I passed -- Can you?

Take a citizenship test and see if you know as much as you think you do -- amazingly I passed, guess I got lucky!

You Passed the US Citizenship Test

Congratulations - you got 10 out of 10 correct!

Could You Pass the US Citizenship Test?

Google Agrees to Censor Orkut

Interesting -- Google is getting a lot of press about 'censorship' or maybe it is just 'selective inclusion'. Another claim can be seen here.

read more | digg story

You Ain't Just Whistling Dixie!

Harry Reid accepts tickets to boxing matches while pressing legislation to for the creation of a federal boxing commission.  While he doesn't see see any harm, democratic blinders I suppose, he does admit "I'm not 'goody-two-shoes".

Reid sat ringside in Vegas for free

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three professional boxing matches while that state agency was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing.
Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat, took the free seats for Las Vegas fights from 2003 to 2005 as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada's agency feared might usurp its authority.
Mr. Reid, who has accused the Republicans of fostering a culture of corruption, defended the gifts, saying they would never influence his position on the bill and was simply trying to learn how his legislation might affect an important home-state industry.

Technorati Tags: democrat corruption, political corruption

Happy Memorial Day

Let us not forget!

and They Figure it Out

The media may be slow, but sometimes I guess they get it...  The Jefferson case can be bad for democrats and at the very least destroy their attempts to paint all republicans as corrupt -- that is if the republican leadership can get their act together and...

Jefferson case may hurt his party

A host of Louisiana politicians - former governor Edwin Edwards, most famously - have been caught in local kickback schemes. This case alleges overseas deals and bribery of foreign officials, however. Not only could it be bad for Louisiana, but also for Democrats nationally, who are trying to win mid-term elections by painting Republicans as corrupt. This week, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi asked Jefferson to give up his seat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee. He refused.

Technorati Tags: politics, corruption, democratic corruption

NOT Above the Law

They may think they are above the law, but they are not! These individuals appear to be standing up to these politicians and the political pressures -- I hope the trend continues!

Nation & World: Justice reportedly defiant over raid

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department signaled to the White House this week that the nation's top three law-enforcement officials would resign or face firing rather than return documents seized from a Democratic congressman's office in a bribery investigation, administration sources familiar with the discussions said.

Technorati Tags: political corruption, politics

Out of Touch - Part 2

More evidence the 'big news' from USA Today was 'much to do about nothing' -- hmm, the MSM really has the pulse of America don't they - NOT!

Hayden confirmed as CIA director

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden as CIA director in a vote that gave a broad bipartisan endorsement to the architect of President George W. Bush's domestic spying program.

Technorati Tags: Hayden, media bias, spying

What -- No Change?

Though gas prices are higher and despite the gloom and doom from the media and predictions of a necessity to change our habits -- evidence that is a crock! Will these guys ever get a clue and actually learn what Americans think instead trying to sway American's opinions?

Gas costs don't slow Memorial Day travel

A gallon of regular gas may cost 86 cents more this year than last year, but tourism officials expect just as much traffic -- in some instances, more -- as last year as drivers flock to area beaches to kick off the unofficial start of summer.

Technorati Tags: gas prices

Out of Touch - Part 1

Americans support drilling 100 miles from shore drilling--but, but, but...I thought Americans were supportive of environmentalist.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Floridians support lifting a ban on oil drilling 100 miles or more from the state's Gulf Coast beaches by a 51 to 42 percent majority, and many say rising gasoline prices have influenced their approval, a poll released Thursday showed.
Such support stunned environmentalists...

Technorati Tags: oil, offshore drilling

Guess They Think They Are...

...above the law!  Shame on all them -- any congressman, Republican, Democrat, or Independent who breaks the law should be brought to justice.  Since we know politicians will protect their own -- look at this situation -- who else will hold them accountable.  Their (politicians) desire to be 'above the law' is equivalent to blinders-blinding Republicans of an opportunity to once and for all squash this "culture of corruption" BULL!  Well, maybe not BULL -- the bi-partisan circling of the wagons on this issue may indicate a "culture of corruption"; however, not a Republican thing or Democratic thing, but a HOUSE thing!

House leaders demand FBI return papers

"The Justice Department must immediately return the papers it unconstitutionally seized," Dennis Hastert, the speaker of the House, and Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader, said in a statement. They also said that the congressman, William Jefferson, a Democrat from Louisiana, should cooperate with the investigation.

There was a warrant not to mention evidence ($90,000.00 worth) -- wasn't a warrant all that was required in their (poloticians) last argument?

The search warrant, signed by Judge Thomas Hogan of U.S. District Court, was based on an affidavit that agents had found $90,000 in cash in a freezer at Jefferson's home. White House officials said they did not learn of the search until after it had been carried out.

Technorati Tags: political corruption, politics

Whoops!

This is not good -- why would someone take this type of information home? 

Social Security Numbers for Millions of Veterans Stolen From V.A. Official's Home

WASHINGTON — Personal data, including Social Security numbers of 26.5 million U.S. veterans, was stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee this month after he took the information home without authorization, the department said Monday.

Technorati Tags: veterans

Got to Love Education

Who says academia is 'fair and balanced' -- not I!

Study of Speakers at 32 Elite Colleges and Universities

Twenty-two of the thirty-two schools surveyed did not have a single Republican or conservative commencement speaker in the entire ten years surveyed. The same schools invited 173 liberals and Democrats to address their graduating classes in the same ten-year period.

Six of the remaining schools invited only one Republican or conservative each, as compared to 38 liberals or Democrats.

The three schools (Haverford, Swarthmore and UCLA) which host multiple speakers every year did not feature a single Republican or conservative speaker as balanced against 54 liberals and Democrats.

Overall, the ratio of commencement speakers on the left to commencement speakers on the right is 226 to 15, a little over 15-1.

141 commencement speakers were not associated with a partisan viewpoint.

(Hat tip: Hot Air)

Clarification -

In my last post I wondered why "the administration doesn't challenge these 'liars' more often" -- but just Monday I asked Why.  I still don't know why the President felt it necessary to defend a program that the majority of Americans support.  My curiosity of why stories like this go unchallenged doesn't involve 'defending yourself', it involves simply calling a 'duck' a 'duck' or a 'lie' a 'lie'!

Bunch of Hubbub for Nothing

More evidence that the media could care less about truth and accuracy in their quest to destroy this administration! Fortunately, their attacks appear to involve someone or something that is willing to step up and challenge them... I still wonder why the administration doesn't challenge these 'liars' more often -- yes 'liars', to use your position to promote hearsay and innuendo as fact in an effort to sway others (the population) to your agenda is LYING! Challenging them (the MSM) and demonstrating their lies and 'half-truths' is the ONLY way to stop the BULL!

Verizon: We Didn't Give Customers' Call Records to NSA Either

NEW YORK — Verizon Communications Inc. denied Tuesday that it had received a request for customer phone records from the National Security Agency, bringing into question key points of a USA Today story.

"Contrary to the media reports, Verizon was not asked by NSA to provide, nor did Verizon provide, customer phone records," the New York-based phone company said in an e-mailed statement. The statement came a day after BellSouth Corp. also said the NSA had never requested customer call data, nor had the company provided any.

Now pay close attention to this!

Verizon also said USA Today erred in not drawing a distinction between long-distance and local telephone calls.

"Phone companies do not even make records of local calls in most cases because the vast majority of customers are not billed per call for local calls," Verizon's statement said.

Let's look at USA Today's justification for their deceit -- guess 'no comment' only works for Democrats!

USA Today said in a follow-up story Tuesday that BellSouth did not challenge the initial report when given details about it before publication. But BellSouth spokesman Jeff Battcher said he never agreed to the reporter's allegations when presented with them.

Technorati Tags: media bias, domestic spying, phone calls

You Want Hear this in The MSM

Cal Thomas shares some information that I predict will be ignored by the MSM -- what say you?

Morale is slipping in Iraq. Fighters are growing doubtful of success. A comprehensive strategy for winning the conflict is nonexistent. Is this an assessment of the U.S. military?

No, it is an assessment about the insurgents who oppose the elected Iraqi government...

Technorati Tags: Iraq, good news, war on terror

Google Release Notebook

Have you ever found something interesting, while surfing, but didn't have time to investigatate it... Well now you can 'note it' and come back later -- from anywhere -- and investigate. Even better you can take anything with -- for example directions, phone numbers, etc.

Official Google Blog: Note this

Excellent!

Bryan over at Hot Air has a good post. The FACT that "jobs Americans aren't doing" is 'offensive' is something I pointed out a couple of weeks ago -- of course he does it with greater skill then I.

...line in his speech tonight about “jobs Americans aren’t doing.” It’s probably the worst single line in widespread political use today. Its one benefit may be that it’s ecumenical in its offensiveness–everyone outside the political class can find some reason to find it grating. To a legal immigrant, that line is offensive because it makes it sound as though Americans are somehow innately superior and should’t have to work. It comes across as condescending and racist at the same time. To American citizens, the line is offensive because it gives the impression that Americans are lazy and no longer capable of hard work. Do the politicians from Bush on down realize that that one single line slaps everyone outside the Beltway in the face? Do they care?

My wife, also lovely and a legal immigrant finds the phrase offensive too -- she too voted and is a fan of President Bush; however, believes that her country of origin or region of origin simply doesn't have the 'voter block' to get the politicians to care about what they think. By the way, they (my wife and her acquaintances) feel the path required of them to become 'legal citizens' and 'legal immagrants' is fine and "worth the prize"!

Technorati Tags: immigration, illegal immigration, Presidential address

Why?

Why does the President waste time defending something only critics have issues with -- the majority of Americans approve?

Bush defends domestic spying

WASHINGTON - President Bush defended the scope of the government’s domestic surveillance programs that have riled privacy advocates and threatened to impede the Senate confirmation of Bush’s new pick to lead the CIA.

Phone-Records Surveillance Is Broadly Acceptable to Public

May 12, 2006 — Americans by nearly a 2-1 ratio call the surveillance of telephone records an acceptable way for the federal government to investigate possible terrorist threats, expressing broad unconcern even if their own calling patterns are scrutinized.

Technorati Tags: phone calls, spying, domestic spying

Price Control?

The Washington Times has a good article, How gas price controls sparked '70s shortages, for those that remember the times...

...although the best response would have been to let prices rise, giving oil companies an incentive to produce more and consumers an incentive to conserve, "this basic level of economics is seldom understood by the public, which often demands 'political' solutions that turn out to make matters worse.

Technorati Tags: oil, fuel prices, crude

Not Sure I Agree!

I am not sure I agree with this -- the National Guard has somethings to take care oversees and the money spent on these 'temporary' deployments might be better spent on a permanent fix like hiring more boarder patrol personnel and surveillance equipment. Doesn't using the National Guard indicate this is temporary and imply an action to 'quiten' the critics? Not to mention 'Posse Comitatus'...

Bush to Call On National Guard for Border Control

WASHINGTON — President Bush will use a prime time speech Monday night to call for thousands of National Guard troops to be deployed along the Mexican border to help back up the U.S. Border Patrol.

Technorati Tags: immigration, National Guard, Borders

About the Regurgitated Story

If you missed it, though doubtful, USA Today regurgitated an old story about "domestic" phone calls.  Andrew C. McCarthy picks the intent of the story apart...  This regurgitation is getting old, don't you think?

Big Brother is watching you. Collecting your names and addresses. Mapping out your telephone numbers and e-mail address. Making note of your interests. Paying close attention to how you spend your money.
[...]
After all, if you wade through all the layers of reporter Leslie Cauley’s conscious misdirection—including the silly observations about government failing to seek judicial warrants before obtaining non-private information for which government has never been required to get warrants—you will learn that scrupulous measures were actually taken by the National Security Agency and cooperating telephone companies to withhold customer names, street addresses and other personal identifiers from the government.

No, I’m not talking about the Big Brother at the NSA. Or the big Big Brother in the Oval Office.

I’m talking about the 535 Big Brothers (and Sisters) in Congress.

All is Not Well in DNC Land

Looks like there is a family feud over at the DNC -- confusion over direction, who would have thought it?

The blowup highlights a long-standing tension that has pitted Democratic congressional leaders, who are focused on their best opportunities for electoral gains this fall, against Dean and many state party chairmen, who believe that the party needs to be rebuilt from the ground up -- even in states that have traditionally been Republican strongholds.

Technorati Tags: Dean, DNC

History - We Should Remember

Ben Stein has a good piece "What You need to Know"!

Second, almost no one today knows anything about history. No one has context. But life without historical context is shallow and unsatisfactory. If you don't know how mankind suffered in World War II, if you don't know how your fellow Jews or Slavs suffered in the Holocaust, if you do not know what Communism did to fifty million good people, you cannot possibly know how blessed your life in the United States of America is in 2006. If you do not know how much your grandparents had to work to get you where you are, you cannot know how precious that car your parents gave you is, or how lucky it is that you can study without having to work at a part-time job. If you do not know how your fellow African Americans were treated in rural 1920s Mississippi, you cannot know how lucky you are to live in an America that has the opportunities this nation now affords men and women of every race.

Knowledge of history is context and context is everything.

Been Saying This for Sometime

Some, namely Richard Cohen has seen the light --

But the message in this case truly is the medium. The e-mails pulse in my queue, emanating raw hatred. This spells trouble -- not for Bush or, in 2008, the next GOP presidential candidate, but for Democrats. The anger festering on the Democratic left will be taken out on the Democratic middle. (Watch out, Hillary!) I have seen this anger before -- back in the Vietnam War era. That's when the antiwar wing of the Democratic Party helped elect Richard Nixon. In this way, they managed to prolong the very war they so hated.

Like I have said for a long time -- Democrats keep the hate flowing, it will do more to help Republicans then any strategy they can come up with.

Technorati Tags: liberal hatred, Election 2008

Good Question!

This is a good question ?

WASHINGTON - Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden would not be the first military man to head the CIA, so why are some in Congress vigorously objecting to his nomination on those grounds?

Though I have not discussed the President's choice for the new head of the CIA I do have a couple of questions.

1. Why is the media against this guy weren't they quoting Generals just last week as if they were 'god like"?


2. Why are democrats against this guy weren't they quoting Generals just last week as if they were 'god like'?

I guess it is simply that this General doesn't agree with their agenda... Seems to torpedo their support of the other Generals doesn't it?

Technorati Tags: CIA

The Story Continues to Change

The story changes to the "I need help defense"... Kind of looses it luster after trying the "it was only a couple of pills" defense -- doesn't it?

Rep. Kennedy returning to rehab

WASHINGTON - Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy said Friday that he was seeking treatment for addiction to prescription medicines after he crashed his car into a traffic barrier on Capitol Hill, in the latest crisis for one of America's storied political families.

Kennedy, a six-term Democratic congressman from Rhode Island, said he had entered rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

The congressman said he did not remember any details of the accident, which occurred shortly before 3 a.m. on Thursday. But he said, "I do know enough to know that I need help."

It is interesting to note that the link in the previous story now takes you to a "rehab story" -- hmm, MSM assisting a Kennedy, who would have thought it?

Technorati Tags: Kennedy, cover-up

Another Kennedy, Another Accident, Another Lie

Going to vote 2:45am - sure, disoriented 2:45am - sure, all democrats will rally to support - sure, I believe him - NOT!

My only questions -- wonder if the congressional prescription plan covered the Phenergan and Ambien? What tier were these two prescriptions on? Could he have saved the taxpayers money by asking for generic?

Kennedy blames accident on medications

WASHINGTON - Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.

Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said, "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."

Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took "prescribed" amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.

"Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication."

Technorati Tags: Kennedy, cover-up

Protest Backfiring

The protest are backfiring -- they are bringing to 'center stage' issues many have had with 'illegal immagrants'. This was the intent by the 'organizers'! These protesters are only pawns in the 'orgaizers' agenda and it is unfortunate that those protesters don't realize it and even worse if those 'against "amnesty"' don't realize it...

My opinion on this issue is the same it was a year ago - two years ago - and will be a year from now. There is a legal way to immigrate and an illegal way to immigrate, period. Companies that hire illegal immigrants should be held accountable and those here illegally should be returned and not supported by our economy. We should make it harder to enter this country from both the north and south and an illegal immigrant is and illegal immigrant whether they be Middle Eastern, Asian, European, or Mexican!

Now on the claim 'they are the only one's that will do the job' -- let me just say if their employment and presence were not allowed employers would pay competitive wages to get employees AND if the government did not pay people to stay unemployed over long periods of time more would be willing, no would have, to work! Besides I, having done 'manual labor' in the past to support my family, find this claim offensive -- Americans, a majority anyway, will do what they must to support their families!

After Protests, Backlash Grows

While a series of marches focused much of the nation's attention on the plight of illegal immigrants, scores of other Americans quietly seethed. Now, with the same full-throated cry expressed by those in the country illegally, they are shouting back.

Labor Site Backlash Felt at Polls In Herndon

Herndon voters yesterday unseated the mayor and two Town Council members who supported a bitterly debated day-labor center for immigrant workers in a contest that emerged as a mini-referendum on the turbulent national issue of illegal immigration.

Technorati Tags: immigration, illegal immigrant

RIP Earl Woods

I felt this was worth blogging -- just in case those that visit were not aware....

Official Website for Tiger Woods

By Tiger Woods:
I’m very saddened to share the news of my father’s passing at home early this morning. My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply.

Technorati Tags: Tiger Woods

Predicted

Many predicted, including me, that the left would pull the 'misunderstood' claim for Saddam Hussein and upon my return from a short vacation the New Times doesn't let us down.  It fits doesn't it -- the left believes terrorist and the such should be treated as criminals and the same left are the ones that always want us to understand why the 'criminal' did it instead of worrying for the victim...

Saddam Hussein, Misunderstood - New York Times

Technorati Tags: Saddam Hussein, Liberal Media

I am Back

I have been on a lovely vacation with my 'better half'; however, I have returned!  Ever notice how vacation are never long enough.