October 31, 2005

Confirm Alito

Well, for once I'm glad I was wrong! Judge Samuel Alito has been nominated to the Supreme Court. He has a strong constructionist background and has shown himself to be a great conservative intellect. Of course, as soon as Judge Alito was nominated, Senate Democrats came out in full force against him:

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also blasted Bush for not picking someone in the "mold of Sandra Day O'Connor, who would unify us."

"The president seems to want to hunker down in his bunker" and "soothe the ruffled feathers of the extreme wing of his party," Schumer said. "This controversial nominee, who would make the court less diverse and far more conservative, will get very careful scrutiny from the Senate and from the American people."

And these people call us "out of the mainstream?" Is he serious? Bush promised a judge in the mold of Scalia or Thomas...not O'Connor. This "extreme wing of his party" that Schumer refers to happens to be the majority of normal, everyday people in this country. The last thing any conservative wants is to be "unified" with the Democrats. Their idea of "unity" is giving in to their looney ideology and the American people aren't willing to allow that to happen. This idea that the criticism of the Miers nomination was strictly coming out of the beltway is insulting and highly inaccurate. Many prominent conservative voices outside of Washington came out against her nomination. We came out in full force to let the president and the GOP know that they weren't going to carry this country down the road of "moderatism" on our votes.

Conservatives wanted a strong conservative constructionist and we got what we wanted. Mr. Alito has a highly impressive background behind the bench and his qualifications are phenominal. Now our representatives can prepare for the battle they knew was coming. Many Senators think this confirmation process will go smoothly but I'm not so sure. The leftists know that they have us in a stranglehold from behind the bench. It's been part of their strategy for years. They can't spread their crazy ideology through legislature so they've attempted to take over our courts. Today, we've let them know that they won't get the highest court in the land without a fight. I say bring it on!

Linked to Blogs for Bush, Jo's Cafe, Don Surber, Stop the ACLU, Wizbang, SCOTUS Blog

Who's Next?

As I write this in the wee hours of the morning, the President is, no doubt, conferring with his aids on the latest choice for the Supreme Court. Most of us are wondering who exactly it will be this time. The two prime candidates are Samuel Alito and Michael Luttig, at least as far as the media and blogosphere are concerned. While I think they would both be excellent choices I have my doubts on either one getting the nod.

Bush knows the importance of this nomination and how it will affect the GOP in the future. He knows that the American people won't sit by and allow him to push Washington to the center. The Miers nomination woke a sleeping giant as many of the president's closest supporters came out firmly against the nomination which nearly caused a split amongst the conservative circle. When Bush nominated Miers he was telling the American people that he wasn't ready for a fight. Although he promised to deliver a justice in the mold of Scalia or Thomas, if ever given the opportunity, he chose a crony with absolutely no judicial experience. So now it looks as if the president will have to fight, like it or not, as he should. As president he is the representative of the people of the United States. With such responsibility he cannot afford to take his duty lightly in the face of adversity and he has never faced more political adversity than with this nomination. The implications are great and America has spoken. We are demanding a cultural shift back to the moral and ethical values that helped define us in the past. I know that Bush, in his heart, understands the importance of this nomination. He cannot abandon the principles that put him in place. To do so would only pave the way for the Democrats in 2006 and 2008. I pray that he will make the right choice. The future of this nation rests on his shoulders. If the Dems want a fight, I say give it to them. This is a battle that we can and must win.

October 30, 2005

Carnival of the Magnolias I

Welcome, readers, to the first ever Carnival of the Magnolias. It is my pleasure, as your host, to bring you some of the very best from the southern portion of the blogosphere!

We start things off In Tennessee with a wonderful post by Poopie where she answers the question: What's a b**g?

From there we move on to North Carolina and Justin Thibault's blog where he discusses local government failings in the area's jail expandment process.

We head on over to West Virginia where Don Surber points out an interesting and funny article about the stupidity of the term "metrosexual."

Next it's on to Texas where Vikingjuice makes a heartfelt post after finding out the Astros made it to the World Series. Too bad they fell short to the Sox.

We hit the road again where we go back to North Carolina as Longstreet of INSIGHT on Freedom gives us some great info on the illegal immigration problem in the southwestern U.S. Ever heard of Aztland? You'd better read his post.

We head up to Virginia and Norman Leahy's blog, One Man's Trash, where he points out the dirty underhanded tricks of the Democratic candidate, Tim Kaine, in Virginia's governor's race.

Reb Chaim HaQoton makes some interesting observations in his two part entry about morals and murder in Judaism. Read Part I here and part II here.

Finally, to wrap things up this week, we head back to West Virginia where Don Surber debunks the idea that the drug war is a waste of time.

Well, all in all I'd say we had a very good initial Carnival. It was truly a pleasure to read all of the fantastic entries this week. I'll be hosting next week's Carnival of the Magnolias as well. If you're a blogger from the Southern United States and have an interesting post to submit, take a look here and submit your post!

Cross posted at Southern Blog Federation. Linked with Basil's Blog and TTLB's ubercarnival.

Carnival of the Magnolias Reminder

I just wanted to remind everyone that submissions are due by Sunday night at 7 PM EST for this week's initial edition of the Carnival of the Magnolias. So far we've got about 8 entries for the carnival but could always use some more. So if you haven't already, send in your best post. You can use the online form to submit your article or send the entry via e-mail to southern dot league at gmail dot com. Please be sure to leave a trackback uri if you have one.

The first carnival will be hosted here on Everyman Chronicles and will be crossposted at the Southern Blog Federation main blog. If you're interested in hosting a carnival in the future, send me a line at everyman dot blog at gmail dot com.

For more info on the Carnival of the Magnolias check out this article.

My Week 10 NCAA Top 10

Here's how my top 10 worked out this week:

1. Texas 8-0
2. USC 8-0
3. Virginia Tech 8-0
4. Alabama 8-0
5. UCLA 8-0
6. LSU 6-1
7. Miami, FL 6-1
8. Wisconsin 8-1
9. Penn State 8-1
10. Georgia 7-1

1. Texas After a first half scare against Oklahoma State, the Longhorns managed to pour it on in the second half. Look for them to run the table completely and make it to the Rose Bowl.

2. USC USC blew out Washington State...no surprise there. The only real game they have to worry about is the UCLA game. If they run the table and get past the Bruins they get into the Rose Bowl.

3. Virginia Tech The Hokies are probably the only team that truly would deserve a title shot if they ran the table. Why? Because down the stretch they would have beat a very good BC team (which they did), a good Hurricanes defense, and Florida State in the ACC title game. The odds are not in their favor.

4. Alabama The Tide routed Utah State 35-3 and become the only SEC team left undefeated. Mississippi State should be a breeze for them but if they want to go all the way they'll have some work ahead of them playing LSU, Auburn, and likely Georgia in the SEC title game. No team has a tougher schedule down the stretch except Virginia Tech.

5. UCLA You had better believe the Bruins are itching to pound on the Trojans. The sad part is, they'll likely go undefeated until they play USC and even if they win, their chances of being in the title game are slim to none. They may be this year's Auburn.

6. LSU LSU stomped North Texas into the ground. Many still think this is the best squad in the SEC. They'll get a chance to prove it in a couple of weeks when they face Bama.

7. Miami, FL Well the Canes, new uniforms and all, fell early to North Carolina but picked up the pieces in time to blow them out. They'll be ready for VT next week.

8. Wisconsin The Badgers keep on winning which makes next week's matchup with Penn State all the more better. If they can beat Penn State they'll likely win out the Big Ten giving their coach a great going away present.

9. Penn State The Nittany Lions are hungry for a Big Ten title but the Badgers stand firmly planted in their way. Next week's game could decide the Big Ten champion.

10. Georgia Yes Georgia lost to Florida but even without Shockley the game was close. Had they had Shockley behind center they would have beaten the Gators...but almosts and should'ves only count in horseshoes and not in college football. The Bulldogs still make it to the SEC title game where they will face either Bama or LSU.

My previous top 10: Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9

October 28, 2005

TGIF-Open Trackbacks Late Edition

Well, I've started a new job which is crippling my computer use during the day so please excuse this week's late edition of TGIF. I won't bother rehashing links to stories and articles which you've probably read ten times already in some way or another. Rather I'll reserve this week to open trackbacks. So, if you have an article you'd like to share, feel free to link your trackback here. Just ensure you link back to this post. The trackbacks are displayed inline which means people will see your links here on the main page without having to go to the permalink or pop-up box. So go ahead and send those trackbacks in! If your blog service doesn't support trackbacks, feel free to use the Wizbang standalone trackback pinger to send them. Have a great weekend and happy blogging!

Also, if you're from the southern United States, don't forget to submit your best post to the Carnival of the Magnolias by Sunday night at 7 PM EST. Use Conservative Cat's submission form to submit your blog.

Oh and if you get a chance, stop by and check out Eric's Grumbles and help him break into the ranks of the Playful Primates!

Check out the open trackback parties at the following blogs:
Stop the ACLU
Big Dog Weblog
Mudville Gazette
Don Surber
TMH Bacon Bits
Wizbang
Jo's Cafe
Publius Rendezvous
My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
The trackback URI for this entry is http://blog.mu.nu/cgi/mt-tb.cgi/124953

October 27, 2005

Miers Withdraws: A Great Victory!

Harriet Miers has announced her withdrawal from consideration for the Supreme Court. Everyone in conservative America can breathe a sigh of relief...but for how long? Miers did the right thing by withdrawing herself from the nomination. She was clearly not qualified to fill such an important vacancy. It irritates me that the president and Miers would use this "White House documents" excuse instead of simply admitting failure and pressing on. Miers didn't withdraw herself because of any White House document. She withdrew because she knew she wasn't qualified and the "radical right" came out so strongly against her. While I'm glad she's no longer being considered I have to ask two questions: why did it take her so darn long and who's next? Bush has already proven to the American people that he's not interested in appointing a judge in the mold of Scalia or Thomas. If it weren't for the overwhelming voice of this "radical right" she'd be confirmed without a second's hesitation from him. He knows what the American people want in a Supreme Court justice. He failed to deliver the first time. There could have been any number of reasons for that. In any case, the "nominating a woman" tactic has lost its firepower because the Dems will simply use the Miers debacle as fuel for upcoming campaigns. I believe the president should go with Luttig or Estrada, both well known constructionists with a vast amount of experience. But who really knows what's coming next? I just hope that whomever it is, is the constructionist we've all been begging for for so long now.

October 26, 2005

Rosa Parks: An American Icon

Rosa Parks's life was one of humility and courage in the face of adversity. In 1955, in my birthplace and heart of the civil rights movement, Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks took a stand against bigotry and hatred by refusing to give up her seat to a white man. Her defiant stand sparked the 381 day Montgomery bus boycott, led to a 1956 Supreme Court ruling which ended segregation on public transit systems, and ignited the civil rights movement. In fact, historians generally refer to December 1st, 1955, the day Ms. Parks refused to give up her seat, as the beginning of the civil rights movement in America.

Ms. Parks's involvement with the civil rights movement didn't begin in 1955, however. Prior to that she had worked with the local chapter of the NAACP in Montgomery on a variety of civil rights issues including the state's voting policy. Her work with the civil rights movement did not end on that day in December of 1955 either. Rosa Parks continued to be an influential voice in the black community for years. After her husband's death in 1977 she established the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. The program focuses on opening up educational opportunities for young people, getting them registered to vote, and promoting racial harmony. She lectured across the country and was awarded the highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, by Bill Clinton in 1999.

Her life was an inspiration to all of us in the south and her courage will always be remembered. Thank you, Ms. Parks, for everything you accomplished in making this world a better place. The Almighty surely has a great place reserved for you in the Kingdom and we will always have a special place reserved for you in our hearts.

Check out the weekend trackback party at Stop the ACLU

October 25, 2005

Stop the Pork Spending

The amount of pork spending in this nation has reached beyond the breaking point. The tragedy of Katrina has brought the misuse of taxpayer dollars to the forefront. Our federal tax dollars are being earmarked daily for pet projects from local governments all at the taxpayer's expense. I happened to go over to the Citizens Against Government Waste website and did some searching to find how much money was earmarked for 2005. The numbers were staggering. Of course, as long as we sit by, this will continue to happen on a regular basis. I decided to write my congressional representative for the 2nd District in Alabama, Terry Everett, to let him know that we can't sustain such wasteful spending:

Dear Rep. Everett:

As you know Hurricane Katrina wrought an immeasurable amount of damage to the residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, and our own Alabama. While many, like Sen. Landrieu of Louisiana, have proposed outrageous amounts of money to be spent on the reconstruction effort most citizens see the need to cut the amount of federally funded projects which have been earmarked. These projects, often labeled “pork,” should be cut and much of the money should be diverted to the Katrina relief effort.
I was surprised at just how much money was being spent on these “pork” projects for our state. Among the many I’ve noticed affecting the House are:

· $250,000 Chattahoochee Valley Community College for a law enforcement training program (State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance - Byrne Discretionary Grant)
· $700,000 University of South Alabama for youth violence prevention research (Discretionary Grants - Juvenile Justice Programs)
· $250,000 City of Mobile Police Department for mobile data terminals (Law Enforcement Technology - Community Oriented Policing Services)
· $500,000 Madison County Sheriff's Department Technology and Equipment upgrades (Law Enforcement Technology - Community Oriented Policing Services)
· $2,100,000 Munitions Recycling Capability - Anniston Munitions Center (Procurement of Ammunition, Army)
· $1,000,000 University of Alabama, Huntsville climate research (NOAA - Research, Other Partnership Programs)
· $1,000,000 Smart Energy Management Control Systems Project (Electricity Transmission and Distribution - Department of Energy)
· $3,451,000 Alabama Coosa River (Corp of Engineers: Operation and Maintenance)
· $1,162,000 Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers (Corp of Engineers: Operation and Maintenance)
· $5,500,000 Fourteen Mile Bridge, Mobile (Alteration of Bridges - United States Coast Guard)

And the list just goes on and on and on. What happened to Republican representatives being fiscally conservative and responsible? What direction are we taking this nation when we spend money on unnecessary projects for personal reasons? The pork spending has to stop. Each year the deficit spins further and further out of control thanks, in large part, to the misuse of taxpayer dollars. If we are going to spend upwards of $250 billion on rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Katrina we are going to have to cut out these pork projects. As representative for our district I hope you will see the importance of the issue of pork spending and will address the issue appropriately. We can’t continue on this downward spiral.

I'll be interested in hearing Rep. Everett's response on this issue. NZ Bear has been promoting an effort to raise awareness in the blogosphere and encourage addressing change with his Porkbuster's project. We can change the way our government spends our money. Don't be fooled by the idea that your voice won't be heard. Contact your senators and representatives and let them know how you feel about this pork-barrel spending.

October 24, 2005

Misuse of Eminent Domain is Spreading

As we all know Kelo v. New London changed the way we view property rights in this nation. The Fifth Amendment is very specific in its statement that private property shall not be taken for public use without due process and just compensation. The problem with eminent domain since the recent Supreme Court debacle has been the definition of "public use." According to the Supreme Court's interpretation you can lose your home to other private organizations if it will increase tax revenue for the local government. But how do these local government officials determine how they will use, or misuse, eminent domain? Usually through condemning an area and determining it to be "blighted." The term blighted in most states has a very, very loose definition and is being used at an alarming rate by local governments to take property, often at an unreasonable price, in order to erect shopping malls, amusement parks, yacht clubs, and more to increase local tax revenue. This article points out that in the Sunset Hills suburb of St. Louis, residents are being forced from their homes by the government in an effort to create a $160 million complex featuring stores and offices. What about "just compensation?" According to the article, John Hogan, who owns a three-bedroom two-bath home in Sunset Hills, was offered $147,000 for his home. If you take a moment to go to Realtor.com and look at the prices of homes, many three-bedroom two-bath homes in the Sunset Hills area sell for upwards of $500,000. I'd hardly say that's "just compensation."

This is simply one example of many listed in the article cited above. I urge everyone to read the whole thing and see just how far these abuses have reached. Alabama (my own state), Texas, and Delaware have already rushed to amend their state constitutions to ensure that private property cannot be taken by government for other private use. This is a very serious issue and if left unchecked could endanger every American's right to hold property. Do you want some corrupt local mayor receiving a kickback from a group of corporations to "condemn" your property, take that property at the condemned price, and sell it for private development? Well, if you're a homeowner then it's a reality you may very well soon face. I urge you to contact your local legislators, governors, and U.S. representatives and senators and urge them to pass legislature which would prevent this gross misuse of eminent domain.

October 23, 2005

My Week 9 NCAA Top 10

This was a great week in college football. Georgia, Alabama, and LSU all survived scares to win and remain in the top ten. Texas proved to everyone that they're serious contenders for the title and won't be denied by routing the top offense in the nation and holding them to only 17 points. Meanwhile USC continues to roll as does VT. Here are my week 9 rankings.

1. Texas 7-0
2. USC 7-0
3. Virginia Tech 7-0
4. Georgia 7-0
5. Alabama 7-0
6. UCLA 7-0
7. LSU 5-1
8. Miami, FL 5-1
9. Wisconsin 7-1
10. Penn State 7-1

1. Texas Yes, I have moved Texas to number 1 in my top 10. Why? After all USC hasn't lost yet so shouldn't they be number 1? True USC hasn't lost but Texas has proven that they are the team to beat this year. After obliterating Texas Tech and their high-powered offense 52-17 there is no question. The Longhorns will be smelling roses and they are the best team in the country.

2. USC The Trojans crushed Washington and will cruise into their final game where they'll have to face a tough UCLA squad. UCLA is good enough to beat them. The Trojans have shown flaws this season and won't be able to keep up the pace if they continue to play like they did against Notre Dame.

3. Virginia Tech Virginia Tech probably has the toughest schedule remaining of the top 3. They still have to play Miami and BC then they have to play, most likely, the Noles in the ACC Championship game. If they plan on making it to the Rose bowl they have a long road ahead of them.

4. Georgia The Dogs just keep winning. They survived a scare against the Razorbacks and have a tough schedule remaining with games against Florida and Auburn. Not to mention they may have lost their Heisman contender quarterback as well. The next two weeks will be tough but if they survive they'll likely see the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game.

5. Alabama Their defense is carrying them right now. In an unbelievable play, Bama stopped Tennessee at the one forcing them to fumble the ball out of the endzone and giving the Tide the ball at the 20. If the Tide marches on and goes undefeated they can thank Roman Harper and their defense.

6. UCLA The Bruins keep cruising and will likely be undefeated when they face off against USC in their final game. If they manage to go undefeated then they may very well be this year's Auburn...of course so could either Georgia or Bama if they go undefeated.

7. LSU LSU has played well but has certainly shown flaws. They managed to pull off a win thanks to the misfortune of Auburn's kicker. They'll pretty much have to run the table the rest of the way if they want to get a shot at the Sugar bowl.

8. Miami, FL The Canes had their game postponed, ironically enough, because of the coming hurricane. Look for them to give the Hokies a run for their money.

9. Wisconsin Behind Calhoun the Badgers are cruising. They are tied for number 1 in the Big 10 standings but that will change when they face Penn State.

10. Penn State Not willing to allow last week's loss to affect them, the Lions walked up and down on Illinois giving JoePa his 350th career victory. Congrats Coach Paterno-you deserve it.

Dropped Out: Texas Tech

My previous top 10: Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8

October 22, 2005

Introducing Carnival of the Magnolias

The Carnival of the Magnolias is the official blog carnival of the Southern Blog Federation. You don't have to be a member of the community to submit your article but you must be from one of the states which we recognize as being a part of "the south."

The purpose of this carnival is to highlight the best and brightest posts of the week written by southern bloggers from around the blogosphere.

Each week the carnival will be hosted either here, on the Southern Blog Federation homepage, or on one of the blogs from the SBF.

The Carnival will be posted each week on either Sunday night or Monday. Entries are due by Sunday night at 7 PM EST. If you're interested in submitting the easiest way is through the Carnival Submit Form. If you'd rather not use the form you can email your request to southern dot league at gmail dot com. Please include your name, a permalink to the specific entry, the entry title, a short description of the entry, your trackback uri (if you have one), and, if not already a member of the SBF, annotate your home state in the submission.

If you are interested in hosting this carnival in the future, email me at everyman dot blog at gmail dot com.

The first Carnival of the Magnolias will be held here and will kick off on October 31st, 2005.

Special thanks to Brad from The Unrepentant Individual for suggesting the name.

October 21, 2005

TGIF-Interesting Links and Open Trackbacks

This is the third edition of TGIF and it is regrettably late. I've been quite busy today so it took me a while to get around to this.

The Washington Times reported earlier today that Miers would end her meetings with senators to focus on "cramming" for the confirmation hearing

Meanwhile the AP says that Miers will continue to meet with Senators next week. Okay so who's telling the truth?

SCOTUSblog has a good round-up on more reactions of the Miers nomination

More info on the Katrina/FEMA blame game. This is getting ridiculous.

A 93 year old man drives 3 miles with a body in his windshield.

Kansas high court says underage gay sex must be treated as equal to underage heterosexual sex.

Woman in SF throws her three children into the San Francisco Bay and has the nerve to plead not guilty. Read the article and see if you agree with me that California Social Services should be held responsible for this.

Of course if you have an interesting article you'd like to share, feel free to trackback to this post! If your blog service doesn't support trackbacks, feel free to use the Wizbang standalone trackback pinger to send them. The trackbacks will be displayed here on the main page.

The trackback URI for this entry is http://blog.mu.nu/cgi/mt-tb.cgi/123468

Reid Praises Miers!

Of course most of us know by now that Harry Reid supported the nomination of Harriet Miers. Reid is an outspoken Democrat and that should be enough to assuage the liberals in this nation. What does it mean for conservatives? Well, the fact that we know nothing about Ms. Miers's judicial philosophy and the fact that she is being praised by Democratic senators should probably be enough to stir us up into a tirade and it has. I still have mixed feelings about her nomination. I've swung back and forth on the issue since Dobson issued his statements last week. In a Washington Times article this morning, it was reported that Miers would stop her meeting with Senators today so that she can prepare herself for the confirmation hearings.

Miss Miers will spend the next two weeks cramming for her Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Republican Senate staffers working on the nomination told The Washington Times yesterday.

Cramming for her hearings? Are you kidding me? This isn't some undergraduate biology test you can cram on the night before. This is Constitutional law. A SCOTUS nominee should be ready at the drop of a dime (as my friend Eric pointed out yesterday) to at least discuss the basics of Constitutional law. There should be very little in regards to the Constitution that she should have to "brush up on" as a SCOTUS nominee. While I do think that Miers has noble intentions I think she should set her own ego aside for a moment and do what is right for this nation-withdraw her nomination.

October 20, 2005

Crazy Congresswoman

Cynthia McKinney believes that the 2000 and 2004 elections were a fraud, Bush was involved personally with the 9/11 attacks, and Michael Chertoff should be charged with negligent homicide because of FEMA's response during Katrina. This woman, believe it or not, is a Congresswoman from Georgia--a lawmaker. Of course most in the conservative circle know a great deal about the antics of this conspiracy theorist left-wing whacko.

She first began speculating about the involvement of the President in 9/11 shortly after the attacks. This quote was taken from her website dated April 12, 2002:

I am not aware of any evidence showing that President Bush or members of his administration have personally profited from the attacks of 9-11. A complete investigation might reveal that to be the case. For example, it is known that President Bush's father, through the Carlyle Group had - at the time of the attacks - joint business interests with the bin Laden construction company and many defense industry holdings, the stocks of which, have soared since September 11.

To make the accusation that the President of the greatest nation in the free world would be involved in the murder of nearly 3,000 of his own citizens for business interests is absolutely appalling and makes me sick to my stomach. Her insanity doesn't end there though.

According to Sonny Bunch, of the Weekly Standard, she was ousted from her seat but reclaimed her position in 2004 when Denise Majette, who beat her in the 2002 Democratic primary, put her name in the mix for Zel Miller's vacated seat in the Senate. Since then she's continued to spread her filthy leftist ignorance.

Mr. Bunch, in the same article cited above, pointed out her idiotic "Brain Trust" panels, which she moderated. It essentially became a meeting of conspiracy theorists and far left moonbats such as Ward Churchill. One of these brilliant panelists pointed out that the twin towers couldn't have collapsed due to the heat of the fire. Rather, they were brought down by timed detonations. Of course, I'm sure he knows better than the experts who debunked the 9/11 myths in the recent Popular Mechanics article.

Rep. McKinney continued her anti-American ranting when she attended last month's Sheehan moonbat anti-America protest rally in Washington D.C. where she was quoted as saying:

"A cruel wind blows across America, starting in Texas and Montana and sweeping across America's heartland," she said. "It settled here in Washington, D.C., and despite our presence today, it continues to buffet and batter the American people."

Her references to Texas and Montana were meant to indicate the home states of Bush and Cheney. Of course, Cheney isn't from Montana; he's from Wyoming. She went on to add:

"This cruel wind blew disenfranchisement into Florida and Ohio" and "the American people were forced to endure fraud in the elections of 2000 and 2004."

Back in early September Rep. McKinney took the floor for 60 minutes where she hinted at Presidential impeachment (which was struck from the record) and criticized NBC for censoring the words of rapper Kanye West during a telethon to raise money for Katrina victims:

Now, NBC censored that. NBC has decided that they can determine what we hear from the smartest young man in hip-hop (Kanye West).

Everyone, no matter which side of the fence they sit on, knows that Kanye West is a complete moron. His ridiculous diatribe made absolutely no sense whatsoever; or perhaps I just need a lesson in moonbatese.

In her latest spot of idiocy, Rep. McKinney asked Michael Chertoff in a recent hearing questioning following FEMA's response to Katrina:

...McKinney asked Chertoff why he should not be charged with negligent homicide because of the federal response.

Rep. Henry Bonilla of Texas objected to her question stating:

When questions "are over the top and not constructive, I don't believe the secretary should waste his time by answering."

And that pretty much sums it up about Rep. McKinney: "over the top and not constructive" should be her moniker. People like McKinney produce nothing but hate in this country. Her insane and inaccurate diatribes result in stirring the collective pot of an uninformed public. The people of the 4th District in Georgia should be ashamed for allowing McKinney to represent them.

October 19, 2005

Excellent Article on "Facts v. Fiction" in Katrina Response

Gateway Pundit has an excellent article debunking many of the myths of Katrina including: racism, slow response, FEMA's actual responsibilities, and much more. He has done a wonderful job of rounding up the info into one great post. If you read nothing else today, read this article.

Why Does Bush Insist on "Guest Worker" Programs?

In an article on Fox News Bush was quoted as saying that passing a guest worker program will help secure our borders. The president continues to insist that this "guest worker" program will not provide amnesty to illegal aliens but I fail to see how it would not. We'd legally be turning a blind eye to their illegal status. If that is not an oxymoron I don't know what is. The fact is illegal aliens need to be deported--period. No amnesty. No "guest worker" programs. If an individual is here illegally then they should be forcefully returned to their own country through deportation. Bush has already lifted federal regulations allowing undocumented workers to work in the recovery effort from Katrina and Rita. This administration is not ignoring our concerns for border security--they are slapping our collective faces about the issue. We raise our concerns and the administration not only fails to acknowledge the issue, they make policies which are even more lax.

In this same Fox News article, Michael Chertoff, Homeland Security Secretary, stated that the recent addition of 1,500 border patrol agents would allow the agency to adequately watch the borders. This is absolute nonsense. Arizona and New Mexico have already declared their states to be in a "state of emergency" due to the border issue. California is not very far from such a declaration as well. How can the addition of 1,500 employees answer this growing problem? The addition of personnel is vital but to say that the border problems will be solved with simply adding 1,500 people on the payroll doesn't cut it.

In a report from the Pew Hispanic Center just last month, it was noted that "illegal immigration" (another oxymoron) is steadily on the rise while legal immigration is on the decline. According to Jeffrey Passel, one of the writers of the report:

"We've seen a fairly steady growth in the number of undocumented immigrants living here, and this data shows very sizable numbers coming in," Passel said. "We're clearly not stopping them at the border."

I urge everyone here to write their congressman and request that they vote against a guest worker program. Our goal is security and protecting our nation's domestic tranquility. There is a void that needs to be filled before it's too late.

October 18, 2005

Introducing Southern Blog Federation Community

In the already overpopulated arena of communities in the blogosphere I've decided to add one more: the Southern Blog Federation. The SBF is essentially a collection of blogs maintained by individuals residing in the southern United States. So, if you're interested in joining take a look at the requirements here. I plan on introducing a Carnival of the South and hopefully some more activites once the community picks up. Happy blogging!

Miers Can't Keep Grass Cut

According to this article on Wizbang, Harriet Miers had several liens placed against her from the city of Dallas. Apparently Miers was placed in charge of her mother's land in Tipton Park, a low-income area in Dallas. The city placed the liens against Miers as reimbursement for clearing the lot of tall grass, weeds, and debris. One begins to wonder: if the "meticulous" Harriet Miers can't ensure some vacant lots are maintained how can we trust her with one of the most important judicial positions in our government?

Carnival of Liberty 16

This week's Carnival of Liberty is up at Searchlight Crusade. Some very, very good items for your reading pleasure. Well worth a look.

New 3 Column Layout

Well, thanks to Eric of Eric's Grumbles Before the Grave I've managed to figure out how to set-up the three column look here. Many thanks for posting up your 3 column CSS, my friend.

October 17, 2005

Accusation of "Sexism" is Ridiculous

Since Harriet Miers was nominated to the Supreme Court there has been some harsh criticism from the right, myself included. I've accused Bush and the GOP of turning their collective backs on us in what will certainly be a critical time for our nation's future. After reading Dr. Dobson's statements last week, though, it became apparent that Miers, while not being the best candidate possible, might be the best choice we have. Of course, the left and the MSM have misinformed the people regarding the issue of "what Dobson knew and when he knew it." They claim that Rove essentially told Dobson that Miers would overturn Roe if given the opportunity, which was false. Rove told Dobson that Miers wasn't the President's top choice but others had withdrawn their names from consideration for the position and Miers was picked. We don't know exactly who withdrew but we can pretty much conclude that they were better suited for the position than Harriet Miers.

That bit of exposition leads me to my next point: this unfounded accusation from Washington of "sexism." The Washington Post pointed out that the President's wife, the first lady, indicated that sexism could be reason for such criticism:

"That's possible, I think that's possible," Mrs. Bush said when asked on NBC's "Today Show" whether criticism that Miers lacked intellectual heft were sexist in nature. She said Miers' accomplishments as a lawyer made her a role model to young women.

Then, Senator Diane Feinstein sniffed around at "sexism" as part of the backlash:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she remained open to voting to confirm Miers, citing in part the conservative criticism.

"The way she's being beaten up by the far right is very sexist. People should hold their fire and give people an opportunity to come before a hearing," Feinstein, D-California, said on CNN's "Late Edition."

This just goes to show how out of touch these elitist politicians are with the everyday citizen of the United States. The fact that sexism is being mentioned as even a remote possibility for such harsh criticism is absolutely preposterous. What they don't realize is the fact that many of the critics on the right, including myself, wanted a female. We wanted a Janice Rogers Brown. We wanted an Edith Jones. These are simply two examples of the types of candidates we on the right were looking for: well qualified with a background of firm constructionist jurisprudence who also happen to be, gasp, women. Regardless of whether either of them withdrew themselves or were simply overlooked by the President, he gave us a stealth nominee much like his father did in his term in office. That judge, Souter, turned out to be essentially a liberal vote on the court.

The issue with Ms. Miers is not which direction she faces when she uses the toilet. The issue here is her lack of experience and qualifications. Conservatives have a right to be upset about this nomination and the argument that sexism is involved is absolutely ridiculous.

New Blog Showcase Carnival

Hello everyone and thanks for jumping over to the October 17th edition of the New Blog Showcase Carnival! Sadly, when I checked the showcase email I noticed that there were no submissions this week. So I've decided to feature a few new political blogs which I've noticed pop up over the past couple of months. Three blogs from the right and three from the left are featured.

The Right

First we go to Sydney Carton's blog, Aggressive Conservative, where he has been following the Harriet Miers confirmation. He points out the fact that Hugh Hewitt has made quite a few "stupid arguments" in defense of the Miers nomination. Sydney is one of the best new voices in the conservative blogging arena and his blog is well worth a read no matter what side of the fence you prefer.

Next we move on to Capitol Junkie's blog, The Rail, where he has spent a great deal of time following the Tom DeLay indictment. He has recently indexed the links on his blog of his extensive DeLay coverage. Well worth a read.

Next we check out Mr. Right as he points out the laughable hypocrisy of the left as two PETA employees are charged with animal cruelty in North Carolina.

The Left

Now me move on to the left where we find Praxxus and his thoughts on the recent probable passing of the Iraqi constitution.

Sportin' Life has commentary about the Miers nomination and he, along with many conservatives on the right as well, wonders why there has been so much assurance of Miers based on her religious beliefs as opposed to any proven jurisprudence.

RenaRF has pointed out on her blog, On the Left Tip, an alphabetical listing of Senators and their stance on Harriet Miers. 28 Republican and Independent Senators are listed as being neutral at this point while only 2 are directly opposed to her nomination.

Well, that concludes this week's edition of the New Blog Showcase Carnival. Next week's carnival will be hosted at CyberVassals.

If you have a blog that is less than 3 months old, feel free to submit it to be featured in an upcoming carnival. For more information take a look at the main Showcase site where you'll find instructions on how to enter your blog on the main post which is permanently pinned at the top.

October 16, 2005

My Week 8 NCAA Top 10

Well, the Big Ten continues to puzzle me as Penn State loses late to a mediocre 4-3 Michigan team. This week was truly one of the best all season. USC finally played a real football team and nearly lost. Bama almost got stunned by an unranked Ole Miss team. Florida State lost to Virginia. As we wrap up this very important week in college football here are my top ten teams:

1. USC 6-0
2. Texas 6-0
3. Virginia Tech 6-0
4. Georgia 6-0
5. Alabama 6-0
6. UCLA 6-0
7. Texas Tech 6-0
8. Miami, FL 5-1
9. LSU 4-1
10. Wisconsin 6-1

1. USC The Trojans escaped their one true test of the season with a last second touchdown by Leinart. They'll cruise into their last game but UCLA may give them a run for their money.

2. Texas They took care of business against Colorado but will have a tough game ahead of them next week as they take on Texas Tech. If they win that game their only real challenge remaining is Texas A&M in the final game of the season.

3. Virginia Tech The Hokies had a bye this week. They take on the Terps of Maryland next week. Look for that to be an easy W.

4. Georgia The Bulldogs beat a decent Vandy team. They get Arkansas next week and then have to take on Florida and Auburn back to back. It won't be easy for the Dogs down the stretch.

5. Alabama While they managed to beat Florida, that win came with a great cost as they lost their key playmaker, Tyrone Prothro. They managed to squeeze out a win against Ole Miss but I think that the Vols will prove to be too much for an out-of-synch Crimson Tide squad next week.

6. UCLA The Bruins also escaped by the hair on their chiny chin chins this week against a very unimpressive Washington State team. If they continue playing like that, they won't remain undefeated for very long.

7. Texas Tech They just keep on winning. Their high powered offense may run into a brick wall next week as they get ready to play a very hungry Texas Longhorns team. I doubt we'll see the Red Raiders here next week in the top ten.

8. Miami, Fl Miami beat Temple. Big whoop. Because a few teams lost and moved out, the Canes get to move up. They'll have a tough time against the Hokies in a few weeks but will probably still be a one loss team when they play them on November 5th.

9. LSU The Tigers have bounced back well since losing that stunner to the Vols a few weeks back. They beat a good Gators team to advance to 4-1 on the season. In my opinion, they're one of the more dangerous one loss teams out there. They have to take on Auburn next week in what will prove to be a fun matchup.

10. Wisconsin The Badgers have bounced back from that close loss against Northwestern by taking down a very good Minnessota team. They make it back into the top ten this week by virtue of Penn State losing. In a season that has been anything but predictable in the Big Ten, the Badgers may be the best team in the conference right now.

Dropped out: Florida State, Penn State

Notables: Auburn, Boston College, Oregon, West Virginia, Nebraska

My previous top 10: Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7

October 15, 2005

New Blog Carnival Showcase!

Brand new to blogging? Do you spend hours pouring over your keyboard writing those fantastic and intellectual expositions only to find that your sitemeter is registering 0 hits? Sounds like you need some New Blog Showcase goodness! If you have a blog that is less than 3 months old feel free to enter your site! It's a good way to get your name out there and generate some traffic. Who knows maybe you'll pick up another reader besides your mom (or, as in my case, maybe you won't...but it's good fun anyway.)

This upcoming week's showcase of new blogs will be featured right here on Everyman Chronicles. Send in those submissions to me by 7 PM ET Sunday night! The easiest way to submit is through the multi-carnival submission form. If you go there and seem lost, just send a direct email to showcase.carnival@gmail.com. Be sure to provide a link to one of your articles, your blog's title, a trackback URI (if possible), your email, your name, and any other comments you'd like to add.

Good luck and happy blogging!

October 14, 2005

TGIF- Intersting Links and Open Trackbacks

Well, it's that time again. Thank goodness it's Friday. As always I've noted some interesting articles for your reading pleasure and of course I'm featuring open inline trackbacks. So if you have something you want to share go ahead and trackback to this post. Your trackback will appear here on the main page.

Conservatives call for Miers withdrawal- The conservative voice is booming about this one. Many don't want Miers to go to the confirmation hearings.

Sen. Frist announced that Congress will tackle immigration enforcement before guest-worker programs- The President has not only ignored the immigration enforcement problem, he has stated that he'd rather focus on a "guest-worker" program before even addressing the border situation. Thankfully the congressional Republicans see things differently.

Social Security benefits to rise Good for retirees but bad for workers who have to support SSI for the poor who refuse to work.

Rude behavior may be result of fast paced, high-tech society- I'm always interested in social issues and I feel that our fast paced society is encouraging a lack of courtesy and respect in our society.

Al-qaeda claims 13 page letter a fake-The letter indicated some possible internal strife among Al-qaeda leaders as well as a plan to spread an extremist Muslim empire centered in the Middle East.

Vivian Malone Jones, first black graduate of University of Alabama, has passed away- Many remember George Wallace's famous stand in front of the Alabama doors to prevent the black students from enrolling. Vivian Malone Jones was one of those students and the first black graduate from the University of Alabama. Truly a sad day for all of the citizens of Alabama who remember Ms. Jones's strength and resolve in the face of bigotry.

David Limbaugh-we should keep an open mind on Miers- Limbaugh has a much different take than Ann Coulter regarding the senate's role of advice and consent in the Miers confirmation.

Also don't forget to check out this week's Carnival of Liberty and the Carnival of the Vanities.

Check out Basil's articles of interest as well.

Remember to send in those trackbacks. You can use the Wizbang Standalone Trackback Form to send in those trackbacks if your blog software doesn't support a trackback system. Don't forget to link to this post in the post you trackback.

Have a fantastic weekend!

The trackback url for this entry is http://blog.mu.nu/cgi/mt-tb.cgi/121869

Bush's "Rehearsed" Speech with the Troops

CBS continues its bashing of President Bush's efforts on the war on terror and Iraq specifically. Yesterday the President spoke via teleconference with ten soldiers in Iraq. Naturally CBS placed a spin on the meeting calling it "rehearsed." In some ways they are right but not in the way they attempt to fool the American public. As one of the soldiers put it in the article, "'The truth is that everything that was said was meant to be said, though it may have sounded scripted in some places,' Sergeant David Barry-Smith told Logan."

In the article, Paul Rieckhoff, director of Operation Truth, which is an advocacy group for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, pointed out that the speech was propaganda. He noted that of the ten soldiers present five of them were officers and their opinions didn't accurately reflect those of the troops on the ground. In this, Rieckhoff is probably right. The typical ground soldier conducting day-to-day operations in Iraq probably doesn't want to be there. Who would want to be there? While they may not want to be there they understand that they have to be there. And while they may not want to be there, they will admit that progress is being made in Iraq, which is something the MSM has continuously ignored in order to run its smear campaign against the President and this Republican administration.

The soldiers involved with the meeting yesterday knew what the questions would be. They knew how they'd answer them but their answers were still honest answers. The "rehearsal" was merely preparation in order to ensure that the meeting ran smoothly.

The article was quick to point out data collected from a recent poll:

Thursday's conversation with soldiers came as a new poll revealed that more people said Mr. Bush's presidency will be judged as unsuccessful than say it will be seen as a success. Some 41 percent in a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press said it will be seen as unsuccessful in the long run, while 26 percent said the opposite. Thirty-five percent said it's too early to tell.

That's a big shift from January, when 36 percent said successful and 27 percent said unsuccessful.

Yes indeed Bush's presidency will probably be viewed as unsuccessful, no doubt, thanks to you all in the MSM.

October 13, 2005

Naming the Enemy

In his opinion column yesterday, Tony Blankley pointed out how the MSM has failed to note the importance of Bush's speech last week. The fact that the President, for the first time, named the enemy in this war on terror-"Islamofascists."

The American people needed to hear this. We didn't want to hear more politically correct rhetoric. Simply put: we wanted to know whom exactly we were fighting and why. America stands nothing to gain by catering to the enemy and avoding to name them. This is not a war about religion or Islam. This is about stamping out those who would manipulate the beliefs of others in order to establish an extremist totalitarian empire in the Middle East. We cannot allow that to happen.

The left offers no answers to the situation in Iraq. They tout themselves as humanitarians who are always looking out for the "little guy." The constant criticism over the war on terror does nothing but create more strife in this nation and make us appear weak to our enemies. These leftists continuously spout off "bring our troops home" but when asked about the future of the people in Iraq, and the chaos that is certain to erupt if we simply pull out, they can offer no solution. When faced with the fact that pulling out would only result in unifying an enemy bent on destroying America and our way of life, the left has no answer. Why? Because the only solution is to finish the job. Progress is being made in Iraq. Saturday the Iraqi people will vote on a constitution. They are experiencing freedom for the first time. We cannot simply walk away at this point. To do so would only strengthen the enemy and weaken our own resolve. We have not failed in Iraq despite what the MSM may have the people of this great nation think. We must stay the course until we have defeated these islamofascist extremists.

Check out Basil's articles of interest

Good Info on Miers for a Change

Amy Goldstein and Peter Baker have prepared an excellent article detailing many positive attributes of Harriet Miers taken from her peers in the White House and elsewhere. She was regarded as a perfectionist and also Bush's closest aide. Here are some snippets from the article:

"The thing about Harriet is, it wasn't about Harriet," said Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, a friend. "To her, it was a matter of moving the grist through the mill. . . . She was a manager of the process."

Unlike some high-level presidential aides, Miers has never sought to advance her own views. Amid the clash of ideas and egos in the West Wing, colleagues say, she has been an island of reserve and decorum. "She blushes when the rest of us got a little raunchy," said Spellings, who worked with her closely as Bush's domestic policy adviser.

At staff meetings, Miers spoke up only when she considered it essential. "There were plenty of us banging around with very strong views on issues, and she understood she was wearing the striped shirt," said Indiana Gov. Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. (R), who was Bush's first budget director. "A word from Harriet would calm everybody down. She did have that schoolmarm voice."

It's good to know that in the ego-filled capitol, Miers remained modest, yet her voice and opinions were still respected. That's saying quite a bit.

As staff secretary, Miers was the last person to handle every piece of paper that went to Bush, and, with scores of employees, it was her task to make sure each document was accurate and ready for the president's eyes. The papers ranged from correspondence to bills Bush was signing into law to memos synthesizing policy recommendations from White House and agency staff. Early every evening, she delivered to the president's residence in the East Wing a binder consisting of his schedule for the following day and tabbed sections that contained background material on the people and issues he would face. Fleischer called it "a perfectionist's job."

It seems she is a perfectionist who seeks to make sure that every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed.

Miers played the quiet arbitrator. David W. Hobbs, the former White House director of legislative affairs, said he got calls from Miers "at 10 or 11 at night that [presidential counselor] Karl [Rove] or another White House staffer wanted the president to do something, but she wanted to check and make sure I was aware of it and didn't think it was going to cause damage on the legislative front."

Her work habits were legendary. Almost every Sunday, Miers went to the office after church, said Spellings, who says she cannot recall ever being at the White House when Miers was not there -- unless she was traveling with Bush. "She'd always read memos through again," said Kristen Silverberg, a former domestic policy adviser who is now an assistant secretary of state. "She'd be at the building till late at night reading everything to make sure everything was perfect."

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.), a friend from Texas, said Miers's life outside work is "not much. She works all the time." Occasionally, they have attended a ballet or opera, Hutchison said, adding, "I tried to get together with her several times, but she ended up having to cancel."

Many colleagues admired Miers's zealous work ethic, and her skill at balancing competing interests within the administration. "She was an impeccably honest broker and accurate conveyor of information to the president with no spin or distortion," said budget director Joshua B. Bolten, who was Bush's first deputy chief of staff for policy.

It would seem that she holds a very strong work ethic and is very detail oriented, which are both qualities you'd expect from a Supreme Court Justice. The article also mentions the fact that she was involved in some Constitutional decisions:

Last February, she moved into the counsel's office, returning to her roots as a lawyer. She has, the current staff secretary, Brett M. Kavanaugh said, handled constitutional-level matters, including issues involving executive privilege, the review of the USA Patriot Act and the National Security Council.

One thing that has really disturbed conservatives about this nomination is that we know nothing about this woman. Perhaps the reason we don't know much is because Miers doesn't have the need to boost her own ego. According to her peers she is both capable and intelligent in her duties. After reading Dr. Dobson's comments and this article I must admit I may have been mistaken about this woman's capability. Harriet Miers was willing to accept the challenge when others decided they couldn't take the heat of leading the highest court in the land back to the constructionist state in which it belongs. I've always been one willing to admit my own mistakes. If we can't admit mistakes then how can we possibly achive wisdom?

"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."
-- William Shakespeare

Have we been playing the part of the fool on this nomination? In some ways I belive I have.

October 12, 2005

Clinton-Sorry You Lost Your Homes. Now, Where Are the Ribs?

According to this Monday Mobile Register article, Bill Clinton arrived in Mobile last Wednesday to survey the damage that Katrina wrought along the Gulf Coast. Apparently Clinton had a hankering for some Alabama barbeque. From the article:

The two-term president had a hankering for some Lower Alabama barbecue and had one of his aides call ahead to The Brick Pit for a hefty order to go. "They called me Wednesday morning before they left New York. I guess they saw the menu online," said Brick Pit owner Bill Armbrecht.That afternoon, Armbrecht loaded up six slabs of ribs, six pounds of pulled pork, four smoked chickens and enough cole slaw and barbecued beans to feed a crowd and delivered them to Clinton's airplane at Mobile Regional Airport. "They told me it was enough for 15 people, but that's about three times as much food as they needed," Armbrecht said.

Armbrecht didn't get to meet the former chief executive who was still touring Bayou La Batre when he made his delivery. But he did get to go on Clinton's chartered plane where he set out the spread. "The pilots got to eat and they liked it," he said with a laugh.

Walkout price: $320 with extra napkins.

Always good to see the Dems suffering with the people.

Is Bush Really to Blame for Miers Nomination?

Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family talked publically yesterday on his radio show about what he knew of Harriet Miers per a phone conversation with Karl Rove. Many Democrats speculated that Rove had divulged how Miers would vote on the Roe v. Wade issue and others that might appear before the court. Dobson has posted a transcript of his broadcast regarding the issue.

Dobson has been a firm supporter of Miers despite her lack of credentials and points out in the transcript that many of those held in high consideration for the nomination withdrew their names from consideration because they didn't want the publicity of dealing with an ugly confirmation. He didn't specify exactly which candidates had withdrawn. So is this Bush's fault after all? It seems very simple when you think about it. Who could blame a high profile judge from withdrawing their nomination in the face of the ridicule and speculation that would certainly result from an ugly confirmation hearing? And would we really want a person who essentially "can't take the heat" there anyway? I hold a lot of respect for Dr. Dobson and although I don't think that Miers is the best choice we must ask ourselves: was she the only choice?

Check out Basil's Articles of Interest

Everyman is Now a Munuvian!

Special thanks to Jim and PixyMisa for allowing me to join the MuNu community! Thank you both very, very much for all of your help.

October 11, 2005

State Rights or Accepted Medical Purpose?

Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments in Gonzalez v. State of Oregon regarding the state's law which permits assisted suicide. Many believe that this will be the first true test of Chief Justice Roberts's ability to interpret the Constitution.

Some are arguing that if the Supreme Court overruled the state's law then they would be undermining the Tenth Amendment which states:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

They argue that since this issue isn't directly covered under the Constitution, then the matter should be left up to the states. In Oregon voters decided that it would be acceptable medical practice to allow physicians, under very strict circumstances, to assist terminally ill patients by prescribing them medication to end their life. Those who stand firmly on this position state that the Supreme Court would be trumping their power over the state of Oregon.

Those who argue against the use of this practice state that it's not a states' rights issue at all. Rather Oregon is in violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act which controls the dispersal of dangerous drugs. The act ensures that drugs prescribed by doctors are used for "accepted medical purposes" and that assisting an individual in their own death does not constitute an accepted medical purpose since the role of the doctor is to be a healer.

So is this a states' rights issue or an issue of accepted medical purpose? I think that in order to find the answer to this question we must first look at the purpose of government. The purpose of government is to protect the life, liberty, property, and pursuit of happiness of each American citizen. In this respect there are two contradicting issues: life and the pursuit of happiness. Government should protect the life of its citizens but what happens when the pursuit of happiness results in the end of life for a citizen? It is a paradox when looked at in this regard. I believe that ultimately this comes down to an issue of ethical practice. The role of the physician is to treat individuals and their illnesses in order to heal. The Hippocratic Oath clearly states:

"To consider dear to me as my parents him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and if necessary to share my goods with him; to look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art if they so desire without fee or written promise; to impart to my sons and the sons of the master who taught me and the disciples who have enrolled themselves and have agreed to the rules of the profession, but to these alone the precepts and the instruction. I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgement and never do harm to anyone. To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death. Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art. I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art. In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves. All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot."

The doctor that does not subscribe to this oath should not be allowed to practice medicine. The state should not be able to enact a law which would allow a doctor to legally violate the oath to protect those they are entrusted to care for.

October 10, 2005

Well, the sentiment coming from

Well, the sentiment coming from the GOP and other Miers supporters is to "trust the President." It seems to me, that in a case where an individual is nominated to the highest court in the land, the words "trust the President" shouldn't even be a consideration. I mean, seriously, is this the best they can offer? Shouldn't an individual nominated to this position have some kind of extensive background in judicial decisions? Shouldn't that individual's accomplishments speak for themselves? Why is this "trust the President" rhetoric even being tossed around? This is not to demonize Ms. Miers in any way. I'm sure that she is a great attorney and probably an even greater person. The fact is, despite all of this, she simply isn't qualified. This is being echoed throughout the blogosphere and in the conservative media:

John Hawkins points out the results of a poll he took of conservative bloggers on her nomination. Of those polled, 49% said that Bush made a bad or terrible decision in nominating her.

Sydney Carton over at Aggressive Conservative points out several links regarding the lack of support for her nomination. He also points out that she may even be a liberal

Polipundit has also changed his tune.

Captain Ed has also raised important questions about the nomination.

Of course Michelle Malkin has been very critical of the nomination as has Ann Coulter.

Donald Lambro reported today in the Washington Tmes that all seems well among the rank and file in the GOP. He even mentions my home state:

In Alabama, a state that gave Mr. Bush 62.5 percent of its vote last year, Republican Chairman Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh said, "People respect [Mr. Bush?s] choice. A lot of people would like to know more about her, but the president has had the most personal contact with her, knows her thoughts, abilities and beliefs, and we trust him to make the right decision. Overwhelmingly, that's what I hear people saying."

While I wouldn't consider myself one of the "rank and file" of the GOP, I certainly do consider myself a conservative and an Alabama citizen not happy with this nomination.

I think it's safe to say that this could be the straw that breaks the camel's back. The neocons are calling to "trust the President" while the traditional conservatives in the blogosphere and elsewhere are letting it be known that they aren't happy.

Simply put: Harriet Miers does not have the qualfications necessary to sit on the highest court in the land. There were (and still are I might add) better, and more qualified, candidates for this position. From Janice Rogers Brown to Michael Luttig, there are a plethora of judges which would fit in the mold of Scalia or Thomas. Miers should withdraw her nomination.

October 09, 2005

How about beating up 64

How about beating up 64 year old men? Two New Orleans police officers were caught on tape beating up a 64 year old man near Bourbon Street. I used to be a military police officer and based on what the article stated the level of force used was much more than necessary in a case like this. I understand that the officers are very stressed working such long hours and in such poor conditions but that is still no excuse to take your anger out on an old drunk man...in my opinion anyway.

Happened to be surfing and

Happened to be surfing and noticed that Blogs of War had linked to the fact sheet pointing out the terror plots, three of which were aimed at the United States, which the President noted in his speech last week. They included:

10 Plots

1. The West Coast Airliner Plot: In mid-2002 the U.S. disrupted a plot to attack targets on the West Coast of the United States using hijacked airplanes. The plotters included at least one major operational planner involved in planning the events of 9/11.
2. The East Coast Airliner Plot: In mid-2003 the U.S. and a partner disrupted a plot to attack targets on the East Coast of the United States using hijacked commercial airplanes.
3. The Jose Padilla Plot: In May 2002 the U.S. disrupted a plot that involved blowing up apartment buildings in the United States. One of the plotters, Jose Padilla, also discussed the possibility of using a "dirty bomb" in the U.S.
4. The 2004 UK Urban Targets Plot: In mid-2004 the U.S. and partners disrupted a plot that involved urban targets in the United Kingdom. These plots involved using explosives against a variety of sites.
5. The 2003 Karachi Plot: In the Spring of 2003 the U.S. and a partner disrupted a plot to attack Westerners at several targets in Karachi, Pakistan.
6. The Heathrow Airport Plot: In 2003 the U.S. and several partners disrupted a plot to attack Heathrow Airport using hijacked commercial airliners. The planning for this attack was undertaken by a major 9/11 operational figure.
7. The 2004 UK Plot: In the Spring of 2004 the U.S. and partners, using a combination of law enforcement and intelligence resources, disrupted a plot to conduct large-scale bombings in the UK.
8. The 2002 Arabian Gulf Shipping Plot: In late 2002 and 2003 the U.S. and a partner nation disrupted a plot by al-Qa'ida operatives to attack ships in the Arabian Gulf.
9. The 2002 Straits of Hormuz Plot: In 2002 the U.S. and partners disrupted a plot to attack ships transiting the Straits of Hormuz.
10. The 2003 Tourist Site Plot: In 2003 the U.S. and a partner nation disrupted a plot to attack a tourist site outside the United States.

5 Casings and Infiltrations

1. The U.S. Government & Tourist Sites Tasking: In 2003 and 2004, an individual was tasked by al-Qa'ida to case important U.S. Government and tourist targets within the United States.
2. The Gas Station Tasking: In approximately 2003, an individual was tasked to collect targeting information on U.S. gas stations and their support mechanisms on behalf of a senior al-Qa'ida planner.
3. Iyman Faris & the Brooklyn Bridge: In 2003, and in conjunction with a partner nation, the U.S. government arrested and prosecuted Iyman Faris, who was exploring the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Faris ultimately pleaded guilty to providing material support to al-Qa'ida and is now in a federal correctional institution.
4. 2001 Tasking: In 2001, al-Qa'ida sent an individual to facilitate post-September 11 attacks in the U.S. U.S. law enforcement authorities arrested the individual.
5. 2003 Tasking: In 2003, an individual was tasked by an al-Qa'ida leader to conduct reconnaissance on populated areas in the U.S.

Well, as the season has

Well, as the season has progressed, not much has changed in the top 4. These teams keep piling on the W's and one begins to wonder when some of them will lose. One thing that has plagued me all season is the Big Ten. I just can't seem to nail this conference. I've had Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota all in the top ten and they're all gone now. The only one remaining is Penn State and in the beginning, they weren't in my top 10 at all. Perhaps it's because the Big Ten has arguably been the best conference this season. Their usual doormats are turning out pretty good games and giving the traditional powerhouses like Ohio State and Michigan fits. Let's see if the Nittany Lions can stay atop the water for another week.

1. USC 5-0
2. Texas 5-0
3. Virginia Tech 6-0
4. Florida State 5-0
5. Georgia 5-0
6. Alabama 5-0
7. Penn State 6-0
8. UCLA 5-0
9. Texas Tech 5-0
10. Miami 4-1

1. USC Same ol' same ol' with the Trojans. Look for next week's matchup with the Irish to be a battle and their first true test of the season. I think it will be close but my money would go on the Trojans.

2. Texas Beating Oklahoma is never easy especially when they're your biggest rival. Mack Brown put a convincing pounding on the Sooners and proved that his team deserves the number 2 spot...for another week at least.

3. Virginia Tech They got off easy this week against Marshall but there is no doubt, the Hokies are the best team in the ACC. Now try telling Florida State fans that. Their only real regular season tests remaining will be Boston College and Miami.

4. Florida State Another team that keeps cruising. The rest of the season looks very favorable until they have to go to the swamp. That will be their stumbling block...oh and the Hokies in the ACC title game.

5. Georgia The Bulldogs went into Knoxville and simply took care of business as usual. We all were holding our breaths awaiting Clausen to pull another rabbit out of his hat as he did against LSU. Instead he pulled out a ticket to the SEC title game...to watch that is. Georgia will probably go into the SEC title game but look for the matchup against Florida to be a big one.

6. Alabama Bama is still holding solid at number 6. They had a bye week which means two weeks to prep an offense without their all-purpose man, Prothro. They'll have a little scrimmage game against Ole Miss next week and then come the Vols. It'll be like Arkansas all over again only the Vols are much better than the Hogs. The Tide will have a battle on their hands.

7. Penn State For once I was right on a Big Ten team and I'm glad it happened to be the Nittany Lions. After squashing the Golden Gophers last week they squeezed out a win against a tough Ohio State squad. This team is for real and we'll probably be seeing them in the top ten here for awhile.

8. UCLA The Bruins have had success early but hadn't really been tested until this week when they managed to beat Cal after a huge fourth quarter comeback. They'll prove to be a tough team to knock off for the Trojans when they meet up in December.

9. Texas Tech I've given this team some flack for such a weak schedule but they did beat Nebraska whom I had as my number 9 last week. So, now they can say they played and beat some real competition. Can they keep up the pace?

10. Miami This was not the team I would have preferred to place in my number 10 spot but Notre Dame didn't play this week and I have a policy of not moving a team up early in the season when they have a bye. Miami pummelled Duke as they should have. They'll run into a brick wall in November when they take on the Hokies. Next week against Temple should be an easy W for the Canes.

Dropped Out: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Tennessee

Notables: Minnesota, Boston College, Colorado, LSU, Notre Dame

My Previous Top 10: Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6

October 07, 2005

I'm introducing something new to

I'm introducing something new to the blog. TGIF-Interesting Links and Open Trackbacks will be posted every Friday. I'll just point out some articles I've found and will allow open trackbacks. No, I don't have inline trackbacks being a Blogger user, but you're still welcome to use the trackback system that I do have to link to your blog about anything you find interesting. Remember to keep it clean.

Progress on the war on terror- Because the MSM won't cover it if it's not covered in blood.

Gay men will be allowed in the priesthood- (rolleyes) Oh, brother!

Unemployment rises in September- No need to panic just yet though.

13 Page letter found outlining al Qaeda's plans for Iraq- Sounds like some possible inner turmoil?

Senate approves $50B more for Iraq- The bill would raise military members' pay (which I'm all in favor of) but also calls for provisions against torture of detainees.

Thomas Sowell has interesting analysis on the Miers nomination- A weak congress? Hmmm...

Captain Ed notes hypocrisy in Republicans over Miers nomination- And he's 100% right. We can't expect to slam Dems for bringing up religious views on Roberts when all we've heard from the White House is evangelical Christian.

Craziest item of the week: Man receives Nobel Prize IG Noble for developing artificial dog testicles- I'm speechless

If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out this week's Carnival of Satire, Carnival of the Vanities, and the Carnival of Liberty.

Don't forget to leave those trackbacks. If you are a blogger user like me, then you will have to use the Wizbang standalone trackback pinger to send your trackbacks. Remember to leave a link to this post in the post you trackback.

Update: Apparently Haloscan is having some problems today so I apologize if you've tried to leave a trackback that hasn't gone through.

Yesterday, the President gave his

Yesterday, the President gave his most firm speech yet regarding the war on terror and the conflict in Iraq. If you're like me, and were forced to slave away for the almighty dollar, then chances are you missed the speech. You can read the transcript of the speech and see the video here.

While the Democrats and those on the left stated that they didn't want to hear "stay the course" that is essentially what they received from the Commander-in-Chief. Democrats continue to demonstrate just how out of touch they are with reality by demanding timetables and deadlines for the conflict in Iraq. Has the administration set certain timetables and goals? Of course, they'd be foolish not to do so in the span of two years. Should we tell every American and thus every citizen of the free world our exact strategy and when we plan on completing said strategy? Obviously the answer is a resounding no. To do so would compromise our OPSEC. For you lefties, who were too busy burning your flags and hating your country to have served in the military, OPSEC means operational security. To release every deadline and every goal would be releasing the information to the enemy and would compromise our success in this operation and ultimately the success of Iraq's growth as a free nation. Aside from OPSEC its just plain good common sense that should tell these liberals that we can't publicize our timetable in Iraq. That would probably explain why they don't understand as common sense in the Democratic party and on the left has become more and more uncommon.

The brunt of Bush's speech focused on the fact that we are dealing with a radical extremist movement with the ultimate goal of enslaving the Middle East in a tyrannical and oppressive empire. We cannot allow that to happen because it affects our domestic tranquility. Once again, the President brought up September 11th synonymously with the war in Iraq, which is always sure to get the left's blood boiling since "Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11." Yeah right. If you believe that then I have some oceanfront property in North Dakota you may be interested in.

There seems to be a large divide among the American people on this issue. Regardless of whether we were justified in our attack on Iraq or not, the fact is, we have attacked and we have successfully removed an oppressive extremist regime. We cannot leave the Iraqi people, untrained, to defend themselves from the extremists that would attempt to take charge of the nation and create a center terrorist state. We are quick to point fingers in this country and not so quick to take action to correct past failings. In Iraq we have very clear goals: train the people of Iraq so that they may defend themselves and help them form their own government based on the foundations of freedom and liberty. We can argue about the reasons for going into Iraq and how they weren't justified when the job is finished. Right now, however, there is an important job to do and our men and women in uniform are risking their lives to do it day in and day out. Risking their lives to ensure that we will have a free America in the future. As the President said: We will not tire, or rest, until the war on terror is won.

Check out Basil's Articles of Interest

October 06, 2005

Well, I took the OkCupid

Well, I took the OkCupid Politics Test and here are my results:

You are a Social Conservative (38% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (65% permissive) You are best described as a: Republican Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid.com

A meeting in Geneva has

A meeting in Geneva has dealt the U.S. a heavy blow today. Members of the UN and EU have essentially decided to take control of the internet from the US by forming an international council to govern its use...even though thats not what they really say, thats essentially the sum of it. I believe that the U.S. should simply separate itself from the international community on this. No one sets policy for the United States except the United States. Will that happen? Most likely not but it raises many concerns including privacy, security, and human rights. This is truly a travesty!

h/t- MuD & PHuD

The textbook referenced by the

The textbook referenced by the Dover School District, Of Pandas and People, was revised after the 1987 Supreme Court ruling which banned the teaching of creationism alongside evolution. The original version of the text referred to Creationism as the explanation for the creation of the world. Of course, this is a huge victory for the ACLU who are probably going to run away with this one, but despite that, the theory of Intelligent Design is still vastly different than that of Creationism. The fact is, the ACLU wants to make this an establishment clause case and, in my opinion, it simply is not because the idea of intelligent design does not promote any religion.

Michelle Malkin has provided great

Michelle Malkin has provided great coverage on the Oklahoma suicide bomber student and she asks why the MSM isn't all over this. Very interesting details being uncovered by the blogosphere. Worth a look.

Mark A. Rayner helps tickle

Mark A. Rayner helps tickle our funny bone again with this week's Carnival of Satire. Check it out!

Walter Williams helps debunk the

Walter Williams helps debunk the claim the Europeans and liberals have made connecting the powerful nature of hurricanes to global warming trends. He writes:

Major categories 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes are relatively rare. If you check out the website of the National Hurricane Center (www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdec.shtml?), you'll find that the most active hurricane decade was 1941-50 -- recording 24 hurricanes, with 10 of them being giant category 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes. The peak for major hurricanes (categories 3, 4 5) came in the decades of the 1890s, 1930s and 1940s -- an average of nine per decade. Of the 92 giant hurricanes that have struck the U.S. mainland between 1851 and 2004, 61 of them occurred before 1950, long before global warming was an issue.

Related posts- Debunking Streisand's "Global Warming Emergency"

If you gave money to

If you gave money to the Red Cross for the relief effort post Katrina, can you be sure that the money is getting to the people that need it? The answer, according to this article, is: no, not really. Snippet:

This Gulf Coast rumor is true: the American Red Cross is handing out money -- as much as $1,565 for a family of five -- for virtually anyone who asks for it within certain ZIP codes affected by Hurricane Katrina.

It's a system that reflects the trusting, short-cut measures being taken by some relief agencies dealing with both unprecedented damage and unrivaled financial support.

"We erred on the side of generosity rather on the side of being stingy," said Maj. David Waite, director of The Salvation Army in Mobile.

October 05, 2005

Carnival of the Vanites #159

Carnival of the Vanites #159 is up and running at Technogypsy. Go check out the best posts you probably overlooked!

First of all, if you're

First of all, if you're reading this you're probably not from Alabama. The information is still valuable in an issue that has been brewing for quite some time over the government's misuse of eminent domain. It's relevant because it's something that effects us all over the nation especially since the Kelo v. New London case.

Eminent Domain is generally defined as:

The right of a government to appropriate private property for public use, usually with compensation to the owner.

The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution states:

nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

"Public use" as many understand, is the use of the property in question for vaild public use such as: building of a school, a road, a courthouse, or some other public structure. Kelo brought attention to another issue completely of eminent domain being the right of the government to take your property and sell it to someone else in order to draw in more tax revenue. According to the Supreme Court, this is valid use of eminent domain. As you already know, this is a gross misinterpretation of the Constitution. That being said, it is happening and has been for quite some time now.

The home in this picture was determined to be "blighted" by government officials in Ohio. Designating certain property as "blighted" is one other way government officials manipulate the law to use eminent domain. The term blighted can have various definitions from state to state but in Ohio blighted is defined as:

"Blighted area" means an area within a municipal corporation, which area by reason of the presence of a substantial number of slums, deteriorated or deteriorating structures, predominance of defective or inadequate street layout, faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site or other improvements, diversity of ownership, tax or special assessment delinquency exceeding the fair value of the land, defective or unusual conditions to title, or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of a municipal corporation, retards the provision of housing accommodations, or constitutes an economic or social liability and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare in its present condition and use.

It's quite obvious that the home is, in no way, blighted. The government tried to force the owners to sell their home so that the city could sell the property to condo developers to increase tax revenue for the city. Misuse of eminent domain? Indeed!

In Alabama, the Senate passed a bill, SB68, which would curb misuse of eminent domain in such fashion. An amendment to the Alabama Constitution, Section 23, dealing specifically with eminent domain has been proposed. In the proposed amendment, it is specified that land cannot be taken by the government to be sold to another private party simply to generate increased tax revenue. The bill, HB117, is set to go through the House in Alabama in the next general session. The people of Alabama know that the only way to protect themselves from the misuse of eminent domain is to amend the state's constitution. What is your state's eminent domain policy? Does it specify that your property can't be sold to other private parties in the name of public interest? If your state hasn't already amended their constitution regarding eminent domain I urge you to take a stand and contact your representatives. You never know when someone from the city, county, or state may come knocking on your door to force you to sell your property to set up a shopping mall. This is a very real issue that effects us all.

Check out Basil's Articles of Interest

Captain Ed has nailed it

Captain Ed has nailed it again citing that to flaunt Harriet Miers's religious views in place of proven jurisprudence is hypocrisy. We did the exact opposite for Roberts's confirmation. As the Captain points out:

Either come up with more substantial and appropriate evidence for supporting her nomination, preferably some exceptional scholarship or casework, or withdraw her nomination.

And I couldn't agree more!

In the Federalist Paper 76,

In the Federalist Paper 76, Alexander Hamilton went into detail about the appointing power of the executive branch (the President) in regards to the nomination and appointment of "ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States whose appointments are not otherwise provided for in the Constitution." In this paper, Hamilton contended that the individual holding the office of President would not be tempted to nominate based on corrupt or unethical reasons because of the legislative branch's affirmation to appointment:

It will readily be comprehended, that a man who had himself the sole disposition of offices, would be governed much more by his private inclinations and interests, than when he was bound to submit the propriety of his choice to the discussion and determination of a different and independent body, and that body an entier branch of the legislature. The possibility of rejection would be a strong motive to care in proposing. The danger to his own reputation, and, in the case of an elective magistrate, to his political existence, from betraying a spirit of favoritism, or an unbecoming pursuit of popularity, to the observation of a body whose opinion would have great weight in forming that of the public, could not fail to operate as a barrier to the one and to the other. He would be both ashamed and afraid to bring forward, for the most distinguished or lucrative stations, candidates who had no other merit than that of coming from the same State to which he particularly belonged, or of being in some way or other personally allied to him, or of possessing the necessary insignificance and pliancy to render them the obsequious instruments of his pleasure.

According to Hamilton a man who respected the principles of the Constitution and of the American people could not make such a choice and yet we have seen it happen. So one begins to wonder...was Hamilton wrong? I don't think so. I think that the system works and the reasoning he provided is very logical. Why would a man compromise his own reputation by appointing someone because of his own private inclinations? Yet we have seen it with the nomination of Miers. Many may argue that we simply don't know. Many argue that she could be the next Reinquist. Yes, she could....and she could not. But in my opinion, what we have seen here is a man who defied the reasoning that Hamilton encouraged would make the system work. There is much more evidence to suggest that this nomination was personal rather than professional which undermines the Constitution and the will of the people. I hope that I am wrong about her...for the sake of this great nation.

Everyone remember former Chief Justice

Everyone remember former Chief Justice Roy Moore? The man who defied the federal judiciary's unconstitutional order to remove the Ten Commandments monument has announced he is running for governor in Alabama in 2006.

"We live in a crucial time in our history, a time when our rights are being eroded while the real problems in this state are oftentime ignored," Moore, 58, said.

"As our taxes continue to rise, the education of our children continues to decline," Moore said. "And at a time when morality seems to be disappearing, our courts are preoccupied with telling children they can't pray and telling public officials they can't acknowledge the God that is the source of our morality."

Moore said his campaign could be summed up with one theme: "Return Alabama to the people."

Roy Moore proved his integrity when he refused to back down from the federal government. At the time he had no political motivations--he merely stood up for what he felt was right. We need more people like Roy Moore in government. He'll have my vote.

October 04, 2005

The Life, Liberty, and Property

The Life, Liberty, and Property community has posted its weekly Carnival of Liberty. Very, very good material well worth a look.

Pat Buchanan blasts Bush and

Pat Buchanan blasts Bush and the Republicans for choosing not to fight by nominating Harriet Miers. I couldn't agree more!

Philip Klotzbach, research associate with

Philip Klotzbach, research associate with the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State, and William Gray, professor in CSU's Atmospheric Science Department, both debunk the "global warming" myth regarding hurricane strength:

Warmer water means more hurricanes because that is where they draw their strength.

But the warmer water is not due to global warming, Klotzbach said.

"If you look at global tropic cyclones, the number has gone down the last 10 years," he said.

"Statistically, if you have global warming, you would see it (the number of hurricanes) go up everywhere."

Instead, he said, the Atlantic Ocean undergoes cycles lasting 20 to 25 years in which the water warms and then cools off.

Currently, the Atlantic is in the midst of the warm cycle, with water temperatures rising above average in the past 11 years.

The Atlantic is more prone to these cycles because its water is saltier than that of other oceans, which results in more evaporation than precipitation.

Another reason that more hurricanes are expected in October is that the vertical wind shear is low. Vertical wind shear occurs when there are different wind directions and speeds at various heights in the storm. The higher the wind shear, the less likely a hurricane will form because the storm will blow apart.

October 03, 2005

There is no question that

There is no question that George W. Bush hasn't been the greatest President to sit in the Oval Office. Even back in 2004 during the campaign, conservatives admitted that Bush had quite a few failings in his first tenure but we, the American citizens, thought that Bush would have been the "lesser of two evils." No question that Kerry would have taken this nation down a road that would ultimately have led to cultural implosion and destruction. But if Bush was “a not-so-great President� in his first term he can now officially be labeled a “bad President� for the actions of his second term thus far. The conservatives in this country need to wake up and realize that Bush and the GOP have abandoned us. We have been left behind in favor of votes. The President had one last chance to establish himself as one of the great conservative leaders of our time, ultimately saving this nation from moral and cultural demise, by nominating the right person for the Supreme Court Justice position being left vacant by Justice O'Connor. Things were looking good for the conservatives. All the ducks were lined up in a neat little row. Bush announced that he would nominate a woman or minority to the position. Democrats would have had a hard time explaining to the minority population (which constitutes a large portion of their constituency) why they blocked a Janice Rogers Brown or Larry Thompson, both extremely qualified for their positions, to a seat on the highest court in the land. The Dems had their backs against the walls politically speaking. If they kept their promise to vote against the President's nomination, they would have been committing political suicide had that nominee been a minority regardless of that nominee’s political persuasion. If they did not vote against a very conservative justice they would essentially be risking a cultural shift to the right and the fall of the left-wing machine for quite some time. Essentially for the Dems it was a lose-lose situation. Then Bush, with one last chance to prove to the conservatives in this nation that he still valued the ideology that placed him in his position, nominated Harriet Miers--his attorney. In an administration that has reeked of claims of cronyism, this will go down as his biggest failing. How will Miers be on the court? No one can answer that question. The general consensus is that she will not be able to lead the charge back to Constitutional and moral values in the nation's highest court essentially becoming a swing vote. While her record in the legal field indicates that she is, for the most part, a conservative she is not the person for this position. This is the epitome of selling out the GOP for votes by taking a moderate role. With an approval rating of around 40%, and certainly bound to plummet after this debacle, Bush has compromised our nation's values to ensure that the GOP still sits in the White House in 2008. He had a chance to become a conservative icon and he failed. So what does this mean? It means that the strong conservatives in this nation need to abandon the GOP. They have already turned their back on us. We needn't look to the GOP for political solace anymore. That is why I have switched my party affiliation to the Constitution Party. This is a party that, thus far, looks to be growing at a grassroots level rapidly. They demand a return to the ideals and principles laid out in the Constitution by our founding fathers. If you are a conservative, and care about the future of this country, you must realize that the GOP has taken a turn away from our values. Their only concern is power and their loyalties do not lie with the people of this great nation. It is time for a wake up call.

The folks over at New

The folks over at New Republic have pointed out that Harriet Miers submitted a report to the ABA House of Delegates where she recommended the enactment of laws which would provide rights to homosexuals to adopt children. They also point out that she recommended the establishment of an international criminal court. Further evidence that Bush is letting the liberals win.

From Hillary Clinton's official site:Senator

From Hillary Clinton's official site:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has joined with fellow Senate Democrats in urging the Department of Homeland Security to issue a formal statement reassuring immigrant victims of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina that they can seek help from relief agencies without fear of deportation or being turned over to immigration authorities.

In other words, your tax dollars are being spent to ensure that not only are these illegals not deported, as they should be, but that they also receive federal aid! This is what we can look forward to if we don't stop Hillary in 2008. This is an absolute outrage!!!

Courtesy Cao's Blog:International Terrorism and

Courtesy Cao's Blog:

International Terrorism and Immigration Policy September 12, 2001 By Steven Emerson

You can see more at ProtectOurBorders.com

January 25, 2000
United States House of Representatives
Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims
House Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims
Hearing on International Terrorism and Immigration Policy
January 25, 2000

Testimony of Steven Emerson,
Terrorist Expert and Investigator
Executive Director, Terrorism Newswire, Inc.
Terrornews@aol.com

Introductory comments:

Good morning. Before I begin my prepared comments, I would like to take a moment to express my deepest appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing, and, equally important, for standing up to the orchestrated campaign to stop me from appearing. Because of the investigative work I have carried out as a journalist and investigator in exposing the presence of militant Islamic fundamentalists and Middle Eastern terrorists in the United States (see attached bio), I have been the subject of a sustained campaign of vilification, defamation and even a threat to my life during the past five years by militant Islamic organizations operating as self-anointed representatives of the larger Muslim population, whom they decidedly do not represent. But without access to accurate information about my real background to correct the false claims being fabricated about me, some of those who receive this information are unfortunately subject to manipulation. In the end, the aim of this campaign is to prevent me, as well as others, from speaking and writing about the threat of militant Islamic fundamentalism on American soil, and thus prevent the public from being properly informed. The very success of these organizations and their supporters, fronting under the false veneer of being “moderate� and “mainstream,� in creating a chilling climate where free speech on this issue has been suppressed, has become a factor in allowing foreign terrorists to operate in the United States below the radar screen and thus avoid the scrutiny from either the media, public officials or law enforcement. Just as significantly, the tactics of various Islamic organizations do a tremendous disservice to the vast overwhelming majority of Muslim Americans who do not support violence or terrorism. Mr. Chairman, your refusal to allow these militants to suppress free speech is to be applauded and lauded.

Overview of international terrorist problem:

Thanks to the quick response of US Customs Agents to behavior deemed suspicious at the Canadian border in Port Angeles on December 14, 1999, Ahmed Ressam was caught trying to smuggle RDX explosives. A wide-ranging investigation, unprecedented in its sweep and scope, succeeded in identifying and arresting other members of the hitherto unknown terrorist cell to which Ressam belonged. A plot to bomb and destroy targets in the United States, although still not publicly identified, had been narrowly averted.

Today the United States and Canada serve as the home for a wide spectrum of international terrorist groups as well as indigenous “home-grown� groups. Certainly, today’s hearing focuses our attention on the threat of international terrorism on American soil and the porous nature of US borders. While virtually all foreign terrorist organizations from throughout the world, including Latin America and Asia, have set up infrastructures in the United States, the primary threat of international terrorism on American soil stems from Middle Eastern terrorist organizations, a fact that FBI and CIA officials have repeatedly testified to. These organizations have set up fundraising operations, political headquarters, military recruitment and sometimes even command and control centers. The entire spectrum of Middle Eastern and Islamic terrorist groups now operates on American soil, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Algerian Armed Islamic Group, the Egyptian Al Gamat Al Islamiya, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Islamic Liberation Party, the PKK and Al-Qaeda, the organization of Osama bin Laden.

There are various reasons for the emergence of these groups in the United States, which include:

· Ability to operate under our political radar screen

· Ability to hide under mainstream religious identification

· Loopholes in immigration procedures

· Ease of penetration of borders

· Limitations on FBI and other agencies performing law enforcement functions, including INS and Customs

· More sophisticated compartmentalization of terrorist cells around loosely structured terrorist movements

· Exploitation of freedoms of religion and speech

· Absence of a vigilant media

· Exploitation of non-profit fundraising prerogatives and lack of government scrutiny

· Increasing cross fertilization and mutual support provided by members of different Islamic terrorist groups

· Ease of availability of student visas from countries harboring or supporting terrorism

· Failures by universities to keep track of foreign students and their spouses

· Protection afforded by specially-created educational programs

· Ease of visa fraud and the invention of false credentials, from passports, drivers licenses, credit cards and social security numbers

· Blowback from the anti-Soviet mujihadeen that the US supported in Afghanistan.

Despite passage of the anti-terrorism bill and a realization by law enforcement since the World Trade Center bombing that the threat of Middle Eastern terrorism had become part of the US and Canadian landscapes, militants and terrorists continue to use both countries as a base of operations. As water seeking its own level, terrorists will gravitate to those areas that give them the greatest freedom to maneuver. Unless choked off and stopped along the different points of entry – ranging from the visa granting process overseas to the hundreds of unmanned border crossing points between Canada and the United States–terrorists will continue to come to the United States. The list of major international terrorists and militants allowed to enter the United States in recent years or actually granted green cards and citizenship is nothing less than staggering.

· Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman, head of the Egyptian Al Gamat Al Islamiya, and convicted leader of an interdicted plot to bomb US landmarks, bridges and tunnels in New York

· Musa Abu Marzook, one of the top three officials of Hamas (who founded and operated a “think tank� in Chicago and Virginia

· Ali Mohammed, a top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden (and not insignificantly, enrolled as a Special Forces sergeant at Fort Bragg)

· Wadih el Hage, secretary to Osama bin Laden

· Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (who served as a professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa)

· Sheikh Abdel Aziz Odeh, spiritual leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and unindicted co-conspirator in the World Trade Center bombing (who visited the United States multiple times for fundraising and political recruitment without any knowledge of the INS)

· Ayman Zawahiri, leader of the Egyptian Al-Gihad organization, lieutenant to Osama bin Laden and conspirator in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat

· Rashhid Ghannoushi, head of the Tunisian Al-Nahdah

· Anwar Haddam, a leader of the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front (FIS)

· Leith Shbeilat, a militant Islamic leader implicated in an assassination plot against Jordan’s King Hussein

· Khalid Mishal, a top leader of Hamas, who, in his speeches in the United States, has called for stabbings

· Kamal Hilbawi, a spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood, who has called for attacks on American targets and who has encouraged carrying out of suicide bombings

· Yusef Al Qaradawi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and active supporter of Hamas and other violent groups, who has called for suicide bombings and taking over the United States

· Qazi Hussein Ahmed, leader of Pakistani Jamaat-e-Islami, a militant group that supports violent “jihad� or holy war

· Ramzi Yousef, the top organizer of the World Trade Center bombing

· Sheikh Abdulmunem Abu Zant, a militant Jordanian Islamic cleric, who has routinely called for violence

· Ishaq Al-Farhan, a leader of the militant Islamic Jordan Action Front who has issued numerous exhortations to carry out violence

· Wagdi Ghuniem, a militant Islamic cleric from Egypt, who has called for jihad against Jews and other “enemies of Islam.� (Curiously, on one of his recent visits to the United States, Ghuniem was barred from entering Canada because of his terrorist affiliations and sent back to the United States, where he continued his tour exhorting Islamic groups to carry out violence.)

Loopholes and weaknesses of immigration controls:

Foreign nationals who are terrorist operatives routinely utilize false identity documents to illegally enter the US and/or remain here once they have entered. There are no shortages of examples in this regard - the recent Washington State and Vermont arrests clearly show this. The ability of Islamic Jihad leader Abdel Aziz Odeh to have entered the US numerous times, without leaving a record under his real name, is yet another example. Ghazi Ibrahim Abu Mezer and Lafi Khalil were arrested on July 31, 1997 in a Brooklyn apartment by police officers from the New York City Police Department, based on a tip that people in the apartment were intending to bomb the New York subway system. The arrests narrowly averted a series of bombings that could have killed hundreds of commuters. After the arrests, police determined that Mezer and Khalil were in the United States illegally. Mezer was apprehended three times by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in the thirteen months prior to the arrest in New York for attempting to illegally enter the United States from Canada. At the time of arrest, the INS had begun formal deportation proceedings against him, but he was free on bail and had filed a request for political asylum based on his fear that the Israeli government would arrest him for membership in Hamas. False documents are as important to terrorists and their organizations as their guns and bombs – they are tools that help them ply their international trade of death and destruction.

And there’s more. But you get the point.

Obviously the protection of our borders is a major concern. Please, join in on the blogburst to raise awareness to this issue which the Bush administration has virtually ignored.

If you are concerned with the trend of illegal immigration facing our country, join our blogburst! Just send an email with your blog name and url to kit.jarrell at gmail dot com. Other blogs on board:

ABC News has compiled some

ABC News has compiled some background on Harriet Miers. While she has never been a judge she has a good conservative background and has promised to uphold the Constitution as the founding fathers intended which is always a great sign! I think this was all about strategy myself. The Dems will have a hard time voting against someone with as good of a legal background as Miers has (she has been a pioneer in the legal system for women) but they, of course, will bring into question her qualifications in the judiciary which are nil. I think it will be a battle but ultimately Bush could have picked a better nominee than Miers in my opinion.

Update: Lyle Denniston of SCOTUSblog has some interesting thoughts as well as does the Captain.

h/t- Wizbang

technorati tag: harriet mier

For those who may follow

For those who may follow the show American Idol, the 2004 winner, Fantasia, admitted that she cannot read. Only in America...

Miers' stance on abortion is

Miers' stance on abortion is still a bit unclear but as Tim Carney points out, she has a decent trackrecord when it comes to abortion. At least she believes in letting the people decide.

h/t- Confirm Them

Confirmthem.com has pointed out Ms.

Confirmthem.com has pointed out Ms. Miers' political contributions to both the Republican and Democratic parties. Since she's never been a judge one has to wonder if this is going to be another Ginsburg. Personally I don't think she'll be that extreme...at least I hope not.

October 02, 2005

Newsmax has a fantastic article

Newsmax has a fantastic article on Bill Bennett's response to critics over his black abortion statement. The article points out the hypocrisy of the left including the fact that drunk Teddy was responsible for the death of a girl, Harry Reid told the Supreme Court's sole black judge that he was an "embarrassment to the court," and Howard Dean suggested that most blacks hold menial jobs. Oh and let's not forget the great former "Cyclops" KKK man, Robert Byrd, whom, in his autobiography, stated that his fellow Klansment were "upstanding people." All of these idiots have criticized Bennet while totally missing the point which proves one thing: You can tell a liberal how to take a dump but you can't force him to wipe his @$$.

It's quite simple really. The

It's quite simple really. The MSM has a liberal leftist agenda and one of the keys in that agenda is abortion. The left has often said that the only way to use stem cell research effectively to heal people is through the use of embryonic stem cells. This is one of the defenses they use in their pro-abortion (no...not pro-choice...that would insinuate giving the child a choice which abortion does not) stance, thus the MSM hasn't been covering the issue. A paraplegic of 19 years has been healing remarkably after receiving treatment with stem cells taken from an umbilical cord. The use of such stem cells falls under the classification of adult stem cell research as opposed to embryonic. I urge all conservatives in the blogosphere to pass this on!!

h/t- Ogre's Views

Don't forget to check out Basil's Articles of Interest

Harvey over at imao.us pointed

Harvey over at imao.us pointed out the CENTCOM newsletter which reports on much of the progress being made in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other nations. True news on what's going on there without spin from the left.

It brings me great pleasure

It brings me great pleasure to finally be able to vote in my favorite team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, into the top ten. There were doubts in many fan's minds about the Tide's 4-0 start. They had yet to face a truly tough opponent in their first four games so the great opening was a bit questionable. I don't think anyone is questioning them now. This is a team that is for real. They took down the team that I, and many other NCAA fans, thought could be a serious contender for the Rose Bowl. All I can say is: we're back!!

1. USC 4-0
2. Texas 4-0
3. Virginia Tech 5-0
4. Florida State 4-0
5. Wisconsin 5-0
6. Alabama 5-0
7. Georgia 4-0
8. Penn State 5-0
9. Nebraska 4-0
10. Tennessee 3-1

1. USC Against Oregon we saw the Trojans go down early only to come back in the second half and blow the Ducks away. We saw the same thing happen this week against the Sun Devils of Arizona State. One begins to wonder if the Trojans are playing little cat and mouse games. We'll find out on the 15th when they take on Notre Dame

2. Texas Mack Brown and the Longhorns continue to roll on easily defeating Mizzou. Next week will be a tough one for them as they take on archrival Oklahoma. It'll probably be a competitive game early but look for the horns to easily take them out in the end.

3. Virginia Tech The Hokies move up a couple of spots thanks to losses from the Gators and LSU and, of course, their stellar play. They took down a hungry West Virginia team with a lot to prove. They'll probably cruise through their next couple of games but look for their meetup with BC to be a challenge.

4. Florida State The Seminoles move up two spots for the mere fact that the Gators and Tigers lost and, unlike VT, not for their stellar play. They've beaten a couple of quality teams though and will be a contender in the ACC. The only real challenges they have left are with Virginia and Florida. I think they'll cruise into the ACC title game only to be pummelled by the Hokies.

5. Wisconsin This was a telling week for the Big Ten. We're beginning to separate the men from the boys. Michigan State and Minnesota couldn't keep pace. Meanwhile the Badgers keep on rolling. While they luck up and avoid the Buckeyes, they still have some challenges ahead. The remainder of their schedule won't be easy with games against Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Purdue.

6. Alabama Finally they arrive back where they belong after such a long absence. After the way they brutally manhandled Florida I don't think there is anyone that can argue that the Crimson Tide is not the best team in the SEC. They proved that their 4-0 start was no fluke and they're hungry to win the SEC. I just hope they're hungry to win more than that. Roses anyone? We'll see.

7. Georgia Sorry, Georgia. Unlike the AP and other polls, you don't get a free pass to move up in my top 10 for being idle. Not this early anyway. Quite simply: Georgia is the best in the East and Bama is the best in the West.

8. Penn State I was hesitant to put them in the top ten earlier for the same reason I was hesitant to put in Bama: because they hadn't really played anyone. Well, in a Big Ten showdown with Minnesota (who sneaked into my top 10 last week) they won in convincing fashion. Their greatest challenge of the season could be next week when they meet up with Ohio State.

9. Nebraska Another team I was hesitant to move up but the Huskers are back...for now anyway. They proved that they're legit by beating a solid Iowa State team. I wonder how long the momentum will last. They have to play Texas Tech next week who are demanding respect even though they've played a very weak schedule so far. Don't expect the Red Raiders to score 80 against Nebraska.

10. Tennessee I'll probably eat my words later. I never like to put one loss teams ahead of undefeated teams in my top 10 until well into the season when there are only a couple, if any, undefeated teams left. Anyone who watched the second half against LSU Monday night knows that the Vols went above and beyond any expectations to pull that one out and win in OT. Even though the Irish have played a tougher schedule (as a one loss team) I still have to put the Vols ahead of them. If they can keep their quarterback situation straight then they could be very dangerous.

Dropped Out: Florida, LSU, Minnesota, Michigan State

Notables: California, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Miami

My Previous Top 10: Week 4 | Week 5

October 01, 2005

SlagleRock has pointed out that

SlagleRock has pointed out that the first female Airman was killed in the war on terror in Iraq. A1C Elizabeth Jacobsen was a Security Forces member. I myself am an Air Force Security Forces veteran. It's truly sad when you hear of one of your own being killed. Airman Jacobsen will forever be remembered as a hero in my mind. Please keep her family in her thoughts and prayers.

Defensor Fortis

Haloscan commenting and trackback have

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.