Two War Crimes for The Price of One

In Fallujah:

Gunmen fired on troops from a mosque minaret, sparking a battle, BBC's embedded correspondent Paul Wood reported. Marines said the insurgents waved a white flag at one stage but then opened fire, prompting the Marines to call in airstrikes, Wood said.

War Crime One: Operating from a religious edifice, turning it into a legitimate military target.

War Crime Two: False use of a white flag to lure opposing forces in to attack them.

These people are not "resistance fighters", nor are they "Minutemen". They are merely war criminals who have, by their actions, forfeited the protections provided under the laws of war.

US attack on Iran 'inconceivable' says Straw

From Yahoo news

LONDON (AFP) - Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said it was "inconceivable" that the United States would attack Iran over its nuclear programme.

"I don't see any circumstances in which military action would be justified against Iran full stop," Straw told BBC radio amid speculation that re-elected US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) may be more hawkish over the Islamic republic.

Asked if the world would support a US bombing campaign against Iran, Straw said: "Not only is that inconceivable, but I think the prospect of it (US military action) happening is inconceivable."

Jack,

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Arafat dead, not dead or perhaps freshly dead

According to the French, "Mr. Arafat is not dead," said Christian Estripeau, head of communications for French military health services. "The clinical situation of the first few days following admission has become more complex."

Complex as in "he's not dead yes he is he's nailed to his perch!?

Are puppet wires being attached or are they installing the voice and movement robot machines from Disneyland

Meanwhile, The Belgians apparrently though he had already bought it:
he confusion over Arafat's condition escalated after Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters at a summit of European leaders in Belgium that Arafat had died. He later retracted the statement.

"It was a misunderstanding," government spokesman Lucien Michels said.

I can see the headline now: Belgian waffles on Arafat's trip to his just desserts".

Kerry Concedes

Kerry called Bush to Conced the election.

This was an honorable and appropriate way for Kerry to end his quest for the Presidency. I was worried about the Democrats adopting another "scorched earth policy" a la the 2000 elections.

Bush also acted honorably in delaying declaring victory until Kerry conceded.

Now Bush can lead with a clear mandate of both the electoral college and the popular vote.

Voted...and the countdown begins

Just voted this morning here in Michigan

In my precinct the total time to vote, from finding a parking space to filling out the id sheet, receiving a ballot, voting and thence out the door was just about one and a half hours.

Strangely enough, the precinct beside ours, held in the same school gym had a light turn-out with virtually no waiting. Not to say that precinct isn't civic minded but still...

Saw one mistake committed by a poll worker in highlighting the wrong name on the voting list...caused a bit of a stir from her fellow workers along the lines of "what do we do now?" They decided to write a note beside the highlihgt that it was a mistake and the person hadn't voted.

The poll people seemed to take their jobs seriously, were friendly and reasonably efficient (except for the guy running line A-L that I was stuck in - he was the winer of the Abominable Slowman contest, but heck he was trying his best so we'll give him that).

Hopefully all of Michigan will run as smoothly but I have my doubts, especially in the precints of the City of Detroit. Sadly, in Michigan, photo ID cannot be demanded of the prospective voter unless it is their first time voting and they registered by mail . . . that needs to be changed.

6th Circuit Reverses District Court Ruling on Michigan ballots

As reported in the Detroit News: Court reverses ruling on ballots:

Provisional ballots cast outside the precinct where a Michigan voter lives cannot be counted, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The quick decision by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a lower court ruling that provisional ballots in the presidential race and other federal offices should be counted as long as the voter cast the ballot in the right city, township or village.

Guess who is upset:
The Michigan Democratic Party, which filed suit to have the provisional ballots counted even when voters showed up at the wrong precinct, will not appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, party Chairman Mark Brewer said the lawsuit is still pending and could be resumed after the election if necessary.

"We're disappointed that the court has put its stamp of approval, at least temporarily, on these state directives which will disenfranchise voters next week," Brewer said.

Disenfranchise - ha!- the decision closed an open door to massive electoral fraud.

If you're not smart enough to go to the polling precinct listed on your registration card you're simply too stupid to vote. Allowing people to vote wherever they wished opened the door to massive fraud. This ruling at least closes one channel for fraud and helps to restore confidence in the electoral process.

Now if we could just require photo id at the polling booth.....

NY AG's Coin filings

The Court Filings by new York Attorney General Spitzer can be found at: The New York AG's Website

The Documents available are:

Order to Show Cause With Temporary Restraining Order

Verified Petition This contains the allegations against National Collector's Mint Inc.

Affirmation

NY's AG gets injunction to halt sale of Ground Zero Coins

As Reported on Fox News' website: N.Y. Court Halts Sale of 'Ground Zero' Coins



New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (search) on Wednesday obtained a court order to temporarily suspend the sale of commemorative Sept. 11 coins heavily advertised as being minted from silver recovered at ground zero.

Spitzer said the National Collector's Mint (search), based in Port Chester, N.Y., claims the coins engraved with "In God We Trust" are legally authorized silver dollars, when they aren't.

Having seen some of the advertisements myself, they are somewhat misleading, but the coins are in fact government issue, they're just not US Govcewrnment issue but issued by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The ads do briefly show on the screen that the CNMI issued them, and the CNMI's name appears along the rim (ie the side) of the coin but the ads certainly do not stress that point.

I do not know the truth of the "silver from ground zero claim, nor the claim as to its silver content, but the coins are government issue...just not the issue of the United States Government.

If you're not paying attention to the advertisement you might well be fooled into thinking the coin is a US Government issue.

Iran Claims a Right to Enrich Uranium

Iran's foreign minister has stated that The European Union cannot force Iran to give up its right to enrich uranium

So much for that multi-lateral diplomatic talk.

"It is wrong for them (the EU) to think they can, through negotiations, force Iran to stop enrichment," Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told a conference in Tehran on Tuesday. "Iran will never give up its right to enrichment."

Solely for peaceful purposes of course nudge-nudge, wink-wink, don't listen to us when we say they want to nuke the Great and lesser Satans.

As a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran is entitled to enrich uranium under IAEA supervision. A senior IAEA team arrived in Iran on Monday, state television reported.

It said the IAEA team hoped to clarify outstanding questions about Iran's nuclear program and to visit several facilities including the Parchin military base near Tehran which some diplomats have cited as a possible covert atomic arms site.

The IAEA has so far said it has found no evidence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran but that some outstanding issues need to be clarified.

Issues to be clarified:

1. What is a peaceful nuclear program doing being developed on a military base?


2. If it is for peacedul purposes why is it so disbursed?


3. How much is Iran bribing the IAEA not to find anything?


4. how much power would the plant really generate as oppposed to nuclear bomb capable materials?

If you've enjoyed the UN's "Oil for Food", just wait for the IAEA's "Oil for Bombs" deal.

Detainee released and off to commit terrorist acts

According to the Washington Post, Ex-U.S. Detainee Now Leading Kidnappers, one of the detainees held at guantanamo Bay was released and is now leading a band:

whose members kidnapped two Chinese engineers in a lawless region of Pakistan near the Afghan border, officials said.

Clearly, at least I'm sure to the LLL, the detainement at Guantanamo must have been the straw that broke this peaceful mujahadeen's back, after all

The five kidnappers have strapped explosives to the hostages and threatened to kill them unless the militants are allowed safe passage to a nearby area where their leader, Abdullah Mehsud, is believed to be hiding, officials said.

Clearly the signs of a derranged mind.

It was not clear why U.S. authorities released Mehsud. After he returned to his tribal homeland in South Waziristan, he became a rebel leader and had opposed Pakistani forces hunting al Qaeda fighters in the semiautonomous area.

Presumably a Supreme Court decision on the prisoner's confinement had something to do woith it. Once again, to our peril we've answered a terrorist threat by use of our judicial system, much to our sorrow.

But Mehsud is not the only ex-resident of guantanamo that has resumed hostilities:

At least one other former Guantanamo detainee returned to his militant past. Abdul Ghaffar, an Afghan who fought for the Taliban, was released in 2002 after eight months in detention to become a commander for the Islamic militia in southern Afghanistan. He was killed by U.S. forces in a gun battle last month.

Next time, keep the enemy combatants detained until hostilities cease so they quit popping back up on the battlefield against us, either that or forces on the ground may have cease taking prisoners as they will simply be released to fight another day against them.

There used to be an old concept of "parole" where a captured enemy was released on condition that he not fight against the force that captured him any more, and if he was captured again doing so he was shot out of hand. The concept needs ressurecting in this war. The enemy should not be released after capture and given an opportunity to have a "do-over". This is war, not tiddlywinks.

Pre-Election Scare Tactics from the Pro-Abortion Lobby

Gasp! if Bush is relected Abortion could be illegal in 30 states within a year of its being overturned. Quick, vote for Kerry!

That seems to be the theme of the Center For Reproductive Rights' new publication: "What if Roe Fell". The report was then quoted in the Lansing State Journal:

Thirty states, including Michigan, are poised to make abortion illegal within a year if the Supreme Court reversed its 1973 ruling establishing a woman's legal right to an abortion, an advocacy group said Tuesday.

The Center for Reproductive Rights said some states have old laws on the books that would be triggered by the overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Others have language in their state constitutions or strongly anti-abortion legislatures that would act quickly if the federal protection for abortion was ended and the issue reverted to the states.

"The building blocks are already in place to recriminalize abortion," said Nancy Northup, center president.

The group's report comes less than a month before the presidential election, which those on both sides of the abortion issue say will be critical in determining the future of the Roe decision.

Currently, it is believed that five of the nine justices support abortion rights, but that balance could be tipped if President Bush, in a second term, nominates a new justice who reflects his anti-abortion views. Democratic contender John Kerry supports abortion rights.

The lansing State Journal then fails to point out that the likelihood of very pro-choice, very Democrat Governor Jennifer Granholm's not vetoing any such bills recriminalizing abortion can be summed up in three words: slim and none.

The Center's press release specifically addresses Michigan:

According to What if Roe Fell?, many states already have pre-Roe abortion bans on the books that could be enforced after a Roe reversal. For example, Michigan’s ban was blocked by the courts shortly after the Roe decision. But the day after Roe falls, Michigan officials could rush to court to lift the injunction, and in just a matter of days, begin enforcing the law. Doctors who performed abortions would be felons.

Once again, Michigan has a very Democrat, pro-choice administration. The chance that "Michigan officials could rush to court to lift the injunction, and in just a matter of days, begin enforcing the law" is just so much hyperbole and scare-mongering, and that is likely true of the other states it bills as "high-risk".

Indeed, even if these 21 high risk states made abortion illegal, that would not prevent the Center's own admittedly "20 Likely protected" states from providing for abortions.

Regardless of one's opinon on abortion, this scare-mongering is a blatant attempt to present an unlikely hypothertical as fact to frighten voters to elect Kerry.

Next possible Democrat claim: If Bush is re-elected women will be drafted into the military so they can't have abortions"

Hamas using mosques for communication

As usual the Islamic "militants" are using mosques as military staging points.

In the current battle in Gaza, where Israel is trying to stop terrorists from using rockets to attack israel's civillian population,

Nizar Rayan, the top Hamas leader in northern Gaza, encouraged the gunmen and gave them tips in a message broadcast in mosques and on a local radio station late Thursday.

Rayan said gunmen should not remain in one place for more than three minutes to avoid being spotted and should use their cell phones only when absolutely necessary. The militants, who were moving in small groups of no more than seven, communicated largely through text messages on cell phones.

Militants immediately followed one of Rayan's tips: reducing visibility by burning tires and filling the air with black smoke, thus making it harder for Israeli unmanned aircraft, or drones, to spot them.

That would certainly make those peaceful mosques legitimate targets.

The rest of the article entitled Armored vehicles mass at Gaza border By IBRAHIM BARZAK (catch the name of the author anyone?)

Ibrahim tends to rather fawn over the militants, only addressing them as such and refers to a female Israeli civillian killed in an attack as a "settler".

Another examples of this fawning attitude
Thursday's battle in Jebaliya pitted hundreds of gunmen with homemade rockets and assault rifles against the mightiest army in the Middle East, at first glance a hugely lopsided fight. However, in four years of conflict, Israeli troops had never before struck deep inside the camp for fear of getting bogged down in urban combat.

The fight over control of Jebaliya, the birthplace of the first Palestinian uprising in 1987, could take on great symbolic value.

Clearly a Need for an Assault Sword Ban

As reported in Michigan's Bay City Times, Judge orders evaluation of suspect in sword attack.

A judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation of a Bay City man charged with nearly hacking the hands off another man with a sword.

prosecutors allege that Goodell, a self-employed karaoke disc jockey, charged at 20-year-old Jason Betzold in the early morning hours on North Jackson Street and swung the samurai-style sword at him. The weapon's 28-inch steel blade cut into Betzold's wrists, nearly severing one hand. . . .

Witnesses told police that Betzold was walking down the street in the early morning hours with friends when Goodell came running from his mother's residence with the sword, yelling about disturbances in the neighborhood before attacking Betzold.

It seems the parties involved did not know each other and Goodell simply attacked whoever was closest.

One can postulate that Mr. Betzoid would likely have fared better if he had had a gun - the scene would have ended like the scene in indiana Jones rather than his almost losing a hand. Hopefully he'll make a full recovery.

Lileks Screeds One Out Of The Park

A quick Highlight:
But mostly I hate the debates because I simply cannot abide hearing certain statements I’ve been hearing over, and over, and over again. I can’t take any more talk about bringing allies to the table. Which ones? Brazil? Mynmar? Microfrickin’nesia? Are there some incredibly important and powerful nations out there whose existence has hitherto escaped me? Fermany? Gerance? The Galactic Order of the Belgian Dominion? Did we piss off the Vulcans? Who? If we mean “France and Germany,” then please explain to me why the reluctant participation of these two countries somehow bestows the magic kiss of legitimacy. They want in? Fine. They don’t? Fine. At this point mooning over France is like being that sophomore loser dorm pal who spent his dateless weekends telling his loser roommate about a high school sweetheart who stood him up for the prom. Give it up. Move on. I understand; they are wise and nuanced, we are young and dumb. We’re the cowboy leaning with his back against the bar, elbows on the rail, watching the door; we need our European betters to teach us how to ape the subtle forms of Nijinsky, limbs arrayed in the exquisite form of the Dying Swan. Understood. But I don’t want to be the Dying Swan. And I don’t want posture lessons from a country that spent the last 20 years flopping on its back and grabbing its ankles when Saddam showed up waving stacks of Francs in exchange for bang-sticks. Don’t you think I know about France’s relations with Saddam? Surely the advocates of the French Touch must know, and don’t care. Or they don’t know – in which case their advice is useless.

Germany? Whatever.

And it took lots of dead Americans to be able to say that.

Also dead Russians. Is Russia the great ally we’ve dissed? If we invite Russia to help, then we have to tell them things. I don’t want to tell them things. At least as they relate to the battlefield.

Perhaps the “ally” is that big blue wobbly mass known as the UN, that paragon of moral clarity, that conscience of the globe. You want to really anger a UN official? Tow his car. Short of that you can get away with anything. (Sudan is on the human rights commission, to cite a prominent and amusing detail. It’s like putting Tony Soprano on the New Jersey Waste Management Regulation Board.) I don’t worry that the UN is angry with us. I’d be worried if they weren’t. And I find it interesting that someone who would complain about outsourcing peevishly notes that we hired HALLIBURTON to do the work instead of throwing buckets of billions to French and German contractors who sold them the jets and built the bunkers.

I’ve been hearing this shite for years! That’s why I can’t stand the debates! ENOUGH WITH FRANCE AND GERMANY!

Simply perfect. Go forth and read it all for it is everything a good screed should be.

A Slimming Proposal for Michael Moore

Given Michael Moore's woory about his weight problem I have the following modest wager for him:

Should Bush win an election and no draft ensues, contrary to your predictions I'm not asking you to promise to move to France or anything of the sort (altough the French, they truly love you n'est pas?)

Since you seem concerned about your weight problem, I propose that if no draft is instituted when Bush is relected you should have to do the following:

1. Go to Weight Watchers and publicly post the diary about your experiences and how you're shedding those unhealthy extra pounds.

2. Wear a sign while walking around New York City saying : I'm a fat liar but I'm trying to lose weight.

If Bush wins and there's a draft I'll let you post a screeed here all about how "Bush lied" etc and I'll even say you're right and buy the entire Michael Moore Collection of movies and - the horror - watch them.

How about it Mr. "I feel like I'm overweight"?

Michael Moore spreads the false draft meme

Moore spread the false "Bush wants a draft" meme at University of Michigan - Dearborn when talking to students there in support of Kerry:
FEAR FACTOR: Filmmaker urges Kerry vote ... or else (Detroit Free Press).

If free underwear and Ramen noodles aren't enough to entice college students to vote on Nov. 2, filmmaker Michael Moore is trying to scare them into voting for John Kerry by suggesting that President George W. Bush will reinstate the military draft if re-elected.

"They have run out of troops. And that means only one thing. If George Bush is elected in November, there is going to be a draft. ... And if you're 18 to 26 years old, you are going to face the draft," he said. "This is what he's got in mind."

The Bush administration, the Pentagon and other federal officials deny any such plan exists. But Moore and some leading Democrats are fueling the rumor, which is being stoked on Internet chat rooms and on the campaign trail. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, stumping for Kerry, recently suggested Bush would reinstate the draft.

The only true statement reportedly said by Moore in the entire article:

I just feel like I'm overweight," quipped Moore.

Yes, he's heavy in weight, but a true lightweight in terms of facts and dealing with reality.

CBS Can't stop Spewing more anti-Bush falsehoods

First it was memo-Gate (or more precisely Ra^thergate Part 1.

Now we get part 2: As reported on Little Green Footballs, and elsewhere in the Bloggosphere, Ra^ther and CBS did fall for yet another hoax and did a show on the possibility that the draft might be resurrected:

On last night’s CBS Evening News they ran a story about the military draft being reinstated—based on long-debunked Internet hoax emails and the testimony of an unlabeled Bush-hating advocacy group member.

Never mind that the only one's pushing a draft are the Democrats and that both the military and the Bush administration have said there won't be a draft and it is not needed.

CBS is bent on hammering Bush, facts be damned.

Now you can have Cambodia virtually "Seared" in your memory!

As reported in Click on Detroit's story Gamers Can Go Up Virtual River In 'Nam With Kerry, Kuma Reality games has released a mission re-enacting the events in which Kerry received his silver star (at least the mission according to at least one of the Navy citations).

Unreported is the question as to whether the game lets you spend Christmas in Cambodia; suffer self-inflicted wounds; or transport secret agents and win a CIA hat.

New $50 Bill to Start Circulating Today

New $50 

The bill is as depicted and is described by CNN as having a "subtle background colors of blue and red, and images of a waving American flag and a small metallic silver-blue star." For the emntire article see The CNN article: New $50 bill debut set

The new bill contains new anti-counterfeiting devices (appropos of my last post on counterfeit coin dies). Old $50 bills will remain in circulation.

It should be interesting to examine public acceptance of this new colorization of the American banknote. The $20 seems to have gone over without remark as being "just peachy", but the $50 has much more color.

The era of the all-green American Greenback may prove to be over.

Coin of the Week: An Interesting Ancient Counterfeit Coin Die

,  

This coin die was used by ancient counterfeiters to manufacture counterfeit coins in the 4th Century AD. The dies are made of clay. The portrait is that of the emperor gratian and the size of the dies is consistent with that of the bronze coinage of the period. In fact, the reverse type seen on the dies is a close copy of a bronze coin reverse listed in Sear's Roman Coins book.

Source: My personal collection. I now have this coin die set up for saleon Ebay.

CBS maintians its pretense

As of 12:00 today, CBS News' website still defends the memos.

Their current attempt to stonewall is entitledQuestions About Bush Memos Linger.

What, they thought this would go away? The reason questions are "lingering" is that the documents are out-and-out forgeries and CBS can't do an ostrich and hope this dissappears.


The closest they seem able to come to admitting the forgeries is that
CBS News continued to defend the legitimacy of its recent story about President Bush's Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard, even as two experts it hired to examine records CBS used told ABC they could not vouch for their veracity.

You know you're hosed when you try to defend your actions in the third person.

DNC loses it on the end of the "Assault Weapons" ban

If we take the DNC's posting at face value, then WMD have indeed been found in Iraq.

In Where the WMD are found on the DNC's Kicking Ass site (a quite unfortunate name if you think about it), the DNC claims that

he Republican administration, in cahoots with the GOP-controlled Senate and House, has conspired to bring weapons of mass destruction to your neighborhood. The ten-year federal ban on semiautomatic assault weapons expires Monday, with virtually no chance of renewal because Republican Senate and House leaders refuse to hold a vote on the issue.

If a semi-automatic firearm is a weapon of mass destruction according to the DNC, than the massive stockpiles of fully automatic weapons, artillery, tanks etc in Iraq must also count as WMDs, no?

The DNC may now cease claiming that there were no WMD's in Iraq.

Why CBS isn't backing down

We need a vibrant, truthful and independent free press in this country, and instead we get CBS.

One possible reason why CBS isn't backing down when the documents have so clearly been shown to be forged is given by Little Green Footballs in the post
DNC Video: Fortunate Son

This ad just released by the DNC refers to the memos and Dan Ra^ther's report. Clearly there has been some coordination on this issue between the DNC and CBS, perhaps this is part and parcel of the Democrat's dirty tricks campaign they have threatened.

A press joined at the hip, and coordinating the release of forged documents timed with the campaign ads of a political party is simply not an independent, credible, nor free press.

CBS should have used this product

CBS should have used this "Microsoft" product for their awol memos and then perhaps they would have gotten away with it.

Did Kerry beach CBS in his attack on Bush?

We know that Kerry likes to beach his boat in the face of the enemy, or even when there is no enemy. Beaching a watercraft eliminates its tactical advantages: speed, manuverability, and the ability to bring all its guns to bear on the target.

Did the forged documents come from the Kerry campaign? If so it looks like Kerry just beached Dan Ra^ther and CBS, and eliminated any tactical advantages CBS and its pro-Kerry bias might have brought him in these final days of the non-media blackout period of the campaign cycle. CBS' credibility is shot by its presenting of these forged documents, and Dan Rather's standing by their credibility has effectively torpedoed him and likewise made his credibility and any further influence he may have on viewers in the know dead in the water.

This Kerry counterattack, if that is where the documents came from, has resulted in the Swift Vets criticism of his war record and later activities being pushed to the background so it has been sucessful if that was its intent. It has also provided the Dems with wonderful moral equivalency talking points that are still being expounded even as the documents supporting them have unravelled: Bush was awol, the documents say so, therefore Kerry's claims about being in Cambodia, his medals and anti-war activity on his return don't matter, they're equally bad in this post-modern world.

But if the documents came from the Kerry campaign, then in order to get this result, Kerry effectively sacrificed CBS to do it.

Raimondo goes off into Paleo-Con Conspiracy Land

Seems like tinfoil is in short supply in some parts of the US these days.

Justin Raimondo, of Antiwar.com goes off the deep end, alleging the Israelis knew about 9/1 and were even tailing the perpetrators and didn't warn the US. in his article Ghosts of 9/11

The Israelis, a silent omnipresent bodyguard, encircled Mohammed Atta and his cohorts, watching, and waiting – for 9/11, the catalytic event that would trigger a war binding the U.S. and Israel closer than ever before, a war that would not end even with the American occupation of Iraq – and would redound mostly to the advantage of the Israelis.

He draws on the usual collection of nutty sources, weaves together "facts" from unreleated events, wraps them up in innuendo and says ahah!...the Likudniks (jooooos) did it.

His rant would have sounded better in the original Arabic, or the original German for that matter.

CBS Docu-gate

So the Question is: What did CBS know, and when did they know it?

Given the yeoman work of the Blogosphere, specifically Powerline and Little Green Footballs, among others on this issue, it looks like CBS either was 1. duped, 2. willfully and blindly reckless in publishing the documents or 3. complicit in their publication.

CBS needs to tell us which one of the above is the case.

CBS however, still has the allegations story, along with the fraudulent documents up on their site: New Questions On Bush Guard Duty

Their site states:

60 Minutes has obtained documents that suggest President Bush received favorable treatment in the National Guard. And the man who says he got Mr. Bush into the Guard speaks out for the first time. Read the documents.

How long it will take CBS to retract this story or drop it down a memory-hole is anyone's guess.

Bomb Threat at Federal District Court in Detroit

According to Channel 4 News, A Bomb Threat has the federal district court locked down with no one allowed to enter:

A bomb threat has the federal court building in downtown Detroit on lockdown Tuesday morning.

Detroit police said the threat was called in to the First Precinct.

A police K-9 unit is being brought to the court building, which is located at West Lafayette and Washington.

We'll see what develops. Interestingly, this court was where some suspected of being Islamic terrorists were recently convicted. Any correlation/causative link to this threat? Who knows at this point.

Daily Shows Unfettered Clinton Love Fest

I just saw last night a rerun of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The show where he had Bill Clinton flogging his book.

Talk about a lack of comedy. It was more of a softball question, bash Republican Clinton-love-fest.

The only way that Jon Stewart could have been adoring of Clinton was if he got down on his kness and gave Bill a Monica (and who's to say that didn't happen in the commercial? Heck at least that would have been funny). You can apparently watch the interview yourself if you have a strong stomach at clicking on Celebrity Interviews - Bill Clinton to see this puff peice adorational interview in all of its Clinton-worshipping glory.

The Daily Show is described as a nightly news parody held on COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network. The episode was certainly not an example of comedy nor a parody, just an example of the Democrat-Media bias in action, so Comedy Central's description is deceptive advertising on both counts.

Time for the Amtrak Subsidies to leave the station

Once again, Amtrak is asking for Michigan to subsidize its operations, according to the Detroit News.

Its about time Michigan's Legislature said no.

Mass transit is a lovely idea, but when it has to be subsidized by the public at an amount of $7.1 million dollars just to keep the lines in operation it may make sense to just give each of the riders a portion of the subsidy in a check to buy a car.

Amtrack loses $66 for every person who boarded the Michigan Route from Port Huron to Chicago.

How about this, instead of subsidizing it, just charge the users the $66 more per ticket so it breaks even? Shouldn't the user pay after all? And if they shouldn't have to make up for the loss, why should the members of the public that never use Amtrak have to do so?

John Kerry - A Man of Constant Nuance

Sung to the O Brother tune of "I am a man of Constant Sorrows"

I am a man of constant nuance
I've been nuanced all my days
I claimed to be in Cambodia
When I was in Sa Dec 56 miles away.

When he was in Sa Dec, 56 miles away

You might consider me some kind of waffler
I flip-flop as fast as I can reframe
But the Press calls me remarkably consistent, with a few exceptions that I've made.

With a few exceptions that he's made

For the Liberal media wants me to win
their spin is worth 15 points
but their credibility will be in the toilet
when my lead fades away

When his lead fades away

Some say I'll be the first French president
calling on the UN before any decision I'd make
But for me the war on terorism is just policing
I'll only react to moves terrorists will make.

He'll only react to moves terorrists will make

So vote for me as I married wealthy
though I claim to be for the working man
Its just more of my nuance, so vote for me 'cause I'm not the Bush man.

So vote for him cause he's not the Bush man.

I am a man of constant nuance
I've been nuanced all my days .....

Bush Losing the Arab Vote

In the Detroit Free Press, Guest Columnist Derrick Jackson reveals Why Bush is losing ground with Arab Americans

Hashim Raza...This year, he will vote for Democrat John Kerry. "After 9/11, things started adding up," he said at a reception Tuesday for Muslim attendees to the Democratic National Convention hosted by the Islamic Society of Boston. "Muslims were unfairly targeted; we were presumed guilty; Ashcroft, Rumsfeld, and Cheney acted like they have no use for Muslims. The Republican Party has become a refuge for far right religious extremists.

now anything about being a delegate to the convention. Before 9/11, he and many of his professional friends were never involved in politics. But the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, when many Muslims were detained, made him concerned. "America is the best country in the world, but it's not easy to be a Muslim," he said.

The invasion of Iraq, which Gafur said was unnecessary, pushed him and other South Asian Muslims to register 1,000 voters and elect delegates to district, state and national delegations. Of the about 5,000 delegates to the convention, about 40 are Muslim and six are from Texas, including himself.

"Sometimes, on Middle East policy, Kerry seems to come across as Bush Lite," Gafur said. "But on domestic policy, with the Patriot Act and the racial profiling of Muslims, the Muslim community was awakened to the fact that we had to get involved."

It is trouble because families like the Khan family of Toledo have felt the sting of Bush's post-9/11 policies.

Quick get ready for the terrible sting:

Husband Abdul Hafeez and wife Meena Khan [and] Their two daughters, Zeenat, 29, and Zeba, 23, were with them at the reception. . . .They all originally supported Dennis Kucinich of Ohio for president.

Bush must have lost their vote if they're going from supporting Kucinich to Kerry. But wait, the sting of Bush's post-9/11 policies is still coming:

All four members of the family say they have been singled out for antiterrorism searches in airports. Abdul Hafeez, Meena and Zeba missed their flight to Boston because the father was pulled out of line and was not cleared until their flight was closed.

Oh, post 9/11 policies where is thy sting? They missed a flight because they didn't clear security in time? You mean they weren't beaten, detained or deported? Does anyoine think we would not have these security procedures in place after 9/11 under ANY President?

"In 35 years in this country I never had this experience," Abdul Hafeez said. Zeenat said, "When you can nullify the Bill of Rights, the current administration is out of control." Meena said, "All of the things America stands for -- freedom, charity, rights -- these are Muslim values, same as Christian values. But with all that's going on, how can you call this a Christian country?"

Well it hasn't been 35 years since 9/11 and lets face it, you're from the population from whence the terrorists came, so don't be surprised that you need to clear security just like anybody else. I love the appeal to Christian valuses and claiming that Muslims have the same values - where is freedom and rights in the Koran? In any Islamic country?.

None of the attendees or delegates were naive that Kerry completely supports their views. Kerry has angered Arab Americans for agreeing with significant parts of Bush's Israel/Palestine policy and his vote authorizing Bush to invade Iraq. What they hope is that Kerry's pledge not to be a unilateralist will mean he will at least listen to Muslims before acting.

Yet another reason to vote for Kerry - under him both the French and Muslims will get a veto on our future actions.

Gulten Ilhan, 38, a philosophy professor at St. Louis Community College and a Missouri delegate, said, "After there were no weapons of mass destruction, after it was clear we were not there to liberate Iraqis, Bush has lost many Arab Americans. We have no choice but to stay in Iraq now. But Bush cannot stay as president."

A philosophy professor no less. No weapons of mass destruction? How about all those Sarin and mustard gas shells that have been found?

I guess according to him the Iraqis have been enslaved by Haliburton, as deposing Saddam didn't "liberate Iraqis". Philosophically he probably preferered them to still be living under Hussein.

Yet another reason for you to vote for Bush in the election - make up for the loss of the Arab American vote.

Mayor Weighs in on the Speeding Ticket

Sometimes the best course in a controversy is to not say anything.

Mayor Kilpatrick's recent statements exemplifies why this is so.

Of the traffic stop where is Chief of Staff was pulled over for speeding he said "It sounds like a setup to me.". He then went on to say It's the biggest piece of crap," Kilpatrick said on the radio. "I was incredibly surprised that the Free Press would even write about it."

The Chief of Police also contributed a real morale-boosting line:

Bully-Cummings made [remarks] Wednesday that she believed the two officers recognized Beatty and stopped her to harass her. Beatty oversees the Police Department.

Bully-Cummings said she based her suspicions on a review of an in-car video, which she said shows the patrol car following Beatty longer than necessary and pulling alongside her car.

Bully-Cummings and other officials said that because of a technical glitch, there is no audio on the tape.

Both officers told the Free Press they did not recognize Beatty and were checking her license plate and speed. Their supervisor said he was surprised by the chief's and mayor's comments.

"I'm a little bit disappointed in what him and the chief have said. Being out there, I can guarantee anybody that what they said was the truth," Sgt. Robert Lalone said.

Lalone was called to the scene as Beatty phoned Bully-Cummings from her car. He arrived and talked to Beatty, who handed him the phone so he could talk to his chief. Lalone said she didn't tell him what to do, but he decided his officers didn't need the grief a ticket might bring..

This just gets curiouser and curioser.

New Detroit Police Policy on Speeders?

As reported in The Detroit Free Press,  Christine Beatty, the chief of staff of the Mayor of Detroit, was stopped for speeding.

Once she was pulled over she demanded of the cops  "Do you know who the (expletive) I am?" and proceeded to call the Chief of Police on her cell phone.

The police then decided to quash the speeding ticket.  The Sergeant in charge of the stop,  Sgt. Robert Lalone has stated that  he'd "show the same courtesy to any city worker. Because we're all underpaid and overworked."   Looks like that can be a great new excuse to get out of a ticket: Show a Detroit employee ID and claim to be overworked and underpaid.  Perhaps the Detroit PD will extend this excuse to all who drive in the motor city, after all we're all overworked and underpaid, regadless of whether we work for the City of Detroit or not.

Impressively, Ms. Beatty's license has previously been suspended four times for nonpayment of previous tickets., I guess she's just too overworked and underpaid to pay them.

Dearborn Heights wants to recognize Islam and Islamic Holy Days

From The Detroit News: Resolution on Islam Questioned

A City Council member is offering a resolution to recognize Islam and Muslim holy days, but critics questioned the timing and merit of his proposal.

City Councilman Robert Constan says that his resolution, which could be considered as early as tonight by the City Council, is intended to foster unity.

“There has been a lot of bad press about the Islamic faith and some extremists in the Islamic faith, and this was to sort of say that the Islamic faith is a faith of peace,” Constan said. Ah, the ROP Kool-Aid strikes again. Nevermind that the council never seems to have previously passed a "Christianity is a religion of peace, or Judaism, or even Buddhism for that matter.

But look who is opposed:

But Nasser Beydoun, executive director of the American-Arab Chamber of Commerce.. said “He is providing a resolution that is recognizing Islam, but we really don’t need the Dearborn Heights City Council to recognize Islam,” Beydoun said..

Apparently Constan is making this resolution to make amends (or perhaps appease, nay perhaps capitulate) to the Islamic community for his past 'transgression' against them. Apparently, during the City Council campaign one of his advisers had the audacity to poll residents asking if they were aware that some candidates were of Arab descent and that one was Muslim.

Apparently he's learned his lesson like a good dhimmi and is now pushing the religion of peace angle.

Hamtramck Voters Uphold Law Letting Mosques Use Loudspeakers

According to the Detroit News, broadcasting the Muslim call to prayer over a loudspeaker five times a day is now "protected speech". Voters upheld the amendment allowing the city's Islamic mosques to have amplified calls to prayer, 1,462 to 1,200.

Possible future requests for the Hamtramck City Counsel from the Mosque:

1. Implementation of Sharia within city limits.
2. Changing the name from Hamtramck to Islamtramck as the Ham reference is clearly offensive and derogatory to the City's Muslim residents.

World Court Pathetically Yet Unsurprisingly Condemns Israeli Security Fence

Referred from Little Green Footballs

The court's head judge, Shi Jiuyong of China, said in the ruling: "The wall ... cannot be justified by military exigencies or by the requirements of national security or public order.

"The construction ... constitutes breaches by Israel of its obligations under applicable international humanitarian law. Israel is under an obligation ... to dismantle forthwith the structure," he said.

The sheer moral blindness of such a decision is only tempered by the richly ironic delivery of the decision: The Chinese head judge ruling that "WALL cannot be justified by military exigencies or by the requirements of national security or public order".

Is this the first case ever of a Great Wall calling a Security Fence Illegal?

This decision is laughable, has no binding effect and should be treated as the joke that it is, not worht the paper it is printed on.

Baby Blogging Time - The First Tooth!

Introducing my daughter Abby to the Blogosphere: Abby meet the Blogosphere Blogosphere meet Abby As you can see, she's pleased to meet you. At Seven Months, we have the signs of a first tooth. We also have a 1 am and 4 am wake-up crying and screaming sleeping cycle which is making this blogger a little less than clear-eyed and focussed at times. I don't know if there is a "Babies of the Blogosphere" Carnival yet, but I'd be pleased to host one if there's interest. I claim the cutest baby prize though, completely objectively of course.
The First Tooth 

UAW poaching on CAW territory

In an interesting look at Union dynamics, accroding to The Detroit News article: UAW pushes into Canada, the UAW is trying to unionize a Honda plant in Ontario.

As the Canadian Auto Workers are already well-established in Cnaada, what is the deal with the UAW pushing onto their turf? The answer of course is members and their dues money.

Union membership in the US in the private sector is down significantly, as reported in the Detroit News the UAW’s U.S. membership ranks have fallen below 625,000 from 1.5 million in 1980. As such thwere's a need for more bodies for their dues. Canada is seeing an increase in Union membershiop, for example, once again according to the Detroit News, the CAW has more than doubled its membership to 265,000 since 1985.

So in a quest for more bodies, dues and of course the power and perks that follow them, the UAW is aggressively trying to expand in Ontario.

The problem apparently is that the Honda employees don't seem to enthused about joing any Union:

Gibson said he doesn’t believe Honda would close up shop if workers established a union. But “I don’t think we’ll see any (union) activity here,” he said.

Al Gonneau, a contract pipefitter at the plant, also predicts that status quo for Alliston. Basing his assessment on restroom graffiti, Gonneau said: “I’d say it’s 60 to 70 percent against.”

PPOs are only worth the paper they're printed on

And perhaps even less than that.

From the Detroit Free PressCourt orders were not enough to save woman

On the kitchen floor lay Paulette Litzan, ... who police say was killed by her ex-boyfriend, the father of the boy who found her body.
. . .
She had gone to police. She had gone to court. She had gotten a personal protection order against Stanley years ago and had filed for another -- which was denied -- three months before she was killed.

Her slaying was predictable and avoidable, said those who knew her. And to domestic violence experts, Litzan is a symbol of a flawed law enforcement system that too often ignores the pleas of women.

It should be noted that the PPO was not the only interface her boyfriend had with the justice system:

-in 1997 he was convicted of assault against her and given probation

-Her family and friends said Litzan filed many reports with the Sterling Heights Police Department describing harassing calls, violent behavior and threats.

-Court records show Stanley was convicted of at least two assaults related to Litzan, including an attack on her boyfriend a few years ago.

-He also pleaded guilty to domestic violence in 41A District Court in Sterling Heights for an April 2003 incident. He was ordered to stay away from Litzan for a year, but he violated his probation, court records show.

-he was charged with stalking. His last court appearance was two days before Litzan's death.

He also had been beating his son's dog with a hammer. Telling their son he would someday kill his mother. Stealing Litzan's cell phone and threatening all the men in the address book -- even young friends of Litzan's other son, a teenager.

Every possible sign that he intended to do Ms. Litzan severe harm was well and truly present, how the judge turned down her request for the second PPO is quite astonishing. But even if it had been granted the PPO would have done no good for her on the day he murdered her.

As the article states, the "system" clearly failed her and was clearly incapable of protecting her, reliance on such a system for protection is clearly misplaced for victims of domestic violence.

Moore deceptively claimed that Saddam's Iraq had never murdered an American

As noted at Fahrenheit Fact Blog,

Fahrenheit asserts that Saddam’s Iraq was a nation that “had never attacked the United States. A nation that had never threatened to attack the United States. A nation that had never murdered a single American citizen.”

Jake Tapper (ABC News): You declare in the film that Hussein’s regime had never killed an American …

Moore: That isn’t what I said. Quote the movie directly.

Tapper: What is the quote exactly?

Moore: “Murdered.” The government of Iraq did not commit a premeditated murder on an American citizen. I’d like you to point out one.

Fahrenheit Fact then points to a series of incidents that Saddam has been implicated in. However Fahrenheit neglects to mention the USS Stark Incident.

In 1987, an Iraqi Mirage launched two Exocet missiles at the Stark, after the Stark had radioed the aircraft and requested it identify itself. The attack killed 37 Americans. Firing missiles at an American vessel in international waters after it had identified itself is certainly killing, if not murder.

The International VIN Trade

And we're not talking about the French word for wine either.

As noted in The Detroit News Article: Too many cars, too few digits, US Auto producers are running out of Vehicle Identification Numbers. The problem is a nice example of problems with centralized and anticipatory planning: a numerical scheme started in 1981 that was supposed to last 30 years when designed is now facing a shortage.

As simply adding digits to the 17 digit code would cause some massive reprogramming efforts, one of the creative ideas floated is to buy more of the VINS from other nations such as Botswana and other countries as [m]ore than two dozen countries, from Armenia to Zimbabwe, have up to 288 WMI codes each. All are dormant. Would this be a case of in-sourcing VIN numbers to offset outsourcing in other areas?

The article also has a nice graphical explanation that demonstrates how to decode your VIN number.

Fieger Features Fahrenheiht 911 at Film Board Post

As noted in The Detroit News Article Fieger's '9/11' Film Contest Should Hit Cutting Room Floor, Geoffrey Fieger, Michigan's flamboyant Plaintiff's attorney has now

decided to use his position to promote Michael Moore’s new film, “Fahrenheit 9/11,” an anti-Bush diatribe that the Michigan filmmaker hopes will influence the outcome of this fall’s presidential election.

Fieger is offering a $2,500 scholarship to the high school student who writes the best essay about the R-rated film. The prize money, Fieger notes, will come out of his own pocket. But he is using his state office and Web site to promote the contest.

Interesting, a Democrat, appointed by a Democrat Governor, using a Michigan Executive Agency Office to assist a Democrat candidate for office? Say it isn't so!

Dog Blogging Moment

A Picture of My dog Tova as she leaps for a red squirrel. Carnival of the Cat bloggers take that@ 

South Korea's Leader Gets It

Following the beheading of Kim Sun-il, an innocent South Korean civilian in Iraq by Islamist terrorists, South Korea's President Roh Moo-hyun vowed to "deal sternly" with terrorism and push ahead with a large troop expansion as reported in the AP via the Detroit News.

While some South Koreans protested with placardsreading "Bush and Roh killed Kim Sun-il" and "We don't want to die. Korean troops get out." Placing the blame away from the terorrists and being as eager as the Spanish and French to capitulate, the average South Korean is made of sterner stuff.

I Have friends who served in Vietnam who either worked with or were near South Korean units and held the ROK units in high regard and respect. From their stories and from reading about the history of the ROK participation in Vietnam, it is a well known fact, and the terrorists should have known this, that messing with South Koreans is a very bad idea.

Hopefully the President Roh Moo-hyun will send not just the Engineers and Medics but combat troops to guard them and give the Islamist cowards a demonstration of exactly why its a very Bad Idea to kill innocent South Koreans.

He's right not to buckle to teerorrism, and his promised of sending even more troops is exactly the right response. It not only does not comply with the Islamists demands but does the opposite showing the guts and resolve of SOuth Korea in the face of these threats. I daresay the Islamists are going to be in for a rude awakening if they mess with South Koreans again.

Iran will release detained British Sailors

Iran has announced it will release the 8 detained British sailors it seized after they allegedly entered 1000 meters into Iranian territorial waters.

However, the Iranians publicly displayed the sailors on Arab television:

the sailors, who were shown on Iranian television blindfolded and seated cross-legged on the ground.

and

On Tuesday, two sailors were shown on television apologizing for mistakenly entering Iran’s territorial waters. They read from a "prepared script".

No word yet on whether Iran will release the boats they seized.

Iran did the smart thing in immediately releasing the sailors rather than putting them on trial as they had previously threatened.

Airshow Photos

Pictures from the 2004 Grosse Ile Airshow


F117 Stealth Flyby

A T6 Texan WWII Trainer

Five T6 Texans Flying in formation with smoke on

A Texan II, The Air Force's Latest Training Aircraft

An F4U Corsair

A p51 Mustang

With the exception of the Texan 2 and the F117, all of the aircraft depicted are privately own and flown.

Iranian Boat Grab Update

This update is from the UK Ministry of Defence:

The Ministry of Defence can confirm that eight Royal navy personnel from the Royal Navy training team based in southern Iraq have been detained by the Iranian authorities while delivering a boat from Umm Qasr to Basrah. The team members were travelling in three boats (two Boston Whalers and one British Army Combat Support Boat) along the Shatt al Arab waterway on 21 June. The boats were unarmed but the crews were carrying their personal weapons.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is liaising with the Iranian Government to resolve the situation.

Iranians Grab British Patrol boats

Three British Patrol Boats with 8 crewman on board have been seized by the Iranians.

Apparently these boats regularly patrol the Iraq/Iran maritime border in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway.

Iran’s state-run, Arabic language Al-Alam television station reported that the three British ships entered Iranian territorial waters not far from the Iran-Iraq border.

“Iranian forces confiscated the ships and eight military personnel on board,” the report said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hamid Reza Asefi, confirmed the report, according to Iran’s main Persian-language TV channel.

“Interrogation of those detained will continue until the matter is clarified,” Asefi was quoted as saying.

The Iranian TV report said British crewmembers were carrying maps and weapons. It also said the ships were seized about 11 a.m. between the Bahmanshir and Arvand rivers, which would put them in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway east of the Iraqi city of Faw.

The ministry said there were no British warships operating in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway but some smaller vessels were there.

“We are assisting the Iraqi water police there so it may be one of those vessels,” a spokesman said on condition of anonymity.

The Foreign Office said British diplomats in Tehran had been in contact with the Iranian government but it was still unclear what had happened.

From the Toronto Star

It certainly looks like Iran is trying to act tough in the face of continuing evidence that its "peaceful" nuclear program is being used for weapons development. Additionally if this seizure causes problems and prevents Britisah patrolling of the waterway, thereby enhancing the chances of Iran to smuggle weapons and people into Iraq, I'm sure the Iranians won't mind that either.

Father's Day Airshow Report

For my first Father's Day as a new Father I was taken out to the 2004 Grosse Isle Airshow and had a great time.

Pictures and possibly a video clip to follow shortly.

Venona - Soviet espionage against America in the 40s and 50s

Venona was the name of the US program that decrypted and read Soviet spies' messages on their activities in the United States.

The Soviet espionage activities in the 40's and 50's were quite pervasive. Among those mentioned in the cables are the Rosenbergs, Alger Hiss, and Klaus Fuchs. The Soviet's espionage against the atomic bomb project is prominent in these messages with many referrals to the Manhattan project.

It certainly leads one to believe that McCarthy should be faulted not for his HUAC activities, but for merely scratching the surface and not probing deeper into the Soviet's and US Communist party's activities than he did. It certainly seems that there was in fact wide-spread communist infiltration of the US Government and other American institutions.

To see some of the now declasified Venona documents click:

The NSA's Venona site

The PBS Link

For an excellent overview of Venona check out the CIA's own website on the subject

Mayor of Detroit Suffers Outbreak of Foot-In-Mouth Disease

As noted in the Detroit News, Mayor Kilpatrick, made some embarrasing, if not downright stupid gaffes at the Detroit Regional Chanmber's policy conference.

Kilpatrick blurted out, “What is it with you white people? You love your drug wars.”

The racist remark was part of a larger and more bizarre diatribe by the mayor in which he blamed the media for Detroit’s poor image. Kilpatrick contends that Detroit doesn’t have a problem with crime, despite the cold, hard numbers from the FBI; it has a problem with the way the media report on crime.

Just imagine the protests, if not an outright riot, that would have occurred had it been a white politician saying “What is it with you black people? You love your drugs.”

Pathetic, racist and absolutely unnacceptable either way.

Hopefully the Mayor has the good sense to apologise, or that the media keep on this.

As a Mayor of a city that is now predominantly black, that is seeking the predominantly white suburbs to kick in money to keep the city afloat, one would think the Mayor would show both more class and more tact.

Imam Calls for Justice

But you know there's a catch.

Special to the Detroit News, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, head of the Islamic House of Worship in Dearborn Heights declares that Faith and values demand justice for Palestinians.


His editorial is a classic seethe. While he calls for "justice" and castigates the US and Israel, he can't seem to demand that his co-religionists that are terrorists should be brought to justice.

Of course he brings up Abu Ghraib:
The disgraceful scenes of brutality and humiliation in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison have made a powerful explosive weapon of mass destruction whose main victim was the image of our country around the world.

Her then brings up the standard canard that Arrogant acts mixed with strategic mistakes resulted in losing the hearts and minds of the Iraqis. Last May the president declared the end of the war, and this May he declared the beginning of the war without predicting its end. For some reason, the president has decided to put the Israeli agenda above American security.

The Imam doesn't seem to connect the dots as to how the President not "predicting an end to the war in Iraq" is somehow putting the Israeli agenda above American security. Of course for Moonbats, including Fritz Hollings and Jim Moran, this is apparently understood.

He then plays the standard massacre card concerning the battle in Rafah

He then tops it off with his statement that I am not anti-Jewish; I am anti-injustice. I joined the interfaith “Walk as One” parade in Detroit to be one nation under one Lord. I wish I heard more courageous voices from the faithful within the Jewish community condemning the atrocities of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza.

Yep, some of his best friends are Jewish no doubt. Of course in his entire editorial he can't seem able to condemn a single act of Arab/Palestinian terrorism.

It's a classic one-sided seethe complete with references to Amnesty international and the UN as moral agents condemning evil Israeli actions like the building of a security fence to stop terorist infiltrations and interdicting tunnels used to smuggle weapons to kills Jews.

After all it just wouldn't meet his concept of justice to prevent terrorists from killing more Jews.

Little Green Footballs - the Drinking Game

In honor of the many drinking threads on Little Green Footballs, as a regular reader and occasional poster, I present the LGF Drinking Game.

The Rules

A Drink can be a beer, a glass of wine or a shot of liquor…your choice.

You must take a drink when:

1. Anytime someone posts “FIRST!”

2. Anytime Bigel posts that we should nuke Mecca and Medina
You can

a) take a drink in disgust
b) down a drink in agreement
c) contemplatively sip your drink while thinking…that might not be a bad idea as a deterrent to threaten the Islamists that if there is another attack on US soil we’ll atomically reconfigure their religion.

3. Anytime Aisha sings the praises of wearing a burka or a hijab

4. Anytime someone says “Gordon is a troll but even like a broken clock he’s sometimes right”

5. Anytime someone (((hugs))) someone else.

6. Anytime a Troll declares that LGF is a racist cesspool for its reporting on Islamist threats, Islamist statements in the media or mosque, Islamist activities and seethings.

7. Anytime someone GAZEs at a Troll.

8. Anytime someone tells a Troll to appropriately FOAD.

9. Anytime someone asks for a hat tip.

10. Anytime a post or commentator states that "Islam is a Religion of Peace" (ROP or ROPMA also qualifies).

11. Anytime someone brings up the grand Lizardroid conspiracy.

12. Anytime Charles posts in the comments on a thread. Please drink while standing at a position of attention with your glass raised to your Lizardroid Master.

13. If you’re not drunk yet by the time you read this rule, you’re obviously not reading LGF, get reading and start over!

Enrollment Decline at U of M Women and Minorities hardest hit.

Its interesting to see the different spins being spun on the enrollment drop at U of M.

The Detroit Free Press In its editorial notes that
applications among African Americans and Hispanics dropped 25 percent and 13 percent respectively But it then goes on to state that there was a a similar, 20-percent decline in white student applications.

On the other hand, The Detroit News in its editorial only remarks that U-M’s minority applications are down 21 percent from last fall; applications dropped 25 percent for African-Americans and 22 percent fewer African-Americans were accepted., with no mention of the corresponding 20% decline in white student applications.

Perhaps it did not mention this numerically similar decline in order to take a swipe at the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative's attempt to place on the ballot a referendum prohibiting affirmative action, noting it was a possible reason for the decline in minority students declining applications, and that it merely being in contention is enought for the damage may have already been done.

So the Detroit News is assuming minority students would not even apply to U of M because of a possible refferendum, which has not even taken place, and is the subject of court action, that would only prohibit affirmative action? If the Detroit News truly thinks that minority students are that dumb as to be influenced by such an event to not even apply, then no wonder that the Detroit News is in favor of affirmative action plans. But this reflects far more on the mindset of the Detroit News editorial writer than on the ability of any minority student.

Meanwhile, the Freep does not even mention the MCRI initiative as possible reason for the decline.

On the Eurofighter

Instapundit links to an article on the scotsman.com That the UK may sell some of its Eurofighters before they are even put into service with the RAF.

The Eurofighter, which was to be the Euro consortium's answer to the F-22 and other latest generation fighter planbes seems to have its share of problems:

Beset by problems with design, hideous delays and enormous cost overruns, the fighter is already four years behind schedule.


but most significantly, for an all-weather, air superiority fighter and fighter bomber is this little drawback:

a procurement process that has been dogged by farcical hurdles, including the latest official warning that its pilots should not fly in cloud

I do hope the Europeans only fight their air battles on clear days.

Wayne County wants to get into the slavery reparations business

In the Detroit News Article Wayne targets profits from slavery: County may require disclosure by firms that win contracts, the News reports that the Wayne County Council is weighing an ordinance to force firms bidding on county contracts of $20,000 or more to disclose whether they “invested in, or supported or profited in some manner from the institution of slavery.”

That should surely improve Wayne County's business climate.

Has the Board of Commissioners ever heard of a basic legal concept known as the Statute of Limitations?

Have they heard that, as reported in the article, Lawsuits seeking reparations have failed for one big reason: Slavery was fully legal until the 13th Amendment in 1864, said Robert A. Sedler, a Wayne State University law professor who has studied the issue.

To pass this ordinance as a feel-good measure which will increase the costs of companies doing business with Wayne County while Michigan is in an economic downturn truly shows that rather than try and improve the economic condition of the County, the Commissioners want to score cheap political points with its base with its attack against the wealth of the old-money companies.

CNN -- on the Other Side

CNN, the cable network that admitted to sitting on stories that gave a true picture of life in Iraq under Saddam.

CNN, the cable network that coddles Castro to keep its Cuba access.

CNN, the network that carefully covers up and shills for dictators in return for access, seems to have no trouble attacking and attempting to undermine democracies.

in CNN camera crew detained near Dimona reactor The Jerusalem Post reports that a CNN Camera Crew was caught filming in a restricted area where no photography is allowed near the Dimona nuclear reactor.


The article noted that CNN has a history of violating Israel censorship. It was taken off the air temporarily during the 1991 Gulf War when it revealed the location of Scud rocket impacts, information that could help launchers adjust subsequent missile strikes.

CNN covers for dictators and murderers but would publish data to make it easier for these same dictators to attack democracies.

CNN, the cable network that isn't there to provide news, its simply on the other side.

More from "The British Have Lost Their Minds" File

From Little Green Footballs.

British-based Al-Muhajiroun leader Omar Bakri Muhammad has openly threatend attacks on London and shows the Islamist face of evil for all to see:

“It’s inevitable. Because several (attacks) are being prepared by several groups,” Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad told Lisbon’s Publica magazine from London where he is based.

. . .

He added: “We don’t make a distinction between civilians and non-civilians, innocents and non-innocents. Only between Muslims and unbelievers. And the life of an unbeliever has no value. It has no sanctity.”

It was important to see accusations of terrorism in their proper context, he said.

“If we give money to needy women and children, they say they are the families of terrorists. But where do the terrorists come from? Zimbabwe? No. They are people from here. And they are our brothers, the terrorists.”

. . .

The Syrian-born cleric heads the al Muhajiroun group, which has praised the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and the al Qaeda militant network blamed for them. ...

Asked about his comments that he wanted to have the banner of Islam at 10 Downing Street, Muhammad said, “Yes, it’s my dream. I believe one day that is going to happen. Because this is my country, I like living here.”


As noted by one of the Commentors on the site (#53 Right Wing Conspirator ), this lovely person actually receives British welfare benefits.

Unbelievable, the British Government is actually subsidizing his hatred, advocation of terrorism against the British and attempts to overthrow the British Govenrment.

Group Wants Michigan Juries to be Selected Based on Race

In the Ann Arbor News, it is reported that the group People of Diversity United for Equality want to place on the November 2004 ballot a "proposal that would allow plaintiffs or defendants in civil and criminal trials to request that 50 percent of a jury be identical to the plaintiffs' or defendants' own race. "

PODUE [Is that a horrid acronym or what?] President Roderick Casey, 46, said the purpose of the drive is to "empower disenfranchised" individuals, particularly the poor and people of color, involved in the judicial system.

This is simply insane, an affirmative action scheme for juries. Why only make the jury racially similar to the defendant? How about class, gender, hobbies, political beliefs and support of the same sports teams? After all two Detroit Red Wings fans have much more in common than, for example a Red Wings fan and a supporter of the Nashville Predators. Indeed, it is well known that supporters of the Nashville Predators are horribly under-represented in the Michigan jury pool and likely to suffer discriminatory effects from Red Wings fans (especially during this year's playoff season).

One would think this measure would be unconstitutional on its face. We already have good Supreme Court law that preemptions peremptory challenges (Thank you for the correction Prof. Volokh!) cannot be based on race (Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986); Powers v. Ohio, 499 U.S. 400 (1991) and others) or gender (J.E.B. v. Alabama, 511 U.S. 127 (1994) and others).

One would think a requirement that 50% of the jury must be a certain race would also offend the Equal Protection Clause.

Ruben Navarrette seems to follow along with Kos' "Screw the Mercenaries" meme

While stated in a more polite manner than Kos, but in a Kos-like editorial carried nationally by the Washington Post Writers Group and picked up by the Detroit News, Ruben Navarrette in his article "Modern-day mercenaries blur vision of Iraq" seems to hold the four Americans killed in Iraq while protecting a food convoy in contempt and states any appeals to his sympathy was a result of manipulation as the news reports did not initially state the dead were employed by Blackwater as security.

I admit that when I first saw the images from Fallujah, I wanted the administration to send a message that we wouldn't be scared off from what is, I am still convinced, a just war. Now that I know more about what these four men were doing in Iraq and at what price, I feel manipulated. Here we were originally told that these were civilians killed while doing humanitarian work. Someone left out the part about how these civilians were also hired guns.

The administration had the right response, but we shouldn't blur the line between these modern-day mercenaries and U.S. military personnel.

One group takes with it the prayers of a grateful nation. The other takes its chances.

While Navarrette is more polite than Kos, as he didn't directly come out and say screw em, his sentiments are the same.

Somehow being paid by a private company rather than by the government while guarding a food convoy causes the likes of Navarette and Kos to lose all respect for the dead Americans. These Americans were in fact "civilians killed while doing humanitarian work" and Navarette's snide remark that because they were "hired guns" and that they as a group should take their "chances" is more revealing about Navarette's prejudices than the grateful nation for whom they died serving.

Fieger expected to be appointed to Michigan Film Board

Geoffrey Fieger is an outstanding and flamboyant Plaintiff's lawyer, who tends to get reversed on appeal quite a lot. He had previously ran for Governor on the Democrat ticket, but then did not run against Granholm for the most recent Democrat nomination.

From the Detroit Free Press

In a correction to the above article, The Freep Noted he had not yet been appointed:

Terry Lawson's Entertainment at Large column Sunday reported that lawyer Geoffrey Fieger had been appointed head of the Michigan Film Advisory Board. Although Gov. Jennifer Granholm has announced her intention to appoint Fieger as chairman, a position that doesn't require Senate approval, the appointment has not been formally made. The governor's office said Friday that Fieger is still expected to be appointed to the position.


It is expected that soon after his appointment is finalized, films depicting Defense Lawyers in a sympathetic light will be banned in Michigan.

The ABA, Brown v Board, and Gun Control

The ABA in the ABA Journal, has a special feature on the Brown v. Board decision that ended segregation.

The ABA has a feature article: Making Brown Real - A North Carolina Family Fought Threats and Intimidation After Suing to integrate Schools.

In the Article, it recounts the following incident:

Christine Coppedge remembers the fall night in 1966. Five cars bearing Confederate battle flags headed up the long narrow driveway toward her family's home . . .
That night, Christine Coppedge knew the men were coming for her family. She had been warned. And she was prepared. With her husband away finishign his Baptist seminary studies, she borrowed a semi-automatic rifle and positioned herself behind an old oak tree near her Federal-style house.
As the cars neared, she opend fire. Not surprisingly, the intruders retreated, backing up so quickly they comically bumped into each other on the way out.

Mrs. Coppedge used an "assault weapon" to defend the lives of herself and family and protect them as she struggled for their civil rights.

The ABA however, supported the "assault weapons" ban and supports its extension, as well as other measures to prevent citizens from having access to firearms to protect themselves. Had this ban been in effect then along with the other bans the ABA backs to deprive law-abiding citizens of firearms, perhaps Mrs. Coppedge would not have been able to have so ably defend herself and family and go on and become a named plaintiff and ultimately beat segregation in court.

Euros snidely condemn Israel for Killing Yassin

As most of the Blogosphere knows, the leader of the terrorist group Hamas has been sent to hell, courtesy of a well aimed missile from the Israeli Air Force.

The Europeans of course are quick to condemn Israel in defending itself as reported in the Detroit Free Press:

In a statement, the EU foreign ministers said Hamas was guilty of ``atrocities ... which have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis'' and that Israel has the right to protect itself against terrorist attacks.

Wow, that's very generous of them, after all, most of the Euros consider Hamas to be a welfare and charitable works organization.

``Israel is not, however, entitled to carry out extra-judicial killings,'' the EU statement added. It said Yassin's assassination ``has inflamed the situation ... Violence is no substitute for the political negotiations which are necessary for a just and lasting settlement.''

Hey, the helicopter had an arrest warrant, and Yassin resisted arrest, and got blown to smithereens as a result. So there. Oh, you mean they didn't try to arrest him first and maybe haul him in front of the International Court? Too bad. He's a terrorist and got what he deserved. Anyways, I thought the EU frowned on judicial killings in any case so why are they making a fuss about extra-judicial killings. Not to worry EU, while this may not have been a judicial killing, it certainly was a judicious one.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Yassin's assassination would not make Israel any more secure.

Really, that's one less terrorist leader down who can't plan or order any more attacks.

Straw spoke of ``Israel's paramount need to defend itself'' against terrorists, but if it wants ``the full support of the international community, it needs to do so within the boundaries set by international law.''

Wow, nice to see that British are finally admitting that Israel may defend itself. I do hope however that Britain reexamines all of its "extra-judicial" killings of IRA terrorists who were on active operations, as after all, killing them didn't make Britain any more secure.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana called it ``very, very bad news for the peace process.''

Whereas, according to Solana, dead Jews are just a part of the peace process, I'll take the bad news, thank you very much.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said he was ``deeply concerned about the possible consequences,'' such as an escalation of violence.

As if everything was hunky-dory until Yassin caught a missile? News to Fischer, the violence hasn't subsided. Only killing off the terrorists will end the cycle of violence, or capitulation. After all Germany today is still concerned about the cycle of violence posed by any actions Germany might take against the Baader-Meinhorf Group, ja?

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said the killing ``amplifies the cycle of violence.'' and immediately counselled Israel to follow France's lead and surrender.

De Villepin urged Palestinians and Israelis to recommit to the peace process that is jointly endorsed by the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations and foresees a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Yassin's Hamas opposes that effort and is committed to destroying the Jewish state and replacing it with an Islamic one.

Newsflash Dominique: the paleswinians never committed to the peace process and haven't even fulfilled an inch of their obligations under the Roadmap. Quit trying to feed Israel to the alligator would you?

Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said the EU has long opposed ``extra-judicial killings.'' they also oppose judicial killings, and nasty words at breakfast. Funny thing Per Stig, you didn't mind the Free world committing extra-judicial killings to free your country from the Nazis now did you? Or do you want a 'do-over' and we'll let you sue the Germans in court after they occupy you?

He said that reviving the peace process will not be any ``easier when you have killings like that going on in Gaza. Terror and violence is not the way ahead.''

Exactly, so when you kill the terrorists, you cut down on terror and violence and thus help revive the peace process.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen urged both sides to curtail violence and implement the U.S.-backed ``road map'' plan for Mideast peace.

``This act will contribute to increased tensions in the area and will make it more difficult to implement the road map for peace and a possible Israeli withdrawal from Gaza,'' he said.

Actually Jan, it may make an Israeli withdrawal easier, as the less terrorist infrastructure that exists, the less need there will be to periodically return and stomp out the terrorists, and thus this action will result in less violence. After all dead terrorists can make no plans, construct no bombs and can no longer kill innocent people.

One would think the bombing in madrid would wake the Euros up to the danger faced and the need to interdict the terorrists without waiting for a "judicial" process. It seems the Euros still can't avoid appeasement and counselling surrender.

Iranian uprising should be supported by the United States

It seems an uprising against the mad mullahs of Iran could begin at any time. Already demonstrations and sporadic fights have broken out as reported at National Review Online and Vodkapundit .

The US should support this popular uprising against the Ayatollahs either covertly or overtly. Such support is in the United State's interests for the following reasons:

1. Iran is an avowed enemy of the united States.

2. Iran is a supporter and sponsor of terrorism. Defeat of the current dictatorship will lead to a cessation of the Iranians support for Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, making Americans safer.

3. The defeat of the fundamentalists in Iran and the implementation of a democracy will continue the implementation of the Bush doctrine in the Middle East. This will continue the work begun in Iraq and will help shape the Middle East.

4. The Iranian government is supporting attackers in Iraq. A defeat of the Ayatollahs will help stabilize Iraq.

5. The Iranians are clearly working toward acquiring nuclear weapons. So stopping them before they have them would certainly be in our national interest.

6. Removing the dictator's in Iran from power removes any pretense for the Saudis. We no longer would need to blindly protect their corrupt, Anti-American regime from an Iranian threat.


We should support this uprising in all possible ways. If we cannot directly support it by an invasion, we should use Special Forces to assist the Iranian people in their uprising.

At the very least we should drop thousands of radios and weapons to the Iranians, as we did in World War II when we parachuted in FP45 Liberator pistols to arm resistance fighters against the Nazis.

Just imagine the look on the Revolutionary Guards thugs' faces when they come to beat up on what they would expect to be defenseless unarmed demonstrators only to be shot down by them.

The US has a chance here to gain the gratefulness of the people of Iran by assisting them in their fight for freedom from the Islamists. We shouldn't lose this opportunity.

Accused Nazi wants deportation hearing delayed due to health problems

The health problem in this case is that this scum is still breathing American air. He's had a nice, comfy house and job, and comfiortably retired, while his victims never had such opportunities.

A n 82-year-old man accused of collaborating with the Nazis in World War II in Poland is suffering from prostate cancer and other medical problems and should be given more time to answer a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit seeking his deportation, his lawyers said in court papers filed recently in Detroit.

The lawyers said John (Ivan) Kalymon of Troy cited upcoming radiation treatment and other ailments as reasons to delay his response to a civil complaint filed in January. The response was due March 8.

The lawyers also asked U.S. District Judge Marianne Battani in the requests earlier this month to seal all records in the case and prevent lawyers from discussing it to protect Kalymon's privacy. His lawyers said the Justice Department rejected both requests.

The Justice Department accused Kalymon of belonging to a Nazi-run police force that herded Jews for deportation and extermination.

Hopefully, Judge Battani will first deny his attempt to seal the proceeding. Also, The Judge should deny his attempt delay the proceeding. His deportation has already been delayed for 50 years while he has illegally enjoyed the benefit of living in the USA, No more.

Source: The Detroit Free Press

Coin of the Week - Beware the Ides Of March

This coin was Struck by Brutus commemorating the assasination of Julies Caesar on the Ides of March in 44 BC (March 15).




On the Reverse of the coin is the Cap of Liberty with a dagger on each side.

On the Obverse is the Portrait of Brutus.

This is one of the most famous of Roman Coins, commemortating one of the most famous events in all of history, and is accordingly expensive as only 50 of these silver denarii have survived and exist in the world today, and as this one is in Extra Fine condition, it accordingly commands a high price.

The images of the Eid Mar denarius are from Wildwinds.com This coin featured on Wildwinds (an impressive reference site for ancient coins) sold for $110,000.00.

Aliso Viejo, California almost bans foam cups containing dihydrous oxide

Dihydrous Oxide, of course, is commonly known as water.

In Calif. Officials Nearly Fall for H2O Hoax The Detroit News reports that these city officials were taken in by a web site proclaiming the dangers of that dreaded chemical, well known for its dangerous effects on human beings.

Just imagine how far this hoax could have gone, perhaps the California State Legislature would have followed the CIty Council's lead and passed regulation to protect the poor citizens of California and mandated that all bottled water labels to contain a statement that "This item contains substances known to the State of California to contain substances harmful to human beings".

A lot of feel-good legilsation leads to absurd results, this time it began with an absurd result, but thankfuly, no legislation was passed to compound the error.

Coin of the Week - A Denarius Depicting Justice

Following the announcement that the United States Mint is about to unveil a coin commemorating the First Supreme Court Justice, it seems only appropriate to feature a coin with a depiction of Ivstitia, the Roman Goddess of Justice.

The coin is a Roman Denarius of Septimius Severus, who ruled from 193-211 AD, and the coin is dated to approximately 198-202 AD.

On the Obverse: Septimius Severus, bearded portrait with a laurel wreath.
On the Reverse: Justitia seated holding a patera in her right hand and a scepter in her left hand.

The photo is from BeastCoins.com.

New US Silver Dollar to Honor Supreme Court Justice John Marshall

In a nice confluence of legal and numismatic news, next year, a silver dollar honoring the 250th anniversary of the birth of Chief Justice John Marshall will be struck by the US Mint.

It will be the first time the Supreme Court or one of its Justices will be so honored.

Perhaps this will lead to a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Collector's Coin set in the future.

Same Sex Wedding ban fails to pass in the Legislature

This attempted constitutional amendment failed on a 65-38 vote, which is eight votes short of the 2/3rds majority required to move the amnedment to the Michigan Senate and then to the ballot for ratification by Michgan's citizens as a constitutional amendment. Thus this attempt at adding a gay marriage ban to the Michigan Constitution failed.

Governor Granholm was apparently pleased at the outcome and her spokesperson noted that Michigan already has a law that bans gay marriage, Michigan does however allow Public Universities and other entities to provide benefits for same-sex couples that are the same as if the couple was married.

The spokesperson also hit the issue right on the head when she said "the governor does not believe the people want government in their bedrooms. Perhaps now we can focus on issues important to Michigan residents”.

Hopefully now the House can focus on the more pressing issues, such as the economy in Michigan, rather than worry about a small minority's pursuit of happiness. Let's face it, even if the courts in Michigan suddenly follow Massachussets' lead (and given the current composition of the Michigan Supreme Court, that's highly unlikey) the overall effect will be shockingly little, and society is quite unlikely to crumble as a result. The sky didn't fall once Public universities and other businesses gave comparable benefits to gay couples and it won't fall if gay marriage is recognized here either.

Interestingly, while the vote was mainly on party lines, 3 Republicans voted against it, 4 Democrats voted for it and 5 Democrats apparently sat there and did not vote at all.