Under The Wire

Because I'm at an unfamiliar computer, and on vacation, and spending time with family and friends, my blogging on the holidays has been light. But it's 9 PM Local time, 7 back home, on NYE, and in desperation I intend to leave a few thoughts on what I received for Christmas while it's still 2005.

Sometimes it's best to NOT receive what you most wanted, In my case, that's because I prefer being surprised by something pleasant that receiving the expected ideal. Case in point: I thought TFR got me the Firefly boxed set. I was preparing myself to pretent surprise. Instead, she got me a magnetic spice rack. I was delighted -- especially when my mother gave me enough gift money to buy Firefly. clothes, and a creme brulee torch. TFR DID then proceed to present me with a stocking stuffer of Serenity.

There's plenty more I wish to say, but not tonight. Auld Lang Syne, Happy New Year. If people would follow Scottish tradition, I'd host New Years Day parties more often (the tradition is to present the host you visit on NYD with a bottle of Scotch). Incidentally, one BIL/SIL presented me with a sampler set of mini Scotches. I'd have preferred an entire fifth -- which I then got from the other BIL/SIL.

Nothing More Than Felines

For those who are curious, yes, I found a home for the cat. The Monday I posted my second request for help, I received an email from Bob at Eugene Rant. He and his family took the cat in on Wednesday, and by the time I checked my email on Christmas eve, I had the following message from him, sent on Thursday the 22nd:

Just want you to know that she did really well last night and seems to have moved right in.

My wife likes her alot and wants to name her "Xiao Hua" which roughly translates as "little Flower"

Thanks for the update, Bob, and thank you for the compassion. Here's my Holiday wish that she brings you and your family joy comensurate with the love you give her.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

The view from the front door of The Feared Redhead's childhood home in the Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth:



This picture was taken this morning. We'd received 5 inches at that point, and it's still snowing.

WOLVERINES!

Thanks for the Memory to The Maximum Leader at Naked Villainy. He and I are apparently of Like Mind, for I too am:


Jed Eckert...The Leader...

Which Red Dawn Character Are You?
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Why Yes, Those *ARE* Our Asses, Thank You!

Congratulations to an obviously superior Oklahoma Sooners team on their defeat of my Oregon Ducks in the 2005 Holiday Bowl. I'm too drunk and heartbroken to watch OR go look up the final score.

UPDATE

It was closer than I expected it to be. I'm proud of the Ducks for hanging in there (more faithfully than I did), they have nothing to be ashamed of. Congratulations again to the Sooners.

I still have my Seahawks to cheer for, and I'll be rooting for USC to clobber Texas, so the season isn't a complete wash.

God Bless Us Everyone

2:50 PM PST 21 December 2005

I hate to leave for the holidays on as dour a note as my previous post, so I would like to take a moment to wish everyone who bothers to read my blog... wait for it... Season's Greeting.

Now, for me and mine and many I know that's a Very Merry Christmas. Blessings to everyone as we reflect on the significance of the birth of Our Lord.

But in the spirit of good will toward men, I wish all of you a time of joy and love and warmth in the presence of friends and family and may they all be loved ones. Enjoy yourself as you observe your Christmas, your Navidad, your Feast of Stephen, your Boxing Day, your Advent, your Solstice, your Hannukkah, your Kwanzaa, your New Year.

And to echo the sentiments of the Llamabutchers, I leave the final words on the subject to that great philosopher, Linus Van Pelt, who concludes the matter by quoting the Holy Scriptures:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

UPDATE

12/30/9:06 AM PST (Actually 11:06 CST, as I'm still in MPLS):

I'm dropping the date on this to Christmas Day, since I've posted since then and before New Years.

Cap Him

Thanks for the Memory to Bluto at Blogfather Rusty's.

This is just the sort of case that explains why I argued that assassination is, on specific occasions, a valid weapon:

Reuters reports that Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is "questioning" US requests to extradite Mohammad Ali Hammadi.

No, I'm not saying we should assassinate Prime Minister Siniora. I AM saying Hammadi is a valid candidate for a SEAL's crosshairs.

Mohammad Ali Hammadi, a member of Hezbollah, served 18 years in a German jail for the 1985 hijacking of a TWA flight and subsequent murder of a US Navy Diver. He was released Tuesday. While German officials deny that there is any correlation between the two events, a German hostage was released by terrorists in Iraq around the same time, and many are not buying the line that "He served his time".

This man isn't just a criminal. Now even more than 20 years ago we should understand that we are at war with an insidious group of fanatics whose ultimate ends are the destruction of us, our friends, and our way of life. He didn't commit a crime of passion for which he's paid his debt to society and time to move on (even if I bought that view of murder). He's a murderous warrior who was waging and will continue to wage a war against Israel, the United States, and Western Culture in general. The US government has (I believe mistakenly) chosen a course of trying to get him extratited. Germany Refuses, and now Lebanon Refuses, saying, "You should have asked Germany". We did.

Well, this is one of these rare cases I was talking about where I believe that the right people to solve this problem aren't in Foggy Bottom, they're either in Langley, or better, Tampa.

It's The End of The World As We Know It

And I feel... well, actually, a little naseous.

As my good friend Vic at Darth Apathy points out, Hollywood has been going downhill for years, incapable of producing anything but "remakes, sequels, 2-hour long SNL skits, or bastardizations of television shows of years gone by".

Case in Point.

I expect to hear the hoofbeats of the Four Horsemen any day now.

Drilling Rigs or Drill Sergeants?

Thanks for the Memory to GOP Bloggers:

Filibuster Threatened Over Defense Appropriations Bill

The Defense Appropriations Bill is being met with threats of a filibuster by Senate Democrats, who are using the inclusion of drilling in ANWR as their excuse for opposing the bill.

The entry at GOPB goes on to argue that the ANWR issue is just an excuse to oppose the Defense Appropriations Bill. I'm sorry, I just don't buy that -- at least not across the board. To be sure, there are some Senate Dems who are far enough to the right that that might be the case (I'm looking at you, Nancy Pelosi), but for the most part I think that's an unfair characterization. In fact, I believe this is a case where everyday Americans should be equally angry with BOTH parties' Senators.

First of all, I'm all for drilling in the ANWR, and I think it's inevitable. While it's important to continue exploring other energy options, the oil in ANWR will help. And while those on the left who oppose it will point out that it will provide far less oil than is needed, they fail to prove to my satisfaction that it will fail to provide more of a benefit than a detriment. They paint a bleak picture of a raped arctic, but they fail to show that this doomsday scenario is even remotely likely.

Second, I am a firm believer that one of the key functions of the Federal Government is, as the Constitution states, to "provide for the common defense". I can think of few, if any, more important functions, or with more dire consequences if the Government fails in those duties.

And so, yes, I'm angry with the Senate Democrats for their reaction. Not because I believe that more than a portion of them truly oppose Defense, but because so many of them are unwilling or unable to risk alienating the far left of their base and take their lumps. They are more interested in "being all things to all fringes that by all means they might save some of their voter base" than in doing what's right for the country.

But I'm also angry at Senate Republicans for putting the Dems in this position. In today's political climate, they had to know what the Democratic reaction would be. The ANWR is one of those hot-button topics for the left, a rallying cry against the eeevil Rethuglikkkans. the more their central base slips away, the more the Dems have to cater to the far left in order to remain relevant. Slipping this measure into the Defense Appropriations Bill was imprudent. The GOP Senators were more interested in putting one over on the Dems than on doing what's right for the country.

So here is my message to both sides of that august body.

To the Dems, I say, stop dropping the F Bomb every time you don't get your way. Stop demanding that the majority make concessions to you, and calling THEM divisive, when they don't, that just sounds petulant. You're the minority party right now, grow a pair and deal with it. If you truly oppose drilling the ANWR, work to get moderate Republicans to join you in removing that provision from the bill. Seek common ground, find compromises, make deals. And in the end, if you can't get it removed, buck up and accept it. The Nation's defense is more important than your pet crusade.

To the Republicans (and I speak as a registered Republican), I say, stop trying to be sneaky when it isn't necessary. Stop trying to optimize every measure as a way to make yourself look good and your opponents look bad, that just looks like posturing. You're the majority party right now, grow a pair an act like it. If you want to drill the ANWR, get it through on its own merits. Press home the agenda, flex your muscle, use that clout. And in the end, if you can't find the courage to do so, buck up and forget it. The Nation's defense is more important than your pet crusade.

Meme-y Christmas

Thanks for the Memory to Uncle Sam's Cabin.


You are 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing'. You take
Christmas very seriously. For you, it is a
religious festival, celebrating the birth of
the Saviour, and its current secularisation
really irritates you. You enjoy the period of
Advent leading up to Christmas, and attend any
local carol services you can find, as well as
the more contemplative Advent church services
each Sunday. You may be involved in Christmas
food collections or similar charity work. The
midnight service at your church, with candles
and carols, is one you look forward to all
year, and you also look forward to the family
get together on Christmas Day.


What Christmas Carol are you?
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Well, yeah. Reading the description of Silent Night people at Sam's blog, I would have been ok with that result, too.

Heartwarming, Heartbreaking

How sad. How sweet.

Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Man (Except Those Nasty Christians)

Thanks for the Memory to Daniel at Daniel's Political Musings.

The first day of this month, I mentioned how excited I was by the Lars Larson-backed Christmas Cross project, which was intended to respond to Pioneer Courthouse Square's "Holiday Tree" by reminding people of why we celebrate the birth of Christ.

So I'm heartbroken to report that the Cross is being cancelled due to threats of violence. Apparently the folks at Portland Indymedia took exception to this "Fascist Christian" activity, and there were threats, among other things, to crucify Lars on the Christmas Cross. I'm not sure how much of it was hateful, ignorant jackasses blowing smoke, and how much of it was real, but apparently it was bad enough that Lars has decided to cancel the project.

Am I the only one who notes how ironic it is that a group of people threatening to use violence to suppress an expression of an opinion they disagree with would refer to their OPPONENTS as "Fascists"? Maybe the thugs commenting at PI should head for their bathroom mirror nexct time they want to go looking for parallels to oppressive political movements.

UPDATE:

Lars just sent me an email regarding an incident that reinforces just how willing some of those who oppose the current President and his supporters are to resort to illegal action:

The Air Force Reserve plans to discharge a lieutenant colonel accused of
defacing cars that had pro-Bush bumper stickers, the military said
Friday. Lt. Col. Alexis Fecteau, a pilot with 500 combat hours in the
first Persian Gulf war and the Balkans, is charged with criminal
mischief for allegedly using paint stripper to write a profanity about
Bush in 18-inch-high letters on cars at Denver International Airport.
The cars had bumper stickers supporting President Bush and conservative
talk-show host Rush Limbaugh...

The next step down the path is into violence, and I'm quite sure there are those willing to take it.

UPDATE II:

Lars' email to me was in response to discussion that's currently going on via email among several Oregon conservatives, myself included. I won't go int othe details of who said what, but the gist is similar to the question raised by Patty-Jo in the comments section of this post: Why is Lars giving in to the bullies?

I have to side with Lars on this one. There's a lot at stake here, and if things got ugly, innocent bystanders could be harmed and Lars and his employers held liable. If people want to direct the criticism anywhere, direct it at the Indymedia commenter thugs and the innefective city government of Portland who inspire so little confidence in their ability/willingness to enforce the law that Lars had to make this decision.

A Real UFO

Thanks for the Memory to Admit One.

Actually, it's a UOO - an Unidentified (for now) Orbiting Object. It rotates once a minute and orbits the earth once every 48 days.



Check out the article at the NASA website. Too cool.

Speaking the Truth to Power

Thanks for the Memory to Admit One via Y-2-DRAY.

You know, maybe there is some merit after all to the argument that the solution to the problem of terrorism is to understand our enemies, to find common ground from which to dialogue.

If you don't believe me, and before you criticize me, go read this story, full of hope for all humanity.

The Press and Hanlon's Razor

Thanks for the Memory to Bluto posting at Blogfather Rusty's.

Press passes pulled from Pilot's Iraq duo

NORFOLK -- The military this week pulled the press credentials of an embedded reporter and photographer for the Norfolk-based Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Kuwait, saying they had violated ground rules by photographing battle-damaged military vehicles.

Virginian-Pilot Editor Denis Finley said the incident arose from a misunderstanding. Military escorts had taken reporter Louis Hansen and photographer Hyunsoo Leo Kim to a compound in Kuwait where they worked on a story about a unit whose job was to clear battle-scarred Humvees and other vehicles for shipment home. Under those circumstances, the journalists believed they were allowed to photograph the vehicles, Finley said.

But after the paper published the story and photos on Saturday, the Kuwait-based Coalition Forces Land Component Command, Forward, pulled their press passes, noting that one of its ground rules prohibits video or photos of battle-damaged vehicles.

Finley said the incident happened on the final day of the men's two-week trip to the Middle East, "so we were done anyway." He said he was waiting to hear the full story from the two, who were in transit back to the U.S., before deciding how vigorously to protest.

-- Bill Geroux

The journalists shouldn't have assumed anything. If they were not given explicit instructions that the rule about damaged vehicles was suspended, they should have stuck to the rules. As for the editor, how vigorously he protests is a direct indication of what an idiot he is.

Look, this isn't about Freedom of the Press. These reporters aren't being arrested, aren';t being told they can't be reporters, and aren't being punished for their opinions. They agreed to abide by a set of rules in exchange for the privilege of accompanyong the troops and having access to them and their facilities. The broke those rules, they lost the privilege. It's as simple as that.

And the rule isn't about the negative propaganda value of the photos. As Bluto pointed out, those photos could provide useful intelligence to our enemies. The extent of the damage, the way in which the damage occurred, the part of the vehicle where the damage occurred, all can provide insights into the strengths, weaknesses, and design of the vehicle, thus making them more vulnerable to a better informed enemy, and eventually increasing the risk to American soldiers.

Since the Vietnam War, people have complained that the press has been in bed with America's enemies, acting as a de facto propaganda organ for them (a view I do hold to some extent), while others respond that the press is merely enforcing the people's "right to know". But this goes beyond providing propaganda to providing tactical intelligence to the enemy. Considering the level of duplicity with the enemy this would require, I am inclined to apply Hanlon's Razor to this case. Hanlons Razor states:

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

Which means this incident raises the meaning of the term Useful Idiots to a whole new level, don't you think?

Classroom Scrooge

Thanks for the Memory to Lars Larson. Yet one more reason to home school The Lad:

Teacher to first-graders: There's no Santa

RICHARDSON - Guess what, kids? There's no such thing as Santa Claus!

That was a Richardson music teacher's holiday message to first-graders Monday -- a remark that angered parents and prompted the school district to issue a pro-Santa statement.

The rest can be read here.

The issue of Santa Claus is one that has generated much discussion between me and The Feared Redhead. We're still not exactly sure what we'll tell The Lad about Father Christmas, or how we'll tell him, or when. But one thing is for certain: Despite what the Ninth Circuit Court or Planned Parenthood or some asshat in a Houston grade school think, that's up to US to decide as his parents, NOT them! Is that clear?

Good.

Planned (Attack on) Parenthood

Thanks for the Memory to gopbloggers who link to the following press release from American Life League:

American Life League Says Planned Parenthood Conceals Rape of 11-year-old and Brags About it on Web Site

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "People may be skeptical when pro-life groups accuse Planned Parenthood of violating the law and protecting rapists," said Jim Sedlak, executive director of American Life League's STOPP International. "However, when Planned Parenthood itself seems to brag, on one of its official web sites, about doing just that, it is time law enforcement agencies in every state address the situation."

In the "Shared Stories" section of the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate web site, the group published a letter in which a young girl praises Planned Parenthood for not telling her parents that she was raped by her 17-year-old boyfriend when she was just 11 years old. Neither the letter itself nor Planned Parenthood made any mention of Planned Parenthood alerting law enforcement to this sexual abuse of an 11-year-old child.

"Attorneys general in several states are trying to get records of young Planned Parenthood clients to see how widespread this practice of protecting rapists is at Planned Parenthood." said Sedlak. "Planned Parenthood is fighting each of these efforts using its high-priced lawyers.

"An in-depth expose done a few years ago by Life Dynamics Incorporated seemed to show that more than 90 percent of Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation clinics around the country routinely advise underage girls how to avoid the mandatory reporting requirements of the various states," Sedlak said. "It is time that authorities everywhere addressed this threat to our children. STOPP calls on pro-lifers nationwide to do all they can to get local district attorneys to investigate local Planned Parenthood offices."

The original comment can be found at Planned Parenthood here.

This is disgusting. We're talking about RAPE, folks. Let's set aside for a minute my disdain for their willingness to provide Birth Control and Abortions to CHILDREN without parental notification. This isn't little Jenny getting pregnant during "Consensual" sex (though how "consensual" sex can be for an 11-year-old is dubious, unless you're Ruth Bader Ginsburg), this is RAPE. And there's no indication they ever reported it to the POLICE EITHER. So how many more little girls did that boy rape while this 11-year-old "coped in her own way"?

The girl, now a teenager, goes on to write:

I've been with my current boyfriend for about two years. During that time i've been HIV and STD tested four times. Right now I'm sitting in the waiting room while my boyfriend gets the results for his HIV test. We love each other so we're responsible and Planned Parenthood helps us to do that.

Apparently you're not THAT responsible, or don't trust that your boyfriend is, or you wouldn't have needed more that ONE HIV test, now would you?

But that's beside my point.

It's scary that PP is able to further their agenda of completely eliminating a parent's right to have any say in the upbringing of their children, while cloaking themselves in a mantle of "Responsibility" and "Compassion". Anyone who knows the story of MArgaret Sanger knows that PP has been all about Social Engineering from the very beginning, and not all of it has been of a kind that their modern "Liberal" supporters would be pleased with, if they would open their eyes and see.

'Strine Times

Thanks for the Memory to Russell Wardlow at Mean Mr. Mustard.

Wretchard at The Belmont Club is "Boots on the Ground" in Australia, and gives an excellent account of what's going on with the riots over there. Go gove it a read, and follow the comment thread (if you have the time), where he answers reader's comments and gives insight into what 's happening that you won't hear from the American media.

The Natives are Restless

NW Republican has an interesting pair of posts up here and here. They started when Ron Saxton's campaign manager, Felix Schein, wrote NWR an email regarding MWR's post Saxton Redu(pe). The gist of Schein's email was to try to defend Saxton's credentials as a Republican, and to question the commitment of Jason Atkinson to the OR GOP. The first post above was originally just a reprint of Schein's email. But after a response from Atkinson, NWR edited the post, then added the second, to address several inaccurate claims in Schein's email. TRhe exchange, and the comments, have been interesting.

But here's the part I would like to comment on:

In Schewin's email, he tells NWR "However, your posting on December 4th (Saxton Redu(pe)) requires a response, both because it was factually inaccurate and unusually personal."

Yeah, right. NWR has been posting for some time on the campaign, and has been openly critical of both the Mannix and Saxton campaigns, but this one particular post just stuck out? I find that hard to believe. Here's what I think is really going on:

Remember that yesterday I mentioned the debate between Oregon's three Republican Gubernatorial candidates and linked to others who had been there and reported on it? If you do, you'll recall that we were fairly impressed with Jason's performance. To be fair, we're a pretty biased bunch, being Atkinson supportes. But I find it interesting that this email came in the same time frame as the debate. Could it be, perhaps, that Saxton is starting to recognize Atkinson as a valid threat? I can understand feeling a need to defend ones own candidate, but why combine it with an attack on Jason, if he's not a real contecter.

Saxton and Mannix are both canny veterans of the political arena who have tried painting Atkinson's inexperience as a reason to not take him seriously. Well, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt about their own wile and guile. But that merely reinforces my suspicion. A canny political candidate is not going to waste time and resources attacking an opponent who has no chance of beating him -- especiall not an extraneous candidate in a three way race. If Atkinson was as insignificant as their supporters might have you believe, they would be ignoring him and going toe-to-toe.

No, I think they, or at least Saxton, take Atkinson more seriously than they let on. I think they recognize the groundswell of support he's getting, the attraction of the grassroots nature of his campaign, the advantage he has in having so many blogging supporters, and the strength of his message and his qualifications. I think they think he has a shot. and I think that means they'll be gunning for him more and more.

I think he can take it, and I think he gan give it right back.

Oregon GOP Gubernatorial Debate

Thanks for the Memory to Gully at Resistance is Futile!

NW Republican attended the first debate between the three front-running Republican candidates for the upcoming gubernatorial race, Here and Here.

The more I hear coming out of Jason Atkinson's mouth, the more I'm sure that, win or lose, he's the guy I'm voting for. I was particularly impressed with his response to this question:

Questions from the crowd -
"Where do you stand on abortion and right to die?"

Atkinson -
I'm prolife. I'm against right to die. I will uphold right to die and work toget the voters to undo it. As governor I will fight for right to die because I believe in states rights and disagree with the Federal government telling us what laws we can pass. I will fight for this on principle though I will also work to undo it. Same with initiatives as the people's will should be done by their public servants.(This is paraphrasing in a nutshell).

Exactly so -- Pro-Life, Pro-Rule of Law/Separation of Powers, and Pro-Small Government, all in one fell swoop. Good on ya, Jason.