Like This is a Surprise

I have always said the nimrods criticizing the military -- I don't think the likes of Durbin, Kennedy, Boxer, of other lefties care.
Journal Gazette | 11/28/2005 | 70% believe war criticism hurts troops, poll says

Seventy percent of people said that criticism of the war by Democratic senators hurts troop morale - with 44 percent saying morale is hurt "a lot," according to a poll taken by RT Strategies. Even self-identified Democrats agree: 55 percent believe criticism hurts morale while 21 percent say it helps morale.
[...]
Their poll also indicates many Americans are skeptical of Democratic complaints about the war. Just three of 10 adults accept that Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe this will help U.S. efforts in Iraq. A majority believes the motive is really to “gain a partisan political advantage.”

Interesting - Bruce Willis Bucks Hollywood

Got to say I like it when anyone in Hollywood bucks their liberalism.
Bruce Willis comes out fighting for Iraq's forgotten GI heroes - Sunday Times - Times Online

ANGERED by negative portrayals of the conflict in Iraq, Bruce Willis, the Hollywood star, is to make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy.
It will be based on the exploits of the heavily decorated members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, which has spent the past year battling insurgents in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul.
Willis attended Deuce Four's homecoming ball this month in Seattle, Washington, where the soldiers are on leave, along with Stephen Eads, the producer of Armageddon and The Sixth Sense.
[...]
Unlike many Hollywood stars Willis supports the war

in Case You Missed it!

Don't open any e-mails claiming to be from the CIA or FBI!
Google News

Google Maps Commercial

This is funny!


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Good-bye Arnold

The nation's sensei passes -- farewell.
Actor Pat Morita Dies at 73 - Yahoo! News

LOS ANGELES - Actor Pat Morita, whose portrayal of the wise and dry-witted Mr. Miyagi in 'The Karate Kid' earned him an Oscar nomination, has died. He was 73.Morita died Thursday at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes, said his wife of 12 years, Evelyn. She said in a statement that her husband, who first rose to fame with a role on "Happy Days," had "dedicated his entire life to acting and comedy."

Another Argument for Homeschooling

I have mentioned that I did not agree with my sibling's choice to home-school her "offspring" when she and her husband made the choice way back when -- however, when I see how wonderful her eighteen year-old has turned out and read stories like below, I must say it is more then just a viable option. With the deterioration of public school, the court system taking away parent's rights (read here), and the cost of alternative education -- I am fast becoming a home-school advocate.
Teacher under investigation for alleged liberalism - Boston.com

BENNINGTON, Vt. --The school superintendent whose district includes Mount Anthony Union High School has labeled 'inappropriate' and 'irresponsible' an English teacher's use of liberal statements in a vocabulary quiz.
'I wish Bush would be (coherent, eschewed) for once during a speech, but there are theories that his everyday diction charms the below-average mind, hence insuring him Republican votes,' said one question on a quiz written by English and social studies teacher Bret Chenkin.
The question referring to the president asked students to say whether coherent or eschewed was the proper word. The sentence would be more coherent if one eschewed eschewed.
Another example said, 'It is frightening the way the extreme right has (balled, arrogated) aspects of the Constitution and warped them for their own agenda.' Arrogated would be the proper word there.
Chenkin, 36 and a teacher for seven years, said the quizzes are being taken out of context.
'The kids know it's hyperbolic, so-to-speak,' he said. 'They know it's tongue in cheek. They know where I stand.'
He said he isn't shy about sharing his liberal views with students, but invites vigorous debate in the classroom.
'Never once have I said, 'OK, you're wrong,'' he said. 'Instead, it's, 'OK, let's open this up. Let's see where this can go.''
Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union Superintendent Wesley Knapp said he would not want his children subjected to such teaching.
'It's absolutely unacceptable,' he said. 'They (teachers) don't have a license to hold forth on a particular standpoint."

(via Michelle Malkin) (Contact Chenkin and the English Department here)

Disconnect -- Understatement

The poll I mentioned previously is mentioned in this article, from the MSM no less. Further, Max Boot, echos many things I and much more notable bloggers have been saying -- shinning a light on the media's attempt to paint a false picture.
Iraq's a lost cause? Ask the real experts - Los Angeles Times

WHEN IT COMES to the future of Iraq, there is a deep disconnect between those who have firsthand knowledge of the situation - Iraqis and U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq - and those whose impressions are shaped by doomsday press coverage and the imperatives of domestic politics.

Some more interesting excerpts.

The Pew Research Center and the Council on Foreign Relations just released a survey of American elites that found that 64% of military officers are confident that we will succeed in establishing a stable democracy in Iraq. The comparable figures for journalists and academics are 33% and 27%, respectively. Even more impressive than the Pew poll is the evidence of how our service members are voting with their feet. Although both the Army and the Marine Corps are having trouble attracting fresh recruits - no surprise, given the state of public opinion regarding Iraq - reenlistment rates continue to exceed expectations. Veterans are expressing their confidence in the war effort by signing up to continue fighting.

This is pretty good reading.

If You Trust Polls

If you trust polls, I for the most part don't, and are concerned about all the hubbub over the recent BBC poll about Iraq's view of the US -- here is another. Hmm, which is correct? Which is most accurate? Which words the questions as you would? You choose!

(Click on the pic for the Power Point presentation.)

Happy Thanksgiving

I wish all -- liberal, conservative, or independent -- a Happy Thanksgiving. My deepest wish is that all have something to be thankful for, and I believe all Americans do.

Like last year I want to share George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation.

WHEREAS, It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor;

WHEREAS, Both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted' for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

--George Washington - October 3, 1789

Interesting - Red States More Generous

Click on the window below to see the newest "generosity index" -- notice the lack of "blue" [liberal] states at the top. Who cares more? I found this interesting. You can also see 2004's report here.

Google Click-to-Call

Is this cool or is this scary? I mean will anyone use or will everyone believe it is another way to get your phone number?
Google Click-to-Call

and The Democratic Nominee Is

Sen. Hillary Clinton: Rep. John Murtha's Iraq Exit Plan a 'Mistake'

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that an immediate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq would be 'a big mistake.'
The New York Democrat said she respects Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pa., the Vietnam veteran and hawkish ex-Marine who last week called for an immediate troop pullout. But she added: 'I think that would cause more problems for us in America.'
'It will matter to us if Iraq totally collapses into civil war, if it becomes a failed state the way Afghanistan was, where terrorists are free to basically set up camp and launch attacks against us,' she said.

The loony left has got to be "up in arms" -- what are they to do?

Hmm -- John Kerry on Iraq

From Kerry's Website
On March 20, 2003, Senator John Kerry issued the following statement in response to the commencement of military strikes in Iraq:

"It appears that with the deadline for exile come and gone, Saddam Hussein has chosen to make military force the ultimate weapons inspections enforcement mechanism. If so, the only exit strategy is victory, this is our common mission and the world's cause. We're in this together. We want to complete the mission while safeguarding our troops, avoiding innocent civilian casualties, disarming Saddam Hussein and engaging the community of nations to rebuild Iraq."

Malkin Responds

I second it -- Cowards leave her family out of it!
Michelle Malkin: JUST A YELLOW WOMAN DOING A WHITE MAN'S JOB

If you have a problem with my work and what I stand for, go ahead and take me on. Keep calling me whatever four-letter-word makes you feel better when you can't win your arguments. But leave my family alone.

On a personal note, being married to an Asian woman and from the deep south, those I know from the left are the most curious about the differences in our races, cultures, and how it affects our relationship. My deep south "red state" relatives welcomed her with open arms -- heck most of the time I think my parents love her most:-) The hateful comments about conservatives like Michelle Malkin, Justice Thomas, Condoleezza Rice, to name a few -- demonstrate who is intolerant, filled with hate, and down right racist.

and The VP Sounds Off!

Just as the President had something the say about Democrats revising history -- the Vice President spoke up Wednesday. I have to admit I like his wording better and I am not sure many had a "backbone" to loose.
Link to speech: Vice President's Remarks at the Frontiers of Freedom Institute 2005 Ronald Reagan Gala

Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein. These are elected officials who had access to the intelligence, and were free to draw their own conclusions. They arrived at the same judgment about Iraq?s capabilities and intentions that -- made by this Administration and by the previous administration. There was broad-based, bipartisan agreement that Saddam Hussein was a threat, that he had violated U.N. Security Council Resolutions, and that, in a post-9/11 world, we could not afford to take the word of a dictator who had a history of weapons of mass destruction programs, who had excluded weapons inspectors, who had defied the demands of the international community, whose nation had been designated an official state sponsor of terror, and who had committed mass murder. Those are the facts. (Applause.)
What we?re hearing now is some politicians contradicting their own statements and making a play for political advantage in the middle of a war. The saddest part is that our people in uniform have been subjected to these cynical and pernicious falsehoods day in and day out. American soldiers and Marines are out there every day in dangerous conditions and desert temperatures ?- conducting raids, training Iraqi forces, countering attacks, seizing weapons, and capturing killers ?- and back home a few opportunists are suggesting they were sent into battle for a lie.
The President and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing their memory, or their backbone -? but we?re not going to sit by and let them rewrite history. (Applause.)

Notable

Not good news for the Hillary camp -- if the 2008 election was held today it would be Giuliani over Clinton. I personally have not decided where I stand on the topic of Giuliani but I definitely don't want McCain. Some excerpts:

Newswise - If the 2008 presidential election were held today, Republican Rudy Giuliani would beat Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton according to a nationwide poll conducted by Canisius College. Of the 455 respondents who volunteered an answer regarding the 2008 match-up, Giuliani received 54 percent of the vote to Clinton's 38 percent.

I have made my view about polls known, don't trust them, but it is interesting -- in addition to being bad news for Clinton it ain't good for President Bush (if you trust polls).

"Stay in The Fight"

Pay particular attention to the quote from Major-General William Webster -- now I am sure the left will treat this General like an idiot, he disagrees with them after all.
Bush vows to "stay in the fight"

OSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush vowed on Saturday 'we will stay in the fight' until victory in Iraq, rejected critics' calls for a troop pullout timetable and insisted progress is being made in Baghdad.
[...]
Bush quoted a top U.S. commander in Iraq, Major-General William Webster, as saying that setting a deadline for withdrawal would be "a recipe for disaster," and said that as long as he was president, "our strategy in Iraq will be driven by the sober judgment of our military commanders on the ground.

The following is a major point that for some reason escapes the left.

"We will fight the terrorists in Iraq, we will stay in the fight until we have achieved the victory that our brave troops have fought for," he [President Bush] said.

House rejects Iraq pullout - Yahoo! News

An interesting tactic by the Republicans -- attempting to get the Democrats to "put up or shut-up".
House rejects Iraq pullout - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a maneuver to strike at Iraq war critics, the Republican-led House of Representatives engineered a vote on Friday on a resolution to pull U.S. troops immediately from Iraq, which was defeated nearly unanimously.
[...]
Democrats said no one advocated an immediate pull-out without ensuring the safety of troops, and that it was a meaningless resolution that ducked serious debate on the situation in Iraq. It was defeated 403-3.

Guess Allah Wants his Worshipers Killed

Well that is how it appears since the "solders of Allah" have no problem blowing up their houses of worship -- or is it they only care that you toe "their" line, no matter your nationality... Yep, I don't see a problem with this logic whatsoever, we should withdraw - NOT! Anyone willing to kill their own out of hatred certainly will have no problem hitting us again and again on our own soil.
Attacks on Iraq Mosques, Hotel Kill 82 - Yahoo! News

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Suicide bombers struck in eastern Iraq and the capital on Friday, killing at least 74 Shiite worshippers...

Where the WMDs Went

This article is interesting and a must read.
FrontPage magazine.com :: Where the WMDs Went by Jamie Glazov

Frontpage Interview's guest today is Bill Tierney, a former military intelligence officer and Arabic speaker who worked at Guantanamo Bay in 2002 and as a counter-infiltration operator in Baghdad in 2004. He was also an inspector (1996-1998) for the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) for overseeing the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles in Iraq. He worked on the most intrusive inspections during this period and either participated in or planned inspections that led to four of the seventeen resolutions against Iraq.

Democratic Plan for Iraq

A picture is worth a thousand words. (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin) 

Not Weakness - In Your Face Honesty

The President's speech Friday was not one of weakness -- responding to the left is exactly what I wanted, no what I expected, and in so doing does not demonstrate weakness -- no matter how much as the MSM wants you it does.

The left and MSM would have you believe that speaking the truth is weakness while lying and providing the ENEMY with propaganda is strength -- and to think they call those of us that live in 'red states' dumb.

Here is a link to the President's speech: President Commemorates Veterans Day, Discusses War on Terror -- with excerpts:

And our debate at home must also be fair-minded. One of the hallmarks of a free society and what makes our country strong is that our political leaders can discuss their differences openly, even in times of war. When I made the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, Congress approved it with strong bipartisan support. I also recognize that some of our fellow citizens and elected officials didn't support the liberation of Iraq. And that is their right, and I respect it. As President and Commander-in-Chief, I accept the responsibilities, and the criticisms, and the consequences that come with such a solemn decision.

While it's perfectly legitimate to criticize my decision or the conduct of the war, it is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began. (Applause.) Some Democrats and anti-war critics are now claiming we manipulated the intelligence and misled the American people about why we went to war. These critics are fully aware that a bipartisan Senate investigation found no evidence of political pressure to change the intelligence community's judgments related to Iraq's weapons programs.

They also know that intelligence agencies from around the world agreed with our assessment of Saddam Hussein. They know the United Nations passed more than a dozen resolutions citing his development and possession of weapons of mass destruction. And many of these critics supported my opponent during the last election, who explained his position to support the resolution in the Congress this way: "When I vote to give the President of the United States the authority to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein, it is because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a threat, and a grave threat, to our security." That's why more than a hundred Democrats in the House and the Senate -- who had access to the same intelligence -- voted to support removing Saddam Hussein from power. (Applause.)

The stakes in the global war on terror are too high, and the national interest is too important, for politicians to throw out false charges. (Applause.) These baseless attacks send the wrong signal to our troops and to an enemy that is questioning America's will. As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy our way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them. (Applause.) Our troops deserve to know that this support will remain firm when the going gets tough. (Applause.) And our troops deserve to know that whatever our differences in Washington, our will is strong, our nation is united, and we will settle for nothing less than victory. (Applause.)

What Democrat's Said on WMD(s)

Since the Democrats are now on their Bush lied bandwagon, or still on it, I thought I would track down quotes by Democrats about WMD(s). I was directed to the Democrat Quotes on Saddam's WMD page of Rush Limbuagh's website, so why reinvent the wheel.

Hmm -- Recruiting Up

Even with the media and other "anti-war" group's attempts to hurt if not destroy military recruitment, the military hits October recruiting targets. Speaks volumes towards actual support of the war and lack of media influence!

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Army, which missed its recruiting goal for 2005 by a wide margin, got off to a strong start in the new budget year by exceeding its October targets for the active-duty Army as well as the National Guard and Reserve.
The other military services also met their goals for active-duty enlistments in October, the first month of the budget year. The Air National Guard got barely half the recruits it wanted and the Navy Reserve met 89% of its goal.

The Left Defines Support - Giving None

The below is a link that better defines the lefts idea of supporting our military and our country.

Happy Veterans Day

(Please click on the image)

Sour Grapes

I guess Dan would rather we trust forged document then the "new media" or better defined -- Americans using their right to challenge the MSM (Mainstream Media)... Yep, it makes sense to me, Dan has proven to be trustworthy -- hasn't he?
Dan Rather: Beware of 'New Media'

Rather called for a return to what he termed 'independent journalism', warning his listeners to cast a wary eye of the plethora of 'new media' outlets that he said feign objectivity while working to advance their own - or another's - agenda, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Parents Don't Have the Right to...

Can you believe this? Basically the court, out of San Francisco -- of course, said that parents don't have the right to choose how or what their children are taught about sex! What's next? Yep, I guess the courts are working just fine -- NOT!
U.S. court allows survey of children on sex topics

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Parents have no constitutional right to prevent public schools from exposing children to sexual topics, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court's decision that found the rights of parents were not violated by a California public school district that allowed a psychological survey of its elementary school children.

Only One (1) Patch -- Is This Good?

Microsoft is releasing just one patch Tuesday -- only one, does that mean they are FINALLY getting XP patched and will it be stable and secure by the release of Vista?

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Not as Diligent -- But is There a Need

To the regulars I have to apologize yet again... I have not been as diligent in keeping current with either tech news or general news... However, as far as the general news goes, has anything changed?

Still they use the "Bush lied" or "Republicans lied" argument -- totally disregarding the fact Democratic leaders "trumpeted" the same claims after seeing the same intelligence. Heck, before Bush was even in the running for President, President Clinton and her husband were making even bolder claims -- yet the coPresidents never thought about "defending us" from what they said was a threat.

The issue I think is the need for "children of the sixties" to have their last gasp and the media's attempt to regain "Watergate" fame... The problem with now and Watergate is that Nixon had actually done unethical and illegal things making his own party come out against him something the Democrats would never do with their "win at all cost" attitude -- we witnessed this in their rigid defense of their demigod Clinton.

Well anyway I DO plan to begin posting regularly or semi-regularly at a minimum.