Shakira gives $45mil to charity

Singer and belly dancer Shakira has long been one of my favorite artists. I love her quirky lyrics, honest singing, and good Lord, that dancing. I took belly dancing lessons so that I could learn to dance more like her.

She doesn't seem to be too caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle, though. You don't see her out getting trashed all the time, flashing her girly bits everywhere, or sleeping with every leading man who will look her way.

Now, she's just given an astounding $45 million to charity!

Colombian pop star Shakira announced a $40 million donation on Thursday to repair damage caused by an earthquake in Peru and a hurricane in Nicaragua.

Shakira is the co-founder of the Latin America for Solidarity Foundation, ALAS, which means wings in Spanish, with Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

"I've seen first-hand many of the challenges facing Latin America," she said in a statement.

The two-time Grammy Award winner, who started another foundation to help poor children in Colombia when she was only 18, said 40 million infants do not go to school and 51 million people don't have access to clean water in Latin America.

"These are challenging problems that no one person can address, but working together everyone can help make a difference," she added.

The ALAS effort for Peru and Nicaragua includes partners like the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, Telefonica, America Movil and the Red Cross.

It aims to guarantee investments for rebuilding education, sanitation and water systems in both countries.

Shakira also announced a three-year, $5 million commitment for projects for children in the region, where about 40 per cent of the population lives in poverty.

Most celebutards give a $1 million check to the popular charity of the day (pocket change for them) and then make sure to pose for lots and lots of pictures to make sure they can drum up some good publicity for themselves. Very rarely do they give significant amounts of money, create foundations, or take the time to actually learn the details of the charity they are supporting.

Two thumbs up for Shakira!

Colorodo teens make the pledge politically correct

Michael Newdow must be very, very proud of these kids.

If you don't remember, he was the atheist who wanted the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance because he was (sniff, sniff) offended! He claimed it was not ok for his daughter to have to recite those two little words every day, even though the daughter in question and her mother had no problem with it whatsoever. That didn't get in the way of his shameless exploitation of her, though, because the concerned parent attack comes off much better than the intolerant liberal moonbat attack does. He also wants to have "In God We Trust" removed from all U.S. money, apparently unconcerned about the hassle (to put it mildly) it will cause for the Treasury.

If a moonbat is offended, then we all gotta pay.

With that in mind, I present to you the Boulder High School Student Worker Club:

Members of the activist club "Student Worker" are calling on students to leave class every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. — when the pledge is recited over the intercom — and rally in the courtyard to say a revised version of the pledge.

Club President Emma Martens, who's leading the protest, wrote this new version: "I pledge allegiance to the flag and my constitutional rights with which it comes. And to the diversity, in which our nation stands, one nation, part of one planet, with liberty, freedom, choice and justice for all."

Martens said her group is concerned that the traditional pledge read daily at the start of second period classes takes away from school time. She also said the phrase, "one nation, under God," violates the separation of church and state.

"Boulder High has a highly diverse population, not all of whom believe in God, or One God," she wrote in an e-mail to the Camera.

"We didn't think it was fair for the whole school to have to listen to it," Martens said between classes today. "It's disrespectful and in complete violation of the separation of church and state. It's almost religious oppression."

She said the group has written a letter to Principal Bud Jenkins asking that Boulder High hold the recitation — which the school must make available by state law — in the auditorium during both of the school's two lunch breaks.

"That's so students can go if they want, but not everyone is required to listen to it," Martens said. "I don't want them to break any laws by not saying it. We just want them to do it so we don't have to hear it every day."

One of the first things I thought when I read this was her complaint about how reciting the Pledge of Allegiance "takes away from school time". Having hordes of students troop out to the courtyard at 8:30 to say her moonbat version, though, is apparently ok.

She also took the liberty of remaking our flag, because I guess having stars to represent each of the states in the union is not satisfactory, either. No, a peace sign is much better:



Now, lets just examine this new liberal-friendly Pledge:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag and my constitutional rights with which it comes. And to the diversity, in which our nation stands, one nation, part of one planet, with liberty, freedom, choice and justice for all."

This girl covered all of the requisite liberal talking points, didn't she? Diversity? Globalism and environmentalism? "Choice" (meaning abortion, I'm sure)? Perversion of constitutional rights? She's got every base covered!

What's almost funny, if it wasn't so sad, is how she equates the phrase "Under God" to religious oppression. If she wants to know what real religious oppression looks like, she should do some research. She could start here, or here, or even here, where she can learn about real oppression by country. People being enslaved and murdered because of their religion is real oppression. A whiny high school student crying over a centuries old phrase to get attention so that she can feel important is not opppression.

And there's of course the obligatory "separation of church and state" argument, a phrase which actually appears nowhere in the Constitution. If she wants to leave out "under God", then she's free to go right on ahead, but that's never enough for liberals. They ensure that if one person is offended, we all suffer the consequences. Besides, why should facts and respect for the beliefs of others matter? It doesn't stop any other liberal moonbat, and it sure as hell won't stop her.

Hat Tips: Moonbattery, Michelle Malkin

10-year-old investigated for race hate crimes

British police are investigating 10-year-old Jake Stedman for a race hate crime.

The investigation was put into place after 35-year-old unidentified Slovakian woman (keeping the identity of the minor a secret apparently was never thought of) chased him around an alley, hitting him with an iron bar and sent him to the hospital.

Little Jake, though, is the one facing aggravated assault charges!

Police are considering charging a 10-year-old boy with a race hate crime after he was beaten by a Slovakian woman with an iron bar.

Jake Stedman needed hospital treatment after the attack in Chatham on Friday, when he was allegedly beaten around the head and neck after being chased down an alley, and was left with two black eyes.

But police are now looking into claims from the 35-year-old woman who allegedly attacked him and who is currently on police bail, that he made racist remarks by telling her "to go back to her own country".

If charged with racially aggravated assault, Jake, who has only just reached the age of criminal responsibility, would become the youngest person in the country to face a race hate charge.

"It is very early stages but we are investigating whether the boy should face any charges," said a police source.

"There have been allegations that he used racist language and it is necessary for us to investigate the claims."

The incident occurred as Jake and his friends were playing outside a local convenience store when a group of four Slovakian women passed by.

The boys allegedly called out to the women and threw soft fruit at them.

See, in moonbat-infested Europe, the woman who assaulted a child and sent him to the hospital is the trustworthy one. The child, on the other hand, needs to be punished with a charge of racially aggravated assault?!

Thing is, police don't know that Jake even said or did anything to those women -- it's still being "investigated". So why isn't this woman being locked up?

And even if Jake did tell them to go back to their own country, since when is rudeness equal to beating someone with an iron bar?

Yes, Jakey should not have been rude to the women just because they are immigrants. It is not a nice thing to do. It is not the same, however, as an adult woman (who should know better) chasing him around an alley, beating him with an iron bar and sending him to the hospital!

Is this Britain's version of the Jena Six? A minority is insulted by something a white person did, so therefore, they are allowed to retaliate in any way they find prudent, even if that means using extreme violence?

The sad thing is how much western civilization is now controlled by "feelings". If someone's feelings get hurt, then something's gotta change, someone's gotta pay. This woman's feelings were hurt, I assume, so that means that not only is she allowed to beat the ever living crap out of this kid, she's also allowed to file charges against him for a hate crime. Are rudeness and intolerance is officially the worst crimes one can commit? Say the Slovakian woman killed little Jake Stedman. Would the police say it was ok because he was being a rude little brat? All a murderer needs to do nowadays is cry about how oppressed he or she has been, and how horrible it's been for them living with intolerance and oppression every single day and moonbats will race to their defense, claiming that society created this murderer and that they can't be held accountable for their actions.

If charged, Jake will be the youngest Briton to be charged with a race hate crime.

Hat Tip: Moonbattery

Illegal immigrant prostitution ring busted in my backyard

I can't tell you how thrilled I was to read this story:

Federal authorities have busted a statewide sex trafficking ring in which Central American women said they were smuggled into Florida and forced into prostitution in Jacksonville and other cities.

The women were brought to Florida under the guise of getting work as maids or bartenders but were forced into prostitution at apartment complexes in Jacksonville, Tampa, Tallahassee and Orlando, according to an arrest affidavit signed by Senior Special Agent William Maxey of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

An indictment unsealed last week in Tallahassee said the women were rotated from city to city and required to have multiple sex acts with multiple partners every day. Federal prosecutors said the men promoted the prostitution ring with business cards and cell phones and kept the $30 per sex act the women were told to charge. The women were picked up in Texas, the indictment says.

A fifth man, also from Colombia, was convicted by a Tallahassee jury in May of seven related counts. Jorge Wilmar Melchor is awaiting sentencing Oct. 15.

Melchor was arrested in 2006 after two Guatemalan women fled his Tallahassee home and told a neighbor they were being forced to work as prostitutes. The women testified they were taken to apartment complexes populated by alien workers, said Melchor's attorney, Armando Garcia.

"My understanding of how this works is they service strictly the Latin community," Garcia said Tuesday.

Witnesses interviewed for Melchor's case told agents about others involved in human trafficking in other cities, including Carlos Andres Monsalve, who Maxey testified ran the organization from Tampa. He said Monsalve began smuggling women into the United States in 2005 and told them they had to work as prostitutes to pay his smuggling fees.

Also arrested were:

- Fabio Perez, a Colombian immigrant who witnesses said drove prostitutes to and from Jacksonville and ran the organization in Monsalve's absence;

- Jorge Enrique Londono, also known as Alvara Prado, who agents said formerly ran the Jacksonville end of the ring; and

- Luz Karime Ramos Teran, also known as La Negra, who prosecutors said housed women in Jacksonville.

A sixth defendant, whose name has been kept secret and who is cooperating with agents, told Maxey he normally met Londono and Perez between Jacksonville and Tampa for the purpose of exchanging prostitutes.

Garcia estimated about two dozen women were involved in the ring. He said he argued during Melchor's trial that the women were willing participants.

"He was a pimp. He was not a smuggler," Garcia said.

North Florida is already fast becoming a goldmine for drug traffickers, thanks in large part to the fact that it is pretty much a halfway point between Miami and Atlanta. And prostitution by no means is something new here, but an illegal immigrant prostitution ring -- especially one with women who are being abducted, trafficked, and then used as unwilling sex slaves? That makes me thrilled.

Of course, there's a simple way to fix this problem.

Deport. Them. All. Now.

Whether these women are willing participants or not (and I don't believe that they were), prostitution is still illegal. These men became criminals just by crossing the border, and then expounded upon that by creating a prostitution ring. They have ZERO right to remain in this country.

Illegal immigrants should be deported just for being in the country illegally, but once they become criminals, there's no reason to allow them to stay. The cost is too high.

The list of their victims grows longer every day, and even in post 9-11 America, our government does not seem to understand the importance of closing the borders and deporting illegal immigrants. They won't even deport the illegal immigrants who are criminals!

Will these men be slapped on the wrist and released back into society? The way our government handles these criminals, that's probably exactly what will happen. They'll do some jail time and will be released, to perhaps start up a new prostitution ring. Some might progress to trafficking drugs, raping, or murdering.

There are so many cases of illegal immigrants getting arrested for petty crimes, being released, and then going on to rape and kill innocent Americans all across the country.

How will the state of Florida handle these disgusting criminals?

If you haven't yet, visit Deport Them Now! and add your name. Let the government know that this game of catch-and-release needs to stop. NOW.

Actor pretends to choke; then actually chokes

Meanwhile, everyone else on the set tells him to quit screwing around as he gasps for breath.

Video of the Day

Warning: Do not watch this video if you've just eaten.

A hottie Swedish game show host blows chunks everywhere, and right afterwards blames it on her... painful menstruation. It's simultaneously hilarious and disturbing.

Enjoy, folks.



Hat Tip: Hot Air

MIT: Moonbats In Training

Pop quiz.

Let's say you're at Logan International Airport, the very same airport in which half of the 9-11 hijackers met on that fateful day to begin their carnage. You're minding your own business when someone walks by holding something in their hand that looks like C4 that is hooked up to something that looks like a circuit board on the back of their hoodie by a bunch of wires. The words "Socket To Me" are written on the back of the hoodie. She's also making a spectacle of herself while at the airport.

What would your first reaction be?

MIT's Star Simpson did just that, for "Career Day" at school (she had been wearing the ensemble to campus for the previous few days). She was then shocked when she was promptly surrounded by airport security wielding machine guns, and then found herself in jail.

Simpson told authorities she was “surprised” she landed in jail. After all, she wrote on her Web site that she spends her free time “saving the planet from evil villains” and loves “crazy ideas.”

There is absolutely nothing artistic about scaring people in public places, even if her father, Hugh Simpson, told the Maui News in Star’s native Hawaii that he was “proud” of his daughter. Then he boasted that his daughter went to a park after she was freed on $750 bail to “stretch her arms because she had been in a small room for hours and hours.”

I hope she gets used to it because stupidity is not an excuse for criminality; an “art project” to attract prospective employers that terrorizes perfect strangers should certainly be a deterrent from Star Simpson ever landing a job.

But, apparently, MIT does not see it that way. It seems that Simpson had worn her bizarre ensemble for days before she showed up at Logan airport with it. All part of Career Day, she later told cops. No one on campus thought it prudent to tell her to take it off, especially considering that it is just days past the six-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

MIT needs to throw Star Simpson off campus because her “crazy ideas” - such as wearing a hoax device at the airport where two of the planes left on that dark morning when 3,000 people were murdered in this country - are unacceptable. Her parents, who did not react with any sort of responsibility for the actions of their daughter, should forfeit any cash they paid for her tuition thus far.

Until the schools are taken to task in this town for allowing stupidity, such as thinking a fake bomb attached to a sweatshirt is art appropriate for Career Day, hardworking people in this state will continue to pay the price for over-privileged out-of-towners to use our city as their personal playgrounds.

Of course, moonbats are sympathetic, calling her an artist, someone courageous was just trying to take on "corrupt" politicians. They don't seem to realize showing up at an airport with a phony bomb is asking for trouble, especially when you are trying to draw attention to yourself.

Could it be she was seeking publicity???

No, no, that couldn't be it. It was just an experiment for Career Day at MIT, a school that apparently thought it ok for a girl to walk around with a phony bomb for days on end. If there's going to be another Virginia Tech massacre, it'll probably be at MIT if someone walking around with a phony bomb on their back raises no eyebrows and causes no alarms.

And how did moonbats respond to Michele McPhee's column in the Boston Herald exposing the attention whore for what she is?

Your just jealous because she has brains and you dont!

What is with editorialist reporter? Does she want to lick every cops buttons clean while she's foaming at the mouth with her populist pap. I want to know if anyone has ever seen her and Ed Anger of the Weekly World News in the same room together. If you're ever down at the Herald or WTTK you can spot her very easily she'll be the one wearing the Lector mask.

Lookit--time for the Herald to catch a clue. Nobody's buying your inane BS. Get over yourself and try, really try and write some news. It goes like htis: who, what, when, where and why. It does not go: BECAUSE I SAID SO. Now please explain to me exactly what journalism school Herald reporters are supposed to go to: The Helen Keller School of Journalism perhaps?

The scariest part of this whole situation is not the teenager who did a foolish thing. It is the cops and the security forces that did not know how to react to what they thought was a threatening situation. Boston authorities have twice now demonstrated that they cannot handle the responsibility given them.

Only a paranoid idiot could have thought that the device looked like a bomb. The girl's mistake was not realizing that Logan security is provided by paranoid gestapo.

Okay I get it. This column is performance art. You're trying to reflect the proudly belligerent ignorance of popular American thought. By pretending to be a shrill, reactionary moron and pretending you advocate the shooting death of this woman, you're subtly subverting the raw paranoid hysteria that gave us incidents like this, and the Mooninite fiasco. Well played, sir or madam. I almost believed you actually WERE the stupid, sheltered harpy who "wrote" this piece. Nice art project.

I'm getting kind of tired of the country's most cowardly people wetting their pants and reducing our civil liberties because they're afraid of terrorists. The best was to deal with terrorists is to get them, just like we did Osama bin Laden. Oh. That's right, mission unaccomplished. We lose something like 50,000 people a year in traffic accidents, and the worst restrictions on our personal freedoms from that are having to pay more for safer cars and to wear seat belts. But with terrorists, instead we let the whiny namby-pambys and momma's boys (and girls) act our their unreasonable fears and "change our world." Cripes people, buck up and realize that the fear-mongers are doing precisely what terrorists want!

And on and on and on.

It isn't fear mongering for police to take something like this seriously. She may well have simply been a stupid kid, but what is the alternative? What if she hadn't just been some stupid kid and really did have a bomb, but police just looked at her and thought, "Oh, that's just some kid being stupid?"

Simpson got into MIT, so obviously she's an intelligent girl. I highly doubt that she had no idea what kind of reaction this would cause, and injecting fear into people just for the hell of it is inexcusable. She deserved to go to jail, and if MIT had any kind of common sense at all, they'd expel her. But, in all likelihood, she'll return to the college as a celebrated "artist" without facing any repercussions for her actions whatsoever.



Hat Tip: Moonbattery

I have joined the Dark Side

Of haircolor, anyways.



Thoughts??

Scores for the weekend

Who here knows that I'm a HUGE football fan?

No one?

Yeah, I wasn't paying attention at the start of football season and forgot all about my plan to be updating scores throughout the season. But I am. Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays are football days. I'm a huge Gators fan (the team who just won three national titles, beat Ole Miss Saturday, and is number three in the rankings, just so you know), and also a huge Jaguars fan. I alternately bleed orange and blue; or black and teal. I started my writing career in sports journalism, covering football, hockey, baseball, golf, the Super Bowl... I loved all of it.

So, with that all that said, here are some snapshots from the games yesterday. Tonight I'll update with the score for the Monday Night game, and sorry for the brain fart making me two weeks late. :(

Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears: 34-10
This brings the Cowboys to 3-0, one of the few undefeated teams left in the league, and the first time they've been 3-0 since 1999. The Bears had a tough night all around, with former Florida quarterback (I am sad to say) Rex Grossman not seeing much improvement in his play. He threw three interceptions and was sacked twice, but the rest of the team wasn't much help with fumbles and dropped passes left and right. The Bears drop to 1-2.

New York Giants at Washington Redskins: 24-17
The Giants defense ended up winning the game for them with an incredible last-second stand, surprising for a defense which has been one of the worst in the league the first two weeks. But with only :58 to go and the Redskins on the 1-yard-line with 1st and goal, the game hung in the balance of the defense creating a near-impossible goal line stand. But they hung in there, and the Giants celebrated an incredible win. This game also set an attendance record at FedEx Field with a crowd of over 90,000. This game brings the Giants to 1-2, and the Redskins to 2-1.

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: 27-20
The Panthers lost their starting quarterback, and Joey Harrington played well, but Atlanta handed them a win with penalties, bringing them to 2-1. Pro Bowler DeAngelo Hall gave up 67 yards in three penalties, letting the Panthers edge out a win. Hall also got into it with his own coach and had to be dragged off by his teammates! Offensively, Atlanta executed well enough, but they're obviously feeling the loss of Michael Vick. Harrington is showing that he's determined to show what he's got though, throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns. Penalties killed the Falcons in this game, handing them their worst start since 1999 and sinking them to 0-3.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos: 23-14
The Jaguars showed why we had the number two runningback duo in the league last season in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew when they ran all over the Broncos yesterday. They started off the game with the longest drive in team history, with 18 plays, 80 yards, and just shy of 12 minutes leading to a touchdown. It set the tone for the day, and the Broncos just couldn't keep up with the Jaguars' surprising offense. I say surprising because we've always staked our reputation on having one of the toughest defenses in the league, but Sunday, that wasn't the case. The defense took a backseat to the offense, and the Jaguars and the Broncos both walked away 2-1.

Cincinnati Bengals at Seattle Seahawks: 21-24
The Seahawks needed a win today, and they managed scrape one by to take them 2-1. The Bengals, like the Falcons, pretty much handed them the win when the Bengals defense couldn't stand up. The Bengals offense landed 412 yards of offense -- almost twice what the Seahawks netted -- but they just couldn't pull off the win. Rookie Josh Wilson had an amazing 72-yard kickoff return to the Cincinnati 24 in the fourth, setting up a pass from Hasselbeck to Engram for an 18-yard touchdown. The Bengals fall to 1-2.

Cleveland Browns at Oakland Raiders: 24-26
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan tricked the Raiders into a win last week, and Raiders coach Lane Kiffin decided to try it, calling a time out right before Browns kicker Phil Dawson lined up to score a game-winning goal. It paid off, with a block from Tommy Kelly, giving the Raiders the win and giving them a record of 1-2. Kiffin is the youngest coach in the NFL at 32, and this was his first win. The Browns also had an incredible 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but the offense overall was lacking, and they went home 1-2.

San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers: 24-31
Brett Favre is one of the most humble quarterbacks you'll find, but this weekend his win was almost overshadowed by his new record. Favre threw his 420th career touchdown, bringing him even with Dan Marino. Last week, he got his 149th win as a starter, passing John Elway and tying with center Mike Tingelhoff. The Chargers, meanwhile, are probably regretting firing Marty Schottenheimer right about now, as even last season's MVP LaDainian Tomlinson couldn't and an outstanding game by Philip Rivers couldn't save them. The Packers left the game undefeated, while the Chargers are at 1-2.

Arizona Cardinals at Baltimore Ravens: 23-26
After Matt Leinart left the game, Kurt Warner rallied the Cardinals from a 17-point deficit, but it was too late. Matt Stover kicked a field goal as the game ended, giving the Ravens a narrow lead to bring them to 2-1. McNair played well while he did play, but his injury began to catch up to him, so Kyle Boller came in. The fourth quarter was a battle of the backups, giving an exciting game to fans. The Cardinals are getting better every year, despite their loss, and may still become a contender, and no longer be an easy pushover team. The Cardinals' record is now 1-2.

St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3-24
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rode the leftovers of Tony Dungy's superior coaching to a Super Bowl win, and since then have been almost dismal. They're seemingly reinventing themselves, however, and their defense is showing that this team may begin to have what it takes. The Rams, meanwhile, have been sacked by injuries and obviously struggled all day offensively. St. Louis remains winless, while Tampa Bay leaves at 2-1.

San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers: 16-37
The Steelers remain undefeated, even without tough-as-nails head coach Bill Cowher. When I heard he was leaving, I wondered how the Steelers would fare, because Cowher had become synonymous with the team. However, new coach Mike Tomlin is proving that he has the potential to be just as good. For three weeks now, the Steelers have been practically error-free. They allowed no big plays, but the 49ers also let dozens of opportunities slip away, giving the Steelers an easy win, and giving the 49ers a record of 2-1.

Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles: 21-56
When I saw the score for this game, my jaw dropped. Literally. Donovan McNabb silenced any doubts critics may have had, and Brian Westbrook had a total of over 200 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with injured ribs. Jon Kitna threw for a franchise-record 446 yards, but it wasn't enough for Philadelphia's powerhouse offense, defense, and special teams. The Eagles outplayed the Lions on every single front. The Eagles are now 1-2, and the Lions are 2-1.

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets: 28-31
Chad Pennington showed he was over his injury by throwing for two touchdowns, and celebrating wildly in the end zone after the third as the Jets brought their record to 1-2. Coach Cam Cameron has reason to be nervous, as he is off to the worst start for a first-year Miami coach since George Wilson dropped his opening five games in 1966. Even as the Dolphins tried to mount a comeback, the Jets stayed calm and held on for the win. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are still winless.

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: 7-38
I look at this game as a preview of what is to come when the Bills play the Jaguars here in Jacksonville in November (wink, wink). In all seriousness though, the Patriots showed that they can rise above scandal and play flawlessly to remain undefeated. It didn't help the Bills any that they, too, were sacked by injuries, missing three defensive starters. They then QB Losman in the first quarter, and in the second, Paul Posluszny broke his left forearm. The Bills have yet to win a game this season.

Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs: 10-13
Larry Johnson has yet to shake off the rust from the offseason, so the Chiefs had to take to the air, especially since the Vikings seemed to know that the Chiefs wanted to ram the ball down their throats. Minnesota coach Brad Childress described the game as a tale of two halves. Kelly Holcomb started for the Vikings, as many suspected he would, and rookie Adrian Peterson had a productive day with about 150 yards total. The Chiefs still edged out a victory though, bringing both teams to 1-2.

Indianapolis Colts at Houstan Texans: 30-24
I expected the Colts to trounce the Texans in this game, but obviously I was wrong. The Texans, although they did lose, showed that they are a force to be reckoned with, and are capable of defeating teams other than the Jaguars. They lost three offensive starters, though, and Cedric Killings was sent to the hospital with a neck injury. Joseph Addai, meanwhile, ran for two touchdowns and kicker Adam Vinatieri gave the Colts three field goals to edge out a win over the Texans. And of course, Peyton Manning was the sole reason for the Colts success as always (please sense the sarcasm). The Texans are 2-1, and the Colts remain undefeated.

Coming Tonight: Tennessee Titans at New Orlean Saints.

Apes blamed for crime spree

I saw that headline and thought, this has gotta be good.

And lo and behold, the story didn't disappoint.

South Africa's crime problem has taken a new twist.

A gang of baboons is being blamed for a series of break-ins.

The chacma baboons, which live wild in the Cape peninsula, have been raiding people's homes for food and causing thousands of pounds in damage.

"People here are getting very angry," Dr Peter Kirsh said, as a baboon strutted along the street beneath his balcony.

"They get into the kitchens, they know where the fridge is, they open it and take everything, and then they defecate everywhere."

Dr Kirsch is just one of many victims of "baboon crime" in the Cape Peninsula.

"I put these bars on my windows," John Lourens says, gripping the metal. "But still, the next thing I knew I had a baboon in my living room."

The residents say the "invasions" happen almost daily and claim the baboons are aggressive as they search for food.

Hundreds have signed a petition demanding that the animals be moved to a nature reserve. Some have gone even further and shot at them.

The chacma baboons in the Cape are a protected species but, to the alarm of conservationists, at least twenty out of the population of 350 have been killed in the past two years.

"Tammy lost her leg because her femur was shattered by a bullet," Jenni Trethowan told me, pointing out a three legged female hopping through the Cape scrub with her tiny baby.

Ms Trethowan runs an organisation called Baboon Matters, which aims to educate people about the animals and reduce conflict.

She employs a team of monitors who try to herd the baboon troops out of the villages and into the mountains, where instead of dining on supermarket food they eat a more natural diet of berries and leaves.

She admits it doesn't always work but says that the residents should enjoy their visitors rather than harming them. "As humans we are privileged to be living alongside these animals," she said.

I can only imagine how bad it is to have baboons eating all your food and crapping all over your house, but... you kind of can't help but laugh. Just a little.

In all seriousness though, I love Ms. Trethowan's quote.

"As humans we are privileged to be living alongside these animals."

Yes... what an incredible privilege for those people to be living alongside baboons who wreck their houses, eat all their food, crap all over the place, and generally cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. They are SO LUCKY! Maybe I can get the Jacksonville Zoo to release some of their monkeys so that us Floridians can be equally lucky.

Sometimes, I just don't get the envirokooks at all.

DailyKos: How to Build an IED 101

First of all, remember that we are never, ever to question their patriotism.

DailyKos diarist boilerman10 has posted a new diary explaining how to build an IED (the actual information on how to make an IED will not be reproduced here):

Now, what is the I.E.D.? Improvised explosive devices of the type generally spoken of in the news stories are usually a charge of RDX or other easy to handle and mold plastic explosive arranged in one of three general ways. As either a bomb proper for explosive effect, perhaps containing scraps of metal for shrapnel effect as well, or as a Claymore type device to spew shrapnel in a specific direction, or as a shaped charge device for highly localized explosive effect against heavy structures, vehicles, or other hard cased target.

The so-called "sophisticated" IED the press gets all foamy about is the shaped charge device. Making one of these is so easy a cave man can do it. There are two basic forms: 1, rectagular; and 2, circular. Circular is more common. The rectangular form is sometimes used for explosive cutting of heavy plate steel, or rock slab shearing. It is very effective for linear splitting and cutting. To make one of these quickly...

Now before anyone worries that we are conducting bomb making class for Kossacks please be aware that anyone STUPID enough to try this at home deserves fully what the government will do to them! The diary is illustrative of how simple it is to make horrifying devices it is not for backyard "enthusiasts" nor for any other purpose beyond illustrating the simplicity of IED making!

Yes, he is simply trying to illustrate how easy it is to make the horrifying device, but he urges that no one actually make any. I guess if someone reads the diary who might have been contemplating setting one off, the fact that Boilerman10 said you shouldn't will stop them in their tracks!

He also whines that monitoring Iran is just an excuse for Bush to attack Iran, that innocent country that would never help arm insurgents in Iraq that are fighting our soldiers. Iran would never want to cause harm to us, the United States, the Great Satan!

In any case, this isn't exactly new territory (Bowling for Columbine, anyone?), but all the same, it's usually liberals that don't seem to have a problem with making information like this -- you know, the kind that can cause death, destruction, and mayhem -- more easily available for terrorists and murderers.

Hat Tip: Hot Air

Madeleine sighted in Morocco?

The world has been captivated by the case of missing Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal months ago. The case recently took a disturbing twist when Portugese officials named her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, suspects.

But now, there have been two independent sightings of Madeleine in Marakesh, Morocco. Could Maddie still be alive?

A SECOND witness told police he ALSO spotted missing tot Madeleine McCann in MOROCCO, the News of the World can reveal.

A British man saw a young girl closely resembling four-year-old Madeleine in Marrakech, just YARDS from where she was sighted the same day. And his account was made BEFORE news of the strikingly similar report by Norwegian Mari Pollard became public — and will renew pressure for a fuller search for the lost toddler in Morocco.

Crucially, both sightings were in the same location in the city of Marrakech on May 9 — and at around the same time of day.

According to our source, he saw the girl alone, close to the Ibis hotel — just across the road from the petrol station where Mrs Pollard saw a girl she thought was Madeleine. The source added: "When the man, who is from Yorkshire, arrived home from Morocco he saw Madeleine's picture and was convinced he had seen her. "He reported the sighting to police and the Leicestershire force passed this on to the Moroccan and Portuguese authorities. Maybe it's the same girl, but the authorities have not yet been able to establish whether it was Madeleine. It is significant that the man made his report unaware of the other sighting. So we have TWO independent sightings in the SAME place."

Mrs Pollard, 45, insisted she was "100 per cent certain" she had seen Madeleine at the garage on the morning of May 9 — six days after the youngster vanished from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

The Norwegian, who was staying at the Ibis hotel with her British husband Raymond, was at the Afriquia garage when she saw a blonde girl standing near a man in his late 30s. The girl was asking him in English: "When can I see Mummy?"

News of the second witness in Morocco comes just days after Portuguese police admitted they are now considering all options, including that Madeleine could have been abducted.

The McCanns, both 39-year-old doctors from Rothley, Leics, have been named as suspects in the case by Portuguese police. The cops have leaked stories suggesting the couple sedated and accidentally killed Madeleine, then got friends to help cover it up. Heartbroken Gerry and Kate have always insisted their daughter was kidnapped, and the latest witness account adds weight to this theory.

Last night, a source close to the family said: "The significance of this sighting is that it was reported at the same time as the one by the Norwegian woman. This shows the person did not come forward as a result of publicity about the Norwegian witness, but is entirely independent. The fact that there are two separate sightings of a young girl looking like Madeleine in the same area, at the same time, give a great of deal of weight to this line of inquiry. Gerry and Kate are encouraged by this news and are fully aware it is significant."

Morocco has a reputation as a haven for paedophiles and its close proximity to Portugal and Spain immediately caught the attention of the McCanns.

It seems unlikely to me that Madeleine would still be alive after all this time, but perhaps it could be true. Two independent sightings in the same area at the same time can't be ignored, and maybe Maddie can still come home safe.

New York lets illegals get drivers licenses

Get that? The state that was the site of the worst terror attack in United States history is letting illegal aliens get drivers licenses now.

They were celebrating outside the governor's office Friday as Eliot Spitzer handed a landmark victory to a half-million illegal immigrants.

The state will no longer require proof of citizenship for driver's licenses.

"We're changing our policy with respect to getting more people out of shadows and into the system so people don't hide they're here," Spitzer said.

He said the current restrictions on non-citizens have filled the roads with unlicensed drivers five times more likely to get into accidents. But he also called it a matter of justice. "As long as I'm governor we won't pretend they don't exist, cut them off from society," Spitzer said.

But the action triggered a bitter response from some 9/11 family members, who said the governor would be providing identification for potential terrorists. And a Brooklyn state senator says he'll try to overturn the decision.

"This governor has chosen to give the keys to the city, the keys to the state to terrorism," Golden said.

As for the public, it's clear that people have strong feelings on both sides of the issue.

"I don’t think if you're here illegally you should have the same privileges people who are here legally do," office manager Cliff Hoffman said. Added legal word processor Bill Slater: "I think illegal people are getting a free ride. I don't think it's fair to other hard-working citizens who do work hard."

Planning consultant John Madden said the move is also a pre-emptive strike against another type of potentially hazardous driver. "The problem is they're gonna drive anyway," Madden said. "You might as well make them legal drivers with insurance."

The new rules will start to kick in at the end of the year, unless someone finds a way to put a halt to them.

Under the new policy, the Department of Motor Vehicles will accept foreign passports and birth certificates from immigrants as proof of identification. They will no longer need to provide a Social Security card.

Well gee, why don't we just hand them a few 747s while we're at it?

You would think that New York would have learned the lesson of what terrorism can do to our country more than anyone else, but Governor Spitzer has decided that the best way to handle illegal aliens is to hand them legal identification to make it easier for them to attack the country.

Not to mention that illegal aliens, are, well, illegal. He says he won't cut them off from society, but that's exactly what he should do. If they aren't prepared to come here through legal channels like the millions of legal immigrants before them have, then they shouldn't be here. They have no rights. Period.

Then there's also the effect that illegal aliens are having on the overall well-being of the cities and counties they're taking over, like New York's own Westchester and Putnam counties, as an example. Public drunkenness and urinating have become the norm, as liberal moonbats agreed with illegal aliens who sued the city of Mamaroneck to stop police officers from asking them if they were here legally and trying to get them to move along rather than be wasted in the streets, claiming it was discrimination.

But, to moonbat Governor Spitzer, none of that matters. Safety of New York citizens, overall well-being of the cities and counties of New York, following our country's laws -- that's all irrelevant. The most important thing is that illegal aliens get their way.

Hat Tip: Moonbattery

Weekend Pictures

Remember the baby news about two months back?

Well, here's some new pictures of my beautiful baby sister Francesca for the weekend.

Christian entertainers take a stand

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about Kathy Griffin's anti-Christian remarks:

"Artists" lately define good art as anything that offends the mainstream, so taking cheap shots at Christianity is an easy choice. We see it all the time -- urine laced crucifixes, a dung-covered Mary, a naked chocolate Jesus, so on and so forth.

Just out of curiosity: what do you think the backlash will be for this remark? Will outraged Christians write letters calling for Kathy Griffin's head? Will we see protests and rioting from those enraged in the name of Christ? Will members of her show step forward to make clear that they don't support her remarks, as they surely would had she insulted a "protected" minority?

Somehow, I doubt it.

Let's just pretend for a second. Let's pretend we removed the name "Jesus" from her lovely little speech and let's insert the name "Mohammad".

Now let's imagine what the response would be. Griffin would be chastised as a bigot. CAIR would be calling for public apologies and tolerance seminars, and I'm sure we'd see Muslims rioting and calling for much more than a public apology.

So why go for something like that? It's so much easier to take a pot shot at Christians. They won't fight back.

Well, color me surprised, but some Christians are actually taking a stand.

The Miracle Theatre in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee made headlines a few days ago when they took out a full-page ad in USA Today criticizing Griffin's remarks:

Dear America,
We are the actors, singers, dancers, crew and managers of The Miracle Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We are proud to stand on stage every night and use our God-given talents to portray the life and the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We, along with thousands of other Christians in the entertainment industry, know our talents do come from God, and we take offense when His name is battered and bruised by people through the media.

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was mocked and few stood up for Him. We at The Miracle Theater consider it an honor to stand for Jesus today. We may never win a national award. We may never be household names. We may never be seen in Hollywood. Although others may choose to use their national platform to slander our God, we are honored as professional entertainers to stand for Christ.

They've also created a petition with the lofty goal of one million signatures, asking Christians to say enough is enough and stand firm against religious slander, bias, and bigotry.

I decided to speak to one of the players of the Miracle Theatre, Daniel Stargel, about the petition and the ad, and why the theatre decided to stand up against Griffin's remarks.

Cassy Fiano: Daniel, thanks for speaking with me today. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Daniel Stargel: I'm from Central Florida and have lived there most of my life. I grew up going to church and Sunday school, listening to the stories. For me, it was the thing to do. My parents did it, my friends did it. As I got a little older I started understanding more of what the stories meant, and that they weren't just stories. I personally made a decision to become a follower of Jesus when I was in high school. I'm in no way saying I am perfect. I admit that sometimes my own mistakes and indifference is contrary to what I believe. I studied vocal music in college, and found I had a bit of a knack for it. I worked for a time at a Christian ministry in Orlando, using my talents and sharing my faith there before auditioning and being hired to come to Pigeon Forge and work at the Miracle.

CF: What is the Miracle Theatre and what do you do there?
DS: Our show is a two and a half hour passion type drama starting with the Creation, the falling of Lucifer from heaven, finishing with the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. It is a Biblical take on the battle between good and evil. I am one of two guys who alternates portraying Jesus in the show.

CF: What was your response, as a Christian, to Kathy Griffin's remarks?
DS: Let me first say that this is not about Kathy. She made comments, and yes, I was offended by those comments. I wasn't watching it live, but when I heard it I thought, "What did she say?" She started by poking fun at people accepting awards and flippantly thanking Jesus, but then to come to the conclusion that that is Jesus' fault? And then to address Him in such an offensive way was unsettling. It really is just a small picture of what is going on with a lot of thinking in our culture. That nothing is sacred, and there is this kind of selective tolerance. The stress here is not about a particular comedian, but it's about a culture. There should be a mutual tolerance. There's a lot of talk about the need for tolerance, but it's rarely practiced. True tolerance is based on respect, and you should respect other people's viewpoints.

CF: Tell me about the ad in USA Today.
DS: It's a full page ad informing people of the comments made and a response directed to America. It has a picture of our cast and a statement of what we are standing for. The ad was our way to say in the same scope that the other's comments were made that we believe in Jesus. It's not directed at any one person in particular... We see ourselves as people in need of mercy and forgiveness as much as others and we wanted to stand up for people of faith everywhere, and say that there is a line of respect that should not be crossed. This is not an attack against Kathy or her jokes. This is making a statement in favor of Jesus on the same national scope that the comments in question were made. I mean, is it more appropriate to defend a comedian I like than defend a religious ideal I sincerely believe in? It is also a stand in our culture to say that there are things that are held sacred and shouldn't be the object of ridicule. It is a matter of respect and I firmly believe that people that hear of this and read this can identify the lack of respect shown. It's also not only a stand for Christianity, but for other faiths as well. People of faiths should not be ashamed of what they believe in.

CF: Whose decision was it to run the ad?
DS: It was the decision of our cast, crew, management, the theater as a whole. The Christian community doesn't have the opportunities many times to state our beliefs and stand for them on this level. Unfortunately, we have to pay to get a voice on a national level. It's funny because some people have called us extremists. We really are just a group of normal people who are in the entertainment industry and who share common beliefs in Jesus and our need for Him.

CF: And whose idea was the petition? Who will the petition be sent to?
DS: There were those who wanted to join us in the statement we were making. By starting a petition, it allows us to invite others around the country to stand with us and communicate to Hollywood and other medias that there are things in our culture that should be respected and held sacred. How long do you remain silent before you stand up to be heard? How bad does it have to get? Unfortunately, we had to take out an ad to be heard on a national level because our viewpoint isn't one stated in the media a lot. Anyone who is interested in joining with us can go to www.miracletheater.com and follow the links. There is also a copy of the first ad there as well!

CF: Do you feel it is overly judgemental to criticize Kathy Griffin's remarks?
DS: We are not judging her, we are disagreeing with her. A lot of papers are saying that we are irate and mad. If so, we must be the happiest people on earth. Of course we wish the comments had not been made, but it has opened up dialogue. We do not hate her, we are not judging her, condemning her, or anything like that. We know that as people we also make mistakes, and we are doing this to take a positive stand for what we believe in: that we believe in Jesus and that there are things that should be treated as sacred in our culture.

CF: Do you think that Christians are just being too sensitive over a joke?
DS: If someone went in front of a national audience and said something demeaning to your mom, dad, grandma whoever, would you not be offended? We are saying that we are offended by statements that were made, not about a close family member, but someone we look to in faith and we are standing up for those beliefs. Again, aren't there things in our culture to be held in high esteem?

CF: What would you say to those who that she was just exercizing her free speech?
DS: Of course she was. The discussion is not about what someone can say, it is about what someone should say. Not one of us is asking for censorship or to limit anyone's freedoms. Those involve governments and rules. We are exercizing our same right to free speech so why would we want to limit those rights? Not everything should be said though. There are those things that are sacred and worth respecting. We want our culture to know that we believe in Jesus and that people of all faiths would appreciate a second thought by Hollywood and the media before they dishonor our beliefs.

CF: What would you say that your end gain is?
DS: To have this discussion. First off to let people know that as a group of entertainers, we believe in Jesus and the hope and love He has shown each one of us. On a small scale we hope that people are encouraged to speak out respectfully for what they believe and make a difference in their sphere of influence. And ultimately we want Hollywood and our world to know that people of faith want our beliefs treated with respect in the public forum. There used to be a time in our culture when you used to not say offensive things out of mutual respect. Now in our culture it is ok to say and do offensive things. We are making this stand for Jesus, because we believe in Him, and we acknowledge our own need of Him in our lives, but we're also making the stand to bring back a sense of decorum into our culture, and respect for other people's beliefs.

I personally feel that Daniel's remarks were dead-on. As I said, just because you can say something does not mean you should. It's always funny how liberals bleat about the need for tolerance, but revel in their lack of tolerance for things that regular Americans across the country hold sacred, like Christianity. It's refreshing to see a group of people stand up for their beliefs in such a respectful, civil way.

For more information on the Miracle Theatre, you can visit their website. You can view the USA Today ad there, as well as sign the petition.

Leave of Absence

To my readers:

I have to take a temporary leave of absence due to a family emergency. I'm sorry I haven't been able to do any blogging the past few days, but I should be back to blogging full-time by Wednesday.

Thanks for reading,
Cassy

Remembering 9-11

Today is the six-year anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in our nation's history, and I honestly had no idea how best to remember it. I could come up with a sappy poem, I could write tearful rememberances. But my mind honestly draws a blank as to how exactly you can put into words the multitude of feelings surrounding 9-11.

I still remember exactly where I was when it happened. I was a senior in high school, sitting in math class in a seat across the aisle from where I normally sat. I was sitting sideways in it to face my friend Tim, and we chatted as we waited for the teacher to start class. An announcement came on the intercom, telling all faculty to turn on "the news". We watched in disbelief the horrifying attack, not quite realizing what happened. Tim and I wondered how it was a pilot could fly into a building, never really comprehending exactly what this meant -- until the second plane hit. The room went dead silent, and each student suddenly realized that our country was being attacked. The events of the day unfolded, with the heroism of the passengers on Flight 93 and another plane flying into the Pentagon. The next two days were a blur of grief and shock; classes were unofficially cancelled. We spent our time watching news reports, waiting to see any updates. They were days of tears, grief, and hope, all intermingled into one confusing ball of emotions. I cried watching people jump out of burning buildings; cried as I listened to phone calls from passengers on the planes telling husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, that they loved them one last time. My heart swelled with pride watching the heroism and selflessness of the many people who worked hard with no concern for their own safety at Ground Zero to save the lives of others. No one I knew was injured or killed in the attacks, but listening to the stories of countless innocent civilians or quiet heroes connected me to them, and I wept at the loss of those lives. Eventually, it became clear who the culprit was, and the nation was united in what we had to do. At my high school, we tried to pitch in the best way we could -- blood drives, donations, etc. Many of my friends joined the military after graduating, wanting to fight back against the terrorists who committed such a heinous act.

In one day, everything changed. And I knew that it would never be the same.

Now, six years later, the nation has seemingly forgotten. We've forgotten why we're fighting, who we're fighting, and what we're fighting for. While some of us stand firm behind the daunting task before us, others are more content to sympathize with our enemies. Some of us refuse to submit and refuse to forget, while others want to subject Americans to lives of dhimmitude, blaming the United States for the crime committed against her rather than the bloodthirsty terrorists bent on world domination. Some Americans love and support our courageous men and women in uniform, and others want to cut their funding; attack recruiting offices; spit on them and call them baby-killers; and on and on. Some understand that Al-Qaeda has issued a jihad against us and won't stop until they're defeated, while others think diplomacy with alleviate their bloodlust.

Patriotism is denounced by liberals as jingoism. Wanting to close the border is called bigotry. Playing Janeane Garofalo audio books and Christina Aguilera albums for terrorists is considered cruel. And many of us are left wondering how perceptions changed so dramatically in just six short years.

On September 11, 2001, the nation woke up. We understood, for a brief period of time, what it was that we were up against. And now, some of us have fallen back asleep. Some of us have forgotten. Some of us have become complacent. What will it take for the country to remember? What will it take for the country to wake up again?

Michelle Malkin reminds us:



That's Lan astaslem, Arabic for I will not submit/surrender. Will you submit? Will you surrender?

They haven't given up. There's no question in my mind that if we do, we will see another 9-11 happen. It may not be a problem we have to deal with; it may be one for our children, or our grandchildren. But it will resurface again if we stick our collective head in the sand and hope they go away. We have to be strong. We have to be united.

Never forget.
Never surrender.

Joking banned at OSU

In the interest of forcing diversity down students' throats, Ohio State University has banned jokes, in a slightly chilling "Diversity Statement":

Diversity is a cornerstone of community at The Ohio State University. The Office of University Housing defines the concept as an inclusive mixture of all the differences that make the individuals at The Ohio State University unique. Through exposure, critical thinking, appreciation and interactions within our residence halls and larger university communities our goal is to empower students, staff, faculty and friends. In this, we attempt to learn from the wide array of human similarities and differences in an increasingly diverse world.

Our goals are to:

Increase sensitivity to differences through exposure, dialogue, and personal reflection

Address thoughtlessness that may limit our efforts

Maintain a talented and qualified staff with a commitment and conviction toward diversity.

One of the most important components of your college education is learning to respect and appreciate the lifestyles, values, ideas, cultures, and backgrounds of others you encounter. The residence hall communities at The Ohio State University are rich in the diversity of the communities. As a student in our community, you are asked to be respectful of these differences:

Do not joke about differences related to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, ability,
socioeconomic background, etc.

Do not use obscene words or gestures. Oftentimes these are unwelcome and offensive to students in your community.

Listen to other students living in your floor community. If a person indicates that a behavior or action is offensive, you should stop the behavior immediately.

Actively challenge the stereotypes you have of others. Use your time to consider the new experiences you are having at The Ohio State University, instead of relying upon the past evaluations you have had of others.

When in doubt about the impact of your words or actions, simply ask.

It is the responsibility of any student in the residence halls to report incidents of racial or other discrimination or harassment to residence hall staff.

See, diversity and tolerance are the most important things in the world, even if it means stifling First Amendment rights!

For this, FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) has just awarded OSU the Speech Code of the Month:

FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for September 2007: The Ohio State University.

The Office of University Housing at Ohio State, a public university, maintains a Diversity Statement that severely restricts what students in Ohio State's residence halls can and cannot say.

The Diversity Statement also contains another, quite cryptic, prohibition: "Words, actions, and behaviors that inflict or threaten infliction of bodily or emotional harm, whether done intentionally or with reckless disregard, are not permitted." Could anyone at Ohio State actually explain what this prohibition means? How exactly does one threaten to inflict emotional harm? Would that mean shouting, "Hey you! Get out of here or I'm going to hurt your feelings..."? The problem with a prohibition like this one is that it is unconstitutionally vague. The Supreme Court has held that to avoid vagueness, a regulation must "give the person of ordinary intelligence a reasonable opportunity to know what is prohibited, so that he may act accordingly." Grayned v. City of Rockford, 408 U.S. 104, 108 (1972). It is safe to say that no reasonable person can figure out exactly what this sentence prohibits.

For these reasons, The Ohio State University is our September 2007 Speech Code of the Month.

So, out of curiosity, how does one know when a joke is considered hurtful? Are blonde jokes out? Are all those great Gators vs. Buckeyes videos gone? This gives plenty of students license to point the finger at someone for whatever they want; but when someone can get in trouble for saying something "hurtful", there's too much doubt that can come into play. It becomes a he said-she said situation. Unless students are forced to carry around recording devices 24 hours a day, how can you really prove someone was making a -- gasp! -- offensive joke? And what if someone misinterprets a phrase or a joke? And what will the punishment be for making said offensive jokes?

Here's an even bigger question: where is that bastion of free speech, the ACLU? My guess is they're probably agreeing with OSU on this one. After all, it's done in the name of tolerance and diversity, so it's perfectly fine to trample on the free speech rights of OSU students.

I'm sure that OSU administrators have good intentions. I doubt they're sitting in their offices, cackling that they're going to make 1984 a reality. But all the same... the road to hell is still paved with good intentions.

Hat Tip: Moonbattery

Suck It, Jesus

So says Kathy Griffin upon receiving an Emmy award (emphasis mine):

The My Life on the D List star took home a creative arts Emmy on Saturday for best reality program.

“A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this. He had nothing to do with this,” Griffin said in her acceptance speech. “Suck it, Jesus. This award is my God now.”

Ah, celebutards. So original and creative, aren't they? "Artists" lately define good art as anything that offends the mainstream, so taking cheap shots at Christianity is an easy choice. We see it all the time -- urine laced crucifixes, a dung-covered Mary, a naked chocolate Jesus, so on and so forth.

Just out of curiosity: what do you think the backlash will be for this remark? Will outraged Christians write letters calling for Kathy Griffin's head? Will we see protests and rioting from those enraged in the name of Christ? Will members of her show step forward to make clear that they don't support her remarks, as they surely would had she insulted a "protected" minority?

Somehow, I doubt it.

Let's just pretend for a second. Let's pretend we removed the name "Jesus" from her lovely little speech and let's insert the name "Mohammad".

Now let's imagine what the response would be. Griffin would be chastised as a bigot. CAIR would be calling for public apologies and tolerance seminars, and I'm sure we'd see Muslims rioting and calling for much more than a public apology.

But, why go for something like that? It's so much easier to take a pot shot at Christians. They won't fight back.

Now, let me just make one thing clear. I don't believe in someone being censored just because their point of view may be offensive. I do, however, believe in common sense and respect for others. Just because you can say something doesn't mean you should.

It's too bad Kathy Griffin can't understand that simple concept, and can so easily disrespect the faith of millions.

I never thought this day would come

I actually agree with Markos Moulitsas on something.

The blogosphere is buzzing over WaPo columnist Richard Cohen's lame attempt at humor, and frankly, a rather pathetic shot at bloggers:

A survey of political bloggers showed that 94 percent of them had never been out of the country or read anything other than a Harry Potter book.

There are a lot of different sites commenting on this, but frankly, I loved Markos Moulitsas' response the most (please excuse the language!):

Remember Richard Cohen?

First, let me state my credentials: I am a funny guy. This is well known in certain circles, which is why, even back in elementary school, I was sometimes asked by the teacher to "say something funny" -- as if the deed could be done on demand. This, anyway, is my standing for stating that Stephen Colbert was not funny at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.

Ignore the fact that the guy who has to declare "I am a funny guy" never is (Stephen Colbert has never said the words, "I am a funny guy"). Let's just see that sense of humor in action:

A survey of political bloggers showed that 94 percent of them had never been out of the country or read anything other than a Harry Potter book.

He's right! He's fucking hilarious!

It never really surprises me to see beltway journalists taking cheap shots at bloggers, and especially political bloggers. We're their competition. Newspaper sales are dwindling lower and lower, and less and less people are tuning into the big networks. Meanwhile, sites like Daily Kos, Hot Air, and Instapundit, and bloggers like Michelle Malkin, are seeing their hits climb higher and higher and higher. Beltway journalists hate us for that, because the blogosphere is becoming a force to be reckoned with, and the only way they know to deal with it is by taking cheap shots at us.

For the record, I have never been out of the country, no. In my own defense, I'm 23, and not exactly wealthy enough to be able to take off on a vacation overseas whenever I choose, although I am planning a trip next year. And there are so many places I want to go: Egypt, Italy, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, India, Thailand, Australia, Greece... I could go on and on.

And as for reading, yes, I have read the Harry Potter books, but that by far is not indicative of the contents of my library at home. I started reading at four years old, and got yelled at in school all the time for propping up books behind my textbook. I'm an avid reader; everything from political non-fiction to Harry Potter to suspense to historical fiction. If you looked in my apartment, you'd see books everywhere. I love to read. I honestly couldn't tell you how many books I read every year; it'd be hard to keep track.

But, then again, what do we bloggers know? We're uncultured ignoramuses. Maybe Cohen would work with Pat Schroeder on his next column.

Others commenting: Beltway Blogroll, Mary Katharine Ham, Matthew Yglesias, Blog P.I., DailyKos, Eschaton

Video and transcript

Surprise, surprise -- bin Laden praises lefty voters!

My Pet Jawa has the transcript:

People of America: the world is following your news in regards to your invasion of Iraq, for people have recently come to know that, after several years of the tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped. Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven't made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they agree to spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and the war there, which has led to the vast majority of you being afflicted with disappointment...

In the Vietnam War, the leaders of the White House claimed at the time that it was necessary and crucial war, and during it, Rumsfeld and his aides murdered two million villagers. And when Kennedy took over the presidency and deviated from the general line of policy drawn uup for the White House and wanted to stop the unjust war, that angered the owners of the major corporations who were benefiting from its continuation.

And so Kennedy was killed, and al Qaeda wasn't present at that time, but rather, those corporations were the primary beneficiary from his killing...

This war was entirely unnecessary, as testified by your own reports. And among the most capable of those from your own side who speaks to you on this topic and on the manufacturin of public opinion is Noam Chomsky, who spoke sober words of advice prior to the war, but the leader of Texas doesn't like those who give advice....

The entire world came out in uprecedented demonstrations to warn against waging the war and describe its true nature in eloquent terms like "no spilling red blood for black oil," yet he paid them no heed....

So in answer to the question about the causes of the Democrats' failure to stop the war, I say: they are the same reasons which led to the failure of former president Kennedy to stop the Vietnam war. Those with real power and influence are those with the most capital. And since the democratic system permits major corporations to back candidates, be they presidential or congressional, there shouldn't be any cause for astonishment -- and there isn't any -- in the Democrats' failure to stop the war. And you're the ones who have the saying which goes, "money talks." And I tell you: after the failure of your representatives in the Democratic Party to implement your desire to stop the war, you canstill carry anti-war placards and spread out in the streets of major cities, then go back to your homes, but that will be on no use and will lead to the prolonging of the war....

In fact, the life of all mankind is in danger because of the global warming resulting to a large degree from teh emissions of the factories and of teh major corporations, yet despite that the representative of these corporations in the White House insists on not observing the Kyoto accord, with the knowledge that the statics speaks of teh death and displacement of the millions of human beings because of that, especially in Africa. This greatest of plagues and most dangerous of threats to the lives of humans is taking place in an accelerating fashion as the world is being dominated by the democratic system, which confirms its massive failure to protect humans and their itnerests from the greed and avarice of the major corporations and their representatives....

The capitalist system seeks to turn the entire world into a fiefdom of the major corporations under the label of "globallization" in order to protect democracy....

And if you would like to get to know some of the reasons for your losing of your war against us, then read the book of Michael Scheuer in this regard.

Here's video, and it looks like the one we're waiting for, but I'll wait for 100% confirmation from the White House.

2007: Ben Laden réapparait en vidéo
Uploaded by lefigaro

He praises Noam Chomsky as "one of the most capable people on our side". He also denounced “neoconservatives like Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Richard Perle”. He praises Americans for voting Democrats into office, and then chides them for not withdrawing from Iraq fast enough.

Gee, Osama bin Laden, 9-11 mastermind and Al Qaeda head, is happy that Democrats are in office, and wants us to pull out of Iraq. I'm sure that Pioneer Pelosi and crew are celebrating right now, but for the rest of us Americans with our sanity still in tact, it should tell us exactly who it is we should and shouldn't be voting for. The entire thing, as both Allah and Rusty noted, reads like something found on DailyKos.

Special treatment for special crimes

We got a real-life Michael Myers on our hands!

A teenager was charged on Tuesday with killing and raping his sister and beating his niece with a sledgehammer in a crime the sheriff called one of the most brutal he's ever seen.

Walter Smith Jr., 16, was charged with the first-degree murder and rape of his 22-year-old sister, Betsy Mary Smith, and aggravated assault against his two year-old niece, Andrea Costello.

Smith was charged after he recounted Monday morning's events to Spotsylvania detectives, said Sheriff Howard Smith. Based on Walter Smith's accounts, police said Betsy Smith was beaten with a sledgehammer and stabbed before being raped. When Costello began crying, she was struck in the head with a sledgehammer. Betsy Smith, Costello and a 1-year-old boy were then locked inside the room.

A detective found family members of the child, including Walter Smith, in the house, the sheriff said. The detective found the dead body of Betsy Smith inside the padlocked room.

The sheriff said the children were not found until one of them began crying on Monday afternoon and Betsy and Walter Smith's mother, Mary Smith, told Walter to go check on them.

"Her face was messed up," Mary Smith said of Costello, who was the child of another one of Mary Smith's daughters. "I asked Andrea after I cleaned her face up what happened to her. She said she fell and bumped her head against the fuse box."

Mary Smith said she does not believe Walter Smith killed his sister.

"He don't remember nothing he did," she said. "He was out of it or something like that. It was an accident. He don't remember that stuff."

Mary Smith said her son had no history of violence, but said he was on medication for depression.

Quick question for Mommy: if she was there Monday, how did she not notice anything unusual or out of the ordinary? How does it escape her attention that two babies are missing until one of them begins crying later that afternoon? Where was she when said psychopath was beating, raping, and stabbing his sister to death? And how on Earth can she defend him when he not only confessed, but told police what he did and how? Rather than making excuses for him, did she ever stop and wonder how it is her 16-year-old son was able to do something so horrible to his own sister and niece?

Liberals, of course, will be crying if this monster is put to death, because it's "cruel and unusual", which is likely to happen if he is found guilty, seeing as how he's going to be tried as an adult. Personally, I'm with Chuck's suggestion for how best to punish this guy:

As for him, "cruel and unusual" has a wide meaning. As he is familiar with beating others, he shall be beaten daily for twenty four days--one day for each year of his sister's life, and one day for each year of his niece's. Then he will be stabbed--twenty four times--by a trained "punisher" who can stab to inflict the greatest pain, but not kill. Following the stabbings, he shall be beaten with hammers--again, not to kill, but to injure. He shall be raped throughout his punishment, repeatedly by any other prisoner who wants him. He will be a human toilet for all the other refuse in the prison system.

Unusual and cruel? Certainly. But would such treatment be unusual or cruel to him?

Our justice system needs a new position: Punisher. Not simply a prison guard, the punisher is one who metes out appropriate punishment to those who've committed violent crime. It isn't torture, as torture is meant to gain information or achieve some other goal. Punishment in this case is through pain and suffering. If you cause pain to someone else, you should suffer the same pain yourself, in the same manner. If that manner is not easily replicated, it is left up to the devices of the punisher's own creativity to exact the level of pain. If the punisher causes more pain than the convict had through his crimes, we'll underwrite his honest mistakes. One of the ritical ideas here is that now a criminal may think "Wow, I'm not just going to the gas chamber for this, I'm going to be skinned alive slowly and left in the sun for the ants and flies to eat while I slowly die" before he does whatever he is planning. Compared to a gas chamber, that is a MUCH more deterring thought. Also, they may not suffer the pain the exact same way, so they would have to consider the unknown, and not be able to prepare themselves for it or to otherwise "work the system."

I never really understood how it was liberals could work themselves into a frenzy over how "cruel" lethal injection is, or how "horrible" the electric chair is. Here in Florida, our death row inmates get to live wonderfully, and on top of that, are treated to a fantastic final meal.

Take Danny Rolling, the notorious Gainesville serial killer. He liked to torture and rape his victims, but before he got started, he would tie them up and outline, in perfect detail, just exactly what was going to happen to them. He would mutilate their bodies, decapitate them, and all the while, the victims knew in clear certainty they weren't going to survive:

What makes these murders even worse is that the victims were all systematically tortured -- bound with duct tape, and before the rapes and murders were to commence, told them in vivid detail what he was going to do to them.

Imagine how they must have felt. Imagine yourself in their position -- tied up, helpless to defend yourself, and knowing with complete certainty that you are going to be raped and murdered, and knowing with equal certainty that it is going to be in the worst way possible -- brutally, grotesquely, and that death will not be coming slowly or painlessly.

He started his killing spree in 1990 and was finally executed in 2006 -- sixteen long years to live after killing innocent college students. He was convicted using DNA evidence, and through 17 matches between a screwdriver in his possession and pry marks at the crime scene. He confessed to the murders to other inmates in prison, usually in vivid detail, and entered a three-page plea agreement. In 1994, he also plead guilty to a triple murder in Shreveport, LA, of a 23-year-old woman, her 55-year-old father, and her 8-year-old nephew. Before he died, his lawyer fought to keep him alive, claiming the chemicals used in lethal injection caused "extreme pain". How did he spend his final hours? Eating an extravagant meal -- of his choosing, by the way -- of lobster tail, butterfly shrimp, a baked potato, iced tea, and strawberry cheesecake. He was then given the lethal injection and basically fell asleep forever.

That is what liberals deem cruel and unusual punishment, for a monster like Danny Rolling. And I'm sure that if this monster is put to death, they'll cry some more about how horrible this kid's death will be. They can never seem to shed the same number of tears for the victims though, strangely enough. They just don't get as outraged about the brutal treatment of the victims as they do about the "cruel and unusual punishment" of lethal injection.

People like this kid, and Danny Rolling, and the BTK serial killer (and so on) deserve special treatment.

But, that will never happen. What likely will happen is that this monster will be found guilty, and hopefully he'll get the death penalty. If he does, liberals will whine and moan and wail about how horrible and inhumane it is, somehow never thinking to whine and moan and wail about how horrible his crimes were. They'll cry that he was taking medicine for depression, see, so it wasn't his fault, and we should all just give him a break and let him sit in prison, living off of our taxpayer dollars. If he is put to death, it will probably be through lethal injection, and it probably won't be until he's sat in prison for twenty years or more.

Dontcha just love our justice system?

Hat Tip: Chuck's Blog

New bin Laden tape coming soon

Here it is:

Egypt (AP) - Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden plans a new video addressing the American people regarding the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, terror monitoring groups said Thursday.
SITE Intelligence Group said an Internet announcement of the plan included a photo of the al-Qaida leader from the upcoming video—his beard, which in previous messages had been streaked with gray, was entirely dark.

The Intelcenter, which also monitors Islamic Web sites, said the video is expected within the next 72 hours, before the sixth anniversary of the World Trade Center attack. The last bin Laden video was in October shortly before the U.S. presidential elections.

Allahpundit is reporting that Fox says to expect it within hours.

Rusty from My Pet Jawa has audio, but I don't think it's the bin Laden tape we're waiting for, just a little preview:

I’m listening to the audio now. Starts out with sirens, gunshots, and panicked people screaming. There is a voice over in Arabic. Very menacing. Not at all like the usual. There’s shouting and screaming, and gunshots. Very different than most of these types of audios which are usually calm sermons with nasheeds (music) in the background.

No bin Laden audio, but towards the end of the audio is a nasheed praising Osama bin Laden. Then gunshots. Then it ends. Scary.

Sounds threatening to me. And considering that I monitor a lot of this stuff, if I even think its scary, then I think that’s saying something. It may not be a direct specific threat about an impending attack, but it is a general threat. And it reminds us of exactly who it is we’re fighting.

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for updates.

Kucinich: I won't bless that occupation with my presence

Let us all hail to the almighty altar of Dennis Kucinich, Democratic presidential candidate whose presence is such a gift and blessing to us all!

Apparently, our troops in Iraq are not worthy of the wonderful and magnificent Kucinich's presence (emphasis mine):

After praising Syria following a meeting in Damascus with President Bashar Assad, Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich declared he will not visit troops in Iraq during his Middle East tour because he considers the American military presence in Iraq to be illegal.

"I feel the United States is engaging in an illegal occupation ... I don't want to bless that occupation with my presence," Kucinich said in Lebanon, according to the Associated Press. "I will not do it."

The Ohio congressman accused the Bush administration of destabilizing the Middle East and praised Syria for receiving Iraqi refugees.

"What most people are not aware of is that Syria has taken in more than 1.5 million Iraqi refugees," Kucinich said, according to the AP. "The Syrian government has actually shown a lot of compassion in keeping its doors open and being a host for so many refugees."

Those soldiers are just beneath him, see? Unworthy to lick his boots, let alone lay eyes on him.

Visit Iraq... sheesh. Why on Earth would a wonderful Democrat like him do that, when he can visit a terrorist state like Syria and undermine U.S. policies instead? I mean, Syria is right there with Iran in aiding terrorists in Iraq, not to mention giving all kinds of support to Hezbollah and Hamas. No wonder Kucinich loves them so much! They want to destroy the United States, too!

Again... this is what we call treason. Giving comfort and aid to enemies of the United States used to land you in front of a firing squad.

Not so in the kinder, gentler United States. Larry Craig is dangerous, and Kucinich isn't.

We should all kneel at his altar, and pray to be worthy of him blessing us with his presence immediately... or maybe we can pray at a different altar for him to come to his senses, resign, and apologize to our troops and the American people for being such a traitorous asshat.

See a doctor, or suffer the consequences!

Poor, poor Silky Pony. He seems to suffer from the same affliction as Barack Obama: blurting out anything that jumps into his little old mind.

See, Silky not only wants to socialize all medicine, but he would make check-ups mandatory:

Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday that his universal health care proposal would require that Americans go to the doctor for preventive care.

"It requires that everybody be covered. It requires that everybody get preventive care," he told a crowd sitting in lawn chairs in front of the Cedar County Courthouse. "If you are going to be in the system, you can't choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure that you are OK."

He noted, for example, that women would be required to have regular mammograms in an effort to find and treat "the first trace of problem." Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, announced earlier this year that her breast cancer had returned and spread.

Edwards said his mandatory health care plan would cover preventive, chronic and long-term health care. The plan would include mental health care as well as dental and vision coverage for all Americans.

"The whole idea is a continuum of care, basically from birth to death," he said.

What I want to know is, who on Earth wants the government taking care of them from the cradle to the grave? I mean, even in the best possible scenarios, the government will never do everything right. My perfect government is the one that leaves me the hell alone.

And there are so many things about this plan that are just... scary. I mean, you're required to have mental health check-ups as well? And if your mental health check-up comes back with negative results, then what? Are you forced into psychiatric hospitals? It reminds me a lot of V for Vendetta, with people who are unwanted and don't think the right way being forced into "re-education camps" or killed.

And what if you don't go to the doctor? Are you arrested? Do government officials come bang on your door and force you to go? And if you don't go to the doctor, and it turns out you have cancer, are you refused treatment? And what will they be enforcing next "for our own good"?

As Van Helsing from Moonbattery notes,

From mandatory doctor visits, it will be a short hop to mandatory morning calisthenics, with a two-way telescreen to make sure you're taking part, just like in the liberal how-to manual 1984.

Behaviors deemed "risky" can become outlawed -- for your own good, of course. No smoking, no drinking, no fatty foods... and anything else they declare "bad for you".

And over at Hot Air, a reader left a chilling comment:

Ironically (or maybe not), if this gets put through, the forced abortions are coming if you have a disabled unborn child, cause it'll be too expensive for the "free medicine" system to care for.

Not to mention those folks who have cancer or another life-threatening disease that will cause tremendous expenses for the system. We'll start seeing euthanasia, infanticide, and abortion forced by the government.

This isn't about healthcare; it's about the government asserting total control over our lives. And they call us Nazis?

So much for "land of the free", huh?

A lot of people will read this and say, "Well gee Cassy, aren't you overreacting? The government will never go so far as to engage in infanticide and euthanasia, or to force us to work out every morning, or any of those other awful things you said! He'll never take it that far!"

Perhaps, but once upon a time it would have been considered outrageous to be forced to see a doctor, a dentist, and a mental health professional by our government. How far down this slope will we slide if this system is put into place? When will Silky say "Stop!"? And why should we be at the mercy of the government to begin with?

Again, images of V for Vendetta are just rolling through my mind, with government enforced curfews; certain foods and drinks banned until it's hard to even get food (although never in short supply for the "right" people); only government-approved music, books, and TV shows allowed; and "undesirables" sent to re-education camps only to be murdered, and all of it in the name of our own well-being.

In the same article, Edwards piles on the hypocrisy, liberals' favorite smear for us damn dirty Republicans:

Edwards, who has been criticized by some for calling on Americans to be willing to give up their SUVs while driving one, acknowledged Sunday that he owns a Ford Escape hybrid SUV, purchased within the year, and a Chrysler Pacificia, which he said he has had for years.

"I think all of us have to move, have to make progress," he said. "I'm not holyier-than-thou about this. ... I'm like a lot of Americans, I see how serious this issue is and I want to address it myself and I want to help lead the nation in the right direction."

He wants to lead the nation in the right direction, see? And us little people are too gosh-darn stupid to know what's good for us. Therefore, people like John Edwards and the Goracle must tell us exactly what is good for us, and what to do, and how to do it, and when to do it, and nevermind how we feel about it.

Rob from Say Anything leaves us with a good quote, from the beloved author C.S. Lewis, that I'll end with as well:

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

Cross-posted at Wizbang