Ramblings' Journal

"Finding" versus "looting?"

The wire services, in their infinite wisdom, are being selective in how they talk about looters.

The two photos below beg the question: Why is one person "finding" while the other is "looting?"

But the other thing that comes to mind is that the one "finding" something happens to be white while the one "looting" happens to be black.

I don't want to think conspiracy, but this is kind of like when Arsenio Hall talked about that things like that make you go, "Hmmmmm..."

Katrina relief: Give, give and give until it hurts

Helping around the clock:

Katrina update: Live video streams

Multiple television stations are streaming live video coverage of the disaster as it unfolds and are providing information not only to people in the affected region, but to those of us outside the zone who have friends and relatives there, and who are desperately looking for information.

Streaming Media Links

WWL-TV: http://www.khou.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_khou&props=livenoad

WDSU-TV: http://mfile.akamai.com/12912/live/reflector:38843.asx

WPMI-TV: http://www.wpmi.com/mediacenter/default.aspx?videoId=113739

WKRG-TV: mms://wmbcast.mgeneral.speedera.net/wmbcast.mgeneral/wmbcast_mgeneral_aug262005_1435_95518

WTOK-TV (follow the link on the home page): http://www.wtok.com/

WJTV-TV: mms://wmbcast.mgeneral.speedera.net/wmbcast.mgeneral/wmbcast_mgeneral_aug262005_1435_95563

Gulf Coast Storm Network (radio): http://www.stormalert.net/main.html#

New Orleans: Everybody outta the pool!

The disaster in New Orleans behind Hurricane Katrina continues to worsen. An ominous message came this evening.

Mayor Ray Nagin issued an urgent bulletin through WWL-TV at 6:30 p.m.

Nagin said efforts to stop the flow of water at the breach on the 17th Street Canal are failing, which means the floodwaters will rise again. Nagin said the waters will soon overwhelm the pump, shutting it down. He said the water will rise to 3 feet above sea level - or 12-15 feet
in some places of east Jefferson and Orleans parishes.

Nagin has advised residents who have not already evacuated to do so as soon as possible.

The officials are conceeding New Orleans to the elements.

One reporter described the situation in New Orleans as being not unlike the post-apocalyptic thriller Mad Max: All for one, and God for us all.

CNN's Chad Myers flips out on-air during hurricane coverage

CNN weather forecaster Chad Myers flipped out during their coverage hours before Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Myers, visibly upset at being cut off by anchor Carol Costello, yelled, "Let me talk Carol!"

Costello almost jovially said, "Well Chad, what does that mean?"

Myers tossed his notes down in disgust and yelled, "Well, if you'd let me talk..."

Sounds like multiple folks were getting testy over at CNN.

The Political Teen has the video both in Quicktime and WMP.

Katrina update: flood waters continue to rise in N.O.

According to WWL-TV (live video stream - WMP), who themselves have evacuated to the LSU School of Journalism's facilities in Baton Rouge, the staff of the legendary Times-Picayune newspaper have evacuated their staff from the city.

Flood waters from the breach in the levee system continue to innundate the city. A number of the pumps have failed. Officials fear that the waters will rise to the point that the water level in Lake Pontchartrain will equal that of the water level in the city of New Orleans.

Interstate 10 is not useable by traffic in either direction out of New Orleans.

President Bush has cut short his Texas vacation, and is returning to Washington as a result of this disaster.

Unconfirmed reports at this hour indicate that the USS Iwo Jima, currently on station in Norfolk, VA, will be heading to New Orleans in order to help with rescue and recovery efforts.

Thousands of topless virgins vie to become wife of Swaziland's king

In a surreal scene, more than 50,000 topless virgins participated in a contest to see who would be chosen as the 13th wife of Swaziland's 37 year-old king this week.

King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, arrived dressed in a leopard-skin loincloth to watch the Reed Dance ceremony, which he has used since 1999 to pluck new brides from the girls dressed in little more than beaded mini-skirts.

Wielding machetes and singing tributes to the king and queen mother, also known as the Great She-Elephant, the girls danced around the royal stadium in the hope of catching the eye of the 37-year-old monarch.

Critics say Mswati, who has courted controversy for his lavish lifestyle while two thirds of his subjects live in abject poverty, sets a bad example by encouraging polygamy and teenage sex in a country where 40 percent of adults live with HIV.

Just damn.

Katrina aftermath: 80 dead, toll expected to rise

As now-Tropical Storm Katrina continues her inexorble march northeastward, residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia begin to pick up the pieces left behind.

According to some reports, up to 80% of New Orleans is underwater. Many buildings have windows blown out. The levee has been breached in multiple places, allowing floodwaters to enter the city. At least some of the pumps have failed. The Louisiana Superdome, used as a shelter-of-last-resort for more than 10,000 people, had the skin of it's roof torn off; multiple holes in the domed stadium's concrete and steel roof allowed wind and rain into the interior. Interstate 10, the main highway to access the New Orleans area, is impassible both west of New Orleans as well as east of New Orleans.

Other areas of Louisiana east and south of New Orleans are in worse shape. Thousands are virtually homeless in Louisiana alone. The death toll in and around The Big Easy hasn't even been imagined, but with the scale of damage, the numbers are expected to be staggering.

On the Gulf Coast, east of New Orleans, the port cities of Biloxi and Gulfport were badly battered. Local reports say that at least 80 people are dead in that area alone. The ABC television affiliate in Biloxi, WLOX, had it's roof snatched off and it's transmission tower destroyed. Buildings have been scoured from their foundations. It's as if God took a giant steel wool pad and scrubbed the surface of the ground.

In Mobile, yet further east, water innundated homes, buildings and overran bridges. An oil rig, torn free of it's foundations, floated freely until it slammed into a bridge in Mobile wedging itself underneath the bridge.

Back to New Orleans, the water is rising, the power is out, there is no potable water, hard line telephones are out, cellphone service is very spotty at best, some buildings are on fire, many cars are underwater, many people are stranded.

Going inland, there is damage across all four states with winds, rains and tornadoes damaging buildings, trees being brought down, and power being disrupted. A tornado in Carrollton, GA, outside Atlanta destroyed 30 homes and damaged another 100. Power in and across central Mississippi is out this morning, as the full extent of this disaster continues to unfold.

Live streaming video from New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU is available; Mobile's CBS affiliate WKRG is also streaming wall-to-wall coverage of the aftermath of this disaster.

Hurricane Katrina - dire warning from NWs

I have never seen a warning like this from a governmental body.

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED

HURRICANE KATRINA
A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE CERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE!

If you are in the path of this thing, for God's sake, get out now. You still have time, but the window of opportunity is closing.

Hurricane Katrina: This is the big one...

The National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Warning from Intracoastal City, LA eastward to the Florida/Alabama state line, including Lake Pontchartrain, Mobile Bay, and the cities of Mobile and New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina is presently a category 3 storm, and is expected to become a cat 4 tomorrow, and quite possibly may become a cat 5 storm before landfall.

The NHC official track is set to make landfall in southeast Louisiana Monday morning at around 8A ET.

This is the monster scenario that scientists have talked about for years.

Many scientists have pointed out that because of the geography of New Orleans and the surrounding area, a direct hit of even a cat 3 storm would be catastrophic. A cat 4 storm, as the NHC is suggesting, would create a major disaster of monumental proportions, and if Katrina arrives in Louisiana as a cat 5 storm, the damage could be of Biblical proportions -- we're talking "hand of God" sweeping-everything-off-of-the-table-top territory.

If you're reading this from along the Gulf Coast, stop right now and leave. I pray that the storm bypasses you, but you must do whatever you can to save your life and those of the people around you.

I've got family in and around New Orleans, and I know that I'm concerned about them; please do whatever you can to save your friends and loved ones also.

Video streaming links:

Cindy Sheehan: "If I truly was a media whore..."

"I’m like if I truly was a media whore do you think I would like maybe get myself fixed up a little bit before I went on?"

--Cindy Sheehan

'Nuff said.

Hurricane Katrina blasts through South Florida; now over Gulf at Cat 2

Hurricane Katrina blew through Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in Florida overnight with lots of flood damage and causing four deaths in metro Miami. Katrina became a hurricane just before landfall, and retained hurricane strength as it sucked energy out of the Everglades west of Miami.

It moved back over open water before daylight this morning, and rapidly intensified. The storm raked the lower Florida Keys, including Key West during the morning hours today. The storm is now pulling away to the west at 7 miles per hour.

The storm's sustained winds are now up to 100 miles per hour, making it a category two storm.

Katrina is expected to turn to the northwest and then the north, bringing it toward the Florida panhandle in the Pensacola/Panama City area by the end of the weekend. Katrina is then expected to make a bee-line for the Atlanta area, and then run up the eastern side of the Appalachian Mountains running northward.

I really feel for folks along the panhandle area of Florida. They've had to deal with multiple storms last year; now Katrina will become the second major storm for them this year.

Time for me to batten down the hatches yet again.

UPDATE - Joe Bastardi at AccuWeather is reporting this morning in Yahoo Weather's video report (WMP) that he sees Katrina becoming a category 4 storm before landfall in the Florida panhandle Monday morning.

Rock brings down Border Patrol chopper

Illegal aliens throwing rocks forced a Border Patrol helicopter to make an emergency landing near Andrade, CA yesterday.

17 illegals were apprehended after the incident, and the pilots weren't injured, but ten other illegals got away.

The A-Star helicopter was two miles west of the U.S. Port of Entry in Andrade, Calif., on Tuesday when a group of immigrants began throwing rocks at the aircraft.

One baseball-sized rock gashed the rotor, forcing the pilot to land nearby, said Michael Gramley, spokesman for the Border Patrol sector based in Yuma, Ariz.

Chicago eatery accused of offending people

Ghetto Fries are a concoction that is sold at an Italian Beef stand on the north side of Chicago, and as you can imagine, some people are upset with the owners of the restaurant.

The fries are thinly sliced, fried potatoes smothered in Italian beef gravy, Bar-B-Que sauce, onions, cheddar cheese, and hot peppers.

Some customers at Max's Famous Italian Beef at 5754 N. Western Ave. raise their eyebrows at the name.

The owner says the fries were named after the employee who came up with the combination. He says it was the employee's nickname, and it was done in fun.

I'd be willing to try 'em. They don't sound like they'd be good with my diet though.

As for the PC folks? The heck with 'em!

Crazy Al to join Cindy's Flying Circus; can Gypsy Jesse be far behind?

Word out tonight that Al Sharpton is headed to Crawford, TX to join protest queen Cindy Sheehan.

Sharpton's office said Thursday he would participate in a prayer vigil Sunday with Sheehan in Crawford, Texas. Sheehan returned on Wednesday to Camp Casey, named after her 24-year-old son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, who was killed last year in Iraq.

Sheehan began her vigil on the road leading to Bush's ranch Aug. 6, vowing to stay through his monthlong vacation unless he met with her. She left last week to visit her 74-year-old mother, who had suffered a stroke, in Los Angeles.

Sheehan plans to leave Crawford at the end of August and embark on a bus tour ending in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24.

Cindy "Find Me A Camera" Sheehan calls Osama an "ALLEGED terrorist"

Cindy Sheehan has returned to her Traveling Roadshow and Flying Circus in Crawford, TX, and taken up where she left off with her constant foot-in-mouth bouts.

She has started up by referring to Osama Bin Laden as an "alleged terrorist." This on the heels of referring to President Bush as a terrorist.

When asked by reporters, Sheehan said she believes that while she supports the continued hunt for Osama bin Laden she believes the U.S. should withdraw from Afghanistan and “stop bombing innocent people.” She also described Osama bin Laden as being “allegedly” behind the attacks of 9/11.

To those who have criticized her political stance, which includes allegations that the war in Iraq was “done for Israel” that George Bush is “the world’s biggest terrorist” and that al Qaeda may not be behind attacks on America, Sheehan said, “I know my son better than anyone else. I don’t want anymore of my buddies killed just because I’m dead.” I know when it’s my time to greet him, he’s going to say ‘Good job, Mom.’ He’s not going to accuse me of dishonoring his memory.”

Now that she's referring to Osama as an "alleged terrorist," and the President as a terrorist, how long before she says that Osama was justified in his actions regarding 9/11?

Cindy Sheehan claims to be patriotic, but increasingly, I'm convinced that she's not only being paid by the George Soros' and Michael Moores of the world, but that she truly would be more happy with the failure and downfall of the United States. She is no better than Fred Phelps, the Wichita, KS pseudo-preacher who goes around celebrating at the funerals of American soldiers, claiming that God wants them to die and go to hell. I wouldn't be surprised if she had already been in contact with Phelps and his cohorts.

TV espose says Atlanta shooter Nichols has cell phone in jail cell

According to a broadcast report last night, Fulton County Courthouse shooter Brian Nichols has a cellphone in his jail cell.

WSB-TV's investigative report, broadcast last night, interviewed employees of the Fulton County Jail, and confirmed rumors regarding Nichols' possession of a cellphone. According to the report, Nichols' telephone use is unmonitored. In addition, WSB reports that Fulton County Sheriff Myron Freeman is aware of Nichols' phone, and has not taken steps to remove it, nor to even investigate guards who are at the center of the controversy.

Jailhouse rules require that detainees be escorted to a wall telephone in order to make calls. That phone is monitored and recorded. A cellular phone, obviously, would not be.

The WSB report points out that recently in Tennessee, a man being transported to a courthouse from a local jail had been able to use a cell phone to call his wife and to have her stationed outside the courthouse with a gun. One deputy was killed in that instance, and the couple escaped. (They were ultimately captured in Columbus, OH several days later)

The report has caused a lot of consternation among officials, who are reserving comment for now.

After all the other problems that FulCo Sheriff Myron Freeman has had to deal with, and despite lumping many of those problems on former Sheriff Jackie Barrett, many people are beginning to agree with the call from some quarters for a voter-driven recall of Freeman.

Brock Peters 1927-2005

Actor Brock Peters died yesterday after a long bout with pancreatic cancer.

Peters was known to many for his role as the wrongly-accused Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird, though in more recent years he was more widely known as creole restaurant owner Joseph Sisko, the father of Captain Ben Sisko in episodes of Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Peters also played Admiral Cartwright in the motion pictures Star Trek IV and Star Trek VI.

Peters' film career began with a role in Otto Preminger's Carmen Jones, and was vast, with roles on the big screen as well as television. In recent years, Peters lent his voice to cartoons as well as the video game Starfleet Command III.

Peters was wonderful actor, and he will be sorely missed.

TS Katrina: Miami now, Pensacola next week?

Tropical Storm Katrina is in the vicinity of Nassau, Bahamas at this point, and is strengthening.

The National Hurricane Center expects Katrina to get to minimal hurricane status by the time it hits the Florida coast north of Miami late tomorrow.

The more difficult thing to fathom and predict is that Katrina is expected to cross the Florida peninsula and emerge into the Gulf of Mexico by late on Friday or early on Saturday.

Then it's expected to take a hard right and head for a second landfall around Monday. In or near the Pensacola/Panama City area. Yet again.

Current projections take Katrina inland as a hurricane, with it dropping more water in my lap by Monday or Tuesday.

It's gonna be a character builder, I can tell you that much.

Hurricane City (Real Player) is set to go live from Miami-Dade County, FL tonight at 8P ET. Other streaming coverage will be available from WFOR-TV/DT Miami and ABCNews Now.

Stay tuned.

Crazy Pat says "Not assassinate, KIDNAP..."

Pat Robertson, under fire for comments on Monday's edition of The 700 Club, is now saying that by "take him out," he didn't mean to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Robertson says that actually, he meant for Chavez to be kidnapped.

Conservative U.S. evangelist Pat Robertson, who called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said on Wednesday he was misinterpreted and there were a number of ways to "take him out" including kidnapping.

"I said our special forces could take him out. Take him out could be a number of things including kidnapping," Robertson said on his "The 700 Club" television program.

"There are a number of ways of taking out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted," Robertson added.

What he's saying is anathematic to Christianity.

UPDATE: Robertson formally apologized in a written statement this afternoon for calling for Chavez's assassination.

"Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement," he said in a written statement.

"I'm wearing boots of escaping! I'm wearing boots of escaping!"

[BLAM!]

I love Reno 911.

Watch this (WMP) and you'll see why...

We died, but we got better...

Thanks to Pixy & all the folk involved in getting us back up and running...

Yeah, I know I was down for a little while

Pixy (He who keeps this place running and to whom I'm eternally grateful) tells me that blog spammers have lost their happy little minds again. Provided they can be kept at bay, things should be OK.

WMAL's Michael Graham fired for anti-Islam remarks

ABC talk radio station WMAL/Washington has officially fired morning host Michael Graham for his comments regarding Islam in general, and Islamic terrorism in particular.

Graham was suspended at the end of July after demands from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Graham's comments (truthful comments as far as I'm concerned) referred to Islam as a terrorist organization. CAIR called those statements "hate speech," and demanded Graham's suspension. WMAL management capitulated on that point and suspended Graham.

CAIR demanded that Graham apologize for his comments. Graham refused.

CAIR then said that Graham's suspension was not enough. They wanted Graham fired. Obviously the notion of free speech and commentary by talk show hosts is foreign to CAIR. Amazingly, WMAL management complied with CAIR's demand, and fired Graham.

WMAL President and General Manager released a statement indicating that Graham's comments went "over the line," and that the reason that Graham was fired was that he disobeyed a direct order from management -- that he apologize on-air for his comments and back down from his position.

Graham released a statement on his firing yesterday.

On July 25th, the Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded that I be "punished" for my on-air statements regarding Islam and its tragic connections to terrorism. Three days later, 630 WMAL and ABC Radio suspended me without pay for comments deemed "hate radio" by CAIR.

CAIR immediately announced that my punishment was insufficient and demanded I be fired. ABC Radio and 630 WMAL have now complied. I have now been fired for making the specific comments CAIR deemed "offensive," and for refusing to retract those statements in a management-mandated, on-air apology. ABC Radio further demanded that I agree to perform what they described as "additional outreach efforts" to those people or groups who felt offended.

I refused. And for that refusal, I have been fired.

I cannot join ABC Radio in bowing to CAIR's wishes. And I will not apologize for my opinions or retract the truth.

WMAL's capitulation to CAIR opens the door for CAIR to go after talk show hosts, columnists, and perhaps even bloggers who are poltically incorrect and make what they perceive as "offensive" statements.

How long before they invade the blogosphere and demand that certain blogs be removed?

A lot sooner than you might think.

Robertson off his rocker; calls for Chavez assassination

On The 700 Club yesterday, Pat Robertson called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, referring to him as a danger to the safety of the United States.

Chavez, a major critic of President Bush, has been suggested to be a supporter of state-sponsored terrorism and potential harbor of Islamic terror in the Western Hemisphere.

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."

Robertson accused the United States of failing to act when Chavez was briefly overthrown in 2002.

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said.

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

I've said that Robertson is unstable at best, but this statement shows that he's completely off his rocker and unhinged. Robertson's statements certainly put the Christian faith in a bad light, and embarrass me (for one) as a Christian.

US Rep. Charlie Rangel touting phony slave document

US Congresscritter Charles Rangel (Moonbat-NY) is waving around a supposed document that links the source of the "destruction of the black family" to a single English man who visited Virginia in the 18th century.

"In 1712, British slave owner Willie Lynch was invited to the colony of Virginia to teach his methods of keeping slaves under control to American slave owners," Mr. Rangel says. "Almost 300 years later, the techniques that he prescribed seem to have not only been successful in controlling slaves, but lasting as a means of weakening and destroying the black family."

Mr. Rangel explains that in slavery, "families were purposely divided, with husband and wives separated from each other and their children. Black males were humiliated and whipped in front of their wives and children. Stripped of their power and pride, black men were seen as weak, and black women had to be the strength of the household, distorting the traditional family structure."

Spelman history professor Jelani Cobb notes as much.

"There are many problems with this document -- not the least of which is the fact that it is absolutely fake," explains Jelani Cobb, a professor of history at Atlanta's Spelman College.

"In the few years since the speech on how to train slaves first appeared, it has been cited by countless college students, a black member of the House of Representatives and become the essential verbal footnote in barbershop analysis of what's wrong with black people," the historian writes on his Web site.

Detailing evidence of the Lynch letter's falsehood, Mr. Cobb notes that this document was unknown to historians before its appearance on the Web:

"Considering the limited number of extant sources from the 18th century, if this speech had been 'discovered' it would've been the subject of incessant historical panels, scholarly articles and debates. It would literally be a career-making find. But the letter was never 'discovered,' but rather it 'appeared' -- bypassing the official historical circuits and making its way via Internet directly into the canon of American racial [conspiracy theories]."

Then, an even larger question -- and one that needs to be addressed by people on both sides of the political aisle, is how to rectify that problem.

I don't have a be-all, end-all answer to that question. As a matter of fact, I'm certain that there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to that problem.

However, I am convinced that there are merits to points of view from both sides of the aisle. And I'm also convinced that those of us on the conservative side have much to contribute to the set of overall solutions...provided we can continue to open the floor to conversation and honest consideration.

SLC TV station rejects Sheehan anti-Bush ad

The moonbat group that protest queen Cindy Sheehan founded, Gold Star Families for Peace tried to put their "bash Bush" television spot on all the stations in the Salt Lake City market as a prelude to President Bush's appearance there this afternoon.

"Tried" is the operative word there.

Clear Channel-owned ABC affiiliate KTVX refused to air the ad, calling it possibly "offensive" to local residents.

The advertisement was rejected by KTVX Channel 4 because of the content, according to a statement from general manager David D'Antuono. The ad has been running throughout the weekend on KSL, KUTV and KSTU.

"Upon viewing the spot the management of KTVX felt that the controversial content could very well be offensive to our community in Utah which has contributed more than its fair share of fighting soldiers, and suffered significant loss of life in this Iraq war," D'Antuono said.

D'Antuono said that the decision was made by local management and not influenced by station owner Clear Channel Communication, whose executives donate heavily to Republicans. The management also did not place any prohibitions on coverage of the advertisement's rejection by its news team.

And this is what passes for "news" among the wire services?

A new UPI report is claiming that the "public version" of the capture of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain is not what "really happened."

Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army.

"I was among the 20-man unit, including eight of Arab descent, who searched for Saddam for three days in the area of Dour near Tikrit, and we found him in a modest home in a small village and not in a hole as announced," Abou Rabeh said.

"We captured him after fierce resistance during which a Marine of Sudanese origin was killed," he said.

I guess this sort of propaganda is what passes for news at UPI.

I wonder what happened to healthy skepticism and research. Oh. I forgot. It went out the window when an opportunity to make the military look bad showed up.

King update: long recovery road ahead

Speech is slowly beginning to return to Coretta Scott King, who remains in Atlanta's Piedmont Hospital this evening.

But first, let me take a moment to apologize to anyone who I offended with my comments regarding Mrs. King the other day. They were harsh, and stepped a bit over the line.

Mrs. King suffered a small heart attack in addition to the severe stroke she suffered Tuesday. The conditions left her unable to speak and with little motor control in the right side of her body. Doctors today have indicated that some speech is returning to Mrs. King.

"She said a few words today. We're very encouraged by that," said Dr. Maggie Mermin, who has treated Mrs. King for the past 10 years. Mermin said the 78-year-old civil rights matriarch is in good spirits.

"She gets frustrated at times as anyone would who can't speak but generally is upbeat. She's very tough. She's always been in excellent health up (until) now and she's encouraged when she's able to speak a few words."

"She's able to respond but when a speech therapist asks her to do some things like sing some songs she already knew, she can do that (and) count. She can do some things so she's beginning to get her speech back," Mermin said. In her youth, Mrs. King studied concert singing at Boston's New England Conservatory of Music.

"She has the thought. She clearly wants to communicate it and she can't get the words out."

Doctors said King had suffered a severe stroke and a minor heart attack, both of which were caused by a single blood clot.

The blood clot traveled from the atrium to the left side of King's brain and a tiny part of it affected her heart. The area of the brain damaged by the clot affects both speech and motor function on the right side of the body, Dr. Mermin said.

King is currently taking two blood thinners -- Heparin and Coumadin -- to keep new clots from forming. King must now learn how to speak again and use the right side of her body. She can swallow and take in nutrition.

And again, I apologize for anyone who I offended previously.

Members of Cindy's Flying Circus claim USPS in on conspiracy

Moonbats supporting protest drama queen Cindy Sheehan are now claiming that workers from the US Postal Service are on in on the so-called "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy^®." They are insistent that mail destined for Sheehan is not getting there and is being turned back by supposed "evil" people in the Crawford, TX post office.

Complain that you heard they are NOT receiving the mail at the Peace House. I am PISSED OFF. Make a 1000 complaints from every PO in the country!!

I just want to know how a postman in Crawford, TX would deliver mail to her, riding up and down all the country roads yelling, "Are you Cindy Sheehan?"

The conspiracy nuts abound...

Sheehan slams Drudge, then begs for privacy

Moonbat protestor Cindy Sheehan, who has departed her self-appointed post near President Bush's in Crawford, TX for the Los Angeles area to check on her ailing mother, has put out two new releases. The first, dated yesterday, excoriated The Drudge Report and others on the right (presumably blogs, commentators and columnists).

Even after my repeated attempts to keep the focus of my protest on the war, the Drudge Report and others continue to try to make the issue about me.

A new release from Sheehan today, indicates that she will not be making any other statements while tending to her mother. Sheehan's mother suffered a stroke earlier this week, prompting her departure from Texas yesterday.

I plan on returning to Camp Casey very soon, but while I'm in Los Angeles please respect that my sister, brother and I are here focusing on our mother, while the moms in Crawford focus on Bush. The President is not off the hook.

More and more mothers come to Crawford daily with their stories of grief and hope, so we can prevent more moms from losing their children in a war based on lies.

This is while other moonbats make the trek to Texas in order to join Cindy Sheehan's Traveling Road Show and Flying Circus.

Several women here in the Atlanta area are preparing to head to Crawford, TX, accompanied by former SCLC head Rev. Joseph Lowery.

More Scare America woes...

Air America radio has been having an ongoing issue with skimming monies from the New York Boys & Girls Club (Brian Maloney and Michelle Malkin have been all over this in depth like no one else out there, blog, podcast, mainstream or otherwise), but today something new has come to the fore.

Today, word comes of an attorney who is seeking $1.5 million on behalf of his client, a radio station ownership group that it says is owed.

According to court records obtained by Radio Equalizer/MichelleMalkin.com, another major creditor has been demanding that Air America pay up. The liberal radio network has refused to do so, despite a court order and scathing words from a New York judge overseeing the case. Now, the creditor--Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Inc.--has filed a new complaint, accusing Air America and Piquant LLC (Air America's current owners) of engaging in a "sham transaction" and "fraudulent conveyance" of assets in order to avoid paying its debts.

Only 70 affiliates, and who knows how long their "big-gun" affiliates (i.e., Clear Channel-owned stations) will stick around.

BTK killer gets 10 life terms

The BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader, was sentenced to ten life terms in Wichita, KS yesterday after an emotional hearing that included words from family members of victims and a rambling statement by Rader.

Rader, sounding eerily like Hannibal Lechter in his pedantic, almost cordial manner, talked about his victims and how he was sorry for killing them. Rader even had to dab his eyes with tissue at one point.

He described himself as "a sexual predator" and "self-centered," and added, "I seem to crave the attention of the media."

"People will say that I'm not a Christian, but I believe I am."

He said, "I know the victims' families won't ever be able to forgive me. I hope, somewhere deep down, eventually, that will happen."

Rader proceeded to offer "corrections" to the district attorney over details in her presentation.

About his long-term plans, he said, "I expect to heal and have light and then, hopefully, someday, God will accept me."

About his deeds, he said, "I apologize to the victims' families. There is no way that I can ever repay them."

The former dog catcher complimented the police, and said he felt a camaraderie with them, "although I wore a black hat instead of a white hat."

There has to be some form of justice that will effectively and adequately punish this animal. I don't know what it is, though. I trust and know that God does, and will meet out justice in His time and in His way.

Sheehan leaving Crawford

According to broadcast reports, protestor-extrordinaire Cindy Sheehan is going to be leaving her post in Crawford, TX sometime this evening to attend to her ailing mother. Word has reached Sheehan that her mother has suffered a stroke. No other details as of this point.

Why am I reminded of the riot scenes from Soylent Green?

I've been watching the removal of people from the synagogues and other buildings in Gaza on the news networks this morning, and I'm struck by one thing.

As water cannons are being turned onto people, and protestors being herded into giant transport containers to be taken off of rooftops, I'm suddenly struck with a juxtaposition between this and the riot scenes of the post-apocalyptic/dark futurist 1973 movie Soylent Green.

Coretta Scott King update: She had a stroke Tuesday

Coretta Scott King remains in Atlanta's Piedmont Hospital in fair condition after being admitted yesterday.

"My family and I are overwhelmed by the outpouring of care and support that are being sent from around the world," Martin Luther King III said in a statement. "Please continue to keep her and us in your thoughts and prayers as she moves towards a speedy and complete recovery."

Coretta King's oldest son did not say why his mother was admitted to Piedmont Hospital, but people close to her say she has had several small strokes since heart problems were first diagnosed in earlier this year and suffered a more serious stroke Tuesday.

Hospital spokeswoman Diana Lewis confirmed King was admitted but declined to provide other details other than that King was in fair condition and was resting comfortably.

My prayers go out to her in hopes that she makes a swift recovery.

When you thought Comcrap Cable couldn't get any worse...

Like a fair number of folks who have cable television from Comcast, Elgin, IL resident LaChania Govan has had some problems with her services. And like most of those, she has tried to call Comcast to resolve the problems.

After dozens of telephone calls in July to rectify the problems, she received her cable bill in the mail. But it wasn't addressed to her. In place of her name, the name on the bill read BITCH DOG.

"I could not believe it," said Govan, who works in customer service for a credit card company.

She said she immediately called Comcast to cancel her service and was sent to an operator.

"She asked me for my name. I said, `You really don't want me to go there,'" Govan said.

Recounting her problems on Tuesday, she said she was transferred to a supervisor who assured her he would find out what happened and get back to her soon.

In the meantime, she said, he offered her two months of free cable, which she declined.

A Comcast official said Tuesday the company was aware of the incident and that the bogus name change was authentic but said she couldn't discuss the specifics until the company discovered how it occurred.

"If this is not that customer's name, it shouldn't be on that bill," said Patricia Andrews-Keenan, vice president of communications for the company. "But we don't know why that happened. It's obvious that that's inappropriate to have a name like that on that account."

However, more than a week after calling to cancel her service, she has yet to hear back from anyone with Comcast to disconnect her service.

I love my DirecTV, and even with Comcast calling and mailing me all the time to come back (they've taken to offering several hundred dollars in usage credits to "ditch the dish"), I think I'll stick with DirecTV.

Sheehan DID write the letter

ABC News has confirmed that protesting ringleader moonbat-in-charge Cindy Sheehan did write the letter claiming that her son was "killed" for Israel. Sheehan denied on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 making the statements earlier this week.

In a nut shell, ABC now says it talked to Sheehan and she said she did in fact write the letter in question after all and she did receive an e-mail from ABC confirming that ABC had received it. But she thinks the version on the web has been tampered with.

Sounds like a regular old-home week before the cameras at the Cindy Sheehan Traveling Road Show and Flying Circus. Better get your ticket early.

Sheehan protest moves closer to Bush's house

The Cindy Sheehan Traveling Road Show and Flying Circus is pulling up stakes and moving closer to President Bush's home in Crawford, TX.

The new site is courtesy of an unnamed sympathetic landowner who lives closer to Bush than the previous spot that Sheehan and her traveling band had staked out.

The landowner is a relative of Larry Mattlage, the local rancher who fired shots into the air Sunday, saying he was preparing for "dove season," said Sheehan, the aggrieved mother.

"This just shows me that the universe is blessing our efforts out here at Camp Casey," she said late Tuesday, referring to the camp named after her 24-year-old son.

She said demonstrators would be relocating "within the next few days."

Major computer worm on Win2K computers; CNN/ABC/NYTimes & others affected

A new and particularly virulent variety of the Zotob virus has affected computers running the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system this afternoon.

According to broadcast reports, this is the fastest propagating virus in history. CNN says that their computers in New York and Atlanta are affected, as are computers used by other media organizations, including The New York Times and ABC News.

Systems affected by this virus will shut down with no warning, and in other cases, prohibit systems from booting.

Microsoft issued a warning on Sunday regarding Zotob.A.

Zotob.A is a worm targeting Windows 2000–based systems which takes advantage of a security issue that was addressed by Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-039. This worm installs malicious software, and then looks for other computers to infect.

When Zotob.A infects a computer, it attempts to deliver a malicious file named Botzor.exe. If your computer is infected, this file will be present and your registry will show changes.

As of present there are a number of other companies, according to CNN, that are being affected in North America and elsewhere on the planet.

UPDATE 7P: CNN's crawl is gone on the bottom of the screen. There are other programming elements that they are having problems with. ABC was able to get World News Tonight off without a hitch, but other entities are not as lucky.

There are reports that governmental bodies in a number of states, along with systems on Capitol Hill in Washington have been affected.

Coretta Scott King hospitalized (Updated - 10P)

Professional widow Coretta Scott King was admitted to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta this morning, for an undisclosed ailment.

A King family spokesperson is due to speak to the press later today; we'll know more details then.

UPDATE: Limited information was made available this evening.

"I can confirm that Mrs. King did come to Piedmont Hospital earlier today. She is in fair condition. She's resting comfortably. She's undergoing observation," said spokeswoman Diana Lewis.

Atrial fibrillation can cause shortness of breath and can lead to stroke.

The King family is expected to release more information on Thursday.

Ain't that how Christopher Reeve got done in?

Sky News is reporting that Madonna has been seriously injured after falling off of a horse while celebrating her 47th birthday.

She's got three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand.

CAIR talking head balks when hit with hard questions

Project 21 member Mychal Massie interviewed Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) spokesman Ibrahim Hooper on his internet-only talk show Straight Talk last week for about five minutes. And in that five minutes, what started as a civl conversation ended with Hooper's sputtering angrily, followed by Hooper abruptly terminating the telephone interview.

In less than five minutes of air time, the person responsible for putting forth a favorable presentation of CAIR hung up, leaving the audience with nothing to warrant a change in opinion of him, his organization or his religion.

I had assured the gentleman prior to his agreeing to appear that I would not seek to embarrass or diminish him, but I also assured him I would ask straightforward questions. His rhetoric almost immediately degenerated into a puerile phonemic tirade, with him accusing me of "advocating genocide" and of saying "every Muslim on the planet is a member of terrorist organization." He fomented: "You'd kill me, you'd kill my family, you'd kill every member of my mosque ..." – none of which had I even remotely suggested. I submit he is in a much better position to know who within his element is a terrorist than I.

Hooper took offense when I pointed out that of the 400-plus recognized terrorist groups in the world, over 90 percent were Islamist groups. (Peaceful religion is not spelled I-s-l-a-m). But the fact remains it isn't the Amish, the Mennonites or the Seventh Day Adventists who are beheading innocent people and murdering innocent women and children – it is Muslims. It was not the Methodists who celebrated the dastardly attacks of 9-11 during candlelight vigils on certain college campuses – it was Muslims.

And for CAIR to show righteous and outrageous indignation to hand-wringing when writers, columnists, talk show hosts and others rightly criticize them as an organization, and Islam as a religion, only adds to the perception that I and many others have: that CAIR is a front for the terrorist fringe elements within Islam. And I truly have to wonder how close that "fringe" is to the mainline center of Islam. Because Islam sounds less and less like a doctrinal religious faith; and more and more like a lunatic cult.

Bubba says he "would have" attacked Bin Laden

Former President Bill Clinton says that he "would have attacked" Osama Bin Laden, but the FBI and CIA couldn't provide him with proof that Bin Laden and Al Qaeda was behind the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen. Clinton made the claims in an article that appears in New York Magazine this week.

"I desperately wish that I had been president when the FBI and CIA finally confirmed, officially, that bin Laden was responsible for the attack on the U.S.S. Cole," Clinton tells New York magazine this week. "Then we could have launched an attack on Afghanistan early."

"I don’t know if it would have prevented 9/11," he added. "But it certainly would have complicated it.”

Despite his failure to launch such an attack, Clinton said he saw the danger posed by bin Laden much more clearly than did President Bush.

"I always thought that bin Laden was a bigger threat than the Bush administration did," he told New York magazine.

Bubba will say anything to exonerate himself in the light of his Administration's failures regarding Osama Bin Laden.

Dick "Dastardly" Durbin caught in his own lie

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (Full of it-IL) was the source of statements in a Los Angeles Times article last month by George Washington University professor John Turley regarding Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts. The statements amounted to a religious litmus test for the nominee.

Durbin has repeatedly and vehemently denied making such a statement.

Turley has produced an audio tape that proves his side of the equation.

"The taped message is consistent with my notes as well as my email and telephone communications with editors," George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley wrote in a letter earlier this month to Mr. Durbin. "There was never a question as to the accuracy of the [column]. The only issue ever raised by your staff was whether you would be mentioned in the article."

In a column last month in the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Turley wrote that during a private meeting with Mr. Durbin, Judge Roberts "was asked by Sen. Richard Durbin [Illinois Democrat] what he would do if the law required a ruling that his church considers immoral," Mr. Turley wrote.

"Roberts appeared nonplused and, according to sources in the meeting, answered after a long pause that he would probably have to recuse himself," wrote Mr. Turley, who added that it was "the wrong answer."

Conservatives immediately accused Mr. Durbin of applying a religious "litmus test" to the Roberts confirmation, and Mr. Durbin said the column was inaccurate.

"I don't know who was his source," Joe Shoemaker, Mr. Durbin's spokesman, said the day the column ran. "Whoever the source was either got it wrong or Jonathan Turley got it wrong."

Mr. Durbin's office refused to comment on the letter.

"I'm not going to dignify this with a response," Mr. Shoemaker said. "Turley got his facts wrong."

But Mr. Turley said that on the day before the column ran, he read the relevant portions of his column to Mr. Shoemaker.

"Mr. Shoemaker confirmed that he was present at the time and that 'it happened exactly the way the Senator said,' " Mr. Turley wrote in his letter to Mr. Durbin. "He agreed that the recusal statement was 'incredible.' "

The only quibble at that time, Mr. Turley said, was whether to quote Mr. Durbin by name even though the senator never requested anonymity.

Howard Dean's smokin' the REAL good stuff

While on an appearance on CBS News' Face The Nation yesterday, DNC Chair Howard "YAAAARRRGGHH!!!" Dean claimed that Iraqi women would be much better off under Saddam Hussain than they are now.

Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation" yesterday, the fiery former Vermont governor said, "It looks like today, and this could change, as of today it looks like women will be worse off in Iraq than they were when Saddam Hussein was president of Iraq."

PETA backs off of linking shackled blacks and animals

PETA, known for their controversial campaigns, has suspended a recent campaign where images of shacked black slaves were compared directly to those of shackled elephants and other animals.

"Animal Liberation," which includes 12 panels juxtaposing pictures of black people in chains with shackled elephants and other provocative images, had visited 17 cities before the Norfolk-based group put the tour on hold. The decision came within the past week.

PETA wrapped up the first leg of the tour in the District on Thursday.

"We're not continuing right now while we evaluate," said Dawn Carr, a PETA spokeswoman. "We're reviewing feedback we've received -- most of it overwhelmingly positive and some of it quite negative."

Suspended from a metal trellis, one cloth panel shows a black civil rights protester being beaten at a lunch counter beside a photo of a seal being bludgeoned. Another panel, titled "Hanging," shows a photo of a white mob surrounding two lynched blacks, their bodies hanging from tree limbs; a nearby picture shows a cow hanging in a slaughterhouse.

But controversy erupted last Monday, when the display stopped in New Haven, Conn.

"There was one man who began shouting that the exhibit was racist," Miss Carr said. "Then, there was a lot of shouting."

"More cowbell in the White House!"

I don't know if this is serious or not (I'm thinking not, but stranger things have happened...), but considering that Christopher Walken is one of my favorite actors, it's at least a fun read...

UPDATE: It's fake. It's a hoax perpetrated by members of the GenMay.com boards Walken has no interest in politics.

It's STILL a fun read...

Limbaugh offers to mediate spat between Eagles' McNabb & Owens

Rush Limbaugh, whose comments about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb cost him a job as an ESPN analyst, has offered to mediate a dispute between McNabb and fellow Eagle Terrell Owens.

Owens, who is sitting out a one week suspension for team-related disciplinary problems, has been unhappy about his current contract with the Eagles. He took out some of his frustrations on McNabb, referring to the all-pro quarterback as a "hypocrite," further saying that the two of them could not be successful together.

Limbaugh wants to help mediate, inviting both Eagles to appear on his show.

"I am here to offer and to assist. I can," Limbaugh said on his nationally syndicated radio show Friday, according to a transcript on his Web site. "I could bring these two guys together. I've been there, folks, and I could do this, and I'm serious in my desire to do it."

"This rift cannot be allowed to continue, ladies and gentlemen. It just can't, and I would like to offer this program as a means of getting these two Americans and star players back together," Limbaugh said. "They may not want to talk to each other face-to-face, but perhaps they would join me on this program and speak to each other telephonically via this program and settle this."

Flip-flopping Cindy Sheehan with her handler behind her

Cindy Sheehan, the mother who completely flipped her position on the war after praising George W. Bush last year is seen in this January photo with Michael "Close Down The Buffet" Moore in the background at the "Words and Music in Honor of Fahrenheit 9/11" gathering, held at Los Angeles' House Of Blues.

Sheehan is presently holding forth in a moonbat-financed vigil outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, TX. She is demanding an audience with the President.

Of course, she wouldn't be happy with a private meeting with President Bush. After all, that wouldn't help her case. She needs to have her fellow moonbats at her side so they can collectively yell slogans, insults and epithets. That's the only way she can continue to insult her son's memory -- in order to gain attention.

Sheehan's antics have been soundly denounced by her family.

Sent to a San Francisco radio station Thursday, the first public acknowledgement of a family rift came from Cherie Quartarolo, sister-in-law to Cindy Sheehan and godmother to her son, Casey, who was killed in action in Iraq last year.

Reached by phone Thursday, Quartarolo said she consulted with other family members before releasing the brief statement, but she declined to elaborate. She signed the memo on behalf of Casey's paternal grandparents, as well as "aunts, uncles and numerous cousins."

Noting that her family is still mourning the loss of Casey, Quartarolo wrote: "We do not agree with the political motivations and publicity tactics of Cindy Sheehan. She now appears to be promoting her own personal agenda and notoriety at the expense of her son's good name and reputation."

The family's e-mail said, "The Sheehan family lost our beloved Casey in the Iraq War and we have been silently, respectfully grieving. The rest of the Sheehan family supports the troops, our country and our president, silently, with prayer and respect." Cindy Sheehan did not return calls Thursday.

Moonbats across the nation are comparing Sheehan to Rosa Parks, which I personally find insulting.

Placing Cindy Sheehan in the same league with Rosa Parks is an insult to the hundreds, if not thousands of blacks who have died before and after segregation. Mrs. Parks took an action and made a symbolic statement without the watchful and adoring eye of the media. If one wants to throw around the word “courage”, let's do it:

Mrs. Parks could have been killed for what she did. Cindy Sheehan has movie stars adoring her.

UPDATE: Here's a couple of photos from Sheehan's meeting with President Bush last year.

Bobby Knight may get reality series

ESPN is courting one Robert Montgomery Knight (Texas Tech's legendary basketball coach) as the subject of a new reality series.

The series -- which will run in six episodes beginning in February -- will give Knight 16 basketball players who are vying for one walk-on spot with the Division I Texas Tech team. The ESPN Original Entertainment series is being produced with RIVR Media and WealthEffectMedia.

It begins production next month.

"Knight School" will lead the candidates through Knight's way: drills, conditioning, tests, scrimmages and games. ESPN Original Entertainment said "Knight School" will show Knight's coaching style and priorities.

FBI: Beware of truck bomb attacks in NY, LA & Chicago around 9/11 anniversary

The FBI has issued an alert for possible terrorist attacks with improvised truck bombs around the time of the 9/11 anniversary in early September.

The FBI has warned police that al Qaeda cells might use fuel trucks as weapons to attack Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, but officials stressed Thursday the warning was based on uncorroborated intelligence.

The bulletin warned police that terrorists could use fuel tankers in assaults on the three cities. The warning has not been substantiated, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Be safe, be aware of your surroundings.

Top 10 most liberal/conservative cities no surprise

The San Francisco-based Bay Area Center for Voting Research has come up with a list of the most liberal and most conservative cities in the nation. The numbers show that for the most part, cities with large black populations are usually more liberal than conservative.

Here are the top 10 liberal cities: Detroit; Gary, Ind.; Berkeley, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; Oakland, Calif.; Inglewood, Calif.; Newark, N.J.; Cambridge, Mass.; San Francisco; Flint, Mich.

The most conservative cities are: Provo, Utah; Lubbock Texas; Abilene, Texas; Hialeah, Fla.; Plano, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Gilbert, Ariz.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Lafayette, La.; Orange, Calif.

NY state panel to "ensure" students taught "enough" about slavery

A New York state educational panel is crafting a new study to ensure that grade school students are taught "enough" about the "physical and psychological terrorism" of the African slave trade.

The Amistad Commission, named after the slave ship that was bravely commandeered by its unwilling passengers, could also recommend state-sponsored educational programs on racism and training for teachers.

The panel, which will consist of 19 politically appointed unpaid members who need not be academics, was approved by the Legislature and signed into law last week by Gov. Pataki.

The state already requires students to learn about slavery and the Underground Railroad, but supporters said the role slaves played in creating modern America cannot be overestimated and that a better understanding of their contributions need to be taught.

"Whatever we're doing in our school system right now to teach slavery is not enough," said Assemblyman Keith Wright (D-Manhattan), who championed the bill. "It's America's deep, dark secret, and for too long, it's been swept under the rug."

And will the changes include information about black slave owners in the South or African blacks who sold their bretheren to the slave traders? Somehow, I doubt it. It doesn't fit into the political agenda of the handwringers in New York.

NCAA says it may rethink Seminole ban

The NCAA has said that it may rethink it's post-season ban on Amerindian-based mascots, at least when it comes to the Florida State Seminoles.

The head of the committee that came up with the list of 18 schools affected by the ban, Walter Harrison, says that Florida State has "good grounds" to file an appeal.

Among the reasons, he (Harrison) said, are that the NCAA Executive Committee thought the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma opposed FSU's use of the Seminole image as a mascot.

That was based partly on letters the committee received from David Narcomey, a member of the General Council of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

But Narcomey was not authorized to speak on behalf of the tribal nation and "misrepresented" its view, the tribe's attorney general said Thursday.

In fact, Narcomey pushed for a tribal resolution condemning the use of American Indian mascots and imagery, specifically at FSU. It was defeated last month by an 18-2 vote.

Harrison, flooded with hundreds of e-mails from FSU fans, also said Thursday he wants to better understand FSU's history with the Seminoles.

Texas white Anglos become minority

Texas has become the fourth state to have a non-white majority, with 50.2% of Texas residents being minority. The other states are Hawaii, California and New Mexico, with Hispanics being the largest group in California and New Mexico as well as Texas, and Asians being the largest group in Hawaii.

Texas joins California, New Mexico and Hawaii as states with majority-minority populations — with Hispanics the largest group in every state but Hawaii, where it is Asian-Americans.

Five other states — Maryland, Mississippi, Georgia, New York and Arizona — aren't far behind, with about 40 percent minorities.

William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., said lawmakers need to start with immigration reform, while striving to bring minorities' education and salary levels in line with Anglos.

"Immigration is good for the United States ... it's important for us to keep our doors open, but we need to keep an eye on the people coming in," Frey said. "While initially it will be a state problem, eventually it will be a national issue, and education is the best way to deal with it."

Chris' sister needs help!

Day By Day's Chris Muir needs your help.

BlogAds going invitation only

Just got wind that BlogAds is going invitation only.

Blogads is now invitation only. To participate in Blogads, you need to be sponsored by a blogger in the network. If you don’t know a sponsor, write sellers@blogads.com and we’ll notify you when a sponsor appears in your niche.

Then again, you're welcome to advertise here by way of BlogAds - I'm more than happy to have you advertise here.

The WNBA continues to astound

The only thing I can say after looking at this pic is "Just damn."

In this shot, 5'6" New York Liberty guard Becky Hammon is trying to guard Margo Dydek, the 7'2" center for the Connecticut Sun in a WNBA game last week at Madison Square Garden.

That's just plain wrong...

Dick Gregory catches flack for "White Boy" comment on FNC

The exchange took place during the "Hannity & Colmes" program on the Fox News Channel. Gregory and Cybercast News Service Senior Staff Writer Marc Morano discussed comments Gregory made during an Aug. 6 march in Atlanta commemorating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act.

Reading from Morano's article, co-host Sean Hannity asked Gregory to confirm whether he had made a number of controversial remarks during the event.

The activist readily acknowledged that he had referred to Republicans as "white racist thugs" and called the United States "the most dishonest, ungodly, unspiritual nation that ever existed in the history of the planet."

But, when Gregory hesitated in his responses, Hannity turned to Morano for confirmation.

"You don't have to confirm what I said," Gregory charged. "I've already said it. So I don't need no white boy to come on and say yes, he said it."

Surprised by Gregory's reply, Hannity repeated, "No white boy? No white boy?" and asked Gregory if he wanted to apologize to Morano for calling him a racially charged term.

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson remained unconvinced by Gregory's apology, however.

"Just imagine what would have happened if Morano had called Gregory a 'black boy,'" Peterson said. "They'd be protesting Cybercast News Service and Fox News Channel, calling for the heads of the presidents of these organizations.

"But because Dick Gregory said it to a white man, it's okay," Peterson said.

He added that "we have a double standard in this country today, where black liberals can do and say whatever they want" because whites "have allowed themselves to be intimidated" by the fear of being called racists.

Massie criticized Saturday's march, pointing out that antagonistic statements by Gregory, as well as others by many of the speakers, including Jesse Jackson and Harry Belafonte actually degrade blacks. Speaking specifically of Jackson and Belafonte, Massie said, "To hear Jackson and Belafonte and these people talk, the only thing black people can do is shine shoes at a bus stop."

NYC radio station stops "Smackfest" after fine

New York radio station Hot 97 (WQHT) has been fined $240,000 by New York's Attorney General for an ongoing contest stunt caled "Smackfest."

The stunt involved women pitted against each other to see who could slap the other the hardest for a prizes including movie tickets and a cash prize of $5,000.

WQHT Hot 97's parent company (Emmis Communications) also agreed in a settlement to pay $240,000, which equaled the maximum fine it faced, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said.

Spitzer and the state Athletic Commission said the hip-hop and rhythm and blues station held 24 "Smackfest" contests from April 2004 to January 2005. Young women took turns "violently" slapping each other for concert tickets and as much as $5,000 in cash, Spitzer said. Images of the slapping then ran on the station's Web site.

Spitzer investigated the case as a potential violation of state law on promotion of a combative sport.

WQHT agreed to pay $60,000 of the settlement to a nonprofit group that promotes awareness of domestic violence.

No word has come down regarding any employee disciplinary actions over "Smackfest."

Sharpton to lead rally in Memphis Saturday over renaming of parks

Rev. Al Sharpton is planning to lead a rally in Memphis Saturday which is supposed to encourage city leaders to support the renaming of two parks in the city. The two parks are named after Confederacy President Jefferson Davis and Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan.

Saturday, a rally will be held not far from the parks to push city officials to move the names of men associated with racist acts of the past. Rev. Al Sharpton will headline the rally in hopes of getting more people on board, Judge D’Army Bailey, a Shelby County Circuit Court judge, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

“There have been thousands of blacks who’ve signed petitions asking (City Council) to rename the park. Rev. Sharpton looked at this as a battle in Memphis,” Bailey said. “He believes it’s a very significant national battle and one that needs to be won.”

“People ask the question, ‘What’s in a name?'” Bailey said. “But I ask them, why do they ban Nazi symbols and not have any recognition of Adolph Hitler in Germany? Why did the United States forces pull down the statue of Saddam Hussein as their first act against tyranny?

“Names and symbols represent either an allegiance to or disavowal of something,” Bailey added. “It’s well past the time to remove allegiance to those whose prime intention was to erase a whole race of people.”

Publishing pioneer John H. Johnson, 1918-2005

John H. Johnson, the man behind the Ebony/Jet publishing empire, died today at the age of 87. Further details have not been made available.

Publisher John H. Johnson, whose Ebony and Jet magazines countered stereotypical coverage of blacks after World War II and turned him into one of the most influential black leaders in America, died Monday, his company said. He was 87.

Born into an impoverished family in Arkansas, Johnson went into business with a $500 loan secured by his mother's furniture and built a publishing and cosmetics empire.

Johnson built Ebony from a circulation of 25,000 on its first press run in November 1945 to a monthly circulation of 1.9 million in 1997. Jet magazine, a weekly, was founded in 1951 and a third magazine, Ebony Man, a monthly men's magazine, was started in 1985.

Johnson launched Ebony just after World War II, as black soldiers were returning home. At the time there were no black players in major league baseball and little black political representation.

With blacks' incomes far below white Americans, the idea of a black publishing company was widely dismissed. Civil rights leader Roy Wilkins advised Johnson to forget the publishing business and save himself a lot of disappointment; Wilkins later acknowledged he gave Johnson bad advice.

Johnson's example set the pace for many black businessmen to follow. I'm thankful for Johnson's work and his pioneering spirit.

Thank you, Mr. Johnson. God bless you.

Harry Belafonte calls black Republicans "tyrants"

From left, US Rep. John Lewis (Mumble-mumble-GA), US Rep. Maxine Waters (Granola-moonbat-CA), Harry Belafonte (...an' he wan' go home), Rev. Jesse Jackson (never to let a photo-op go unturned), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Cruella DeVil-CA), "unidentified guy", at Saturday's Bash Bush march in Atlanta

Belafonte used a Hitler analogy when asked about what impact prominent blacks such as former Secretary of State Powell and current Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had on the Bush administration's relations with minorities.

"Hitler had a lot of Jews high up in the hierarchy of the Third Reich. Color does not necessarily denote quality, content or value," Belafonte said in an exclusive interview with Cybercast News Service.

"[If] a black is a tyrant, he is first and foremost a tyrant, then he incidentally is black. Bush is a tyrant and if he gathers around him black tyrants, they all have to be treated as they are being treated," he added.

When asked specifically who was a "black tyrant" in the Bush administration, Belafonte responded to this reporter, "You." When this reporter noted that he was a Caucasian and attempted to ask another question, Belafonte abruptly ended the interview by saying, "That's it."

Saturday's march was billed as one tied to the renewal of provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which are set to expire in 2007. Speakers at the rally insisted that the Bush Administration is "evil" and was trying to eliminate the Voting Rights Act. However, when asked about renewal, Republican legislator after legislator supports renewal of the act.

The true motive behind Saturday's march was tied to a pending Georgia state law that would reduce the number of identifications accepted for voters from a couple dozen (which include things like utility bills) down to five government-issued photo IDs (your passport, your state college ID, your state employee ID, your state-issued ID card, or your driver's license). Opponents insist that the measure is racist, and will cause black voter disenfranchisement.

If someone cannot afford to obtain a state ID, the state will provide one at no cost. If someone cannot get to a bureau to obtain a license or ID, the state will send mobile units to areas across the state in order to provide maximum access.

Sounds like a good way to cut down on voter fraud. After all, under the present system, any Tom, Dick or Harry can swipe a utility bill out of a mailbox and use it to both register and/or vote in Georgia.

Racist? No, sounds more like sour grapes and a desire to continue to abuse the system to me.

Discovery waved off until tomorrow

Discovery's astronauts get to enjoy a free day in orbit today after being waved off from today's scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Discovery was supposed to land in the pre-dawn hours this morning, but due to clouds and threatening weather in Florida, Mission Control decided to wave them off in order to try again tomorrow.

The astronauts had powered up their spacecraft and were awaiting word from Mission Control to fire their braking rockets and head for home when controllers announced early Monday that low clouds over Cape Canaveral would postpone the landing.

"We've been working this pretty hard as I'm sure you can imagine from our silence down here," Mission Control radioed Discovery commander Eileen Collins. "We just can't get comfortable with the stability of the situation for this particular opportunity, so we are going to officially wave you off for 24 hours."

NASA would prefer not to use either contingency site; it would cost a cool million dollars to load Discovery on the back of a 747 and ferry it back to Florida if they do.

Peter Jennings, 1938-2005

Charles Gibson just broke in on ABC with the news that longtime anchor Peter Jennings had died this evening of lung cancer. Jennings died at his apartment in New York City, with his family at his bedside.

Jennings' 41 year career at ABC News counted him as one of ABC's original news anchors, sitting at the helm of Peter Jennings and the News, from 1964 to 1967. Canadian-born Jennings reported from across the world after that, opening the first American television bureau in the Arab world, and helming the bureau in Rome.

In 1975, Jennings became the anchor of A.M. America, the short-lived predecessor to Good Morning America. Shortly after that stint ended, he became ABC's chief foreign correspondent, based in London.

From that London base, Jennings returned to the anchor desk in 1978 as part of the three-anchor team for World News Tonight, along with Frank Reynolds in Washington and Max Robinson in Chicago.

In 1983, Jennings became sole anchor of WNT, where he spent the rest of his life.

Jennings became the defacto managing editor of ABC News, guiding them through the 80s, 90s and into the 21st Century. Many people remember two major highlights of recent years, his marathon anchor job on ABC's mammoth ABC2000 megacast on December 31, 1999 and January 1, 2000; also his steadfastness and rock-solid demeanor amid the chaos and terror of the 9/11 disaster.

Many criticize Jennings' liberal politics, but no one can argue that among the "big three" anchors, Jennings was the most learned, and most scholarly. He was a good guy, and at least I, for one, am sorry to see him depart this life at his age.

Godspeed, PJ, and thanks for the memories.

PJ close to death?

Unconfirmed reports this evening from sources inside ABC News, say that World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings is close to death.

Jennings announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in April, and has not been on the air since. Anchor duties have rotated between several anchors, most notably Good Morning America co-anchor Charles Gibson.

Schools affected by NCAA Indian mascot ban

The schools affected by the ban on "offensive" Indan-based mascots announced yesterday by the NCAA:

Alcorn State University (Braves)

Central Michigan University (Chippewas)

Catawba College (Indians)

Florida State University (Seminoles)

Midwestern State University (Indians)

University of Utah (Utes)

Indiana University-Pennsylvania (Indians)

Carthage College (Redmen)

Bradley University (Braves)

Arkansas State University (Indians)

Chowan College (Braves)

University of Illinois (Illini)

University of Louisiana-Monroe (Indians)

McMurry University (Indians)

Mississippi College (Choctaws)

Newberry College (Indians)

University of North Dakota (Fighting Sioux)

Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Savages)

Novak takes the high road; apologizes to viewers

Bob Novak, after his on-air meltdown yesterday, took the time to apologize to viewers today for his expletive-ridden tirade.

Robert Novak apologized Friday for swearing on the air and walking off a CNN set, but said it had nothing to do with the federal probe sparked by his revelation of a CIA officer's name in a 2003 column.

"I apologize for my conduct and I'm sorry I did it," he said in an interview.

CNN has pulled him off the air indefinitely. Novak said "I'll follow their guidance" on when he returns.

I can't excuse his behavior, but I certainly accept his apology. I'm glad he stood up and took his hand-slap like a man.

There's no word, at present, as to when CNN will let him back on the air.

NCAA bans Amerindian names; Pro leagues next?

The NCAA announced this morning that they are banning the display of "hostile or abusive" Indian mascot names in post-season tournaments beginning February 1.

The ruling extends to covering up the logos of schools who have Indian mascots that are presently scheduled to host tournaments. The NCAA plans to prohibit any schools with Indian mascots from hosting tournaments in the future.

The NCAA banned the use of American Indian mascots by sports teams during its postseason tournaments, but will not prohibit them otherwise. The NCAA's executive committee decided this week the organization did not have the authority to bar Indian mascots by individual schools, committee chairman Walter Harrison said Friday.

Nicknames or mascots deemed "hostile or abusive" would not be allowed by teams on their uniforms or other clothing beginning with any NCAA tournament after Feb. 1, said Harrison, the University of Hartford's president.

Among the schools to change nicknames in recent years over such concerns were St. John's (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Marquette (from Warriors to Golden Eagles).

The NCAA plans to ban schools using Indian nicknames from hosting postseason events. Harrison said schools with such mascots that have already been selected as tournament sites would be asked to cover any offensive logos.

Such logos also would be prohibited at postseason games on cheerleader and band uniforms starting in 2008.

No word from schools like Florida State University (Seminoles) or the University of Illinois (Fighting Illini) on what -- if anything -- they plan to do in light of the ruling.

This also begs the question of whether or not professional leagues will force their teams (MLB's Indians or Braves; NFL's Redskins or Chiefs; NHL's Black Hawks; NBA's Warriors) to comply with a similar ruling.

Darth Vader threatens London & Washington again

Al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman Al-Zawahiri issued a new videotape today, which (of course) was aired by Al Jazeera.

In the tape, Zawahiri promised more attacks on the UK and the US.

Tensions in London were already high, two weeks to the day after the last attempted attacks, and four weeks to the day after the deadly July 7 bombings.

"What you have seen in New York, Washington and Afghanistan are only the initial losses," Zawahiri said in a videotape broadcast by al-Jazeera, the Arabic language satellite channel. "If you [the United States] continue the same hostile policies, you will see something that will make you forget the horrors of Vietnam," Zawahiri threatened in the videotape, a Kalashnikov propped against his right shoulder.

Repeatedly pointing a finger for emphasis, the bearded, turbaned Zawahiri, an Egyptian-born doctor and Osama bin Laden's top deputy, said that British Prime Minister Tony Blair shouldered the blame for the July 7 attacks in London that killed 56 people, including four suicide bombers. The tape was released exactly four weeks after the deadly attacks on London's transportation system.

Novak to Carville on CNN's Inside Politics: "I think that's bullshit..."

While talking with James Carville and guest host Ed Henry, CNN's Bob Novak (supposedly the source of the Plame leak) got mad, got up and stormed off in a huff.

Novak was talking about Florida Senatorial candidate Katherine Harris; Carville kept interrupting and wouldn't let Novak get a word in edgewise, finishing with a comment about Novak getting tough for the editorial pages.

Novak's response was a bit more "colorful."

NOVAK: "Well, I think that's bullshit..."

After Novak's departure, Henry said that he was planning on asking Novak about the CIA leak, but that would have to wait until another time.

Media Matters has video of the exchange with a suitably snarky dig at Novak.

UPDATE 9P ET: CNN has suspended Novak indefinitely as a result of the outburst and walk-off.

A CNN spokeswoman, Edie Emery, called Novak's behavior "inexcusable and unacceptable." Novak apologized to CNN, and CNN was apologizing to viewers, she said.

"We've asked Mr. Novak to take some time off," she said.

Jesse Lee Peterson: Dems scaring blacks with Voting Rights Act

Democratic leaders, along wtih civil rights leaders, are spreading fear through black America regarding the Voting Rights Act, according to Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, head of Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND).

Peterson specifically cites a voter rights march scheduled for Atlanta this weekend, spearheaded by Rev. Jesse Jackson.

“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was made necessary by the practices of some racist Southern Democrats who opposed equality for Blacks—the same Democratic Party that Jesse Jackson now wants Blacks to support. Jesse Jackson knows that the 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees Blacks the right to vote. Yet, he wants to convince Blacks that the Republican Party wants to strip them of their rights. Racism is not keeping Blacks from voting, but their own apathy is.”

(Peterson also said,) “The reauthorization of sections of the Voting Rights Act will neither help nor hinder Black voters—to claim otherwise is false! By lying to Black Americans about this issue Jackson and his extremist left-wing cohorts are dishonoring the Selma and Montgomery civil rights pioneers who bled for the cause of civil rights and equality for Blacks.”

Part of the issue that Jackson is emphasizing, is the new Georgia requirement for state-issued picture identification in order to vote. The types of identification include driver's licenses. Jackson insists that the requirement -- providing positive identification -- is racist. This is despite the fact that the state will issue -- at no cost -- photo ID to those who cannot afford the cost of said identification.

Uh, yeah. Right.

Brooklyn College prof: proper English is language of "white oppressers"

Priya Parmar is an Assistant Professor of Adolescence Education for Brooklyn College's School of Education. Parmar insists that rap music is the be-all, end-all to help teach literacy to inner city students. In addition, Parmar calls the English language the language of "white oppressers."

All this, along with her personal biases against white students in her classes, comes out in Parmar's course, "Language Literacy in Secondary Education," where she insists on politicizing her education course.

Parmar's controversial course at Brooklyn College, "Language Literacy in Secondary Education," typifies the professor's preference for politicized pedagogy. Required of all students who intend to become secondary-school teachers, the course is designed to teach students to draft lesson plans that teach literacy. Parmar's syllabus informs students that the principal focus of these lesson plans must be "social justice."

Another theme animating Parmar's course is her aversion to the proper usage of English. To insist on grammatical English, Parmar believes, is to exhibit an intolerable form of cultural chauvinism—a point reinforced by the a preface to the requirements for her course, which adduces the following quotation from the South African writer, Jamul Ndebele: "The need to maintain control over English by its native speakers has given birth to a policy of manipulative open-mindedness in which it is held that English belongs to all who use it provided that it is used correctly. This is the art of giving away the bride while insisting that she still belongs to you."[7] Students are expected to share Parmar's antipathy toward grammatical rule-based English, as she does not countenance dissent: In December of 2005, for instance, several disaffected Brooklyn College students wrote letters to the dean of the School of Education taking issue with Parmar's hostility toward students who dared voice their support for the correct usage of English.

Nor was this the only confrontation between Parmar and her students. Evan Goldwyn, a Brooklyn College student who took Parmar's course, caused a campus storm when he wrote a lengthy critique of the course detailing his objections to Parmar's teaching methods. Topping Goldwyn's list of grievances were Parmar's pronounced bias against English and her alleged bigotry against white students. "She repeatedly referred to English as a language of oppressors and in particular denounced white people as the oppressors," Goldwyn wrote. "When offended students raised their hands to challenge Professor Parmar's assertion, they were ignored. Those students that disagreed with her were altogether denied the opportunity to speak."

Adidas buying Reebok for $3.8 billion

Number two athletic shoe maker Adidas is buying number three athletic shoe maker Reebok in a $3.8 billion deal. The combined company gains a good 20 percent of the US market, but still places the duo behind number one Nike.

Neither company is forfeiting their own brands. Adidas Chairman and CEO Herbert Hainer said the brands would stay separate but complement each other — a move that is likely to help them in their competition with Nike.

German-based Adidas has its roots in soccer and track and field, while Reebok's line of sneakers and athletic gear is visible across American sports like football, baseball and basketball.

Combining the two, executives said, will mean more access to athletic events just about anywhere there is a stadium.

Florida girl sticks to her principles; turns down college scholarship from ACLU

18 year-old Helena Aldridge is looking forward to a collegiate career at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. And like many new students, she is dealing with the fiscal realities of paying for college today.

Helena's excellence has garnerd her several scholarships thus far, including a couple from the NAACP.

However, Helena is turning down one of those scholarships -- one from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida.

She was thrilled this summer when she learned she was one of three Florida teens to receive a $1,000 Norman Elliot Kent Youth Activist Scholarship from the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.

The group, based in Miami, offers the awards to graduating seniors who have demonstrated a strong commitment to civil liberties and civil rights through student activism.

Then Aldridge read up on the organization.

While she found much to applaud - the ACLU has been protecting rights guaranteed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights since 1920 - she was dismayed at what she perceived as the group's abortion rights stance on abortion and its opposition to prayer in public schools.

Much to the chagrin of ACLU officials, Helena has graciously declined the ACLU's scholarship monies.

Moreover, her mother is supporting her decision. I'm sure the monies that she would have gotten from the ACLU will come to her from some other source.

I'm very happy to see that she is standing up for what she believes in, despite those who would say otherwise.

If recess appointments are so bad, why did Bubba make so many?

Democrats are wringing their hands over the recess appointment of John Bolton as UN Ambassador by President Bush yesterday.

Members of the Senate have delayed and deferred votes on Bolton's confirmation for months, citing Bolton's "bull in a china shop" method of diplomacy. Just Sunday, Senator Christopher Dodd (Moonbat-CT) called Bolton "damaged goods."

Bush's decision to appoint Bolton without a confirmation vote was denounced by Democrats, who predicted it would undermine the diplomat's credibility at the U.N. and create more partisan rancor on Capitol Hill. Bolton's sharp tongue and direct style have alienated some subordinates, but enchanted many conservatives.

"At a time when we need to reassert our diplomatic power in the world, President Bush has decided to send a seriously flawed and weakened candidate to the United Nations," said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada. On Sunday, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) called Bolton "damaged goods."

But there were no signs Monday that Democrats would respond to the appointment by taking action against other Bush nominees, such as his choice of John G. Roberts Jr. for the Supreme Court.

Funny thing though, Bush has made a total of 110 recess appointments. His immediate Oval Office predecessor, Bill Clinton, made 140 recess appointments during his two terms in office. That doesn't sound like much of an abuse to me -- that is unless Senator Dodd thinks Bubba abused the power as well.

Discovery astronauts to perform in-orbit repairs

Astronauts on board the International Space Station will be performing mid-flight repairs to the underside of the space shuttle Discovery Wednesday during an unprecedented space walk.

Filler material is protruding from the underside of the shuttle's fuselage. This material extends more than an inch from the surface of the thermal tiles that protect the body of the shuttle during re-entry. Ordinarily, the material would only extend about a quarter of an inch from the surface of the thermal tiles.

The crew of the space shuttle Discovery will perform an unprecedented on-orbit repair Wednesday, sending an astronaut under the orbiter’s belly to remove a two strips of material jutting out from its tile-covered heat shield, mission managers said Monday.

If the filler material sticks out from between tiles during reentry, they can disrupt the aerodynamic flow around the orbiter during reentry, causing higher than normal local heating on the order of hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit, said Chuck Campbell, a NASA subsystem engineer who studies the heating issues associated with shuttle reentry.

“In the end it came down to be a really simple decision,” said Wayne Hale, NASA’s deputy shuttle program manager, during a briefing here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC). “We came to the conclusion that we don’t know enough to really feel good about this, so therefore the remedy is easy and we ought to go exercise the remedy.”