France holds human bird flu drill

From the BBC - quote - Authorities in France have staged an exercise to test the ability of the emergency services to cope with an outbreak of bird flu in humans.

In the Lyon exercise two "patients" with symptoms of the virus were evacuated to a hospital isolation ward.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has said France has "one of the most sophisticated plans in Europe". - end quote --

~~~~~~~

prying1 sez: Leave it to the French to move two people from one room to another and call it a drill.

Scotsman.com has this - Bird flu fears at French farm - BIRD flu tests were being carried out today at a turkey farm in south-eastern France in what would be the first case in domestic birds in the European Union.

Authorities have sealed off a farm with more than 11,000 turkeys in the south-eastern Ain region, the same area where France's first two cases of the deadly virus - in two wild ducks - were confirmed.

~~~~~~~

Ireland OnLine reports - Indonesia and Malaysia step up bird flu flight -
Indonesia and Malaysia took their anti-bird flu campaigns to the streets today, testing thousands of chickens, ducks and doves for the H5N1 virus that has killed 87 people across Asia.

In India, veterinary workers wearing goggles and protective suits cleaned up chicken coops in a small town hit by the disease, while China reported that a six-year-old boy infected with bird flu had fully recovered.

Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono declared a war on bird flu as he launched a three-day campaign to test birds across the capital Jakarta - the source of most of Indonesia's human cases.

So far 19 people have died in Indonesia, all in the past nine months, more than any country worldwide within the same period.

~~~~~~~~

MSNBC tells us more about the bird flu called H5N1 -

Pandemic fears

The rapid spread of H5N1 from Asia into the Middle East, Africa and Europe has heightened fears of a human pandemic and triggered sharp falls in poultry sales.

The Economic Community of West African States called for international aid to help set up a regional fund to pay for emergency action as they seek to prevent the spread of the virus, found in poultry in Nigeria this month.

The World Health Organization plans to test samples from four Nigerians possibly infected with the virus, including a woman who died last week and three people who have recovered.

Experts fear that in Africa, where chickens live in millions of homes, the virus could spread rapidly and largely undetected due to a lack of health, veterinary and laboratory services.

They hold similar fears for India, where hundreds of millions of people live in rural areas side-by-side with livestock and domestic fowl.

So far the biggest risk seems to be for people who come into direct contact with sick chickens, and in countries where people personally care for their fowl.

There have been no confirmed human cases in India, but authorities were making final tests of a 12th person quarantined with suspected bird flu in Navapur, a remote town in IndiaÂ’s western Maharashtra state.

prying1 sez: I'd hate to think that this disease could and will become a human to human epidemic but the posibility is there. How many local governments are practicing control even on a small scale as the French did? - I've heard it suggested that people send emails, letters and even step into their local city halls to ask their local tax paid elected officials to do a bit of research on this subject and to come up with a plan in case it hits their communities. - Tell 'em they can get a fund going for the study and stick their hands in the pie. That might encourage them to look into it.

For an excellent reference site to start with check out EnFlu.com.
Technorati Tags - H5N1 - bird flu - health -

Ports Deal Leaves Funny Taste In Mouth

The more I learn about the DP World ports operation buyout the more I'm starting to vacillate. Originally I heard that this company was being given the SECURITY CONTRACT. It was on a late night talk radio show out of Colorado. Apparently the host had not done his homework or I misunderstood the argument. I have since realized it has the OPERATIONS CONTRACT that is being sold. Big difference. The company does have the expertise for the job and has proved it world wide.

I wish I could afford to make blogging a full time job but I don't get enough hits on the little ads on the side bar to pay for candy bars much less the electric bill to run my computer. As a result the time I have for research is limited. I'm at the mercy of the MSM at times and the MSM is at the mercy of inept reporters. Because of this the information I get is usually biased, one sided, or incomplete.

I do listen to Talk Radio and get filled in on a lot of issues from talk show hosts I trust and some I that don't trust. Two of my favorites are Rush Limbaugh and Hugh Hewitt. Rush is in favor of the deal and Hugh has his doubts about it. At the moment I am siding with Hugh.

DP World would not serve itself or the country that owns it (It is not a private corporation) by paying 6.8 Billion just to ship a bomb into a port and blow it up. They could do that without putting down the cash and then by the port at the fire sale. Not that is or ever was my fear but I did hear a caller make the suggestion. At this point DP World would best serve it's own interest and the interests of Dubai by working hard to make sure this doesn't happen if the deal goes through.

Daily Kos has it usual tin foil hat conspiracy theorists working overtime to come up with "What if's" and "Maybe Bush's" to fill an encyclopedia. They appear to be scrubbing the Whitehouse.gov's & DP World's website for evidence that Bush started the French and Indian Wars to drum up support for the American Revolution. Most of the tripe on their articles and comments can be ignored.

For example - 24JAN2006 Dave Sanborn, DP Director of Operations for Europe and Latin America has been nominated by US President George W. Bush to serve as Maritime Administrator a key transportation appointment reporting directly to Norman Mineta the Secretary of Transportation and Cabinet Member.

The Kosites are running amuck with payoff theories etc.. It just might be that Dave Sanborn is the right man for this job. He certainly has quite a bit of experience in the field.

I heard a talkshow host last night say that he thought the deal should go through because it would be good for U.S. relationships with the Middle East. To back out now would make the Muslum world dislike us even more. I think if the Muslum world is going to jump and scream and murder and destroy property over cartoons I don't think this ports deal is going to have either a positive or negative effect on them. They will continue in their uncivilized behaviour either way.

My main concern is if there is any chance of a fanatical Muslum being on the board of directors or in a place of confidence in the company could he pass on sensitive information to his terrorist buddies. I'm not certain at this point if there is any sensitive information that would flow to the headquarters of DP World that we should even concern ourselves with this question.

The security at our ports is abysmally poor already. This deal needs a lot more scrutiny before going through.

Technorati Tags - ports - D P World - Dubai -

Bush Unaware of Ports Deal Before Approval

Washington Post - 22FEB06 - WASHINGTON -- President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday.

Defending the deal anew, the administration also said that it should have briefed Congress sooner about the transaction, which has triggered a major political backlash among both Republicans and Democrats.
......
While Bush has adamantly defended the deal, the White House acknowledged that he did not know about it until recently.

"He became aware of it over the last several days," McClellan said. Asked if Bush did not know about it until it was a done deal, McClellan said, "That's correct."

"The president made sure to check with all the Cabinet secretaries that are part of this process, or whose agencies or departments are part of this process," the spokesman said. "He made sure to check with them _ even after this got more attention in the press, to make sure that they were comfortable with the decision that was made."

"And every one of the Cabinet secretaries expressed that they were comfortable with this transaction being approved," he said.
.....
"I can understand why some in Congress have raised questions about whether or not our country will be less secure as a result of this transaction," the president said. "But they need to know that our government has looked at this issue and looked at it carefully."

A senior executive from Dubai Ports World pledged the company would agree to whatever security precautions the U.S. government demanded to salvage the deal. Chief operating officer Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey promised Dubai Ports "will fully cooperate in putting into place whatever is necessary to protect the terminals."

prying1 sez: - I appreciate President Bush and am a Pro Bush Republican but on this one I disagree with him.

That was said to counter an Air America mouth that said the republicans stand behind Bush no matter what.

The instability of Arab nations at this time would only put the security of our nation at risk. Apparently Dubai is the most stable of the Arab nations. That is supposed to make me feel better about this deal?

All it would take is one fanatical Muslum in the list of Dubai Ports World employees to turn vital info to his friends. One weak point exploited and we have another terrorist action on U.S. soil. The ports have enough weak points as it is. This deal would only add to it.

hat tip to Doug at Below the Beltway
Technorati Tags - ports - terrorism - DP World -

Shiite Shrine Damaged U.S. Won't Support Sectarian Goals

From Yahoo News22FEB06 - SAMARRA, Iraq - A large explosion Wednesday heavily damaged the golden dome of one of
Iraq's most famous Shiite shrines, sending protesters into the streets and triggering reprisal attacks against Sunni mosques. It was the third major attack against Shiite targets in as many days.

Shiite leaders called for calm, but militants attacked Sunni mosques and a gunfight broke out between Shiite militiamen and guards at a Sunni political party in Basra. Army Capt. Jassim al-Wahash said about 500 soldiers were sent to Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad to prevent clashes between Shiites and Sunnis.
.....
The Interior Ministry said four men, one wearing military uniform and three in black, entered the mosque early Wednesday and detonated two bombs, one of which collapsed the dome and damaged part of the northern wall of the shrine.

A government statement said "several suspects" had been detained and some of them "might have had been involved in carrying out the crime."

Police believed some people might be buried under the debris after the 6:55 a.m. explosion but by late afternoon no casualties had been found. The shrine contains the tombs of two revered Shiite imams, both descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, and is among Iraq's most sacred sites for Shiite Muslims.
.....
"This criminal act aims at igniting civil strife," said Mahmoud al-Samarie, a 28-year-old builder who was among the crowd. "We demand an investigation so that the criminals who did this be punished. If the government fails to do so, then we will take arm and chase the people behind this attack."

Religious leaders at other mosques and shrines throughout the city denounced the attack in statements read over loudspeakers from minarets.

President Jalal Talabani condemned the attack and called for restraint, saying the attack was designed to sabotage talks on a government of national unity following the Dec. 15 parliamentary election.
~~~~~
And this from NY Times International21FEB06 - BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb. 20 - The American ambassador to Iraq issued an unusually strong warning on Monday about the need for Iraq's political factions to come together, hinting for the first time that the United States would not be willing to support crucial public institutions plagued by sectarian agendas.

"The United States is investing billions of dollars" in Iraq's police and army, said the ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad. "We are not going to invest the resources of the American people to build forces run by people who are sectarian."

Mr. Khalilzad spoke at a news conference on a day of fresh violence across Iraq. It was the bloodiest day in almost two months.

He was addressing allegations that Shiite death squads operate within the Interior Ministry. Such reports have grown in recent months, with accounts of hundreds of Sunni men being rounded up by men in police uniforms and found dead days or weeks later.

The deaths have infuriated the Sunni Arabs, whose radical fringe leads the insurgency here, and have sharpened their distrust of the Shiite-led government that swept into power last spring.
.....
...The new Parliament is required by law to meet for the first time on Saturday, and Mr. Khalilzad's remarks seemed calculated to put pressure on Iraqis to overcome their differences.

He has sharply criticized Interior Ministry abuses in the past, echoing Sunni concerns about the ministry's failure to stop the killings. He amplified those concerns on Monday, urging the leaders to appoint interior and defense ministers who are "nonsectarian, broadly accepted and not tied to militias."

If Iraq cannot control the sectarian agendas within its government, Mr. Khalilzad said, it "faces the risk of warlordism that Afghanistan went through for a period." Mr. Khalilzad was born in Afghanistan and served as an American envoy there before coming to Iraq last year.

prying1 sez: It is obvious that the murders, suicide bombings and destruction of 'Holy Places' is designed to fire up the passions of both (or all) sects in Iraq. By playing the tit for tat game the people end up fulfilling the terrorists goals of dividing the country and leaving it a no mans land for their own nefarious purposes.

Iraq is a country filled with people being dragged into violence through no wish of their own. I'm certain the majority would prefer to not play the tit for tat game but when suddenly faced with a group of people wishing revenge for whatever reason it is hard to stay neutral and live.

This upcoming meeting mentioned above - "The new Parliament is required by law to meet for the first time on Saturday" - needs to be placed on prayer lists world wide.

Technorati Tags - Islam - Iraq - Terrorism -

Where Have All the Weapons Gone? (everybody sing!)

Gentle Cricket has a great post - Where did the WMD's go? -

- quote - First, last weekend came tapes that Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, had an ongoing Nuclear program as recently as 2000. Personally, this was not a shock considering that US Forces had found 1.8 tons of partially enriched Uranium (enough to produce 30-48 Nuclear Weapons), and 500 tons of yellowcake Uranium. Furthermore, Dr. Mahdi Obeidi, the physicist who had lead the Iraqi nuclear program until 1997, revealed to US forces upon his capture that he had plans and equipment for Uranium-enrichment buried at his home. According to Dr. Obeidi, these were being hidden until a nuclear program could be reinstated.

What startles me more, however, is the accusations that Russia was implicit in the transportation of WMD's from Iraq to both Syria and Lebanon. These accusations were made in 2004 by John A. Shaw, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, saying that

They were moved by Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) units out of uniform, that were specifically sent to Iraq to move the weaponry and eradicate any evidence of its existence
- end quote -

The question is then asked, "Why would Russia be involved in the movement of Iraqi WMD's? These were weapons that were prohibited under 17 UN Resolutions, so why would Russia be involved in hiding them?"

prying1 sez: I hope this has piqued your interest and you go to Gentle Crickets Post. Leave a comment. Thank him for his work at informing us with facts. Comments will encourage him to keep up the good work!


Technorati Tags - Hussein - Weapons - Russia -

U.S. Port Takeover By Arab Company Not A Bright Idea

I was off line for a few days and out of the loop for what is going on in the world. Saturday night I got to hear a talk radio show and the subject was the U.S. Ports security contract being transferred to an Arab company, that is, Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates.

Hmmm.

The talkshow took a few callers and not one thought it a good idea.

P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation) currently has the port security contract and DP (Dubai Ports World) wishes to buy P&O. P&O currently runs commercial operations in the ports of New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Miami.

Fox News Reports - quote -

WASHINGTON - Executives at Dubai Ports World are intensifying a public relations effort this week as lawmakers ratchet up protests against the Bush administration over allowing the United Arab Emirates-owned firm to run six U.S. ports.

The government in Dubai will lobby port officials along the East Coast, and its chief operating officer - American shipping executive Edward H. Bilkey - is expected to travel to Washington this week for meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.

Michael Seymour, president of the North American arm of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation (P&O) - the company DP World wishes to buy in order to run the six ports said in a statement that the London-based P&O "is itself a foreign-owned terminal operator that has long worked with U.S. government officials in charge of security at the ports to meet all U.S. government standards, as do other foreign companies that currently operate ports in the United States."

"We are confident that the DP World purchase will ensure that our operations continue to meet all relevant standards in the U.S. through ongoing collaboration between the port operators and American, British, Australian and port security officials throughout the world," Seymour said.

Lawmakers are upset that P&O, which runs 100 ports in 19 countries, is being purchased by DP World with the approval of the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a 12-member panel chaired by Treasury Secretary John Snow and comprised of members of the departments of State, Defense, Justice, Commerce and Homeland Security. Some lawmakers are considering legislation to stop foreign-owned companies from running U.S. ports.
- end quote -

San Jose Mercury News reports - quote -

U.S. terms for approving an Arab company's takeover of operations at six major American ports are insufficient to guard against terrorist infiltration, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said Sunday.

"I'm aware of the conditions and they relate entirely to how the company carries out its procedures, but it doesn't go to who they hire, or how they hire people," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told The Associated Press.

"They're better than nothing, but to me they don't address the underlying conditions, which is how are they going to guard against things like infiltration by al-Qaida or someone else, how are they going to guard against corruption?" King said.

King spoke in response to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's comments Sunday about conditions of the sale. King said he learned about the government's terms for approving the sale from meetings with senior Bush administration officials.

Chertoff defended the security review of Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates, the company given permission to take over the port operations. Chertoff said the government typically builds in "certain conditions or requirements that the company has to agree to make sure we address the national security concerns." But Chertoff declined to discuss specifics saying that information is classified.
- end quote -

prying1 sez:

Given the current state of the Arab world I would suggest against this deal. We should pull the contract from P&O and have a U.S. company doing the security at our ports whether the deal goes through or not. Our ports are the weakest link in homeland security. Allowing any Arab country to run security on our shores is stupid. Until they clean up their act and get a long track record of stabilization I would not trust any Arab nation to guard a Taco Bell much less our nations ports.

The continuation of the Cartoon Kerfuffle shows me and the world that the Muslum and Islamic nations are unstable.

Update - GOP governors threaten to block port deal -


Technorati Tags - [Islam] - [ports] -

Breaktime!

To my adoring friends.

On hiatus 'till 2 Feb 19

Cheney Shotgun Accident Changes Status

Listening to Hugh Hewitt's radio show I heard a caller say that there are four types of incidents like the Cheney/Whittington hunting incident.

Not newsworthy - example: A man trips, catches himself and walks on...

Funny - example: A man carrying a cake trips and falls face first into the cake...

Unfortunate - example: A man trips, falls and breaks his arm...

Tragic - example: A man trips, falls and cracks his head. Dies from concussion...

Harry Whittington now has a single buckshot lodged near or in his heart. -

Quote from Dallas Ft. Worth Star Telegram -

Harry Whittington, 78, was moved back into the intensive-care unit at Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi after doctors detected an irregular heartbeat and decided to run tests. He remained in stable condition with no date set for his release.

"Some of the birdshot appears to have moved and lodged into part of his heart in what we would say is a minor heart attack," hospital administrator Peter Banko said during a televised news conference.

Cheney called Whittington in the hospital and assured the longtime Republican activist that "he stood ready to assist" in any way he could, according to a statement from the vice president's office.

"Mr. Whittington's spirits were good, but obviously his situation deserves the careful monitoring that his doctors are providing," the statement said. "The vice president said that his thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Whittington and his family."


What would have been barely newsworthy had it been Joe Blow off the street became funny when it was the VP who shot his friend. Previous VP blunders and incidents such as Gerald Ford whacking someone with a golf ball and Jimmy Carter flailing at a crazed rabbit with an oar came to mind.

But now what started out as humorous has changed status to unfortunate. I for one pray that it does not turn to tragic. I hope others will join me.

For more on the media handling of this affair check out Howard Kurtz and Hugh Hewitt.

prying1 sez: When will the media get it through their thick skulls that it is not all about them and we now have other sources for news.

Technorati Tags: cheney

Dick Cheney Arrested For Shooting Lawyers Out of Season

Ok, Just to clue you in, Cheney wasn't arrested. That was a joke. One of many of which I'm sure Dick Cheney will be hearing for the rest of his life. The man Dick Cheney accidentally shot, Harry Whittington, who was peppered with birdshot, is doing fine.

"Waskiwy Wepubwican Wawyers" better watch out too. I can hear the lawyers secretaries now, "Excuse me Mr. Finster, A call from the Vice President. He wants to go hunting for you."

RadioBlogger.com has an excellent MP3 montage of the White House Press Corps 'peppering' Scott McClellan with a bunch of egotistical, 'Why wasn't I notified first' questions. RadioBlogger notes that not once did they ask how Mr. Whittington or the VP were doing. Generalissimo says, "It seems like all they care about is not being notified for 24 hours, because of course, it really is all about them."

- I (prying1) concur... -

My favorite from the montage was some dingbat reporter woman asking, ""Would it have been much more serious if the man had died?"

I'm still rolling here over that one!

~~~~~~~~~~~

A 'borrowed' collection follows

"Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, speaking as a "concerned parent," urged viewers never to let their children go on hunting trips with the vice president. "I don't care what kind of lucrative contracts they're trying to land, or energy regulation they're trying to get lifted. It's just not worth it."


"Good news, ladies and gentlemen, we have finally located weapons of mass destruction: It's Dick Cheney." Said David Letterman - & - "We can't get bin Laden, but we nailed a 78-year-old attorney."

Rush Limbaugh: - "Would you rather go hunting with Dick Cheney or riding in a car over a bridge with Ted Kennedy?" (The punch line: At least Cheney takes you to the hospital.)

The Herald in Scotland declared, "Cheney Bags a Lawyer," while the Sydney Morning Herald headlined its story "Cheney Hunts Quail and the World Ducks."

Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal says he'd be proud to hunt with the vice president: "cautious, but proud."

Jay Leno quipped "Cheney's popularity is now at 92 percent - having shot a lawyer."

"The CIA assured Cheney that Harry Whittington was actually a pheasant," - Democratic speechwriter Jeff Nussbaum.

~~~~~

~~~~~

"It has become clear that Cheney was doing the country a service when he avoided service."

prying1 sez: - Hoping you went to RadioBlogger.com and listened to the MP3. Put him in your favorites! -

One thing I have not heard re: the MSM being notified so late is the fact that names in incidents like this are not immediately released in traffic accidents, murders, accidental shootings etc., to give time for friends and relatives to be notified prior to hearing it on the 'news'. The delay in the MSM getting this is no big deal except to show once again how these 'news gatherers' think the world revolves around them.

These liberals always talk about touchy feely and caring but not one of them cared about poor Scott McClellan and his feelings... I would not last long in his job. I'd be laughing in the faces of the idiot questioners...

- One more thing - I bet Cheney is glad his name is not associated with this one - Man's elbow, mistaken for squirrel, shot -

Check the Value of Your Home For Free!

This is a pretty handy little site. You type in your address (or your neighbors if you are insecure) and a picture pops up of your neighborhood with estimated prices of all the properties. Seems to just work with homes and not businesses.

Check it out at: Zillow.com -

Thank You Michelle Kwan For Being So Graceful

Michelle Kwan has bowed out of the Olympics. I believe it was a graceful bow she took. Bravo and a standing ovation to you Michelle! You are loved! You are a class act!

By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer/via ESPN website - TURIN, Italy -- A career so long and sweet ended far too quickly, with tears and heartbreak.

Michelle Kwan heads home from the Turin Olympics empty-handed, betrayed by a body that carried her to nine U.S. championships and five world titles, but no Olympic gold.

"It's always been a dream to win the Olympics," Kwan said Sunday, her eyes red and puffy from the tears that flowed for who knows how long. "But I've learned it's not about the gold, it's about the spirit of it and about the sport itself."

A new groin injury suffered in her only practice on Olympic ice forced Kwan to withdraw from the U.S. team she made in the first place on a medical bye.

"I evaluated my body and had to make a decision," she said. "It's one of the toughest decisions I've had to make, but I know it's the right one."

And the most painful one, because it almost certainly is the end for Kwan.

At 25, it was too much to expect Kwan to soar like a teenage prodigy -- even she understood that. But skating's ultimate trouper had turned low expectations into championships so often that it wasn't a reach to rule out anything, including gold.

Until, that is, she reached the ice in Turin.

"I have no regrets. I tried my hardest," she said. "And if I don't win the gold, it's OK. I've had a great career. I've been very lucky. This is a sport, and it's beautiful."

I don't know about you but I've always loved Michelle Kwan. Still do and always will. I felt a bit closer to her than other figure skaters because I lived in her hometown of Torrance CA for many years.

I often drove by the rink she used to practice in and I would think of her. I've skated on the same ice as she did. She probably fell on it more than I did. I didn't fall as much because I never pushed myself to excellence as she did.

How I admire those who push themselves.

Thank you Michelle! The world is a better place because of people like you.

Was Hitler a Christian?

Was Hitler a Christian? Not according to the book, Hitler's Table Talk. Norm Weatherby tells about it on his site, Quantum Thought. Included are some quotes straight from the **"Complete Pagan's"** mouth . Well worth the time to visit. The book is available and can be purchased at various online book sellers if you decide you need a copy.

** - as Hitler referred to himself - **

Sonorous

I got an email from Patri-ette who had borrowed The Violence Worker's website while he is on vacation. She was answering a comment I had made that referenced Barbara Streisand. In it she said, " She is another one of the Hollywood liberal elite that believe that we are entitled to her sonorous opinion."

I loved the adjective 'sonorous'! So much so that I had to use it so I thought I would in conjunction with this post.

~~~~~~~~~
From Dictionary.com
sonorous \suh-NOR-uhs; SAH-nuh-rus\, adjective:
1. Giving sound when struck; resonant; as, sonorous metals.
2. Loud-sounding; giving a clear or loud sound; as, a sonorous voice.
3. Yielding sound; characterized by sound; as, the vowels are sonorous.
4. Impressive in sound; high-sounding.
~~~~~~~~~
Last night saw a group of kids outside a Starbucks in a local shopping center parking lot. One of them had his car stereo just blasting and rattling windows a block away. I am always envious of those who are oblivious to others around them. If I cared for my fellow man in the same fashion I could get away with a lot more and might still have a clean conscience. Well these kids seemed intent on entertaining the world for as far as they could distribute sound waves.

I went up to the car owner and loudly asked him if he ever heard the word, "distortion"?

He turned down the (so called) music and I again, not as loudly, asked, "Have you ever heard the word, 'distortion'"?

He said, Huh?

I said, "With the volume level turned up so high all you are getting is distortion. The sound has ceased to be music." I then walked away. The kids started hooting at me and I kept walking but turned and said, "Go ahead. Turn it back up."

He hadn't by the time I had gone.

At least I gave the world a few moments of peace and quiet.

Baby pesticide RU-486 is NOT a Safe Alternative to Abortion!

The abortion mill steadily cranks out messages that it needs to continue unabated. If not, they say, women will be using coat hangers or bleed to death in muck filled back alleys.

Well, eight women around the world have died after taking the abortion drug RU-486. That might not seem like much but it would do well to remember that this is a "safe alternative" to abortion. RU-486 has caused life-threatening complications to more than 800 women. These are only the ones reported. How many were not?

Hon. Christopher H. Smith OF New Jersey cosponsor of Holly's Law, authored by Representative Roscoe Bartlett (H.R. 1079) had this to say in the Congressional Record on Thursday, July 21, 2005

- Quote - Not only is RU-486 baby pesticide, killing unborn children up to 7 weeks, it is poison to the women themselves. Licensed by the Population Council, manufactured in the PRC, and widely disbursed by Planned Parenthood, at least five women have died in the U.S. after taking this dangerous drug. As a result of these women's deaths and serious concerns that many more women have died as well -- under-reporting is a serious problem -- new drug labeling will warn women that serious danger of sepsis and blood infection can occur.
- endquote -

The official government pages on H.R. 1079 said this as of today (11 Feb 06)
H.R. 1079 - Latest Major Action: 3/14/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
And a related bill S.511 Latest Major Action: 3/3/2005 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

But Fox News has this article: Rep. Bartlett Wins Support to Ban Abortion Pill dated Thursday, 2 Feb 2006

- Quote - WASHINGTON - Not only is the abortion pill RU-486 killing babies, Maryland Rep. Roscoe Bartlett said Wednesday, it's now known to kill their mothers and should be banned immediately.

Bartlett held a news conference Wednesday to boost passage of his legislation, commonly known as "Holly's Law," which calls for the Food and Drug Administration's suspension of RU-486. -
~~~~~~
The bill has 79 other co-sponsors, including Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio.

"Too many girls have been lured into the masquerade that this is a quick-and-easy fix," she said. "Let's give it a vote."

Named after Holly Patterson, an 18-year-old California woman who died in 2003 after taking the drug, the bill is before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. No hearings have been scheduled.
~~~~~~
...Using these figures, the article, by Michael Greene of Harvard Medical School, puts the risk of death at less than one per 100,000.

Four of the deaths associated with RU-486 were caused by septic shock, an overwhelming bacterial infection that can decrease blood pressure and flow, according to the FDA. The other was attributed to an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo is attached outside the uterus.

"The bacteria has also been found in pregnant women and women who have had medical abortions," said Jennifer Morcone, spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "There are a lot of scientific questions."
- endquotes -

Australia is currently considering the legalization of RU-486. The Advertiser of News.com.au on 7 Feb 06 says this:

- Quote - Abortion vote still close - THE MP conscience vote on lifting restrictions on the abortion pill RU-486 remained too close to call as debate escalated yesterday.

Former defense minister Robert Hill, a Liberal moderate, is expected to vote to lift the restrictions on the drug this week as one of his final acts in Parliament. When Senator Hill announced his resignation from Parliament last month, he said he would return to the Senate for a few weeks so he could have a say on "social issues".

Yesterday he would only say he was awaiting the report of the Senate inquiry into RU-486, which wrapped up in Sydney yesterday. - endquote -

Prying1 sez: This drug should be removed from the market at once and made to go through the full FDA Clinical Trials which were bypassed in its initial approval. During this period of time they can also check to see if there is any veracity to the claim that it works for breast cancer, uterine cancers and ovarian cancers.

RU-486 was approved for political purposes, and as a result numerous safety concerns were suppressed, trivialized and overlooked.

Many commercials on TV for drugs give the contraindications near the end with lines like, might cause nosebleed, stomach ulcers, headache, cramp, diarrhea and vomiting. How many of these commercials include "death" in the list.

Perhaps if they did for RU-486 Holly Patterson- - would be alive today. If other drugs did include "death" in the list how long would they stay on the market?

Penny Brown Hoax Email Making the Rounds Again

Today I got a hoax email entitled "Amber Alert". It told of Penny Brown, a nine year old girl who has "been missing for two weeks". Included was this picture.

Well, the "Penny Brown" email has been traveling for much longer than 2 weeks. It first showed up in 2001. That makes her a bit older than 9 by now. You do the math. I'm a printer not a mathematician.

Part of the email states:

Quote - We have a store manager (Wal-Mart) from Longs, SC
who has a 9 year old daughter who has been missing for 2 weeks.
Keep the picture moving on. With luck on her side she will be found.

I am asking you all, begging you to please forward this email on to anyone and everyone you know, PLEASE. My 9 year old girl, Penny Brown, is missing.
She has been missing for now two weeks. - end quote -

I'm sure it is well meaning people that keep this and similar emails traveling through cyberspace but I have to wonder if there are some people that save these things and get them going again every so often.

It must have been well over a year since I last saw this one. I was surprised to see it again. Last week I recieved the petition to end Christian broadcasting by an atheist group.

Ok, I know now these things will never stop.

Next week I look forward to the Proctor and Gambles association with satanic groups to make the rounds. Scheesh. I remember that one from the late 70's, early 80's. This was prior to AlGore inventing the internet!



Mimeographed sheets with the stars in P&G's logo distorted so they could make a connect the dots 666 were passed around to churches. Sometimes I had a heck of a time convincing people that it was a lie and they were not serving God's purposes by spreading lies and looking foolish at the same time. Christians can be rather hard headed. I know because I am one.

Maybe it was my approach. I can get rather brusque on occasion.

Soda Pop Tabs for Dialysis - False

Denzel Washington visiting Fisher House - (both true and false)

Free 411 calls - True! (with a 12 second advert in your ear.)

Starbucks does not support our troops. - False

The main point of this post is to recomend to people the Snopes.com website. I find Barbara Mikkelson's reports on Urban legends to be more entertaining than most of these emails deserve. Besides the email hoaxes the site covers the old, pre internet urban legends. The one I like best is the Grace Slick named her daughter God story. This may be due to ego since the story has Paul Harvey mentioning me personally. Don't ask because I don't know how that happened. It is true that I heard the rumor and did help spread it.

When you get these emails demanding you 'send it on to all on your list' Please stop and think. Is this email a hoax? Check it on Snopes! Does everyone on your list really want these emails? No! Will you look foolish by forwarding a hoax? Yes!

Snopes has a few guidelines on what to look for to help you figure if an email is a hoax. I'd suggest putting it in favorites and click on the ads on occasion. Help her keep the site up...

Christian Pundits Tells the Truth About the Muslum Cartoon Kerfuffle!

I was about to sit down and with my slow and tedious method of typing with four fingers while watching the keyboard and explain the updated story behind the Muslum Cartoon kerfuffle when I saw that Christian Pundits had already done a lot of the work (complete with pictures and links) for me.

Imam Ahmad Abu Laban, head of the Danish Islamic Society had a modified picture of a French pig calling contest and claimed it was one of the Danish cartoons.

quote - In a television interview, Abu Laban told Fox News the cartoon above and two others whose authenticity have come into question, came from threatening letters, but he has not replied to the network's request to provide copies of the letters. - end quote -

World Net Daily has this

- Quote - The burning this past weekend of Danish government offices in Damascus and Beirut in protest of newspaper cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad were directed by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in part using undercover soldiers acting as rioters, Lebanese leader Walid Jumblatt charged today during an exclusive WorldNetDaily interview.

"Syria is stirring trouble in the region. Regarding the burnings and protests in Damascus, it is very bizarre that a so-called secular totalitarian regime that controls everything was not able to control these demonstrations," said Jumblatt, Druze leader and head of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party.

"The violence and burnings in Lebanon were the work of Syrian soldiers and workers dressed in civilian clothes." - end quote -

prying1 sez: If you wait long enough the truth comes out. - This whole thing was orchestrated for what ends? To get Iran's nuke crappola taken off the front page. So an unknown Danish Muslum Cleric can have his day in the sun? More unrest in the Middle East so the price of oil can be raised?

There may be these and several other reasons for this but one thing I know. The people in these Muslum run countries are kept ignorant of the truth so those in power do not lose their day jobs. Their religion is not doing that which religions are supposed to do. That is, bring them to a closer relationship with the Creator of heaven and earth.

Unless of course the Living God wants to see people murdered and buildings burned.

I think not...


Some Muslums are waking up to the fact that their religion is falling apart.
There is this!

And this!

Why Danish Flag Burning Over the Muslum Cartoons

Capitalism works!

At least it does for a Gaza shop owner who saw what was coming.

When entrepreneur Ahmed Abu Dayya first heard that Danish caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad were being reprinted across Europe, he knew exactly what his customers in Gaza would want: flags to burn.

Abu Dayya ordered 100 hard-to-find Danish and Norwegian flags for his Gaza City shop and has been doing a swift trade.

"I do not take political stands. It is all business," he said in an interview. "But this time I was offended by the assault on the Prophet Mohammad."
~~~~~~~~~~
"I knew there would be a demand for the flags because of the angry reaction of people over the offence to Prophet Mohammad," said Abu Dayya, whose PLO Flag Shop also sells souvenirs and presents.

He sells his Danish and Norwegian flags for $11 a piece -- a price he acknowledged might be dampening sales. Many protesters prefer to save money and make the flags themselves from scraps of fabric, he said.
~~~~~~~~~~
- From Rreuters Alertnet -

prying1 sez: I hope the demonstrators don't take it into their heads to destroy all the flags in one fell swoop by burning down the shop.

Everything in economics is in this story. Supply and demand stands out for one.

Coretta Scott King's Funeral

It was pretty sad day that was meant to be a Home Going Celebration for Coretta Scott King. President Bush gave a wonderful eulogy - Some Democrat politicos once again showed that they think every occasion is all about them.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you.

To the King family, distinguished guests and fellow citizens, we gather in God's house, in God's presence, to honor God's servant, Coretta Scott King. Her journey was long and only briefly with a hand to hold. But now she leans on everlasting arms.

I've come today to offer the sympathy of our entire nation at the passing of a woman who worked to make our nation whole. Americans knew her husband only as a young man. We knew Mrs. King in all the seasons of her life. And there was grace and beauty in every season.

As a great movement of history took shape, her dignity was a daily rebuke to the pettiness and cruelty of segregation. When she wore a veil at 40 years old, her dignity revealed the deepest trust in God and his purposes. In decades of prominence, her dignity drew others to the unfinished work of justice.

In all her years, Coretta Scott King showed that a person of conviction and strength could also be a beautiful soul. This kind and gentle woman became one of the most admired Americans of our time. She is rightly mourned. And she is deeply missed. Some here today knew her as a girl and saw something very special, long before a young preacher proposed. She once said, "Before I was a King, I was a Scott." And the Scott's were strong and righteous and brave in the face of wrong.

Coretta eventually took on the duties of a pastor's wife and a calling that reached far beyond the doors of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. In that calling Dr. King's family was subjected to vicious words, threatening calls in the night and a bombing at their house.

Coretta had every right to count the costs and step back from the struggle. But she decided that her children needed more than a safe home. They needed an America that upheld their equality and wrote their rights in the law. And because this young mother and father were not intimidated, millions of children they would never meet are now living in a better, more welcoming country.

In the critical hours of the civil rights movement there were always men and women of conscience at the heart of the drama. They knew that old hatreds ran deep. They knew that nonviolence might be answered with violence. They knew that much established authority was against them.

They also knew that sheriffs and mayors and governors were not ultimately in control of events, that a greater authority was interested and very much in charge. The God of Moses -- the God of Moses was not neutral about their captivity. The God of Isaiah and the prophets was still impatient with injustice. And they knew that the son of God would never leave them or forsake them.

But some had to leave before their time. And Dr. King left behind a grieving widow and little children. Rarely has so much been asked of a pastor's wife, and rarely has so much been taken away.

Years later, Mrs. King recalled, "I would wake up in the morning, have my cry, then go into them. The children saw me going forward."

Martin Luther King Jr. had preached that unmerited suffering could have redemptive power. Little did he know that this great truth would be proven in the life of the person he loved the most. Others could cause her sorrow, but no one could make her bitter.

By going forward with a strong and forgiving heart, Coretta Scott King not only secured her husband's legacy, she built her own. Having loved a leader, she became a leader. And when she spoke, America listened closely, because her voice carried the wisdom and goodness of a life well lived.

In that life, Coretta Scott King knew danger. She knew injustice. She knew sudden and terrible grief. She also knew that her redeemer lives. She trusted in the name above every name. And today we trust that our sister, Coretta, is on the other shore, at peace, at rest, at home.

May God bless you. And may God bless our country.

Then the Democrats forgot it was about Coretta Scott King and with a definite lack of class turned a funeral to honor Coretta into political diatribe.

Jimmy Carter said: "It was difficult for them (Martin Luther King Jr. & Coretta) personally -- with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretapping, other surveillance, and as you know, harassment from the FBI."

***Carter did not mention it was a Democrat, Robert Kennedy, that authorized the wiretaps at the request of J.Edgar Hoover nor did he mention that the current wiretaps are only against foreign terrorists that murder people, not American citizens that fight for civil rights.

Rev. Joseph Lowery said: "She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar," he said. "We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we knew that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war, billions more, but no more for the poor."

***The Rev. Joseph Lowery failed to mention that for generations trillions of taxpayer dollars have been utilized to prop up a bloated bureaucracy that spends oodles on administration while pennies and blocks of cheese trickle to those in need.

Mr. Clinton began by saying, "I'm honored to be here with my president and my former presidents." Then he paused briefly and gestured toward Mrs. Clinton, his unspoken words seeming to suggest that he wanted to say future president, too. -

***I will give Bill Clinton credit that he pulled the point of the occasion back on track with the line, "I don't want us to forget that there's a woman in there," pointing to Mrs. King's coffin. "Not a symbol, a real woman who lived and breathed and got angry and got hurt and had dreams and disappointments."

Coretta Scott King has joined the 'great cloud of witnesses'! She has run and finished the race. I'm certain that her Savior by now has said, "Well done my good and faithful Servant!" R.I.P. Coretta!

(*** = prying1 sez)

Not For Prime Time Commercial

Tonight during the Prime Time hours channel 11 Fox KTTV Los Angeles played a commercial that I thought totally inappropriate for the early evening hours. As a result of the commercial I wrote a letter to KTTV (see blockquote box below. - Can anyone out there tell from my description what this commercial was advertising?

to: Programming@fox11.com -

Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in about a commercial I saw tonight. At first I thought it was a typical "Carl's Junior commercial" which is a place I never patronize because of their sloppy ads. I really don't want ketchup and grease all over my clothes.

The commercial had woman washing a car with her bare ass shaking towards the camera and then smearing a hamburger all over herself. I can't remember what it was for and as a result consider it a waste of the advertisers money. Seems that the least a commercial could do is make the person watching it remember who was advertising.

This commercial is inappropriate for prime time. My wife and I were offended by it and I'm sure that people with children did not appreciate it either. Please move it's time slot to after midnight. Maybe play it between the infomercials.

Thanks for your attention to this. - Paul Young -

Just wondering if anyone else saw this commercial and will buy what they are selling.

This Is What Muslums Should Be Shouting About!

Instead of the Mohammad cartoons this should be what the Muslum community wants to stop.

A London Mosque Had Weapons, Forged Papers, Police Say -

A London mosque formerly headed by Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri held weapons, military gear and hundreds of forged identity documents when it was raided by U.K. police in early 2003, police disclosed for the first time today.

The Finsbury Park Mosque, in the north of the city, has been linked to dozens of anti-terror investigations and functioned as a key meeting hub for radical Islamic groups, including al-Qaeda, during al-Masri's tenure at the congregation, Britain's Metropolitan Police Service has said. - Bloomberg.com 7Feb06 -

Most non-Muslums, I should think, would find this to be a point where real outrage by the Muslum community would be expressed. Terrorists have taken over their religion and places of worship and do the masses of Muslum people rise up to condemn it? If they do I see little evidence of it. We can blame some of that on the MainStream Media. They only want to cover the exciting stuff.

However it seems that using Muslum places of worship as a weapons cache is not new. Cruising around the internet I came across this comment by Sasha: - quote - It seems that Muslims have very frequently over the centuries used mosques for arms and ammunition storage - so it was in the late 17th century when Francesco Morosini of Venice was besieging Athens (I think 1690): when a cannonball hit the Parthenon, it blew up an ammunition depot therein - and the Parthenon with it! - end quote -

This does not tell us the peoples reaction but it does show as stated before that it is not new. Have the Muslum people become inured to such behaviour through generations of clerics being vicious murderers?

Then there is this from Capitalism Magazine - quote - House of God in this case means House of War. This is what it meant on November 20, 1979, when 200 Islamic fighters seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca, with hundreds of pilgrims inside. Some 250 people were killed and 600 wounded in the siege that followed. Many of the pilgrims took up arms on the side of the attackers. Some went to Afghanistan and joined the jihad.

The 1993 attack against the World Trade Center was planned by a respected cleric in a mosque. His moral-religious authority gave him a large following in the neighborhood. Many agreed with his ideals, and did not oppose his anti-American rants. Few in the neighborhood knew of his precise plans. But all were in fact accomplices in the attack. They gave him a base of operations, economic support and a pulpit.

When federal agents recently arrested the imam and a founder of a mosque in Albany for agreeing to launder money to buy an anti-aircraft missile, the leaders of the mosque were outraged--at the possibility of discrimination against Muslims. This must be a mistake, the spokesman said. Mosques are Houses of God. - end quote - Capitalism Magazine 17 AUG 2004

When a place of worship is turned into a terrorist hideout that is when the people should start shouting. I know that if it were happening in the church I attend I would not hesitate to notify the authorities. Had I been going to church at the Waco Compound I would have been out of there toot sweet. But that is one advantage that Christians have over Muslums. If we decide to switch religions we don't have family putting out death threats.

I would encourage Muslums that have questions with no answers about their religion to search their hearts and ask themselves if they want the TRUTH about the WAY they should live their LIFE. If so, simply click on the link!

Recent Cartoons Not the Only Images of Mohammed

Images of Mohammed have been around for centuries. - Google - images of Mohammed - and get 3-1/2 million + hits. It is 'Image Worship' that is against their rules and by the rioting I would say they are doing just that. Worshipping some ill drawn cartoon images as opposed to the Creator.

by the way, Some of the images seen by clicking the link look just as cartoonish as the Danish ones.

Should Fear Rule Our Hearts?

I'll admit it. There has been more than once I did not post a comment on a website because of fear. A couple times I have posted as 'Anonymous' because of fear. But many times I've overcome it and posted comments in spite of my fears. This post is a response to those times I gave in rather than conquered my fears...

FrontPageMagazine.com has an excellent article on the terror Egyptian Coptics live with daily. I know Egyptian Copts who left Egypt because they would have been murdered had they stayed. They have family members that have been murdered. The Egyptian government does nothing to avenge the victims nor incarcerate the murderers. Egypt is not a nice place to live nor visit.

From the article: - quote - "...Amr Adib, threatened the life of Father Zakaria Boutros, a Coptic Christian leader. Adib did that right in front of an audience of millions. The show was broadcast in December, 2005. Father Boutros is an Egyptian Coptic priest who has peacefully inspired about 500 Egyptian Muslims to convert to Christianity, something considered a crime punishable by death in the Muslim world. For carrying out those conversions, he was imprisoned twice while he was living in Egypt in the early 1980's and is now living in exile outside of the country.

TV host Adib, in threatening Father Boutros, said that no one will remain quiet about what Father Boutros says and does even today. He will be cut up into little pieces. If he were still in Egypt, he would never be able to return to his home alive. He was told he would not get away with those conversions of Muslims to Christianity.
~~~~~
and:

The reason for those threats on Egyptian television by Amr Adib was because he believes that Father Boutro's challenging questions about Islam and his quotations from the Koran about killing people denigrate Adib's Islamic faith. Father Boutros, in rebuttal, still says he wants someone in the Muslim hierarchy to answer many pressing questions and contradictions found in the Hadiths (the book of commentaries on the Koran) and the Koran itself, and that both Muslims and non-Muslims have been asking many unanswered questions that they are unable to get direct answers from by any Muslim. Father Boutro's frustration is shared by many in the Arab world, but people are afraid to speak out. There was a Muslim sheikh on the same show with Adib, Sheikh Khalid El Guindi, who also refused to answer questions about Islam from Father Boutros and said that his answer to the Father's questions will come out soon in a booklet. Of course, this will never happen, it was just a stall. The majority of the show was full of undignified yelling, insults and lies shouted by the host and others of his ilk. - end quote -

Then at Righting America there is a comment by Muslum calling himself 'BE' answering Timmer's post concerning the recent kerfuffle over the cartoons.
- Quote from BE -
As Muslims we are required to respect all religions, be it people who are Christians, Jewish, Hindu etc.
So i'’m really surprised at the pictures published in the newspaper, and also of their false nature. Maybe people should read about Prophet Muhummmad peace be upon him, and realise that he was a mercy to all mankind.
Attacking the prophet peace be upon him by drawing such pictures is attacking Muslims directly.
We dont draw pictures of other prophets like Abraham, Moses, Jesus, infact we respect them, and would never think to do such drawings.
- end quote -
Gee! No mention of peoples heads getting hacked off nor villages destroyed in the Philippines. But I digress...

In fact the commenter leaves a link to his blogsite which does not give his name nor even an email address. No comments are allowed. Is the secrecy of his name and lack of comments due to fear on his part? - Of course it is his blog and he can set it up any way he wants but I have to wonder.

I also wonder why the good Father Zakaria Boutros will get chopped up by these people that would never think to do such drawings. Then I ask, "Why were 500 Muslums convinced to leave their faith knowing that they could be killed for doing so?"

I was raised in the Catholic religion and left it years ago because I had questions that could not be answered to my satisfaction. I was not killed for changing my religion. I still have communication with family members that remain Catholic. In leaving Catholicism I turned to a person instead of another religion. That person is someone revered in the Muslum religion. I understand His name is throughout the Muslum book.

He is a prophet of the Muslum religion and is named Jesus Christ. I would suggest to Muslums that they take some time and read what one who knew Jesus personally had to say about him. John the Apostle walked by Jesus' side daily for 3 years. He wrote a small book in the New Testament (along with 3 letters) Click here to read John's words in Aramaic - Click here to read John's words in English. (other languages available at the linked site.

- Here is a challenge. - Compare what John and the Qur'an says about Jesus for yourself. Figure out which sentence in the Book of John proves the Qur'an is true. - Figure out which sentence in the Book of John might cause a man to leave Islam. -

I would suggest that Muslums seek these answers in private. Be careful! Not because of fear but because of common sense... God doesn't want you dead.

Take a Run to the Daily Blogster

- Click on the picture below to go to The Daily Blogster for the story behind this picture.

Quite a story behind it and it is well documented through Snopes.Com

To see The Daily Blogster today click here

Thanks to Omaha World-Herald for the pic!

It's Just a Cartoon for Goodness Sake!

This carton kerfuffle in Denmark and now the world is really ticking me off. It is alright for Muslums to call every Non-Muslum in the world an infidel but let anyone question or poke fun at their religion and death threats go out.

Saint Paul realized and wrote about how the Christian religion appeared to those who chose to stay outside of the church door. He said in 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV - "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.") -

I agree with him. Think about it. Here is the message of the Gospel in a nutshell. God created a sperm in the womb of a virgin (Human blood is in man's sperm and this blood needed to be pure/divine/untainted by sin). Her child was half God and half man. This Child grew up and never did anything wrong. Not once did He sin so He was totally innocent. He was murdered by pagans and during His crucifixion all the sin of mankind past, present and future was laid on Him. As he was dying he said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." He died and rose again in 3 days.
After the resurrection He went to heaven and sits waiting to return to planet earth at a given time that even He doesn't know. -

Now to me that sounds pretty silly but at the same time I believe it. Why you ask? Because He has shown me HE IS STILL ALIVE! (Ever hear the old hymn, 'He Touched Me'?)

Now back to the cartoons and the Muslum reaction to them. I'm confident that if a Muslum took the core of his religion and stated it as I have done for Christianity then stepped back and looked at it, it would look pretty silly. One difference here though. If I call Christianity silly I don't get death threats from the Pope or his Bishops. Neither do I get death threats from Protestant priests and ministers. Nor do Independent or non-denominational Christians come beating at my door.

What we have now is a group of infidels poking fun at the Muslum religion and (SOME) Muslums proving the point of some of those cartoons. Are the cartoonists right to do this? I think not. It shows them to be oafish and irreverent and careless about others feelings.

That said however does not excuse the rioting, assaults and destruction of property. That is not acceptable behaviour in civilized society. In no way will this type of behaviour result in infidels saying, "What a sweet and pleasant religion! I think I'll join them in their beliefs." Perhaps the rioting Muslums are like the oafish cartoonists and do not care about the conversion and salvation of infidels. Isn't converting infidels part of their religion? Well, They are going against that part of their teachings by their criminal behaviour.

One thing I do know is that if the (MAJORITY of the) Muslum community and it's leaders do not stand up and stop the vandals they are just as guilty in the long run.

If the worldwide Muslum community wants to stay in the 21st century and live in and with the West they are going to have to learn to suck it up once in a while when they get offended. They are bound to get offended. Who doesn't? Atheists are offended by religious behaviour and religious people are offended by atheists behaviour. Vegans are offended by carnivores and vice versa. Name any group and I'm sure you will find someone offended...

Those who can't suck it up without destroying property and injuring people (is that against any rules in the Koran?) need to go back to living as the caricature desert tent nomad and pretend they are in the 8th century. They can't take a laptop with internet connections because they will find themselves offended...

Update: (Thanks/Hat Tip to The Mechanical Eye for the following - quote - This website consists only of an intelligent and reasonable response held by those who disliked the Dutch cartoons but don't agree with the violence some have reacted with. - end quote -

~~~~~~~~~

quote from 'This website' - http://www.sorrynorwaydenmark.com/ -

In the middle of all the mayhem surrounding the Danish cartoons controversy, a group of Arab and Muslim youth have set up this website to express their honest opinion, as a small attempt to show the world that the images shown of Arab and Muslim anger around the world are not representative of the opinions of all Arabs. - ... -

~~~~~~~~~
P.S. I added a couple changes to my original post (Italics) because of the content of the http://www.sorrynorwaydenmark.com/ webpage...

Iraqi Security Forces Take the Lead

AubreyJ has an interesting post that has these quotes in it.

(He = Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch)

Security operations are continuing all across Iraq, he added. Of the 443 total operations conducted last week, only about one-third were coalition forces only.

"Two-thirds... were either conducted independently by the Iraqi security forces or done in combination with coalition forces," Lynch said. "So you see, we've reached the point in our counterinsurgency operations where the Iraqi security forces have clearly taken the lead across Iraq."

prying1 sez:
Democracy will work in Iraq and hopefully will lead the way for other counties in the area.

NAACP Asked to Repudiate Julian Bond's Message of Hate

Rev. Jesse Peterson Calls on NAACP Head to Repudiate Julian Bond?s Comparison of GOP to Nazis

How many years ago was it that the Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, signed the Emancipation Proclamation? The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."(*)

Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not immediately free a single slave, it fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom.(*) - (prying1 (a Republican) sez: thank God for freedom for all men!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first Republican President signed this document.

As a result when black slaves were finally freed as a result of much bloodshed (some white and some black - Some north and some south) the statement from the Republican President stood firm!

During the Civil Rights movement of the 50's and 60's George Wallace and his DEMOCRATIC friends (including the so called EXXX kkk membbber whazzzhizname Byrrrd) stood against the Republicans that voted in Civil Rights!

So what are we faced with now? A group of people that claim the Republican Party is a party of Nazis?

No!

It is only one man who heads up the NAACP.

Julian Bond is the one man's name.

If the NAACP wants to continue to be a viable force in American politics it will have to remove Julian and find someone who is not an idiot.

He has lost all credibility as a leader of any Americans be they any shade from pink to green.

Julian Bond's Statement: "The Republican Party would have the American flag and the swastika flying side by side,"

prying1 sez:
Once a racist always a racist. Don't believe me? Ask anybody that voted for Democratic Presidential nominee Wallace.

Did Julian vote for him? Hmmm??? - Just wondering?

If you know anyone that belongs to the NAACP let 'em know that they need a new leader. - One that is not a racist!

(*) = sort of borrowed from this .gov site =

Is This Funny?

I'm not sure. Would it be insensitive to laugh at a story like this?

Men Really Are Good At That Sensitive Stuff!

Three guys were working on the BellSouth tower - Steve, Bruce and Jed. Steve falls off and is killed instantly.

As the ambulance takes the body away, Bruce says, "Someone should go and tell his wife."

Jed says, "OK, I'm pretty good at that sensitive stuff, I'll do it."

Two hours later, he comes back carrying a case of Budweiser.

Bruce says, "Where did you get that, Jed?"

"Steve's wife gave it to me," Jed replies.

"That's unbelievable, you told the lady her husband was dead and she gave you beer?"

"Well, not exactly", Jed says. "When she answered the door, I said to her, 'You must be Steve's widow'." She said, "No, I'm not a widow."

And I said, "I'll bet you a case of Budweiser you are".

If this post is insensitive blame my uncle. He emailed it to me... - Email me for his address -

You might be a redneck if...

Got this in an email. If you find yourself offended for any reason please stop reading.

You might be a redneck if...

Your standard of living improves when you go camping.

You've jacked up your home to look for a dog.

You have a relative living in your garage.

Your neighbor has ever asked to borrow a quart of beer.

There is a belch on your answering machine greeting.

You have rebuilt a carburetor while sitting on the commode.

None of the tires on your van are the same size.

You hold up the hood of your car with your head while you work on it.

Your idea of getting lucky is passing the emissions test.

Your town put the new garbage truck in the Christmas parade.

Your local beauty salon also fixes cars.

Your doghouse and your living room have the same shag carpet.

You've ever slow danced in the Waffle House.

Starting your car involves popping the hood.

Your garbage man is confused about what goes and what stays.

You whistle at women in church.

You've been in a fistfight at a yard sale. (and my defibrillator went off)

You carry a fly swatter in the front seat of the car so you can reach the kids in the backseat.

If you've ever fixed a broken coil primary wire on a car with a safety pin off your date's bra strap, and the date didn't think it was unusual.

If you've got a matching set of salad bowls that all say "cool whip" on them.

If you take the Christmas lights on the front porch down in November, and only long enough to get them working again.

You've ever used duct tape to repair dental work.

You've unstopped a sink with a shotgun.

Your will states your wife can't touch your money 'til she's fourteen.

You have to pass through a metal detector to get to a family reunion.

Your coffee table is also a cooler!

Your mailing address includes the word "holler".

The first time you ever saw your wife in lingerie, you had to pay a cover charge.

You've sold a car to settle a bar tab.

The best sofa you ever had came out of a Chevrolet.

You've ever used your bathtub as a punch bowl.

You have been accused of lying through your tooth.

If you have ever used a barstool as a walker.

Ideals in Politics!

"Ideals in politics are never realized, but the pursuit of them determines history"

- Lord Acton -

Watching the Presidents speech last night I was heartened by President Bush's ideals. He sees America not as the Big Brother of George Orwell's, '1984' but as the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring organization.

~~~~~ Quote from the speech ~~~~~
To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by encouraging economic progress, and fighting disease, and spreading hope in hopeless lands. Isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting enemies, it would keep us from helping our friends in desperate need. We show compassion abroad because Americans believe in the God-given dignity and worth of a villager with HIV/AIDS, or an infant with malaria, or a refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl sold into slavery. We also show compassion abroad because regions overwhelmed by poverty, corruption, and despair are sources of terrorism, and organized crime, and human trafficking, and the drug trade.

In recent years, you and I have taken unprecedented action to fight AIDS and malaria, expand the education of girls, and reward developing nations that are moving forward with economic and political reform. For people everywhere, the United States is a partner for a better life. Short-changing these efforts would increase the suffering and chaos of our world, undercut our long-term security, and dull the conscience of our country. I urge members of Congress to serve the interests of America by showing the compassion of America.
~~~~~ end quote ~~~~~

This is not spreading Imperialism! It is spreading HOPE. Those who listened to the speech and only heard the voice of someone they hate because 'he stole the election' or 'is not of my party' need to remove the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.

Those who did not listen to the speech can read it here. I would suggest going through it with eyes wide open and a hope that perhaps the idealism presented in the words are attainable. - If both sides work together...

It is not "All about us!" There is a hurting world out there and we can help.

THE SKY IS FALLING!

AubreyJ has a post that asks the tough question. "Who is this guy?"

quote from AubreyJ's post - NASA's senior climate scientist, James Hansen has accused the Bush administration of trying to stop him from speaking out about global warming. Hansen has also said that he has had threats from NASA officials too but these threats have come to him only by phone.
Dang-- nothing in writing???
~~~~~~~~~
** NASA is censoring me, says global warming scientist
** Top NASA Scientist Says He's Being Silenced on Global Warming
** ....More of same from recent headlines..... - - end quote

The challenge was put forth by Sir AubreyJ -

So... Fellow Bloggers out there...
Who is this Guy???

~~~~~~~~~

I took the challenge (Google helped) and posted an answer in his comments. Whether your view is the same as mine or different, jump on over to AubreyJ's and throw in a wooden nickels worth of research and two cents worth of your point of view on 'this guy'...

Go here! Read this!

Blue Star Chronicles has a wonderful MUST READ POST!

Thanks Beth! -

Squirt a Friend - Go to Jail!

I'll never forget crying and running home one day. Eight years old. I came running into the house, my mom calmed me down a bit and asked where it hurt. My answer was that some kids down the street were being mean and squirting me with squirt guns. Mom said, "It's only water!"

My mind opened up a bit that day. A realization that squirt guns were designed for kids to have fun. I ran back out and rejoined the kids. I was not killed. I had fun. I got wet.

I told that story to lead into this. Illinois has some dopey elected officials that want to ban squirt guns. Patriotic Mom, an Illinoisian has a bit on it along with a link to The Conservative Voice.

Warner Todd Huston gives us a bit on the bill: Provides that it is unlawful for any person to purchase, possess, use, sell, give away, or otherwise transfer, or to engage in the business of selling, or to exhibit for sale, any replica rocket propelled grenade launcher, bazooka, artillery piece, grenade, mine, bomb, or items similar to weapons designed and manufactured for military purposes or replicas of those items. Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor.

and Mr Huston goes on to say:

This sweeping and rather ill defined usage of the word "replica" could easily be construed to mean anything that looks like a gun or cannon or a toy made to appear like one from any of the categories listed. That would mean Civil War reenactors with their 1800's style cannons and muskets as well as reenactors of other eras (notably WWII with their more modern firearms) are targeted. For that matter, water guns could become illegal to own, sell and distribute in the state. Even Walmart would be under restrictions for selling toys it should be pointed out.

prying1 sez:
Once again the elected officials look to punish inanimate objects. Like that is really possible. I would like to see our elected officials come up with a comprehensive plan for mandatory sentences for criminals instead.

If in the commision of a crime a person is found guilty of
Possession/Showing a gun (toy or not) - 10 years
Pulling the trigger - 25 years
Hitting someone with a bullet - 40 years (each one)
Murdering someone - Life and/or Death Penalty (According to state laws)

Karl Rove Agrees with prying1

A while back (20Dec05) I posted a blog on the surveilance of terrorist's phone calls into the U.S. I ended the post with: (quote)

So I'm left with a choice. Oppose the policy of our government to spy on it's own citizens and give more power to people that want to kill me (and you too dear reader!) or support the policy that allows one branch of the government to use it's constitutional authority to protect the nation.

I vote to support it.

(end quote)

In a radio interview by Hugh Hewitt on 26Jan06 with Karl Rove this exchange took place: (quote)

HH: I'm great. Now Karl, we don't have a lot of time, so I want to focus immediately on the NSA program, which was a part of a speech you gave last Friday, and which was the focus of a lot of the questions of the president's press conference this morning. And the white paper from the Department of Justice is out there, and Democrats are not buying it, or at least they're pretending not to buy it. Why so much resistance to surveilling al Qaeda operatives contacting their agents in the United States from the Democratic Party?

KR: Well, you'll have to ask them. I don't understand it, frankly. I think that any American, if they take their partisan hat off, would say that in a time of war, after we've been struck on our homeland, that the President of the United States, if he has the ability to have the appropriate agencies, with Constitutional restraints, and respect for personal liberties of Americans who might unintentionally get sort of swept up in it, if a phone call comes from a bad guy in some bad part of the world to somebody here in the United States, we want to know who they're contacting and what they're saying. And I frankly don't understand what the objection is. Look, under far less terrible circumstances in the 90's, the previous administration used warrantless surveillance in the United States. And this president, particularly after it was struck on 9/11, had a responsibility to do everything possible as commander-in-chief, and after the declaration by Congress to protect the country. And that's exactly what he's doing.

(end quote)

prying1 sez: I don't want to take credit for Karl Roves point of view. I'm pretty sure he missed seeing my post. But I am glad that he agrees with me and not with Michael Moore and the MoveOn.org group.

Thanks to RadioBlogger for transcribing the interview between Hugh Hewitt and Karl Rove.

The War Against Terrorists IS Being Won!

I love visiting AubreyJ because I know that zip, zip, cut and paste, add a link and a few words of wisdom and I have a new post up.

AubreyJ posted the following in a piece entitled - Sunni rejectionists conducting attacks against Zarqawi and his network -
Baghdad news conference held Thursday, January 26, 2006, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq - quote -

"The Sunni rejectionists... if you will... are conducting planned attacks against Zarqawi and his network," Lynch said. The Sunni Iraqis were favored under now-deposed dictator Saddam Hussein. Some Sunnis are suspected of carrying out a home-grown insurgency against U. S. and other coalition troops in Iraq.

However, al Qaeda has routinely killed innocent Iraqi citizens during its attacks. That's a situation that Lynch said has galvanized most Iraqis... including home-grown insurgents... against the foreign terrorists.

In fact, Iraqi insurgents have killed six key al Qaeda in Iraq leaders since September 2005. And "recently we've seen significant operations where the local insurgency has turned on the Zarqawi network and forced them out of Ramadi," Lynch said. Ramadi is an Iraqi town in Anbar province.

end quote


prying1 sez:
Are the Iraqi citizens deciding that a group that is willing to murder innocents should be destroyed or at least removed from the country? It looks that way. Perhaps the Muslums in Iraq are learning that it is better to love their children more than to love a 'cause'. (To paraphrase Golda Mier)

Google Can Work the Results!

From Radio Free Asia

An initial search for "Falun Dafa" on Google's U.S. based Chinese language search tool, http://www.google.com/intl/zh-CN/, the Chinese for the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, yielded Falun Gong sites from around the world, where information provided by the movement about its philosophy and practices was freely available.

The same search conducted on the new China search engine, at http://www.google.cn, showed a series of government-sponsored sites criticizing the group as a dangerous and evil cult.

prying1 sez:
So this shows that Google can and does control what shows up in the number one spot on searches.

Then why is it that when anyone typing 'Baby Jesus' in the google.cn website comes up with the BABY JESUS BUTT PLUG in the number one spot! the same happens in the U.S. version of Google. If they care soo much as they say they do then I think they ought to fix this ASAP!

It will be a quicker fix if I write to the Chinese government as opposed to Google's complaint department.

So lets see what happens. Add your voice!

- Google.cn - type in - baby jesus - near bottom right is a long line of question marks. Looks like 13 of 'em - ????'s - Click and type in - # 1 ??? Sex toy! -

If they can and do fix it for China they sure as hell better fix it for English speaking countries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This subject was the topic of a previous post - Click here for my previous Google and Baby Jesus post

Situation Normal!

The wifey-poo and I went out to dinner tonight. After the meal I pulled a small digital camera out of my shirt pocket and snapped a picture of her. She had not seen it previously because I had just received it as a premium. It is a cheap give-away camera with no flash. Takes great pics in the sunlight but otherwise... She snapped a couple of me too. I won't bother posting them. Pretty crappy pics.

Our conversation concerning the camera turned to her school yard duties. She said that some of the kids at the lower grades school she works for bring little cameras to school. She wasn't sure what to think about it though. Her words were, "The boys take pictures of the girls and the girls take pictures of the boys all the time."

My reply was very anti-PC. I told her that it sounds like nothing to worry about.

Al Qaeda is Losing People's Support!

From The Peninsula
- Qatar's Leading English Daily -

SAMARRA: Hundreds of Iraqis staged a demonstration in the restive city of Samarra yesterday in a show of defiance against Al Qaeda militants they blamed for killing dozens of police recruits last week.
~~~~~~~~
The protesters, estimated by police to number 700 to 1,000 and organised by the Iraqi Islamic Party and Muslim Scholars Association, major forces in Sunni politics, accused Al Qaeda of killing some 40 local men who were hauled off a bus near Samarra last week after leaving a police academy in Baghdad and killed. The killing late last year of the head of one of the city�s main tribal leaders had prompted an alliance against Al Qaeda involving local nationalist insurgents, residents said, similar to movements seen in other Sunni strongholds.

"They should not target civilians," said one local militant who says he speaks for a nationalist insurgent group in Samarra and goes by the name of Abu Mohammed.
~~~~~~~~~
After last week's killing of the police recruits, one resident said: "They will not allow Qaeda members to operate in Samarra any more ... They want to put pressure on them to leave. If need be, they may start killing known al Qaeda members."

prying1 sez: I've always wondered why the Al Qaeda thought murdering people was going to make the masses want to embrace their cause. This, I believe, is a real sign of the Iraqi people coming to realize their independence.

(for readability I changed some punctuation in the quotes. ?'s to "'s)
Hat tip to AubreyJ for the link! -

Words the Media Decides to Change

American Princess has written a wonderful piece about the media changing words in mid sentence of quotes they have in news articles.

A couple quotes:

The recent kerfuffle over Google deciding to cave to China's oppressive government, banning such evil words like "Tibet" and "Taiwan" or the ever nefarious "Tianamen Square" from it's searches, got me thinking about another bit of censoring that's going on, but right here at home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At this point The American Princess gives examples from The Baltimore Sun and the Columbia Spectator. They remove words from quotations and [replace] them with kinder gentler words. Words that might not upset the public the way the original quote would.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But seriously folks, what the heck is wrong with [journalists] today that they've opted to pre-empt not only public debate and the legislature (as the Supreme Court did years ago), but now even majority opinion and have declared "we've decided" on the matter of how all life should be labeled? I'd say they had an agenda, but there's no way the MSM could ever get that organized.

end quotes -

prying1 sez:
Please go read the American Princess Post and be aware that the side that screams the loudest about freedom of speech is also the side that will change the speech of those they disagree with.

CNN Should Love This Event!

Ok, here is the deal. An outfit calling itself 'The World Can't Wait' whose goal is to "drive out the Bush Regime" is calling for a noisy protest rally. It will be held on Jan. 31, the night of President Bush's State of the Union speech.

Quote:

In large cities and town squares across the country, we will rally one hour before Bush's address. At 9:00 PM let the world hear us as we symbolically drown out Bush's lies bring your own noise - drums, pots and pans, musical instruments - your voice. Let taxi horns blare and church bells ring, as we bring our own state of the union message: BUSH STEP DOWN!

endquote -
I guess these knuckleheads finally figured out they cannot give the President the distinguishing honor of being the third impeached president. So now they demand Bush step down? What kind of fools are these people? Do they really think this will have any effect, positive or negative, on the "Bush Regime"?

Oh well! Need more proof these people (I use the term loosely) are Knuckleheads (I don't use the term loosely)? Their website has a list of times and places for people to meet for these noisy, disruptive gatherings. They expect to persuade American public to demand President Bush leave office (I guess they want Cheney in office) by disrupting the lives of as many people as they can.

and catch this - LA: (my local gathering) 5 PM - Gather at intersection of Hollywood and Highland;
6 PM - Bring the NOISE; march and 7 pm rally in front of CNN news station at Sunset and Cahuenga

I thought these guys liked CNN! They seem to be on the same socialistic side. Why would they want to disrupt CNN's operations?

Do they think CNN will be pleased because all they will have to do is poke cameras out the windows.

Yeah! It'll save CNN gas money... They will be thrilled.

Kalamazoo has the right idea. It is a capitalistic event with T-shirt sales and a raffle.

I also noticed in their schedules that much of the festivities are centered around the news coverage. These folks just have a need to be noticed. They want to be in the spotlight.

Well I guess this means of getting attention is a lot easier than working on a talent, practicing hard and trying out for American Idol...

~~~~~~~~~~~

If after reading this you are still self loathing enough to want to attend one of these gatherings the list can be found here. - World Can't Wait - Don't bother looking for me.

Michael Schiavo Marries Longtime Girlfriend

Michael Schiavo, widower of Terri Schiavo, has finally done the right thing by marrying his 'longtime girlfriend', Jodi Centonze.

Nuff said about that.

An interesting side note to the whole Schiavo affair is that ON THE DAY Terri died Michael's lawyers filed the estate request just hours after her passing.

From Lifenews.com -

Terri died just after 9:00 a.m. on the morning of the 31st

By 1:35 p.m., Greer had ruled in Michael's favor to receive Terri's estate.

However, the Empire Journal newspaper reports that Greer's estate order had one major flaw. It erroneously declared Michael Schiavo, not Terri, died that day.

Plus, Judge Greer had the wrong date of death on the papers too.

There is an organization called The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation, Inc., and is "A non-profit group dedicated to ensuring the rights of disabled, elderly and vulnerable citizens against care rationing, euthanasia and medical killing"

Also in Terri's memory is Blogs for Terri an excellent site that will give hope to those that support the disabled having the 'right to life'.

Can You Help With This Experiment?

I've an idea that I would like to test out and I need your help. It is sort of an experiment using the imagination. Won't take long I promise you.

First of all I want you to close your eyes.

Now I'd like you to...

Hey wait a minute. You can't read this with your eyes closed. Open 'em.

Oh dang! They can't read the instructions to open 'em.

This experiment might take a bit longer than I thought.

Hope they don't fall asleep.

Now what?

Oh, to heck with this. I'm going to go play freecell.