Sunday, December 31, 2006

From me to all of you

Blog Roundup

Posts from the blogs I read:

Ace of Spades
:

Predictions For 2007

—AndrewR

National Review's got 'em. Dave at Garfield Ridge's got 'em. And now so do I.

In no particular order:

The release of Spiderman 3 is beset by controversy when Sam Raimi includes a scene in which a fight between Spiderman and Hobgoblin devolves from punches, to shoves, and finally ends with five minutes of slow, deep kissing.

Buoyed by the success of his reality-denying Holocaust Conference, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lays plans for his “Timothy Dalton is the Definitive James Bond” conference.

Acute Politics (in Iraq):

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Closure?

I heard a fly buzz when I died;
The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
Between the heaves of storm.

The eyes beside had wrung them dry,
And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset, when the king
Be witnessed in his power.
Autone the Angeleno:

CNN Vows Discretion with Saddam Execution Video — But Has No Problem Showing U.S. Soldiers Being Killed

December 29th, 2006

**UPDATE: al-IRAQIYA TELEVISION VIDEO OF SADDAM EXECUTION AT BOTTOM OF THIS POST**

This is unbelievable ! I have watched Anderson Cooper on CNN twice in the last hour explain to viewers that they will use all means possible to not shock their audience with gruesome execution video of Saddam Hussein. CNN has the audacity to say this while simultaneously showing file footage of the dead bodies of gassed Kurds.

CNN is responsible for showing terrorist propaganda video from Iraqi insurgents of snipers killing U.S. Soldiers — No moral claim here! To further this hypocrisy they also have this stuff available for viewing at their “CNN On Demand” web site!

Blogs of War (roundup of his own):

Bombs Shake Bangkok Thailand - New Year’s Events Cancelled

There have been a number of unexpected attacks in the capital:

A senior police spokesman says at least 12 people have been injured in Bangkok after four bombs exploded in the Thai capital as revellers were preparing to bring in the New Year.

The four explosions are thought to have happened within 90 minutes of each other across the capital, beginning at 5:30pm (local time) at central Bangkok’s Victory Monument.

“I have received reports of bombs at Victory Monument which injured four people. The second site was at Klong Toey which injured six people, two of them children,” Ajiravid Subarnbhesaj, national police spokesman, said on Thai television.

Buffalo's Path (musings from Canada):

It Wasn't The Night Before Christmas

It was still dark when I sat up on the edge of the bed, placed my elbows on my legs, and my chin on my hands. My eyes weren’t focusing. I felt, rather that saw, Kat’s sleep-locked eyes open blearily and fix on my back.

“Are you in pain, baby?”

“F#$@ no, I growled. “I always sit on the edge of the bed and groan in agony when I’m feeling fine.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Her voice was full of concern.{bad word changed by me: LN}

Captain's Quarters about Bush:

An Overlooked Legacy?

The Washington Post notes an overlooked part of the George Bush presidency, one that gets almost no attention despite the constant focus on the region. Under Bush, the US has tripled aid to Africa, with even more increases proposed for the next two years:

President Bush's legacy is sure to be defined by his wielding of U.S. military power in Afghanistan and Iraq, but there is another, much softer and less-noticed effort by his administration in foreign affairs: a dramatic increase in U.S. aid to Africa.
Good Richard blogs about Boxer and her run away from CAIR:

Boxer Distances Herself From CAIR

First, the facts:

Sen. Barbara Boxer of California has rescinded an award to an Islamic activist in her home state because of the man’s connections to a major American Muslim organization.

...

Boxer’s office confirmed to NEWSWEEK that she has withdrawn a “certificate of accomplishment” to Sacramento activist Basim Elkarra after learning that he serves as an official with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).


Hot Air vents about '06 interviews (and other stories).

The InstaPundit has all the news (of course):

MORE KIDNEY-BLOGGING, from Virginia Postrel.



Little Green Footballs is the hangout as always:
Palestinian Toy Gun Watch

A young boy holds a toy gun as a Palestinian man, right, speaks behind a portrait of late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein at a memorial in the Dahaysha Refugee Camp in the West Bank town of Bethlehem,Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006. Hundreds of Palestinians flocked to the streets of the West Bank on Sunday to mourn the death of Saddam Hussein, setting up condolence tents and bemoaning the fate of their steadfast ally. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)


Misha has plans for the New Year's Eve bash:

An Alternative to the “Standard” Dropping Balls

by LC Jackboot IC/A-OBR
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Hah, betcha thought this was a B.C. post, didntcha?

On Air

Now that I have your attention, the nasty little bug that rampaged it’s way through the Ambassador’s residence appears to be leaving as fast as AQ in Somalia. As such, I’ve decided to air an off-the-cuff New Year’s broadcast over on RadioCIA starting about 9:30 CT.

JS over at Observations looks at the cost of Saddam's rule in lives:

Chronicle of the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein:

Hussein's regime killed, tortured, raped and terrorized the Iraqi people and its neighbors for over two decades.

Hundreds of thousands of people died as a result of Saddam's actions.

Saddam had approximately 40 of his own relatives murdered.

1980-88: Iran-Iraq war left 150,000 to 340,000 Iraqis and 450,000 to 730,000 Iranians dead.

Patterico lays off the LA Times and looks at Saddam's ending:

Saddam’s Last Words: Three Different Versions (Plus Video)

Filed under: War, Scum — Patterico @ 7:05 am

In updates at the end of this post, Hot Air has video of Saddam being prepared for execution. As a bonus, there are three different stories about what Saddam’s last words were. He said “Allahu Akbar,” or something about Palestine being Arab, or a sarcastic “Muqtada.” Take your pick.

It just goes to show: you can’t get a consistent story about anything out of Iraq — even when the event is videotaped.

UPDATE: Xrlq says that this may be a link to a video of the execution. He can’t get it to load, and I can’t see it on a Treo anyway.

Jay at Stop the ACLU is on vacation, so his post is from the 22nd:

Al Qaeda Sends a Message to Democrats

by @ 9:05 pm. Filed under Uncategorized

Just about to walk out the door when I see this news from ABC’s Blotter just in time for the holidays!

Al Qaeda has sent a message to leaders of the Democratic party that credit for the defeat of congressional Republicans belongs to the terrorists.

In a portion of the tape from al Qaeda No. 2 man, Ayman al Zawahri, made available only today, Zawahri says he has two messages for American Democrats.

Things are slow over at Tom Delay's site:

Followup: Durham Bull

The scandal surrounding the prosecutor in the “Duke lacrosse rape case” deepened Thursday when the North Carolina Bar Association took actions that could range from admonishment to disbarment for District Attorney Mike Nifong.


And the last of my links is from TownHall; Mitt Romney's the spotlight on this one:
The Globe on Romney and New Media
Posted by: Hugh Hewitt at 10:34 AM

Last week I posted on the lead Mitt Romney has established in outreach to new media over the other two top-tier GOP candidates for the presidency, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Today the Boston Globe dutifully reports the story and even mentions the post in which I gave them their lede.

The piece is the first of many from old media on new media's impact on the contest for the GOP nomination in 2008 and is generally well-reported, but four things deserve criticism in the Scot Helman article.


Click thru and read the posts and have a great day.
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Reason to click

Saturday, December 30, 2006

More on Spain terror / Guardian for the Islamists

News about the amount of explosives, the damage could have been much worth, thankfully I have not read of any deaths (as of yet).
200 kgs of explosive used in ETA blast: Spain

Agence France-Presse

Madrid, December 30, 2006

Spanish police said some 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of explosive were used in Saturday's car bomb at Madrid airport which ended a nine-month ceasefire by armed Basque separatist group ETA.

Police based their estimate on the extent of the damage caused at a carpark at the brand new terminal four of the airport and the power of the explosion, which generated a huge pall of black smoke and shattered windows, the Europa Press news agency reported.

Investigators were checking hours of closed-circuit video to try to glean clues as to the identity of the bombers, who blew up a burgundy-coloured Renault van. (link)

This is one way to end a cease-fire. The government should look at ending terrorists groups instead of signing cease-fires. There is a reason they are terrorists after all.

Can you tell who the Guardian is really rooting for?
Not a shot was fired yet the Somali jihad was suddenly over...

Xan Rice, in Nairobi
Sunday December 31, 2006
The Observer


Their fortress fell without a shot. After just nine days of clashes in Somalia's hinterland, the Islamists who had vowed to fight to the death abandoned Mogadishu, the city they had governed since June. From having controlled most of southern and central Somalia, they were holed up yesterday in the southern port city of Kismaayo, facing annihilation by Ethiopian troops.

Ali Mohamed Ghedi, Prime Minister in Somalia's transitional government - an irrelevance until last week - rode triumphantly into Mogadishu on Friday, announcing the end of 'terrorism' in the country. Ethiopia, which together with the US has stoked fears about the rise of a terrorist state {emp mine: LN} in the Horn of Africa, was basking in the success of a campaign that was swifter and more successful than anyone had predicted. (link)

Later on in the article the Guardian writer shows true colors again. With a reference to 'Black Hawk Down' and other 'suck-up' type phrases, the writer leaves no doubt as to the fact that we should lament the lastest move against Islam.

From talking about how 'safe' Mogadishu was after the Islamic Council took over, to the failed U.S. policy of backing the warlords who held the capital before them, the Guardian takes new meaning to the phrase 'kissing up'.

I feel sorry for the people of the U.K., at least our MSM attempts to hide it's loyalties to the terrorists (most of the time). It seems the MSM in the U.K. can't be bothered.
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Reason amongst the dhimmikrauts
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Trouble in Spain

Via LittleGreenFootballs:
Basque terrorists strike in Madrid: ETA car bomb in Madrid breaks ceasefire.

MADRID (Reuters) - A car bomb wrecked a car park at Madrid's international airport on Saturday, injuring at least 19 people in an attack the government said smashed a nine-month-old ceasefire by ETA Basque guerrillas.
I hope Nuri is ok and pray for the people hurt.
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Reason for anger

What's wrong with (illegal) immigration?

Taking the jobs that Americans won't:


WND
INVASION USA
Deported illegal who shot officers killed
California patrolmen fired on as they sat in their cruiser

Posted: December 29, 2006
1:30 p.m. Eastern


© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

An illegal immigrant who had been deported from the United States several times but returned each time and now was being sought for wounding two police officers in Long Beach, Calif., has died in a shooting with officers who tracked him to a taco stand in Santa Ana, authorities have confirmed.


Oscar Gallegos

Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters said Oscar Gabriel Gallegos, wanted for the shooting of Long Beach officers Abram Yap and Roy Wade Jr. as they sat in their squad car Dec. 22, died while trying to shoot three of his officers with a .40-caliber Glock equipped with a laser sight. Walters told the Orange County Register that Gallegos carried two fully loaded magazines in his pocket during the confrontation.

"He was either going to kill the officers or be killed," Walters said. "Fortunately, the right person got killed."

The Long Beach officers, who had stopped Gallegos for running a red light, are recovering from their injuries in the hospital, officials said. (link)

This guy should be the poster-boy for illegal immigration. At least he won't be shooting at American citizens anymore. Of course, the fact the he was here illegally doesn't mean he wouldn't have done this type of thing if he was a legal immigrant, but it does show the danger of having illegals here. It's bad enough when people who have the RIGHT to live here do this kind of thing, but for us not to work on our borders in light of situations such as this is reprehensible.

Capitalism at it's finest:

Haitian refugees come ashore at Jupiter Island

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, December 28, 2006

UPDATED: 11:44 p.m. December 28, 2006

Two Haitians were found dead after a group of about 17 boaters came ashore near Jupiter Island Thursday night, likely as part of a drug and human trafficking operation, authorities said.

The group reached land about 9:45 p.m. near 691 South Beach Road, near the Martin-Palm Beach County line, and scattered into a wooded area.

They left drugs and guns at the scene, then led authorities on a massive manhunt that spanned both sides of the county line. Officials found two dead people in the area, at least one in the water.

Believing the rest of the group might be armed, about 80 law enforcment officials from at least five agencies fanned out using K-9s and helicopters, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies considered the group armed and possibly dangerous. They urged Jupiter Island residents to call 911 if they saw anything suspicious. Based on the number of footprints in the area and other information, deputies believed there were about 17 boaters, including the two found dead.

By 11 p.m., authorities captured 11 boaters and about three or four others were still on the loose, said Martin County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Bruce Pinkman. Helicopters roamed the skies above the county line, spotting fleeing boaters and radioing their location down to authorities on the ground, who captured them. The boaters were detained at a nearby park, authorities said. (link)

Seriously, these guys were just looking to get into business, what's wrong with that? Hopefully they will catch the rest of the scum and deal harshly with them. Deportation should be the final order after some serious jail-time. Florida is bad enough (see statitics on crime) without the worlds' criminals crashing the party.
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Reason amongst the dhimmikrauts
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blog advertising

Pay-per-post in a move to secure blog advertising has acquired Performancing.com. I have used Performacing on my firefox browser and like it (I stopped using it when I switched to beta and not sure if it works with the new blogger yet) but never used the metrics programs that PPP also purchased.

This looks like a good move for PPP in establishing that they are 'here to stay' . Customers and advertisers alike will be able to use the metric tools to track the good posts from the bad (could be bad news for some, like me) and the bloggers can use Performancing to blog more easily (especially if you use blogger).

I haven't done a PPP post in awhile, just havn't seen any good opportunities to use it. I don't want to plug things I have not done/tried or disagree with (unless they want good or bad opinions of course) and most of the good opportunities are for higher PR blogs (I'm still a lowly zero on the PR scale), so my options are somewhat limited.

Of course the fact that I've been working alot and doing family things might have something to do with it also :) But with this new acquisition, I may have to do more of these posts. At least I need to sign up for metrics and fully test the capabilities of it.

On the whole, good move for both PPP and Performacing, sure to help a legion of bloggers and advertisers meet and get happy together.

Post sponsered by PayPerPost.

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Friday, December 29, 2006

The hour hath come

The butcher of baghdad is reportedly dead. Via Hotair:

Word just in from al-Arabiya that Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti is dead.

Sic Semper Tyrannis. Watch this space for more details.

Long live Democracy, even in its infant form.

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Reason amongst the living
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Youths in England / Islamists 'redeployment'

More 'youth' attacks in the U.K.:
Deccan Herald » Foreign » Detailed Story



Indian nurses face racist attack in UK

London, ians:
Nurses from India working in hospitals in northern Liverpool have recently been attacked by racist thugs, leaving them terrified to move out of their flats, according to reports from Liverpool.


Nurses from India working in hospitals in northern Liverpool have recently been attacked by racist thugs, leaving them terrified to move out of their flats, according to reports from Liverpool.

Four blocks of flats in Falconhall Road, Fazakerley, where the nurses recruited by the National Health Service reside, have been attacked. The racist abuse hurled at the nurses is reportedly getting worse.

Minu Subash, a nurse working at the Fazakerley hospital, was quoted as saying: “We are really afraid to go out at night because of young boys roaming around outside. I have stopped them trying to take my car and they tried to smash their way into a flat through the window. “When you say anything to them or chase them away, you get ‘Paki this’ and ‘Paki that’. It is all the time.” (link)
The article never tells who the suspected youths are, no background at all. Usually when the press won't identify 'youths' they are usually muslim (might not be true in this case, but it usually is). I wonder if these women are being targetted more for being from India, or not wearing proper clothing?

Anyone seen Murtha?
Somali Islamists vow to fight on as government holds talks with clans

· Protests in Mogadishu at role of Ethiopian forces
· Reliance on warlords weakens administration


Xan Rice in Nairobi
Saturday December 30, 2006
The Guardian


Somali Islamist leaders vowed yesterday to continue fighting against pro-government forces yesterday even as Ethiopian MiG fighter jets buzzed over Kismayo, their last stronghold.

The Islamists fled from Mogadishu, 260 miles north of Kismayo, on Thursday after being surrounded by Ethiopian troops and fighters loyal to the Somali government. Hassan Dahir Aweys and Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the top two Islamist leaders, were joined in the southern port city by several thousand militiamen and scores of "technicals" - pick-up trucks with machine guns mounted on the back. (link)

After running as fast as they could from Mogadishu, the Islamists claim they will not leave Somalia and will fight to the end. Of course, they said that before they fled the capital too, so we'll have to see. It's amazing what an army can do to the recruited rabble of terrorists groups when giving the free reign to do the job. If the Islamists fight as hard as they have so far, look for a free Somalia before the month is out.
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Reason amongst the dhimmikrauts
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Thursday, December 28, 2006

Prayers for the Senator : Death to the Tyrant : Goodbye to the Flu

Our prayers continue to go out for the Senator from South Dakota:
Johnson Remains in Critical Condition
Dec 28 5:52 PM US/Eastern

WASHINGTON


Sen. Tim Johnson turned 60 on Thursday, two weeks after emergency surgery to repair a brain hemorrhage that has left him in critical condition.

Julianne Fisher, a spokeswoman for the South Dakota Democrat, said Johnson won't be present in the first days of the new Congress next week but is continuing to improve. She said he is responsive to directions from his wife but has not yet spoken.

It's too early to tell how long recovery will take, Fisher said.

In a statement Thursday, Johnson's doctors said he remains in intensive care at George Washington University Hospital. They have released few new details about Johnson's condition and prognosis since the days after the Dec. 13 surgery to stop bleeding in his brain.

Dr. Vivek Deshmukh, head of Johnson's surgical team, said in a statement that the South Dakota senator's overall condition has improved and he is gradually being weaned off sedation to help his brain heal. (link)

He's not talking yet, but is responding, so good news for him and his family.

Good news from the M.E.:

Saddam to be hanged by Sunday

Ex-dictator’s execution expected to be carried out by start of Eid holiday

NBC News and news services
Updated: 2 minutes ago

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, sentenced to death for his role in 148 killings in 1982, will have his sentence carried out by Sunday, NBC News reported Thursday. According to a U.S. military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity, Saddam will be hanged before the start of the Eid religious holiday, which begins this Sunday.

The hanging could take place as early as Friday, NBC’s Richard Engel reported.

The U.S. military received a formal request from the Iraqi government to transfer Saddam to Iraqi authorities, NBC reported on Thursday, which is one of the final steps required before his execution. His sentence, handed down last month, ordered that he be hanged within 30 days. (link)

There's a bit of a controversy brewing on this one, HotAir has the scoop. Seems the government can't decide on just when he is to be hung.

Snake oil salemsen line up:
The vaccine to cure every strain of flu
by FIONA MacRAE
Last updated at 22:20pm on 28th December 2006

British scientists are on the verge of producing a revolutionary flu vaccine that works against all major types of the disease.

Described as the 'holy grail' of flu vaccines, it would protect against all strains of influenza A - the virus behind both bird flu and the nastiest outbreaks of winter flu.

Just a couple of injections could give long-lasting immunity - unlike the current vaccine which has to be given every year.

The brainchild of scientists at Cambridge biotech firm Acambis, working with Belgian researchers, the vaccine will be tested on humans for the first time in the next few months.

A similar universal flu vaccine, being developed by Swiss vaccine firm Cytos Biotechnology, could also be tested on people in 2007 - and the vaccines on the market in around five years.

Importantly, the vaccines would also be quicker and easier to make than the traditional jabs, meaning vast quantities could be stockpiled against a global outbreak of bird flu.

Martin Bachmann, of Cytos, said: "You could really stockpile it. In the case of a pandemic, that would be a huge advantage.

"If you were to start making a traditional vaccine at the start of a pandemic, there is no way there would be enough."

The Government believes a bird flu pandemic is inevitable, killing 50,000 people in Britain alone.

However, it acknowledges that the bug could be much more lethal - infecting one in two people and claiming more than 700,000 lives. (link)

This would be great news if it pans out. Some time in '12 we may say goodbye to the flu. This would really help my little girl who would be eleven at that time. She is prone to getting sick.
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Reason amongst the dhimmikrauts

Islamists on the run : Crying to the UN

In the 'How to win a war' department:

Troops enter Mogadishu; refugees drown

By SALAD DUHUL, Associated Press Writer 24 minutes ago

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali government troops backed by Ethiopian forces rolled into Mogadishu without firing a shot Thursday, a striking gain in its bid to recapture the country from an Islamic movement that had once seemed nearly invincible.

Off the coast, Yemeni authorities opened fire on boats filled with refugees fleeing the fighting, and at least 17 people drowned in the Gulf of Aden when one vessels capsized, the United Nations refugee agency said Thursday. About 140 people were missing, the Geneva-based agency said.

Hours before the troops entered the capital, the Islamic militants fled Mogadishu, pledging to make a last stand in southern Somalia. (link)

That's what you can do when the entire world isn't against you doing your job. When niceties and such aren't the first priority in a war. One wonders where all the protests for the Ethiopian invasion are? I havn't seen any printed or heard any on the news lately. Maybe it's only the U.S. and Israel that can't goto war (of any kind).

Leave me with the evil Americans:

Saddam lawyer seeks to prevent handover

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA, Associated Press Writer 42 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq -
Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer implored world leaders on Thursday to prevent the United States from handing over the ousted leader to Iraqi authorities for execution, saying he should enjoy protection from his enemies as a "prisoner of war."

Iraq's highest court on Tuesday rejected Saddam's appeal against his conviction and death sentence for the killing of 148 Shiites in the northern city of Dujail in 1982. The court said the former president should be hanged within 30 days.

"According to the international conventions, it is forbidden to hand a prisoner of war to his adversary," Saddam's lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said.

"I urge all the international and legal organizations, the United Nations secretary-general, the Arab League and all the leaders of the world to rapidly prevent the American administration from handing the president to the Iraqi authorities," he told The Associated Press. (link)

If the Iraqis had Saddam and were handing him over to the U.S. for hanging, I could understand this argument. But since (technically) the Iraqis aren't the enemies of Saddam in this instance, then the point seems to be moot. He was convicted in Iraq, by an Iraqi judge and jury. His sentence will be carried out in Iraq.

Next thing you know, you'll have criminals in this (and other) country beseeching the U.N. to protect them from going to their enemies (ie. jail). Saddam will get his reward for the total mess he made of most of Iraq and the Iraqi people. The 'escalated' violence concern doesn't actual merit much, if taken into context of what is already happening. This would be valid if we had relative peace in the area and then they threatened violence. When the house is burning down, whats one more match?
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Reason amongst the dhimmikrauts

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Finally some good news on the home front:

AP
Dow closes above 12,500 for first time


AP Photo: In this photo released by the New York Stock Exchange, Noreen Culhane, third left, Executive...


By JOE BEL BRUNO, AP Business Writer 19 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Wall Street surged higher Wednesday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrials past 12,500 for the first time as year-end bargain hunters picked up stocks across a variety of sectors.

The auto industry was in focus after a meeting between executives at Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. sparked hope about a potential alliance between the two rivals. Shares of both companies moved higher on the speculation.

Further takeover activity lent support to the overall market after McClatchy Co. announced late Tuesday it agreed to sell the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis to a private equity fund. Also, graphics communication company Cenveo Inc. agreed to buy rival Cadmus Communications Corp.

But investors looking to buff up their portfolios by year's end were behind most of the gains after major indexes languished last week. (link)

Thank G-d the democrats won congress so the economy would get better. It's amazing that they havn't even officially taken over yet the economy is booming. All that unpleasantness the republicans put the poor 'ole economy through must have finally wore off.

Yes, I'm being sarcastic, but you wouldn't know from reading the papers pre- and post-election regarding the economy and state of union in general.

Just the last person I would have expected to see:
John Edwards joins presidential race AP


AP Photo: John Edwards smiles as he is interviewed by reporters during a break while working with...


By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer 7 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Former Democratic vice presidential nominee
John Edwards jumped into the presidential race Wednesday a day earlier than he'd planned, prodded by an Internet glitch to launch a candidacy focused on health care, taxes and other domestic issues.

The North Carolina Democrat's campaign accidentally went live with his election Web site a day before an announcement Thursday that was supposed to use Hurricane-ravaged New Orleans as a backdrop.

The slip-up gave an unintended double-meaning to his campaign slogan on the John Edwards '08 Web site: "Tomorrow begins today."

Aides quickly shut down the errant Web site but could not contain news of the obvious, even in the shadows of former President Ford's death.

"Better a day earlier than a day late," said Jennifer Palmieri, an Edwards adviser. (link)

So his site was up early so couldn't take advantage of the people of New Orleans. Doesn't he think that just maybe they have suffered enough and he should help them instead of exploiting them? (probably not) Well, there goes Hillary's chances (hehTM). With so many candidates staking their particular field out, Edwards comes in as 'the rich man for the poor man' candidate. Although his record doesn't reflect that, or his lifestyle; that is the way he will portray himself with ample help from the MSM. (Note: when all candidates are favorites of the MSM, who gets slandered? Republicans :)
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Reason to vote
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Noose tightens and Clean up in Basra

One more hurdle down:
Appeals Court Upholds Saddam Hussein's Death Sentence

Tuesday, December 26, 2006


Saddam Hussein / AP
BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi appeals court has upheld the death sentence ordered for Saddam Hussein at his first trial, Iraq's national security adviser said Tuesday.

"The appeals court approved the verdict to hang Saddam," Mouwafak al-Rubaie told The Associated Press.

On Nov. 5, an Iraqi court sentenced Saddam to the gallows for the 1982 killings of 148 people from a Shiite Muslim town after an attempt on his life there.

The decision of the appeals court must be ratified by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents. Talabani opposes the
death penalty but has in the past deputized a vice president to sign an execution order on his behalf — a substitute that was legally accepted.

Once the decision is ratified, Saddam and other co-defendants in the trial would be hanged within 30 days. (link)
I know some of you aren't for the death penalty, but I am. Saddam deserves it for the things he did to his people. Millions of people would be alive today had this man not come into power. The abuses by he and his family on the people of Iraq will forever haunt the Iraqi people as they move toward a free country (if they can get the ethnic purging under control that is).

Bad cops?

U.K. Soldiers Watch for Reprisals After Police Station Raid

Tuesday, December 26, 2006


BAGHDAD — British soldiers on Tuesday were on alert for reprisals a day after they raided a police station in the southern city of Basra, killing seven gunmen in an effort to stop renegade Iraqi officers from executing their prisoners.

"We fully expect more attacks on our bases and on Basra stations, but that's nothing out of the ordinary," Maj. Charlie Burbridge, a military spokesman, said Tuesday. "But this is part of a long-term rehabilitation of the Iraqi police service, to make it more effective and more accountable, and ultimately provide better security for the people of Basra."

After the British stormed the police station, they removed 127 prisoners, who showed evidence of torture, then evacuated the building before blowing it up, he said.

Burbridge had previously said only 76 prisoners were in the station, but later said soldiers miscounted the prisoners because the operation was done under cover of darkness.

Some 800 of the British military's 7,200 troops in Iraq were involved in the operation, he said.

A spokesman for Iraq's defense minister said Monday that the Iraqi interior and defense ministries approved the Basra operation, but some members of the Basra provincial council said they were not notified. (link)

Find a problem, fix said problem. Say what you want about the Brits, they usually do what they set out to do (if they ever decide exactly what to do). 'Dirty' cops in Iraq is a major problem when trying to rebuild not only the army but the police corps itself. At least this group will no longer be executing prisoners based on their whims.
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Reason against the dhimmikrauts

Monday, December 25, 2006

MySpace / Israel dreams


For last minute travel, you don have much choice and cannot particularly look for cheap flights as well as economical hotels. Most probably you will have to compromise on the flights. For stay you can try the las vegas resorts and can use rental cars to travel in the city.


Any MySpace users out there? (of course there are thousands of them) You may want to read this article.
Technology
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MySpace Users Big Targets for ID Theives
LOS ANGELES - MySpace devotee Kary Rogers was expecting to see a gut-busting video when a friend from the popular online hangout messaged him a link.

First, though, he was directed to a page where he was supposed to re-enter his password. Rogers realized that someone was trying to steal his information, and he didn't take the bait. At best, he would be spammed with junk e-mails; worse, the Web thief might steal his real-life identity.

"I immediately went back and changed my password," said Rogers, 29, a network analyst for Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss. (link)

I use it infrequently, but I'll make sure to check my links for phish myself.

Olmert decides that if the terrorists won't stop shooting, we'll give them more 'incentive':

Israeli PM Orders Checkpoints Dismantled


JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel agreed Monday to remove some of the military roadblocks that have hindered Palestinian travel in the West Bank, one of several gestures aimed at boosting moderate President Mahmoud Abbas in his bitter struggle with the militant Islamic Hamas.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved streamlining checkpoints and removing roadblocks "to strengthen moderate (Palestinian) elements," according to a statement from his office. Olmert has already offered $100 million in frozen tax income to Abbas and indicated he might release some Palestinian prisoners.

Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said inspections would be eased at 16 checkpoints, and 27 unmanned roadblocks would be removed. Also, crossings for people and cargo between Gaza and Israel would be upgraded "in order to accelerate the economy in Gaza to lessen the poverty and despair."

Olmert singled out Abbas as a Palestinian leader who is interested in peace with Israel - a clear contrast to Hamas, which rejects the existence of a Jewish state in an Islamic Middle East and has rebuffed international demands to renounce violence. Hamas controls the Palestinian government. (link)


AP Photo/MOHAMMED BALLAS
What will it take for an Israeli leader to step up and defend Israel? Probably about the same it would take some in this country to do the same (no names).

With all the carrots Israel has given the palestinian-arabs over the years, they should be fat and happy, yet with each new 'peace offering' only more rockets and terrorist attacks occur. The terrorists (Fatah and Hammas) aren't interested in making peace with Israel and never will be, they want Israel and the Jews to be destroyed. Just like Iran (who will shortly have the capability to do just that). Wake up folks, the fat lady is humming off stage.
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Reason for Security

James Brown / Iran in Iraq

A legend is gone:
Legendary Singer James Brown Dies at 73
Dec 25 4:15 AM US/Eastern

ATLANTA

James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured "Godfather of Soul," whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and disco as well, died early Monday, his agent said. He was 73.

Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by his side, he said.

Copsidas said the cause of death was uncertain. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said.

Pete Allman, a radio personality in Las Vegas who had been friends with Brown for 15 years, credited Brown with jump-starting his career and motivating him personally and professionally.

"He was a very positive person. There was no question he was the hardest working man in show business," Allman said. "I remember Mr. Brown as someone who always motivated me, got me reading the Bible."

Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid- footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others. Songs such as David Bowie's "Fame," Prince's "Kiss," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song" were clearly based on Brown's rhythms and vocal style. (link)


Prayers goto the family and friends, he was a great man who lived a long life.

Anyone tell the ISG?
The New York Times
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December 25, 2006

U.S. Is Holding Iranians Seized in Raids in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Dec. 24 — The American military is holding at least four Iranians in Iraq, including men the Bush administration called senior military officials, who were seized in a pair of raids late last week aimed at people suspected of conducting attacks on Iraqi security forces, according to senior Iraqi and American officials in Baghdad and Washington.

The Bush administration made no public announcement of the politically delicate seizure of the Iranians, though in response to specific questions the White House confirmed Sunday that the Iranians were in custody.

Gordon D. Johndroe, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said two Iranian diplomats were among those initially detained in the raids. The two had papers showing that they were accredited to work in Iraq, and he said they were turned over to the Iraqi authorities and released. He confirmed that a group of other Iranians, including the military officials, remained in custody while an investigation continued, and he said, “We continue to work with the government of Iraq on the status of the detainees.” (link)

Of course we should talk to Iran, these guys are just looking for peace (hehTM).
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Reason
Merry Christmas!
to everyone from the links, the blogrolls and the people that stumble through here. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a blessed New Year.

May G-d watch over and protect you and yours this coming year.

Lord Nazh

Sunday, December 24, 2006

'Republican war'

Nice little revisionist story at dkos:

It's a Republican War

Sun Dec 24, 2006 at 05:23:28 AM PST

Kevin Drum brings up a good point of discussion here:

Link-- There's no question that conservatives will try to hang our failure in Iraq around liberal peacenik necks, but that's not what's important. What's important is whether they succeed. Public opinion is key, and if they go ahead and do their surge, and it fails, it's going to make the conservative story a lot harder to tell. The public just isn't going to buy it.

One thing BushCo did and did well was in branding this war an exclusively Republican War and cutting Democrats out of what they thought was going to be the credit for it. So, my guess would be the public is already not going to buy any whining excuses that the media/hippies/bloggers/tree huggers lost the glorious GOP War. And any stragglers still shopping at Right-wingmart aren't going to let a little thing like reality disrupt their purchase.

Nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to remind people every chance we get -- especially as revelations of fraud or profiteering come to light, more Americans die, and even politicians with a purple stain on their finger run away screaming from Bush and his war over the next year -- that this is a Republican War started by a Republican President managed by a Republican Cabinet enabled by a Rubber-stamp Republican Congress and cheered on by Republican media operatives. In short: Republicans Lost The War. (link)

Now we all know that the democrats have been against this war from the beginning right? And that the President went to war without their approval. So it's obviously not 'their' war (are they American?) it's only the Republicans war.
PartyYesNo
DemocraticMax Baucus, Evan Bayh, Joseph Biden, John Breaux, Maria Cantwell, Jean Carnahan, Thomas Carper, Max Cleland, Hillary Clinton, Tom Daschle, Christopher Dodd, Byron Dorgan, John Edwards, Dianne Feinstein, Tom Harkin, Fritz Hollings, Tim Johnson, John Kerry, Herb Kohl, Mary Landrieu, Joseph Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln, Zell Miller, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Harry Reid, Jay Rockefeller, Chuck Schumer, Bob Torricelli
(link)
PartyYesNoNot Voting
DemocraticGary Ackerman, Robert Andrews, James Barcia, Kenneth Bentsen, Shelley Berkley, Howard Berman, Marion Berry, Sanford Bishop, Rod Blagojevich, Bob Borski, Leonard Boswell, Rick Boucher, Allen Boyd, Brad Carson, Bob Clement, Bud Cramer, Joseph Crowley, Jim Davis, Peter Deutsch, Norman Dicks, Calvin Dooley, Chet Edwards, Eliot Engel, Bob Etheridge, Harold Ford, Martin Frost, Richard Gephardt, Bart Gordon, Gene Green, Ralph Hall, Jane Harman, Baron Hill, Joe Hoeffel, Tim Holden, Steny Hoyer, Steve Israel, William Jefferson, Chris John, Paul Kanjorski, Patrick Kennedy, Ron Kind, Nicholas Lampson, Tom Lantos, Nita Lowey, Ken Lucas, Bill Luther, Stephen Lynch, Carolyn Maloney, Edward Markey, Frank Mascara, Jim Matheson, Carolyn McCarthy, Mike McIntyre, Michael McNulty, Martin Meehan, Dennis Moore, John Murtha, Bill Pascrell, Collin Peterson, David Phelps, Earl Pomeroy, Tim Roemer, Mike Ross, Steven Rothman, Max Sandlin, Adam Schiff, Brad Sherman, Ronnie Shows, Ike Skelton, Adam Smith, John Spratt, Charles Stenholm, John Tanner, Ellen Tauscher, Gene Taylor, Karen Thurman, Jim Turner, Henry Waxman, Anthony Weiner, Robert Wexler, Al Wynn
(link)
By these votes on H J Res. 114 (To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq) we see that indeed it was only the Republicans that voted to goto war. Of course, some of these people will be highly suprised that they are now Republicans (does this mean we still have majorities in both the House and Senate?). When people fall to saying that a war our country is involved in (that had bipartisian support and was voted legally by Congress on) is a 'Republican' war, then there are more problems than simply support for the war.

Support for the country may be an issue in and of itself. Of course you can't claim anyone is unpatriotic simply because they don't support the war (everyone has the right to support it or not), but you can infer what you want about people that don't support their country.
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Reason amongst the dhimmikrauts

Merry Christmas in Alabama

Story from the Press-Register about saying Merry Christmas in Alabama. Seems 88% of people in this state support Christmas and the ability to say Merry Christmas on the job. That also includes nativity scenes in public places. The ACLU will have a fit over this one:

Poll: Alabama supports Christmas expression

Sunday, December 24, 2006
By SEBASTIAN KITCHEN
Capital Bureau

People in Alabama overwhelmingly favor nativity scenes on public property and disapprove of stores mandating that employees use greetings other than "Merry Christmas," according to a Press-Register/University of South Alabama poll.

Eighty-eight percent of respondents agreed that nativity scenes should be allowed on public property, and more than half said the scenes need not include symbols of religions such as Judaism or Buddhism.

The statewide poll of 402 adults was conducted by telephone Dec. 13-17. The margin of error is plus or minus 5 percentage points. (link)

The article goes on to state the objections of some progressives and such, and harps about the need to include other symbols (secular or other religions) to keep the scenes (nativity) from being 'un-constitutional'. If we had a Supreme Court with the gumption to shoot down people like the ACLU and the Americans United for Seperation of Church and State, then we wouldn't have all these problems with people getting 'offended' by scenes. How many such offended people are monetarily motivated? You'd have to look into the case histories, but there's a money trail in every anti-christian case I've read about dealing with 'offense' and the 'seperation of church and state'.

Why is it that the ACLU and their ilk cannot or will not read the entirety of the 1st amendment and realize that making a law against a religion is also against the constitution. Why can't the SCOTUS see that? Is it simply because people in the world are too 'pc' to care anymore?

This country was based on the will of the majority ruling. In the past few years/decades we have become ruled by the offended minority. Any 'group' can easily get any law passed simply by being offended by something. Especially if it's anti-christian.
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Reason for the season

Warzone

 Recently played a few games on Caldera (warzone) and then... Lots of luck in this one, but satisfying