchanan on his use of the term Canuckistan. He went on how the term was used by White Supremacist sites and attacked Buchanan. So we will use Penny's double standard to introduce another blogger with a double standard who liked the term Soviet Canuckistan

Jonah Goldberg

While researching my article, I was simply staggered by the obsession Canadians have with the United States: about their superiority, about America's problems compared to Canada's, about how Canadians know so much about American but Americans know nothing about Canada. My favorite quote along these lines was from Peter Jennings, the Canadian-born anchor of ABC News who told the New York Times, "I know more about America than most Americans.

Well we will just post an excellent rebuttal to the moron. It comes from our Canadian friends to our South East; Future Paradigm.

After reading Goldberg's rant a nickname comes to mind; Mama's boy. And what the hell happened to Penny's use of White Supremacists using the term Canuckistan when it comes to Goldberg. AWOL.

Little Green Footballs

If you're seeking balance from a weblog, don't go looking for it here

This blogger's site would be the modern version of the Aryan Knighthood during the crusades. The only difference; the weapon of choice is his pen loaded with racism.

All that is missing is his verbal attacks on extremists who lay claim to a secular nation that includes the expulsion of Christians from the Holy Land. But that would offer a balanced
voice.

This is a guy who cites "News" from DEBKA, the equivalent to IndyMedia which is cited by White Supremacist sites. One does ask why is it that these white guys have so much bigotry.

They must like getting into pissing contests. Thank God the crusades are passe. An Aryan is an Aryan is an Aryan. No matter if you hate Muslims or Jews. Charles should shake hands with his other half on the other side.

Religion of peace? Would that be his, Stormfront's or some extremist? It's getting harder to tell each day.



posted by Loud Mouths | Comment (0) 2:20 AM

William Safire: Howard Dean is making a Bush victory too easy.

Here's my problem: Such a lopsided, hubris-inducing result would be bad for Bush, bad for the Republican Party, bad for the country. Landslides lead to tyrannous majorities and big trouble.

Which is why I worry about Dean not getting the Democratic nomination.

Thomas: The unbearable lightness of Howard Dean

We have stated repeatedly that Dean is to the Democratic party is what Buchanan was to the Republican party.

Well what is Cal Thomas saying about Dean?

At the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, Pat Buchanan was excoriated by liberal pundits for saying "we must take back...our country." Critics wondered what country he was talking about, and wasn't it their country, too?

Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean's book is titled "Winning Back America," and some people who criticized Buchanan for expressing similar thoughts, but from the right, think nothing about Dean's similar sentiment from the left.

LOL. So true. But wait, there is more Buchananesque type behavior, Seeking a new emphasis, Dean touts his Christianity

What will the angry liberal white guys say?

Alaskans Unsettled After Terror Warning


What is missing in this story is a story about two Middle Eastern men who bought passenger seats through the internet on a small chartered plane that was destined to a small bush community near the Alaskan Pipe Line.

Not a common sight to see two Middle Eastern men in an Athabascan town of 97. So employees of the charter company alerted the FBI.

Currently the FBI is investigating the matter.

Mean while in other news on terror, one of Santa Claus' reindeer goes "off" on a Channel 2 News reporter in the North Pole. It is being reported in various news agencies that NORAD is monitoring any possible acts of terrorism

As soon as NORAD notices that Santa is airborne, it tracks his progress via geosynchronous orbit, which the Web site says is "a cool phrase meaning that the satellite is always fixed over the same spot on the Earth." The satellites are 22,300 miles above the planet and have infrared sensors that detect the "infrared signature similar to a missile launch" given off by Rudolph's nose. For those not initiated in Santa lore, Rudolph is the red-nosed reindeer who leads the sleigh-pulling.






Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.


Update: The story on the two Midlle Eastern men is being taken very seriously. A Col. with the Alaska National Guard, has been called to an undisclosed location in Northern Alaska.

Intelligence: Bin Laden behind new terror threat

Enuf said.

Iraqi Resistance Report

From Africa with Love.

One American occupation soldier was killed and 14 others wounded when three martyrdom attackers driving a furniture truck blew themselves up at the gates of a US occupation army base in ar-Ramadi, 100km west of Baghdad, on Thursday.

All day Thursday the US military refused to provide information on casualties resulting from the attack and only late in the evening produced the official tally of one dead and 14 injured.

The three martyrdom attackers were also killed.

U.S. almost had Bin Laden - mag

Bin Laden had his own close call not too long ago, when a U.S. war plane passed overhead as the terror bigwig walked down a mountain trail, a senior Taliban planner, identified only as Zabihullah, told Newsweek. But the pilot apparently failed to see him as Bin Laden and his aides ducked into some bushes.

The Harder Hunt for Bin Laden

But U.S. manhunting teams in Afghanistan, recently united with similar teams in Iraq under the umbrella of Task Force 121, have actually come close to nailing their quarries on several occasions, sources say. They are also using, in some cases, similar techniques. NEWSWEEK has learned that software used to track wanted Iraqis is also being used to piece together and identify weaknesses in the ethnic, family and tribal links of bin Laden's network, according to intelligence analysts and company officials. The software, called Analyst's Notebook, was developed by i2 Inc., a Springfield, Va., company. Analyst's Notebook allows investigators to turn huge volumes of data into actionable intelligence, creating charts of complex networks by identifying, for example, frequent phone calls between members. The same program traced the "love bug" computer virus of 2000 to an obscure hacker in the Philippines and has been used to nab serial killers, said Chuck Izzo, an i2 spokesman.

US closing in on bin Laden

"I think it's just a matter of time before we do," Joint Chiefs of Staff chairperson Richard Myers said.

Spain links suspects to bin Laden

Atta visited Spain twice this year to meet other terrorists, police said, but authorities have not made public the identities of Atta's contacts in Spain.

American Inspector Doubts Report from Czech Counter Intelligence

An airline ticket from Lufthansa confirms one thing for sure: Atta visited the Czech Republic for the first time on May 30, 2000. It was an odd visit. According to a document made available to Respekt (A-visa R1, Code: BONN200005260024), Atta had applied for a Czech visa four days before and hadn't yet been issued one by the time of his departure. Nonetheless Atta got on a plane in Hamburg and flew to Prague. Naturally he was not permitted to leave the airport and after several hours got on a return flight. There is no evidence as to what Atta did at the international airport, whether he met with anyone, for instance. The next day after returning to Germany Atta picked up his visa in Bonn and on June 2nd he arrived in Prague by morning bus from Frankfurt. He spent twenty-four hours in the Czech capital and then flew with Czech Airlines to Newark Airport in New Jersey.

Neither the police nor counter intelligence has been able to map out these twenty-four hours. Representatives of the Security Information Service (BIS) and counter intelligence concur: "Whoever was interested in Atta at that time did not go through any of our records."
Glenn A. Fine has a possible explanation for Atta's trip via Prague: he wanted to save money on airfare, which was almost half as cheap from Prague as from Frankfurt. But not even the American inspector explains in his report why Atta came to Prague two days beforehand when he was sure that he wouldn't be allowed through passport control.

He certainly did not save money that way. Nor does Fine comment to the question of where Atta disappeared twenty-four hours prior to his departure for the U.S. Police have found no record that he stayed in any Czech hotel or pension. "It cannot be ruled out that he stayed at an acquaintance's and that he met with al-Ani at that time," says one BIS officer. Even Glenn Fine concedes this version. Czech police tried to check whether Atta stayed at a hotel under a false name but discovered nothing. "Atta never used false identification on any of his provable trips," claims Glenn Fine. At the same time that is one of the main reasons Atta could not have visited Prague on the eight of April, when he was supposed to have met with al-Ani.

Snip

An airline ticket from Lufthansa confirms one thing for sure: Atta visited the Czech Republic for the first time on May 30, 2000. It was an odd visit. According to a document made available to Respekt (A-visa R1, Code: BONN200005260024), Atta had applied for a Czech visa four days before and hadn't yet been issued one by the time of his departure. Nonetheless Atta got on a plane in Hamburg and flew to Prague. Naturally he was not permitted to leave the airport and after several hours got on a return flight.

There is no evidence as to what Atta did at the international airport, whether he met with anyone, for instance. The next day after returning to Germany Atta picked up his visa in Bonn and on June 2nd he arrived in Prague by morning bus from Frankfurt. He spent twenty-four hours in the Czech capital and then flew with Czech Airlines to Newark Airport in New Jersey.

Neither the police nor counter intelligence has been able to map out these twenty-four hours. Representatives of the Security Information Service (BIS) and counter intelligence concur: "Whoever was interested in Atta at that time did not go through any of our records."
Glenn A. Fine has a possible explanation for Atta's trip via Prague: he wanted to save money on airfare, which was almost half as cheap from Prague as from Frankfurt. But not even the American inspector explains in his report why Atta came to Prague two days beforehand when he was sure that he wouldn't be allowed through passport control.

He certainly did not save money that way. Nor does Fine comment to the question of where Atta disappeared twenty-four hours prior to his departure for the U.S. Police have found no record that he stayed in any Czech hotel or pension. "It cannot be ruled out that he stayed at an acquaintance's and that he met with al-Ani at that time," says one BIS officer. Even Glenn Fine concedes this version. Czech police tried to check whether Atta stayed at a hotel under a false name but discovered nothing. "Atta never used false identification on any of his provable trips," claims Glenn Fine. At the same time that is one of the main reasons Atta could not have visited Prague on the eight of April, when he was supposed to have met with al-Ani.


Snip


According to Fine, who investigated the terrorists' stay in America day by day, it can be proved that Atta left the United States only twice in 2001. The first time was on January 4, when he flew to Madrid and after staying six days in Spain he returned (see frame). The second time was on July 7, when he flew to Zurich in order not to violate American immigration laws, because his official residence permit was about to expire. A week after his return from Zurich, American officials extended his visa till mid-November.


Fast foward to the present.


Dubious Link Between Atta and Saddam


The problem with this, say U.S. law enforcement officials, is that the FBI has compiled a highly detailed time line for Atta's movements throughout the spring and summer of 2001 based on a mountain of documentary evidence, including airline records, ATM withdrawals and hotel receipts. Those records show Atta crisscrossing the United States during this period�making only one overseas trip, an 11-day visit to Spain that didn't begin until six days after the date of the Iraqi memo.


Spain: Intelligence agents 'assassinated' in Iraq

In a highway ambush that Spain's defense minister called an assassination, Iraqi insurgents killed seven Spanish intelligence agents Saturday as their eight-person convoy motored south from Baghdad.

John LeBoutillier has some good thoughts on Iraq.

Like Yugoslavia under Tito, Iraq’s three distinct peoples were held together by the common fear of the jackbooted dictator. With him now out of the equation, Iraq may go the route of Yugoslavia: civil wars, lawlessness, paybacks, ethnic cleansings and a totally unmanageable situation – all leading to the formation of independent new nations.

Iraq will never be a peacefull nation. One, the religious factions will see to that. And the extremists are a majority in Iraq. Unlike Yugoslavia.

Iran relieved at Saddam''s destiny

A majority of people voting in an on-line poll for a daily English newspaper out of Qatar, think Bush won't get elected to a second term.

Anger Management 101

Dean's anger is tactical, not visceral. His brash, peremptory manner has camouflaged the fact that he is by far the best politician among the 2004 Democrats — which is one reason Republicans should postpone the champagne if Dean wins the nomination. The doctor diagnosed the Democratic electorate before any of his opponents did, and he shaped his candidacy to fit the mood, which was, in a word, ballistic. Furthermore, Dean understood that party activists were not just angry at George W. Bush; they were furious with the Democrats in Washington who were letting a minority-elected President have his way at every turn. Dean's prescience — and Gore's presence — has created a formidable candidacy and, quite possibly, a potent new strain of liberalism that may supplant the traditional Old and New wings of the party. Let's call the Dean-Gore faction the New-New Democrats.


Joe Klein things it may be a good thing. Don't think so.

Car Bomb West of Baghdad Kills at Least 17

Four US soldiers wounded in attacks

On the Heels of Hussein's Arrest

Assassination Attempt on Musharraf Fails

In Afghanistan officials say Saddam capture could help in capture of bin Laden and others

Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in the mountainous no man's land between Pakistan and Afghanistan, possibly drawing support of deeply conservative tribal villagers who share his hardline vision of Islam.

That support, and the mountainous conditions, have helped him elude one of the largest dragnets in history. The one-eyed Taliban leader Mullah Omar also is on the lam, as is Hekmatyar, a former prime minister who has joined the battle against U.S. troops and the Afghan government.

It is time to refocus on Afghanistan.

Words from a wannabe Imperialist

On the other hand, we're confronted with the question of what to do with Saddam. I've thought about this before, and the options seemed to break down this way: (1) Shoot him out of hand. Appealing for a variety of reasons, but not really our style, and obviously we decided against it. (2) Try him for war crimes ourselves. Potentially messy, and perhaps looking a bit imperialistic to some. (3) Turn him over to the Iraqis and let them try him.

The last is the most appealing for a variety of reasons, as long as we make sure that the process isn't in the hands of covert Saddam loyalists, which shouldn't be hard. On the other hand, he's likely to have some value in terms of information and cooperation, which might encourage people to want to cut a deal with him. That's tricky: He's a dreadful guy who deserves to be executed, probably via a plastic-shredder or some similar method, in light of his crimes. (A Mussolini-style ending probably would have been best, in my opinion). But he may offer enough to make his cooperation worthwhile, though letting him live, or go into exile (where would he go?) seems troublesome too, and offers him the possibility for future mischief.

I imagine that this has been given a lot of thought at the highest levels. It'll be interesting to see what they do. Glenn Reynolds December 14, 2003

Trying Hussein for war crimes is imperialistics period. The sole reason for the U.S. going to Iraq is for crimes Hussein commited against us, the U.S.

To say Hussein should be tried by the Iraqis is to trivalize 9-11 and ignore any connection between 9-11 and Iraq.

If overthrowing a dictator is our cause for invading that country, then maybe Reynolds can set aside his his comfy teaching job and lead the charge into Cuba and every other country that has a ruthless dictator.

To President Bush,

Misson Completed. Bring the Troops Home Now.

Reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein

"I supported this effort in Iraq without regard for the political consequences because it was the right thing to do. I still feel that way now and today is a major step toward stabilizing Iraq and building a new democracy." — Rep. Dick Gephardt (news - web sites), D-Mo.

Dean is done like dinner.

Gephardt raises a Dean-Enron link

What we posted on April 7th 2003 on Free Republic.

Saddam, sons have fled: Ex-aide.

As US forces tightened their grip on Baghdad, President Saddam Hussein, along with his two sons, fled the capital three days ago for his home town of Tikrit, 175km to the north, media reports said.

Our intelligence (CIA) has been lousy at ferreting out Hussein and for that matter bin Laden.

One prime example is after the report that Hussein fled to Tikrit with his sons, alleged intelligence led us to target Saddam in Baghdad.

U.S. warplanes destroyed a Baghdad home where Saddam Hussein and 20 members of his ruling party, including at least one of his sons, were said to be meeting Monday in a move to decapitate the besieged regime.

(snip)

CIA paramilitaries and Delta Force commandos tracked Saddam using his British-made communication system known as "Jaguar," senior U.S. intelligence officials say. The system, sold by Britain to Iraq during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, encrypted, or scrambled, Saddam's voice. But U.S. intelligence officials say they recently cracked the code.

The men were discussing how to flee the city when the bombs hit the home and a restaurant attached to it, the officials said.

Later we find out that Hussein's sons were in Mosul and killed.

Fortunately today, we get word that Saddam Hussein Captured Alive Near Tikrit

The CIA under Director George Tenet has been a "miserable failure." 9-11 proves that.

As for the CIA's denial of a link between Iraq and Atta? Well if this story get's more proof from the Czech Intelliegence, it is just one more piece of evidence that Clinton's appointee, George Tenet is a failure.

Czech Spies Still See Iraqi Connection to Sept. 11

In his report a year ago, Glenn A. Fine, the inspector general of the U.S. Justice Department, rejected the possibility of Atta’s April visit. In the document, he asserted that two days before the supposed Prague meeting, Atta flew from Virginia Beach to New York and, 70 hours later, was again in Florida. Atta could have managed the Czech Republic Iraq Prague meeting only with difficulty. Yet, according to new and as yet unpublished information from U.S. security services, there exists no record of Atta’s movement from the beginning of March 2001 to the end of April of that year.

Iraqi Agent Denies He Met 9/11 Hijacker in Prague Before Attacks on the U.S.

The New York Times is amazing. Here they report the hearsay remarks of an al Qaeda spy/ operative on what decisions bin Laden is alleged to have made.

Abu Zubaydah, one of the highest-ranking Qaeda leaders in American custody, told the C.I.A. that Mr. bin Laden rejected the idea of working with Mr. Hussein, a secular leader whom Mr. bin Laden considered corrupt and irredeemable, according to a September 2002 classified intelligence report obtained by The New York Times.

The Times then, in its closing states:

Czech officials have said that border police records showed that Mr. Atta, who was then living in Hamburg, Germany, did come to Prague in June 2000, after obtaining a visa in late May. Shortly after arriving in Prague on that occasion, Mr. Atta flew to Newark.

American records now indicate that Mr. Atta was in Virginia Beach, Va., in early April 2001, when he was supposedly in Prague to meet Mr. Ani.

In 2000, the Czech intelligence had records showing Atta came into the Czech Republic. Why the Times writer draws in 2001 in its next statement is foolish.

Bush thumping Dean in New Hampshire

With Dean in command, U.S. soldiers would be left high and dry

A Blast From The Angry White Guy's Past

The way the administration has handled the situation in Afghanistan has been very, very good,” he said. “I think the way the administration handled bio terrorism has been fair — not great — fair.” Gov. Dean November 30, 2001

Bill Kristol should stick to the sound of silence.

A gypsy he ain't.

Internet Campaigns: AOL Front Page Poll

Who would you vote for if the presidential election were today?

President Bush 55%

Howard Dean 36%

I need another option 8%

What impact will Gore's backing have on Dean?

Positive 41%

No impact 37%

Negative 22%

Do endorsements influence your vote?

No, I decide on my own 63%

Sometimes, it depends on who's doing the endorsing 33%

Yes, I pay close attention to them 4%

Total Votes: 788,374

Note on Poll Results

Internet Campaigns: AOL Front Page Poll

Who would you vote for if the presidential election were today?

President Bush 56%

Howard Dean 36%

I need another option 8%

What impact will Gore's backing have on Dean?

Positive 41%

No impact 37%

Negative 22%

Do endorsements influence your vote?

No, I decide on my own 63%

Sometimes, it depends on who's doing the endorsing 33%

Yes, I pay close attention to them 4%

Total Votes: 770,305

Note on Poll Results


Note To Gore: [ Sun Nov 16, 05:29:23 PM | Loud Mouths | edit ] Howard Dean Still an Unknown Quantity to Many Americans

In an election against Bush, Deans does the worst of all the Democratic candidates.

Internet Campaigns: AOL Front Page Poll

Who would you vote for if the presidential election were today?

President Bush 56%

Howard Dean 36%

I need another option 8%

What impact will Gore's backing have on Dean?

Positive 41%

No impact 37%

Negative 22%

Do endorsements influence your vote?

No, I decide on my own 64%

Sometimes, it depends on who's doing the endorsing 32%

Yes, I pay close attention to them 4%

Total Votes: 744,066

Note on Poll Results

If Dean gets support from the Internet, Yikes...............................you'll get the drift.

Gephardt meets with Cleveland steelworkers

''We stand for fair trade, not free trade,'' Gephardt said. ''Somewhere along the line, we lost our reputation as ... tough Yankee traders.''


Tariffs' end unlikely to turn workers against Bush - they already were

John Green of the University of Akron said the steel decision "prevents Bush from expanding his support to workers and other people associated with industry. These folks are now likely to return to the Democratic fold, and may be especially motivated to work against Bush."

Yet if the economy improves, "Bush will do well in Ohio without the steel industry," Green said.

Report: Qaeda Shifting to Iraq from Afghanistan

Newsweek cited Taliban sources as saying that bin Laden ordered the shift of resources away from Afghanistan to Iraq because he saw it as an opportunity for killing Americans and their allies in Iraq and neighboring countries such as Turkey.

Help Gov. Dean Get The NRA's Endorsement

This is no joke. Got to love the Democrats. A contradiction of terms they are.

Businesses urge Congress to stay the course on federal education law

Boehner, who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, criticized states for not getting the word out to school districts that a pot of federal money is available to help schools that did not measure up and landed on states’ “need improvement” lists. “Try to find a principal or superintendent who knows that help is there,” he said.

Of the $2 billion in federal money set aside for after-school tutoring and other “supplemental services,” only $40 million has been spent, said Lisa Graham Keegan, chief executive officer of the Education Leaders Council, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

More Angry White Guy Stuff

"I voted for what I thought was best for the country. Did I expect Howard Dean to go off to the left and say, 'I'm against everything'? Sure. Did I expect George Bush to f - (u) - (c) - (k) it up as badly as he did? I don't think anybody did," Kerry told the youth-oriented magazine.

Kerry gets two licks for the price of one.

Mean while Kerry says, “I’m going to run a positive campaign that talks about my vision for the country.”

A Blast From The Past

"Eighty percent of the cost shift is due to Medicare, not Medicaid," Dean said. "Forty-four percent of (hospitals') revenues are Medicare, 11 percent are Medicaid.... So the fault of the cost shift is clearly at the federal level, not at the state level."

Dean said he would propose a plan to increase state funding for Medicaid, but not as much as Freed and other Republicans have advocated. (Emphasis added)

(snip)

Dean said he did not expect to see many changes to Act 60, Vermont's new education funding system that was passed in 1997. However, he said there was a need to hold down the cost of education, which has been rising faster than the state's overall growth rate. (Emphasis added)


Dean should fulfill pledge to change Act 60

OK, a new year has begun. Walter Freed, makes a genuine, honest, effort to bring the elected officials together to work for all Vermonters. Everyone should be proud to live in a state that has someone like Walter Freed working hard, for all the people! Minority leader John Tracy missed a great opportunity, instead he thought this offer would cause the Democrats to fight amongst themselves? Gov. Dean, announces he will appoint a commission on health care. The commission should find that one adjustment would be eliminating the "community rating system," which lead to 20 insurers leaving the state!

Does anyone remember when Dean appointed a commission to look into Act 60? Those dedicated citizens suggested adjustments to Act 60 and absolutely nothing was done! Only 51 percent of the people re-elected Gov. Dean, will he now turn his back on the other 49 percent, while speaking of cooperation?

Gov. Dean told all of Vermont that he thought the sharing pool was unfair, and should be eliminated. Most of the media fails to report to Vermonters that the sending towns already share! (Is your town "gold" yet?) Eighty towns - including Manchester, Dorset, Plymouth, North Hero and Victory - send the state their school taxes, and receive back the block grant money. In Manchester that results in sharing $2.3 million! The "sharing pool" then sticks a gun in your ribs and says pay more or else, as it keeps another 60 percent of every dollar you raise to level fund your school!

When will the people of Vermont who think Act 60 is great realize that other hard-working Vermonters are footing their bills and are forced to do so not just once, but twice under Act 60's so called "sharing pool"! All fair-minded Vermonters should write their legislators to focus on finding a better, fair, cost-effective way to fund education for all Vermont's children. Towns like Victory (population 60) should not be labeled a "GOLD" town, and forced to foot the bill to educate kids from other cities with paved roads.

Will the elected representatives of the people work together to find a better way, or will the overzealous and out of touch, like Cheryl Rivers, continue to "smell rats" that aren't there, and hail the so-called equal educational opportunity act like the emperor with no clothes? If Peter Shumlin has his way, we will all just smile and forget about the abuse and divisiveness of some laws. Everyone should write Gov. Dean and ask him to try and remember his promises and to please follow up with action his words from the campaigns.

ANDREW J. TARANTINO, Manchester Center

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