The Truth Laid Bear

That infamous New Zealand bear is wanting to know just what YOU think. So why not go right over and give him a piece of your mind. Give him a piece of mine while you are at it. He wants feedback from you on "The Truth Laid Bear"'s first month of operation since its new launch of something or other. Ask him exactly what is "The Truth Laid Bear"? If it so "laid bear", how come I can't find the truth anywhere about how the system operates? Please don't tell him that I sent you, as he has a habit of unevolving certain web logs on a whim, faster than a fundamentalist preacher can shout amen on a Sunday. A blog can be trudging along through the blogosphere one day as a fat and happy mammal and the next day, the webmaster awakens to find the bear has eaten it alive for a midnight snack. The webmaster can find nothing left of his precious site but a can of wiggly worms. And that is the honest-to-goodness Truth Laid Bear.

Judith Miller, Source or Leaker?

Or Both? So today Arianna Huffington is just coming around to the realization of what I and others blogged about on July 12th, 2005. See my post Why Is Judith Miller In Jail? Here is Arianna's bombshell:

This is why Miller doesn't want to reveal her "source" at the White House -- because she was the source. Sure, she first got the info from someone else, and the odds are she wasn't the only one who clued in Libby and/or Rove (the State Dept. memo likely played a role too)… but, in this scenario, Miller certainly wasn't an innocent writer caught up in the whirl of history. She had a starring role in it. This also explains why Miller never wrote a story about Plame, because her goal wasn't to write a story, but to get out the story that cast doubts on Wilson's motives. Which Novak did.

So what did we tell you Arianna? Meanwhile, according to Wizbang, the Washington Post has cleared Karl Rove. Bad news for the Democrats or good news, as Wizbang thinks?

[Kerfuffles] [CIA] [Valerie Plame] [Joseph Wilson] [Judith Miller] [Plame Affair]

Irish To Give Up Fighting

Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag, And smile, smile, smile. There's no more need to worrying - the I.R.A. is finished. With its "armed struggle" against British rule, that is. Oh sure, you say. Well ... this time it may really be true, as I will explain. The New York Times is reporting that the Irish are giving up their fighting ways:

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, July 28 - The Irish Republican Army declared an end to its campaign of violence against Britain that claimed more than 3,500 lives over 36 years, saying there was "an alternative way to achieve" its goal of a United Ireland.

Now don't let this "alternative way" to a United Ireland lull you into believing that those I.R.A. lads have voluntarily come to a change of heart. They haven't. After the London bombings of 7/7, they finally realized that the Jets have moved in and taken over the territory that was once theirs. Not only have the Irish soldiers lost their exclusive right to terrorize, they have been "out-terroristed" by the Jets. Try as they may, they cannot convince any of their I.R.A. mates to go all the way and explode themselves while blowing up their hated British cousins. Killing an enemy during armed warfare is one thing, but according to the religion of the Irish terrorists, to kill one's self is a mortal sin which sends one straight to Hell. Few Irish have heard of the 72 virgins awaiting in heaven for suicide bombers and those who have say they still would not commit a mortal sin unless there were 72 pints awaiting them. Whenever the I.R.A. soldiers do time in British prisons, the mullahs always try to convert them to Islam. All such attempts have been futile as the Paddies will not give up their traditional breakfast of whiskey, bacon and bangers. For the I.R.A. to continue with its terrorist exploits of the past would bring only humiliation to their world-wide reputation as Christendom's own "fearsome stealth bombers". Better to be remembered as the "Retired Fighting Irish" than to be lampooned all the way to Londonderry and home as the "Irish Army of Sissy-Lads".

The statement by the I.R.A. said that its leadership had "formally ordered an end to the armed campaign," as the organization calls its military activities, which are described by supporters as armed struggle and by adversaries as terrorism. The shift followed growing revulsion among its Catholic supporters, both here and in the United States, at the I.R.A.'s involvement in organized crime and, since Sept. 11, at global terrorism. (The New York Times)

The Jets have been nothing but troubles for the I.R.A. beginning with that September 11th mishap in New York City. The Irish-Catholic community got to witness first hand what the British had experienced for decades - the horrors of terrorism. Since that day they've not been quite so generous with their American dollars for I.R.A. bombs. The cash shortage is now so acute that the I.R.A. is sending its troops out to train as bank robbers, bandits and "stick-em-up" thugs, for even an army of terrorists marches on its stomach. Besides, it is much easier to justify murdering the innocent for money, rather than concoct some noble cause such as the "high and mighty" struggle against British oppression.

It is great news for the British people and for the non-fighting Irish. Could it be that capitalism has had such an impact on Ireland, that the Irish would rather be prosperous than united with their Irish brothers? Have they found it to be more rewarding to trade with the British than to bomb them? Or has the I.R.A. discovered that once an army turns to criminal activity, being Protestant or Catholic or even Irish, doesn't seem to matter a lot?

Linked at basil's blog Breakfast: 7/29/2005.

New News on Natalee

The Unending News on the Unending Story
If no body exists, no body can ever be found. With no body and no crime scene, how can anyone be charged with her disappearance? Will the tragic story ever end?

Well, at least not until they find the missing shoe. That's right. Joran van der Sloot lost a sneaker somewhere on the island. Expect now a grand search for it, as well as for Natalee. This is beginning to sound like Cinderella, no? No! It's OJ all over again! And here comes the story of the toothbrush. Wow, two brand new stories on one day! Somewhere, an impatient author is writing a soon-to-be best selling book. Unfortunately, he cannot publish until some of these missing pieces of evidence are found and some of the important questions answered. Such as whose DNA matches what? And will it matter? There are surely hundreds of people walking around Aruba with the same DNA as Joran. Afterall, they said there were thousands with the same DNA as OJ, didn't they?

According to the Fox News' Greta show [WMV VIDEO] investigative reporter Tito Lacle confirms the report of a toothbrush found. We also begin the saga of the missing shoe of Joran van der Sloot. The Political Teen has the Fox News Video.

Dan at Riehl World View says that there will have to be new DNA samples taken from the suspects, because the original procedure was flawed. Of course, it was flawed! It's done in Aruba for gosh sakes.

Hyscience has Late Night Natalee Holloway Updates.

Stealing from the Poor

To Give to the RICH! And it's NOT Republicans who do it! But it is certainly their fault! Did the liberal radio station "Air America" take money from poor kids and Alzheimer patients as was reported in the "New York Daily News"?

Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Bronx, Queens) said he was "totally shocked - shocked is an understatement" when news of the loss of funding first broke. In its initial announcement, the DOI [New York City's Department of Investigation] said it was probing allegations that program officials "approved significant inappropriate transactions and falsified documents that were submitted to various city agencies." According to published reports, the allegations involve Charles Rosen, the founder of Gloria Wise who has stepped down as executive director, investing city contract funds in Air America Radio, the liberal talk radio network. Evan Cohen, Air America's former chairman, had served as Gloria Wise's director of development.

Radio Equalizer and Michelle Malkin have followed the scandal, which really should have received national attention, considering that "Air America" is broadcast nationally. Although the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Clubs receive considerable grants and city contracts, the charity almost had to close because of a shortfall in funds, caused by $500K in grant money having been loaned (and not returned) to --Al Franken's "Air America". Fortunately, other independent groups came to their rescue. According to the newspaper, none was named "Al Franken". Wizbang covers the story today and Danny Carlton has other links.

If this outrageous, and seemingly criminal, diversion of funds earmarked for the poor and sufferers of Alzheimers be true, prepare for the Republicans to be blamed for having cut back so drastically on funds to Public Broadcasting stations, that the PBS cannot afford to bank roll the likes of "Air America". It also demonstrates the liberal mind set being so accustomed to receiving public funds for the furtherance of their political agenda that they find nothing unseemly nor criminal with taking public funds wherever they be found. Tell me again, who is it that accuses others of starving children and feeding dog food to the elderly?

Linked at basil's blog Lunch: 7/28/2005.

Holloway Blogs Boycott

There has been no really fresh news for sometime in the story of Natalee Holloway's disappearance in Aruba. Those doing Internet searches of the MSM for news usually come up empty handed. Enter the bloggers of Blogland who can offer recycled news reports and also message boards. I can personally vouch that doing a post on Natalee Holloway can bring hordes of visitors to a blog. See my post about it: The Duct Tape Strangler.

The Comments sections of posts have been so populated with scenarios by readers, speculating about what really happened, that some blogsters have set up actual message boards so that there can be a real back and forth discussion of the teenager's tragic disappearance. Holloway blogsters have uncovered little know, yet mysterious linkages in the case. For example, Riehl World View, found that some of the alums of a now closed Tennessee military academy, are linked together in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. There is Jug Twitty, Natalee's stepfather. Someone named Serge Mansur who lives in Aruba and is now General Manager of Cigarette Factory. (Aruba manufactures cigarettes? Hmmm... Wonder where they hide the tobacco plantations?) Another Mansur, Luis M. Mansur who works for the newspaper "Diario" on the island and has reported on the Holloway case. And even Duane and Greg Allman, of the Allman Brothers rock band. Huh? I wonder how Duane Alman got involved with the Natalee case as he has been dead since 1971?

Now war has broken out in Blogland amongst bloggers who pinched (borrowed) each other's news reports that had already been pinched (borrowed) from someplace else. Seems, some of these blogmasters have gone giddy with their soaring counter statistics. And why not! The New Zealand bear uses them to determine the pecking order of each and every blog in Blogland. In addition, the more visitors to a blog, the more click-throughs to that blogs' own Google and Amazon piggy banks. The pennies, dimes and quarters come rolling in for the Holloway blogsters.

Where has all this Natalee Holloway ALL-THE-TIME led us? Nowhere, really. In fact, Natalee Holloway news has been so scarce that after the MSM reported on a similar disappearance five years ago in Jamaica, the Holloway bloggers immediately pounced upon it, scooping each other about Claudia Kirschoch who disappeared in 2000. Riehl World View recently wrote of Claudia's disappearance.

However, today the Arubans are draining a lake near the Marriott Hotel. And almost two months after the young girl's disappearance, new witnesses have come forth claiming to have seen something on that fateful night. It has been only a few hours, so the new witnesses haven't had time yet to change their stories, as is customary in the paradise that is Aruba. Last week, the Alabama legislature requested that citizens no longer patronize the island for vacations. And just today, one Holloway blogster of Blogland is calling for a boycott of those Holloway blogs that have not been fair, as in "unethical", with their Natalee Holloway All-The-Time news. Read all about it at Riehl World View.

If you want to participate in that Blog Boycott Fest you will have to boycott the "Scared Monkeys" (67,000 visits a day), but not "The Political Teen" (6,600 visits a day). I haven't checked to see what the Monkeys think about all this. They may want everyone to boycott "The Political Teen" and "Riehl World View" (49,000 visits a day). I think I will just boycott them all and try and get news of the story from MSM. One thing I have found, when an Internet search is done for "Natalee Holloway" one must first eliminate a site named "Useless-Knowledge.com", as they have locked up the Holloway Aruba story even tighter than Dan Riehl, the Teen and the Monkeys combined.

Ruffles and Flourishes to Wizbang Blog.

Brother Mitt

Perhaps the future is unfolding before my eyes. Could a man named Mitt be elected President of the United States? Could a governor of the liberal bastion of Massachusetts be elected to the Presidency? Could anyone from Massachusetts? It is the land of Ted Kenneddy, Barney Frank and John Kerry and none of them could do it. Now, wouldn't that just upset the apple cart? Could a Mormon be elected? Lordy, Lordy, if the Irish Catholics of Massachusetts can tolerate a Mormon governor, surely the rest of the land would be able. And isn't it about time that the Mormons got one of their own into high office? After all, Mormonism is the only true American religion. The faith was born and bred in the farm fields of New York. Other faiths were too, in the early years of the country's existence. But Mormonism survived and the others died out. I think I could go for Brother Mitt. Robert Novak is writing Romney Ready for 2008 Run. Hillary (and Newt) - watch out! The Momons are coming.

Are We Ready for a Mormon President from The Boston Globe

Liberal Ignorance of Warfare

While blogging about the liberal reaction to the Purple Heart joke perpetrated by the Wedding Crashers web site, I came upon a quote by Atrios at Eschaton, which is the #11 ranked blog in all of the blogdom world, according to Bear's Ecosystem. This would be considered a leader of liberal thought right up there with KOS. To show how out of touch these people are with the military and with military culture, here is what Atrios at Eschaton writes about a United States Marine officer, Hackett, and a Navy Captain, Minamayer, who both served in the Middle East during the War on Terror.

Wanker of the Day "Minamayer thinks he's justified in questioning Hackett's service because he was a Civil Affairs officer. You know, the guys who, like Hackett, have to go into Fallujah after we bomb the [expletive deleted] out of it and try to make nice with the local population. Surely not a dangerous or important job."

Atrios continues the disparagement by quoting a statement from Eric Minamayer's web site: "I fought the war on terrorism and now I will fight for you in Washington." Atrios responds

"Minamayer in combat? Nope."

I would like to ask, Mr. Atrios, just how many Navy captains he can name who served in combat during the War on Terror? When liberals try to discuss the military, they cannot help but display their illegal alien status. Truth be know, there likely are more senior Naval officers who served in combat in the Middle East during this war, then there are liberals who served.

How appropriate, that the same group of people who want to steal the valor of those who deservedly win Purple Hearts, would ridicule a Marine's and a senior ranking naval officer's service in a war zone. It would be absolutely useless and a waste of valuable time to even attempt to explain it all to them, as their minds are closed; sealed shut with the impenetrable cement of ignorance.

Wizbang has more information on this story. Linked at Outside the Beltway's 'Beltway Traffic Jam' and Mudville Gazette's 'Hessians on the Rampage'.

It's Justa Joke!

If You Were Offended - Tough. Get Over It.
According to The Associated Press, "Phony Purple Heart Taken Off Film Web Site, WASHINGTON - Following complaints from a congressman, the producers of Wedding Crashers on Monday yanked from the movie's web site a printable Purple Heart advertised as a gimmick to pick up women and get free drinks."

Yet the comments at liberal web sites show that they think the veterans were objecting to the film's comic use of the Purple Heart medal, and were seeking to have the Bill of Rights rewritten. Apparently, they just read only each others' blogs, never bothering to read the original news story from AP which explains that a printable image of a Purple Heart medal was voluntarily removed from the web site by the site's owners, when they realized their phony Purple Heart joke was not funny, but instead offensive. There was no censoring of the film; neither did veterans demand that it be censored.

After reading the liberal thoughts about faking The Purple Heart medals, I was left wondering just what that great general, who came up with the novel idea of awarding a medal to not only officers, but to enlisted men who were wounded in battle, would say if he were still around. As always, the shocking comments from liberals get me to wondering how anyone who has family in the military, or has ever served his/her country thusly, or who is just grateful to freedom's defenders, would want to be associated politically with the sort of people who write and contribute to the web sites linked below. I continue to be astonished.

It's Justa Joke! Taking their lead from the blog Eschaton, they claim it was the Republicans who started this Purple Heart kerfuffle with their "Purple Heart Band-Aids" at the Republican Convention? After all, if one is blind as a moonbat, a Band-Aid, a fake paper medal or even a Boy Scout medal could easily be mistaken for a real Purple Heart. The Movie Quill "Rants Entertainment" is concerned that the First Amendment has been rescinded:

"Can we still write what we want to write, or do we need to kow-tow to the prevailing wind of blue-haired ultra-conservative bible-thumping moral MINORITY?"

Call Me Carol wrote:

Did the Veterans protesting the use of Purple Hearts in the movie "the Wedding Crasher", also protest the 2004 Republican convention attendees when they wore a bandaid with a mock purple heart?

Armchair Generalist wants to know:

"where those veteran groups were during the Republican National Convention last year... Maybe they were too busy applauding Bush's stateside military record to notice the RNC delegates handing out the "Purple Hearts" in an effort to mock Kerry's Vietnam experience."

The Movie Blog writes that the use of the Phony Purple Heart was a tribute to the real Purple Heart winners. It shows that getting "free booze" is more important "than being a millionaire, or famous, or attractive".

On the official website, the fake Purple Heart image has the tagline with it "Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze". Apparently American Military Vet groups are quite upset by the use of the image. ... I think the gag show a HUGE amount of respect to the image of the Purple Heart. ... At the core of the joke is the understanding that the Purple Heart is such an amazing, important and symbolic thing, that in the wedding crashers minds it "guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze." In essence, what the gag says is that to have a Purple Heart is more important or significant than being a millionaire, or famous, or attractive. ... the gag actually pays homage to the image of the Purple Heart ...

Hmm. Why would "free booze" be better than being a millionaire? Adrants too thinks the film is being censored:

"The movie, which, remember, is a movie and not real life, ... While no one wants to diminish the hard work and sacrifices the fine, upstanding people who serve and protect America provide, we might want to remember this is a joke ... Animal Magazine Publisher Bucky Turco commented, 'It could almost be construed as a type of offbeat homage to their bravery and the power of the uniform.'"

Xpionated too believes the objection is to the Purple Heart in the movie and his message for the offended Vets: Get over it!

"... yes we know the sacrifices of our military veterans ... . We're just tired of being reminded now. Also, maybe you like the movie, maybe you don't .... But the fact is it's art. Just because it's not 'Platoon'-like drama, you feel offended. It's all good to talk about a purple heart in a movie until you use it in a comedy and then rah rah rah..... Vets who are offended can walk out of the movie. But please don't take valuable internet space with this non-issue....this damn political correctness BS is getting ridiculously blown out of proportion..."

The lovely and gracious Kirstina, a commenter at Film Rotation, wrote after reading of veterans' objections to the fake medal: "Boo [expletive deleted] hoo. Learn to take a joke, you military [expletive deleted]. People always will find a reason to meet their daily [expletive deleted] quotient." Striker, another commenter responded: "lol Damn right!" The Phil Factor believes that it is all about the "sex factor" and then compares faking of the Purple Heart medal to faking of Boy Scout medals.

"... anyone old enough to be a veteran or a member of congress does not have a sense of humor and was predictably outraged by this display of disrespect. Either that, or they're overly concerned about women sleeping with men they barely know."

To The People also sees it as "all about sex", however, those comments are too offensive to quote. He does admit though, that he is one of those who "falsely claims" to have earned a Purple Heart. I guess he participates in the soon to be illegal hoax just to con women, as he writes:

"Purple hearts aren’t that special anyway. Yeah, yeah, you got shot. You know why? Because you were in another country trying to kill their people. Did you think they wouldn’t shoot back? For all the ladies out there, I guess I should tell you that I have a purple heart before Congress makes it illegal to falsely claim I have one."

Terri Pool claims to be a law student at UA-Fayetteville Law School in Arkansas, and if she really is, I send my sympathies to anyone hoping to get a decent education there. She writes in Moonbat-speak, manageing to relate it all to homosexuality, at Terri's Law Blog:

"Recently, purple heart recipients ... were offended by the characters' of the film Wedding Crashers use of the purple heart ... I just want to express my deep feeling of disgust in the fact that these [expletive deleted] were the best that the United States of America could enlist to defend its citizens and municipalities. These [expletive deleted] can take a bullet, but they can't take a [expletive deleted] joke. Now remember folks, these "men" fought for the USA before the military's technically illegal "don't ask, don't tell" policy (the government should hold itself to higher, not lower standards than other employers, regardless of the nature of the occupation - after all, it would be illegal if a security/bodyguard service or a local law enforcement agency refused to hire or fired a person for being openly homosexual). Hmm... Now, I'm not saying that they're gay; I'm just saying that I know queens, pitchers and catchers alike, who are more butch and less sensative that those [expletive deleted]... "

Purple Hearts For All!
Some Give Some, Some Give All
Phony Purple Heart Joke

Phony Purple Heart Joke

It was a Hollywood joke, for Pete's sake. However, some people were just too prudish to "get it". Those Rubes down yonder in the United Red States cannot stand to see someone, somewhere having a bit of fun, especially when it is at the said Rubes' expense. Where does the highly decorated war hero, Senator John McCain, stand on this particular kerfuffle?

Phony Purple Heart Taken Off Film Web Site: 'If any movie-goers take the advice of the 'Wedding Crashers' and try to use fake Purple Hearts to get girls, they may wind up picking up an FBI agent instead,' Congressman John Salazar warned. 'I am pleased that New Line Cinema has agreed to take down offensive parts of the Web site. Our veterans and FBI agents are working hard to make sure that we honor our true heroes, no one should undermine their efforts.'

Thanks alot, Congressman KillJoy. So you get the "party pooper" vote. Will that be enough to get you reelected as a Democrat in Colorado? All because of you and your Red State Bubbas, the Wedding Crasher's Web site had to remove the FREE 'Crasher Kit' with instructions on how to "use the medals to pick up women". 'Print your own Purple Heart,' it invited. 'To get one of these babies, some dudes have to prove their physical, mental and spiritual strength with great feats of bravery on the battlefield. All you need to do is press the button below.' Now wannabe "dudes" will have to risk their lives to get one of "these babies", instead of risking snips from a pair of scissors.

The Wedding Crashers' producers, New Line Cinema, decided it would be best to remove the FREE fake Purple Hearts, especially since it will soon become a federal crime to use them. 'This is a comedy, and it's intended to be funny,' was the statement from their spokesman, Richard Socarides, speaking to The Washington Post. Mr. Socarides added, 'It's really not intended to offend anyone.' Probably too, the producers were considering that any faux soldier "dudes" in jail, would not be able to purchase tickets to the ::"funny"::, R-rated flick.
(Yes, it's satire, but all the quotes are real. Who could have made them up? )
The Genuine Purple Heart Medal

Linked at Colorado Political News.

Sir Winston, Where Are You?

Winston Churchill wrote of Islam in 1899: "the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome".

The city of London has a Moonbat acting as Mayor and there is no one named Rudy Guilani to come forth. And what about that great Prime Minister with blood of American patriots in his veins, who won World War II? Winston Churchill, where are you in your beloved nation's time of need? It is now World War III and you are with the angels in glory. Why did you not leave behind a wee trace of that determined British will to vanquish the barbarians that you warned about? “I hope that if evil days should come upon our own country, and the last army which a collapsing Empire could interpose between London and the invader were dissolving in rout and ruin, that there would be some . . . who would not care to accustom themselves to a new order of things and tamely survive the disaster.” (Ben Mcintyre Times Online) Or is it that Britishers are following Churchill's admonition to "tamely survive the disaster" that looms, the end of civilization?

"HOW DREADFUL are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.

"Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science – the science against which it had vainly struggled – the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome."

Winston Churchill, The River War, 1899.

Ruffles and Flourishes to "Irish Elk".

Purple Hearts for All

The Height of Inclusiveness
No longer does one need to risk going to war and being shot at to receive the Purple Heart medal. According to New Line Cinema's movie Web site, "Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze." It would be so unfair and anti-inclusive to continue to have our nation divided by The Haves and The Have Nots. Thank you Hollywood for, once again, leading the way. According to Guardian Unlimited, 25 July 2005:

A website promoting the Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn comedy Wedding Crashers has been criticised by America's military establishment for carrying an image of a fake Purple Heart which visitors can "cut out" and wear.

In the film, currently riding high at the US and UK box office, Wilson and Vaughn pose as military veterans to win the affections of bridesmaids after gatecrashing a wedding.

The website, weddingcrashersmovie.com, accompanied the fake Purple Heart image with the line: "Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze."

There is federal law prohibiting the wearing, manufacturing, buying, selling or trading of a Medal of Honor, therefore New Line Cinema, the producer of the movie, "Wedding Crashers", had to be content with awarding a less prestiguous fake military medal - the Purple Heart. As, the X-rated film has not only been endorsed by the conservative Senator John McCain, who also acts in the production, there is rumor abroad in the land that McCain himself came up with the idea of "Purple Hearts for All", as a way of assuaging the guilt of his liberal friends in Hollywood and the MSM media and have them feel more comfortable in his "highly decorated" presence.

'Here's an example of Hollywood imitating life. Hopefully it brings to the American conscience that this is what is happening,' said Doug Sterner, a Vietnam veteran who runs a Web site dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients.

UPDATE: It appears that the website, weddingcrashersmovie.com, has removed the print and cut fake Purple Heart, yet there is still the big red moving arrow that points to the medal in the Crasher Kit, which reads "Check Out the Crasher Essentials". Anyway, the site probably garnered all the free publicity they were counting on. Maybe I should have ignored this story.

McCain's Raunch Fest: It turns out McCain has a cameo role playing himself attending the big wedding in the raunchiest R-rated movie of the weekend, "Wedding Crashers." ...

John McCain Goes Hollywood: Opening this weekend, WEDDING CRASHERS, a movie packed with raunchy moments and bare-breasted beauties bedding down with the guys. And Senator John McCain! ...

(Yes, it's satire, but all the quotes are real. Who could have made them up? )

Linked at Mudville Gazette's 'Open Post' and 'Beltway Traffic Jam' at Outside the Beltway.

Pot Calls Kettle White

A brand new twist on the old saying!
Well, look what Darlene's Place found. Attending the elegant CFDA 2004 Awards at the Kennedy Center is Fashion Editor Robin Givhan of the Washington Post. Ms. Givhan is authoress of that infamous critique of the Roberts family's attire at the recent White House ceremony, as not classic, but "old-fashioned ... Old World, old money" and "An Image a Little Too Carefully Coordinated". Go and read Darleen's comments. They are like really funny - NOT faux funny like Wonkette.

"Oh, btw ... Over the jump is a picture of Ms. Givhan and what she finds appropriate to wear to an awards ceremony. 'Poor woman, so bravely smiling after some one stole her dress and left her standing in her slip and underwear.'"

I liked the outfits that the Roberts children wore to the White House, especially after reading that the always predictable Washington Post was not so charmed by the classically dressed family. Actually, I must admit, I found the WaPo's fashion critique to be great writing and somewhat fun. Additionally, I too was reminded of Easter by the colors, but the Necco wafers allusion is downright funny. And if I can indulge myself a bit. shouldn't Josie have been shodden in color coordinated Mary Janes, or at least white patent-leather, not black? I think so. After all, her father's appointment to the Supreme Court may hang in the balance between the appropriateness versus inappropriateness of Josie's black footwear.

"There they were -- John, Jane, Josie and Jack -- standing with the president and before the entire country. The nominee was in a sober suit with the expected white shirt and red tie. His wife and children stood before the cameras, groomed and glossy in pastel hues -- like a trio of Easter eggs, a handful of Jelly Bellies, three little Necco wafers. There was tow-headed Jack -- having freed himself from the controlling grip of his mother -- enjoying a moment in the spotlight dressed in a seersucker suit with short pants and saddle shoes. His sister, Josie, was half-hidden behind her mother's skirt. Her blond pageboy glistened. And she was wearing a yellow dress with a crisp white collar, lace-trimmed anklets and black patent-leather Mary Janes."

Kudos to Darlene's Place for a "take down" of WaPo's fashion guru that was richly deserved, After all, in the very same piece, Robin Givhan scolded Northwestern University's lacrosse team for "inappropriate" footwear at the White House. "Flip-flops, ... meant to be worn into a public shower or on the beach, have no business anywhere in the vicinity of the president and his place of residence." However, Ms. Givhan finds it quite appropriate to wear undergarments, sans outergarments, to the Kennedy Center, but for evening galas only. PICTURE

Suzy Rice has this great Liberal Fashion Barometer at her site, BIRD.

No Penumbras For Wingnuts

Isn't there some penumbra somewhere in the U.S. Constitution that guarantees a zone of privacy to each individual? I have read the Constitution and I cannot find it, but then if it were easy to see, it wouldn't be called a "penumbra". People, from the Supreme Court on high, all the way down to the little ladies at NARAL and NOW, insist that it is there. If we are all guaranteed such penumbras, or to be more correct - penumbrae, then shouldn't Dancin' Jackie and his father, Judge John Roberts, be included? Seems only right to me. In fact, if I could be Queen of the U.S. for a day, I would decree that all citizens, whether they want it or not, be granted a zone of penumbra around whatever it is they do or don't do in their bedrooms. Don't discuss your or anyone else's bedroom activities in public where it may gross out some of the more "repressed" among us and frighten innocent children.

Until I get to be Queen, why not exhibit a degree of civility and try to follow those "important though hidden" penumbrae supposedly in the Constitution, and not broach another person's sexuality, which if you really ponder it, should indeed be a zone of privacy for everyone. If you want to discuss your own fantasies, perversions, desires, past indiscretions, prowess, go for it! Just warn us ahead, so we can get out of earshot or shield our eyes. However, not only is it the epitome of bad manners to discuss the sexuality of someone you don't even know, you are invading that person's "All American" right to a zone of penumbrae, or penumbras. And that is much worse behavior than anything little Dancin' Jack did at the White House the other day.

Here is something called hilarity from self-described humorist "Blogette-Wonkette", as she invades the penumbrae of Judge John Robert's sexual life, entirely without his permission. Read her supposedly joking comments and you will understand just how unfunny humor about someone else's gayness can be.

July 21, 2005 "Wonkette operatives have alerted us to some details in John G. Roberts background. We're not making any conclusions here -- we wouldn't want to comment on an ongoing investigation -- we're just laying out the facts: He is a graduate of an all-boys Catholic school where, as a member of the wrestling team, he regularly grappled with other sweaty, repressed boys. That is when he wasn't the drama club playing Peppermint Patty, for God's sake. He was also an editor of the school newspaper, "The Torch." And yet the Right still asserts that "he's no flame-thrower." We like him more and more. RELATED: How gay is this guy? [Manhattan Offender]"

July 22, 2005 "The Roberts family were in costume. Wonkette operatives have figured out who they were dressed as, too. Talk about sucking up the Dems. ... And, sure, coming on like Jack Kennedy is one way to appeal to us. But we liked it better when he was gay."

And PS! For those who don't know any better, there is absolutely nothing "FUNNY", as in the "F" word, in jokes about children and their sexuality. See "The Daily Kos", Another Sick-O or "What Makes Jackie Dance".

Charmain at Reasoned Audacity has more today about blog jokesters, but if you want to read real honest-to-goodness, side-splitting humor, check out her comments section where some Moonbats have roosted:

"people who think there's some left-wing conspiracy to paint Roberts as "gay" are paranoid crazies ... Someone who thinks it's an insult or slander to call someone gay, clearly has serious homophobic issues to deal with."

"You are missing the point. ... there's nothing wrong with being gay! When we lefties call someone gay, it's not an insult. When we point out that someone fits some of the stereotypes of being gay, it's not a criticism. Can't you get it through your head? Straight people on the left love gay people! ... You're missing the point by a million miles. What mental barrier prevents you from seeing that being gay is not a bad thing?"

Oh, I "get it" now. In other words: we Wingnuts should understand that when you Moonbats call our husband, wife, father, mother, sibling, son, daughter, 4-year-old grandchild, friend, neighbor, and/or clergyman, a "homosexual" or "gay", we should feel really proud and know that you Lefties love them.

What Makes Jackie Dance?

Was adorable little Dancin' Jackie another Karl Rove sly trick? Did the Bush administration contact "Rent-a-Kid" and have them supply a 4-year-old known to be hyperactive? Did the Secret Service tank-up the little rascal with sugar-laced Kool-Aid before allowing him front and center with the President? These are serious questions and will certainly require a trained Special Investigator-Prosecutor to find the turth about this distubing incident at the White House.

The family of newly nominated Judge John Roberts have a cute little son Jack and they dressed him up to meet the President of the United States. However, little Jackie, all costumed in his short pants preppy suit and jazz dance shoes, with cameras flashing and the audience gazing, felt that it was showtime. He went into his routine, twirled and danced, almost causing the President to lose it, until his mother led him off stage. Since little Jackie's name was NOT Chelsea Clinton, speculation immediately began to explain, as nefariously as possible, the antics of the little boy dancer.

Perhaps it was simply a "dance of joy" at seeing his father selected for the highest court in the land. Needless to say, that explanation carries little weight with the Leftists. The Moonbats, in attempts to counteract the kid's charm which they fear may rub off onto his father, Judge John Roberts, have been busy with their Operation Looney Research. They immediately proffered a number of explanations for Dancin' Jack's performance, some of which are unbelievably despicable.

Jon Stewart of the Daily Show thought that little Jack was cute, but probably suffering from ADD: "Jack, of course, is the one who seems to be on the way to losing the case of Family v. Ritalin. ....Actually 4 year old Jack's loveable antics were adored by all...except the Secret Service, who quickly whisked him off to Gitmo."

The Palm Beach Post attempted to attribute the little boy's misbehavior to the clothing he was required to wear, but after contacting authorities on children's fashions, they found no one willing to condemn Jackie's outfit of a blue seersucker jacket and pants, white button-down Oxford shirt, and black-and-white saddle shoes. They ended up blaming his bad manners on his mother. "Jane Roberts dressed John Jr. just right. Now, if she could just work on his manners."

The Daily Kossacks labeled the little boy as a John-John Kennedy wannabe. One Kossack, Mayan, got the ball rolling into the Operation Looney Research: "Did You Catch His Wife? When Roberts thanked his family, he mentioned his son, Jack...Roberts' wife's face fell. It was like a poker tell. I think we should research Jack." Geoptf responded, "He's probably gay. Of course, this is how ridiculous rumors get started, but extreme conservatives seem to have a lot of homosexual children... ."

Did you catch that? The Left is writing about a 4-year-old child!

So having homosexual children is a sign of ... what? The tragedy is that the Gay Hunters seek out these children of conservatives for the purpose of harassing them. The same goes for homosexuals who are employed by conservatives. Those gays are researched and stalked by the loving, inclusive Gay Hunters of the Left. The fact that the Gay Hunters would stoop so low as to cast aspersions upon a 4-year-old boy, and want to "research Jack" because he dances, is truly pathological. John at Powerline wrote "They Were Already Beneath Contempt".

How did the Left become so looney? In this incident it shows that they are far, far outside of the mainstream of society; from Wonkette to Geoptf, they live on the fringes. They are shocked by the normal antics of a child, because they have little experience with children. They are the staunch believers in choosing abortion instead of life. They are the celebrants of alternative lifestyles, which seldom if ever include the raising of children. That is why they are so eager to crucify Little Jackie upon their own self-constructed cross of homosexuality.

"Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said He."
~~Sidney Carter, from Lord of the Dance

Holloway, Van der Sloot Fathers

The Meridian Star: July 20, 2005
Holloway was curious about the elder van der Sloot's evasion of the media, especially considering his claims of Joran's innocence. Holloway said van der Sloot told him he was "uncomfortable" talking to him and would rather deal with the police. Holloway said he didn't understand why, if Joran was innocent, they would hold back any information they had.

"He has portrayed an image of guilt the entire time," Holloway said.

Despite van der Sloot's dodging questions, Holloway said, he may have hit on something vital near the end of their conversation.

"I told him, `I am a forgiving person. If he is innocent, he needs to profess his innocence to me. If an accident happened on this, I can live with that,'" Holloway said. "And about that time, his eyes watered and his voice quivered and he said, 'I've got to do everything I can to protect my son.'"

Holloway said he ended their conversation by handing van der Sloot three books for his son: a Bible, "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren and "Living in the Moment" by Mary Ann Morgan. Holloway said he does not know if Joran received them, but hopes he will benefit from them.

"I just got to feeling they think it is all about them and their son and it's not. It's all about God and how they play a role in life," Holloway said.

The Duct Tape Strangler

Oh, the vagaries of Internet search engines. As far as I am aware, there is no such dreadful creature as The Duct Tape Strangler. He/she was only a figment of the mind of Kerfuffles. Since the story has hit about strands of blond hair found on duct tape along a beach in Aruba, my blog has been pounced upon by droves of seekers coming to Kerfuffles for more information. Sorrowfully, I have none. I even suspect that those blond hairs will be found not to belong to Natalee, nor have any criminal links, as duct tape is used for so many perfectly legal projects.

I made one posting about the tragic Natalee Holloway disappearance in Aruba, which I entitled "Too Much Fun". I also made a post about The Freeway Blogger, "Moonbatting Necessities", and mentioned his use of duct tape and jokingly cautioned him on being mistaken for the entirely fictitious Duct Tape Strangler.

I searched for more news today of the young girl's disappearance and did find an interesting AP story, dated today. It involves a man from South Carolina and a woman he met at a shop in North Carolina. It is truly a "he said - she said" affair, however the story sounds plausible. The man claims that the woman relayed some gossip to him from a telephone conversation with the Van der Sloot family, who were her friends from when she lived in Aruba. He claims that she told him details of Holloway's disappearance, including claims that the intoxicated teen died after accidentally falling and hitting her head on a rock. He contacted the FBI and now the woman says she told him nothing of the sort. Here it is from AP:

"Interviewed by The Associated Press late Thursday, Palmer said her son had been a school friend of Joran van der Sloot, who is jailed in the case, and she said has known parents Paul and Anita van der Sloot for years. But she said she knows nothing about what happened to Holloway.

"'I haven't seen them (the van der Sloots) since 2001,' she said, adding that she also has not spoken with the family since then.

"Jim Dooley, a personnel recruiter from Charleston, S.C., told the AP he referred the FBI's Birmingham office to Palmer after she shared with him details of the case she said came from Paul van der Sloot during a phone conversation shortly after Joran van der Sloot's arrest. Dooley said he struck up a conversation with Palmer while his wife tried on clothes in the store where Palmer works. He said Palmer quoted Paul van der Sloot as saying Holloway died after falling and hitting her head on a rock at an Aruban beach."

Natalee Holloway was last seen in Aruba at Carlos N Charlie's. It is doubtful that there were any Duct Tape Stranglers lurking about there, but from this photograph of another beautiful young woman at the same nightclub, it seems not a safe environment for intoxicated teens.

Where is the Fun at Carlos N Charlies? Scared Monkeys has more, HERE and HERE, including breaking news today that the Aruban Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice have ordered all materials pertaining to the Natalee Holloway investigation to be given to the FBI. Interesting that today also the Alabama legislature asked that citizens boycott Aruba because no one has been charged in the case. After so many weeks, will the FBI be able to get to the bottom of this sad story? We can hope.

How Gay Are You?

The Gay Hunters Want to Know! They have comprised a list of clues to ferret out gayness in the unsuspecting. Rate your own gayness, by taking the Gay Test. And, BTW, I did not make this up. It has been compiled from the writings of the loving inclusive friends of Gays, on the Moonbat side of reality, Gay Hunters Wonkette and Manhattan Offender.

• Did you graduated first in your class in high school?
• Did you attend an all-male boarding school?
• Did you attend Catholic school?
• Did you study Latin?
• Did you study French?
• Were you devoted to your studies?
• Were you co-captain of your football team?
• Were you a "slow-footed linebacker."
• Were you a wrestler? (This counts triple if yes, according to Wonkette.)
  
• Were you co-editor of the school newspaper?
• Did you serve on an athletic council?
• Did you serve on the Student Council.
• Did you sing in the choir?
• Did you participate in drama?
• Are your children adopted?

Law professor blogger Ann Althouse, along with Wonkette, have concluded that a recent New York Times piece clearly used photographs to illustrate how to spot a closeted gay.

• Were you ever photographed wearing plaid pants?
• Were you ever photographed with your boys' school pals?
• Were you ever photographed wearing a wrestling suit with other wrestlers?
• Were you ever photographed with footballers? and finally
• Does there exist an all-male wedding photograph, somewhere, of you "smiling"?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions about your young formative years, then guess what? You are gay! Your degree of gayness is determined by your number of "YES" answers. This great Gay Test is brought to you today by your loving and liberal friends, Ann Althouse, Wonkette, Manhattan Offender and the New York Times Illustrated, with its photo gallery of Judge John Roberts.

John at Powerline writes "They Were Already Beneath Contempt" (don't miss it). Ruffles and Flourishes to Charmaine at Reasoned Audacity, who explains why the necessity of The Gayness Test. Linked at Michelle Malkin, Captain's Quarters, Sister Toldja, Betsy's Page and Wizbang's Carnival of the Trackbacks.

London in July 2005

"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender," ~~Winston Churchill

Kerfuffles made the following posts at the time of the last bombings in the city of London. They still apply and are even more appropriate, today, after we have seen more "piss ant" attacks.

• The Blitzkrieg and the Piss Ants
  

• The Reason Why

• Civilization and Barbarism
  

• Gates of London

At the time of World War II, Sir Winston Churchill attempted to rally the British people behind him to defeat the evils of Nazism. The British were successful. Today, those same people are fighting against their own home grown belligerants.

"I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.

"At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation.

"Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old." ~~Winston Churchill

Threesomes For Canada

As I discussed in a previous post, Canada Allows Gay Marriage, Canada is being mostly applauded :) for it's embracing (swallowing hook, line and sinker) of one of liberalism's main tenets; that homosexuals deserve extraordinary rights for being homosexuals. However, Canada has yet to realize that it shows extreme prejudicial contempt to those who want to legally marry, but cannot fulfill the obligation of being a couple. I already discussed polygamy. In all the world there is no country yet allowing both same-sex marriage and polygamy. Why not Canada? If Canada was brave enough to take the liberal leap to sanction same-sex marriages, why not go all the way and legalize polygamy? By doing so it would give relief to all the Canadians who are being denied marriage because they are threesomes, or ménages à trois. A threesome can consist of heterosexuals and/or homsexuals, so they certainly qualify under that Canadian required sexual status.

The ménages à trois have not been as blatant and vocal in their demands for equal and human rights as have been gays and lesbians. There have been so many such famous sexual liasons in recorded history, we can be sure there are thousands of Canadians currently living in unwedded bliss only because they happen to be ménages à trois. After all, threesomes started with the dawn of human history, in the Old Testament, with Adam, Eve and the serpent. There were Anais Nin and Henry and June Miller, all the way to the fictitious Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Superman. Joseph Goebbels, FDR, Greta Garbo, the Rolling Stones. John Maynard Keynes, Virginia Woolfe, Dora Carrington, Lytton Strachy, Count Dracula and Lucy's saviors, Heinreid, Ingrid Bergman, and Humphrey Bogart all delighted in being parts of threesomes. Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey and his wife, in their era, were the iconoclastic darlings of Hollywood. Come on, O Canada, get with the program!

Canada Allows Gay Marriage

Canada OKs gay marriage Chicago Sun-Times, IL
by ROB GILLIES. TORONTO -- Canada legalized gay marriage Wednesday, becoming the fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples. ...
Canada 4th nation to OK gay marriage Seattle Times
Canada Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage Los Angeles Times
Canada fourth nation to legalize gay marriage The Olympian

Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler told a Senate committee that churches, mosques, temples and synagogues have nothing to fear. (Yeh, yet - but just wait a while. Does anyone suppose that the militant homosexuals are going to be content with "second-class" marriages performed by a JP outside of the church?) He also noted that the bill will not compel religious groups to perform ceremonies against their beliefs. (Again I say, yet.) Not all Canadian jurisdictions are pleased with the new experiment. Prince Edward Island said it will amend its laws to comply. Alberta, which has opposed gay marriage, said it was resigned to the bill becoming the law of the land. "We will proceed to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, much to our chagrin,'' said Premier Ralph Klein. He added that his government was trying to pass a law to protect those who oppose gay marriages on moral or religious grounds. "We will develop legislative options to ensure the rights of religious officials and those Albertans who hold social or cultural beliefs or values, whether religious or non-religious,'' Klein said at a news conference. He feels it necessary to pass a new provincial law to enshrine the freedom to express opposition to same-sex marriage. Obviously, the Albertans see the handwriting on the walls of history, as they try to prevent what happened in Manitoba where at least twelve marriage commissioners lost their jobs for refusing to perform same-sex marriages against the dictates of their consciences.

Perhaps, the U.S. can take the lead from Alberta, and also pass legislation to guarantee Americans the freedom to express opposition to same-sex marriage.

| Gay Marriage | Canada | polygamy | same-sex marriage | plural marriage |

Kerfuffles Loves P.J. Too

I Bet You Didn't Know That Peace Kills -

"Americans hate foreign policy. Americans hate foreign policy because Americans hate foreigners. Americans hate foreigners because Americans are foreigners. We all come from foreign parts, even if we came here ten thousand years ago on a land bridge across the Bering Strait. We didn't want anything to do with those Ice Age Siberians, them with the itchy cave-bear-pelt underwear and mammoth meat on their breath. We were off to the Pacific Northwest -- great salmon fishing, blowout potluck dinners, a whole new life." ~~P.J. O'Rourke, from Wizbang's "Why I Love P.J. O'Rourke"

"I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war. During a war you get to drive tanks through the sides of buildings and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually frowned on during peacetime." -- P.J. O'Rourke

Dancing Boy Roberts

Anyone who has experience with four-year-old boys, can tell you that this picture demonstrates what happens when such a child is placed in front of an audience, flashing lights and cameras. No matter that the spotlight is on the President of the United States, or even on his own distinquished father, the four-year-old boy will always believe that he is the center of attention and he will always perform. Take my word for it. However, there is a side of the political spectrum that does not understand the normal behavior of a little boy and has attributed unbelievable traits to him and his parents. (The Political Teen posted the video from Fox News: CLICK HERE)

The Daily KOS

Wonkette: Little Jackie with his short pants, shows that Justice Robert's nomination is a bridge to the 19th century. (I kid you not, and that is the least of the slurs.)

While President Bush was making facial contortions to keep from laughing, while gliimpsing out of the corner of his eye the devilish antics of little Jack, The Huffington Post comments suspect those presidential grimaces to be evidence of something far more sinister.

GOP Vixen - Why Bush Smirked

Moonbattery writes the truth: "Leftists Play Gay Card Against John Roberts"

The Son, The Smirk and the Sickos by Michelle Malkin

No Enemy Too Small by Confederate Yankee

However, there is "somewhat" good news from the MSM. Today, the LA Times refrains from attacking four-year-old Jackie boy, gunning for his mother instead. Jane Roberts is "shockingly" a Roman Catholic, just like her husband, and even more shocking, she "Holds Strong Antiabortion Views".

Matt Drudge, with his Drudge flash, and his trusty six-shooter, Ann Coulter, have been dissing Judge John Roberts. Fearless "Annie Oakly" describes the new Bush nominee as "Souter in Roberts clothing" (Ann Coulter's website). Kerfuffles disagrees with Annie. Kerfuffles predicts only one thing about John Roberts. As long as the new justice has to deal with the likes of "dancing Jack", he will never become another Justice David Souter, "Hermit of the Supremes".

Linked at Captain's Quarters.

Canada Allows Gay Marriage

Canada's Brave New World Is Great News for U.S.!
Our northern neighbor has sanctioned same-sex marriage. That solves our problem of what to do about such a bizarre idea. No longer should it bother our brains, as now any same-sex couple so inclined, can pack up its duds and move to Canada to tie the knot. O Canada, our progressive "true North strong and free" neighbor, welcoming dissatisfied Yanks for more than two centuries, ... THANKS. Canada can serve as the land of the great social experiment and we, the backwards Southerners of North America, can watch and see how the tinkering with ancient mores unfolds for them.

"TORONTO:— Canada legalized gay marriage (search) Wednesday, becoming the world's fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples.

"The bill gives homosexual couples the same rights as those in traditional unions between a man and a woman, something already legal in eight of Canada's 10 provinces and in two of its three territories.

"But (Prime Minister) Martin, a Roman Catholic, has said that despite anyone's personal beliefs, all Canadians should be granted the same rights to marriage.

"The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain are the only other nations that allow gay marriage nationwide." Fox News

However, there is something inherently unfair about having to be homosexual, in order to partake of the ancient sacrament of marriage. If both members of a couple are of the same sex and want to marry, yet their sexual status is what is weirdly described as "straight", it would be most discriminatory, as in "D" word DISCRIMINATION, to forbid their quest. And besides, what business is it of the state what people do, or don't do, in their own bedrooms? Haven't we had that mantra pounded into our psyche time and time again?

If two sisters live together, or two brothers, they cannot marry because they are NOT homosexuals? What about two friends of the same sex who may want to marry for tax advantages, such as purchasing a home? Is it morally right of the government to require that they be homosexuals? Of course not! What if they lie and say they are homosexuals, how will the government go about to prove they are lying? Hmmm... What if, for financial reasons, a mother and daughter want to marry, or an uncle and nephew? Why should they have to be homosexual? This boggles the mind. If same sex couples are legally allowed to marry, there should be absolutely no requirement that they be gay. That would be blatant "pro-homosexual bigotry", and it would be insane!

Oh, I just reread the Prime Minister's remarks. Mr. Martin explained "that despite anyone's personal beliefs, all Canadians should be granted the same rights to marriage." Oh, how reassuring, as he obviously means that same-sex couples do not have to be homosexual. Therefore, fathers and sons can now marry each other, even though some people have puritanical beliefs that it is improper. Why, even mothers and sons too. And those Canadians who want to engage in plural marriage, which after all, in the case of polygamy, has been around since time out of mind, ... go for it. It was practiced in the Bible, by the Jews in Europe during the middle ages and it is yet in vogue today in parts of the Muslim world. It most certainly would be discrimination to prohibit such an ancient custom. Even "ménage à trois" should now become a legal, state-sanctioned household arrangement, especially if everyone is the same sex. To now proclaim otherwise, would be insane.

| Gay Marriage | Canada | polygamy | same-sex marriage | plural marriage |

O Canada

Islamic Justice for Women

One sided justice for a male dominated "religion", or whatever Islam is:

"Victim Ordered to Wed Rapist
BOMBAY -- Hard-line Islamic clerics in a northern Indian village have declared that a woman's 10-year-old marriage was nullified when her father-in-law raped her -- and ordered the mother of five to marry the rapist.

The fatwa, or religious edict, was issued by Darool Uloom Deoband, South Asia's most powerful Islamic theological school known for promoting a radical brand of Islam that is said to have inspired the Taliban in Afghanistan."

To his credit, the victim's husband blamed his father and said that he still loved his wife and would not desert her. He was overruled by the powerful Muslim governing body. Where will stand the ACLU when this religious justice comes to America?

Spending Liberally

Results in throwing employees of "capitalist piggy" companies out of work.

Spending Liberally does not want anyone to spend hard earned Liberal dollars at these companies, just in case anyone is interested. I suppose "anyone" would be interested if "anyone" happens to be a liberal democrat in the employ of one of the piggies. Hey, guys, your buds are trying to drive your company out of business! It seems that tops on the list are the "capitalist piggies" that advertise at Fox News. Hmm...

"Welcome to Spending Liberally ~ Liberal voices and opinions, though held by a majority of the US population, are now unrepresented in government and mocked in the press. Spending Liberally is here to make our voices heard in the last way left to us; we will direct our collective spending power so as to punish corporations that make the government work against the public interest. We will use the Internet and other new media to focus and coordinate our economic power for maximum effect. Think of what we're doing as economic flash mobs.

Our first task is to regain fair and equal representation in the media. So we are beginning with targeted sanctions against sponsors of Fox News Channel."

And this is from their Spending Liberally Blog:

"People often write me asking if we can provide a list of businesses where we recommend you spend your money. While we do not yet have that, I would like to recommend this article in the New York Times, which dubs Costco 'the Anti-Wal-Mart.' Costco pays its employees nearly double what Wal-Mart and Sam's Club pays, and provides excellent benefits. The result is happy employees who don't quit and rarely steal from or try to cheat their employer. And Costco's share price is rising while Wal-Mart's is sinking.

"It's kind of shocking in this day and age to see a business (and a CEO) practicing enlightened self-interest. If you're looking for a recommendation from me, by all means do whatever shopping you can at Costco. Businesses that act ethically are rare, and need resounding support."

| Liberals | Pepsi | Spend Liberally | WalMart | Costco | Fox News|

Dem Bones are Dry Bones

Word for Word, Schumer Meets His Match

by Dana Milbank (WaPo)

With shutters clicking and flashes popping, Wilson demanded anew that Rove be fired. "I made my bones confronting Saddam Hussein and securing the release of over 2,000 Americans in hiding in Kuwait," he said before a cluster of microphones beneath a portrait of George Washington.

Does anyone suppose that George Washington would know what the heck Superboy Wilson was saying. He "made his bones"? Why would a two time United States Ambassador engage in Mafia-speak on the floor of the United States Senate? Perhaps he felt the need to speak in a language Senator Schumer of New York would understand. I don't know. "To make one's bones" is to become a "made man" in the Mafia, and it is accomplished by killing someone. Shudder - Shudder! Will the real spy in the Plame-Wilson household please stand up? Perhaps Ladyspy Plame's open covert status was just cover for Superboy. Just a thought!

make (one’s) bones v. to kill a person as requirement for membership in a criminal gang, especially if it is one’s first murder; to become a made man; (hence) to earn a reputation.

Crime & Prisons. English. This term is associated with organized crime, especially the Mafia or the mob.

1969 Geoffrey Wolff N.Y. Times (Mar. 8) “Persuasive Picture of Crime’s World” p. C4: Business, for Puzo’s characters, is almost everything. Vito Corleone “made his bones” (first killing) in cold blood for dollars. 1984 William Diehl Hooligans (June 1) p. 46: The story goes that Chevos killed his own brother to make his bones for Skeet.

We are Southerners here, and all we know about making bones was written in the book of Ezekiel. But how appropriate, the old Southern spiritual could have been written for the Plame-Wilson affair, as it is so connected to everything, including the Dems.

DEM BONES Melody

Joseph Wilson cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Joseph Wilson cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Joseph Wilson cried, "Dem dry bones!"
"Oh, hear the word of the Dems."

The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Dems!

Dem bones, Dem bones gonna rise again'
Dem bones, Dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, Dem bones, gonna do the town'
Oh, hear the word of the Dems.

The head bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the foot bone,
Dems' bones is gonna rise!

Linked at Captain's Quarters, Right Wing Nut House, 'Halleluja!' from The Jawa Report and My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

A Funny Bar Joke!

A member of the MSM (Main Stream Media) staggers into a Washington pub and sits down next to Superboy Joseph Wilson who has a dog lying at his feet.

'Does your dog bite?' asks the blow-dried MSM person.

'No' replies Superboy Joe Wilson.

A few minutes later the dog takes a huge chunk out of Mr. MSM's leg.

'I thought you said your dog didn't bite!' the journalist shouts indignantly.

'That's not my dog,' says the award winning truth teller, Joseph Wilson.

'Well ... that proves it! Karl Rove was here and left his vicious dog. I can't wait to scoop this latest story of how sly and evil that Karl Rove can be and why he should be frog-marched out of the White House', screams the MSM journalist, cell phone at his ear, as he limps outside to flag a taxi.

Ruffles & Flourishes to Greg Gutman at The Huffington Post | The Blog for "A FUNNY BAR JOKE! (burp!)"

Linked at The Museum of Left Wing Lunacy, Eschaton, Mudville Gazette, Outside the Beltway, IMAO and basil's blog Breakfast.

Supreme Court Nominee

Which Edith will it be? The Edith from Louisiana or the other Edith from Louisiana? The new Supreme Court Justice nominee most likely will be Edith Brown Clement.

There is another Edith in the running: Edith Hollan Jones.

The Washington Post

| White House | Supreme Court | SCOTUS |

Guess Who Came to Dinner?

At the White House Last Night.

Indra and Raj, that's who. If you don't know Indra Nooyi, she is President and CFO of PepsiCo Inc, one of the "capitalist pig" companies that is listed high on the "Buy Liberally" shopping lists of Moonbats. However, Indra is more well known for her "middle finger" analogy of the United States under the present administration. When she was the speaker at The Columbia Business School MBA recognition ceremony at Madison Square Garden on May 15, 2005, she described "each of us in the U.S." as "--the long middle finger". Read it for yourself at "The Straight Story" from The Weekly Standard.

"I think this is how the rest of the world looks at the U.S. right now. Not as part of the hand--giving strength and purpose to the rest of the fingers--but, instead, scratching our nose and sending a far different signal." ~~Indra Nooyi

As for Raj Nooyi, Reasoned Audacity points out that he was among the top 150 donors to the Kerry Campaign. "Nooyi, Raj K, Amsoft Systems/Engineer, $27,000, 08/06/2004, Greenwich, CT, 06830." How much did the Nooyis donate to the Republicans? Using the search engine at www.campaignmoney.com, I discovered that you, dear reader, probably gave more than the Nooyis' $0.00. However, you were not invited to sup with the Bushes last night, even if you are of Indian descent.

Also on the White House Invitees List was Sarah Perot, wife of Ross Perot Jr. I am just as puzzled by such Laura and George dinner companions as is Reasoned Audacity. However, I've noticed this type of thing before, in the administration of ... guess who? President George Herbert Walker Bush. Apparently the Bushies get some sort of devilish delight by mingling with their enemies and slighting their friends.

I have often wondered, especially during wartime, why a "genuine" member of America's fighting force is seldom or never included. By "genuine" I mean someone flown in from the battlefield, not someone driven in from the Pentagon.

| White House | Pepsi | Indra Nooyi |

Lady Spy Plame and Superboy

This poster is just more Plame-Wilson insanity brought to you by Free Republic.

What more is there to write? Facts seem not to matter. Karl Rove had a "Top Secret" security clearance, which, according to news sources, clearly means that he not only had "a need to know" the status of Valerie Plame, but he was, by golly, compelled to know the name, rank and serial number of all undercover agents of the CIA world-wide. That is a fact brought to you by the Main Stream Media (MSM). Captain Ed at Captain's Quarters has more facts today about the MSM's enforced ignorance.

"Joe Wilson victimized the truth and the American public, not the other way around. One would think that media sources who set such store by truth and openness would reflect that in their reporting as well." ~~Captain Ed

BTW, when exactly did the Democrats change their stripes and become the CIA's most ardent defenders? Seems it started about 2003, with their loving embrace of Superboy Joey Wilson. Why, just a week ago, the senior senator from the great state of New York, Charles Schumer, stood with Superboy at a press conference and demanded that Karl Rove's security clearance be suspended. Read Michael Barone for all the details, including a comparison of Joseph Wilson with another greatly discredited blowhard, "Our Titus Oates".

I have just found that the cover that Pete of Ihillary made for my scandal-less story "Lady Spy Plame and the Frog" has been picked up at Free Republic. Go take a look as there are lots of funny 'toons there.

The Nouveau Riche

Shocking Photo of Madonna!

Once again Madonna shocks the world by setting a new fashion style for chicken feeding, as seen at her quaint English country cottage. The image is from My Way News Photo - PEOPLE MADONNA. Her elegant peasant inspired outfit consists of a demure Grace Kelly-style chiffon chemise topped by a cashmere cardigan sweater from designer Alexander McQueen. The rich, including the nouveau ones, are not like you and me; they are different. They raise poultry on their front lawns as do peasants, they live in humble abodes as do the proles, and they shop for the essential accoutrements of life in Paris and Beverly Hills. We must buy the Magazine Vogue to see what kind of basket Madonna uses to gather the eggs. I cannot wait to see the stove on which Madonna fricassees those handsome birds.

Madonna should stay with the new peasant look, as it is much more becoming to her than this glamour shot from The Spotlight's "How Not to Dress". Note the extreme right-angle shoulder pads and the drooping "way too long" sleeves. Perhaps there was no time for a visit to the tailor, or perhaps Madonna has tragically lost both of her hands. It could have happened that those evil hens and roosters bit off the lovely hands that fed them.

| Madonna | chickens |

Matthew Cooper Tells All

Matthew Cooper is offering up new hope for the Left. He finally speaks and tells all he remembers about his "Double Super Secret" telephone talkfest with Karl Rove!

"What I Told The Grand Jury"
By Matthew Cooper
Time Magazine, Monday 25 July 2005 Issue

Matthew Cooper reveals exactly what Karl Rove told him--and what the special counsel zeroed in on.

As for Wilson's wife, I told the grand jury I was certain that Rove never used her name and that, indeed, I did not learn her name until the following week, when I either saw it in Robert Novak's column or Googled her, I can't recall which. Rove did, however, clearly indicate that she worked at the "agency"--by that, I told the grand jury, I inferred that he obviously meant the CIA and not, say, the Environmental Protection Agency. Rove added that she worked on "WMD" (the abbreviation for weapons of mass destruction) issues and that she was responsible for sending Wilson. This was the first time I had heard anything about Wilson's wife.

Rove never once indicated to me that she had any kind of covert status. I told the grand jury something else about my conversation with Rove. Although it's not reflected in my notes or subsequent e-mails, I have a distinct memory of Rove ending the call by saying, "I've already said too much." This could have meant he was worried about being indiscreet, or it could have meant he was late for a meeting or something else. I don't know, but that sign-off has been in my memory for two years.

| Plamegate | Nadagate | Karl Rove | Matthew Cooper | Robert Novak |

Double Super Secret

The MSM Rankings of Its Secret Misinformation

I finally discovered just what that status (Double Super Secret) means. A Double Super Secret rating is required when an unidentified scource requests (demands) that the conversation he/she releases to the journalist may be quoted but only as an anonymous source, not to the actual person who said it, whose identity should henceforth and forever more be protected even at the risk of imprisonment or even frog-marching of the journalist. That is called "Double Super Secret" status, which means the journalist may only write all the details of who actually released the secret in an e-mail, as long as that e-mail includes the pertinent name, rank and serial number of the leaker. The journalist may send it to the Internet and/or the World Wide Web, but not anywhere else. In addition, the e-mail must be clearly marked "DOUBLE SUPER SECRET", just in case it falls into the wrong hands.

"Sun Jul 17 2005 18:48:33 ET
CNNWASHPOST HOWARD KURTZ: A lot of people have picked up on your description in the memos to your bureau chief of that conversation -- "It was on double super secret background." What did that mean?

"TIME MATT COOPER: Well, Howie, I can now reveal that it was a joke. Karl Rove, when we had the conversation, wanted it to be on deep background, which I took to mean I could use the material but not quote it directly, and certainly not attribute it, that I had to protect the identity of my source. When I wrote the note to my bureau chief, just moments after the conversation with Rove, in a slightly playful way, I echoed the line in the movie "Animal House," where John Belushi's wild fraternity is put on double secret probation. So it was a little bit of humor."

MSM | Double Super Secret | frog-march | Matthew Cooper |

Plame-Wilson Scandalessgate

Pete at Ihillary created this great cover for my "Lady Spy Plame Story", a "horrifying tale" of a love affair gone wrong, spun from the quill of Superboy Joey Wilson and based upon the curse of the boy-wizard-who-lived, "may liars come to grief". So why did it all go so wrong for the Plame-Wilsons? John Podhoretz answers at The Corner on National Review Online:

"Did Karl Rove break any laws? No. Did he do anything wrong? No - because saying someone worked for the CIA on WMD is not in any way wrong. Nor was there anything wrong with Cooper learning that Mrs. Joseph Wilson may have arranged a little Nigerian jaunt for her has-been, lame-o hubby -- perhaps because she knew he needed some Dry Look hair spray and could use the Duty Free Discount at Dulles. Or perhaps because she wanted him out of the house because he was so annoying. Or because they could use a little more scratch and he was presumably reimbursed to some extent for his travels. Or perhaps because she's his wife and loves him and wanted to throw him a bone to salve an ego that is roughly the size of the Goodyear Blimp.

"Are the people who are going after Karl Rove's throat with precious little evidence and even less reason now going to hang their heads and blush with shame because they all but convicted a man for a felony he didn't commit in the public prints? Are you kidding?" (Bonnet Ruffles to Dr. Sanity)

Captain's Quarters is bemoaning today that:

"LA Times Still Can't Get Plame Facts Correct: The Los Angeles Times runs an article on the Plame leak today that manages to avoid advancing the story with any evidence and get the existing facts almost entirely incorrect."

The left is welcome to the likes of Joey Wilson. Let them try and follow the twists and turns of not only this story, but his entire life since he has been exalted to "Darling" status by the MSM. As said the great child philosopher, Harry Potter: "Blessed be the giver, Cursed be the thief, May fortune smile upon the true, and liars come to grief."

Chronology of Scandalessgate beginning with Lawrence O'Donnell's "BIG SCOOP": | The Gray Lady Suicide Bomber | Tin Foil Hatter Cats |Leakgate, Rovegate or Wilsongate | Plame-Wilson Love Story | Wilson Crying Wolf Again | Karl Whistleblower Rove | A Medal for Karl | Why Is Judith Miller in Jail | Joseph Wilson's Raison d'Etre | Flogging a Dead Frog | Innocent Until Plamed | Big Scoop Reversal | "I Broke the Story" | More Big Scooper Scoops | Award Winning Truth Teller | Joseph Wilson's Life Quest | Big Scooper's Scoop Verified | Karl Rove Plamed Again |

| Plamegate | Nadagate |

McCain's Wedding Crashers

I wrote a couple of posts about Senator John McCain's cameo role in the movie, Wedding Crashers. (John McCain Goes Hollywood) My first post was just wondering how he finds the time. I had previously mentioned it once before here: McCNN New News Network. Then I commented on Susan Estrich's review of the film. (John McCain's Raunch Fest - perhaps I got carried away a bit.) I was taken to task by Matthew at Pretentious Blowhard for criticizing McCain and the film when I had never seen it. Well, no one should wait for me to give a first hand review and no one has to, as Matthew has posted a well written treatise of the film's redeeming qualities and McCain's actions. I bow to his superior insight. However, there are two short paragraphs I take issue with and it is this from Matthew:

"The radical left refuses to accept media images that could be seen to be sexist, racist, violent, homophobic even if, holistically, the work is reaffirming of progressive values. The radical right likewise refuses to accept images that are sexy, racy, violent, or celebratory (or even tolerating) of homosexuality.

"But it's not just that. Not only do people want their reality confirmed, they want it confirmed in a manner that is comfortable, reliable, and predictable for them. It's about orthodoxy and blindly and unthinkingly following a set of self-righteous principles."

I fail to understand how refusing to accept certain images as described by Graham because they make a person uncomfortable or because one is following a set of principles, which by the way, I do not consider "self-righteous", hurts "Wedding Crashers" or anyone wanting to see it or act in it. Everyone who wants can still see the film, even though I choose not to. I think to condemn another person's principles as "self-righteous" shows a grave lack of understanding of individual morality. Why is it morally wrong for someone to want to feel comfortable?

US Medic Treats Terrorist

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" said the Master as recorded by Matthew 5:44.

My heart sank to my knees when I watched the video (below) of Army PFC Stephen Tschiderer, a medic, being shot in the chest by an enemy sniper, hiding in a van just 75 yards away. The incident was filmed by the terrorists. Praise the Lord for body armor. Private Tschiderer immediately fell to the ground from the impact, but he popped right back up, took cover and located the enemy’s position. After tracking down the by then wounded sniper, with a team from the 1st Iraqi Army Brigade, Tschiderer captured the terrorist and gave medical treatment to the man who had tried to kill him just minutes before. (Army Times)

Hat Tip to QandO Blog who asks "Did you hear the 'Allah Akbar' being repeated over and over by the insurgents who filmed this?" However, praise the Lord, all the "Allah Akbars" were for naught, as Allah lost once again.

Image of Stephen Tschiderer of Mendon, New York. See the video of the attack.

War on English Soil

"The 'war' must be fought on British soil" and it is all the fault of Tony Blair. So rants London's "The Independent" today, 17 July 2005:

"The Prime Minister could not bring himself to say it directly, but his implication yesterday was clear. He took issue with the idea that Britain's part in the Iraq war was a factor behind the London bombings. This was 'extremist propaganda' that 'exploits the tendency to guilt of the developed world'. This attempt to portray principled opponents of the invasion of Iraq as the dupes of al-Qa'ida was unworthy.

"It would have been more courageous of Tony Blair to have said he accepted that his Iraq policy had prompted passionate opposition among reasonable people and that it had also helped further to enrage people who were unreasonable. Some of these people may have already subscribed to the evil al-Qa'ida ideology, but others may have come to subscribe to it partly because of the war. And Britain's part in the war probably made London more of a target than it would otherwise have been."

As The Independent excoriates the Prime Minister for, in their opinion, the unworthy "attempt to portray principled opponents of the invasion of Iraq as the dupes of al-Qa'ida", the same edition of the same newspaper headlines "Revealed: British bomber had links with al-Qa'ida". Oh the reaping of the "joys of diversity" sown for such a long time at London newspapers:

"Dramatic new evidence linking al-Qa'ida to the London attacks has emerged as a terrorist in US custody identified one of the bombers. The al-Qa'ida aide, who attended a "terror summit" in the tribal areas of Pakistan last year, told investigators in America that he recognised Mohammed Sidique Khan, the 30-year-old who triggered a bomb at Edgware Road station."

Oh Lordy, Lord, what ever we must do, don't shoot the terrorists! They might shoot back. If they shoot first, well, -- just duck, and then blame Tony Blair. As for that stool pidgin "terrorist in US custody" - now that he has squealed, - be nice, and stop any further Star Chamber-like inquisitions and just release him. Then maybe they will hate us all a little bit less. It's worth a try, isn't it? What have we got to lose, anyway?

Don't Shoot the Terrorists image from Ihillary.com. Linked at 'Open Post' from Mudville Gazette and basil's blog Brunch: 7/17/2005.

Too Pale - Too Male

The Joys of Diversity, as enforced by Liberalism, are what brings us to this place in time.

As we all know by now, the city of London was brutally attacked by its own homeboys. They were British born and bred yet never bought into that "once an Englishman, always an Englishman" quaint slogan from the days of empire. They showed their true colors in their quest to rid London and the world of civilization as we know it. Back to the middle ages we go, all brought about by the Reformation ... of Islam, that is. As the European Reformation of Christendom brought enlightenment to the world, the goal of the Islamic Reformation is to return Europe to the dark ages of religious rule and intolerance. Much of the success of the Islamic Reformation has been brought about by the kow-towing of liberal democracies to the supposed "joys of diversity".

In London, the newspaper "The Guardian" tauts that by employing people such as members of Hizb ut-Tahrir "The Guardian has a better record in giving space to minority voices ...". Oh yes, how embarrassing it must have been to be accused of being "too pale and male" in their London workplace.

The Independent Online: "Dilpazier Aslam, who has been allowed to report on the London bombings from Leeds and was also given space to write a column in last Wednesday's edition of The Guardian, is a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical world organisation which seeks to form a global Islamic state regulated by sharia law.

"Sources in The Guardian said that Mr Aslam was employed to increase ethnic diversity within the newsroom under The Guardian's one-year traineeship scheme. One source said: 'There was a feeling that we genuinely wanted more diversity, and like all national newspapers we were still a bit 'pale and male' so we were keen to recruit from different backgrounds'. ... In 1994 Richard Gott, a veteran Guardian journalist, resigned as literary editor after he was unmasked as a former KGB spy."

Plame-Wilson Love Story

"Blessed be the giver, Cursed be the thief, May fortune smile upon the true, and liars come to grief." ~~ Harry Potter

Jim Lynch at "bRight & Early" is one astute blogger! He hit the nail on the head yesterday with Wilson Weirdness Weekend Wrap-up. I could not have said it better myself. Thank you, Jim.

“Now comes the time for the Main Steam Media, known affectionately as the MSM, to drink the 'frog-marching' truth serum like the men that they aren’t.” is how Neddy at Kerfuffles begins "Lady Spy Plame and the Frog", which is, at it’s heart, a beautiful love story.

A beautiful love story, spun in Washington as only the Washington spinsters can do. Plame-Wilson is a scandal-less romance told in the voice of the unbiased Main Stream Media and including all the Washington prerequisites; Subterfuge, Ethics, Politics, Lying Liars, Truth-tellers, Back-stabbing, Sex, Spies and Money. Oh yes, as in all scandalgates, follow the money, if you can. Where is it?

| Plamegate | Nadagate | frog-march | Foggy Bottom | Langley |

Leakgate, Rovegate or Wilsongate

What to call a scandal that's not scandalous? How about Nadagate?

"Where's the Newt", asks John Tierney in today's New York Times, bemoaning the fact that the current Washington non-scandal has no recognizable name. I myself like "The Plame Kerfuffle" or "The Plame Blame Game", but I suppose that each of those is too much of a mouthful to gain much favor. However, recent history demands that it must be suffixed with a "gate". In that case, I would choose "PlamingGate". However, I don't get to decide. Mr. Tierney has come up with "NadaGate".

"For now, though, it looks as if this scandal is about a spy who was not endangered, a whistle-blower who did not blow the whistle and was not smeared, and a White House official who has not been fired for a felony that he did not commit. And so far the only victim is a reporter who did not write a story about it. It would be logical to name it the "Not-a-gate scandal:, but I prefer a bilingual variation. It may someday make a good trivia question: What do you call a scandal that's not scandalous? "Nadagate".

Hat tip to Right Wing Nut House's "What's in a Name?"

| Plamegate | Nadagate |

John McCain's Raunch Fest

Susan Estrich comments gleefully: "Film role casts doubt on McCain judgment".

"McCain to Star in Boob Raunch Fest," read the headline in the Drudge Report. I don't even know what that is, but it certainly sounds like something that someone who's running in a process dominated by Christian conservatives would prefer not to be caught in. It turns out McCain has a cameo role playing himself attending the big wedding in the raunchiest R-rated movie of the weekend, "Wedding Crashers."

She writes that the film is so awful that her kids are saying it must be good, "with montages of naked women's breasts, ... endless meaningless sex - and, of course, endless swear words ..."

Sounds like Senator John McCain is hoping to get the Democrat vote when he runs for the presidency in 2008. He doesn't understand that the Dems ingratiate themselves to him because of the guilt they feel that he was shot down in Vietnam while they were burning flags and cheering on Jane Fonda. If the Dems want raunchiness in a president, they have no shortage of their own candidates to choose from.

Then and Now

Then (1942): "Hitler requires, not condemnation, but understanding." ~~pacifist poet, D.S. Savage.

In January 1942, with German armies at the gates of Moscow, George Orwell wrote in "Partisan Review" that "the greater part of the very young intelligentsia are anti-war … don't believe in any 'defense of democracy,' are inclined to prefer Germany to Britain, and don't feel the horror of Fascism that we who are somewhat older feel." From Mat Boot in LATimes.com, 13 July 2005, comes the following.

As if to illustrate Orwell's point, a pacifist poet named D.S. Savage wrote a reply in which he explained why he "would never fight and kill for such a phantasm" as "Britain's 'democracy.'" Savage saw no difference between Britain and its enemies because under the demands of war both were imposing totalitarianism: "Germans call it National Socialism. We call it democracy. The result is the same."

Savage naively wondered, "Who is to say that a British victory will be less disastrous than a German one?" Savage thought the real problem was that Britain had lost "her meaning, her soul," but "the unloading of a billion tons of bombs on Germany won't help this forward an inch." "Personally," he added, with hilarious understatement, "I do not care for Hitler." But he thought the way to resist Hitler was by not resisting him: "Whereas the rest of the nation is content with calling down obloquy on Hitler's head, we regard this as superficial. Hitler requires, not condemnation, but understanding."

Now, 2005, the message from the intelligencia is the same. Time has moved forward and proved them wrong, but they have never noticed. That must be why they are called "intelligencia".

Tin Foil Hatter Cats

I am standing with John Gibson of Fox News. Give the man a medal! Karl Rove that is. Award him the Karl Rove Whistleblower Medal. Or perhaps we could nominate him for the "Ron Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling". Nah - that prize has absolutely no prestige to it since October 2003, when it was awarded to Ambassador Joseph Plame-Wilson.

| Image: Moonbats on Parade at the White House |

John Gibson of Fox News: "Let's see now, what happened when [Sandy] Berger got caught with the secrets in his socks? Hmmm. Did we hear the Democratic senators and congressmen wailing about breaking national security? No, we did not.

"Valerie Plame (search) is a CIA agent with covert status. Can't tell the country she was the one who set her husband up to go tank a report on a key question leading up to the war. No, no no. She's a spook you see. She only acts like a political hack trying to pull strings on national policy from behind a curtain.The American people aren't allowed to know who she is when she does something like that. She's covert, don't you know. And Sandy Berger, the guy with the secrets in his socks? He just gets a pass.

"Why? They're Dems, as in 'Dems' the wrong guys to blame."

Whistleblower Karl Rove has managed to shine the spotlight on the nefarious underhanded dealings and plottings, all under cloak of secrecy of course, going on at the CIA. Another reason he deserves a medal is that he has caused the Democrats en mass to plunge themselves right over the cliff of no return. They have gone bonkers; stark raving mad, everyone of them from Chuckie Schumer, the Great Hillary, the figurehead leader Harry Reid on down to the lowest flapping moonbat. Give Karl a medal. Let's create one for him right here in the blogosphere.

Look at what is being posted in the moonbat caverns, where they know damn well that Karl Rove is guilty. He just has to be. Why, he and the Plame-Wilsons attend the same church, don't you know. What could be more sinister than that? If only they could find something to stick. They think that if Karl goes, Bush will be without a funtioning brain. Yes, it's true, they really do believe that.

ReidBlog: Cat in a tin foil hat: "according to the documentary 'Bush's Brain,' Karl Rove 'was fired by the Reagan-Bush campaign in 1980 for leaking something to Novak, so the two go back a long way. [And] to top it off, Rove attends services at the same Episcopal church' as Joseph and Valerie Plame Wilson ... So many sinister dealings, so little time ... "

Wait! There's something new today in the NYT. Something about a State Department document that Colin Powell was waving about on Air Force One. Oh yes, that's got to be it. The smoking gun. The moonbats have been reprieved to live another day with hopes of "frog-marching" pounding in their breasts. They are awaiting new "big scoops" from David Corn and Lawrence O'Donnell. Let's not forget Judith Miller. FREE JUDITH MILLER! Why should she be in jail for doing nothing, while Sandy Berger, who stole classified documents by stuffing them in his socks, is walking free, unpunished?

"State Dept. Memo Gets Scrutiny in Leak Inquiry on C.I.A. Officer
By RICHARD STEVENSON

"WASHINGTON, July 15 - Prosecutors in the C.I.A. leak case have shown intense interest in a 2003 State Department memorandum that explained how a former diplomat came to be dispatched on an intelligence-gathering mission and the role of his wife, a C.I.A. officer, in the trip, people who have been officially briefed on the case said."

UPDATE: Captain Ed at Captain's Quarters dissects today's New York Times piece, and once again dashes the "frog-marching" hopes and dreams of millions of moonbats.

| Plamegate | Nadagate |

Hillary in 2008

We just can't wait! Man is she tough on Bin Laden! He better hope she doesn't find him at Guantanamo. View Here.

Lady Spy Plame and the Frog

The Frog Marches In On a Dark Horse

Now comes the time for the Main Steam Media, known affectionately as the MSM, to drink the "frog-marching" truth serum like the men that they aren't. For the past two years the MSM has been bringing us the classic Washington nightmare on the big screen televisions of America, this time starring the marching Foggy Frog. The producer of the graphic and frightening "March of the Foggy Frog" has been Washington Superboy Joseph Wilson, who craftily obtained full government funding for his work of fiction, something that not even the wizards at PBS can accomplish. (photo image from IHILLARY)

Riding his own dark horse, Superboy Wilson roams the still swampy Foggy Bottom in search of the mysterious and horrifying Fog Frog. The Fog Frog is an elusive swamp creature; in a single bound it can leap the breadth of the Potomac River, to land on the grassy knolls of Langley, Virginia. Superboy Joseph Wilson must follow in the marching footprints of Foggy Frog, riding his trusty steed, Hellboy, for he is forever eager to flesh out the story of doomed Bushies, wherever they be, and their plottings of a supernatural devastation of the infamous compound on the grassy knoll.

Following the marching Fog Frog, Superboy Wilson has been able to craft a bizarre yet delightful novella about a lady spymaster, Lady Spy Plame, and a town plunged into a walking-dead nightmare, because of the rending of the shroud of secrecy which has been her Langley-given right. A coven of Bushies has come to Washington hoping to unravel the string of weird plots at the claws of the unseen monsters always lurking in the shadows and crevices of the Langley compound. The arrival of a strange yet familiar Fog Frog to the grassy knoll revealed that the Bushies' curse has found them out, but even they know not what has occurred. They ken only that they are about to lose one of their most secret and powerful spies, and they fear most frightfully the catastrophic events about to befall all Americans everywhere in the world, with the fateful fall of the lovely Lady Spy Plame and her devoted consort.

Will the glamourous Vanity Fair cover girl, Lady Spy Plame, find the mysterious secret hidden in the mists of the foggy swamp? Will she kiss the Fog Frog and turn him into the marvelous prince that he is? We await the next installment of this horrifying nightmare tale spun by the delusional mind of Super Boy Joseph Wilson, and funded by The Foundation of the American Taxpayers.

| Plamegate | Nadagate |

Linked at The Llama Butchers, Bush Fires Rove at Scrapple Face, basil's blog Lunch: 7/15/2005, Eschaton, Small Dead Animals, Captain's Quarters, QandO and WizBang's Karl Rove, USA Today Gets a Clue and Carnival of the Trackbacks XX.

The Gray Lady Suicide Bomber

Yes, she is a very unlikely suicide bomber, but this morning she lit the fuse and expoded the entire Main Steam Media right off of their lofty perches. The New York Times has revealed the leaker in the Plame-CIA affair and it is them.

"Mr. Rove has told investigators that he learned from the columnist [Robert Novak] the name of the C.I.A. officer, who was referred to by her maiden name, Valerie Plame, and the circumstances in which her husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, traveled to Africa to investigate possible uranium sales to Iraq,"

The media leaked it to everyone including Karl Rove. What a great a covert spymaster she was, that Ms. "Jane Bond" Plame! Although everyone in Washington knew her status, she managed to keep the White House completely in the dark. Her spymastering skills were honed extremely well when it came to keeping CIA secrets from the Bush administration. Of course that was very necessary for her and "Mr. Valerie Plame" to plot against them. And all paid for by the American taxpayers. Frog-marching anyone?

John Solomon of the AP is reporting, 2 hours ago at Yahoo News: "Chief presidential adviser Karl Rove testified to a grand jury that he talked with two journalists before they divulged the identity of an undercover CIA officer but that he originally learned about the operative from the news media and not government sources, according to a person briefed on the testimony. The person, who works in the legal profession and spoke only on condition of anonymity because of grand jury secrecy, told The Associated Press that Rove testified last year that he remembers specifically being told by columnist Robert Novak that Valerie Plame, the wife of a harsh Iraq war critic, worked for the CIA."

Who was the journalist leaker? Kerfuffles posted "Why is Judith Miller in Jail?" on July 11th.

"There is speculation that Judith Miller is protecting herself. Could she have been the source of the leak about Valerie Plame's CIA status that made it to several Bush administration officials and to Robert Novak and reporter Matthew Cooper. Judith Miller had done reporting on WMD (weapons of mass destruction) which she based on secret CIA sources. Valerie Plame, wife of Joseph Wilson, worked on WMD for the CIA. Put two and two together. Judith Miller, good reporter, likely knew who Plame was."

Now wait and watch. When The Grey Lady suicide bomber and the MSM bombed, finally wipe the black soot from their eyes and come to realize who was pulling the strings behind this ridiculus Washington CIA spying kerfuffle, will they be ever angry at .... . Joe Wilson? No. Valerie Plame? Of course not, she is a darling Jane Bond. Robert Novak? Maybe. Karl Rove? BINGO! Karl Rove managed to burn the media once again. What a genius a turd blossom can be.

On July 11th Kerfuffles first disclosed this in the post "Karl Whistleblower Rove".

Karl Rove's lawyer says that Rove learned from a journalist that the wife of Joseph Wilson was an employee of the CIA. Rove was puzzled that the CIA would send Joseph Wilson, a man with no experience in WMD, on a fact-finding trip to Africa. Rove discovered that nepotism at the CIA was the reason.

Chronology of Lawrence "Big Scooper" O'Donnell's THE BIG SCOOP | Wilson Crying Wolf Again | Karl Whistleblower Rove | A Medal for Karl | Why Is Judith Miller in Jail | Joseph Wilson's Raison d'Etre | Flogging a Dead Frog | Innocent Until Plamed | Big Scoop Reversal | "I Broke the Story" | More Big Scooper Scoops | Award Winning Truth Teller | Joseph Wilson's Life Quest | Big Scooper's Scoop Verified | Karl Rove Plamed Again |

Linked at Captain's Quarters, Danny Carlton, Dr. Sanity, Sister Toldjah and WizBang

Republican Charms NAACP

The Republicans gain praise from an unlikely source - Democrat stratagist, Donna Brazille. And no wonder. They have managed to do the unthinkable, which is to charm the NAACP. Ken Mehlman, who holds the same position in the Republican party as does the fiery Howard "Dr." Dean for the Dems, received great praise for a speech that he gave to the NAACP. Kudos to Ms. Brazille for her honesty and kudos to Mr. Mehlman for having succeeded where so many others have tried and failed. This is from Trey Jackson at Jackson's Junction:

"Democratic strategist Donna Brazille appeared on Inside Politics to discuss RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman's speech today in Milwaukee to the NAACP's National Convention.

"Brazille praised the speech by saying it was 'very moving' and 'I applaud it and encourage everyone to read it'.

"You can watch the video here.

"The full text of the speech can be viewed here."

Linked at basil's blog.

Ms. Molly's Apology

After reading comments around the Anglosphere regarding "Good Golly Ms. Molly" and her mea culpa, I supposed I feel a bit ashamed with coming down so hard on her. Most all the conservative bloggers are giving her kudos for her honest apology. Way to go Ms. Molly!

Happy Bastille Day

Raise a glass of California wine to France and its Revolution and the wonderful words "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité". May those words someday have meaning for all citizens of the world, especially the French.

On July 14th, 1789, the people of France stormed the Bastille prison, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.

| Bastille Day, July 14th, France | |Bastille Day Photos | Eiffel Tower |

Free Ganji

In sympathy with the Iranian people and their quest for freedom, I remind you of Ganji. Ganji is an Iranian writer who has written about the Iranian government's complicity in the 1998 murders of those who sought to reform the mullahcrocy. He has been in prison off and on since 2001. Many have called for his release, including President Bush who said:

"The President calls on all supporters of human rights and freedom, and the United Nations, to take up Ganji's case and the overall human rights situation in Iran," a statement released by the White House yesterday read. Calls for comment to U.N. spokesmen were unreturned at press time last night. The President also calls on the Government of Iran to release Mr. Ganji immediately and unconditionally and to allow him access to medical assistance."

Please visit the web site: Free Ganji

"Letter to the Free People of the World,
Today (July 1, 2005) is the 19th day I'm on hunger strike. I was on hunger strike for 11 days in late May. The second phase of my hunger strike started on June 11, 2005. In total, my body weight has reduced from 77kg to 58kg in 30 days of hunger strike; that is, 19kg loss in one month."

Please also visit Regime Change in Iran where I obtained this information.

Wilson Crying Wolf Again

The Boy Who Cried Wolf Is At It Again and Again and Again ... . This man cannot keep his trap shut. Just one hour ago he is on the front page demanding that President Bush fire Karl Rove. Who in his right mind wants our president to take orders or even advice from the likes of Joseph Wilson?

Joseph Wilson Calls on Bush to Fire Rove: "Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson called on President Bush Thursday to fire deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, saying Bush's top-level aide engaged in an 'abuse of power' by discussing Wilson's wife's job with a reporter."

Speaking of "abuse of power", it is he and his wife, Valerie Plame, who are guilty of that, by engaging themselves in nepotism. Covert agents, spymasters, and assorted James Bond wannabes employed by the taxpayer supported CIA, should not be in country plotting against the president of the United States during wartime. In addition, the totally discredited "Mr. Valerie Plame" should remember that prevaricating is also another "abuse of power." Sadly, Mr. Wilson seems poised to fall from the precipice of whatever reality is left in his mind. He is now claiming that his wife is not Valerie Plame, but, get this, Mrs. Joseph Wilson, aka Valerie Wilson. And everybody including Karl Rove should have damn well known that! Whew! Oh the joys of serving undercover, with so many names, job titles, and freedom to do whatever the heck you please, as no one dare call your bluff without being sent to jail. Thousands of civil servants drive to work every day to CIA headquarters in Langley, however no one is suppose to see them, and if someone does and reveals it, apparently that is now a Federal crime punished by Ambassador Joseph Wilson's forced frog marchings of the CIA spy-outing wolves.

A Medal For Karl

If Karl Rove did what he says he didn't do, he deserves a medal from America according to John Gibson's "My Word". Secret spymasters such as Valerie Plame should not be hiding out in the CIA to engage in nepotism and interference in the goals of the President. She should have outed herself, but she did not, so whoever did, deserves the gratitude of the people and the taxpayers who were taken for chumps by her and her husband.

"I say give Karl Rove a medal, even if Bush has to fire him. Why? Because Valerie Plame should have been outed by somebody. And if nobody else had the cojones to do it, I'm glad Rove did — if he did do it, and he still says he didn't.

"So why should Rove get a medal?

"Let's just assume that spy Valerie Plame knew her husband's attitudes about the war in Iraq and George W. Bush's policies. Sending him off to Niger could be regarded as an attempt to influence national policies. Where I come from, we want to know who that is. We do not want secret spymasters pulling the puppet strings in the background. That is something that should be out in the open and the person doing it should own up to it. Rove should get a medal — if he did what he says he didn't."

Karl "Whistleblower" Rove

On July 3, 2005 I posted here at Kerfuffles, in an article about Joseph Wilson entitled Award Winning Truthteller:

"If someone did, in fact, out Ms. Plame to newsman Robert Novak, that person should be eligible for whistleblower protection for having exposed the nepotism and spoils system at the CIA. Joe Wilson should never have been appointed for the mission to Niger in the first place, as he had NO experience in investigations nor in uranium."

In today's Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal, is an editorial, "Karl Rove, Whistleblower, He told the truth about Joe Wilson".

"Democrats and most of the Beltway press corps are baying for Karl Rove's head over his role in exposing a case of CIA nepotism involving Joe Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame. On the contrary, we'd say the White House political guru deserves a prize--perhaps the next iteration of the 'Truth-Telling' award that The Nation magazine bestowed upon Mr. Wilson before the Senate Intelligence Committee exposed him as a fraud.

"For Mr. Rove is turning out to be the real 'whistleblower' in this whole sorry pseudo-scandal. He's the one who warned Time's Matthew Cooper and other reporters to be wary of Mr. Wilson's credibility. He's the one who told the press the truth that Mr. Wilson had been recommended for the CIA consulting gig by his wife, not by Vice President Dick Cheney as Mr. Wilson was asserting on the airwaves. In short, Mr. Rove provided important background so Americans could understand that Mr. Wilson wasn't a whistleblower but was a partisan trying to discredit the Iraq War in an election campaign. Thank you, Mr. Rove.

This is what Kerfuffles wrote on July 3, 2005 about Ambassador Wilson's Truth Telling Award:

At the National Press Club in October 2003, the good ambassador tearfully accepted the first Ron Ridenhour "Award for Truth-Telling", presented by The Nation Magazine Foundation and the Fertel Foundation. On January 17th, 2004, Vanity Fair, did a puff profile on the glamour couple which included the image at the left, and revealed that Wilson publicly referred to his wife as "Jane Bond".

However, by July 10th of the same year, The Washington Post outed Joseph Wilson IV as a "non-Truth-Teller".

Plame's Input Is Cited on NigerMission(washingtonpost.com)

Karl Rove's lawyer says that Rove learned from a journalist that the wife of Joseph Wilson was an employee of the CIA. Rove was puzzled that the CIA would send Joseph Wilson, a man with no experience in WMD, on a fact-finding trip to Africa. Rove discovered that nepotism at the CIA was the reason. Now Joseph Wilson and the CIA are claiming that, because in the long ago past Valerie Plame may have had undercover status, it was illegal to reveal that in her then current position at the spy agency, working with WMD, that she funneled a contract to her husband. Rove's uncovering of nepotism at the CIA is considered a crime by the CIA, of course, and those on the left. When this case finally ends, the CIA should have a lot to answer to the American people. Not only did the agency miss September 11th, they fed false information to the President in wartime, which misinformation was gained by allowing employees such as Valerie Plame to traffic in nepotism. The likes of Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson were the ones who were supposedly the experts in WMD, not the President.

The villain is this entire kerfuffle is the totally discredited Joseph Wilson. Although his country was at war, he returned from a government sponsored trip and lied about what he found in Africa. He lied about how he found it. He lied to the CIA about what he found, and then he lied about why the CIA sent him to Africa in the first place. When his lies were exposed, he ran to his wife to hide behind her CIA status. It is outrageous that this man's false accusations against others have resulted in the spending of government resources for nothing of value and that the media has wasted so much of their time on it, with one of their reporters now sitting in jail.

Chronology of Lawrence "Big Scooper" O'Donnell's
THE BIG SCOOP

| Why Is Judith Miller in Jail
| Joseph Wilson's Raison d'Etre
| Flogging a Dead Frog
| Innocent Until Plamed
| Big Scoop Reversal
| "I Broke the Story"
| More Big Scooper Scoops
| Award Winning Truth Teller
| Joseph Wilson's Life Quest
| Big Scooper's Scoop Verified
| Karl Rove Plamed Again

Jackson's Junction has the video. Linked at ChicagoBoyz.net and Wizbang.

John McCain Goes Hollywood

How in the world can this be true? I have often wondered how John McCain could possibly even be an United States senator, as he seems to be on the boob tube almost 24-7. Sometimes he is on two different channels at the same time. Now Drudge is reporting that the Arizona senator has an acting role in a Hollywood film. How does he find the time? Amazing!

"SEN. MCCAIN STARS IN BOOB RAUNCH FEST
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. -- who once held hearings chastising Hollywood studios for producing R- rated films and marketing them to teens -- is now playing a part in one!
Opening this weekend, WEDDING CRASHERS, a movie packed with raunchy moments and bare-breasted beauties bedding down with the guys. And Senator John McCain!"

Good Golly, Ms. Molly

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong again. Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? Truth be damned, of course she can. But this time she admits she was wrong and she even apologizes: "My sincere apologies. It is unforgivable of me not to have checked. I am so sorry."

"CROW EATEN HERE: This is a horror. In a column written June 28, I asserted that more Iraqis (civilians) had now been killed in this war than had been killed by Saddam Hussein over his 24-year rule. WRONG. Really, really wrong. (Molly Ivins, Alternet)"

However, how could any thinking person of literacy be this wrong, even someone named Molly Ivins? As Ms. Molly has a reputation of recycling the writings of others, it will be most interesting to learn the name of who it was who mislead poor Molly. Does this mean that Ms. Molly will rethink her mean attacks on conservatives for innocent mistakes for which they also profusely apologized, such as Rush Limbaugh mistakenly posting Chelsea Clinton's picture on television? Don't bet on it.

Linked at Chrenkoff and Michelle Malkin.

Who Wants 72 Virgins

And Will Kill to Get Them? The answer is below.

Does the Koran really promise Islamic martyrs 72 virgins? Beginning with the September 11th suicide/homicide bombers who destroyed themselves and thousands of others, there has been talk that the murderers of so many expected their reward to be 72 virgins in paradise. Is this a true interpretation of the Muslim faith? Is there any Koranic basis for believing that those who kill and die for the faith will be gifted by Allah with three score and twelve comely virgins?

The difficulty in determining what the Koran has to say about virgins or anything else is establishing what the Koran says, period. Translations vary widely. In a Web-based version of Islam's holy book (www.unn.ac.uk/societies/islamic/index.htm) there is: "Verily, for the Muttaqun [righteous], there will be a success (paradise); gardens and grapeyards; and young full-breasted (mature) maidens of equal age; and a full cup (of wine)" (An-Naba 78:31-34). Other translations replace "full-breasted maidens" with less volumptuous words such as "companions." The Arabic word at issue is WakawaAAiba, which appears nowhere else in the Koran. The French usually translate that word as des belles aux seins arrondis, which is literally "beautiful women with round breasts".

The actual number of virgins allotted to the faithful, seventy-two, is found nowhere in the Koran. For this promise Muslims must read the Hadith, traditional sayings traced to Muhammad. Hadith number 2,562, known as the Sunan al-Tirmidhi reads, "The least [reward] for the people of Heaven is 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome of pearls, aquamarine and ruby."

It is anyone's guess as to what the holy Prophet of Islam had on his mind when he made such promises to his followers. Was he only appealing to any normal man's eternal quest? I will take the 80,000 servants perhaps, if that is what they really are. That is servants who are paid well and treated with respect. However, if "servants" in the Hadith, translates in reality to "enslaved persons", then that Heaven or Paradise where lives the holy Allah does not sound appealing to me. And why would I want 72 wives, anyway? Or 72 concubines, as that is what they likely are. Oh, I forget. Allah was speaking only to men. Women I suppose, receive the glory of being one of the 72 virgins.

There are words to describe followers of any religion who would take innocent human life to satisfy their own lusts for virgins, heavenly or earthly, and the words are "murderous sexual perverts". That is the same phrase that is already applied to persons who commit the same horrific deeds, but not in the name of Allah, to satisfy their sexual perversions on earth.

Linked at Mudville Gazette.

New Roost for the Byrd?

Warned y'all I did! Yes, indeedy. I warned you that Senator Harry Reid and the "Gang of 14" were plotting to pick the new Supreme Court justice to replace Justice O'Conner. I hope that my prediction is wrong, but look what's a happening just today according to The Hill:

"Bush and his aides have contacted about 60 senators and have even asked a few of them to offer names of people they think would make good nominees. At least two Democratic senators, Robert Byrd (W.Va.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.), have complied, forwarding names to the White House.

"Bush telephoned Byrd — ... yesterday to solicit his views. 'I’m praising the president for listening, for reaching out,' Byrd, among the administration’s harshest congressional critics, told The Hill. He said he had received a call earlier from former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), who is helping Bush select a nominee and get him or her confirmed, and from White House counsel Harriet Myers. Byrd said he forwarded two names to the White House."

I already posted about this at Non-judges Only for the Court, and already our worst fears seem to be happening. That ole West Virginny Byrd, former member of the Ku Klux Klan, and now a gang member has his hands up to his elbows in the pudding. And to help matters, the Senate Republicans are right there in the kitchen with him, plotting. They probably think that it might be easier to send the Byrd to a new and higher perch than to pin their hopes on defeating him in 2006. Who else can fit the M.O. that Harry Reid hoped that the President would nominate; someone who is a former KKK member and also a senator?

“I think it is a great idea,” Reid said about the possibility of appointing a senator to the Supreme Court. “Some outstanding people have come from the Senate. The last was an ex-Ku Klux Klansman who turned out to be one of the greatest civil-rights jurists of all time.” (Reno Gazette-Journal)

Linked at 'There goes another conspiracy theory...' from Wizbang.

Why Is Judith Miller In Jail?

There is something mysterious about this Plame CIA story and with Matthew Cooper being saved by the bell from a jail sentence, yet not Ms. Miller. Although she is a reporter for the "The New York Times", Miller wrote nothing about the Valerie Plame affair. All of the suspected sources in the case have given waivers to allow her to talk to the grand jury. However, she went to jail instead. Who is she protecting? There is speculation that Judith Miller is protecting herself. Could she have been the source of the leak about Valerie Plame's CIA status that made it to several Bush administration officials and to Robert Novak and reporter Matthew Cooper.

Judith Miller had done reporting on WMD (weapons of mass destruction) which she based on secret CIA sources. Valerie Plame, wife of Joseph Wilson, worked on WMD for the CIA. Put two and two together. Judith Miller, good reporter, likely knew who Plame was. Recently "The Washington Post" reported "Sources close to the investigation say there is evidence in some instances that some reporters may have told government officials — not the other way around — that Wilson was married to Plame, a CIA employee." The Post reported in that same piece that Prosecutor Fitzgerald has repeatedly said he already knows the identity of Miller's source and "that person has relieved Miller of her duty to protect the source's anonymity."I blogged about this on July 6th in Big Scoop Reversal.

See Why Judith Miller Should Stay In Jail and Did Miller Out Plame?

Linked at Wizbang's 'Was Judith Miller The Source Of The Plame Leak?'

[Kerfuffles] [CIA] [Valerie Plame] [Joseph Wilson] [Judith Miller] [Plame Affair]

Justice for Terrorists

Remember the passenger who boarded an airliner with a bomb built into his shoe and he tried to explode it with a match? The aircraft and the passengers were saved by the actions of fellow travellers and the air crew. Richard Reid was a British citizen, son of a Jamaican and an Englishwomen. He converted to Islam sometime during his many stays in prison. He is the type of Londoner that the British authorities are now suspecting was involved in the recent London bombings. British law enforcement authorities are disclosing that they believe the atrocities were committed by local citizens, not by foreigners.

Before his court sentence was pronounced, the judge asked Richard Reid, the defendant, if he had any words to say. After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his "allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah," defiantly stating "I think I will not apologize for my actions. I am at war with your country."
CNN.com - Reid: 'I am at war with your country' - Jan. 31, 2003

Judge William Young of the United States District Court responded:

"Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.

"On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General. On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive one with the other. That's 80 years.

"On Count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years consecutive to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you on each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of $2 million.

"The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.

"The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.

"The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need not go any further.

"This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair and a just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you.

"We are not afraid of any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is all too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost respect.

"Here in this court where we deal with individuals as individuals, and care for individuals as individuals, as human beings we reach out for justice.

"You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier gives you far too much stature. Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who does it, or that happens to be your view, you are a terrorist.

"And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not treat with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists.

"We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.

"So war talk is way out of line in this court. You're a big fellow. But you're not that big. You're no warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders.

"In a very real sense Trooper Santiago had it right when first you were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and where the TV crews were and you said you're no big deal. You're no big deal.

"What your counsel, what your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing.

"And I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you. But as I search this entire record it comes as close to understanding as I know.

"It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose.

"Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.

"It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed appeals, will go on in their, their representation of you before other judges. We care about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties.

"Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.

"Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this, however, will long endure. Here, in this courtroom, and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.

"The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged, and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.

"See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag still stands for freedom. You know it always will. Custody, Mr. Officer. Stand him down."

The Sentencing of the Shoebomber: Mr. Reid was fortunate not to have encountered a more deserving form of American justice which is rendered by real American warriors. Richard Reid is the terrorist that Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl was seeking when he was captured and brutally executed. Pearl was trying to contact the al Qaeda network in Karachi when he was murdered on the orders of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, another British-born Islamic militant, was sentenced to death by hanging by a Pakistani court for Pearl's murder. Reid is al Qaeda operative.

The Huff and Puffing Blog

I have found two items to commend at the Huffington Post. The blog's banner or heading is absolutely smashing. And I have even found one blogger who is readable. He is The Greg Gutfeld and here is his bio:

"Greg Gutfeld is editor-in-chief of Maxim UK. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Stuff Magazine, and before that, editor of Men's Health. He's a Virgo, loves long walks in the woods, knitting booties for his three cats, and hates mean people. He lives in a basement."

Greg writes that he employs satire in the mode of Jonathan Swift and Jann Wenner. I cannot verify that, especially the Jann Wenner part, but I like Greg's work.

Blogging Lynch Mobs

Frank Rich compares Watergate and Nixon's men to "today's blogging lynch mobs".

Writing today (Don't Follow the Money/Deep Throat), Frank Rich uses powerful and emotional phrases as he bemoans that the Watergate scandal is being covered up and written into history as the Nixon administration's spin of a "third rate burglary". Rich's regurgitated phrases include "follow the money", "destroying the old establishment", "founding father", and "lap dog media".

"Had the scandal been vividly resuscitated as the long national nightmare it actually was, it would dampen all the Felt fun by casting harsh light on our own present nightmare. ... The current administration, a second-term imperial presidency that outstrips Nixon's in hubris by the day, leads the attack, trying to intimidate and snuff out any Woodwards or Bernsteins that might challenge it, any media proprietor like Katharine Graham or editor like Ben Bradlee who might support them and any anonymous source like Deep Throat who might enable them to find what Carl Bernstein calls 'the best obtainable version of the truth.' ... This is the kind of lapdog news media the Nixon White House cherished."

Rich attacks one of the survivors of Watergate, Charles W. Colson, as a ruthless intimidator. He condemns Mr. Colson's recent words on television, "I want kids to look up to heroes", because Mr. Colson, who was President Nixon's special counsel, dishonored the law and served "jail time". One would think Charles Colson to be a role model for liberal elites, such as the writer. Here is a man who paid for his crime to society by serving "jail time". Indeed, Colson was released from prison as a changed man. He was rehabilitated and now serves those same prisoners as mentor and minster of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Should not Frank Rich celebrate the likes of former inmates such as Colson? Yes he should, but he does not in this case. Instead, Rich castigates "Today" host, Matt Lauer, and other TV anchors for introducing Mr. Colson, as a "former White House counsel" instead of identifying him as a jail bird. How puzzling it is, as Mr. Colson truly has paid his debt to society.

The good news is that Frank Rich was writing about Watergate and the Nixon White House and not Hitler and the Nazis. Although Rich reminds us that the phrase "follow the money" was a Hollywood creation, never uttered by any of the Watergate cast of characters, he writes that the current Bush Administration "outstrips Nixon's in hubris by the day".

"The main difference is that in the Nixon White House, the president's men plotted behind closed doors. The current administration is now so brazen it does its dirty work in plain sight." Frank Rich: Don't Follow the Money/Deep Throat

Civilization and Barbarism

It has been a few days now, since some innocent Londoners travelling to work were blown to bits or maimed by the devilish work of Islamist terrorists. I am writing this from the other side of the Atlantic, but so far, I have not heard the screaming and wailing of British mobs demanding immediate vengeance. Londoners understand that vengeance will be theirs, but it will come from their military and law enforcement. There will be no beheadings in the square. Although, the first fears in the aftermath of the explosions, as portrayed by the media, was that Muslims in London would become targets, I have yet to read of any reprisals against them. There have been no mosques burned, and no Islamic places of business harmed. And the only Muslims to be injured and killed were by the bloody hands of their fellow Muslims who exploded the bombs that early London morning. Contrast this reaction of London society to the horrific slaughter and maiming of its citizens, to the reaction of the Muslim world when a false rumor was started about the flushing of a Koran at Guantanamo, Cuba. Hundreds around the world were killed for that "so called" atrocity. It is but one of many differences between a civilized culture and a culture that worships barbarism.

Joseph Wilson's Raison d'être

Former Ambassador Wilson Speaks Again, and again, and again ... ad infinitum, about the "oh so horrid" disclosure that his wife worked at CIA. Joseph Wilson, who fulfilled two ambassadorial postings in west Africa said, according to London's News Telegraph story about America's supposedly "most famous spy":

"that since the scandal broke he had been vilified, his reputation tarred and clients discouraged from doing business with him. However, he said, 'the real victims of the cover-up are the Congress, the constitution and, most tragically, the Americans and Iraqis who have paid the ultimate price for Bush's folly'."

"Mr Wilson sat on his deck and described his wife and (Judith) Miller as 'collateral damage' in the 'smear campaign' against him. Mr Rove, he said, should be sacked.

"'Any senior government official who participates in such a campaign is engaged in an outrageous abuse of power,' he said as he drew on his cigar. 'It is very clear that Karl Rove has been part of this, as evidenced by his phone call to Chris Matthews [a TV political show host] in which he asserted that my wife was fair game.

"'I am not a lawyer and I don't know whether anyone should be prosecuted for leaking my wife's name. But I do think that people should be sacked. And those people include Rove."

"'They persisted in going after me, and hence my wife, because I was too effective in my criticism. They wanted to discourage anyone else from following my example.'"

On July 10th, 2004, The Washington Post revealed the truth about Joseph Wilson, and it is not a pretty picture. For starters:

"Former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, dispatched by the CIA in February 2002 to investigate reports that Iraq sought to reconstitute its nuclear weapons program with uranium from Africa, was specifically recommended for the mission by his wife, a CIA employee, contrary to what he has said publicly." Read the rest of the story.

Flogging a Dead Frog

There will be broken bleeding hearts all over the Huffington Post, when the realization comes that no matter how much they flog Karl Rove, there will be no Rove frog-marching. It is not a crime to say that someone works at CIA, even if it is true. And, just how "covert" or "under-cover" an agent could Ms. Plame have been, if everybody in Washington knew she worked for the CIA? Not very. Think about it. According to Michael Isikoff in Newsweek, there is nothing in the Cooper e-mail suggesting that Rove used Plame's name or knew she was a covert operative.

Think about the time-line of supposed "outing" of Jane Bond, as the CIA spy is affectionately known by her husband. The first time that Valerie Plame's name appeared connected to the CIA (nothing about covert or undercover) was on July 14th, 2003, in a syndicated column by Robert Novak. But actually that column had to have been written before July 11th, 2003 because that is the date it was distributed over the AP wire. Karl Rove spoke to Matthew Cooper on the morning of July 11th. Sounds like Karl Rove may have discovered the CIA connection from Robert Novak, if he had access to pre-publication e-mails.

CK Rairden is reporting on this story at The National Ledger, July 10, 2005, Karl Rove and the Valerie Plame Leak

"Novak was chasing the story as early as July 7 according to the transcript of 'CNN WOLF BLITZER REPORTS'

"ROBERT NOVAK, CO-HOST, 'CROSSFIRE: Former Ambassador Wilson broke the secrecy that a retired diplomat, unknown, had gone to Niger in the year 2002 to investigate whether the Iraqis tried to buy yellow cake, uranium from Niger.

"BLITZER: You mean when he wrote that op-ed page article in 'The New York Times'?

"NOVAK: 'New York Times.' That was on a Sunday morning. On Monday, [July 7] I began to report on something that I thought was very curious. Why was it that Ambassador Wilson, who had no particular experience in weapons of mass destruction, and was a sharp critic of the Iraqi policy of President Bush and, also, had been a high-ranking official in the Clinton White House, who had contributed politically to Democrats -- some Republicans, but mostly Democrats -- why was he being selected? I asked this question to a senior Bush administration official, and he said that he believed that the assignment was suggested by an employee at the CIA in the Counterproliferation Office who happened to be ambassador Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame. I then called another senior official of the Bush administration, and he said, Oh, you know about that? And he confirmed that that was an accurate story."

None of these revelations disturb the mad tin foil hatters at KOS. Quoting authorities such as John Dean, Lawrence O'Donnell and two circuit court judges, they are writing that the Rove/Plame kerfuffle is much more serious than a "he said/he said." Their headline is "Fitzgerald preparing indictments under the Espionage Act?" Oh Glory! Won't that be fun!

Linked to 'Another Sunday, Another Rove/Plame Story From Newsweek' from Wizbang, Let the Spin Begin at In Search of Utopia, American Princess, basil's blog Brunch: 7/10/2005, and Outside the Beltway.

Innocent Until Plamed

The Frog March Watch continues on the left. Over at the Huffington Post they are still flogging a dead frog. We now have a new "Big Scooper", David Corn, who is picking up the Time-worn story of "Plaming Karl Rove," which was scooped by Lawrence O'Donnell a week ago or more.

"Explosive New Rove Revelation Coming Soon? (Here It Is!)
Time to get ready for the Karl Rove frog-march?
I don't usually log on Saturday evenings. But I've received information too good not to share immediately."

And what is this great big news that he released in an attempt to beat Newsweek to the punch à la Lawrence "little scooper" O'Donnell?

"Yet tonight I received this as-solid-as-it-gets tip: on Sunday Newsweek is posting a story that nails Rove. The newsmagazine has obtained documentary evidence that Rove was indeed a key source for Time magazine's Matt Cooper and that Rove--prior to the publication of the Bob Novak column that first publicly disclosed Valerie Wilson/Plame as a CIA official -- told Cooper that former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife apparently worked at the CIA and was involved in Joseph Wilson's now-controversial trip to Niger."

This is news? Read on:

"To be clear, this new evidence does not necessarily mean slammer-time for Rove. Under the relevant law, it's only a crime for a government official to identify a covert intelligence official if the government official knows the intelligence officer is under cover, and this documentary evidence, I'm told, does not address this particular point."

And finally, at the end of his post, his final source on expecting to see "frog marching" is none other than the one who instigated the entire publicity stunt, none other than

"Joseph Wilson, ... quipped that it would be interesting 'to see whether or not we can get Karl Rove frog-marched out of the White House in handcuffs. ... With Newsweek's latest article, we may be getting closer to frog-marching time."

Hat Tip to Wizbang

Terrorist Intel

Intelligence Report -- American Daughter has alerted us to a PDF file of the intelligence report on the London bombings. The current version of the report will be maintained by the IntelCenter in Alexandria, Virginia HERE. It requires an Adobe PDF Reader.

The Blitzkrieg and the Piss Ants

How in the name of Allah do these cowardly piss ant terrorists think they are going to take control of Britain, much less the world, if this puny attack is the best they can muster? They've had many months of planning since their Madrid train bombings. The London July 7th show of strength was a dud in comparison. No wonder there's little dancing with joy in the Arab streets today. What a disappoinment it must be to realize how low down their rag-tag army has sunk.

The last time there has been an invasion of the Isle of Albion was almost a thousand years ago. Since then the King's army has beaten off the French, the Spanish, the Germans and other nations that through history have mistakenly believed they could be a match for the island nation. Now comes a band of creepy musclemen who think they can scare the wits out of the British by shooting off a few cherry bombs now and again. Hey guys, take time to unravel the raggedy masks from your faces and read some English history.

With much greater armaments and a professional military to boot, Alolph Hitler tried. He launched the the Blitz (Blitzkrieg) against London during World War II, killing about 42,000 civilians and injuring more than 50,000. He even knocked down 130,000 of their dwellings. Wikipedia estimates considerably greater damage and higher casualties.

"... the Germans undoubtedly did inflict a huge amount of damage on Britain at a crucial time. The physical damage was profound – "bomb sites", rubble-filled places where bombed-out buildings had once stood – remained a common site in British cities until as late as the 1980s. It forced the diversion of a considerable amount of war materiél to homeland defence and greatly disrupted the normal life of the country. 43,000 civilians are estimated to have died during the campaign, with over 139,000 injured, and around a million houses destroyed. (Wikipedia)

But, look around, England is still there and it is still England, and so is London. The Germans believed that by bombing the English towns that they would demoralize the citizens and the government would then collapse. Hitler predicted that the aerial bombardment would result in the poor rising up against the rich ruling class to bring about a revolution. He must have mistaken the British for Germany's neighbors, the French. The Blitzkrieg, actually had the opposite effect and stiffened British resolve. It didn't happen then, and it certainly is not going to happen for lowly grounded piss ants masquerading as soldiers.

Pissants or Piss Ants are small, nuisance ant infestations of Odorous Ants, Piss Ants, or Sugar Ants. In the United States, any small or tiny ant that infests a home is often labeled as a Pissant or piss ant. An actual Pissant is an ant that lives in certain European forests and gets its name from the odor produced by its nesting material - pine straw and pine needles.

Trackedback at Bad Example where I found the UK-US flags and at 'People's Song' from Chicago Boyz.

Headwaters of the War

Moved to Kerfuffles at Blogsome.

A First at State

For the first time in the history of the United States Department of State, a foreign flag has been raised. Following in the tradition of Queen Elizabeth, who after the September 11th attacks, ordered her personal guards to play "The Star Spangled Banner" instead of "God Save The Queen", on Thursday, July 7th, 2005, in remembrance of those innocent civilians killed in the London bombings, police officers raise the British Union Jack in front of the State Department in Washington, D.C.

God Save the Queen.

Buckingham Palace Guards, 11 September 2001

(AP Photo/Yuri Gripas)
Hat Tip: Publius Pundit - Blogging the democratic revolution

We Stand Alone Together

America - Britain, Defenders of the World's Freedom

"It is important... that those engaged in terrorism realise that our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire impose extremism on the world."

"Whatever they do it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilised nations throughout the world." ~~Prime Minster Tony Blair, 7 July 2005

As the Chinese say, we are living in interesting times. This war is a strange one. Tranquility flows inward as the slow moving tide and lulls us to sleep. The crashing surf of a rogue wave awakens the slumbering. Satan moves from the depths of the dark sea to the light of the land. We are not soldiers, so why must we fight? We fight to live. However, the acolytes of the Evil One plot to kill us and sometimes they succeed. We fight not just to live, but to live well. We fight to live free. If we die while fighting to live free, we die free, with our sword in trust to our survivors. They will remember the legacy of freedom. Dead or alive, we will defend freedom for everyone. We will not surrender to terrorism. We will not be afraid. We will fight forever, if that be what it takes. We are Albion's seed, bred in Albion's soil to be free.

Gates of London

"The age of bargaining, said Burke,
Has come: to-day the turbaned Turk
(Sleep, Richard of the lion heart!
Sleep on, nor from your cerements start),
Is England's friend and fast ally;
The Moslem tramples on the Greek,
And on the Cross and altar-stone,
And Christendom looks tamely on,
And hears the Christian maiden shriek,
And sees the Christian father die;
And not a sabre-blow is given
For Greece and fame, for faith and heaven,
By Europe's craven chivalry.

"Alnwick Castle", 1822, by Fitz-Greene Halleck (1790–1867)

Non-judges Only for the Court

Says Senator Harry Reid and Three of the Supremes.
A home state newspaper of Senator Harry Reid, Reno Gazette-Journal, has an interview with him which is quite enlightening. Senator Reid is urging the President to moderate his pick for the Supreme Court so that the Democrats will be willing to support the nomination. The senator says that the current Supremes do not want any more judges on the Supreme Court. Wow! Who knew?

“I had lunch at the Supreme Court 10 days ago and at my table were (associate justices) Sandra Day O’Connor, (Antonin) Scalia and (Stephen) Breyer,” Reid said. “They said what they would like to see is the president pick someone who has not been a judge."

After pondering their sage advice, the good Senator has done them one better. He has decided the best choice for a non-judge can only come from the United States Senate. Why not consider the senator from Reid's neighboring state of Arizona, John McCain. Everyone loves John, especially liberals.

“And what I have said to anyone who will listen is what I think he should do is pick one of the senators. I know that I won’t get someone who I will jump up and down and cheer for,” Reid told a group of employees at the Reno Gazette-Journal. “But there are many fine and conservative jurists out there."

Oh? After agreeing with Justices O'Conner, Breyer and Scalia that the court does not need any more judges, he then urges appointing one.

Senator Reid cited Justice Hugo Black of Alabama who was a former senator and who was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937. Although Black had been a member of the Ku Klux Klan, President Roosevelt, being a progressive, experimented with sending Black to serve on the nation's highest court. Senator Reid is quite obviously hinting that President Bush consider another former Klansman turned Senator, Bobby Byrd of West Virginny. There would be absolutely no resistance at all from Senator Schumer and the gang of Dems to kicking that particular gregarious solon up to the high court. Although Senator Byrd is a "high and mighty" judge upon the floor of the U.S. Senate, bible in one hand and constitution in the other, he fits the bill, as he is not in any way an official jurist.

“I think it is a great idea,” Reid said about the possibility of appointing a senator to the Supreme Court. “Some outstanding people have come from the Senate. The last was an ex-Ku Klux Klansman who turned out to be one of the greatest civil-rights jurists of all time.”

Suppose that the President decides that the nomination to fill the vacancy of Sandra Day O'Conner should be another woman, one who would continue the legacy of swing voting? Harry Reid is probably wishing that President Bush would consider Senator Hillary Clinton, of New York. The Republicans would consider it nothing short of brilliant, as it would eliminate her from running against them for President. After the 2008 election, the vast right wing conspiracy would get her impeached and thrown off the court. As for the Democrats, they only want the best for Hillary. They know that she is without doubt the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, but, Harry Reid added, there are other Democrat senators and governors who would make much better candidates, and have no ties to that muckwater swamp known as Arkansas. As for those middle of the roaders wanting a swing voter, well, there are rumors that Hillary can be a swinger too.

“It is a wide-open field,” Reid said. “The person who is leading at this stage is Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton, of course, has lots of money. She comes from a state with lots of people in it, but she still has a few ties to Arkansas. I think she is the person to beat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she is the best candidate.”

The Democrat leader from Nevada revealed that he and President Bush have talked privately to ensure that the appointment of the successor for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor does not cause partisan squabbling. So when you hear of the nomination of Senator Robert Byrd or of Senator Hillary Clinton for the court, remember that you read it here first.

In the hour long interview with the journalists, Harry Reid aslo gave his views on the war. Reid is against a timetable for pulling the troops out of Iraq, but he urged that the President set "benchmark" dates for pulling our troops out of Iraq.

“It would be very damaging to us to cut and run now,” Reid said. “But the president has to announce publicly some benchmarks that we could look to. The speech he gave (last week) was to stay the course. American people deserve more than that. We need some benchmarks."

Timetables bad; benchmarks good, mused Senator Reid to himself, wondering why that Chimpster Bush cannot understand the difference.

Trackedback at Wizbang's Carnival, basil's blog Brunch: 7/9/2005, Point Five, Patrick Ruffini, Mudville Gazette, The Volokh Conspiracy, 'SCOTUS Nomination: No More Mr. Nice Guy' from Wizbang, 'J. Harvie Wilkinson for the Supreme Court' from The LLama Butchers, and Satire: "The only Supreme Court editorial you need to read".

The Reason Why

This is the reason why, we send our soldiers off to battle. Today in London exemplifes why we fight. We fight with our armies of professional soldiers against the terrorists wherever they be. The professional terrorists are NOT soldiers, nor are they members of any army. They are much too cowardly for that. They fight against unarmed civilians, children and women. The barbarians attack without warning as the innocents go about their daily chores.

BBC NEWS | UK | Multiple blasts paralyse London: "Large numbers of casualties have been reported after at least six explosions on the Underground network and a double-decker bus in London. UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke said several explosions in central London had caused 'terrible injuries'."

Frank Gardner of BBC is reporting that Arab sources say the blasts were probably the work of al-Qaeda. London's police chief said traces of explosive had been found at one site. Sir Ian Blair and Scotland Yard said there had been at least six explosions reported at Edgware Road, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, Russell Square, Aldgate East and Moorgate.
[terrorist][bombs]

Return of Suleiman

"'Europe is no longer Europe, it is 'Eurabia,' a colony of Islam, where the Islamic invasion does not proceed only in a physical sense, but also in a mental and cultural sense. Servility to the invaders has poisoned democracy, with obvious consequences for the freedom of thought, and for the concept itself of liberty.'"

~~Oriana Fallaci, from an interview by By Tunku Varadarajan, 28 June 2005, at LA NUEVA CUBA

Oriana Fallaci has been indicted in her native Italy under provisions of the Italian Penal Code which proscribe vilification of religion. She authored a book last year, "The Force of Reason", which has sold more than a million copies. The main thesis of her book is that the continent of Europe is on the verge of becoming a dominion of Islam. She writes that the people of the West have fecklessly surrendered themselves to the "sons of Allah." Fortunately for Ms. Fallaci, she has residency in New York where she plans to stay.

At seventy years old, and terminally ill with cancer, the impending "Fall of the West" haunts her. What torments her most is Westerners are marching so blithely toward that precipice of no return. She sees little hope for the future of Europe, saying "The increased presence of Muslims in Italy, and in Europe, is directly proportional to our loss of freedom." Although an atheist herself, the only ray of hope she sees is that possibly Pope Benedict XVI, whom she refers to as Ratzinger, will save Europe from itself.

In August of 1526, Sultan Suleiman I smashed the forces of King Lajos II of Hungary. Following the partial conquest of Hungary, and the disintegration of the rest as a state, Suleiman turned his attention to Austria. At the Siege of Vienna in 1529, the armies of Christianity and and the seemingly unstoppable armies of Islam clashed in the center of Europe. Following the seige, the defenders of Vienna examined each man for circumcision, believing the Turks had smuggled in spies, and hanged everyone that failed the test. The invasion and seige cost both sides, Christian and Muslim, dearly. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians died and thousands more sold into slavery.

[Suleiman] [eurabia] [Oriana Fallaci] [The Force of Reason]

Big Scoop Reversal

Turning Mountains into Molehills
Ho - Ho- Ho. What have we here? The Washington Post is reporting Time Reporter's Testimony Sought:

"Sources close to the investigation say there is evidence in some instances that some reporters may have told government officials -- not the other way around -- that Wilson was married to Plame, a CIA employee.

(Prosecutor) "Fitzgerald has repeatedly said he already knows the identity of (Judith) Miller's source and that person has relieved Miller of her duty to protect the source's anonymity."

Big Scooper, Big Scooper, where are you? Why did you allow the Washington Post to scoop you today? You've done no new scooping since yesterday's "Twenty Questions for Karl".

THE BIG SCOOP Chronology
of Lawrence "Big Scooper" O'Donnell

"I Broke the Story"
More Big Scooper Scoops
Award Winning Truth Teller
Joseph Wilson's Life Quest
Big Scooper's Scoop Verified
Karl Rove Plamed Again

Linked at Wizbang.

[Lawrence O'Donnell] [CIA] [plame] [Joseph Wilson]
[Judith Miller]

Dems Find a War to Support

Senate Democrats Declare War - On America!
The mostly anti-war, any war, anytime, anyplace Democrats have found a war they like and for which they can summon up enough bravery and courage. Senator Schumer proudly declared: “We are contemplating how we are going to go to war over this.”

SEN. SCHUMER CAUGHT ON CELLPHONE:
'WE ARE GOING TO WAR' OVER SUPREME COURT

[democrats] [supreme court] [charles schumer]

Live8 = More SUVs

And More Hot Air
I am very sorry to have to admit this, dear readers, however Kerfuffles cannot be everywhere at all times. I am depending on Charmaine Yoest at Reasoned Audacity (charmaineyoest.com) to keep us all up-to-date on all the happenings, including the riots, which she has promised to blog first hand. She has posted: All Week: LIVE-BLOGGING the G8 Summit and Live8 events in Gleneagles, Scotland.

I have been at wit's about this Live8 thing and how it can be an admirable endeaver to indoctrinate young people throughout the world to "Be a Part of History" by participating in "group-think" (act or practice of reasoning or decision-making by a group, especially when characterized by uncritical acceptance or conformity to prevailing points of view).

How much fun will it be for us wingnuts anyway, when we know that free speech has been denied to the performers, and none of them are allowed to diss President Bush? Maralyn Lois Polakasks at TalkNetDaily asks:

"Live8? Liberal musicians begging the ruling class for crumbs. Nobody allowed to use the 'i-word' – imperialism. Why are Africa or Central America or Central Asia or wherever so hellishly impoverished? Why isn't anyone allowed to talk about that?"

Instead of talking and screaming about poverty in Africa, there are actually some Americans working on the ground to relieve suffering and improve the lives of the afflicted (Barbara in Capetown).

Scott Ott at ScrappleFace is worrying about the results of the event. "Everybody feels sorry for the poor people of Africa, because they're not industrialized yet. But looking at the bright side, they're also not cranking out too much greenhouse gas either. The last thing in the world we need is 20 or 30 more developed nations producing prosperity, buying up SUVs and destroying our atmosphere."

Scott suggests that international diplomats Bob Geldof and Bono should "craft a proposal that would keep Africa in 'clean, green sustainable poverty' for the foreseeable future through a series of charity rock concerts."

"Groupthink is a term coined by psychologist Irving Janis in 1972 to describe a process by which a group can make bad or irrational decisions. In a groupthink situation, each member of the group attempts to conform his or her opinions to what they believe to be the consensus of the group. In a general sense this seems to be a very nationalistic way to approach the situation. However this results in a situation in which the group ultimately agrees upon an action which each member might individually consider to be unwise (the risky shift)."

Trackedback at Chrenkoff.
[Gleneagles] [Live8] [Africa] [SUV] [groupthink] [group think]

Sliced Bread To Follow

The World's First drive-through Boulangerie


Vive la Baguette! But Make it Snappy: The Joly Bakery

Under the grand leadership of Jacques Chirac, the French have been making giant steps of innovation almost every day. Last year appeared the very first drive-through boulangerie. Free at last, free at last are the French from that time-consuming daily ritual of baguette buying, which also meant a time-consuming friendly chit-chat with the boulanger. Now drivers stay seated in their cars and order at a drive-through window. What will the French think of next? Sliced bread?

Customers who cannot adapt to the foreign idea of being served at their cars, may get out to place their orders, as long as they turn off their car engines and form a traditional bread-queue. And both customers and staff are legally required, under French culture laws, to exchange at least a few friendly words, in French of course, with each other. There will be no ordering into a microphone, -- sacre bleu --, as all loudspeakers are forbidden at French boulangeries. Likewise, French unions are enforcing new rules that severly sanction any bread-server who behaves in a surly manner, shoving food at customers, à la reviled McDonald's, with immediate deportation to the United States.

A Frenchman, Phillipe, likes the idea. Although he must drive three miles from his office and back to buy a sandwich at the drive-through boulangerie, Joly Bakery, he has been able to cut one hour and twenty minutes from his traditional lunch break of two hours. Now he can get through le déjeuner in a lightning fast forty minutes. He is obviously a non-union member and self-employed.

Will the traditional French bakery go the way of the dinosaurs? Who knows and who cares? The important question is will the French people under the leadership of Jacques Chirac, go the way of the dinosaurs? The answer to that is YES!

Trackedback at the Right Wing Nut House's Carnival of the Clueless #4, where wingnuts rule, 'Carnival of the Trackbacks IXX' from Wizbang, and My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

[France] [French culture] [Jacques Chirac] [fast food]

Blond Foxes

The Blond Foxes of Fox News

WuzzaDem did a line up on the blonds at Fox News. Now we know why all the "angry white males" tune in there, don't we? Only thing, WuzzaDem slighted E.D. Hill of Fox and Friends. I hope that was not bad manners on his part. I want to make it up to E.D. Here she is, beautiful and clever as ever. And don't you forget it, WuzzaDem, or you'll be just another WussyDem.

Image of E.D. Hill

[E.D. Hill] [Fox News] [blond]

"I Broke the Story"

Lawrence O'Donnell, still tauting his "BIG SCOOP", now calling it "Rove's I-did-not-inhale Defense".

"Karl Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, had his holiday weekend ruined on Friday when I broke the story that the e-mails that Time delivered to the special prosecutor that afternoon reveal that Karl Rove is the source Matt Cooper has been protecting for two years. The next day, Luskin was forced to open the first hole in the Rove two-year wall of silence about the case. In a huge admission to Newsweek and the Los Angeles Times, Luskin confessed that, well, yes, Rove did talk to Cooper. It is a huge admission in a case where Rove and Luskin have never, before Friday, felt compelled to say a word about Rove's contact with Cooper or anyone else involved in the case."

Where in any of the articles Lawrence O'Donnell cites does it say that Rove is the source that Matt Cooper has been protecting? Karl Rove long ago released all the reporters from confidentiality agreements. Now the Big Scooper has latched onto the word "knowingly" used by Rove's lawyer in saying that his client "never knowingly disclosed classified information."

According to the controlling statute ( U.S. Code: Title 50: Section 421), to be in violation anyone disclosing a covert agent must do so "knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States."

Sorry, Larry, but that is how the law reads, and the law must prove that Karl Rove or anyone else must have revealed the "open secret" to all of Washington, "knowingly". Sometimes the law is just too damn fair. And besides, there is NO there, there, unless you believe that former Ambassador Joseph Wilson is "all there".

Trackedback at Michelle Malkin's post "LOOK WHO OUTED VALERIE PLAME". Michelle links to Byron York's article, VALERIE PLAME, GUARDING HER PRIVACY.

[Valerie Plame] [Lawrence O'Donnell] [Karl Rove] [Joseph Wilson]

Russian Sues Over Space Fireworks

The incredible NASA mission during the early hours of July 4th, 2005, that created a real world-wide fireworks show visible to those with telescopes has resulted in a $300 million lawsuit by a Russian astrologer, Marina Bai.

The U.S. space agency's Deep Impact was deliberately crashed into the comet, Tempel 1, and punched a crater into it, all done in the furtherance of scientific discovery. The Russian woman claims that the event 'ruins the natural balance of forces in the universe,' and caused her 'moral sufferings'. She had earlier claimed that the explosion would 'deform her horoscope.'
My Way News: "MOSCOW (AP)

The 3 Stooges Do Europe

Larry, Moe, & Curly
in high spirits at a cafe along the Russian Borstch Belt.

French President Jacques Chirac delivered a series of insults to Britain while chatting to the German and Russian heads of state in a Russian cafe. He said: "The only thing [the British] have ever given European farming is mad cow." Then, he poked fun at English cuisine, saying "You can't trust people who cook as badly as that. After Finland, it's the country with the worst food." At that hilarity, Russian President Vladimir Putin chimed in to belittle American cooking: "But what about hamburgers?" Chirac quickly countered, "Oh no, hamburgers are nothing in comparison." The francophone continued reciting a story that George Robertson, a member of Tony Blair's cabinet, had forced him to eat the Scottish dish haggis. "That's where our problems with NATO come from," Chirac said, and "Larry" Schroder and "Curly" Putin continued chuckling. Indeed, Jacques Chirac was quite the comic, but unfortunately for the three stooges, they did not know that their verbal antics were being recorded by a journalist, probably the intent woman appearing in the image background.

Lorraine Millot, the French journalist whose story about the three undiplomats was published in a French newspaper, said that she heard President Chirac (known affectionately as "Moe") say that it was not his fault that he was late for a meeting with Queen Elizabeth at a royal banquet to mark the Centenary of the Entente Cordiale in November 2004. He said "the British did not respect protocol".

Telegraph | News | Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow': " By Toby Helm and Henry Samuel (Filed: 05/07/2005)
[three stooges] [3 stooges] [Jacques Chirac] [british cuisine]

Too much 'fun'?

Last night I was reading that the Aruban authorities had charged the three young men held in the tragic Natalee Holloway disappearance in "paradise". I read a few different news stories and some said the three had already been charged with murder and others said they were about to be. Today, what a shock it is to read a few minutes ago that two of them, the Surinamese brothers, have been released. Aruban Judge Orders Two Brothers Freed

Megan Prewitt and Ayla Burnett, best friends since fifth grade, began planning a vacation to celebrate Ayla's 19th birthday. Neither had been out of the country before, but the Bahamas seemed pretty cool. It was cheap and close to Florida. And the drinking age is 18. "When you're drunk, you can have fun easier," Burnett explained. Prewitt and Burnett's parents lectured them before they left. "Don't get too drunk there," Prewitt's mom said. Her mom also told them not to put down their drinks in a bar - somebody could slip a date-rape drug into the glass - and don't go off with strange guys. Ever. When they arrived, they headed straight for a liquor store, where they bought champagne and a bottle of Bacardi rum. (Too much 'fun, from St. Petersburg Times, 4 July 2005)

Throughout this ordeal I have been contemplating the wisdom of youngsters going off to foreign lands, seemingly for the sun and beaches, but in fact for the opportunities to partake of activites that are illegal or morally unacceptable in their home communities. Apparently the trip that Natalee Holloway took was typical of one of these "too much 'fun" holidays, as described and illustrated by today's St. Petersburg Times. It was "sort of" under the auspices of the school she attended, and obviously parents approved of the trip, as some were chaperones, although the meaning of that word has certainly changed. These people were from an affluent area of Alabama, and for such parents to refuse to let their high school graduates go along would be difficult. Nevertheless, what are parents for, if not to give mature guidance? And what about the schools? There are almost limitless opportunities for young people to have good, clean fun or to participate in service to others, that there should be no reason to sanction or encourage such hedonistic behavior by young adults.

A group of fraternity guys from UCLA are at the bar, all over 21, all just graduated. They are appalled. "I would never, ever send my daughter on one of these grad trips," said Joey Famini, 21. "They are way too young." At 1 a.m., Prewitt and Burnett walk in with ... two guys from New York. "We're sober tonight," Prewitt yells over the music. (Too much 'fun, from St. Petersburg Times, 4 July 2005)

Is hanging out at "Carlos 'N Charlie's" or "Senor Frog" what Americans want their sons and daughters to do when abroad? Read "Too much 'fun'?" and weep. Weep for Natalee and her family. Weep for young Americans of today who have not had real values instilled into their beings by the time they graduate from high school. Weep for the teenagers who believe such degradations to the human soul are "too much 'fun".

UPDATE: The article in quotes that I have referenced is "Too Much 'Fun'?" from the "St. Petersburg Times", 4 July 2005, by Tamara Lush.Scared Monkeys has more about Carlos 'N Charlie's.

Doonesbury Pontificates

July 4, 2005: Gary Trudeau, from Doonesbury@Slate - Daily Dose:

"Isn't blogging basically for angry semi-employed losers who are too untalented or too lazy to get real jobs in journalism? I mean if the market REALLY valued what you have to say, wouldn't someone pay you for it?"

Do liberals believe, as Trudeau, that those people who employ themselves in work for which there is no financial remuneration, are laboring for naught, and that the results of their labor have no value to the marketplace?

[Doonesbury] [Gary Trudeau] [blogging]

July 4th in Washington

Fourth of July fireworks light up the skyline of the nation's capital a few years ago as viewed from the vicinity of Fort McNair. (U.S. Army Public Affairs)

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Fireworks Just for You and More Fireworks

Celebrations of the Bloggers
Happy Birthday America
July 4th, Independence Day
The Unanimous Declaration

Tags:[fireworks]

Happy Independence Day

~*~ 229 Years Free ~*~

American the Beautiful (midi - minimize screen)

America the Beautiful

Real Liberty

July 4th

For Kids from Homeschoolers

I Am the Flag

Tags:[fireworks]

More Big Scooper Scoops

from The Huffington Post | The Blog

Poor "Big Scooper" Lawrence O'Donnell! He is suffering delusions of grandeur over this supposed "Karl Rove the Leaker" story he started. Now he is saying that the fact that Karl Rove did not contact him to tell him what he (Rove) said to the grand jury, proves that Rove is guilty. Guilty of what? Being a source for a reporter is not a crime.

The Huffington Post | The Blog: "Rove would not let me get one day of traction on this story if he could stop me. If what I have reported is not true, if Karl Rove is not Matt Cooper’s source, Rove could prove that instantly by telling us what he told the grand jury. Nothing prevents him from doing that, except a good lawyer who is trying to keep him out of jail."

Trackedback at WizBang.

[Valerie Plame] [Lawrence O'Donnell] [Karl Rove] [Joseph Wilson]

Award Winning Truth-Teller

Ambassador Joseph Wilson, husband of CIA Operative Valerie Plame

The Politics of Truth: A Diplomat's Memoir: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity
by Joseph Wilson,
published May 2004

One of the obvious highlights of his career, according to the short biography on the back cover flap, was the "Ron Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling" that he received in October 2003. Yet by early 2004, when Wilson was everywhere promoting his book about "truth", almost everything he wrote in the book was proven to be wrong or outright lies by the 9/11 Commission.

Although the book continues with Wilson's absurd contention that someone in the Bush Administration 'outed' his wife as payback, the real crime is, if there is one, that CIA operative Valerie Plame, successfully sought an appointment for her husband as head of the delegation to Niger. If someone did, in fact, out Ms. Plame to newsman Robert Novak, that person should be eligible for whistleblower protection for having exposed the nepotism and spoils system at the CIA. Joe Wilson should never have been appointed for the mission to Niger in the first place, as he had NO experience in investigations nor in uranium.

"Were they suggesting that my wife had somehow influenced a decision to send me ...? Were they implying that this had been nepotism, or some kind of a junket? Apart from being the conduit of a message from a colleague in her office ... Valerie had had nothing to do with the matter. She definitely had not proposed that I make the trip." (page 5 of "The Politics of Truth")

The award winning "Truth-Teller" writes that his wife did not get him the job, however, an e-mail entered into the 9/11 Report shows otherwise. In fact, the bipartisan 9/11 commission found that Wilson lied at least three times: he lied about his wife's role in sending him, he lied about his findings which actually strengthened the case that Iraq tried to obtain yellowcake, as did other nations, and he claimed knowledge of forged documents purporting to show an Iraq-Niger uranium deal, yet, those documents never reached U.S. intelligence until eight months after his trip.

When columnist Robert Novak named Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, to be a CIA operative, Joseph Wilson jumped to accusations that it was Karl Rove who unlawfully leaked the information, and Wilson made a famous remark about seeing Rove "frog marched" out of the White House. Wilson later retracted that slur, as he had no evidence. In The Politics of Truth, he found new culprits to blame. Once again without evidence, he fingers Dick Cheney'’s chief-of-staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby and national security aide Eliot Abrams. Karl Rove is no longer in the running. Too bad, all the moonbats on the left, including Lawrence O'Donnell, have not read Wilson's book, as they are continuing to expect to see Rove brought down as the leaker.

Ambassador Joseph Wilson, award winning truth-teller, lied to us all. At a time of war, he misrepresented important facts to the American people. Revelations by the British government, The Financial Times, the 9-11 Committee, the 9-11 Senate Report and The Washington POST, have exposed Mr. Wilson's "facts" into serious question. Iraq was trying to get yellowcake uranium and the Nigerians even told Wilson that when he went there, at government expense, to "investigate."

Did Wilson lie solely to undercut President Bush for not having appointed him to a high administration position? We can only speculate on the real reason that Wilson lied about everything, but we can be sure that, whatever it was, it was a totally self-serving reason.
Trackedback at The Larsonian.
[Valerie Plame] [Lawrence O'Donnell] [Karl Rove] [Joseph Wilson]

Good News from Saudi Arabia

Al-Qaida's Leader in Saudi Arabia Killed: "Three other unidentified suspects were arrested, and weapons, ammunition, computers and documents were seized ...."

Joseph Wilson's Life Quest

Robert Novak: The CIA leak: October 1, 2003
"The leak now under Justice Department investigation is described by former Ambassador Wilson and critics of President Bush's Iraq policy as a reprehensible effort to silence them. To protect my own integrity and credibility, I would like to stress three points. First, I did not receive a planned leak. Second, the CIA never warned me that the disclosure of Wilson's wife working at the agency would endanger her or anybody else. Third, it was not much of a secret.

"The current Justice investigation stems from a routine, mandated probe of all CIA leaks, but follows weeks of agitation. Wilson, after telling me in July that he would say nothing about his wife, has made investigation of the leak his life's work"

[CIA] [Robert Novak]

"Big Scooper's" Scoop Verified

According to news today, including the ominous Newsweek article by Michael Isokoff, "The Rove Factor", that was scooped by "Big Scooper", Lawrence O'Donnell, Karl Rove, did indeed speak with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper in July 2003, days before the name of a CIA operative surfaced in the media. Rove's lawyer has confirmed the conversation, which seems to be a new admission in the case. Rove spoke to Cooper about a week before published reports revealed the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, the wife of Bush administration critic and former U.S. envoy Joseph Wilson.

Cooper and another reporter, Judith Miller, have been held in contempt of court for not cooperating with an investigation into who revealed Plame's identity. Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has been investigating the alleged outing of the CIA operative by syndicated columnist Robert Novak on July 14, 2003. Novak was the first to publish Plame's name, but the prosecutor believes that whoever leaked the information to Novak, probably also leaked to other journalists, which could constitute separate violations of federal law.

White House advisor Karl Rove has testified before a grand jury investigating the Plame case on three occasions, his latest in October 2004. At that time the prosecutor announced that his investigation was complete with the exception of the testimony of the two recalcitrant reporters. Columnist Novak has not been charged, therefore it is assumed that he has given the prosecutor the name of the leaker. Karl Rove and other White House officials have released the reporters from any binding confidentiality agreements, therefore none of the reporters would be violating journalistic ethics to name Karl Rove or others in the administration.

So perhaps "Big Scooper" O'Donnell was technically correct that Karl Rove would be fingered as a source of Matthew Cooper, as has happened. That does not prove that Rove broke any laws, and Rove's lawyer denies that his client did. It is highly unlikely that Lawrence O'Donnell and his ilk will be seeing any "frog marching" of Karl Rove. In other words, as has been said from the beginning of this farce - there is NO THERE there, and the entire kerfuffle has been little more than a publicity stunt by the former ambassador and his CIA wife! Perhaps the good ambassador and his wife were the leakers, as they have obviously enjoyed the spotlight and their resulting inclusion into the "Illuminati of Washington" crowd.

Ambassador Wilson was the one who brought up the accusation that the leaker to Novak had broken a federal law. Then the two of them went on a "weeping and wailing campaign" to publicize their outrage. In an article in The New York Times on 6 July 2003, lambasting the Bush administration, Joseph Wilson claimed that he was sent to Niger at the request of Vice President Cheney. Cheney denied any knowledge of Wilson's claim, and a week later appeared the Novak article, revealing that Wilson's hiring was the the result of nepotism. Joseph Wilson's wife at the CIA had suggested that he be sent to Niger in 2002, to investigate Yellowcake Forgery documents. Thus, Novak was outing Joseph Wilson as, in fact, a liar and user of favoritism, and this is where Wilson's outrage probably originated. Wilson immediately charged that his wife's CIA association had been deliberately exposed by the White House in order to destroy her career, when in fact, it was all about him and his exposure as a fraud.

At the National Press Club in October 2003, the good ambassador tearfully accepted the first Ron Ridenhour "Award for Truth-Telling", presented by The Nation Magazine Foundation and the Fertel Foundation. On January 17th, 2004, Vanity Fair, did a puff profile on the glamour couple which included the image at the left, and revealed that Wilson publicly referred to his wife as "Jane Bond".

However, by July 10th of the same year, the Washington Post outed Joseph Wilson IV as a "non-Truth-Teller".