Saturday, June 30, 2007

Britain raises security alert level to critical - highest level indicating terror attacks imminent

First the attempted dual car bomb attack in London and now this. Just a "bumper sticker slogan" eh John boy?

AP Puts Out More crAP

It appears that AP in their relentless quest for negative and sensationalistic news from Iraq have pulled another Jamil Hussein. Thursday they reported 20 Beheaded Bodies Found in Iraq. Only one problem, it never happened.

MNF informs us: Extremists using false media reporting to incite sectarian violence

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Friday, news media reported a mass killing in a village near Salman Pak where 20 men were allegedly found beheaded. It now appears that the story was completely false and fabricated by unknown sources.

Upon learning of the press reports, coalition and Iraqi officials began investigating to determine if the reports were true. Ultimately it was concluded the reports were false.

Anti-Iraqi Forces are known for purposely providing false information to the media to incite violence and revenge killings, and they may well have been the source of this misinformation.


So typical of AP to print thinly corroborated evidence from our enemies to sell stories and promote their anti war agenda.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Poll: Voters don't care for Clinton

What's worse for the left, the more voters see and hear her the more intense that sentiment.

WASHINGTON -- More than half of Americans say they wouldn't consider voting for Sen. Hillary Clinton for president if she becomes the Democratic nominee, according to a new national poll made available to McClatchy Newspapers and NBC News.

The poll by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research found that 52 percent of Americans wouldn't consider voting for Clinton, D-N.Y.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, was second in the can't-stand-'em category, with 46 percent saying they wouldn't consider voting for him.

Clinton is considered a polarizing figure who'd be a tough sell to some voters, especially men, but also Clinton-haters of both genders. Thursday's survey provides a snapshot of the challenges she faces, according to Larry Harris, a Mason-Dixon principal.

Terror Car Packed With Petrol And Nails

GWOT, what GWOT?

The car bomb found in London's West End contained large amounts of petrol, nails and several gas canisters, police have revealed.

Detectives believe they have foiled a major terror attack after the "big" explosive device was discovered in a Mercedes early this morning.

They said if the bomb had gone off it would have caused "significant injury or loss of life."


Video here.

Update:
Second "bomb" vehicle is found
.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Immigration Bill Part Deux FAILS!

It's STILL dead Jim

Vote: 53-46 Nyet!

From AP

Vote tally here.

Vivica A. Gets Racial

A classic example of the "victim mentality". Why take personal responsibility for any failures when everyone knows it's all whiteys fault.

TMZ has obtained an arrest report written after the California Highway Patrol arrested Vivica A. Fox for DUI in March, and it appears the actress copped a major attitude.

The officer says in the report, after she was stopped, "Fox began to walk away, yelling at my partner, 'Brother help a sister -- are you going to let this racist white cop do this ... well are you?'"

In the section of the report in which the officers are asked to describe the demeanor of the person they're arresting, the officer wrote "demeaning." We're told things got volatile enough that a patrol sergeant was called to the scene.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Plan to send immigrants home is defeated

This may "kill" the bill as at least some additional Republicans (4 by latest count) will now jump ship and vote no on cloture Thursday. It will be extremely close but I don't think the shamnesters have the 60.

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday killed a Republican proposal to require all adult illegal immigrants to return home temporarily in order to qualify for permanent lawful status in this country.

Also defeated was a Democratic bid to restrict legal status to those who have been in the United States for four years.

The vote was 53-45 to table an amendment by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, to require that illegal immigrants go home within two years in order to qualify for a renewable Z visa to live and work lawfully in the United States.

Candidates' Names Are Tough in Chinese

BOSTON (AP) - Mitt Romney's been called many things as he runs for president, but chances are "Sticky Rice" isn't one of them.

That's how his name might be read on some ballots, according to state Secretary William Galvin.

The problem is that there are many different characters that could be used to match the sound of each syllable, and many different meanings for each character.

So Mitt Romney could be read as "Sticky Rice" or "Uncooked Rice." Fred Thompson might be read as "Virtue Soup." And Barack Obama could be read as "Oh Bus Horse."


Hmmmm "Virtue Soup", I like that. They left one out however as Hillary Clinton best translates to "Imbecilic Frigid Clam".

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Bush's Faith-Based Programs Win Shield at Top Court

If one disagrees with every single thing George Bush has done in the last 6 years his two Supreme Court appointments make up for it.

The U.S. Supreme Court limited the power of taxpayers to challenge government actions as unconstitutionally promoting religion, throwing out a suit aimed at President George W. Bush's faith-based initiatives office.

The justices, voting 5-4, said a group of taxpayers lacked the legal right to sue over White House-sponsored conferences designed to help groups compete for social-service funding. The suit contended the sessions promoted religious organizations over secular ones.

``If every federal taxpayer could sue to challenge any government expenditure, the federal courts would cease to function as courts of law and would be cast in the role of general complaint bureaus,'' Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the court's lead opinion.

The decision insulates the federal government's executive branch from lawsuits centering on the U.S. constitutional ban on establishment of religion. The ruling also may shield states, although a number of them have laws that give their taxpayers broad rights to sue over public spending.

2008 Republican Presidential Primary Thompson 27% Guiliani 23%

Latest from Rasmussen....

Thompson, preparing to formally announce his candidacy, leads the pack in the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey with 27% support. That gives him a four-point advantage over former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani who is currently preferred by 23% of Likely Primary Voters. A week ago, it was Thompson 28% and Giuliani 27%. Two weeks ago, they were tied at 24%. Prior to that time, Giuliani had been on top in every weekly Rasmussen Reports poll for five months

Thompson leads Giuliani by 13 percentage points among conservative primary voters while Giuliani leads among moderates.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Iranian forces crossed Iraqi border: report

Just how much of this are we going to take before taking some decisive action?

Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces have been spotted by British troops crossing the border into southern Iraq, The Sun tabloid reported on Tuesday.

Britain's defence ministry would not confirm or deny the report, with a spokesman declining to comment on "intelligence matters".

An unidentified intelligence source told the tabloid: "It is an extremely alarming development and raises the stakes considerably. In effect, it means we are in a full on war with Iran -- but nobody has officially declared it."

"We have hard proof that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps have crossed the border to attack us. It is very hard for us to strike back. All we can do is try to defend ourselves. We are badly on the back foot."

Naughty Veggies

Powerline informs us that al Qaida in Iraq has Vegiphobia....

Other AQI edicts included beatings for men who refused to grow beards, and corporal punishments for obscene sexual suggestiveness, defined by such “loose” behavior as carrying tomatoes and cucumbers in the same bag. These fatwas were not eagerly embraced by most Iraqis....

Good grief

Judge Loses Drycleaning Lawsuit

Fox News is reporting that the judge suing his dry cleaner for $54,000,000 over a pair of pants loses lawsuit and must pay defendant's expenses.

Now that's what I call justice.

AP has this: Dry cleaner wins in missing-pants case

Sunday, June 24, 2007

U.S. forces kill Anbar's Al Qaida commander

More good news coming out of Iraq.

The U.S. military said American combat units killed the chief of the Al Qaida network in the Iraqi province of Anbar. The Al Qaida commander was identified as Hussein Awad Al Hawawi, also known as Abu Thabet.

"The people of Iraq are beginning to reject Al Qaida and other extremists that continue to foment this violence," Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, said. "They clearly understand that [Al Qaida in Iraq] is headed by a foreigner, an Egyptian who is linked to international terrorism, and are tired of the false promises, intimidation, brutality and repression that they offer."


And this: U.S., Iraqi troops kill 55 insurgents in major offensive on al-Qaida

Thompson, Clinton lead Nevada voters, poll shows

Mason Dixon has proven time and again to be the Gold standard of state polling.

WASHINGTON - Actor and former Sen. Fred Thompson leads the Republican presidential field in Nevada even though he has not declared his candidacy, according to a new poll made available to McClatchy Newspapers and NBC News.

The poll by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research showed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with a substantial lead over her Democratic rivals.

Thompson's strength in Nevada, which mirrors his recent surge in national polls, underscores his potential to shake up the Republican race if he decides to run. The former Tennessee senator is recruiting a campaign staff and testing his appeal as a candidate.

The poll showed Thompson with 25 percent support among Republicans who are considered likely to attend a nominating caucus, followed by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 20 percent, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani with 17 percent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona with 8 percent and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 3 percent.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Christie (Whitman) blasts Rudy on WTC air

Ruh Roh...

Former Environmental Protection Agency boss Christie Whitman says she urged Ground Zero workers to wear respirators, but then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani blocked her efforts.

She also said city officials didn't want EPA workers wearing haz-mat suits because they "didn't want this image of a city falling apart."

In an interview scheduled to run the day before Whitman testifies in front of Congress on Monday, she told WNBC-TV she warned the city of the risks almost every day.

And she said she believes illnesses killing first responders can be blamed on the city's lack of action.

2 al-Qaida leaders captured in Iraq

Militarily the worm has turned as they are systematically routing out and destroying al Qaida and the Sadr militia with overwhelming force. The last major piece of the puzzle is in the political arena. They need to pass the oil sharing deal in the next 30 days to make it all come together.

BAQOUBA, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi troops captured two senior al-Qaida militants and seven other operatives Saturday in Diyala province, an Iraqi commander said, as an offensive to clear the volatile area of insurgents entered its fifth day.

The U.S. military also cracked down elsewhere in Iraq, saying in a statement that seven other al-Qaida fighters were killed and 10 suspects detained in raids in Tikrit, east of Fallujah, south of Baghdad and in Mosul.

Three other militants suspected of having ties to Iran were detained in a predawn operation by U.S. forces working with Iraqi informants in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City, the military said separately.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Graham’s approval plunges on immigration

The predictable result when one repeatedly pee's down the back of ones constituents....

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) approval rating is taking a pounding in his home state as a result of his strong support for a bipartisan immigration reform bill, a new poll showed Friday.

Graham’s approval rating has sunk to 31 percent and he has a 40 percent disapproval rating, according to a poll released Friday by Atlanta-based InsiderAdvantage. The new poll points to Graham’s support for the Senate immigration bill, which includes a path to citizenship, as a likely reason for his apparent unpopularity.

His disapproval among Republicans is higher — 46 percent — than among Democrats —30 percent. Both give him an approval rating in the low 30s.

Romney Flip Flops, Gaffes and Assorted Bloopers

We here at Opinipundit have reversed positions and pulled our support from Mitt Romney in favor of a Fred Thompson candidacy. Here is why.

BELIEVE IT OR not, but in the 1994 Massachusetts Senate race, Bay State governor and presumptive presidential candidate Mitt Romney ran to the left of Ted Kennedy on gay rights.

“If we are to achieve the goals we share, we must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern,” Romney wrote. “My opponent cannot do this. I can and will.”

He has also been at the forfront of repealing the"don't ask, don't tell'' provisions relating to military service.He looked forward to the day when gays and lesbians could serve "openly and honestly in our nation's military."

Now he's for a Marriage Ammendment, HMMMM

And concerning abortion fuhgetaboutit

On immigration, much the same...In 2006 Governor Romney supported the President’s immigration policy as well as the McCain-Kennedy bill. He expressed support for an immigration program that places large numbers of illegal residents on the path toward citizenship and said illegal immigrants should have a chance to obtain citizenship.

He even went as far as to say that Republicans that break from the President on this issue are making a "big mistake" according to the Associated Press.


Now Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney says he ‘’strongly opposes'’ the immigration plan also denounced by many conservatives. Mitt Romney opposes the legislation but won’t offer a plan of his own.

What about the second ammendment? In his 1994 US Senate run, Romney backed two gun-control measures strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups: the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons.

And as the GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2002, Romney lauded the state’s strong laws during a debate against Democrat Shannon O’Brien. “We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them,” he said. “I won’t chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.”

And now...But, look, we’ve gotta fundamentally recognize the need to protect the right to bear arms and the fact that there are people who are trying to remove that right inch by inch, and we’re gonna have to defend against that.

Hmmm, appears those people are you Mr. Romney.

How about stem cell research... Remember how Romney now claims that his views on stem cell research have changed (he's now opposed) because of a shocking personal experience? Well, he claimed the same thing a few years ago as justification for why he supported stem cell research - yes, another shocking personal experience.

And in many cases, he said his commitment had been cemented by watching the suffering of someone dear to him: a grandchild whose asthma left him worried about air pollution; his wife's multiple sclerosis, which had him placing hope in embryonic stem cell research; the death of a distant relative in an illegal abortion, convincing him that the procedure needed to remain legal.

All of Romney's liberal views were based on shocking personal experiences, then he decided to run for president and came up with new shocking personal experiences that could justify him wooing the far-right of the Republican party. This guy is a snake.


Pretty much yea.

The environment too??? Weeks after taking office, the new governor led an army of staffers and activists to Salem, north of Boston, for a news conference outside a coal-fired power plant. He was there to demand that the plant draft a cleanup plan by the next year.

The new governor said something that struck the environmental activists as remarkable. "I will not create jobs or hold jobs that kill people," Romney said in a heated exchange. "And that plant - that plant kills people."


Romney told [a group of religious leaders] he was "terrified" about global warming, a phenomenon he described as "quite alarming," according to notes taken by one of the participants, Nancy Davidge of the Episcopal Divinity School at Harvard University.

Then, in December 2005, Romney surprised even his own staff by pulling the plug on a key element of his environmental agenda. Romney withdrew Massachusetts from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative agreement with other Northeastern states. Though Romney's team had taken a lead role in crafting it, the plan could prove too costly to power-plant owners and consumers, the governor said.

Could it have been the start of his campaign that prompted this? Considering his past behavior, you be the judge.

Lastly taxes: After refusing to endorse President Bush’s tax cuts when he was governor, Mitt Romney has now made them a central part of his presidential campaign, stirring accusations that he is changing his position to appeal to GOP primary voters.

In 2003, Romney stunned a roomful of Bay State congressmen by telling them that he would not publicly support Bush’s tax cuts, which at the time formed the centerpiece of the president’s domestic agenda. He even said he was open to a federal gas tax hike.

“For a Republican governor, I thought it was interesting,” U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Somerville) said. “I don’t prejudge people, so I thought he might have the courage of his convictions, but I guess I was wrong.”

Well their you have it, Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has virtually changed his position on just about every single issue crucial to conservatives. Folks this is a man with neither conscience nor core. He is the epitamy of expedience and the personification of opportunism. I want to like Romney he's smooth, polished and quick witted but then again so was Bill Clinton. I guess after looking at the facts I find myself trusting them both just about the same.

P.S.I may have spoken a bit too soon about the "polished thing" Here are a few not ready for primetime moments...

1.Romney told a man in an NRA hat that he had "been a hunter pretty much all of my life".After boasting about his membership in the National Rifle Association, Romney later admitted he joined the group less than a year ago. (Conspicuously disingenuous to put it mildy.)

2.Rachel Griffiths got up and asked Romney if any of his five sons were serving in the military, and if not, how did they plan to support the war against terrorism? "The good news is that we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it," Romney told the crowd, adding, "[O]ne of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected, because they think I'd be a great president." (PU!)

3.During a radio appearance for the 2002 campaign, Romney forgets the name of his running mate, Kerry Healey. Explaining that Healey will help broaden the GOP ticket’s appeal, Romney says, “That is what has drawn me to Sherry.” Also, while discussing his efforts to woo conservative Democrats, Romney calls former Massachusetts governor and Reagan supporter Ed King “Frank King.” (It happens.)

4.Romney ruminated on Hitler's scientific achievements unprompted, in a Q & A about energy policy. As the New York Sun's Ryan Sager said at the time, you wouldn't think that anyone running for president would have to be told, "Don't mention Hitler in a positive light." (Pretty dumb unforced error)

5."Hugo Chavez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase — 'Patria o muerte, venceremos.' It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba."
Another case of campaign researchers apparently being off for the day: "Patria o muerte, venceremos" (which means in Spanish, "Fatherland or death, we shall overcome") does not belong to a free Cuba. The starkly fascistic phrase was, in fact, a tagline for Castro, who Romney had, earlier in the same speech declared "a stain on Cuban soil."

6."In France, for instance, I'm told that marriage is now frequently contracted in seven-year terms where either party may move on when their term is up. How shallow and how different from the Europe of the past." (Say Wha??? Nobody seems to know what he was referring to here as no such policy exists)

7."I'm not going to weigh in (reference to an Iraqi troop surge). I'm still a governor." (one of the top ten weasle brush offs of all time)

8.At the Wilton Candy Kitchen, which claims to be the "oldest ice cream parlor/soda fountain in the world," Romney told a crowd of mostly elderly residents that his son Josh was about to complete a tour of all 99 counties in Iowa.

9.A woman raised her hand. "Yes, please!" Romney said.

"How many counties are in Massachusetts?" she asked.

"Thirteen," he said. A few feet away, an aide shook his head and said, "Ten."

"Oh, no, I think it's 13," Romney said. "Not like your 99."

Thanks for playing, Mitt. But the correct answer for the number of counties in the state that you served as governor for four years is... 14.
(Significant brain fart)

10. Not satisfied, Blitzer reposes the question, to which Romney replied, "Well, I answered the question by saying it's a non sequitur. It's a non -- null set kind of question, because you can go back and say, 'If we knew then what we know now,' by virtue of inspectors having been let in and giving us that information, by virtue of if Saddam Hussein had followed the U.N. resolutions, we wouldn't be having this discussion. So it's a hypothetical that I think is an unreasonable hypothetical."
(What the hell???)

Fred and Maggie

One great leader and one soon to be one.

Governor names John Barrasso as next U.S. senator

Good choice.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Casper surgeon and state Senator John Barrasso is going to Washington.

Governor Freudenthal today (Friday) named Barrasso to replace the late Senator Craig Thomas, who died two weeks ago while fighting leukemia.

Barrasso was 1 of 3 candidates nominated by the Wyoming Republican Central Committee after a marathon meeting Tuesday. He and his fellow candidates all embraced what they called "bedrock" conservative values, including low taxes, limited government regulation and private property rights.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Cinderella Season

I realize it's shameless self promotion and rank bragadocia but.....my coach pitch baseball team (7 and 8 yr. olds) just finished the season 14 & 1 and first in the league!!!!! The twins played 1st and second base respectively and had a banner year. Look out minors!

The most satisfying aspect of all is that we were not by any means the most talented team but we had a terrific group of overachievers that played solidly as a team. More heart than any group of kids I've ever had the priveledge to coach I couldn't be more proud if they were all my own.

Edwards Communist Manifesto


"Democratic presidential hopeful and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards meets with Smithfield Packing Co. workers at his campaign headquarters in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, June 21, 2007. Edwards met with more than a dozen workers from the hog processing plant in Tar Heel, highlighting them as an example of why Congress needs to pass a bill that could help organizers establish unions without an election."

Having worked at Smithfield I can personally attest to the fact that employees have consistently voted DOWN the union. Is John Edwards attempting to take away the majority of employees right to determine their own destiny? It appears he is.

Cracks show in Democratic House

Would Nancy Pelosi then be considered a "Crack Ho"?

WASHINGTON -- It may be too early to make any predictions about the 2008 elections, but it's likely the Republicans will win back a number of House seats they lost last year.

Indeed, as I noted in an earlier column, Democrats hold at least eight of the nine "most vulnerable" House seats, according to veteran congressional-elections analyst Stuart Rothenberg.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Pelosi: Bush Veto of Stem Cell Bill Says ‘No’ to the Hopes of Million of Families Across America

Hyperbolic demagoguery at it's absolute finest.....

Press Releases Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami 202-226-7616 For Immediate Release 06/20/2007 Pelosi: Bush Veto of Stem Cell Bill Says ‘No’ to the Hopes of Million of Families Across America

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today in response to President Bush’s veto of the stem cell bill:

“Once again, the President has ignored the will of the American people, of leading medical researchers, and of a bipartisan majority of the Congress. His cruel veto says ‘no’ to the hopes of million of families across America.

Congressional Job Approval Dips Again This Month

PRINCETON, NJ -- The honeymoon phase is over for the new Congress, as the public's ratings of Congress are down again this month. The latest congressional job approval rating (24%) is the lowest for the institution since Democrats took control of both houses in January, and is far below the 37% registered in February. The decline has been most evident among Democrats, whose ratings of Congress now match those of Republicans. Congressional job approval ratings are typically not positive, but ratings as low as the current one are uncommon. The poll also finds that only about one in four Americans...

And the 1 in 4 that approve likely have no clue whatsoever what's actually going on in Congress.

10,000 US troops attack Sunni insurgents

Straightshooting article from the Guardian, go figure.

The US military surge in Iraq moved into a higher gear yesterday as 10,000 American troops launched a new offensive against Sunni insurgents and al-Qaida jihadis in Diyala province, north-east of Baghdad.

At least 22 insurgents were reportedly killed in initial clashes as US forces moved into western suburbs of Baquba, the provincial capital. US commanders said they believed up to 500 al-Qaida fighters were holed up there.

Even as US forces advanced, terrorists behind the lines exploded a devastating truck bomb at a Shia mosque in the centre of Baghdad. Early reports said at least 75 people were killed and 204 wounded.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Nifong Served With Suspension Order

The more painful, the better.

Durham — One day after he announced he would resign next month, Mike Nifong was served with a judge's order that suspends him from carrying out any duties of the district attorney.

Durham County Sheriff Worth Hill went to Nifong's house with a deputy to serve the order Tuesday morning.

"We took his keys and his badge that gave him access to the building," Hill said. "We'll make arrangements to help him get his personal belongings later."

Acting on a civil complaint filed earlier this year by Durham resident Elizabeth Brewer, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson filed the order, which removes the embattled prosecutor from office until his resignation becomes effective July 13.

Local scientist calls global warming theory 'hooey'

BLASPHEMER!

Reid Bryson, known as the father of scientific climatology, considers global warming a bunch of hooey.

The UW-Madison professor emeritus, who stands against the scientific consensus on this issue, is referred to as a global warming skeptic. But he is not skeptical that global warming exists, he is just doubtful that humans are the cause of it.

There is no question the earth has been warming. It is coming out of the "Little Ice Age," he said in an interview this week.

"However, there is no credible evidence that it is due to mankind and carbon dioxide. We've been coming out of a Little Ice Age for 300 years. We have not been making very much carbon dioxide for 300 years. It's been warming up for a long time," Bryson said.

Rasmussen National Poll: Thompson 28% Giuliani 27%

This is the first lead Thompson has shown in any national poll.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson earning support from 28% of Likely Republican Primary Voters. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani attracts support from 27%.

While Thompson’s one-point edge is statistically insignificant, it is the first time all year that anybody but Giuliani has been on top in Rasmussen Reports polling. A week ago, Thompson and Giuliani were tied at 24%

Monday, June 18, 2007

Duke University, Three Lacrosse Players Announce Settlement

At least there's one consolation, these three will never have to work another day in their life.

DURHAM - Duke University has reached a settlement with each of the three former lacrosse players and their families.
The university made the announcement this afternoon.

According to a press release issued by Duke, the terms of the settlement will not be disclosed.

In a statement, Duke officials said the board of trustees and Duke President Richard Brodhead had determined that it was in the best interests of the Duke community to eliminate the possibility of future litigation and move forward.

Thompson moves into second place behind Giuliani

Almost all the polls are now showing Thompson in second with McCain losing support and Romney mired in single digits.

WASHINGTON - Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani continues to lead the Republican field in the USA Today/Gallup Poll, but former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, who hasn't yet formally entered the race, for the first time edges into second place over Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The results show a Republican race that could be roiled by Thompson, who is targeting conservatives unsatisfied with their choices in the field so far. He is costing Giuliani most: A third of Thompson's supporters say they would otherwise back the former New York mayor.

Among Democrats, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has regained a double-digit lead over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, two weeks after the survey found the Democratic presidential rivals essentially tied.

Thompson bump expected in July.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Happy Fathers Day

"Children blessed with a loving father should consider themselves fortunate. For, they have someone to take care of their needs and interests. Someone to stop them when they are diverting to a wrong path and guide them on a road to success and virtue. For many of us fathers have always been there to solve our innumerous mathematics and science problems and explain the same formula hundredth time or better still until it is understood by us. Fathers would never ever give a smallest of hint to let us know how hard they work to take care of our needs and fulfill even the most whimsical of demands... For all their adorable scolding and affectionate punishments we all owe a big thanks to our Dads."

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Nifong broke conduct rules, committee finds

RALEIGH, N.C. - Mike Nifong broke numerous rules of professional conduct during his disastrous prosecution of three Duke University lacrosse players falsely accused of rape, committing “deceit and misrepresentations,” a disciplinary committee ruled Saturday.

The committee must now decide if the longtime prosecutor in Durham County, who has already pledged to resign his post as district attorney, should be stripped of his law license. That decision was expected later Saturday.


A definitive statement has to be made that there will be criminal consequences for rogue DAs who abuse the public trust, period.

Update: He's no longer a lawyer.

Irrational Exuberance

Kennedy and Martinez, modern day Nero's fiddling as Rome burns.

Photo via AP

Friday, June 15, 2007

Quote of the Day

Nifong testified today that early on in the Duke Lacrosse case he commented to the press "Why do the Duke students need lawyers if they're innocent"

Answer: Ironically to protect themselves from out of control rogue District Attorney's such as yourself.

Update: He resigns

Friday Funny

Michael Ramirez

Thursday, June 14, 2007

GAZA: HAMAS TO CONVERT PALESTINIAN SECURITY HQ INTO MOSQUE

As if in wasn't a train wreck before.

Ramallah, 14 June (AKI) - Islamist Hamas fighters who have occupied the Gaza headquarters of the Palestinian Authority's Fatah-linked security services, plan to convert the building into a mosque. Top Hamas official Niizar al-Rayyan made the announcement during an inteview with Hamas' Al-Aqsa television station on Thursday. Friday prayers would be led from the Muntada, which houses the PA's security forces command in the territory, al-Rayyan said.

"It is just a question of hours now before the end of secularism in Gaza. They (Fatah) who used to beat up the men for wearing beard and who ripped off women's headscarves will be left with nothing", al-Rayyan said.


How there are still people who think we can realistically negotiate with these wackjobs is beyond me. Can we now consider them our enemy and deal with them as such?

'Mighty' Hypocrite Angelina Jolie Bans FOX and Others From Premiere

The unabashed hypocrisy coming from the left these days is nothing short of breathtaking...

Angelina Jolie's true colors came out yesterday as she promoted a film about freedom of the press and then tried to censor all her interviews.

Jolie is touting freedom of the press these days, playing the widow of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in a new movie called "A Mighty Heart."

But Jolie turns out to be a mighty hypocrite when it comes to her own freedom of the press. Her lawyer required all journalists to sign a contract before talking to her and Jolie instructed publicists at first to ban FOX News from the red carpet of her premiere.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Immigration Reform Indigestion

From Rasmussen

Just 20% of American voters want Congress try and pass the immigration reform bill that failed in the Senate last week. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 51% would like their legislators to “take smaller steps towards reform” while 16% believe they should wait until next year.

Should Senate Try and Pass the Same Immigration Bill Again?

Try and Pass Same Bill Again
20%

Take Smaller Steps Towards Reform
51%

Wait Until Next Year
16%

U.S.: NATO has intercepted Iranian arms

Just how much more of this are we going to take?

PARIS - NATO has intercepted Iranian weapons shipments to Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents, providing evidence Iran is violating international law to aid a group it once considered a bitter enemy, a senior U.S. diplomat said Wednesday.

"There's irrefutable evidence the Iranians are now doing this," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said on CNN. "It's certainly coming from the government of Iran. It's coming from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps command, which is a basic unit of the Iranian government."

Speaking separately to The Associated Press, Burns said NATO must act to stop the shipments. The Iran-Afghanistan frontier is "a very long border. But the Iranians need to know that we are there and that we're going to oppose this."

"It's a very serious question," he said, adding that Iran is in "outright violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Mired Mitt

In the estimation of this blog the two most attractive Republican candidates are Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney. While Thompson has experienced a meteoric rise in the last 4 weeks, Romney has been stuck at 11% for months and that after spending millions on TV and radio advertizing. The erosion in numbers from Guiliani and McCain has gone exclusively over to Thompson with Romney picking up nothing.....Weird.

Romney

Rasmussen 10%
LA Times/Bloomberg 11%
FOX News 10%
AP-Ipsos 10%
USA Today/Gallup 11%
ABC News/Wash Post 11%

RCP Average 10.3%

If anyone has this figured out I'd love to know their reasoning.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Gore Blasts G.H.W. Bush for Ignoring Iraq Terror Ties

Via Drudge....If you have ever doubted which party treats hypocrisy as a virtue, watch this.

Tuesday Funny

Townhall via Bill Mitchell

Rasmussen Poll It's Guiliani and Thompson

TIED! We have predicting this since April, the only real surprise is that it actually transpired PRIOR to his formal announcement.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has to share his spot atop the field of Republican Presidential hopefuls this week. The newest face in the race, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, is now tied with Giuliani. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds each man earning support from 24% of likely Republican Primary voters. A week ago, Giuliani had a six percentage point lead over Thompson, 23% to 17%.

It is not unusual for a candidate to gain ground in the polls when they first announce their intentions. However, Thompson’s rise has been meteoric. It remains to be seen whether the reality of his candidacy can measure up to its allure as an alternative for those dissatisfied with the other candidates in the field. At the moment, 59% of Republicans have a favorable opinion of their newest candidate. Just 14% hold an unfavorable opinion of Thompson while 27% are not sure.


Giuliani 24%
Thompson 24%
Romney 11%
McCain 11%

Monday, June 11, 2007

Marshalltown Police: Woman Stole Toilet Paper From Courthouse

Toooo easy....

Marshalltown police said one of the employees caught Suzanne Marie Butts, of Marshalltown, taking the two-ply from the women's bathroom and called police.

"I've heard they call it the toilet paper caper," said parking lot attendant Gene Seim.
she was hiding the toilet paper in her shirt.

Hilton says she'll no longer `act dumb'

Drop her only redeeming quality? I think not.

The reality TV star and relentless publicity-seeker spoke with Barbara Walters by phone Sunday, a day after releasing a statement saying she hoped the media would focus on "more important things" than her 45-day jail sentence, according to ABC News' Web site.

"I used to act dumb. ... That act is no longer cute," ABC quoted Hilton as saying.

Studies: Death Penalty Discourages Crime

Indeed and it also substantially reduces the recidivism rate.

Anti-death penalty forces have gained momentum in the past few years, with a moratorium in Illinois, court disputes over lethal injection in more than a half-dozen states and progress toward outright abolishment in New Jersey.

The steady drumbeat of DNA exonerations — pointing out flaws in the justice system — has weighed against capital punishment. The moral opposition is loud, too, echoed in Europe and the rest of the industrialized world, where all but a few countries banned executions years ago.

What gets little notice, however, is a series of academic studies over the last half-dozen years that claim to settle a once hotly debated argument — whether the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder. The analyses say yes. They count between three and 18 lives that would be saved by the execution of each convicted killer.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Cyclists peel off clothes to push pedaling, protest pump

Can anyone explain to me why the left seems to believe that the solution to all the worlds problems is simply to get nakee?

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Hundreds of naked cyclists, some sporting strategically-placed body paint, toured the streets of London and other cities around the world Saturday to protest oil dependency and the car culture.

Traffic came to a standstill and onlookers gaped or took photographs as the bare cyclists streamed past London's landmarks, blowing whistles and waving flags saying "Rights for Bikes".

Cyclists in Paris, France; Madrid, Spain; and Vancouver, British Columbia, among other cities, joined in what was the fourth annual world naked bike ride.

Trade deficit drops in April as exports climb to all-time high

No easy feat considering $65 oil....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The trade deficit dropped sharply in April as strong overseas demand pushed American exports to an all-time high.

While the Bush administration hailed the unexpectedly large improvement as a sign that an export boom was continuing, critics noted the imbalance with China rose in April, underscoring what they said was an urgent need for Congress to take action to punish China for unfair trade practices.

The Commerce Department reported Friday that the gap between what America sells abroad and what it imports totaled $58.5 billion in April, a 6.2 percent decline from the March deficit.

Exports edged up 0.2 percent to a record $129.5 billion, reflecting strong sales of soybeans and other farm products, commercial aircraft and industrial machinery. Imports fell 1.9 percent to $188 billion, reflecting big declines in imports of foreign cars, televisions and clothing and a small dip in America's foreign oil bill.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Harry Reid’s Favorables Fall to 19%

OUCH!

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now viewed favorably by 19% of American voters and unfavorably by 45%. Just 3% have a Very Favorable opinion while 22% hold a Very Unfavorable views.

Reid has been very visible over the past week in the furor over immigration reform. The effort to pass a bill that was more popular in Congress than among voters may have hurt public perceptions of the Democratic leader. His ratings are down from a month ago when 26% had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Senator. Reid’s highest ratings were 30% favorable in February.


John Edwards
52% Fav
38% Unfav
+14 Net

Fred Thompson
45%
31%
+14

Barack Obama
50%
44%
+6

Robert Gates
36%
34%
+2

Dick Cheney
38%
58%
-20

John Boehner
14%
36%
-22

Harry Reid
19%
45%
-26

Scooter Libby
19%
58%
-39

About Half of "FBI Most Wanted Murderers" are Illegal Aliens

A crack bit of detective work by Travis McGee at FR.

With the amnesty bill a major news story this summer, I thought it might be interesting to see how many violent felons and murderers are among the "immigrants" who might soon be getting automatic Z-visas under assumed names.

(For a precedent, the nineteen 9-11 hijackers had more than 60 valid driver's licenses among them.)

A quick trip to the FBI's Most Wanted "VIOLENT CRIMES - MURDERS" web page reveals that out of 73 wanted killers, about 38 appear to be illegal aliens, primarily Mexicans.

Routh workers approve new contract

This is not a huge story but it is significant in that it's a microcosm for what's happening in the manufacturing areas all across the country.

Routh Packing Co is a small family owned packing plant located in Sandusky Ohio. They kill and process approximately 7000 hogs per day and are but 1 of 2 such family owned operations yet in existence. They pay the highest wages and benefits of any packer in the US.

There contract had expired and the management having great difficulty competing with the low wages of behemouths like Smithfield and Tyson sought to freeze wages for a time and also ask for a small($7 to $17/wk) co-payment for health insurance. The employees repeatedly voted it down and were prepared for a strike to commence today. Fortunately for all involved some 11th hour negotiating by management led to a final acceptance of a new contract yesterday. Had the employees gone on strike Routh, who having been unprofitable for the last 3 of 4 years, would have very likely shut the doors for good.

Sandusky is located halfway between Toledo and Cleveland in one of the most densely concentrated manufacturing belts in the country. Heavily unionized this area has been extremely hard hit by plant closures over the last decade. Athol International, Scott Paper, American Crayon, Chrysler, Lyman Boats, Rubbermaid and several automtive suppliers have all closed recently.

One wonders what could possibly be going through the minds of the employees and their union representatives. Are they so self involved and insulated from economic reality that they don't realize how rare and valuable a job paying higher than predominate wages and benefits has become? Do they have the faintest clue how difficult it would be to find a comparable situation should they lose their job? They came within an eyelash of throwing it all away because they were asked to contribute a meager $17/wk for the health insurance policy that I'm paying $798/mon to maintain.

It's all about profitability. A company that loses money because they are forced to pay inflated wages due to union extortion cannot compete and will fail. Either unions begin paying attention to the overall financial viability of the companies they are negotiating with and mediate their demands based on that criteria or most definately they will take the companies down and the employees they represent right along with them.

Stories here.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Report: Clinton National Security Adviser Berger Disbarred Over Archives Theft

And Scooter gets 3 years, what a crock.

WASHINGTON — Sandy Berger, who served as national security adviser during the Clinton administration, has given up his license to practice law in the District of Columbia, two years after admitting he illegally sneaked classified documents out of the National Archives.

Berger, now an international business consultant, said in a statement last month that he "decided to voluntarily relinquish my license" as a result of pleading guilty to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, a misdemeanor.

"I realized then that my law license would be affected," Berger said in the statement, obtained Thursday and issued through his lawyer, Lanny Breuer.

Man Who Lied About Actions in Iraq Admits Faking Forms

Jesse MacBeth stoked opposition to the Iraq war in 2006 when he spoke out about atrocities he committed as a U.S. Army Ranger serving as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

MacBeth, 23, of Tacoma, claimed to have killed more than 200 people, many at close range, some as they prayed in a mosque. He spoke at an anti-war rally in Tacoma and appeared in a 20-minute anti-war video that circulated widely on the Internet.

Trouble is, none of MacBeth's claims was true. He made it through only six weeks of Army basic training, was never a Ranger and never set foot in Iraq.


The maximum penalty for making false statements to the government is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He should get it all.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Immigration Bill Cloture Vote Fails

IT'S DEAD JIM

Quote of the Day

Fred Thompson in addressing candidates ambition concerning the Presidency; "It all depends on whether you want to do something or be something"

Dragon Skin Backers Hammered on Hill

Just another example of the MSM jiggering the facts and the "experts" to perpetrate a fraud. In other words business as usual.

The technical expert solicited by a major news network to certify its tests of Dragon Skin body armor admitted Wednesday that the controversial vests weren't "ready for prime time."

In an investigative report broadcast by NBC May 20, the network used the expert opinion of Dr. Phillip Coyle - the former director of test and evaluation at the Pentagon during the Clinton administration - to certify results of side-by-side tests conducted at NBC's expense in Germany.

In testimony submitted to the House Armed Services Committee during a June 6 hearing in the issue, Coyle stated Dragon Skin - manufactured by Fresno, Calif.-based Pinnacle Armor - was "better … against multiple rounds and in reducing blunt force trauma" than the Army's current rifle-resistant Interceptor armor.

But after being confronted with conflicting information by lawmakers who questioned the NBC test results and provided Army-supplied data of vest failures from a May 2006 test, Coyle backed away from his staunch defense of Dragon Skin.

Immigration bill in doubt after vote

Are we hearing death knells for this abomination? Let's hope so.

WASHINGTON -- A fragile compromise that would legalize millions of unlawful immigrants risks coming unraveled after the Senate voted early Thursday to place a five-year limit on a program meant to provide U.S. employers with 200,000 temporary foreign workers annually.

The 49-48 vote came two weeks after the Senate, also by a one-vote margin, rejected the same amendment by Sen. Byron Dorgan. The North Dakota Democrat says immigrants take many jobs Americans could fill.

The reversal dismayed backers of the immigration bill, which is supported by President Bush but loathed by many conservatives. Business interests and their congressional allies were already angry that the temporary worker program had been cut in half from its original 400,000-person-a-year target.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Republican Debate #3

Another snoozer for sure. Again Fred Thompson wins by not being there and getting an uninterrupted 20 minutes on Hannity and Colmes to promote his brand.

P.S. Memo to Michelle Malkin......Your terrific at exposing all things under the radar and your clear thinking analysis is generally spot on but don't quit your day job to pursue a career in political consulting. Thompson's brilliant strategy vaulting him to the number 2 position in several polls may make you queezy but it's effectiveness is undeniable.

Update: From Hewitt.... Sources close to the Thompson campaign have passed along the following first-day results for ImWithFred.com:

Averaged close to 1,500 people per hour signing up as friends
Averaged $12,000 per hour in contributions
Raised more than $220,000 dollars via the website

Seen just under half of the Friends send a message to others asking them to sign up or give.

We'll see what traffic measuring services like Alexa say in a day or so, but this has to be considered a powerful shot across the bow.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Edwards' Wife Likens Husband to Helms

BWAAAAAAHAHAHA

The wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards on Tuesday compared him to another North Carolina politician known for his blunt candor — conservative icon Jesse Helms.

Elizabeth Edwards, speaking to reporters before a giving speech in Savannah, Gal., invoked the name of Republican Helms when asked if her husband could appeal to conservative Southern voters.

"I remember one-time somebody saying, 'That John Edwards reminds me of Jesse Helms,'" she said. "They didn't agree on a single policy, I don't think. But here's what they agreed on — that people should know where they stood."

Thompson Targets Florida

My favorite House Republican and one of the real shining stars in the Republican party has come out for Thompson.

THE THIRD-RANKING REPUBLICAN in the House of Representatives will support Fred Thompson for president. Adam Putnam, who represents Floridians in the suburbs and exurbs of Tampa and is a key player among conservatives in the House, will join the growing Thompson operation in a leadership position in Florida. Putnam's precise role in the coming campaign is still being worked out, but Thompson advisers expect him to help guide their effort in a state that has become increasingly important since Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation to move its primary up to January 29, 2008.

In recent weeks, several other House Republicans have indicated their support for the coming "Thompson for President" campaign. Tennessee Representative Marsha Blackburn, who had been a co-chair of Women for Romney, announced last week that she was switching her support to Thompson.

ABC Poll: Democrats have lost their edge

Expected this, just not so fast...

The Democrats in Congress have lost much of the leadership edge they carried out of the 2006 midterm election, with the lack of progress in Iraq being the leading cause. Their only solace: President Bush and the Republicans aren't doing any better.

Six weeks ago the Democrats held a 24-point lead over Bush as the stronger leadership force in Washington; today that's collapsed to a dead heat. The Democrats' overall job approval rating likewise has dropped, from a 54 percent majority to 44 percent now -- with the decline occurring almost exclusively among strong opponents of the Iraq War.

Related Stories Bush Losing GOP Base on ImmigrationDems Battle Over War, Security Yet the Democrats' losses have not produced much in the way of gains for Bush or his party. The president's approval rating remains a weak 35 percent, unchanged from mid-April at two points from his career low in ABC News/Washington Post polls. The Republicans in Congress do about as badly, with just 36 percent approval.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Congressman Jefferson Indicted on Bribery Charges

Bout time.

WASHINGTON — Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted Monday on 16 counts related to a long-running bribery investigation on counts including racketeering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

The indictment was handed up in U.S. District Court in Alexandria. A press conference is scheduled for for later Monday in Washington to discuss the case.

The 94-page indictment is more than an inch thick, and Jefferson could face a maximum prison term of more than 230 years.

So much for draining the swamp eh Ms. Pelosi.

Thompson's First Test: Raising Funds Fast

When we began reporting on the Fred Thompson phenomenon back in March the nattering nimrods were already pontificating that it was late, maybe too late for him to realistically compete with Rudy McRomney and their money making machines. Steaming cowpie we said. If Fred gets in he may very well set records for the greatest amount of money collected in the shortest period of time. Nothing being reported so far would disuade me from that position.

Signs suggest that he [Fred] won't have trouble in the early going. In a conference call Tuesday with more than 100 supporters, Mr. Thompson flogged each to raise a quick $46,000 by early this week to become "First Day Founders," participants said. Each can presumably meet his or her goal by tapping 20 friends to make a maximum $2,300 individual donation. If they do, Mr. Thompson will start his campaign with a quick display of fund-raising prowess and about $5 million on hand.

"I see the indecision and noncommitted people on the Republican side who are yearning for a conservative," said Mack Mattingly, a former Georgia senator who was on the conference call and committed to raising the cash. "I don't see raising money as a big problem. Even bad candidates are raising money."


Jawa reports on Fredheads and CQ discusses what classless RINO punk Joe Scarborough has to say about Jeri Thompson.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

The Cost of Being Perky

Terrific graphic from the New York Post

Residents protest U.S. policies on illegal immigrants-Painesville, Ohio

The New Herald headline reads: Anti-immigration rally.

THAT'S A LIE!!! These people have absolutely nothing against legal immigration they are protesting ILLEGAL immigration and the Herald damn well knows it.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

4 Charged In Plot To Blow Up Jet Fuel At JFK

Southern baptists at it again?

NEW YORK -- According to NewsChannel4's Jonathan Dienst, sources said federal investigators have made arrests in an alleged terror plot on Kennedy Airport.

Four people have been charged. One is in custody in New York.

Sources said the plot involved a plan to blow up a jet-fuel pipeline at JFK setting off a potential massive explosion.


More to follow.

Update: Three Arrested, 1 Sought in Terror Plot on New York City's JFK Airport

At a news conference, U.S. Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf called it "one of the most chilling plots imaginable."

"The devastation that would be caused had this plot succeeded is just unthinkable," she said.

Authorities arrested Russell Defreitas, 63, a U.S. citizen native to Guyana and former JFK employee. He was in custody in Brooklyn and was expected to be arraigned Saturday afternoon.

Two other men, Abdul Kadir of Guyana and Kareem Ibrahim of Trinidad, are in custody in Trinidad. A fourth man, Abdel Nur of Guyana, was still being sought.

Gunmen kill Al-Qaeda leader in Fallujah

Appears that many Iraqi's have realized who the real enemy is and begun to take their country back.

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Unidentified gunmen shot dead the Al-Qaeda militant group's leader in the western Iraq city of Fallujah on Saturday, police said, as fighting between rival Sunni factions continued.

Colonel Tareq al-Dulaimi, a senior police intelligence officer with close ties to Anbar Province's pro-US tribal coalition, confirmed reports that Muwaffaq al-Jugheifi had been killed but did not identify the attackers.

Dulaimi described the slain Al-Qaeda leader as an Iraqi from Fallujah


And this bit of good news: Boat sinks crossing Afghan river; 60 die (Taliban)

Friday, June 01, 2007

Nifong Says He Won't Resign

Disbarment or a prison term could alter those plans....

DURHAM) - Despite recent calls for his resignation, Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong tells Eyewitness News Reporter Tamara Gibbs he has no plans to step down.

After the Duke Lacrosse case was dismissed, some politicians and legal experts called for Nifong's resignation, suggesting his upcoming ethics trial could effect his performance as DA.

A Durham citizen has filed a formal complaint suggesting Nifong should be removed from office. Nifong's attorney David Freedman tells Eyewitness News his client is focused on his upcoming ethics trial that begins June 12.

Pic of the Day

Young Iraqi seeks refuge behind a GI following a suicide bombing.

Thanks to Bluto via Gateway Pundit.