Weekly Election Projection Map

Obama: 251

McCain: 238

Sex and the City portrays women as 'sluts' - Lauren Hutton

Surprisingly lucid analysis...

Veteran model Lauren Hutton has attacked Sex And The City's portrayal of promiscuous women and blamed "gay writers" for creating the stereotype that single women are "sluts". While Hutton admitted she had not seen an episode of the hit US TV series, she went on to claim it promoted the untrue myth that it's natural for women to be sexually promiscuous. "It's written by guys, who happen to be gay, who are sluts. That's what I think. Let's face it most men are sluts. "That's what testosterone is supposed to do. As a hunter, if you stayed alive after 30, nature wanted your genes out there. "Women were just trying to get the best sperm to make a masterpiece. "You have a bunch a guys who are sluts, writing for women and telling them they are supposed to act like this."

Al Qaeda near defeat, on defensive: CIA chief

Not earthshattering news for us who have been paying attention.

Al Qaeda is essentially defeated in Iraq and Saudi Arabia and on the defensive throughout much of the world, CIA Director Michael Hayden said in a Washington Post interview published on Friday.

The upbeat assessment came less than a year after the CIA warned of new threats from a resurgent al Qaeda, the Post said.

"On balance, we are doing pretty well," Hayden told the newspaper this week citing major gains against Osama bin Laden's network and its allies.

"Near strategic defeat of al Qaeda in Iraq. Near strategic defeat for al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. Significant setbacks for al Qaeda globally -- and here I'm going to use the word 'ideologically,' as a lot of the Islamic world pushes back on their form of Islam," Hayden said.

And this: Iraqi city breathes again as shadow of Al-Qaeda lifted

Special Groups financier captured south of Baghdad

Bill Roggio brings us some good news from Iraq...

Coalition Special Operations Forces captured a "key Special Groups financier" with direct links to Iran's Qods Force in the city of Mahmudiyah on May 28. "He is suspected to be the primary financier between Iranian intelligence elements and Special Groups criminals in Mahmudiyah and southern Baghdad and was reportedly distributing funds to weapons smugglers supplying criminals in those areas," Multinational Forces Iraq reported in a press release.

The Special Groups financier has conducted his activities outside Iraq, according to Multinational Forces Iraq. He is "believed to travel to Iran and Syria to procure funds on behalf of Special Groups senior leadership."

Mahmudiyah is about 10 miles south of Baghdad. The city sits on what has been described as a sectarian fault line, where well-defined Sunni and Shia communities abut. Mahmudiyah was the scene of multiple mass-casualty suicide attacks in 2006 and early 2007, as al Qaeda in Iraq and the Mahdi Army battled for control.

Rachael Ray ad pulled as pundit sees terror link

Michelle, 98% of the time we love ya but this little kernuttinfuffle gives new meaning to the word overreaction.

Dunkin' Donuts pulled a television spot featuring talk show host and Food Network personality Rachael Ray this weekend after a Fox news commentator associated it with terrorists.

In the ad, Ray is wearing a scarf that Michelle Malkin said in her nationally syndicated column resembled a kiffiyeh, Middle Eastern garb that is "popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos."

Dunkin's Senior Vice President for Communications Margie Myers issued a statement saying the scarf "was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended.

Say What?

"BHO: On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in...in the audience here today -- our sense of patriotism is particularly strong."

It's Obama who sees dead people.

More Obama Lies

From Malkin:

Obama also spoke about his uncle, who was part of the American brigade that helped to liberate Auschwitz. He said the family legend is that, upon returning from war, his uncle spent six months in an attic. “Now obviously, something had really affected him deeply, but at that time there just weren’t the kinds of facilities to help somebody work through that kind of pain,” Obama said. “That’s why this idea of making sure that every single veteran, when they are discharged, are screened for post-traumatic stress disorder and given the mental health services that they need – that’s why it’s so important.” Purple Avenger, blogging at Ace of Spades:

Auschwitz of course is in Poland. It was liberated by the Red Army on Jan 27 1945. Poland, on most maps is usually placed to the east of Germany, although we may need to investigate the geography textbooks the Messiah used as a child…

The Allies were wrapping up the battle of the bulge in late January of 1945 — the Rhine crossings were still well into the future when Auschwitz was liberated. Either Obama’s uncle served in the Red Army, or he’s spinning Clintonesque lies about Auschwitz to sell his government programs. Hey, it’s for a good cause…but it’s not enough for him. It has to be personal. It has to be all about him.

Appears BHO and Spike Lee are singing out of the same misguided hymnbook.

Memorial Day Monday Funny

Billions wasted on UN climate programme

But a miniscule preview of coming attractions...

Billions of pounds are being wasted in paying industries in developing countries to reduce climate change emissions, according to two analyses of the UN's carbon offsetting programme.

Leading academics and watchdog groups allege that the UN's main offset fund is being routinely abused by chemical, wind, gas and hydro companies who are claiming emission reduction credits for projects that should not qualify. The result is that no genuine pollution cuts are being made, undermining assurances by the UK government and others that carbon markets are dramatically reducing greenhouse gases, the researchers say.

Election Map

As it stands:

"Go back and study your history and stop mouthing off!"

Atta boy Clint, give that Afro-Centrist revisionist imbecile a dose of reality.

BERLIN (Reuters Life!) - Veteran actor and director Clint Eastwood rejected criticism from fellow U.S. director Spike Lee that his films "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" failed to recognize the role of African-American soldiers.

In an interview with Germany's Focus magazine, Eastwood said it was nonsense to suggest he had "erased the role of black GIs from history". He said there were no Afro-Americans in those films because there were no Afro-American soldiers involved.

"Does he know anything about American history?" Eastwood told Focus when asked about Lee's criticism. "The U.S. military was segregated til the Korean War, and the blacks in World War Two were totally segregated. The only black battalion on Iwo Jima was a small munitions supply unit that came to the beach.

"The story was about the men who raised the flag and we can't make them black if they were not there. So tell him: Why don't you go back and study your history and stop mouthing off!"

A Pack of Lies

Merle Widmer at Peoria Watch has done an excellent job compiling the lies and fabrications perpetrated by Obama Hussein and his campaign. Even I wasn't fully aware what a consumate liar this man truly is. Here are just a few, the rest are HERE.

Barak Obama - 50 Lies and Counting: Posted on Political forum.com - Elections and Campaigns .Share with friends

1.) Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.

2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.

3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had

4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya . It is the first widespread violence in decades.

5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn't allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.

6.) My Name is African Swahili - LIAR, your name is Arabic and Baraka (from which Barack came) means blessed in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.

7.) I Never Practiced Islam - LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.

8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).

Maxine Waters Calls for the Nationalization of US Oil Companies

Oh just brilliant.....

The heads of U.S. oil companies completed the second stage of their Congressional Big-Oil-Bash-Athon yesterday by answering questions from largely-economically illiterate congressmen--and women.

Congress took time out from pandering in person to pander in front of the TV cameras. The big winner of the "Comrade Stalin" award was Maxine Waters, who threatened to nationalize (seize) the oil company's assets.

Apparently, Waters is committed to bring the same brand of efficiency to the oil companies that government has demonstrated at the Post Office and Social Security.

Florida fight is on!

This is practically under the radar, Where are the hysterical screams from the left about voter disenfranchisement! Where is the incessant chant of "every vote must count"? Imagine, millions of voters disenfranchised because of a couple of rules violations! Where's the outrage????

Three prominent Broward County Democrats filed a federal lawsuit Thursday morning against the Democratic National Committee, seeking to force the committee to seat Florida's delegates at the upcoming presidential nomination convention.

The suit was filed by state Sen. Steven Geller, an attorney for Greenspoon Marder in Fort Lauderdale; Barbara Effman, president of the Democratic Club in Broward County; and Percy Johnson, a convention delegate.

The suit alleges that the committee failed to "treat equally all similarly situated states and Democratic voters" when it decided not to seat Florida delegates because the state moved up its primary date against party rules. The suit also claims the committee's actions violated "due process" because the sanctions against Florida "flow from a constitutionally inadequate process that implements DNC rules in an arbitrary manner."

US aid to Palestinians to total $550 mln -official

We would be wiser to flush the money down the toilet.. at least then we'd know it wasn't being used against us.

WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. government will provide $550 million in direct financial support to the Palestinian Territories in 2008 and aims to leverage more in private investment funds to help spur the Palestinian economy, a senior U.S. Treasury official said on Wednesday.

In remarks prepared for delivery to the Palestine Investment Conference in Bethlehem, Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt said $150 million has already been transferred as budget support to the Palestinian Authority.

The United States also has pledged to provide $148 million in humanitarian aid through the United Nations, and is "requesting significant levels of assistance from Congress for next year," Kimmitt said in remarks released in Washington.

McCain to Meet 3 Possible Running Mates

Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Friday is scheduled to meet with two Republican governors who have been prominently mentioned as potential running mates, according to Republicans familiar with Mr. McCain’s plan.

Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida, and Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, have both accepted invitations to meet with Mr. McCain at his home in Arizona, according to Republican familiars with the decision. One Republican said that Mitt Romney, a former rival of Mr. McCain for the presidential nomination — is also expected to visit him this weekend. Mr. Romney’s advisers declined to comment.

Obviously Romney would be the best choice, Bobby Jindal is an up and comer but 4 years off. Crist is totally unacceptable for a host of reasons.

Bush vetoes farm bill, saying it is irresponsible

It is. Record profits in the farm sector and Congress attempts to subsidize the industry further; Pork barrel at it's worst.

President Bush vetoed the $300 billion farm bill on Wednesday, calling it a tax increase on regular Americans at a time of high food prices in the face of a near-certain override by Congress.
It was the 10th veto of Bush's presidency. But since it passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities, his action will likely be overridden.

The president believes the legislation is fiscally irresponsible and gives away too much money to wealthy farmers, yet his criticism rang hollow with lawmakers from both parties who voted for increased crop subsidies, food stamps for the poor and other goodies to help their districts in an election year.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said lawmakers should think twice before they override Bush's veto.

Sen. Kennedy has brain tumor

It has just been reported that Sen Edward Kennedy has a "Glioma Brain Tumor" This is extremely serious and the prognosis is general unfavorable. Our prayers go out to him and his family.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor, his doctors said on Tuesday, of a type considered potentially very dangerous.

Kennedy has a glioma and likely will require chemotherapy and radiation therapy, neurologist Dr. Lee Schwamm of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and Dr. Larry Ronan, a primary physician there, said in a statement.

Kennedy, 76, has been hospitalized since he had a seizure on Saturday. He was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital on Saturday morning after being rushed by ambulance to a local hospital near his family's Cape Cod vacation compound.

A malignant tumor is active, as opposed to benign tumors which are usually, but not always, harmless. It will require treatment.

Perhaps you all remember that we had to put our Golden down a few weeks back. She was fairly old and began having seizures. Barring toxicity of some sort it's generally indicative of a brain tumor and was the first thing I thought of when I heard that Sen. Kennedy had experienced multiple seizures.

Obama Freakout Over Michelle Video: The Ticking “Whitey” Time Bomb

Is this the notorious devastating surprise that the Clinton campaign has been hanging on to trying to figure a way to tactfully release? Time will tell.

Today, on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Barack Obama lost his cool, calling names and making unspecified threats. Why? Ostensibly, it’s because the Tennessee Republican Party issued an Internet video featuring Michelle Obama saying she’s proud of being an American only because her husband is running for president. Well, yes, we all heard that awhile ago.

But the real reason for Obama’s extraordinary freakout is that he fears the release of the videotape, reported here, of Michelle Obama in the pulpit of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s church railing against “whitey.” And we don’t mean Whitey Ford. Four Republican sources have told me that the tape exists. I’ve also been informed that Karl Rove and his allies have a copy of it and are using it to raise funds for independent expenditure groups. The tape, I’m told, will be disclosed as the GOP October Surprise. It’s a ticking time bomb.

And I’ve learned that a right-wing Republican billionaire has put a $1 million bounty on the video. He doesn’t want John McCain to win, like a number of conservatives, and thinks Obama is a pathetically weak candidate. The billionaire wants that video released now.

Obama tells Tenn.'s GOP: 'Lay off my wife'

Democrat Barack Obama has a message for Tennessee's Republican Party: "Lay off my wife."

Obama, his party's presidential front-runner, and his wife, Michelle, were asked in an interview aired Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" about an online video last week by the state's GOP taking her to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic.

"The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

Then I suggest that you muzzle her pal. She is aggressively campaigning, bashing your opponents and America in general. If you don't like the heat she's taking then keep her the he!! out of the kitchen.

Pontificating Prima donna

Olbermann is the perfect illustration of a person's ego taking complete contol over ones intellect.

May 19, 2008 -- IS Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's top-rated anchor, on the verge of yet another professional meltdown? His feuding with "Hardball" host Chris Matthews is nothing new. But now we're told notoriously odd Olbermann is lashing out at the rest of his network's talking heads. During West Virginia primary coverage the other night, Olbermann began pounding the table when lead White House reporter David Gregory didn't wrap his segment quickly enough to satisfy him. Olbermann recently encouraged management to oust the cable channel's lone conservative, Tucker Carlson, and it's also no secret among producers that Olbermann refuses to introduce Dan Abrams' show, which follows his own. Olbermann walked out of MSNBC years ago in a huff after also blowing up at ESPN, so TV insiders are curious if this recent behavior is a sign that history will repeat itself. MSNBC did not respond to our calls and e-mails seeking comment.

Girl's fear of school costs district thousands

No, this is not Scrappleface but it sure could be.

Rebecca Maykish is 17 and dreads school so much that she stopped going regularly.

In fourth grade.

Those days off have come at a price to her school district and the Palmerton taxpayers who support it. Since 2004, the Palmerton Area School Board has authorized payments of more than $45,000 to help Rebecca make up for her missed school days. Rebecca's mother, Barbara, has used the money for at-home tutoring and education software purchases. She has also spent it on modeling classes for Rebecca, subscriptions to teen magazines, and travel to New York and Toronto with a summer camp.

First-ever chimpanzee fossils found

More "settled science"?

The first-ever chimpanzee fossils were recently discovered in an area previously thought to be unsuitable for chimps. Fossils from human ancestors were also found nearby.

Although researchers have only found a few chimp teeth, the discovery could cause a shake-up in the theories of human evolution.

“We know today if you go to western and central Africa that humans and chimps live in similar and neighboring environments,” said Nina Jablonski, an anthropologist at the California Academy of Sciences. “This is the first evidence in the fossil record that they coexisted in the same place in the past.”

It had previously been thought that chimps never lived in the arid Rift Valley — they prefer more lush environments like the Congo and jungles of western Africa. For years, scientists believed that early human ancestors left the jungles and moved east to the less wooded grasslands, and that this move caused the evolutionary split between the human and chimp lines.

31,000 say Nay to Anthropogenic Global Warming

Settled? Appears not.

The Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine (OISM) will announce that more than 31,000 scientists have signed a petition rejecting claims of human-caused global warming. The purpose of OISM's Petition Project is to demonstrate that the claim of "settled science" and an overwhelming "consensus" in favor of the hypothesis of human-caused global warming and consequent climate damage is wrong. No such consensus or settled science exists. As indicated by the petition text and signatory list, a very large number of American scientists reject this hypothesis.

Sen. Kennedy hospitalized with seizure

Ted Kennedy is virtually a poster child for an unhealthy lifestyle and his politics would make anyone sick. That being said we wish ill on no one regardless of his despicable governance and sincerely hope that this is not terribly serious.

BOSTON - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was airlifted to a hospital Saturday after suffering a seizure at his home, and did not appear to have had a stroke as initially suspected, his spokeswoman said.

The 76-year-old Democrat, the lone surviving son in a famed political family, was undergoing tests at Massachusetts General Hospital to determine the cause of the seizure, spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said.

"Senator Kennedy is resting comfortably, and it is unlikely we will know anything more for the next 48 hours," she said.

Quote of the Week

From the McCain camp:

It was remarkable to see Barack Obama’s hysterical diatribe in response to a speech in which his name wasn’t even mentioned.

Yep.

New home construction unexpectedly rises in April

Turning?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Construction starts on new U.S. homes rose by a surprisingly strong 8.2 percent in April and applications for new building permits turned up for the first time in five months, the Commerce Department said on Friday in a report showing that the hard-hit housing sector still had some spring vigor.

Starts in April ran at a 1.032-million-unit annual rate, up from a revised 954,000-unit rate in March, while permits gained 4.9 percent to 978,000 a year from a revised 932,000 in March.

That was a significantly stronger performance than anticipated by economists surveyed by Reuters who had forecast April starts at a 940,000-unit rate and permits at 920,000 a year.

California Supreme Court overturns gay marriage ban

One of the myriad of issues the Republican party needs to grab by the horns for the November election. The question is, will they?

California's supreme court ruled that a ban on gay marriage was unlawful Thursday, effectively leaving same-sex couples in America's most populous state free to tie the knot in a landmark ruling.

In an opinion that analysts say could have nationwide implications for the issue, the seven-member panel voted 4-3 in favor of plaintiffs who argued that restricting marriage to men and women was discriminatory.

"... limiting the designation of marriage to a union 'between a man and a woman' is unconstitutional and must be stricken from the statute," California Chief Justice Ron George said in the written opinion.

Chavez tells Colombia no to US base

Someone definately needs to give this sawed off tin plated self important munchkin a dose of reality.

CARACAS, Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday warned Colombia not to allow a U.S. military base on its border with Venezuela, saying he would consider such an act an "aggression."

Chavez said he would not permit Colombia's U.S.-backed government to establish an American military base in La Guajira, a region spanning northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.

The Venezuelan leader said if Colombia allows the base, his government will revive a decades-old territorial conflict and stake a claim to the entire region.

C'mon punk, make my day.

Sadr City Residents Battle The Iranian-Backed Mahdi Army

Good news from the Strata-sphere

Some news you may not get from the liberal SurrenderMedia as they try and paper-over the sea change happening in Iraq. First off, there is a little reported final push in Northern Iraq to extricate the last major remnants of al-Qaeda from Iraq. In the year plus since The Surge began al-Qaeda has been systematically destroyed and pushed out of Iraq. al-Qaeda’s final significant toe-hold is about to come to an end.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited the northern city of Mosul on Wednesday to supervise a military offensive against al-Qaida in Iraq in its last major stronghold, regional Gov. Duraid Kashmola said.

Maliki’s flight to northern Iraq mirrors a similar trip he took almost two months ago to the southern city of Basra, where government troops fought radical Shiite militias. That fighting spread to the Shiite slum of Sadr City in Baghdad, where a cease-fire to end those clashes was only reached on Monday.

Basra is now free of the Mahdi Army oppressors, so we can expect Mosul (and therefore Iraq) will soon be free of al-Qaeda. Once this is done it will be time to unfurl some well deserved congratulations for our armed forces, the armed forces of Iraq and the people of Iraq. Hopefully the Democrats will see fit to acknowledge the important milestone when Iraq has purged al-Qaeda from all its strongholds. There will always be dead-ender believers, but that is not excuse to recognize the sacrifices and accomplishments of the final defeat of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

All indications point to scenario where President Bush will leave office having defeated al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Inflation pressures ease despite food price jump

Amazing considering the Feds overzealous rate reductions.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Inflation pressures eased a bit in April despite the biggest jump in food prices in 18 years.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that consumer prices edged up 0.2 percent last month, compared to a 0.3 percent rise in March.

Hollywood Celebrities Salute American GIs

98%.6 of Hollywood residents are sanctimonious leftist troop hating peacafists but fortunately not all....

Arlington, Virginia – Indo-American actress, Namrata Singh Gujral, will present the American Pride Films Award for “Encouragement of Films that Salute the heroism of the Armed Forces”, just one of the few highlights of the Second Annual GI Film Festival, which will be held May 14-18, 2008 at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC.

Fellow actors Gary Sinise, Stephen Baldwin and Robert Duvall are all scheduled to attend the 2008 star studded festival line-up. Overall, the five-day festival will present both classic and premier films honoring the nation’s men and women in uniform.

S.F. parking meters retooled to aid homeless

Leave it to San Francisco to come up with an idea that is only surpassed in it's stupidity by it's naivete'

Rather than tossing loose change into a panhandler's empty cup, San Francisco officials want you instead to slide your spare quarters and nickels into a homeless meter.

The city's latest attempt to deal with one of its most vexing problems will be announced in coming weeks in the form of 10 old parking meters installed in some of the most heavily panhandled areas, The Chronicle has learned.

Money deposited in the meters would go directly to charities that help the homeless. The goal, officials say, is to reduce panhandling and to educate tourists and residents about the problem of giving money directly to people on the streets.

Yea, right.

Moonbats on Parade

From May Day Peacenik protest May 1st 2008 in San Francisco, CA. EGAD!

Rest here if you have the stomach for it.

The Obama Hussein Lapel Pin

Maybe he'll wear this one.

U.S. scolding of Myanmar leaders comes under fire

Over the period of the last 7 years I have listened to the MSM blame Bush for everything from hurricanes to the Duke rape case but this one takes the cake....

WASHINGTON -- As Myanmar's aid crisis deepens, the Bush administration is facing criticism that its denunciations of the military regime may have contributed to its resistance to allowing foreign aid workers to enter the storm-ravaged country.

After Tropical Cyclone Nargis pounded Myanmar, First Lady Laura Bush and administration officials condemned the government Monday as illegitimate, blasted its human rights record, and charged that it had failed to give its residents adequate warning of the storm's approach.

If the Press is nothing else they're predictable.

Coinkidink?

Obama Hussein is campaigning on a platform of "CHANGE" but it appears from this that the Obama's are very likely just politics as usual.

Potential record breaking bass found dead

The last time angler Mac Weakley saw Dottie, the 25-pound big bass that gained worldwide attention for its size, she was on the end of his hook.

he legendary big bass, which was released after its 2006 capture, was found belly-up this week in Escondido's Dixon Lake. The Florida-strain largemouth bass had been dead about a day.

Nicknamed Dottie for a distinctive birthmark spot below her jawline, the dead fish measured 29 1/2 inch long and weighed about 19-pounds. When Weakley caught Dottie two years earlier, she was bulging with eggs that significantly added to her weight.

Wow! I live on a terrific bass lake and the 1st year I was here I caught a 22.5 inch 12.5# largemouth and thought that was huge. I can't even fathom one twice that big.

Lebanon in Turmoil as Hezbollah Takes West Beirut

Send Obama, I'm sure he can talk em down.

Hezbollah fighters, their guns blazing, seized control of west Beirut on Friday after three days of street battles with pro-government foes pushed Lebanon dangerously close to all-out civil war.

The sectarian fighting had eased by early afternoon and the army and police moved across areas now in the hands of Iranian-backed Shiite opposition forces who routed Sunni militants loyal to the Western-backed government.

"There are no clashes anymore because no one is standing in the way of the opposition forces," a security official said as convoys of gunmen firing celebratory shots into the air and flashing the victory sign took to the streets.

Leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq Arrested in Mosul

No more second and third in command they got el numero uno!. Surfs up waterboarding anyone?

BAGHDAD — The leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was arrested in the northern city of Mosul, the Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

Spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was confirmed to him by the Iraqi commander of the province. There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. forces on the arrest.

The U.S. military in Baghdad said "we are currently checking with Iraqi authorities to confirm the accuracy of this information."

Update: Never mind.

Jobless claims post sharp decline

The economic models appear to be just about as accurate as the Global Warming Models.

The number of newly laid off workers seeking unemployment benefits dropped much more than expected last week.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for unemployment benefits fell to 365,000, a decline of 18,000 from the previous week. Economists had been looking for a much smaller decrease of around 5,000.

Weekly jobless claims have been exceptionally volatile in recent weeks because of strike-related layoffs in the auto industry and an unusually early Easter, which has played havoc with the government's seasonal adjustment measurements.

Rather Pi$$ed

Nothing more pathetic than an ego in denial...

Dan Rather says CBS's skulduggery has cost him jobs everywhere from CNN to A&E.

In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the former CBS Evening News anchor says his reliance on the network's false promises that it would defend him after making him a scapegoat for a controversial news report cost him several high-profile jobs - and some lower-profile ones as well.

While he was once a hot property coveted by CNN to be its "face," the fallout from his report on President Bush's Air National Guard service resulted in him being turned away from even part-time jobs at CNN, ABC, NBC, Fox, HBO, the History Channel, A&E, Discovery and National Geographic channels, the filing says.

"NO SH!T" Headline of the Week

Obama victory racially lopsided in NC

Gee, Ya think? Considering that Obama Hussein has received roughly 90% of the black vote in every state in which he has competed the author thinks that it happening in North Carolina is news??

Clinton lends herself $6.4M as Obama's lead grows

Money poured down a bottomless pit or does she know something we don't?

WASHINGTON (AP) - A campaign aide says Hillary Rodham Clinton loaned herself $6.4 million in the past month.

Politically wounded and financially strapped, Clinton plunged back into the presidential campaign Wednesday even as Barack Obama declared that Tuesday's primary results left him with a "clear path to victory."

Obama beat Clinton soundly in North Carolina and fell just short in an Indiana cliffhanger, a rebound for the Illinois senator that presented Clinton with fast-dwindling chances to deny him the Democratic presidential nomination.

Former Judge Who Lost $54M Pants Suit Sues To Get Job Back

Remember this clown? Well he's baaaaack...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A former judge who lost a $54 million law suit against a dry cleaners over a missing pair of pants is suing to get his job back and at least $1 million in damages.

In the suit filed in federal court, Roy Pearson he was wrongfully dismissed for exposing corruption within the Office of Administrative Hearings, the department where he worked. In courtdocuments, Pearson said he was protected as a whistle-blower and that the city used the fact that he was being "vilified in the media" to cut him out of his job.

Pic of the Week

Watcha lookin at John?

Gore calls for quick action on warming

Last night, Al Gore preached to the choir. The polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate, droughts are dragging on, floods are getting stronger and today alone, an additional 170 million tons of carbon dioxide has been dumped into the Earth's atmosphere, he told a crowd of believers at Value City Arena.

"The planet has a fever", he said. It needs to be saved, to be fixed immediately.

America Hating Left

Who is this and why should you care?

Poll: Flap over pastor hurts Obama

Remove the results driven agenda of the NYT/CBS poll and you get this....

In the USA TODAY survey, taken Thursday through Saturday, Clinton leads Obama among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents by 7 percentage points, the first time in three months she has been ahead. Two weeks ago, before the controversy over comments by Jeremiah Wright reignited, Obama led by 10 points.

CBS Poll: Support For Obama Rebounds

Times/CBS does it again...

href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/04/opinion/polls/main4069259.shtml">Democrat Barack Obama appears to have rebounded from some of the damage caused by the controversy surrounding his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll.

On one key measure, Obama has seen a big reversal since his denunciation of Wright’s remarks on Tuesday. He now leads presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in the hypothetical fall contest by eleven points, 51 percent to 40 percent. That compares to a tied match-up in a CBS News/New York Times poll that was released last Wednesday.

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHA

US Plan To Strike At Camp In Iran

True this time? One can only hope.

THE US military is drawing up plans for a "surgical strike" against an insurgent training camp inside Iran if Republican Guards continue with attempts to destabilise Iraq, Western intelligence sources said last week.

One source said the Americans were growing increasingly angry at the involvement of the guards special operations Quds force inside Iraq, training Shia militias and smuggling weapons into the country.

Obama's appeal to working-class whites faltering, polls show

Yea, blue collar Democrats are usually not overly impressed with elitist communist racists who attempt to portray their constinuency as bitter imbeciles, go figure.

Barack Obama's problem winning votes from working-class whites is showing no sign of going away, and their impression of him is getting worse.

Those are ominous signals as he hopes for strong performances next week in Indiana and North Carolina primaries that would derail the candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton, his rival for the Democratic presidential nomination. Those contests come as his candidacy has been rocked by renewed attention to his volatile former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and by his defeat in last month's Pennsylvania primary.

In an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll in April, 53 percent of whites who have not completed college viewed Obama unfavorably, up a dozen percentage points from November. During that period, the numbers viewing Clinton and Republican candidate John McCain negatively have stayed about even.

The Silent Scream of the Asparagus

Good grief...

You just knew it was coming: At the request of the Swiss government, an ethics panel has weighed in on the "dignity" of plants and opined that the arbitrary killing of flora is morally wrong. This is no hoax. The concept of what could be called "plant rights" is being seriously debated.

A few years ago the Swiss added to their national constitution a provision requiring "account to be taken of the dignity of creation when handling animals, plants and other organisms." No one knew exactly what it meant, so they asked the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology to figure it out. The resulting report, "The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants," is enough to short circuit the brain.

A "clear majority" of the panel adopted what it called a "biocentric" moral view, meaning that "living organisms should be considered morally for their own sake because they are alive." Thus, the panel determined that we cannot claim "absolute ownership" over plants and, moreover, that "individual plants have an inherent worth." This means that "we may not use them just as we please, even if the plant community is not in danger, or if our actions do not endanger the species, or if we are not acting arbitrarily."

Newest Edition

As you regulars know we had to broken heartedly put our Golden Retriever down on Tuesday. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful breeder in the area who would part with their pick of the litter to ease our loss. Welcome the newest member to the war on rampant liberalism!

This terrific breeder to which I referred is:

Nancy Bible
Lewisville, Ill. (618)665 4655

Nancy will have her next pups available around the 1st of Aug.

58% Say Obama Denounced Wright for Political Convenience, not Outrage

And the 58% are 100% correct.

A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 30% of the nation’s Likely Voters believe Barack Obama denounced his former Pastor, Jeremiah Wright, because he was outraged. Most—58%--say he denounced the Pastor for political convenience. The survey was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday night. Obama made his statements about Wright on Tuesday.

Insurgent group says the alleged head of al-Qaida in Somalia killed in airstrike

An organization that is the personification of the "Peter principle".

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The man believed to be the head of al-Qaida in Somalia was killed in an overnight airstrike along with eight other people, an Islamic insurgent group said Thursday.

The spokesman for the Islamic al-Shabab militia, Sheik Muqtar Robow, said the strike killed Aden Hashi Ayro, his brother and seven others at his house in the central Somali town of Dusamareeb, about 300 miles north of Mogadishu. Six more people were wounded.

"Our brother martyr Aden Hashi, has received what he was looking for — death for the sake of Allah — at the hands of the United States," Robow told The Associated Press by phone.

Economy grows by only 0.6 percent in first quarter

Typical editorial headline by the AP. Contary to several media talking heads this does NOT constitute a recession.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The bruised economy limped through the first quarter of this year at only 0.6 percent as housing and credit problems forced people and businesses alike to hunker down.

The country's economic growth during January through March was the same as in the final three months of last year, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The statistic did not meet what economists consider the classic definition of a recession, which is a retraction of the economy. This means that although economy is stuck in a rut, it is still managing to keep growing -- however modestly.

Respite

Sorry for the no blogging but putting our 12 year old Golden Retriever down today and pretty bummed.

Our beloved Cashew is gone. Thank's for giving this family more joy than you could ever know.

Supreme Court upholds photo ID law for voters in Indiana

Great and significant ruling. This has ramifications for several state laws presently pending.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled that states can require voters to produce photo identification without violating their constitutional rights. The decision validates Republican-inspired voter ID laws.

The court vote 6-3 to uphold Indiana's strict photo ID requirement. Democrats and civil rights groups say the law would deter poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots.

Question of the Day

In todays culture, is it possible for a black man to be a racist?

Sunday Morning Libfest

FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean.

FACE THE NATION (CBS): David Axelrod, campaign adviser for Barack Obama; Howard Wolfson, campaign adviser for Hillary Rodham Clinton; Roger Mudd, author of a book on CBS news.

THIS WEEK (ABC): Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.; former Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D.; Reps. Artur Davis, D-Ala., and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.

LATE EDITION (CNN) : Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y; Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich.; Steve Coll, author of a book on the bin Laden family; James Rubin, a Clinton campaign adviser; Susan Rice, an Obama campaign adviser.

The 5 major Sunday political roundtables, a total of 17 guests. Breakdown: 14 Democrats and 1 Republican, 2 NA. WTF?

Rev. Al Sharpton vows to 'close the city down' after cops' acquittal in Bell trial

They waited for hours, singing spirituals, praying and chanting for justice, but in a flash, the crowd gathered outside a Queens courthouse Friday erupted in anger and grief.

Men cursed and shouted. Women wailed and covered their faces. "Oh, no! No!" they yelled, as word spread that three police officers had been cleared of all charges in the 50-bullet shooting that took Sean Bell's life on his wedding day in 2006.

To some, the acquittal seemed like more proof that blacks can't get a fair shake in the criminal justice system.

Appears that the two black cops who were accused and exonerated got a fair shake; Or don't they count?

BUSH BASHER SMASHES DISABLED TEEN: COPS

" FIGHT FOR PEACE", even if it means beating up a little disabled girl.

A man heckling First Lady Laura Bush and daughter Jenna outside the 92nd Street Y was arrested after he punched a wheelchair-bound girl whose parents had told him to shut up, authorities said yesterday. German Talis, 22, was shouting obscenities at the Bushes, who were leaving the building Tuesday, when he crossed paths with Wendy and John Lovetro and their daughter Maureen, 18, who has cerebral palsy.

Gore Ducks, as a Backlash Builds Against Biofuels

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction...

The campaign against climate change could be set back by the global food crisis, as foreign populations turn against measures to use foodstuffs as substitutes for fossil fuels. With prices for rice, wheat, and corn soaring, food-related unrest has broken out in places such as Haiti, Indonesia, and Afghanistan. Several countries have blocked the export of grain Mr. Gore was not available for an interview yesterday on the food crisis, according to his spokeswoman. A spokesman for Mr. Gore’s public campaign to address climate change, the Alliance for Climate Protection, declined to comment for this article.

The Gingrich-Pelosi Climate Change Ad: Why I Took Part by Newt Gingrich

This is an excerpt from an e-mail we received from former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich on why he participated in an ad for WE.

Many of you have written to me to ask why I recently taped an advertisement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for The Alliance for Climate Protection, a group founded by former Vice President Al Gore. I completely understand why many of you would have questions about this, so I want to take this opportunity to explain my reasons. First of all, I want to be clear: I don't think that we have conclusive proof of global warming. And I don't think we have conclusive proof that humans are at the center of it. But here's what we do know. There is an important debate going on right now over the right energy policy, the right environmental policy, and making sure we do the right things for our future and the future of our children and grandchildren. Conservatives are missing from this debate, and I think that's a mistake. When it comes to preserving our environment for future generations, we can't have a slogan of "Just yell no!"

Complete and utter BS. Conservatives want nothing more than to be part of the debate but the left has declared the debate OVER and brands any and all who don’t completely agree with their position to be unworthy of consideration. Capitulation and compliance are NOT debate.

Scientist: Forget Global Warming, Prepare For New Ice Age

Warming? Cooling? Neither? Pick an expert.

Sunspot activity has not resumed up after hitting an 11-year low in March last year, raising fears that — far from warming — the globe is about to return to an Ice Age, says an Australian-American scientist.

Physicist Phil Chapman, the first native-born Australian to become an astronaut with NASA [he became an American citizen to join up, though he never went into space], said pictures from the U.S. Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) showed no spots on the sun.

He said the world cooled quickly between January last year and January this year, by about 0.7 degrees Centigrade.

"This is the fastest temperature change in the instrumental record, and it puts us back to where we were in 1930," Chapman wrote in The Australian Wednesday. "If the temperature does not soon recover, we will have to conclude that global warming is over."

Gen Petraeus picked to lead Iraq and Afghan wars

Obvious and great choice!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates named his top commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, on Wednesday to lead U.S. Central Command, responsible for all Middle East operations, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gates said Petraeus, who has overseen a military strategy widely credited with a dramatic reduction in violence in Iraq, was the most qualified U.S. officer to manage counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I recommended him to the president because I am absolutely confident he is the best man for the job," Gates said.

Gates said many security challenges in the Central Command area of responsibility are characterized by the type of nontraditional threat Petraeus is skilled at tackling.

Pennsylvania Democrat Primary

Prediction: Hillary by 7. It won't be enough to help her much in delegates but it will be enough to keep her in the race and it will perpetuate for the moment the knock down drag out against Obama Hussein.

Update: Clinton officially wins Pennsylvania

The only question remaining is how big.

Update II: Clinton 55% Obama 45%. That's big enough, the dynamic has changed.

Carter Says Obama Strongly Supported Around The World

Yes, Obama is strongly supported in the wordly circles that Jimmy Carter resides ie. Hamas, Chavez' Venezuela, Syria, Zimbabwe etc etc.

Former President Jimmy Carter continued to express his thinly veiled support for Barack Obama over the weekend during a trip to the Middle East. The Nobel laureate discussed what he called strong support for the Democratic hopeful that he discovered in his travels to Africa and Asia.

Carter has not formally endorsed either candidate, although he has suggested that he strongly leans towards supporting the Illinois Senator over rival Hillary Clinton. The man who occupied the White House from 1978 to 1982 said that Obama is the clear favorite in Ghana, Nigeria, and Nepal, and added that “world opinion is strongly supportive of Obama, that's all we hear.”

'Expelled' film draws applause at ISU

All too often many segments of the student body have more common sense then the professors who endeavor to teach (indoctrinate) them.

A line for the 7:10 p.m. premiere showing of "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" at the Varsity II theater on Lincoln Way stretched back five storefronts to the Bali Satay House Friday.

The documentary film, narrated by actor and former Nixon speechwriter Ben Stein, explores the relationship between science and religion in academia, juxtaposing images of the Berlin Wall with footage shot for the film to suggest scientific freedom is being stifled by hostile views toward religion.

It features interviews with Guillermo Gonzalez, assistant professor in astronomy at Iowa State University, who claims he was denied tenure for his outspoken views on intelligent design, and Hector Avalos, professor of religious studies at ISU, who has been critical of the teaching of intelligent design in science classrooms.

Those who made it into the theater before it filled up generally responded positively to the film. They greeted the ending credits with applause and, after Gonzalez wrapped up a brief discussion following the film, treated him with a standing ovation.

Gallup : Clinton 46%, Obama 45%

Maybe not so "Teflon" as we've been led to believe.

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup Poll Daily tracking shows that Hillary Clinton now receives 46% of the support of Democrats nationally, compared to 45% for Barack Obama, marking the first time Obama has not led in Gallup's daily tracking since March 18-20.

These results are based on interviewing conducted April 16-18, including two days of interviewing after the contentious Wednesday night debate in Philadelphia and the media focus that followed. Support for Hillary Clinton has been significantly higher in both of these post-debate nights of interviewing than in recent weeks.

Mortgage plan could cost taxpayers $6bn

Again the left proposes to subsidize irresponsibility and you pay.

A Democratic proposal to use public funds to guarantee up to $300bn in mortgages could cost the US taxpayer up to $6bn, according to a preliminary assessment by the Congressional Budget office.

Barney Frank, the powerful chairman of the financial services committee, on Thursday unveiled details of legislation to stem the wave of US home foreclosures through an expansion of the Federal Housing Administration.

A similar bill is being considered by the Senate. While the government could make money depending on the performance of the new loans, it could also incur losses of between 1 and 2 per cent of the total amount, the CBO told lawmakers.

Idealistic Imbecile

One of the more telling exchanges of Wednesday's Dem debate:

GIBSON: All right. You have, however, said you would favor an increase in the capital gains tax. As a matter of fact, you said on CNBC, and I quote, "I certainly would not go above what existed under Bill Clinton," which was 28 percent. It's now 15 percent. That's almost a doubling, if you went to 28 percent.

But actually, Bill Clinton, in 1997, signed legislation that dropped the capital gains tax to 20 percent.

OBAMA: Right.

GIBSON: And George Bush has taken it down to 15 percent.

OBAMA: Right.

GIBSON: And in each instance, when the rate dropped, revenues from the tax increased; the government took in more money. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28 percent, the revenues went down.

So why raise it at all, especially given the fact that 100 million people in this country own stock and would be affected?

OBAMA: Well, Charlie, what I've said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness....

Wow, just WOW.

Thanks McGruff at FR.

QUAKE

Lotta shakin and rattlin goin on! We are located approx 20 mi from the epicenter. The wife thought it was the wind but having spent a bit of time in California I knew better.

Update 10:18AM: Feeling aftershocks all morning; One just hit rattling the cabinets and windows. Just reported it was a 4.5 AS

A Hamas problem for Obama?

Likeminds....

While Sen. Barack Obama sought to improve his relationship with the Jewish community today by meeting with leaders Philadelphia, comments by a Hamas political adviser this weekend could potentially hurt the Democratic presidential candidate.

During an interview on WABC radio Sunday, top Hamas political adviser Ahmed Yousef said the terrorist group supports Obama’s foreign policy vision.

“We don’t mind–actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and arrogance,” Yousef said in response to a question about the group’s willingness to meet with either of the Democratic presidential candidates.

The Great Debate

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has the closest analysis to my own....

The last Democratic debate has finally concluded, and perhaps the last chances of ending the primaries early. Thanks to a surprisingly tenacious set of questions for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton from ABC moderaters Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolous, Barack Obama got exposed over and over again as an empty suit, while Hillary cleaned his clock. However, the big winner didn’t even take the stage tonight.

The first 45 minutes of the scheduled 90-minute debate (which went 15 minutes over) wound up focusing on the series of gaffes and stumbles from both candidates. Hillary more or less defused the Tuzla Dash by admitting she essentially lied about it, trying at one point to use the “sleep deprivation” defense. Obama, however, never did figure out the First Rule of Holes. Once again, he described religion as a refuge people use when government doesn’t work — a fatal misreading of religious faith in America. He not only came up with bad answers, he looked lost and tentative throughout the entire period.

Supreme Court upholds use of lethal injections

As expected...

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court upheld the most common method of lethal injections executions Wednesday, clearing the way for states to resume executions that have been on hold for nearly 7 months.

The justices, by a 7-2 vote, turned back a constitutional challenge to the procedures in place in Kentucky, which uses three drugs to sedate, paralyze and kill inmates. Similar methods are used by roughly three dozen states.

The governor of Virginia lifted his state's moratorium on executions two hours after the high court issued its ruling.

Study: Divorce, illegitimate kids costing taxpayers $112 billion

One reason I suppose it was frowned upon in the good old days.

NEW YORK - Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing costs U.S. taxpayers more than $112 billion a year, according to a study commissioned by groups advocating government action to bolster marriage.

There have been previous attempts to calculate the cost of divorce in America. But the sponsors of the new study, being released today, said theirs is the first to gauge the broader cost of “family fragmentation” - both divorce and unwed childbearing.

Misplaced Allegiance

Jimmy Carter lays a wreath at late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s grave in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

Silvio Berlusconi wins Italy election

Europe veering right.

Silvio Berlusconi has won a crushing victory in the Italian general election to become prime minister for the third time.

The 71-year-old media magnate defeated Walter Veltroni, the 52-year-old leader of the Democratic Party, by a considerable margin and has a large enough majority to rule Italy for a full five-year term.

Mr Veltroni, who was a popular mayor of Rome before entering national politics, conceded defeat five hours after the polls closed, saying that the result was clear.

Clinton Takes 20 Point Lead (Pennsylvania)

Hillary hasn't sung yet!

Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama 48% to 44% among men (45% of likely Democratic primary voters). Among women, Clinton leads 64% to 31%.

Clinton leads 64% to 29% among white voters (82% of likely Democratic primary voters). Obama leads 79% to 18% among African American voters (14% of likely Democratic primary voters).

Clinton leads 52% to 43% among voters age 18 to 49 (50% of likely Democratic primary voters) and Clinton leads 62% to 31% among voters age 50 and older.

Darwin Award Winner of the Week

Man Accidentally Shoots Himself in the Groin

YAKIMA, Wash. -- A 20-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the groin early Sunday morning. It happened on the 700 block of North 24th avenue.

Police say the man was trying to conceal a double barrel shotgun in the front of his pants and accidentally fired it two times.

The gun was found at the home where the shooting took place. They also found a second stolen firearm.

Retail Sales Edged Higher in March

Better than expected...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. retail sales took a surprising turn upward during March, a promising sign for the economy given the punishment consumers have absorbed.

Retail sales increased by 0.2%, the Commerce Department said Monday. Sales went down a revised 0.4% in February. Sales that month were originally seen 0.6% lower.

Carter Shrugs Off Calls From U.S. Officials, Lawmakers to Drop Meeting With Hamas

Constantly striving to make up for a failed Presidency, Carter continues to prove to all why it was.

WASHINGTON — Former President Jimmy Carter said he feels "quite at ease" about meeting Hamas militants over the objections of Washington because the Palestinian group is essential to a future peace with Israel.

Carter, interviewed Saturday for ABC News' "This Week," airing Sunday, also said he would oppose a U.S. Olympic boycott and hopes all countries will join in the Beijing games.

He spoke from Katmandu, Nepal, where his team of observers from the Carter Center monitored an election that appeared likely to transform rule by royal dynasty into a democracy with former Maoist rebels in a strong position, judging by incomplete returns.

Obama's remarks slammed by rivals

And deservedly so. His statements are dripping with such a degree of condescention and elitism it almost takes ones breath away.

Statement:"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Sens. John McCain and Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday criticized Sen. Barack Obama as a condescending, out-of-touch elitist over remarks made Sunday and again last night in which the Illinois senator said small-town Americans are "bitter" and cling to guns and religion as symptoms of frustration.

"Pennsylvania doesn't need a president who looks down on them," Mrs. Clinton said at a Philadelphia rally yesterday. "They need a president who stands up for them, who fights for them, who works hard for your futures, your jobs, your families."

Spy photos reveal 'secret launch site' for Iran's long-range missiles

This calls for more dialogue!

The secret site where Iran is suspected of developing long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching targets in Europe has been uncovered by new satellite photographs.

The imagery has pinpointed the facility from where the Iranians launched their Kavoshgar 1 “research rocket” on February 4, claiming that it was in connection with their space programme.

Analysis of the photographs taken by the Digital Globe QuickBird satellite four days after the launch has revealed a number of intriguing features that indicate to experts that it is the same site where Iran is focusing its efforts on developing a ballistic missile with a range of about 6,000km (4,000 miles).

Jobless Claims Fell Sharply Last Week

Recession my shiny butt.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell sharply last week, after having hit the highest level in more than two years in the week before.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for jobless benefits totaled 357,000 last week, down by 53,000 from the previous week.

Even with last week's improvement, the four-week average for claims rose by 2,500 to 378,250, the highest level since early October 2005

Yep, an earth shattering 5% unemployment rate.

FNC Breaking: Al Qaeda Leader Abu Ubaida al Masri Confirmed Dead

YEA BABY!

Al Qaeda operative and bomb expert Abu Ubaida al-Masri, one of the terror group's top 10 leaders, is dead, a U.S. official confirmed to FOX News Wednesday.

Al-Masri was responsible for the organization’s external operations, meaning he plotted attacks outside the tribal areas of Pakistan.

A recent Los Angeles Times report described al-Masri as a "stocky Egyptian explosives expert with two missing fingers" who, as chief of external operations for Al Qaeda, has one of the most dangerous jobs in international terrorism.

Bill would allow locals to ban handguns

This is a preview of coming attractions for many municipalities throughout the country making the SCOTUS/DC ruling monumental in it's importance.

An East Bay lawmaker's bill to clear the way for local handgun bans has a committee hearing Tuesday (April 8), delving into issues now pending before the state's and nation's highest courts.

Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, authored AB 2566 in reaction to a state Court of Appeal ruling in January which upheld the voiding of San Francisco's Measure H of 2005, approved by voters to bar city residents from owning handguns or from making or selling firearms or ammunition in the city.

The California Supreme Court is mulling whether to review this ruling, which found state law leaves no room for cities and counties to ban handgun ownership; Hancock's bill, to be heard Tuesday by the Assembly Public Safety Committee, seeks to create that room by removing the state pre-emption entirely.

Is Muqtada Al-Sadr Doomed?

Even CBS is finding it difficult to deny the obvious.

On the political front, Sadr now finds himself completely isolated. Key leaders of his own movement are now urging him to accept the Maliki government's demands to disband the militia entirely.

Saturday, Iraq's president and two vice-presidents, along with every other major political group in Iraq (except the Sadrists) joined in the condemnation of Sadr's militia, and endorsed Prime Minister Maliki's demand that the militia disarm. Sadr's militia is now virtually the only militia left in Iraq that still maintains an outlaw posture, the only one that still challenges the authority of the Iraqi Security Forces or the Coalition. (Other major militias have disbanded, transforming into political organizations and joining — or becoming — legitimate security forces, which explains why you never hear about any other militia in the news.)

Conservative: Romney 'unacceptable' as VP

Pardon my blunt but Paul Weyrick's an a$$. I saw Mitt Romney a few nights back and he was absolutely flawless. McCain's about as exciting as a piece of cold pizza, Romney would add a spark to the ticket that is sorely missing.

WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- A group of conservatives has taken out an ad urging presumptive Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain not to tap Mitt Romney as his running mate.

Paul Weyrich, co-founder of the Moral Majority, who once endorsed Romney, is among those calling on McCain to look beyond Romney, his former rival and past governor of Massachusetts, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Sen. Stabenow's Husband Nailed in Prostitution Bust

Liberals and prostitutes...birds of a feather.

Bad day for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). Her husband,Thomas Athans, cofounder of a liberal talk radio network, is cooperating with police in an Internet-based prostitution bust at hotels in Troy, Mich., according to the Detroit Free Press.

According to the paper, Athans told police he "paid a prostitute $150 for sex at a Troy hotel in late February." The story notes that Athans, 46, was not arrested or charged.

Stabenow, 57, released a short statement today saying, "This is very disturbing and serious. Obviously it's a deeply difficult and personal matter."

DU on Charlton Heston Passing

Real class....

TomInTib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Apr-06-08 12:20 AM
Response to Reply #12
15. On the money, Buddy.

Rest in the Hottest Parts of Hell, motherf****r.

You and Saint Ronnie can just toast your asses on the f***ing brimstone while s**king each other off.

My ****ing regards, ***k,

Tom

What truly resides in the hearts of the left.

THOMPSON VISITING MCCAIN THIS WEEKEND

Sounds social but who knows.

NBC and National Journal have learned that former presidential candidate Fred Thompson is visiting GOP nominee John McCain at McCain's Arizona cabin in Sedona this weekend.

No word of what's been discussed, although a source with knowledge of the visit says that the purpose may be more of a relaxing weekend getaway than a business meeting. (The two men have been longtime personal friends, even during their overlapping presidential bids.)

Thompson endorsed McCain after ending his own run for the GOP nomination.

Sonny Bono 'assassinated by hitmen'

This is the third time I've seen this reported so what the hey....

SONNY Bono, former husband and singing partner of superstar Cher, was clubbed to death by hitmen on the orders of drug and weapons dealers, an ex-FBI agent claims.

Ted Gunderson, now a private investigator, has told the US Globe tabloid that Bono, who served as mayor of Palm Springs for four years, did not die after hitting a tree on a Nevada ski slope in January 1998 as everyone believed.

"It's nonsense for anyone to now try to suggest that Bono died after crashing into a tree. There's zero evidence in this autopsy report... to show such an accident happened. Instead, there's powerful proof he was assassinated.

"This was an evil plot that was carried out to almost perfection by ruthless assassins," Mr Gunderson told the paper.

Global warming 'dips this year'

Global temperatures will drop slightly this year as a result of the cooling effect of the La Nina current in the Pacific, UN meteorologists have said.

The World Meteorological Organization's secretary-general, Michel Jarraud, told the BBC it was likely that La Nina would continue into the summer.

This would mean global temperatures have not risen since 1998, prompting some to question climate change theory.

Yes, the ones with an open mind and half a brain.

AA Host Suspended " Hillary's a Whore"

Takes one to know one...

Randi Rhodes, an afternoon host for the progressive Air America radio network, was suspended Thursday after repeatedly insulting Hillary Rodham Clinton at an event last month. Ms. Rhodes used vulgar language that likened Ms. Clinton to a prostitute at an event sponsored by KKGN, the Air America affiliate in the San Francisco area, on March 22. A video of Ms. Rhodes’ remarks was published to the video-sharing Web site YouTube on Tuesday, prompting condemnations by some bloggers.

Woman Asks to Have Wrinkles Removed, Wakes Up With Bigger Breasts

A German woman who wanted to smooth some wrinkles on her chest was aghast when she woke up with bigger breasts instead, the New York Post reports.

Ingrid Bruelling, 33, wanted doctors to give her breasts firmer skin after she lost 200 pounds on a crash diet.

Husband was pleased.

Another Obama Deception: "I don’t take money from oil companies."

Semantics...

In a new ad, Obama says, "I don’t take money from oil companies."

Technically, that's true, since a law that has been on the books for more than a century prohibits corporations from giving money directly to any federal candidate. ... We find the statement misleading:

Obama has accepted more than $213,000 from individuals who work for companies in the oil and gas industry and their spouses.

Two of Obama's bundlers are top executives at oil companies and are listed on his Web site as raising between $50,000 and $100,000 for the presidential hopeful.

Dems Don’t Want Clinton to Be Obama’s No. 2, Poll Shows

Hmmmmm...

Democrats generally like the idea of Barack Obama joining Hillary Clinton’s ticket if she wins the nomination, but apparently cringe at the thought of Clinton tagging along with Obama should he be the nominee, according to a new Gallup poll out Tuesday.

The poll underscores the deep divide in the Democratic race, as the candidates continue to slug it out in the run-up to the April 22 Pennsylvania primary.

The Gallup poll, taken from March 24-27 of 502 Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents, found 58 percent of those surveyed would want Obama to be the vice presidential candidate if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination. Forty-one percent would want the New York senator to pick someone else.