Appeasing Radical Islam

A post up at Little Green Footballs shows what's really behind the cowardly policy of Borders Books and Waldenbooks refusal to carry a magazine with reprints of the Jyllands-Posten's cartoons of Mohammed on the cover. Charles Johnson concludes,

This has nothing to do with sensitivity; it’s all about pure, simple fear. If a Christian group complained to Borders about Bibles being placed on a bottom shelf, they would be laughed out of the room. But when Muslims do the same thing, Borders institutes a store-wide policy. The difference? The implicit or explicit threats of violence that accompany the latter.

In a guest appearance at Michelle Malkin's blog, Allahpundit follows up on the controversy with a report about a panel discussion of the Objectivist's Club at NYU held last evening. He writes,

On a night when many trenchant points were made, the most trenchant belonged to Peter Schwartz of the Ayn Rand Institute, who noted that the goal of Islamists isn't merely to intimidate the west into censoring itself. It's to have the west accept self-censorship by dressing up its fear as something principled, such as "tolerance" or "respect for religion."

Another blogger who attended the event takes NYU administrators to task for not allowing the cartoons to be shown during the discussion.

NYU’s shameful actions violate both the moral principle of freedom of speech and, as UCLA Professor of Law Eugene Volokh recently noted, its own policies. FIRE has archived the relevant policies, in which NYU shockingly claims to be “committed to maintaining an environment where open, vigorous debate and speech can occur.” But NYU’s actions last night show that its real commitment is to censorship.

Getting Chilly In the Great White North

This is an interesting discussion about the passage of "hate crime" legislation in Canada that outlaws speech condemning homosexuality. The concern is that criminalizing public criticism of homosexuality will place members of religious groups who speak out in opposition to gay marriage, for example, in legal jeopardy. The law, which passed in 2004, is disparagingly called the "Bible as Hate Literature" bill by its detractors.

One commenter to the post had it right, saying:

The "War On Christians" conference in Washington, D.C. has it right. In Canada, as in America, the only free speech the Christophobes are interested in preserving is that which agrees with their agenda.

And no matter what their intent may be, "hate crime" laws are the fascist first cousin of Orwellian "thought crimes".

Reformer Calls Muslims Out

Dr. Kamel Al-Najjar calls for some badly needed reforms in the Muslim world. Here's a sampling:

"If the Muslims are serious about presenting the radiant face of Islam, they must drop this false, hollow arrogance, and acknowledge their dark past and their even darker present. They must establish a global judiciary council whose function will be to punish any sheikh that issues a fatwa encouraging or permitting violence – whether physical or ideological... They must also re-interpret the Koran, putting the warlike verses – the verse of the sword and similar hadiths – in historical perspective as verses that are no longer valid...

V For Vindictive

I had the displeasure of contributing money to a pile of crap disguised as a film last Saturday night. Being a fan of the Matrix movie, I was curious to see the Wachowski brothers’ newest offering. Let’s just say I’m not a big fan of the Wachowski brothers any longer.

Although the movie is set in England predominately in the Year 2020, it is a (very) thinly-veiled allegory aimed squarely at the current political leadership of the United States. The Wachowski’s studiously borrowed from Leni Reifenstal’s Triumph of the Will, the Nazi propaganda film of 1934, to inform their depiction of Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt), a menacing, fear-mongering, gay-bashing, Islam-hating dictator (there’s even a scene showing a poster, presumably from a banned drama production, entitled “Coalition of the Willing” with a Nazi swastika as its centerpiece). Take a wild guess who the Chancellor is supposed to symbolize.

The film has all the endearing charm that we’ve come to expect from the extreme political left. The government planned and executed a genocidal attack on its own people (hey, did Charlie Sheen co-write this flick?) with biological weapons, killing 80,000 of its own people, including women and children, and blamed it on terrorists in order to scare the general population into giving up their civil rights in exchange for security.

Hmmm. Where have I heard that before?

The main religious figure is a high-ranking Catholic church official (bishop) who is, of course, an aggressive pedophile in bed with (so to speak) corrupt politicians. The filthy-mouthed TV commentator, Prothero (Roger Allam) is a former military leader and Orwellian boor who serves as the government’s spin doctor, lacing his appeals for “unity through strength” in Christian religious metaphors and imagery. Homosexuals, artists, and Muslims are oppressed, detained (would you believe they still use those Abu Ghraib hoods 15 years from now?), or outright murdered by Christian brownshirts (die Kristallnacht, anyone?). Secret files are kept on everyone (read: NSA surveillance program), unless those files are damaging to the government, at which time they are placed down the memory hole.

The only positive references to religion have to do with a Koran illegally possessed by its owner for its "beautiful poetry" (I think he was referring to the part about killing infidels) and some nonsensical reference to “God being in the rain” by Natalie Portman.

The protagonist is a terrorist who promises to bomb Parliament “to bring hope” back to the people. Seemingly all of England gratefully responds by donning the terrorist’s garb in a massive show of solidarity, which is a cinematic reminder by the film creators that everyone really thinks like they (leftists) do, except for the evil people in power and those who vote for them, who are either deceived or stupid (or both).

The Wachowski’s “final solution” for the Chancellor involves a faustian deal struck between “V” the terrorist, and the shadowy Dick Cheney character, Creedy (i.e. greedy), who kidnaps the Chancellor and delivers him to “V” groveling for his life before Creedy offs him.

The “moral” of the film (if you want to call it that): It’s okay to commit terrorist acts against an oppressive government (i.e. the United States) run by “Christian” Nazi fascists.

It was like sitting through a wet dream of the political left. Disgusting.

Sticking Our Necks Out For His Faith

Mark Steyn is brilliant, as usual, in this article about the case of the man in Afghanistan who is on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity:

Abdul Rahman embodies the question at the heart of this struggle: If Islam is a religion one can only convert to, not from, then in the long run it is a threat to every free person on the planet.

What can we do? Should governments with troops in Afghanistan pass joint emergency legislation conferring their citizenship on this poor man and declaring him, as much as Karzai, under their protection?

In a more culturally confident age, the British in India were faced with the practice of "suttee" - the tradition of burning widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands. Gen. Sir Charles Napier was impeccably multicultural:

"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: When men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks, and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."

Read the whole article.

Bummed In Berkeley

Don't you just love arrogant, condescending liberals who like to do studies "proving" how stupid and childish conservatives are? The study, which sampled kids in Berkeley, California-an ideal place to find a balanced demographic-reportedly found that whiny, insecure kids in nursery school, grew up to be conservatives, while the confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

Evidently, things change.

This recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows that conservative adults are happier than liberal adults -- in all income groups. Reportedly, while 34 percent of all Americans call themselves "very happy," only 28 percent of liberal Democrats (and 31 percent of moderate or conservative Democrats) do, compared with 47 percent of conservative Republicans.

Interesting. Perhaps the idiot professor from the Journal of Research Into Personality, who also happens to teach at that bastion of conservatism, UC Berkeley, could have obtained a credible result in his study if he had selected children from a more diverse demographic region (after all, they love diversity at Berzerkley, don't they?).

Maybe conservatives in Berkeley were whiny and insecure as kids because they were conservatives in Berkeley. Just a thought.

Afterfall @ Awakenings Cafe

Afterfall has a show this Saturday night at Awakenings Cafe in Lomita, California. More details to come.

Also, stay tuned for some upcoming Lower Than Angels shows in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas.

Hatred From The Right

Hatred is ugly no matter which side of the political spectrum it comes from. Normally, I take the political left to task for their blind hatred of conservatives, Christians, traditional values, President Bush, etc. (there's too many to count). But, most of those individuals can't hold a candle to the psycho cultists at the Westboro Baptist Church. According to this article, this organization:

...first gained national notoriety when they picked the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming student who was murdered in 1998 for being gay.

They have since picketed the funerals of Frank Sinatra and Bill Clinton's mother, celebrated the terrorist attacks of September 11 as an act of God's wrath, and have even targeted Santa Claus and the Ku Klux Klan.

But it was the callousness and cruelty of harassing the grieving families of soldiers at dozens of funerals across the country that has sparked a grassroots movement of bikers determined to drown out the jeers and taunts.

***

[Pastor Fred] Phelps said he and his congregants are targeting the funerals because God's way of punishing an "evil nation" of "fags and fag enablers" is to "pick off its children."

"I don't have any sympathy for these parents. They're all going to hell," Phelps said. "The family's in pain because they haven't obeyed the Lord God."

These people are insane and morally repugnant. They bare no resemblance to Christ, nor do they embody His principles and commands-one of the foremost of which is to love thy neighbor. They are not in any way representative of Christianity.

I think Mark Potok, the director of the intelligence project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate crimes, had it right when he said,

"This man probably thinks more about gay sex than any other person in the United States of America and one can only guess at what that means," he said. "Many of the most homophobic people are deeply afraid that they might be gay."

Is Fighting "Always the Wrong Answer"?

A thought-provoking post over at The Belmont Club regarding the recent execution of Tom Fox, a Christian peace activist, in Iraq:

Can we ever simultaneously acknowledge the necessity of a deed and the absolute immorality of doing it? That in a nutshell is the Problem of Evil: that evil exists and that by and by we will have to face it. The question Tom Fox should have posed is "how do you stand firm against a car-bomber headed straight for a schoolbus?" And if you say, "shoot to save the children" ask yourself if it ever justified to be glad that God had sent someone else to shoot the bomber and go [to] hell in your stead. Tom Fox stood for his beliefs to the bitter end. And now the men who killed him are out there, waiting to kill again.

An Unfair Fight

Cliff May:

Asymmetrical warfare would be less effective if suicide-bombing women and children, decapitating aid workers and using civilians as shields evoked widespread public outrage and revulsion, if it brought shame and disrespect upon those who committed such acts and on the causes they claim to champion.

But, on the contrary, the trend has been to legitimize the tactics used against the West and indulge those employing them. Mass murdering civilians, torching churches and even mosques do not spark major protests anywhere. Nor has there been serious action in response from the United Nations, the international courts and prominent human rights organizations.

By contrast, what are alleged to be American violations of international laws are a constant source of media controversy and public protest. The publication in a Danish newspaper of cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Mohammed set off riots in a half a dozen world capitals, as well as death threats against the cartoonists and those who dare publish them.

***

A democracy must often fight with one hand tied behind its back,” wrote Israeli Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, “as not all means are acceptable to it, and not all practices employed by its enemies are open before it.”

That's right of course. But if at some point democracies must fight with both hands tied behind their backs, the likelihood that they will prevail can not be high.

Amercian Left Engages In Subversive Activity

This post at The Belmont Club provides keen insight into the adverse impact leftist thought in the academy, media, and Hollywood is having on our efforts in the Global War On Terror.

The underlying reason why America is doing so poorly in the field of "information warfare" against the Jihad is that its traditional organs of articulation -- the academy, media, Hollywood -- are largely hostile to the War on Terror itself. It's conceivable that an Iranian might flee persecution only to be taught at a US university that he ought to embrace it by the many academic departments whose point of view is exactly that. In a fundamental sense, the War on Terror is twinned to the greatest single issue dividing the Left and Right, which is whether the United States, as a nation, is legitimate or whether, as some would maintain, it is Amerika: an abomination whose demise must be hastened by any means necessary.

Stunning Sidewalk Art

This guy's art is amazing.

Some Sunnis in Iraq Are Beginning to Get It

Al-Qaeda may be a formidable foe, but they sure do stupid things...like turn their only allies in Iraq against them.

Residents reported curious declarations hanging from mosque walls and market stalls recently in Ramadi, the Sunni Muslim insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad. The fliers said Iraqi militants had turned on and were killing foreign al-Qaida fighters, their one-time allies.

Hopefully, the Sunnis are finally realizing how evil these people are.

The Last Bastion of Liberalism

Via Powerline:

Scott [Johnson] did not miss what he called the irony of Yale attempting to keep the U.S. military off its campus for not sufficiently embracing gays, while at the same time admitting a former official of a regime that executed people for alleged moral corruption.

Yale's behavior illustrates how bankrupt academic liberlism has become. Other than deeply-rooted anti-Americanism, I can think of no coherent theory that would justify admitting a former Taliban official as a Yale student while not permitting the U.S. military to talk to Yale students on campus.

When one considers this issue, the recent mock trial of President Bush for war crimes in a New Jersey High School, and the the rantings of a leftist teacher to a captive audience of high school students, it is no wonder people are concerned that a virulent strain of liberal anti-Americanism has infected our schools. Conservatives/traditionalists need to take our schools back, just as we have the Supreme Court.

(image by: Cox and Forkum)

More Of This, Please

This video clip shows an Arab-American psychologist Wafa Sultan verbally bitch slapping an Islamist sheikh on Al-Jazeera. Apparently, the clip has been viewed more than 1,500,000 times in the last week. MEMRI has also posted a transcript of the clip with related information. Check it out.

Hollywood, Then and Now

My wife and brother-in-law were pretty caught up in the Academy Awards show Sunday night, so I ended up watching the last half-hour or so. I try to make it a habit to skip this orgy of pretense and self congratulation, but since so many of the nominations involved movies featuring "controversial political themes," I thought it might be mildly interesting.

I didn't get to see much of Jon Stewart, but heard he was funny. I was most surprised by the total absence of charisma during the speeches of most of the award recipients. I've hadn't seen that many boring, uninspired speeches since those oral reports in my "Anthropology of Ancient South American Indian Society" class in college. Actually, I really liked Reese Witherspoon's acceptance speech-it seemed genuinely grateful. George Looney's speech (which I heard was also pretty good) got a lot of play because of his admission that Hollywood is out of touch with mainstream America. He was actually proud of that fact.

It was refreshing to hear a major Hollywood star admit to being out of the political mainstream. Hollywood types typically sit on their perches like peacocks and preen for the camera as they look down their noses upon those who hold to traditional family values and political conservativism-people they consider modern-day neanderthals.

There was a time when Hollywood wasn't so full of these characters. This post over at Little Green Footballs takes a look back at some of the most famous actors in Hollywood who, sometimes at the apex of their popularity, chose to put their careers on hold and serve their country. Here's a few names you will recognize:

James Stewart entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel. During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty. Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France’s Croix de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II. In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950s.

Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out): Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II, Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942, at Los Angeles. He attended the Officers’ Candidate School at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942. He then attended aerial gunnery school, and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where he flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s. Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944, at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.

And, of course:

Audie Murphy, little 5’5“ tall, 110-pound guy from Texas who was the most decorated serviceman of WWII earned: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with ”V", 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.

These people put the current crop of clowns to shame.

Bush Is Stoopid

...according to Barbra Streisand, who mocks the president for being a 'C' student in a spelling error-ridden screed on her website. In one case, she reportedly makes four spelling errors in one sentence.

"The arrogance of this C student," Streisand says of Bush.

Indeed.

Walter Williams on Socialism

Here's an interesting article by Walter Williams, professor of economics at George Mason University, on the immorality of socialism. Here's a quote:

Can a moral case be made for taking the rightful property of one American and giving it to another to whom it does not belong? I think not. That's why socialism is evil. It uses evil means (coercion) to achieve what are seen as good ends (helping people).

Strong Bad Advice

Strong Bad has some great advice for those of you interested in writing lyrics for death metal bands (and I know that's most of you).

Make sure you click on "fresh juice" & "deafening" on the worksheet at the end.

(hat tip: Dale)

Blaming the Victims

This is an excellent article by Dennis Prager that explores why liberals often blame victims of violence rather than the perpetrators. In the wake of the worldwide Muslim outrage over the publication of cartoons deemed offensive, much of the American media -- the vast majority of which are left of center politically -- refused to show the cartoons, despite their newsworthiness, and blamed the violence on Dutch intolerance. Prager provides three hypotheses to explain the left's propensity to apologize for violent offenders:

One is that liberals tend to blame outside forces for evil. This emanates from the secular humanistic view of people as basically good -- and therefore human evil must come not from the bad choices and bad values of the evildoer, but from the unfortunate socioeconomic and other circumstances of the person's life.

The second explanation is that as you go further left on the political spectrum, it becomes increasingly difficult to blame the "weak" for any atrocities they commit. The Left does not divide the world between good and evil nearly as much as it does between rich and poor, and between strong and weak. Israel is stronger and richer, so Palestinian terror is excused. White America is stronger and richer than black America, so black violence is excused. The West is stronger and richer than the Muslim world, so Muslim violence is explained accordingly.

And third, liberals tend to be afraid of the truly evil. That's why the liberal newspapers of America refused to publish the Danish cartoons, probably the most newsworthy cartoons ever drawn, but have never had any hesitance about showing cartoons and photos that mock Jewish and Christian symbols. Christians and Jews don't kill editors.

We don't know who will be the next target of Islamic or other murderers from poor or non-Western or non-white groups. All we can know is that liberal and leftist thought will find reasons to hold the targeted group largely responsible.

A Manifesto Against Islamism

Michelle Malkin posted a document published in the Jyllands-Posten, which I felt was important to post.

MANIFESTO: Together facing the new totalitarianism

After having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Islamism.

We, writers, journalists, intellectuals, call for resistance to religious totalitarianism and for the promotion of freedom, equal opportunity and secular values for all.

The recent events, which occurred after the publication of drawings of Muhammed in European newspapers, have revealed the necessity of the struggle for these universal values. This struggle will not be won by arms, but in the ideological field. It is not a clash of civilisations nor an antagonism of West and East that we are witnessing, but a global struggle that confronts democrats and theocrats.

Like all totalitarianisms, Islamism is nurtured by fears and frustrations. The hate preachers bet on these feelings in order to form battalions destined to impose a liberticidal and unegalitarian world. But we clearly and firmly state: nothing, not even despair, justifies the choice of obscurantism, totalitarianism and hatred. Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present. Its success can only lead to a world of domination: man's domination of woman, the Islamists' domination of all the others. To counter this, we must assure universal rights to oppressed or discriminated people.

We reject cultural relativism, which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions. We refuse to renounce our critical spirit out of fear of being accused of "Islamophobia", an unfortunate concept which confuses criticism of Islam as a religion with stigmatisation of its believers.

We plead for the universality of freedom of expression, so that a critical spirit may be exercised on all continents, against all abuses and all dogmas.

We appeal to democrats and free spirits of all countries that our century should be one of Enlightenment, not of obscurantism.

12 signatures

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Chahla Chafiq
Caroline Fourest
Bernard-Henri Lévy
Irshad Manji
Mehdi Mozaffari
Maryam Namazie
Taslima Nasreen
Salman Rushdie
Antoine Sfeir
Philippe Val
Ibn Warraq

Bravo.

Oncoming

Some sobering thoughts from David Warren over at Real Clear Politics:

In my judgement, it is the most important thing that has happened since the Al Qaeda attack on the United States, in 2001. It is important in combination with other fast-developing events, including the victory of the openly terrorist Hamas in a Palestinian election; Iran’s public promise to “wipe Israel off the map”; collapsing public order in Pakistan, Nigeria, and elsewhere; the recent Muslim riots, and continuing low-level Intifada in France; and now the destruction of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, triggering vicious sectarian strife in Iraq. And quite literally, hundreds of lesser events of the same nature -- each revealing an Islamic world in combustion, and a West retreating into contrived apologies and other confused gestures of cowardice and panic.

One cannot keep up with all these events -- the wheels of history are turning too quickly. The world in which we will find ourselves, a few years hence, will not resemble the world we inhabited a few years ago. Yet this is among the few predictions that can be safely made. The events will fall out as unpredictably as those Danish cartoons. The names, dates, and places are not yet recorded; but the shape and scale of events is already blotting the sun on our horizon.

"Saddam Had WMD"

Via Powerline:

When the Iraq Survey Group reported that it was unable to find Saddam's WMDs, it was treated, understandably, as a huge news story. The news media interpreted the ISG's failure as undermining, to a great degree, the administration's case for the war. Fair enough. But now it appears that the administration, along with the CIA and the intelligence services of all other countries who assessed the issue, likely was right after all. Why isn't this equally big news?

Bollocks!

This is pretty cool. The Sex Pistols give the bird to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. I'm so glad. I mean, if the Sex Pistols didn't do it, who would?

Clinton's Domestic Spying Program

Via Frontpage:

In 1994, Clinton administration Attorney General Janet Reno launched infiltrators, wiretaps, mail monitoring, and a wide range of other spying activities in a massive coordinated effort that included the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; U.S. Postal inspectors; the U.S. Marshalls Service; and other Federal and local law enforcement agencies.President Bill Clinton had acted decisively to fight what he and First Lady Hillary Clinton deemed the most dangerous terrorist threat facing America: conservative Christians.

Is Civil War Inevitable?

The Belmont Club has an interesting post about the destruction of the al Askariya mosque in Samarra, Iraq. Of particular interest is the comments section, which discusses the potential near-term implications. Wretchard quotes a site called World War 4 Report:

"There is really a three-way civil war underway throughout the Islamic world. The three inter-related conflicts are: 1.) Sunni v. Shia, 2.) fundamentalism v. secularism, and 3.) national liberation v. imperialism. The sad irony is that it is the social iniquities that underly this last contradiction that provide the raw material of endemic rage—which is increasingly exploited, siphoned off as it were, into the prior two. Fundamentalists conflate secularism and imperialism (given a propaganda boost by their neocon enemies, who do likewise), and pose the only alternative as a purified, hegemonic Islam which must, of course, crush internal heresy."

Yellow Press

Captains Quarters contrasts media coverage to the Muslim cartoon controversy and the delay in releasing information about the shooting incident involving Dick Cheney and concludes:

When our media has the testicular fortitude to report on terrorists honestly, then they will have gained the moral authority to lecture any White House on censorship and the responsibility of fully informing the public. Until then, such demonstrations as we saw this week by the White House press corps only stands as a perverse monument to the media's hypocrisy and venality.

Also, be sure to read this article by Jeff Jacoby, which discusses one newspaper's refreshing honesty as to why their editorial staff elected not to run the cartoons.

Good News From the Great White North

There hasn't been much to celebrate in the relationship between Canada and the U.S. over the past several years, but this article is encouraging.

Prayers For Little Man

He's been sick for about a week, possibly with pneumonia. He and his mother waited in the doctor's office for about 2 hours before being seen by the doctor today (it was the first appointment available). When he finally examined Little Man he was impersonal and evasive about the diagnosis. Mother was furious about the whole situation, but finally got some antibiotics for him.

Thankfully, he seems to be doing much better.

Moonbats Are Crashing The Party

I sincerely believe that many liberals love this country deeply and, while I may disagree with them on certain policy issues, I don't view them as 'evil' or 'enemies.' Unfortunately, much of the 'debate' from the political left these days is reduced to adolescent name-calling, bigotry (primarily against Christians), and hate. This has marginalized the Democrat party which, I believe, has been partly responsible for the electoral trouncings they've endured the last several election cycles.

I find it disturbing that some of the most shrill, hysterical voices aren't coming from the fever swamps in the blogosphere (although much of it is found there), but from the most visible leaders of the Democrat party. The most recent, and I think egregious, example of this outrageous behavior recently occurred in Saudi Arabia, of all places.

Here's what the California Conservative had to say about it:

Al Gore’s recent, outlandish remarks to a Saudi audience not only represent his own scorn for the United States, they are also reflective of this country’s liberal establishment. In short, the overriding sentiment of the left towards America is one of complete contempt. And even a cursory consideration of past and present statements from prominent liberals yields ample supporting evidence for this contention.

Read the rest to see some of that evidence.

Raving Muslims

Check out the Muslim rave party that broke out in the middle of a sermon.

My Little Angel

My youngest daughter, sleeping beneath a blanket on the couch.

Cheney's Got A Gun

Some funny comments about Dick Cheney's shooting accident:

Comic Andy Borowitz:

Cheney fired at his fellow hunter based on faulty intelligence.

David Letterman on Cheney's Top Ten Excuses:

No. 4--"I thought the guy was trying to go 'gay cowboy' on me."
No. 2--"Until Democrats approve medicare reform, we have to make some tough choices for the elderly."

Jay Leno:

“Although it is beautiful here in California, the weather back East has been atrocious. There was so much snow in Washington, D.C., Dick Cheney accidentally shot a fat guy thinking it was a polar bear.

“That’s the big story over the weekend. ... Dick Cheney accidentally shot a fellow hunter, a 78-year-old lawyer. In fact, when people found out he shot a lawyer, his popularity is now at 92 percent.”

“I think Cheney is starting to lose it. After he shot the guy he screamed, ‘Anyone else want to call domestic wire tapping illegal?”’

“Dick Cheney is capitalizing on this for Valentine’s Day. It’s the new Dick Cheney cologne. It’s called Duck!”

John Stewart:

“Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a man during a quail hunt...making 78-year-old Harry Whittington the first person shot by a sitting veep since Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, of course, [was] shot in a duel with Aaron Burr over issues of honor, integrity and political maneuvering. Whittington? Mistaken for a bird.”

“Now, this story certainly has its humorous aspects. ... But it also raises a serious issue, one which I feel very strongly about. ... moms, dads, if you’re watching right now, I can’t emphasize this enough: Do not let your kids go on hunting trips with the vice president. I don’t care what kind of lucrative contracts they’re trying to land, or energy regulations they’re trying to get lifted — it’s just not worth it.”

It's In The Koran

Check out this Quicktime song, which provides some helpful insight into the "Religion of Peace."

Don't Expect This In The NY Times

This guy evidently didn't get the talking points from the Democratic National Committee (hat tip: The Mudville Gazette).

A letter from the Mayor of Tall 'Afar, Iraq to the men and women of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and their families.

In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful

To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who have changed the city of Tall' Afar from a ghost town, in which terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.

To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.

To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.

Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young. This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi's followers after harsh fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar and Avgani finally destroyed them.

I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.

The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom. Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.

Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave Regiment, I haven't the words to describe the courage of its officers and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these legendary heroes and their brave families.

NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI

Mayor of Tall `Afar, Ninewa, Iraq

Al of Arabiya

Scott Johnson over at Powerline rips our despicable ex-Vice President, Al Gore, a new one for his disgraceful anti-American speech in the belly of the Islamic beast-Saudi Arabia. Here's a sample:

I want them to know that Gore's impulse to defame his country before a foreign audience for fun and profit does not represent the desires or wishes or feelings of the majority of citizens of my country. I want them to know that the American people support the enforcement of America's immigration laws, especially against those suspected of having a possible terrorist connection. I want them to know that when 15 of the 19 perpetrators of September 11 were found to have been Saudi citizens, the American people wanted the Saudi government to take responsibility for its role in the attack on the United States and take every action necessary to ensure that it never happens again.

Islamic Chauvinism

Joseph Tartovsky makes an excellent point:

Islamic chauvinism explains what would otherwise be a spectacular irony: in Europe, transplanted Islamic radicals, like Palestinian-born Ahmed Abu-Laban, the Copenhagen imam whose campaigning incited the boycott against Denmark, are demanding that the countries to which they willingly fled from oppression now accept the same habits and attitudes that fetter their homelands. Religious intolerance is just one of these attitudes.

The whole article is worth the read.

Some In U.S. Media Cowered By Fear

Dennis Prager strikes a devastating blow against the lamestream media in this commentary, which persuasively argues that they are not only cowards, but liars. It's an excellent piece.

Sensitivity or Submission?

Read this excellent op-ed by Diana West on the Mohammed Cartoons controversy. A money quote:

These questions may not seem so outlandish if we assess the extent to which encroaching sharia has already changed the Western way. Calling these cartoons "unacceptable," and censoring ourselves "in respect" to Islam brings the West into compliance with a central statute of sharia. As Jyllands-Posten's Flemming Rose has noted, that's not respect, that's submission.

Andrew Sullivan explains that some Islamic leaders are attempting to blackmail the West.

People keep talking about avoiding conflict. They are in denial. The conflict is already here. It is outrageous to be informed by a crowd of hundreds of thousands that the West must give up its freedoms in order to avoid violence.

Redstate wonders if the Europeans are finally waking up to the fact that the crocodile in their midst is going to eat them first, not last.

A Bit of a Scare

One of the worst feelings in the world is that which a parent feels when they realize they can't find their child. Like when they get lost in a department store or, as in the case of our 3-year-old, Emma, in the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas (only for a couple of minutes, thankfully).

Tonight, Cherie called me as I was leaving work with a very worried tone in her voice explaining that she had let our 9-year-old, Hannah, go to a friend's house to play until 6 p.m. Apparently Hannah didn't convey that to her friend's parents, so Cherie began to worry when 6 p.m. rolled by and she hadn't heard from Hannah. She called the parents' cell phone repeatedly and continually got a busy signal. So, on my way home I drove to the girl's apartment to pick Hannah up--but, no one was there.

Shortly thereafter (thank God), a call came. It was Hannah explaining that she had actually been at the mother's boyfriend's house and that they had all gone out to dinner together. Our little girl got an earful as soon as she walked in the door. I felt a little bad for the ambush, but we had been so worried about her that our emotions just came gushing out. Fortunately, everything got worked out and Hannah appeared to understand very important lessons about personal responsibility, keeping commitments, and asking for permission to deviate from a plan settled beforehand.

Needless to say, her mother and I are so relieved that she's okay.

Economy Roars Along, Media Squeaks

The U.S. economy is booming. So, where are all the headlines. This article gives some helpful insight. Hint: It could possibly, just maybe (who knows?) be liberal media bias.

More From The Religion of Peace

Via Filibustercartoons. Also, check out this site, which shows dozens of depictions of Mohammed have been created over the centuries, despite the Islamic prohibition to do so. Finally, be sure to stop by Michelle Malkin's blog. She's staying on top of the disgraceful behavior of radical Islamists.

The Terrorist Bill of Rights

A.J. Strata at The Strata-Sphere thinks the Democrats are proposing a "Contract With al Qaeda." Strata ingeniously uses many of the themes Democrats have been espousing over the past few years to show the logical conclusion of their policies toward terrorists.

I'm Still Here

...but, posting has been really light for the past few days. I've either been out of town (Anniversary weekend), working, or shopping for home theater equipment. All good stuff, but it's keeping me incredibly busy. I'll get back in the swing of things very soon. So, stay tuned.

Hold 'Em

Tonight some friends and I are playing Texas Hold 'Em ostensibly so I can teach them the rules and of the game and some simple strategies before we go to Vegas in a couple of weeks and enter a real poker tournament. It should be fun.

The only thing is...it's gonna cost them.

Update:

I won the first tournament (and $140!) and was well ahead in the second tournament when the cards dried up and the antes got huge. So, I came in second to my brother-in-law Eddie, who finally quit laughing at Wade long enough to realize he had a straight to beat my two-pair.

Very fun night.

I Tend To Agree

...with Dennis Prager:

On just about every issue, the Left lives in a childlike fantasy realm. Their views are expressions of what they wish for, not what actually is. Here is a small sample:

-- Support for terror represents a tiny sliver of the Muslim world.
-- All cultures are essentially morally equivalent.
-- The United Nations is a wonderful institution and the best hope of mankind.
-- Men and women are basically the same.
-- It makes no difference whether children are raised by a loving man and woman or by two loving parents of the same sex.
-- Violent criminals in our society are pushed into crime by socioeconomic circumstances, not because of their own flawed characters and values.
-- War is not the answer.

The list of leftist positions based on a rejection of reality is as long as a list of leftist positions.

Thankful

Lower Than Angels had its first practice in several months last night and I have to say that it was incredibly fun. We ran through three songs during our 4-1/2 hour rehearsal: Mercy (an old one), Ms. Understanding (a relatively new one) and If Only She Knew (a brand new one). I love when my other bandmates bring their talents and ideas to the song. Together, we create an atmosphere/vibe that's uniquely LTA. It makes the songs so much cooler than they are after I've just written them.

Soncially, it was amazing last night. The guitars sounded incredible, and they blended so well together. Darren Varieur played a Fender strat through a 1960s era Fender Bassman amp. I played my Tom Anderson Cobra through a Matchless DC30 and a 1965 Vox AC30. Bob Hartry played a Les Paul through a new 1x12 custom amp made by a local guy named Mike Moody, and a 1950s era Gibson combo amp that he had purchased earlier in the day from Truetone Music. Wade Varieur (drums) and Dean Tapia (bass) added their excellent skills to the mix to round out the sound that is LTA.

I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such excellent musicians, and blessed to have each one of them as dear friends.

When People Freely Choose Tyranny

Michael Ledeen:

Those of us who advocate democratic revolution are often criticized for an excess of naïveté, for failing to recognize that the passion for freedom is not universal, and that there are many people — perhaps even many peoples — who despise democracy. Given half a chance, these self-proclaimed 'realists' say, much of the world will choose tyranny.

True enough, I know it well. But it doesn't lead me to be more tolerant of tyranny, it reinforces my passion for democratic revolution.

Read the whole article.

(Cartoon by Cox & Forkum Editorial Cartoons).

The Plush Gig

The Afterfall gig at Plush Cafe on Friday night was a blast. Wretch opened up with a few acoustic tunes and was followed by On The Spot, which was a mix of blues, R&B, rap, spoken word, and rock.

By the time Afterfall took the stage the place was packed. I noticed two girls invited by Dale (the bass player), who waitress at my family's favorite breakfast restaurant, The Original Pancake House. They were shocked to see me, since they apparently didn't know I played music (kinda surprising since we've been going to that restaurant for over 10 years!).

We opened the set with a tune we hadn't played for a long time--a tribute to Willy Wonka entitled Take Me There. It's a rockin' fun song with a cool solo section. During the solo, some girl I'd never seen before came up on stage and was dancing next to me. It kinda took me by surprise, but I was cool with it. I think our restrained reaction embarrassed her a little bit and she took off before the song ended (probably for the best). From there we went into the hard charging song, Big Mistake. This was followed by the "Love parallelogram," which consisted of four songs chronicaling the ups and downs of relationships that Darren and Wade have been through over the years. Then came my favorite song to play, Tomorrow. Great progressive rock song with a very cool guitar solo section. This song dovetailed into my other favorite tune, Butterfly--a moody and ethereal song with a great half-time chorus and crescendo at the end. We ended the set with Celluloid World, a ballad with sweet harmonies.

The crowd seemed to have a great time. We all had fun hanging out afterward. I had an idea that next time Lower Than Angels or Afterfall play Plush Cafe, Myke and I would open up with a few acoustic songs. Myke said he was into it. So, we got some work to do before the next show, which sounds like it might take place in early March.

Via Vodkapundit:

I do mean that the Democratic Party as we know it is doomed. It's history. It's over. It's toast. With moldy marmalade on it.

Afterall @ Plush Cafe

Afterfall is playing a show at Plush Cafe in Fullerton tonight. The venue is located at 207 N. Harbor Blvd. in downtown. The night begins at 7:45 p.m. with an opening acoustic set by Wretch (Joe Denges of Hollowell). At 8:30 p.m. On The Spot takes the stage.

Afterfall headlines the show at 9 p.m.

$5 at the door. All ages are welcome.

Come check out the show!

Helpful Insight

One of my favorite bloggers, Michelle Malkin, observes:

Potty-training my son is like dealing with post-9/11 liberals. No matter how much patient educating and explaining you do to convince them to take responsibility for their actions and prevent future disasters, the end result is always the same: soiled pants.

The Goverment They Deserve

There's a lot of hand-wringing today about the landslide victory the terrorist group Hamas won in this week's Palestinian election. That this is cause for major concern relative to peace in the Middle East is obvious. But, it also will be clarifying.

The Fatah Party controlled Palestinian politics for four decades--a period of time in which terrorism increased dramatically while government officials enriched themselves at the expense of their people. Poverty and desperation is Fatah's legacy; but, until now, it has successfully blamed Israel for their woes. Fatah leadership had the cycle of violence down to a science: whip the people up into a frenzy, then blame the predictable attack on "militants" from Hamas who simply needed to be reigned in.

The evidence of Fatah's failure is incontrovertible. Now Hamas has an opportunity to prove its leadership. How will Hamas perform? No one knows. But, by winning, they have to govern. They will not be able to hide behind Fatah if they attack civilian targets in Israel. As this article points out, the "militants" are now one and the same with the Palestinian Authority. Thus, any attacks will no longer be seen as terrorism, but as an act of war.

Cliff May expands on this point:

But here’s why it’s also clarifying: In the past, when there were terrorist attacks against Israel, Yassir Arafat could denounce them in English in the morning and celebrate them in Arabic in the afternoon. Hamas will not have that luxury. Henceforth, Israeli leaders should respond to every terrorist attack not as though it were a crime committed by a few isolated fanatics that the Palestinian Authority somehow did not manage to stop in time. Henceforth, Israeli leaders should respond to terrorist attacks as acts of war. In other words, their response should be forceful. It should make it clear that those who inflict death and destruction will pay a very steep price.

Consistently Inconsistent

Kathryn Jean Lopez @ The Corner:

John Kerry was just on the Senate floor speaking about his planned vote against Alito. He did, of course, vote for Alito in 1990 before he voted against him.

Silent Genocide

My recent post on the atrocities being committed openly in Darfur got me to thinking about state-sanctioned atrocities that are occurring almost invisibly in our country everyday.

With the likely confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, which is expected to tip the balance of the Court to the right, the debate over abortion has begun to reappear on the front pages again. To say that passions run high on both sides is to state the obvious. I highly recommend Redstate's devastating commentary from the pro-life perspective about the silent genocide of 40 million of our nation's unborn children. Among other things, the Redstate commentary laments the fact that neither side appears willing to engage the other in meaningful debate or accept compromise. In fact, the rhetoric has gotten so bad that some mothers exult in their little "murders." So, how do you have a conversation with people who are unwilling (and/or unable) to countenance an opposing argument without resorting to ad hominem attacks?

Have a look at these pictures taken at a recent walk-for-life march in San Francisco to see what I mean. Here you will see "liberals," who would presumably defend free speech for the likes of Amercia haters such as Harry Belafonte and Michael Moore, attempting to suppress the speech of others vis-a-vis a non-violent street march. These same types also can be found suppressing free speech via election day sabotage and intimidation on university campuses.

Until the left can pull themselves out of the fever swamps and begin to make coherent arguments while respecting opposing viewpoints, I suspect that our national dialogue will become even more confrontational and, to our great detriment, less transformational in the years to come.

UPDATE:

The Belmont Club has a more expansive discussion of this topic and notices some of this same virulent extremism rearing its ugly head in Canada. It's well worth the read.

UPDATE II:

On the lighter side, Greg Gutfeld has posted a Roe v. Wade joke page. Here's a sample:

A man finds a fetus on a park bench, crying, and asks "What's the matter?" The fetus responds, "I just got aborted!" "That's terrible," says the man, "but it could be worse. If you were born you'd probably end up fighting a war you don't support in Iraq."

Where's the UN When It's Really Needed?

Nicholas Kristof reviews two books about the genocide occurring in Darfur: Julie Flint and Alex de Waal's Darfur: A Short History of a Long War; and Gérard Prunier's Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide. In his review, Kristof notes:

In Darfur genocide is taking place in slow motion, and there is vast documentary proof of the atrocities.

In my years as a journalist, I thought I had seen a full kaleidoscope of horrors, from babies dying of malaria to Chinese troops shooting students to Indonesian mobs beheading people. But nothing prepared me for Darfur, where systematic murder, rape, and mutilation are taking place on a vast scale, based simply on the tribe of the victim. What I saw reminded me why people say that genocide is the worst evil of which human beings are capable.

Norman Geras comments:

It's hard not to be led to the most disheartening of conclusions about the putative legitimacy of the international system. For those of us who look towards a strengthening of transnational institutions, and of the quality and the reach of international law, whether in working for peaceful outcomes, in bringing to justice the perpetrators of crimes against humanity, or in preventing major atrocities, especially genocide, how is it possible to speak for that emergent legitimacy, or the claim to one, when the international community repeatedly just stands by as the worst crime on its books unfolds?

UPDATE: From Fox News

The focus of the current scandal is U.N. peacekeeping, a function that consumes 85 percent of the U.N.'s procurement budget — a cost that could reach $2 billion in 2005. Like many of the U.N.'s financial dealings, it is shrouded in secrecy. And like the multi-billion-dollar Oil-for-Food scandal, it is wrapped in what the U.N.'s own investigators now call "systematic abuse," "a pattern of corrupt practices," and "a culture of impunity."

In all, U.N. investigators have charged that nearly one-third of the $1 billion in major U.N. procurement contracts that they examined involved waste, corruption or other irregularities — $298 million in all. And that total covered slightly less than one-third of the $3.2 billion in major supply contracts that the U.N. has signed in the past five years.

As the Demagogue points out quoting a UN Press Release, this is occuring while the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur is running out of money. Kofi Annan is asking them to hold on until the UN can find the authority and means to take over.

As I mentioned last week, the AU says it will run out of fund for its mission in Darfur in March. Given the Security Council's reluctance to deal with Darfur, any eventual hand-over to UN troops probably wouldn't even happen this year. So Annan is basically asking member nations to start fully-funding the AU mission so that they can hang on long enough to transfer the mission over to the UN.

The UN is useless.

Canadian Conundrum

Via The Corner:

"If the threat from American movie stars is that they will move to Canada if a conservative wins, where does a Canadian movie star threaten to move to... Sweden?" We're tracking the movements of Michael J. Fox as you read this, in search of the answer.

ABC -- Easy As 1-2-3

Rie Sinclair is a friend of mine who, along with co-writer Bob Hartry, has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy award for their song "Where You Are." Actually, the nomination will not become official until February 8th because votes have yet to be completed, but she's on the "vote list."

The song is used on the General Hospital soap opera and has generated a lot of buzz. As a result, Rie was invited to play the song for a TV show called Soaptalk, which airs on the SoapNet cable station. She asked if I would play acoustic guitar with her and I agreed. So, Saturday morning Myke and I left for ABC Studios in Hollywood (read Myke's post about the adventure here).

This particular studio lot apparently is one of the oldest in Hollywood, constructed circa 1920. Reportedly, silent films were shot there, as well as some classic shows, such as American Bandstand (stage hands that were there during that era said that Dick Clark lived up to his first name). It was interesting to meet the stagehands and the co-hosts of the show. The directors, stage managers, and camera operators were talking with Lisa Rinna, one of the co-hosts, about her recent appearance on Dancing With The Stars. It was also interesting to have my "make up" done (just moisturizer and a little lightener under my eyes) in a chair next to the other co-host, Ty Treadway, a seemingly nice guy with very tan skin and glowing teeth.

Rie and I played the song in front of the co-hosts and a studio audience and it was well received. Afterward, both hosts walked over to us and talked to Rie about the song. They seemed genuinely impressed (although this is Hollywood and one never knows). I was happy for Rie. She's really cool and a great singer/songwriter (you can check out some of her music here), who has been a struggling artist for several years. In addition to being a musician, she's an actress who does commercials (print and TV) and was in the 1999 movie Drop Dead Gorgeous.

After the taping, which airs January 24th at 6 a.m., 11 a.m., and 11 p.m. PST, we got a tour of one of the buildings that had some amazing editing and digital audio equipment. We didn't have time to see the other soundstages where Grey's Anatomy and a few other ABC shows are taped. Nevertheless, it was an interesting and fun experience. I sincerely hope she and Bobby win the Emmy award. It couldn't happen to nicer people. Go Rie and Bobby!

NAMM Update

Bob Hartry played guitar at church with me Sunday and we got a chuckle out of the message on unity in the church because it centered around Psalm 133, which reads in part:

1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard...

The references to Lee Sklar are obvious and strangely coincidental. After church, Bob headed back to the NAMM show. He called later that afternoon to report additional Lee Sklar sightings and to tell me about some of the new gear he was checking out.

I failed to mention that the NAMM convention is not open to the public. So, a signficant number of attendees (including Myke and I) must borrow the badges of enrolled guests and assume their identities to gain access to the event. Bob, who had a badge with his own name on it, had been hanging out with a couple friends and hadn't noticed their assumed identities until the end of the day. Shortly thereafter, I received a voice mail on my cell phone from Bob, stunned by what he had just witnessed. The identity assumed by his friend Brandon was shown on the badge with the name LELAND SKLAR on it!

Bobby has reportedly checked into "a hospital" for some "rest and recovery." I'm afraid that I won't see him for a couple of months.

NAMM Show

My brother-in-law Myke and I met up with Bob Hartry at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim yesterday. NAMM is like a circus for musicians. The entire Anaheim Convention Center is packed with manufacturers of instruments, music software, sheet music, and other random music paraphenalia, displaying their merchandise.

As with most conventions, it is often the place where the "new hot thing" debuts. Some of the merchandisers hire scantily clad women to attract attention to their booths. Sometimes scantily clad women show up "just because." One lady we saw was wearing a black outfit that barely covered her fake boobs. She also had that weird orange color that people get when they spend too much time in the tanning booth.

Current and former rock stars often are walking around and/or signing autographs, which is sometimes cool (Bono was seen by a friend of ours walking around) and some not so cool (most of the new metal-head types). I've seen lots of music stars over the years. This year I saw Tommy Shaw (Styx/Damn Yankees, discography) and George Clinton, among others. One of the guys I see every time without fail is the inimitable Lee Sklar.

He's ubiquitous at the NAMM show. It seemed like every time we turned around he was there. Bobby said that when he was young he took a picture with Lee flipping off the camera. Very rock 'n roll. I wish we had more than 3 hours to look around because it seemed like we barely scratched the surface of what was there. But, all in all, it was a fun day at the musician's circus.

Making Sense of Nonsense

Victor Davis Hanson has an excellent article with some helpful tips on how to make sense of geopolitical realites that seem nonsensical.

Just keep in mind four general talking points about America’s recent role in the world and most things gradually become clearer.

Point One (for Americans): My own flawless three-week removal of Saddam Hussein was ruined by your error-prone postwar peace.

Point Two (for Middle Easterners): We are for democracy — unless you Americans help us obtain it.

Point Three (for Europeans): We are privately for and publicly against what you do.

Point Four (for everyone else): When angry at either the United States (or yourself) just blame the Jews in America, and Israel abroad.

Sometimes in these crazy times, that is all you need to know.

Hooked on Hasselhoff

Check this out right now. (hat tip: The Corner)

Crazy Canuck Communities

Sometimes I like to tease my Canadian relatives (including the wife) about the Great White North (all in good fun, though). Today I came across a list of funny Canadian city names over at The Corner. These include:

Medicine Hat, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Heart's Desire, Cupids, Penetanguishene, Yak, Ecum Secum, Sexsmith, and who can forget one of my favorites--St. Louis de Ha! Ha! But, the treasure trove of strange city names is Newfoundland, which is home to Spread Eagle, Come By Chance and this beauty.

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are many more Canadian city names that I can't pronounce and would take a paragrpaph to spell.

UPDATE:

Here's a Web site that lists scores of unusual city names. Some of the top rated names of American cities:

Why, Climax, Crappo, Hell, Intercourse, Blue Ball, Boysack, Santa Clause, Gaysport, Monkey's Eyebrow, Oddville, Gayville, Christmas, Cut and Shoot, Earth, Yeehaw Junction, Mud Butte, Buttzville, Toad Suck, Boob Creek and, of course, California's own Oxnard.

What I really want to know is--who named Lake Titicaca?

UPDATE:

Speaking of names, I have to throw in the lame joke about how Canada got its name (hat tip: The Corner).

Long ago, the original settlers were sitting around a campfire discussing what they should call their new country. So they wrote down letters on slips of paper, threw them into a hat, and started drawing them out. The first to come out was the letter C. So the guy said, "C, eh?" Next came, "N, eh?" Then finally, "D, eh?"

I liked this article by Mark Davis, a columnist for the Dallas Morning News and radio talk show host. It discusses some of the disgraceful behavior at the Senate confirmation hearings of Judge Alito. Some money quotes:

In 2006, a good man like Samuel Alito can be lectured on human behavior by the likes of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Mr. Kennedy and his colleagues can gang up on a man who seems to have made almost no enemies and paint him as some pernicious closet misogynist bigot.

Meanwhile, their fellow Democrat senator who was an admitted member of the Ku Klux Klan is toasted as a pillar of virtue.

Robert Byrd can hang with lynch mobs in West Virginia in his past and get a free pass; but Sam Alito doesn't get a break for even the most tangential brush with the Concerned Alumni of Princeton, some of whose members might not have been the most enlightened souls in the Ivy League.

The Trouble With Alito

Dennis Prager:

To understand any political ideology, one must understand what most animates it. For the Left, it is hatred of inequality. As noted in a previous column, the Left hates inequality even more than it hates evil. Or perhaps more accurately, for the Left, inequality is the ultimate evil.

That is why Judge Alito is so frightening to the Left. He truly believes that the purpose of a judge and of the Supreme Court is to apply the law in as agenda-free a manner as humanly possible. He knows that the role of the Supreme Court is not to promote socioeconomic equality but to preserve the rule of law.

Galloway's "CATS" Audition Not Well Received

George Galloway is a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons with the Respect party, ironically. He's also a vehement critic of the Iraq War and the Bush Administration. Leftists in this country hailed his testimony before Congress last year after he lied to them about his dealings in the Oil-For-Dollars...er...Food program.

Now Gorgeous George has moved on to a more enlightened consciousness. According to BBC News,

Mr Galloway, 51, went on all fours, purred and pretended to lick cream from actress Rula Lenska's hands, as part of a task set on the Channel 4 show [video is available in the upper right-hand corner of the BBC News page].

I always knew he was a pussy.

This is what happens when you give Chuck Norris "lip."

More Liberal Media Bias

Via the American Thinker:

The controversy following revelations that U.S. intelligence agencies have monitored suspected terrorist related communications since 9/11 reflects a severe case of selective amnesia by the New York Times and other media opponents of President Bush. They certainly didn’t show the same outrage when a much more invasive and indiscriminate domestic surveillance program came to light during the Clinton administration in the 1990’s. At that time, the Times called the surveillance “a necessity.”

So, it was okay for Clinton to "spy on Americans" and sell some of the intelligence to Democrat corporate donors to use against their political rivals, but if Bush tries to defend the country from al 'Qaeda and their affiliates by using the same technique it's a crime.

Hmm. Now why would that be?

The Party of (In)Tolerance, Part III

According to Technorati, Daily Kos is the most frequently visited political blog in the blogosphere, as measured by unique links in the last six months (the blogger's profile reports that the blog receives about 20 million unique visits per month). It is a home to those on the far left politically. You know, those who love to think of themselves as compassionate, tolerant, and open-minded.

Yeah, them.

Not surprisingly, the blog is full of leftist drivel, Bush hatred, nasty personal attacks, conspiracy theories, etc. Its influence on liberal politicians is debatable. What is not debatable, however, is the shamefulness of their comments about Judge Alito's wife.

John Hawkins at Right Wing News points out:

King moonbat, Kos himself, suggested that her crying was a staged "PR stunt" and some of the Kossacks were, let's just say, not very kind to Mrs. Alito. Here's what a few of the Kos Kidz had to say:

Pacified: and do we want a judge who would marry such a weak-willed b*tch?

BTP: Channeling Eric Cartman. Yes! Yesss!! Oh, let me taste your tears, Martha-Ann! Mmm, your tears are so yummy and sweet!

tjb22: Poor woman...she probably teared up when she saw what a bigot she was married to...I'd cry, too. And come to think of it, if they made me wear those ugly republican clothes I'd probably get a little emotional, too.

fugue: CRY...CRY...WTF??? My question. This is not some rated 'G' family oriented hearing. This is how the nation gives somebody the right to interpret it's constitution for the next decades. WILL SHE INFLUENCE HIS ABILITY to JUDGE???? next thing we know, this guy will do whatever the wifey is crying for. (omg, omg, they are killing unborn baby...waaa waaa....) WTF? GO HOME...This is the MOST blatant attempt to manipulate public emotion. She should go f*ck herself."

phoenixandrew: Mrs. Alito is the typical conservative woman. Martha-Ann Alito is an idiot and a moron. She'll REALLY have something to cry about if she doesn't grow up.

Buzzer: What a whiny little b*tch. I'm GLAD she was reduced to tears. These hyper-pampered Stepford wives have never endured anything more stressful than making it to Saks Fifth Avenue before it closes. If seeing her poor widdle hubby getting caught in an avalanche of lies about his not-exactly-concealed racism triggers the weeping-willow response, I'd venture to say Martha needs to get out a little more. Maybe visit a black neighborhood or two and get acquainted with a few strong women who DON'T burst into tears while DAILY dealing with hardships that Martha's fragile, feeble mind could not even conceive of. What a phony, fraudulent, sheltered twit.

mrd in nyc: What, is this junior high school? "Lindsey Graham Made Mrs. Alito cry" Sounds like a note someone passed me in algebra. Why are people allowing themselves to get drawn into this episode? -You made her cry, bully!-I didn't make her cry, HE did!-Well, she's crying now and everyone thinks YOU did it! With all due respect, F*CK Mrs. Alito! We are dealing with a decision that will affect millions of people over generations! I don't give a good godd*mn about Mrs. Alito. Frankly, I'd be much happier seeing MISTER Alito crying due to a withering grilling by the Dems. But the only folks crying over the Democratic senator's questioning are other Dems (including me).

Maine Atticus: WTF is she doing there, anyway! She should be home baking cookies and making more home-made clothes! Why do wives, or husbands for that matter have to hang around, looking like complete *sses at these hearings? Another stupid cow married to another Nazi motherf*cker. Cry, you cow. You moron. You sh*thead married to a man who would destroy this country! Cry? You ain't seen nothin' yet.

Charming, aren't they?

Why We Fight

President Bush's at today's town hall-type appearance in Louisville, Kentucky:

I made a foreign policy decision in the Middle East that said, we can't tolerate the status quo any longer for the sake of inexpensive energy. In other words, there was a period of time when people said, let's just kind of deal with the situation as it is, sometimes tolerating strong men for a economic objective. I changed our foreign policy that said, that attitude of kind of accepting the things the way they are is going to lead to the conditions that will allow the enemy to continue to breed hatred and find suiciders and soldiers in their attempt to do harm.

(hat tip: Powerline

Making Mountains Out of Molehills

John Podhoretz provides a fair summation of what is happening with the Democrats at this week's Senate confirmation hearings:

What's going on in the Alito hearings is simple. Democrats have to vote against him because their donors, constituent organizations, and mouth-breathing lunatics who populate leftie websites demand it. But to vote against him, they need a reason -- any reason. So they're making mountains out of these molehills not because they expect to defeat him, but to give them cover for casting "nay" votes for someone who is clearly qualified, who knows his Constitution backwards and forwards, and who will be on the Supreme Court in very short order.

Via Mark Levin:

Sam Alito will be confirmed. The only question is how much more damage the Democrats will inflict on themselves during the course of these hearings.

Tilting At Windmills

From today's editorial in the Washington Times:

Something unusual happened on the way to this week's nomination hearings for Judge Samuel Alito: Reporters scoffed at the ridiculousness of Sen. Ted Kennedy. Notably, one columnist called his antics "meandering and listless" and suggested Mr. Kennedy is beyond his prime. It's about time: Mr. Kennedy and his 1960s mental furniture cannot square a modern nominee, much less a conservative one.

Since Judge Alito was nominated in November, Mr. Kennedy has been searching for a monarchical, racist or sexist dragon to slay in the hopes of creating a second Robert Bork. He tries to suggest he has found one, but everyone knows he hasn't. Lately, his every flail and factual misstatement confirms it. But Mr. Kennedy still insists he hasn't made up his mind how he will vote.

The "Lyin'" of the Democrats

I didn't get a chance to watch much of the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Alito. I did, however, have the unfortunate displeasure of watching Senator Ted Kennedy's opening statement, which was a disgrace (surprise, surprise). I have nothing but disdain for the so-called lion (or is it lyin'?) of the Democrats. John Hinderaker at Powerline sums up my feelings best:

...but the reality is, the Democrats are just making it up as they go along. They recognize no duty of consistency. Their logic can't withstand the most elementary scrutiny, and their leader is a dimwit who, after being thrown out of Harvard for cheating, graduated last in his law school class. While a law student, he endured the humiliation of being arrested by a highway patrolman while cowering in the back seat of his car, pretending not to be the driver. He subsequently drove off a bridge, thereby drowning a young woman whose only crime was assuming that he was a competent escort. She probably could have been saved if he had gone for help, but instead of trying to rescue her, he spent the night looking for someone who would pretend to have been the driver of the car, discussing legal strategies with his family's advisers, and trying to establish an alibi. And now Ted Kennedy purports to sit in moral judgment over a brilliant, self-effacing public servant like Sam Alito. The American public isn't paying much attention, but I think they're smart enough to figure this one out.

Also, if you're interested in the hearings, check out Bench Memos.

Fun With Photos

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno has some fun with a strategically-placed photo booth at Universal Studios. It's pretty funny.

Little Drummer Boy

I guess this has made the rounds on the 'net for some time now (metacafe shows nearly a quarter of a million views), but I saw it for the first time and was amazed. This video clip shows a drum solo performed by a boy named Tony Royster, Jr., who was 12 years old at the time.

It's nearly 8 minutes long, but worth watching. Be sure to see the section beginning at about the 5:37 mark. Amazing stuff.

When I grow up I want to play drums like him (even though I'm a guitarist).

Cry the Beloved Continent

Victor Davis Hanson pens A Letter to the Europeans from an American friend. Read it.

Dirty Harry (Belafonte)

Harry Belafonte's career jumped the shark about four decades ago and apparently he has way too much time on his hands. Now he likes to take other leftwing moonbats on "goodwill" outings to foreign countries in order to bash our president. (Hat tip: Little Green Footballs).

Belafonte led a delegation of Americans including actor Danny Glover, Princeton University scholar Cornel West and farmworker advocate Dolores Huerta that met the Venezuelan president for more than six hours late Saturday and attended his television and radio broadcast on Sunday.

"No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W Bush says, we're here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people… support your revolution," Belafonte told Mr. Chavez during the broadcast.

"We respect you, admire you, and we are expressing our full solidarity with the Venezuelan people and your revolution." The 78-year-old singer, famed for his calypso-inspired music, including the Day-O song, was a close collaborator of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr and is now a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

So, this trip is for the "goodwill" of whom, exactly? Professing solidarity with a foreign leader hostile to our national interests and providing material for his anti-American propaganda is not my idea of goodwill. Perhaps this left-wing hate speech has grown so tired here at home that he craved a new and eager audience to export it to.

Doesn't he have a bar-mitzvah or a Wal-mart grand opening to perform at?

Not The Sharpest Tool In The Shed

A good friend of mine was once visiting the U.S. Capitol and, upon turning a corner in one of the hallways, ran smack into Ted Kennedy. What impressed my friend the most about the encounter was Kennedy's diminutive stature and ruddy appearance (one too many martinis?), and the way he grumbled to himself as he walked away without exchanging the normal apologies that typically accompany such unfortunate accidents.

The Kennedy name is obviously as close to royalty as it gets in American political life. Ted is the "Lion" of the Democrat Party who is a giant in leftists circles. However, in addition to being a hypocrite (a whole chapter is dedicated to him in Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy) and a coward (Chappaquiddick anyone?) he's also, evidently, a mental midget.

Via Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit: TED KENNEDY REMEMBERS "the Goldwater Presidency."

Reynolds' riposte: Funny, I don't -- but I was pretty young then.

Also, read Ed Whelan's take down of Kennedy.

Lileks on Western Civilization

I am a hopeless reactionary. I believe in judging a culture on the liberties and prosperity it affords to its people. I believe that the West is an anomaly in human history, and that it is a rare thing to have what we have: information without boundaries, freedom unimagined by those who have gone before, women’s equality instead of the black Hefty-trash-bag dress, respect for gays instead of death-by-stone-walls, and all the other remarkable accomplishments like space probes and plumbing and overnight delivery of Omaha Steaks (track the UPS code in your browser, if you wish.) But it didn’t just happen. As Felix Under said to Oscar Madison: you have to make gravy. It doesn’t just come.

The title of this post links to the whole article, which is worth the read.

You'll Never Find

...another voice like Lou Rawls. He died of lung cancer today at the age of 72. R.I.P.

Not A Winning Political Strategy

This is an interesting read from a blog called Done With Mirrors.

One of the reasons, I think, it's so difficult for Democrats to move from their current sad lack of coherence is that there IS an internal consistency to the place they've landed.

Read on to find out what the author thinks it is.

Socialism: Not A Good Ideology

Mary Katharine Ham over at Hugh Hewitt's blog has this to say about Socialism,

Socialism is enforced equality. But someone has to enforce. Someone has to take all that a country of dynamic, amazing, different people has produced and slice it up into dull, government-approved parcels that go to each according to his need. So much for diversity, right?

This means that no one owns anything except for the guy doing the enforcing of equality, who without fail, feels a lot less strongly about his own equality with the proletariat than he does about the rabble's equality with each other. That's how Fidel Castro ended up on the Forbe's list of richest people.

This guy inevitably gets a little testy when folks step out of line by wanting to own the things they earn, thereby cutting down on his net worth. And by testy, I mean blood-thirsty and murdery.

It also means that if everyone gets what they need regardless of how much work they do, no one wants to do any work. Which I guess could be doable if we could go on producing things without, you know, working to produce them. But we can't.

So, no reason to work, no tasting the fruits of your own labor? No work gets done, nothing gets produced, no one eats. Hence, the practical non-workingness of socialism. We all end up sitting around, baby-bird-like, mouths open, but there is no momma to bring a worm, baby, and no worms left to bring.

Last, it means robbing each and every person in a country of the pride of a job well done. No work ethic allowed. How gauche, the socialists say, to want to produce and provide for yourself, for your family. Don't you want to help your fellow man, they ask, ignoring the fact that providing for yourself allows your fellow man to live his life without carrying you around like a sack of sand, which is one of the greatest services you could render.

I could go on and on, but those are the basics. Crime against humanity for all those who die. Crime against the human spirit for all those who live. Pretty much fills out my bad idea check list.

Cool New Foreign Policy Blog

For those of you who enjoy commentary about geopolitical affairs and American foreign policy, you may be interested in a blog called The Washington Realist. It's run by Nikolas K. Gvosdev, the editor of The National Interest, a foreign policy magazine located in Washington, DC. Be sure to read the predictions for 2006, which rank the biggest political risks for the coming year.

The Suicide of the West

Wretchard at The Belmont Club discusses two essays that reflect on the impending suicide of Western Civilization. It's a very interesting read. Also, the comments section also has some intriguing discussions.

The Source of Our Disunity

Via Powerline,

The deep, potentially crippling disunity that alarms [Tony] Blankley stems not from the president's rhetorical shortcomings. It stems primarily from the fact that many Democrats (including some key Democratic leaders) and many influential members of the MSM hate conservatives, George W. Bush, and much about the country that has placed Bush in power, more than they hate the people who are trying to kill us.

As Glenn Reynolds would say, "Indeed."

Stupid Talkshow Host Tricks

Michelle Malkin discusses Bill O'Reilly's appearance on Late Night with David Letterman last night. The Political Teen has the video. Although he embarrassed himself, Letterman did his viewers a service by exhibiting the ignorance that is typical of the liberal entertainment elite. He argued facts with feelings and showed how much Hollywood mythology has become "known facts" in some circles.

Reasonable people can disagree on the war and there are many good arguments in opposition. In fact, O'Reilly was not defending his support for the war, but was making the point that we should be careful not to get into the "Bush lied" meme because there's no evidence that it's true and it does not advance any productive ideas about how best to prosecute the war going forward.

But, Letterman's Bush hatred was unambiguous and his meanness toward O'Reilly was audacious. Although he claims to have never watched his show and presumably doesn't know him personally, Letterman didn't show O'Reilly the common courtesy he affords his other guests. Rather, it appeared that he based his opinion of O'Reilly on things he's read (to which O'Reilly responded, "Aw, come on. You're going to take things that you have read knowing what they say about you?").

Virtually all the audience was sympathetic to Letterman's point-of-view, which is not surprising considering they came to see Dave's show. However, it's a little disheartening to see so many people acting so brashly while being so ill-informed. Even Dave had to (grudgingly) concede that he "wasn't smart enough to debate [O'Reilly] point-to-point on this..." It makes one wonder why he decided to be so hostile in the first place.

Memo to Dave: Stick to the stupid pet tricks.

Happy New Year

Here's to hoping that 2006 finds you happy and healthy.