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February 29, 2008
Well! Of ALL the Nerve!
Thank God he's not running for president or something ~ such behavior would be intolerable.
White House Aide Accused of PlagiarismWASHINGTON (AP) - A White House aide accused of plagiarism was chastised Friday and his actions were criticized as unacceptable. Timothy Goeglein, who has worked for President Bush since 2001, was accused of lifting material from a Dartmouth College publication and presenting it as his own work in a column about education for The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne, Ind.
"His behavior is not acceptable and we are disappointed in Tim's actions," White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said. "He is offering no excuses and he agrees it was wrong."
Asked if he would keep his job, she said, "At this point we have nothing more for you on that."
There'll be no word thieving in the Bush White House, by George!
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:30 PM | Comments (5)
"There Are No Angels in the Balkans"
...And in Muslim lands? There has been silence about American deeds in the Balkans. The drums of anti-Americanism are steady, and no one has stepped forth to acknowledge American mercy and American protection. Precious few, even in "moderate" Muslim lands, own up to the fact that Islam survived in Sarajevo only because American power rescued it from the Serbo-Croat campaign of the 1990s.And yet today, in this tale of Kosovo, the willfulness in Muslim lands is easy to see. Whether Muslims acknowledge it or not, whether Americans themselves admit it or not, the Pax Americana is the provider of order of last resort in the lands of Islam.
I would say that has to stick in collective Islamic craws if I had any belief that Islamic craws were ~ in any fashion ~ capable of rational thought.
But they're not.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:36 AM | Comments (5)
Death In The City Of "Youths"
Maybe I'm getting cynical in my jaded old age, but when I see that the body of an African woman who campaigned against genital mutilation is found in the River Seine in the City of Youths and the police "don't suspect foul play"...well, let's see.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:25 AM
Well Done Harry
You've done a lot more to restore honor to the Crown than your father ever has
Prince Harry is to be withdrawn from Afghanistan after news broke of him serving there on the front line.The 23-year-old royal, who has spent the last 10 weeks serving in Helmand Province, is to be flown back to the UK amid concerns for his safety.
I think that unfortunately he does need to be withdrawn back to the UK, but he's served alongside his countrymen for 10 weeks there. Good for him.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:58 AM | Comments (7)
February 28, 2008
What Do You Call It When "The Gray Lady" Turns In To A Doddering Old Fool?
Sulzheimers.
I mean really, doesn't Pravda realize how silly they look now?
WASHINGTON — The question has nagged at the parents of Americans born outside the continental United States for generations: Dare their children aspire to grow up and become president? In the case of Senator John McCain of Arizona, the issue is becoming more than a matter of parental daydreaming.Mr. McCain’s likely nomination as the Republican candidate for president and the happenstance of his birth in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936 are reviving a musty debate that has surfaced periodically since the founders first set quill to parchment and declared that only a “natural-born citizen” can hold the nation’s highest office.
Almost since those words were written in 1787 with scant explanation, their precise meaning has been the stuff of confusion, law school review articles, whisper campaigns and civics class debates over whether only those delivered on American soil can be truly natural born. To date, no American to take the presidential oath has had an official birthplace outside the 50 states.
Hey, if you ignore George Washington, John Adams, Mr. Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and Martin Van Buren, by god they're right! When McCain was born there, on an American military base to parents who were both US citizens, the Canal Zone was effectively US territory, it seems to me. Military bases and diplomatic missions have always been considered "US soil" so even if the Zone wasn't "really" a US territory. I agree there's always been some uncertainty about this, but it would seem like the weight of tradition and evidence are in McCain's favor.
But hey, keep those whisper campaigns a'coming.
Next NYT exclusive: John McCain in a guayabera!
Hell, I think "natural born" means that no one born via cesarean section is eligible.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:08 AM | Comments (13)
Whoops! You Thought It Was Just Teddy Kennedy
...being an elitist pig.
Wind farms may threaten whooping cranes
Three steps forward and two steps back.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:27 AM | Comments (6)
February 27, 2008
"Squeeze My Juicy Melons"
(And then they get mad if you're a fruit lover, right?)
A list of some rules to fly by.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:20 PM | Comments (4)
February 26, 2008
Once Again The Swilling Is Your "One Stop" Knowledge Destination
Are you really that surprised that in all of Google we are the only place to find this?
We live to serve, Gentle Reader.
Live to Serve.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:12 AM | Comments (5)
Der Surrender Continues
At Der Spiegel. If you follow the link back to Der Spiegel from Fausta's you will see a picture of a burqa clad woman (I guess) with one of the scariest captions I have ever read
Women who would rather not wear a burqa can now slip around it electronically.
F*ck you buddy. Just f*ck you. No woman anywhere should ever have to wear one of those things, and by God she should always have the option to take it off, not just send some feeble picture out via bluetooth. And that fact that this "advancement" took place at an event in the US
A model demonstrated a prototype of Kison's garment at the Seamless 2008 design and fashion show in Boston, a high-tech fashion event run with support from the Masschusetts Institute of Technology.
disgusts me to no end. I'm sure the audience applauded and talked about Gosh how this technology really empowers those women, doesn't it? Aren't we so culturally non-judgmental that we help their slaves have email! Ooh, pass the vegan canapes and I'd love another glass of that organically grown Chardonnay to toast the liberation this will bring!
It just sickens me to no end how the supposed 'progressive' people in this country continually enable the oppression and subjugation of women here and around the world.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:44 AM | Comments (9)
Well That's Because They Over Estimate The Size Of Something Else...
Here's a shocking discovery
British people perceive themselves to be much slimmer around the waist than they really are, research shows.Experts fear that by failing to recognise their increasing girth some people may be missing a key warning sign of developing type 2 diabetes.
The University of Leicester study found men under-estimated their waist size by an average of 3.1 inches (7.9cm), women by an average of 2.2 inches (5.5cm).
Who would have thought that people would fub on their estimates of their weight?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:06 AM
February 25, 2008
The Industrial Version
...of "Feed me, Seymour!"?
BorgWarner expands Hungary plant
Everything's cute when it's little...
Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:05 PM | Comments (3)
Sorry, Obama
"shameful offensive fear-mongering"
...won't wash. In case you hadn't noticed...
...she's pretty scary her ownself.
It's not just us. Most everybody thinks so.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:23 AM | Comments (2)
Check Your Figures, Al
For that little gain, I'm not willing to suffer the pain of a $3 chocolate creme-filled Dunkin' Donut.
Driving is as American as apple pie. At more than 9m barrels a day, gasoline accounts for almost half of US oil demand, and more than a 10th of that of the world. Capitol Hill wants to curb this. Use of biofuels, mainly ethanol, is to be expanded five-fold to 2.4m b/d by 2022. In addition, new cars must achieve
35 miles per gallon by 2020, up from 21 mpg today.Will it make a difference in 10 years? Ethanol provides only two-thirds the energy gasoline does, and the dominant corn-based variety requires a lot of energy to make. So the extra 1.3m b/d of ethanol possibly on the market by 2017 would actually displace only 700,000 b/d of gasoline consumption.
And I can't imagine what the corn to feed Bingley's fat little heifers is gonna run.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:29 AM | Comments (11)
I May Not Be Worthy Enough To Fetch His Slippers
But I can own them
A pair of slippers worn by Sir Walter Scott is expected to fetch several thousand pounds at auction.The famous writer's footwear will go under the hammer at Edinburgh's Shapes auctioneers on 1 March.
The slippers were gifted to Scott in 1830 after visitors to his Abbotsford home in the Borders were dismayed at the state of the ones he was wearing.
Hmmm, build up a roaring fire, pour yourself a wee dram and settle in in the library to read Rob Roy in your nice comfy slippers
Works for me.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:27 AM | Comments (3)
February 24, 2008
Dang I Love Porterhouse
Just thought I'd let y'all know.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:46 PM | Comments (15)
February 23, 2008
Today It's "Iwo To"
They've called it something different for the longest time.
And on this day in 1945...
...somebody pretty terrific planted a flag there.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:26 PM | Comments (10)
You Know, People Come To The Swilling In Odd Ways
But this morning some one from Lowell, Massachusetts was busy searching for Michelle Wie camel toe"?
You're just a pig, buddy.
For the record, here's the only place here she was mentioned.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:45 AM | Comments (3)
February 22, 2008
Just Another Day
...at the office.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:19 PM | Comments (5)
Today's Laugh
From the ever great Theo Spark.
Mildly NSFW
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:09 PM | Comments (3)
Chimpster Hasn't Typed "Hamlet" Yet...
But it looks like "Saturday Night Fever" is finished!
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:10 AM | Comments (3)
Is Al Gore In Town?
We're finally getting some nice snow, so I just kinda figured...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:54 AM
February 21, 2008
BIG Badda Boom!
Ebola notes that Lucas got the Death Star explosion just right, judging from the video.
Note to China: See? That's how we did it.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:12 PM | Comments (8)
"I Need To Play The Part"
Aspiring rap lyricist Benjamin Baines Jr. decided that in order to live up to his desired gangsta image the best course of action was to live the dream!
TAMPA - A 21-year-old Clearwater man was arrested at Tampa International Airport this weekend after security personnel found a box cutter in a hollowed-out book, authorities said....About 7:30 a.m. Sunday, airport security ran Benjamin Baines Jr.'s backpack through an X-ray machine and saw the image of a box cutter, according to a report from the Transportation Security Administration.
When searching the backpack, a security officer found a book titled "Fear Itself." The book was hollowed out, and the box cutter was inside.
After Baines was read his rights, he said his cousin had cut away the pages to make the hollow section in the book. Later, reports state, he said he had hollowed it out himself to hide money and marijuana from his roommates.
Baines told officers he was moving to Las Vegas and forgot the cutter was in the book.
Officers found books in the backpack titled "Muhammad in the Bible," "The Prophet's Prayer" and "The Noble Qur'an." He also had a copy of the Quran and the Bible.Several sheets of paper in the backpack included rap lyrics that referred to police, narcotics, weapons and killing. Baines told officers he is a rapper who writes his own lyrics and that rap music writers need to "play the part," the report states.
I often forget which books I've hollowed out to hold my boxcutters.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:10 PM | Comments (31)
I Hope They
...SCORE!!!
38 lacrosse players sue Duke, city over rape case
Former and current Blue Devils claim they suffered emotional distress...The players accuse Duke of ignoring, suppressing and discrediting evidence that proved the players innocence, with idly standing by while the players suffered abuse and harassment on campus, and with imposing discipline that implied the team was guilty. Duke suspended and then canceled the highly ranked team’s season in the wake of the rape allegation.
Multiple direct hits, please.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:38 PM | Comments (3)
BREAKING NEWS
Protesters break into U.S. embassy in Serbia
Support for Kosovo independence raised tensions with Balkan nationA handful of protesters broke into the U.S. embassy in Belgrade on Thursday, cheered on by crowds outside, in a protest at U.S. support for Kosovo's independence.
Smoke was seen billowing from the building.
The embassy had been closed in anticipation of the demonstration. A spokesman for the State Department said there are no reports of any injuries to Americans, and only security personnel were present. Police were not protecting the building.
Not good. I'm wondering if the Marines are there and what their orders are. Touchy, touchy situation.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:08 PM | Comments (5)
How Do You Say "Cheeky" In Mandarin?
I mean I guess the Chinese are feeling a little put-out since they got used to their friends in the Clinton Administration just sending them the information( in exchange for meals at Buddhist Temples, naturally)
China called on the United States Thursday to provide information about its shooting down of a defunct US spy satellite and voiced caution about the potential international impact of the operation."China is continuing to closely follow the possible harm caused by the US action to outer space security and relevant countries," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said when asked for a reaction to the shootdown.
"China further requests that the US fulfill its international obligations in earnest and promptly provide to the international community the necessary information and relevant data... so that relevant countries can take precautions."
"Take precautions". Uh-huh. As in "build a missile system just like this or better if we can" precautions.
But the operation had raised concerns elsewhere that the United States was trying to test an anti-satellite weapon, amid rising global tensions about the militarisation of space.
Um, noooo, we "weren't trying to test an anti-satellite weapon"; we successfully demonstrated an anti-satellite weapon, hence the posturing. And thank God it worked.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:46 AM | Comments (7)
February 20, 2008
Aw, Man
1 of 2 F-15 pilots rescued in Gulf of Mexico diesEglin's local. And we were tickled when we'd heard they'd pulled both them out of the Gulf. We thought, "Alrighty, then. Got 'em both."
Pair of single-seat fighters likely collided during training, Air Force says
Damn.
Our thoughts and sympathies are with that brave Eagle's family.
Thank you.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:55 PM | Comments (2)
Moon Disappearing!
Gaia very very angry with us!
Must pray to powerful shaman to get it back!
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:23 PM | Comments (8)
A Plot to Bump His Pudginessness Off?
You can bet his rotten teeth it's not just because of the 'ending the ceasefire' threat.
I'm inclined to believe it may also have something to do with being close to getting his sheepskin...
Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is quietly resuming seminary studies toward attaining the title of ayatollah — a goal that could make the firebrand cleric and his Mahdi Army an even more formidable power broker in Iraq.
That would be a robe of a different color. I wonder if he got the message?
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:28 PM | Comments (5)
The Dunkin' Donut Chocolate Creme Filled Award of the Day Goes To....
...one of the comments at HotAir.
While the Messiah and Mrs. serve it up thick (and in the cultural/regional patois du jour), an astute question ("If he is the Kwisatz Haderach, then is his name a killing word? That should help with his credibility on national security.") leads to the donut moment...
“Tell me of your home, Muad’Dib.”
Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:14 PM | Comments (13)
We All Laughed When They Called Chimpy Hitler
Well, Heil! Heil! Heil! Who's got the last laugh now?
You see, our current history is what it is because events played out as we learned them in Social Studies classes. But Codemasters and developer Spark Unlimited have created a scenario in which our history takes a detour in 1931, and the different outcome for this particular event—where Winston Churchill is struck by New York cab in 1931 and then dies instead of going on to lead England in its challenge of Adolf Hitler—alters the course of history that we’ve been following. In this new path, Hitler isn’t defeated in World War II, but rather sweeps over Europe mostly unchallenged. America isn’t drawn into the war by the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor, but instead is pulled into the conflict much later when Germany invades New York…in 1953.
I'm tired of shooting aliens; I want to kill me some Nazis.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:13 PM | Comments (47)
I'm Just Saying ~ If Your Life's an Unabashed Trainwreck
...is channeling Marilyn Monroe a good thing? Last I heard, things ended badly there...
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:41 AM | Comments (8)
Even Those Among Us Who Worship Rocks, Trees
...and the destructive power of the thrown lightening bolt ( or judicious curse/hex laying ) can get behind the Reverend on this one.
"Children should learn science in science class, not religion disguised as science," said the Rev. Brant Copeland, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee. "To speak of evolution as a theory in the context of these standards is to minimize its importance as the basic concept in biological science; because, as a Christian, I am not threatened by what science can tell us about God's marvelous, mysterious and every-changing creation."
"Oh, AMEN!" sings the choir.
It's a wonderful day when Floridians can look as
Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:50 AM | Comments (5)
February 19, 2008
Sleep Little Fluffy
Do not click on this link unless you have many hours of your life to waste.
You'll thank me.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:41 PM | Comments (7)
Just One More Reason to Be Glad You're Living
...now.
A frog the size of a bowling ball, with heavy armor and teeth, lived among dinosaurs millions of years ago — intimidating enough that scientists who unearthed its fossils dubbed the beast Beelzebufo, or Devil Toad.But its size — 10 pounds and 16 inches long — isn't the only curiosity. Researchers discovered the creature's bones in Madagascar. Yet it seems to be a close relative of normal-sized frogs who today live half a world away in South America, challenging assumptions about ancient geography.
I mean, if the frog's that big, what size were the mosquitos?
Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:11 PM | Comments (12)
February 18, 2008
In Their Defense, All That Wang Doodles Writing
...looks the same. Even NBA players get the wrong tattoos and, Lord knows, they've got more money than the FDA.
FDA looks at wrong plant in ChinaU.S. health officials evaluated the wrong factory when assessing the safety of a Chinese-made drug ingredient that may be a source of problems with a blood thinner, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday.
...The Chinese manufacturer was not inspected because it was confused with another company in the agency's database with a similar name, said Joseph Famulare, deputy director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's compliance department...
Always, ALWAYS, take your time choosing a translator. Otherwise...
In January 2005, Tom Braman of GovTech News blog pointed out that, for its website, Seattle was paying "a California company, Systran, about $6,000 a year for use of [machine] translation software that takes the English version and currently allows people to view it in Russian, Japanese, French, German, Spanish and Italian."Nonetheless, on the official state website for Seattle Secretary of State Sam Reed, his name was "Swampy Weed Reed" in a bungled Chinese translation. The line "Reed proposes statewide mandates to restore public trust" was translated into Chinese as "Swampy weed suggests whole state order recover open trust." The same line in Korean: "A plant reed proposes national mandate to recover public property trust."
BABELfish, indeed.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:06 PM | Comments (4)
Normally I Enjoy This Whacko Feature
...in my treasured (Yes, TREASURED! THERE. I SAID it!) Sunday New York Times, but they let some pretentious twit idiot in this week.
I Married a Republican: There, I Said It
A story of the soul searching and shame and subterfuge endured marrying a fellow of a different stripe while inhabiting her airy Huffingpo world. Like "one sheet" being a White House plot and Mary Travers' graciousness in the face of forced GOP cell ingestion, my hinky little Sunday bonbon of escapism has been tainted with smug Leftie angst. Blech.
Instead of being overcome with empathetic feelings for her plight, ALL I could do is wonder WHY TF he was STILL married to her. She seems a shallow, churlish person: all rent and racked with guilt, self loathing and communal queasiness stemming from her mate, who sounds like a pretty together guy.
Dude. Read the paper. I say "dump her".
But I'm churlish that way.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:54 PM | Comments (2)
Congratulations, Clarence and Mayme
You've been married a glorious 83 years
Clarence, 101, and Mayme Vail, 99, celebrated their 83rd anniversary Sunday, possibly making them the longest married couple alive in the United States.Married in 1925, they almost didn't make it to their 25th anniversary. When Clarence became critically ill with tuberculosis in 1948, Mayme made a promise to God that if her husband survived, she would attend mass every day -- a promise she kept until last year when health issues forced them to move into an assisted-living center.
Now that is a life sentence, friends.
God bless them. 1925...man.
And I want a piece of their gene pool:
There was no shortage of people to attend the Vails' anniversary party. Their family includes six children, 39 grandchildren, 101 great-grandchildren and 40 great-great grandchildren. Mayme Vail's "kid" sister was there, too. She's only 98.
So often you read of folks this age having outlived their children and grandchildren; not these folks. Amazing. Must be all that cheese and canned goods.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:48 AM | Comments (3)
February 15, 2008
Yes We Can...Pick Up the World's Bartab
A Special Guest Blogger Post From Ebola
....I had respect for Obama. That just ended.
I had respect for him right up until I read the bill (and then researched) he sponsored that basically authorizes a .7% GNP tax on the US by the UN and subsequent agreement to a number of protocols and conventions. You won't find the wording in the bill itself. Instead, you'll find the trail of crumbs in the bill to the block of cheddar: the United Nations Millennium Project and it's Development Goals (for a more enticing view of EXACTLY what this is). Obama has sponsored and is pushing for this bill to pass the senate (it's already passed the house, because apparently not a one of our representatives can f*cking read the shit they're voting on. Good job guys.).
The bill mandates that the US, through the governorship of the president, will meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. No big deal right? Well, let's read what the MGD actually says, eh?
"Strategy- The President, acting through the Secretary of State, and in consultation with the heads of other appropriate departments and agencies of the Government of the United States, international organizations, international financial institutions, the governments of developing and developed countries, United States and international nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and other appropriate entities, shall develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day."
The declaration commits nations to ban small arms and weapons, ratifying a series of treaties including the International Criminal Court treaty, the Kyoto Protocol, the Convention on Biological Diversity. Hell, we've poured over four trillion dollars into welfare in the last forty some odd years and our own local "war on poverty". Jesus, look at how ineffective that has been, and we don't have warlords stealing shit on top of bankers and government officials. Are you people stupid? Does no one research anything on their presidential candidate or read bills in congress anymore?! God damn it makes me furious. I read bills (A great site, go us!), and I still missed this one. It was pointed out to me by a friend (with a few unsupported issues) but regardless, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay a global tax when we can't solve poverty domestically. .7% of our GDP hits about $78 billion a year.
Not to mention this bill makes it an additional statement. That means $78 billion, PLUS the billions we're already paying (wastefully in most cases, look at Palestine) in foreign aid. Then add in that we're giving it to the UN. Who, last year, approved saying self defense is...NOT a right. F*ck the UN. And taxing me and everyone else to pay for the rest of the world when we can't maintain ourselves.
Saying we're helping places like Africa is all nice and cooey, but how about reading this interview of a Kenyan economist. Give money to the UN, and that money ain't goin where you think.
A good write up on it here.
Don't even get me started on the fact that this is coming from a presidential front runner.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:36 PM | Comments (8)
Pop Quiz
Which costs the US taxpayer more: The entire US military establishment, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or benefits for elderly citizens?
For 2007 total military related expenses were a tad over $626 billion.
Total benefits to the elderly were $952 billion.
And the Boomer Boom is just starting folks.
As horrible as the Republicans have been with the budget, and they have been scandalously disgraceful, can we really afford the Democrats?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:59 AM | Comments (8)
February 14, 2008
I HATE
...these guys.
Saudi Arabia to execute woman for 'witchcraft'the group's statement said....The Saudi court cited an instance in which a man allegedly became impotent after being bewitched by Falih, the rights group said.
An appeals court ruled in September 2006 that Falih could not be sentenced to death for witchcraft because she had retracted her confession. But a lower court subsequently reissued the death sentence for the
benefit of "public interest" and to "protect the creed, souls and property of this country,"
So let's just whack the little lady because it's good for public morale. As far as an Saudi/Islamic man and impotence goes, everyone knows limpness has to be a woman's fault. Why do you think they promise them 72 virgins instead of 3 and a blue pill? Because they got the goods, man. For a more benign example with the same privileged, Islamic male excuse:
Breast kisser sentencedNo, by God, you can't. Catmeat IS catmeat and, if catmeat calls, you need to be ready. That's why it's necessary to whack witches who wimp your wang.ST. JOHN'S — An Iranian man studying in Newfoundland has been sentenced to three months in jail for kissing a woman on her breast while the two were sharing an elevator. Farhood Azarsina, 25, pleaded guilty last week to sexual assault. Mr. Azarsina, a PhD student in engineering at Memorial University, admitted kissing the top of the woman's breast while the two were on an elevator at the St. John's school on Sept. 27.
...Judge Orr said the fact the assault took place in an elevator, an enclosed space, added to the trauma.
Mr. Azarsina said he didn't realize the seriousness of the offence in this country.
"You can't expect all males to control themselves when the breasts are out," he said.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:23 AM | Comments (7)
St. Cindy's Latest Cause
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan joined a protest Wednesday seeking the support of Egypt's first lady in ending a military trial of members of the country's largest Islamic organization.Under the watchful eyes of dozens of black-clad and helmeted anti-riot police, some 50 heavily veiled wives and children of 40 senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood detained for the past year, gathered in front of the headquarters of first lady Suzanne Mubarak's National Council Women carrying banners calling for their release.
"I am here to protest the trial of civilians in front of a military tribunal as this is a violation to international law," said Sheehan, who gained fame in the U.S. for her sit-in outside President Bush's Texas ranch following the death of her son in Iraq.
"As a mother of a son who was killed in the war, I presented a letter to Ms. Suzanne Mubarak to realize how those women and children are suffering."
Feel the absolute moral authority.
I mean, I'm sure she's referring to the suffering of of women under fundamentalist Islam, like her sisters in Basra, right?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:05 AM
February 13, 2008
Just Whose Border Is It
...anyway?
U.S. border officers found a wire between two fences along the U.S.-Mexican border that, when stretched taut, could have seriously harmed or even decapitated Border Patrol agents, Congress was told Wednesday.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:23 PM | Comments (19)
Puh-Raise Jeebus
Prescription medicine ran out this morning, so now I'm drinking again!
Our long national nightmare has ended.
Shoot, I think I'll go write a calm reasoned response in the Abe Thread now.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:56 PM | Comments (5)
The Manchurian Brides
Chairman Mao had a novel way to ease China's population boom
MAO Zedong proposed sending 10 million Chinese women to the United States, in talks with top envoy Henry Kissinger in 1973, according to documents released by the US State Department.The Chinese dictator said he believed such emigration could kick-start bilateral trade but could also "harm" the US with a population explosion similar to China's, according to documents covering US-China ties between 1973 and 1976.
In a long conversation that stretched past midnight at Mao's residence on February 17, 1973, a cigar-smoking Mao referred to the dismal trade between the two countries, saying China was a "very poor country" and "what we have in excess is women".
Hey, at least they wouldn't have been covered with lead paint...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:17 PM | Comments (5)
BeauBeau and Ozzie
...revel in the thrilling and historic Beagle Westminster Victory.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:06 PM | Comments (7)
Danes And Other Europeans Standing Up For Freedom
Several papers across Europe have reprinted these cartoons following the arrest of several Presbyterians who were plotting to kill have a chat with one of the cartoonists. Shockingly, once again CNN, MSNBC and Fox News all wimp out and show none of the images.
The ArchIdjit of Canterbury was unavailable for comment.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:01 AM | Comments (6)
A Newly Discovered Poem By Chaucer
Found in an abandoned dumpster in, of all places, Iowa
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:12 AM | Comments (5)
February 12, 2008
Not Because They're WRONG to Begin With, Mind You
But because everybody's YELLING AT THEM!!!
Berkeley Mulls New Vote on MarinesBERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Officials in this liberal city may soften their anti-recruitment stance toward the U.S. Marines in the face of widespread criticism.
The Berkeley City Council drew a deluge of disapproval nationwide in January when it voted to advise the Marines that their downtown recruitment office was not welcome and that they would be considered "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" if they chose to stay.
"ENOUGH , already!!!!"
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:19 PM | Comments (21)
What the Article Fails to Mention
...is that the majority of those workers arrested were using stolen SSN's (mostly children's). Victimless crime my ass-cienda.
..."Hate is growing in our community," said Grace Resendez McCaffery of Pensacola. "The Latin community is outraged. They're seeing this community reverting to a time of intolerance of people of color. We just don't want to see that happen."..."The government does not consider that these families come here so their children can get a better education,'' Essert said. "They come for a better life. Sometimes they just send back the father or the mother, and here are the kids without their father or mother.
"It tears my heart. A lot of them have been here for years and years, and still they cannot get citizenship."
I don't think she's going to gerner much support or sympathy with that line of reasoning. Especially since this trial conclusion made the same paper...
Restaurateur found guilty
Local restaurateur convicted on drug conspiracy chargesA jury found a 35-year-old Gulf Breeze restaurateur guilty Monday of drug conspiracy and other charges.
After six hours of deliberation, the jury found Rogelio Galvan Chavez guilty of conspiracy to possess or distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; harboring illegal immigrants; using a cellular telephone in the commission of an unlawful act; and a firearms charge.
...Authorities from local, state and federal agencies undertook a 10-month investigation that culminated in December with accusations that Galvan Chavez presided over a network of illegal immigrants who peddled drugs and firearms throughout Northwest Florida.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:59 AM | Comments (3)
Just as Well Bingley's Movin' Slow on His Meds Right Now
...or I'd send the authorities over in his direction.
Sheriff: Dude Looks Like LadyPORTLAND, Maine -- The Cumberland County Sheriff's Department is searching for a man in women's underwear, a garter belt, black high-heeled boots -- and a mustache.
Sheriff Mark Dion on Thursday said his office had received six reports of a cross-dressing motorist pulling in front of female drivers, exiting his vehicle and modeling for them on the highway.
"The behavior is not necessarily criminal in terms of dress,” Dion said. “But the fact he's jumping out in roadways and apparently targeting females who are alone driving their cars seems to suggest to us we have to talk to him."
DEPRAVITY!!!Our thanks for this breaking news story to Lamplighter, who is also clever enough to figure out how to post the explanatory video I sent him. Maybe it's all a big mistake, capeche?
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:45 AM | Comments (2)
Some People Have Memory Like a Camel
Police foil plot to kill Muhammad cartoonist
Cartoonist and his wife living under police protectionCOPENHAGEN, Denmark - Danish police said Tuesday they have arrested three people suspected of plotting to kill one of the 12 cartoonists behind the Prophet Muhammad drawings that sparked a deadly uproar in the Muslim world two years ago.
Two Tunisians and a Dane of Moroccan origin were arrested in pre-dawn raids in western Denmark, the police intelligence agency said.
The Dane was suspected of violating Danish terror laws but likely would be released after questioning as the investigation continues, said Jakob Scharf, the head of the PET intelligence service. The two Tunisians would be expelled from Denmark, he said.
(I love how you just get 'expelled' for fixin' to murder someone. That's quite a lesson taught there.)
Reminds me of a recent Doonesbury favorite...
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:31 AM | Comments (2)
Happy Birthday, Abe
And my God could we use you now.
Look at what this man did, the challenges he faced and beat.
Then look at our current crop of pretenders and weep.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:58 AM | Comments (13)
How More Disgusting Can These Animals Get?
It's bad enough that they 'recruit' these suicide bombers to slaughter people while they try and shop and get on with their lives in a reasonable facsimile of normalcy. Yeah, that's one hell of an effective strategy to advance your cause, I know; I mean, heck, I'm convinced of the moral righteousness of their position. Now, understandably, volunteers for these exciting job positions that, er, open up have become somewhat scarce of late so to meet their quotas they turn to this
The acting director of a Baghdad psychiatric hospital has been arrested on suspicion of supplying al-Qaeda in Iraq with the mentally impaired women that it used to blow up two crowded animal markets in the city on February 1, killing about 100 people.Iraqi security forces and US soldiers arrested the man at al-Rashad hospital in east Baghdad on Sunday. They then spent three hours searching his office and removing records. Sources told The Times that the two women bombers had been treated at the hospital in the past.
“They [the security forces] arrested the acting director, accusing him of working with al-Qaeda and recruiting mentally ill women and using them in suicide bombing operations,” a hospital official said.
...The attraction of mentally impaired women to al-Qaeda was obvious, he said. Being women they could get close to targets with less chance of being stopped or searched; being mentally impaired, they were “less likely to make a rational judgment about what they are being asked to do”…
As Bryan says, words fail. As the first commentator at HotAir says, these are the kind of people that Barack would 'negotiate' with and leave the Iraqi people to fend with at the first chance he got.
And where is the outcry from the women's groups here about this?
Disgusting.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:53 AM
February 11, 2008
The Real World Version
...of "I find your lack of faith disturbing..."
Microsoft calls Yahoo rejection "unfortunate"
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:37 PM | Comments (1)
If You 'Buy' Breakfast With Chelsea
...then I guess "pimp" stands for:
Pancakes!
I'm
Making
Pancakes!!
Mmmmm!! Stacked!
Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:38 PM | Comments (5)
Oh, Girlfriend!
Please. By all means. Keep digging talking.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said twice Sunday that Iraq “is a failure,” adding that President Bush’s troop surge has “not produced the desired effect.”...Anchor Wolf Blitzer asked: “Are you not worried, though, that all the gains that have been achieved over the past year might be lost?”
“There haven't been gains, Wolf,” the speaker replied. “The gains have not produced the desired effect, which is the reconciliation of Iraq.
This is a failure. This is a failure....
Strike the pose...
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:40 AM | Comments (4)
February 10, 2008
What We're Drinking Tonight
The bottle on the left is a Marietta Angeli Cuvée, a 2003 Alexander Valley red wine recommended by our waitress at lunch yesterday. The second bottle is a Pillar Red Box from Australia ~ a shiraz/cab/merlot blend that the purveyor at the liquor store insisted was damn near as yummy as the cuvée, as well as a smidge under half its price. So.
major dad has spent all day smoking country style ribs, I've doctored up some Stouffer's mac and cheese with kick-ass extra sharp Cabot cheddar and we will put said vinos to the test.
Let the games begin.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:04 PM | Comments (7)
Come Out Swinging
..."There can be no exceptions to the laws of our land which have been so painfully honed by the struggle for democracy and human rights."...Writing in this newspaper, Lord Carey condemns multiculturalism as "disastrous", blames it for creating Islamic ghettos and says that Dr Williams's support for sharia law will "inevitably lead to further demands from the Muslim community".
He suggests that such a move could embolden some Muslims to try to turn Britain into a country ruled by Islamic law which, he says, contradicts principles of human rights and allows the persecution of Christians.
It's the most BRITISH anyone's sounded for a long time.
More, please.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:47 PM | Comments (4)
And While You're at It
...put a shot in that big mouth of yours.
Athletes face Olympic ban for criticising ChinaBritish athletes will be banned from competing in this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing if they criticise China's totalitarian regime.
The gagging order has been imposed by the British Olympic Association. Competitors who break the rule will not travel to the games or, if they are already in China, will be put on the next plane home.
It means sportsmen and women will be unable to raise concerns about China's human rights record or its occupation of Tibet.
Critics accused the BOA of bowing to political pressure and said the move raised the spectre of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which passed off without protest and were hailed as a propaganda coup for the Nazi regime.
Since the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, British competitors have been asked to sign contracts including a pledge "not to comment on any politically sensitive issues".
Somebody buy the Archbishop of Canterbury some tennies and a set of Speedos, and send him.
He gets along with everybody.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:07 PM | Comments (3)
But Don't Expect Anything "Finger Lickin' Good"
...while you watch our Bollywood selections or the Grammy's.
Animals rights advocates are squawking at a measure that would make fried chicken Kentucky's official picnic food.State Rep. Charles Siler is sponsoring legislation to assign the designation to KFC's "finger lickin' good" chicken, first served by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1940.
It would leave a fowl taste in your mouth.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:04 PM | Comments (3)
I Can't Macarena!
Heard they must've killed Gina!Presenting Part 2 of "Oh, Shit I'm a Butterhead!"
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:01 PM | Comments (1)
February 09, 2008
Anyone Who Buys Into This Brand of "Conservative"
...Coulter compared a potential alliance between disillusioned conservative Republicans and Sen. Hillary Clinton to the alliance between Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin during World War II, which was formed to defeat Hitler."I'm not comparing McCain to Hitler," she added. "Hitler had a coherent tax policy."
The remark received wild applause from the audience of about 500 conservative activists. Many in the crowd seemed hostile to the idea of a McCain presidency and cheered Coulter's attacks on the Arizona senator.
...really has no business voting anyway.
Coulter is the mayor of Crazy Town.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:55 AM | Comments (7)
EWWWWW, GAWD!!!
I mean...I.C.K.
...McNamee told congressional investigators he injected Debbie Clemens with HGH — at the seven-time Cy Young Award winner’s direction — before the couple posed for a 2003 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition photo shoot, a lawyer familiar with his testimony said Friday.
Honestly. Jeez. I don't wanna hear another thing.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:08 AM
February 08, 2008
Here's A Glimpse Of Life In The UK...
if the buddies of the ArchMoron of Canterbury have their way as he proposes
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The images in the Basra police file are nauseating: Page after page of women killed in brutal fashion -- some strangled to death, their faces disfigured; others beheaded. All bear signs of torture.The women are killed, police say, because they failed to wear a headscarf or because they ignored other "rules" that secretive fundamentalist groups want to enforce.
"Fear, fear is always there," says 30-year-old Safana, an artist and university professor. "We don't know who to be afraid of. Maybe it's a friend or a student you teach. There is no break, no security. I don't know who to be afraid of."
Her fear is justified. Iraq's second-largest city, Basra, is a stronghold of conservative Shia groups. As many as 133 women were killed in Basra last year -- 79 for violation of "Islamic teachings" and 47 for so-called honor killings, according to IRIN, the news branch of the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
What an asshat that guy is.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:35 PM | Comments (5)
The ArchMoron Of Canterbury
By now no one should be shocked by anything this creature (I really struggled for the right word for him; I ultimately decided to be as calm as possible. Aren't you impressed?) says, so his latest cave-in to sharia is no surprise. But I continue to be amazed at the Kafka-esque levels of intertwined layers that the British bureaucracy has evolved to. I mean, look at this title in the linked article:
Shadow community cohesion minister Baroness Warsi told BBC News 24 the suggestion was unhelpful and said: "Dr Williams seems to be suggesting that there should be two systems of law, running alongside each other, almost parallel, and for people to be offered the choice of opting into one or the other. That is unacceptable."
Doesn't that sound like something out of Marvel comics? How creepy Big Brothery is that?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:53 AM | Comments (1)
Get the Flock Out!
Berkley's mayor is a retired Army officer?!?
As six Republican senators devised a plan to yank $2.3 million in federal funding for Berkeley programs, the mayor of the famously liberal city apologized Wednesday for his hard stance against a Marine recruiting center...."That letter will probably be pulled back and maybe more moderate language will be put in place which is appropriate I think," said Berkeley mayor Tom Bates.
...Bates said the city didn't mean to offend anyone in the armed forces and the focus should have been on the war not the troops.
"There's really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council's actions, for God's sake," said Bates, a retired U.S. Army captain. "We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home."
Well, I'm sorry, too, Master Bates. That fact makes you ten times the pieces of shit the other a$$holes are.
UPDATE: Here's what Master Bates thinks:
I have heard from people all over the country regarding the action taken by the Berkeley City Council regarding the Marines recruiting center.Let me be absolutely clear that this is not about the men and women who are serving our country in our armed forces. I am a retired U.S. Army Captain and I respect the choice of those who are serving our country.
And here's ~ mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us ~ where you can tell him what you think. And if you do, share it with us, would ya?
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:03 AM | Comments (14)
February 07, 2008
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
The cost is up a smidge.
The New York Yankees' new stadium will have party suites, a members-only restaurant, a martini bar and a price tag to match all the luxury -- $1.3 billion, up from a $1 billion estimate last year, the team said Thursday.
...The granite and limestone exterior is designed to evoke the Yankees' original 1923 stadium before it was remade in the 1970s.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:03 PM
In WhatEVER Language the Thirst for Knowledge Uses
...WE are the the guys to ask.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:59 PM | Comments (5)
So This Whole 'Rat' Thing Got Me Wondering
What's my sign?
Not very flattering, but accurate. Fortunately for me, I married the BEST in show.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:08 PM | Comments (12)
So Let's See If I Understand
Your country has the highest crime rate among the leading economies of the world. So, obviously, the solution is to...reduce the number of police
Keeping police numbers at their current level is not sustainable over the next three years, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary has said.In a report after a year-long review, Sir Ronnie Flanagan said many police jobs could be carried out more effectively by clerical staff.
More bureaucrats.
Yeah, there's a solution to street crime.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:00 AM | Comments (1)
Sure, Bush Is Hell-Spawn
But did you realize that according to the Junior Senator from Massachusetts (and did you know he served in Vietnam, btw?) he is also able to spawn tornadoes?
Politicians using tragedy to advance an agenda has been a tried-and-true strategy. Paint the idea green and a natural catastrophe became political fodder for former Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (Mass.).Kerry appeared on MSNBC on February 6 to discuss storms that have killed at least 50 people throughout the Southeastern United States. So, of course, Kerry used the platform to advance global warming alarmism.
“[I] don’t want to sort of leap into the larger meaning of, you know, inappropriately, but on the other hand, the weather service has told us we are going to have more and more intense storms,” Kerry said. “And insurance companies are beginning to look at this issue and understand this is related to the intensity of storms that is related to the warming of the earth. And so it goes to global warming and larger issues that we’re not paying attention to. The fact is the hurricanes are more intensive, the storms are more intensive and the rainfall is more intense at certain places at certain times and the weather patterns have changed.”
Let's look at the key eloquent phrase of this keen insight, where his education and sheer intellectual brilliance really shine (at least to this common man):
“[I] don’t want to sort of leap into the larger meaning of, you know, inappropriately, but on the other hand, the weather service has told us we are going to have more and more intense storms,” Kerry said.
I could not have said it any better even if I had a Magic Hat.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:48 AM | Comments (10)
February 06, 2008
Actually, I Read This:
a = sqrt(pir^2) = rsqrt(pi)As this:
a squirty pirate smiling is the same as a re-squirting pirateWhom, I suppose, would not be smiling, him being in parenthesis and all things being equal.
Upper math, my a$$. The sh*t's easy.
An 'arrgh' to Instapundit for the brain twister.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:10 PM | Comments (4)
"Is Your Kid a Nose-Picker?"
No, but my brother is.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:10 PM | Comments (10)
I'm Thinking I'll Stick To The Twinkies...
In the control group, as those getting the "new treatment" didn't fare so well
WASHINGTON - An unexpected number of deaths among patients receiving intense therapy to lower their blood sugar forced the National Institutes of Health to abruptly cut short part of a major study on diabetes and heart disease.The therapy was aimed at reducing to normal levels the blood sugar of type 2 diabetics at especially high risk of heart attack and stroke. There were 257 deaths among people receiving intense diabetes treatment, compared to 203 in the standard treatment group, NIH’s National Heart Lung and Blood Institute said.
But gosh, I'm sure all the computer model runs went swimmingly, right? This is why we need to keep experimenting on animals, folks. Where would you rather have them find that there's a problem with some new drug/treatment: on Fluffy the Bunny or on your child?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:00 PM | Comments (4)
I Think It Would Have Been Far Easier to List
...what wasn't in his system.
...The cause of death was “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine,” spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a statement.
What a frickin' waste.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:58 AM | Comments (2)
Tornadoes
Gosh, how horrible.
ATKINS, Ark. - The death toll from a line deadly tornadoes that tore through the nation's midsection rose to 31 early Wednesday, as authorities prepared to go door-to door to search for more victims.
Those poor folks.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:59 AM | Comments (4)
February 05, 2008
I Find This Comment
...disturbing.
Credit McCain's
Stoic endurance, but having survived a POW ordeal no more imparts heroism to the victim than does having limped away from a bear mauling.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:58 PM | Comments (5)
Sorry to Disagree, Pal
...When Obama spoke Thursday to a crowd at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, he briefly became bilingual.It makes my hair stand up on end.Obama's call of "si se puede" — or "yes we can" — has a special resonance for many Latinos who remember when the phrase became the rallying cry for Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers union in the 1970s.
"I'm very enthusiastic, the way he has embraced our rallying cry of 'si se puede,' " says Obama volunteer Francisco Sola, a computer programmer."He called [it] a timeless creed."
Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:14 PM | Comments (3)
But the Point Is
...that they DO.
"I think we shouldn't be seen across the country as hating the Marines," said [Berkley Council Member Betty] Olds, who voted against last week's proposals.
The whole country knows it and a strategic retreat won't change it, nor the unconstitutional fact that you've basically authorized another group [Code Pink] as your de-facto enforcement thugs.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:38 AM | Comments (9)
So The G-Men Get A Ticker Tape Parade Today...
At 11 am. It's in the mid-40s, I guess, with some on and off showers. And there were already a bunch of folks on my boat at 5:45 am to get the "good spots" on the sidewalk to watch. Absolutely insane.
But fun to be able to even consider, none the less.
18-1
God, what a lovely sound that has.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:00 AM
February 04, 2008
Quote of the Day
Again from Kcruella, in an email just now.
Think I made a hillary volunteer cry. I answered the phone and got the Hi this is Julie calling for hillary, told her I would vote for whowever called the least and sent the least amount of mail and hillary was losing on both.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:50 PM | Comments (4)
The Play Of The Game...Year...EVUH!!!
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:38 AM | Comments (5)
February 03, 2008
Yeah
...buddy.
Two things to take away from this.
1) Eli doesn't have to be Peyton
2) Tom Brady is not Joe Montana.
Okay ~ three things:
3) Two brothers in back-to-back Super Bowls. Both the winning quarterbacks. And BOTH the MVP's.
Top THAT.
UPDATE: Cheaters never win and winners never cheat. ::snort::
How SWEET it is.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:35 PM | Comments (7)
February 01, 2008
So They're Getting This PetitionTogether
...but, sign it though you may, I doubt it has any impact. Those people are nuts and nuts LOVE it when you call them nuts. (Ask any Ronulan or, better yet, just mention RON PAUL in a post and see how long it takes for the trees to shake.)
The city manager was directed to send a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps saying they are “uninvited and unwelcome intruders” in the city.“
F*ckin' despicable NUTS.
The one thing in the petition (I was wondering about myself the other day) was going at Berkley from the federal level. Dollars-wise. That might be doable, n'est pas? If someone in the driver's seat chose to actually pursue it.
... For the Berkeley City Council to blame the Marines for the laws passed by Congress, or to condemn them because their members fight in a war that some choose to oppose is a grave miscarriage of justice. It implies that the Marines can choose which laws they follow, or which wars they fight in. It implies that the Marines are not beholden to the very Constitution that they swore to defend.Furthermore, the Berkeley City Council's desire to prevent the Marines from speaking to young people about their mission within Berkeley's city limits while simultaneously giving anti-Marine protesters preferential treatment implies that the City Council is comfortable with its youth receiving information from only one side of the debate. This position insults both the Marines, many of whom are veterans of the current war and are able to provide a perspective interested people should be free to hear, and Berkeley's youth, who are apparently judged by the City Council to be too incompetent to form their own intelligent opinion about the armed forces and the responsibilities, risks and rewards that go with military service.
As American citizens and veterans of all branches of the armed services, we voice our steadfast opposition to the Berkeley City Council's despicable actions. In protest, we announce that we refuse to conduct any business within the Berkeley city limits, or patronize any company which has its headquarters within Berkeley. We call upon the U.S. Congress and the California State Legislature to suspend all federal and state payments that go to support any activity conducted by the Berkeley City Council until such time as the Council chooses to rescind its anti-Marine resolutions.
Considering how the local media is portraying Marine supporters, I doubt the quiet language of the petition will even be heard.
...- the Bay Area's CBS-TV affiliate, KPIX, painted quite disparate pictures of the leaders of the organizations involved......ANN NOTARANGELO, KPIX : Do you think you could ever sit across, with a cup of coffee, and talk with somebody from Code Pink?[Move America Forward's] MORGAN: No. Never, ever would I ever speak to any of those individuals other than the most disparaging manner possible.
This came moments after Code Pink's Medea Benjamin was shown saying:
I feel sorry for that level of aggression that they have. I've tried to dialogue with them. I've tried to invite them into our house.
Code Pink just wants to share a cup o' tea.
"That's my son!""He's gonna die, lady."..."They don't kill babies, you lying piece of shit."
Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:40 AM | Comments (11)