
If I'm the owner of those ships, I'm making a call to Blackwater.
Put 6 of those guys on-board along with 6 strategically placed 50 cal. machine guns................................. and it's bye bye pirates.

Speaking at a forum about race and religion, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright accused the media of taking out of context videos that showed him cursing the government and accusing it of conspiring against blacks from the pulpit of the Chicago church where Obama had worshipped for 20 years.
If you want to read more - go here

This housing crisis is the root cause of our present day financial troubles. This crisis didn't come out of nowhere.
It was the result of the political decisions, led by Democrats in the late 90s, to loosen the rules of lending so home loans would be more accessible to almost-poor people. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were authorized and encouraged to approve risky loans................ to a target audience.
The goal of these rules changes was to help the almost-poor. But are you really helping people by giving them a loans they can't repay? They get into a house, yes, but when they can't make the payments, they lose the house along with what little credit they had.
They end up worse off than before, but now.... the government comes to the rescue.
This was completely foreseeable and in fact many people predicted it. One political party tried repeatedly to tighten up the rules and often sounded the alarm. The Democrat Party blocked every such attempt and further loosened the rules.
Poor people are already dependent on government, now the government gets the next layer.
FIRST WE BREAK IT, THEN WE TAKE IT!
Does anyone in their right mind think that Democrats don't want to control the pot-of-gold that is health-care?
Look at what they've been doing to health-care for the last 10 years. REGULATE, LEGISLATE, LITIGATE.
One of the center-pieces of the Obama health-care fix is to force/require insurance companies to sell policies to anyone who can pay. And what happens if suddenly, for whatever reason they can't pay? Can you say Fannie Freddie part deux?
They're not trying to save health-care, they are trying to wreck it in order to swoop in and 'save the day'
Banks, mortgages and health-care are easily within complete Federal control.
Next on the hit-list:
Pension funds (401k)
Auto makers.
Airlines.
Broadcasting.
Insurance companies
FIRST WE BREAK IT, THEN WE TAKE IT!
John McCain trails Barack Obama and shows no signs, at the moment anyway, of propelling himself into the lead. Democrats lead in eight Senate seats currently held by Republicans and are close in three others. In the House, Republicans once thought they'd lose only 5 to 10 seats. Now things look worse.
Thanks particularly to the month-long financial crisis, Republicans are in extremely poor shape with the election three weeks away. This means the worst case scenario is now a distinct possibility: a Democrat in the White House, a Democratic Senate with a filibuster-proof majority, and a Democratic House with a bolstered majority.
If this scenario unfolds, Washington would become a solidly liberal town again for the first time in decades. And the prospects of passing the liberal agenda--nearly all of it--would be bright. Enacting major parts of it would be even brighter. You can forget about bipartisanship.
Start with "card check." It would permit organized labor to unionize the private sector without winning a certification election by secret ballot. It's easy to get workers to sign cards saying they want a union, but it's hard to get them to vote that way when labor organizers aren't hounding them. Card check is labor's last hope for more dues-paying union members.
Unions simply aren't popular and neither is card check. But it passed the House last year, only to be blocked in the Senate by a Republican filibuster. In 2009, with Washington controlled by Democrats, it would sail through Congress and President Obama wouldsign it. After all, neither Obama nor congressional Democrats have bucked organized labor even once.
Then Democrats might go after a longstanding target of big labor, section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act. It allows states to enact right-to-work laws, which bar workers from being forced to join a union. Twenty-two states have right-to-work laws.
The liberal scheme for killing conservative talk radio--the so-called fairness doctrine--would stand an excellent chance of becoming law. It would require radio stations to offer equal time, for free, to anyone seeking to reply to broadcasts featuring political opinion. To remain profitable, many stations would have to drop conservative talk shows, a major medium for communicating conservative ideas, rather than give up hours of free time. Obama has said he opposes the fairness doctrine. But would he veto it? Not likely.
Obama would nominate liberals to fill Supreme Court vacancies--no doubt about that--with the strong likelihood they'd be confirmed. As a senator, he voted against John Roberts and Sam Alito. And free trade agreements would become a thing of the past, given liberal and labor opposition.
What about Obama's health care plan? He's described it as step or two away from a single payer, government-run health system like Canada's. While expensive, its chances of passage would be quite good.
A bad economy, however, might keep Obama and his allies in Congress from passing his entire package of tax increases and his "cap and trade" proposal for curbing the emission of greenhouse gases. Obama has called for increasing the tax rate on capital gains, dividends, and the income of top earners, and raising the cap on payroll taxes. But tax hikes would worsen, not stimulate, a weak economy. So that might make Democrats balk--except they might not. For liberals, requiring the well-to-do to pay higher taxes is a matter of ideology.
So is cap and trade. It would drive up the cost of energy, another downer for the economy, but Democrats believe it's necessary to save the planet. Besides, the environmental lobby would demand cap and trade's enactment. And environmentalists have as tight a grip on Democrats as labor does. Obama has never crossed environmentalists.As for foreign and national security policy, there'd be nothing stopping President Obama from doing what he wanted in a liberal-dominated Washington, including a quick troop exit from Iraq and presidential-level talks with anti-American dictators. Congress would go along. The media would cheer.
But who knows? Maybe McCain and Republicans will rally their forces and keep the worst from happening--the worst, that is, from a conservative standpoint. The campaign has changed direction twice in less than two months, first when McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, then when the financial panic hit. There could be a third game changer.
If not, we face the liberal deluge.
Fred Barnes
Credit Is Not a Civil Right.
I have no way of judging whether the Wall Street bailout is a necessary evil or an impending disaster. But we're in this mess, ultimately, because our political elites thought it was good social policy to encourage banks to give mortgages to un-creditworthy people.
In other words, if poor people in general, or blacks or Hispanics, were less likely to be approved for a mortgage, the only possible reason was racism or classism or whatever. Thus "creditworthiness" was an illegitimate, dead-white-male concept, like middleclassness. Because, after all, isn't everyone entitled to credit? Therefore, I propose any bailout bill start with these words: "It is the sense of Congress that credit is not a civil right."
M. Kirkorian
"WHAT STORY DOES Barack Obama's résumé tell? Obama became the head of the Harvard Law Review in 1990 and graduated Harvard Law magna cum laude in 1991. These accomplishments suggest great intelligence and strong interpersonal skills. They also suggest limitless potential."
"So what did Obama choose to do with his limitless potential after leaving Harvard? Not much. His first two years out of law school, he began writing a book, commenced lecturing at the University of Chicago Law School and returned to his old vocation of community organizing. Obama's résumé would probably advertise the fact that he eschewed big money options to better serve humanity in these various capacities. Many members of the legal community would view these claims of selflessness with skepticism. Some cynical readers of his résumé would infer that he spent the time "trying to find himself," and perhaps think of the old Bill Cosby crack that after two years of searching, he should have been able to find not just himself but a couple of other people as well"
"All readers of his résumé circa 1993 would ask what Obama accomplished at his serial vocations. And there the story gets grim. He didn't finish h book during the two years in question. He didn't pursue any scholarship at the University of Chicago, so his career there stalled at lecturer and never advanced to the professor level. And as is ever the case with something as nebulous as community organizing, pointing to tangible accomplishments would be impossible"

I've never been a big Dick Butkus fan, although I did see him play at Franklin Field against the Eagles in Philadelphia, I do like this recent statement:
Today the NFL (Roger Goodell) came out with the NFL FAN CODE OF CONDUCT to help promote a positive fan environment at NFL stadiums. The code of conduct is intended to address behavior that detracts from the gameday experience.» Intoxication or other signs of alcohol impairment that results in irresponsible behavior.
» Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.
» Interference with the progress of the game (including throwing objects onto the field).
» Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel.
» Verbal or physical harassment of opposing team fans.
Sounds nice!
Within the last couple of hours, Brett told ESPN that he and the Packers are at a 'stalemate' and he wants to move-on.Much like the 60's, the Lib-Democrats have targeted young people, knowing how easy it is to program their minds.
In the 60's, the youth was fixated on Vietnam by a so-called peace movement that we now know was nothing but Socialist propaganda.
The 'peace-lovers' of that era, through withdrawal (surrender) were successful in giving the communists power that brought forth killing fields and slaughtered 2.5 million people in Cambodia.
Did the 'peace-lovers' stop the war, or did they simply provide the scenario for the killing of millions of innocent people?
In the end, the peace-lovers decided to withdraw, look the other way, and not be bothered by the killing they had created.
Today, we are being told to withdraw from Iraq without much discussion about what we are leaving behind. The Lib-Democrats of today, like the 'peace-movement’ of the 60's, isn't concerned about possible Iraqi killing fields. Is history repeating itself?
In the 60's, the M S M didn't 'catch-up' to the killing fields of Cambodia and South Vietnam until it was way too late. Today we have a M S M that has completely ignored any positive progress in Iraq and has magnified everything negative. After an Obama pullout, will today's M S M report a genocide in Iraq? Will they report if the Taliban/Iran has overrun Iraq, or will they again look the other way and not be bothered by the new killing fields they've help create?
From Richmond Times-Dispatch, Monday, July 7, 2008 ~
Dear Editor, Times-Dispatch:
'Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice.
On June 30 I celebrate my independence day, and on July 4
I celebrate America’s. This year is special, because
it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.
'On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba, and a few
months later, I was in the United States to stay. That
I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is
just part of the story, but I digress.
'I've thought a lot about the anniversary this
year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot
about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late
1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they
were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban
was at least receptive.
'When the young leader spoke eloquently and
passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell
in love with him. They never questioned who his friends
were or what he really believed in. When he said he would
help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care
and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he
would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said,
'Praise the Lord.' And when the young leader
said, 'I will be for change and I'll bring you
change,' everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!'
'But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the
executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns
had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they
were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time
everyone received their free education, it was worth
nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late,
because they were now working for him. By the time the
change was finally implemented, Cuba had been knocked
down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the
time the change was over, more than a million people had
taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call
those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the
most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the
beginning of my story.
'Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young
leader who promised change without asking, what change?
How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?
'Would we?'
Manuel Alvarez, Jr.
Sandy Hook
A tip of the hat to Rev. Elvis Jones.


It's finally here!


1. The Bengals prohibit criminal attorneys in attendance from throwing their business cards at the Bengals sideline.
2. All groundskeepers barred from Heinz Field.
3. The Oakland Raiders have banned pikes and garrotes from the Black Hole. Blunt instruments, zip guns, and shanks are still acceptable.
4. No dogs allowed at The Georgia Dome.
5. The Eagles have banned all batteries smaller than Double-A.
6. The Patriots have banned all hoodies, Yankees caps and.........dashikis
7. All Panthers fans must bring their own spittoons.
8. All 49rs fans: No smiling, and no walking around without an
Ipod, mood journal or messenger bag. Stadium will replace all seating with Yoga mats. No makeup on women (frizzy hair, Birkenstocks, and overalls encouraged)
9. At Ford Field home of the Lions:
No FIRE Millen signs
No FIRE Marinelli signs
No fires
No fire extinguishers
No fire exits
10. Jaguar fans are officially banned from giving 2 shits.
11. At the Superdome:
No sober people.
No shoes.
No waiting for W to show up.
12. Colts fans are banned from wearing any garment that is not considered official apparel of the NFL. God, those people are boring!
13. Tennessee Titans: No receivers allowed inside the stadium.
14. At the new Texas Stadium:
No Democrats.
No badmouthing oil companies or Halliburton.
No surgically-untouched faces or breasts.
No humility.
14. At Ariz. Cardinals stadium: No beer-bongs within 5 miles
Cameco Corp. outbid other companies to bring the last vestiges of Saddam Hussein's uranium stockpiles to Canada, a spokesperson said Monday.
"We know there were other companies involved," said Cameco's Lyle Krahn in an interview. "We don't know how many, and really it was the U.S. that was the facilitator in all of this. It was their process, so it wouldn't be appropriate for us to say."
Saskatoon-based Cameco will take delivery of 550 tonnes of yellowcake, or uranium oxide, over the next two months at its two processing facilities in Ontario. It was slipped out of Baghdad by the U.S. government and arrived in Canada Saturday.
WASHINGTON (AFP) — At Iraq's request, the US military recently transferred hundreds of metric tons of yellowcake uranium from Iraq to Canada in a secret, weeks-long operation, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.
The 550 metric tons of uranium, which was sold to a Canadian company, was moved by truck convoy to Baghdad's "Green Zone," then flown by military aircraft to a third country where it was put on a ship for Canada, said Bryan Whitman, the spokesman.
"The operation was completed over the weekend, on Saturday," Whitman said.
The yellow cake was discovered by US troops after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq at the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Facility south of Baghdad, and was placed under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Yellowcake is a form of processed uranium ore that can be used to make fuel for nuclear reactors, or if further enriched as fuel for nuclear weapons.
Whitman said the Iraqi government asked the United States for help in selling and transferring the uranium to another country.
Cameco, a Canadian company, agreed to buy the yellowcake for a reported sum in the tens of millions of dollars.
A WEEK LONG SECRET OPERATION???
Am I losing my f*cking mind?
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A drunken 78-year-old Swede stole a dinghy after a night out in the Danish town of Helsingor and tried to row back to Sweden, but fell asleep halfway, Danish police said on Monday.
When the man discovered he lacked the necessary funds to pay for the ferry from Helsingor to Helsingborg in Sweden on Saturday, he decided to row the five km (three miles) across the strait of Oresund that separates the two.
He quickly grew tired and, trusting fortune and the currents to see him safely home, took a snooze at the bottom of the boat, where Danish police later found him out at sea, still asleep. (H/T - Reuters)

Car washes





"Well, why, all of a sudden, if he (Richard Clarke) had all these grave concerns, did he not raise these sooner? This is one-and-a-half years after he left the administration. And now, all of a sudden, he’s raising these grave concerns that he claims he had. And I think you have to look at some of the facts. One, he is bringing this up in the heat of a presidential campaign. He has written a book and he certainly wants to go out there and promote that book"
Loyalty isn't what it used to be.
Mr. Black let me introduce you to Mr. Kettle.


Democrat wins Mississippi special election
Democrats picked up a northern Mississippi House seat in one of the most conservative-minded districts in the country Tuesday night -- an upset that will reverberate darkly through a House Republican caucus already reeling from losses in special elections in Illinois and Louisiana.
With all precincts reporting, the Democratic nominee, Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers, defeated Republican Greg Davis, 54 to 46 percent. Childers was able to expand his three-point margin of victory from the race's first round of balloting last month -- even as he faced an onslaught of Republican attacks.
The victory marks the Democrats’ third straight special election pickup in three months. It will be a serious blow to the Republican Party’s already-flagging morale and will surely prompt a new round of finger-pointing among the already fractured GOP caucus.


Over the weekend I took a look at the STIMULUS PACKAGE.
HA! What a freakin joke!
This thing isn’t going to do a thing for the economy and is only designed to give the politicians in Washington cover. “Hey we tried everything we could to stop this recession” IF IT HAPPENS!
The way I see it, no matter if you pay taxes or not, you are going to get Federal dollars to the tune of $600 per individual and $1,200 per couple.
But wait! If a couple makes over $175,000 they get nothing! I guess my productive ass doesn’t need any stimulating. Thank you!
I also read that the checks won’t go out till this summer. What if this recession, that hasn’t hit yet, doesn’t occur or is over by the second quarter? Is Washington still going to stroke all those checks? YOOOU BETCHA!
Of course, you need to remember that this money is coming from somewhere……TAXPAYERS!
Oh, and here is where the infinite wisdom of Washington kicks in.
In order to assist the mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, both will be allowed to raise loan limits from $415,000 to $630,000 and FHA will also raise their loan limit from $362,000 to $725,000.
That means that the people Washington labels as too rich to get a ‘stimulus’ check, will now be able to get a mortgage subsidy.


In yet another example of Liberal inability to deal with real economic issues, Hillary and Obama are trying to outdo each other in the goody give-away contest.
Hillary has offered a $70 billion stimulus plan that includes low-income fuel assistance, extended unemployment benefits and outright grants to local governments for things such as health care and street repair.
Obama obviously felt like he had to one-up her, offering a $75 billion tax-rebate plan that would send $250 to most working people to encourage immediate consumer spending.
When there’s a problem, just revert to what worked so well with Katrina, and sprinkle $100 bills on the people. How did that work out?. Maybe it will work on a National scale?
Update: And in expected fashion, Georgie jumps in with a tax rebate.





1. OSCAR: CHECK! 



This guy has no solutions for anything without raising taxes!
The economy is rolling along. Federal coffers are bursting with new money due to a great economy and tax cuts. The debt has been slashed, we are at less than 5% unemployment, and this clown just can't stand it!
On Meet the Press, John Boy had this to say:
"Yes, we'll have to raise taxes. The only way you can pay for a health care plan that costs anywhere from $90 (billion) to $120 billion is there has to be a revenue source," the former North Carolina senator said.
Edwards said he would free up money for health care coverage by abolishing
President Bush's tax cuts for people who make more than $200,000 a year and by having the government collect more back taxes.
So, let's not just repeal the tax cuts that have fueled this econmy, but let's make them retroactive. Is anyone listening to the economic poison this clown is proposing?
For the last several days, I'm sensing subtle buyers remorse coming from Democrat circles. Am I surprised? No.
From the very onset, the Obama mirage has been fueled by the media, a media that didn't do it's job. They just couldn't make themselves do it.
There would be no buyers remorse if he had been actually vetted in the first place. But no, he wasn't, and the blind zeal to stick it to the REPUBS trumped all common sense.
Obama's rhetoric has never matched his actions. That should have been the big red flag that the press should have picked up on (I did) but they refused to do it. They couldn't, they were blinded.
Hillary and even Richardson for all their faults, actually had the kind of experience that might account for being qualified for the office of President. Obama has zilch.
Personally, I don't trust Obama. I can't look up to a guy who has done so little in life, and whose massive ego seems to overshadow all else. Who the hell writes two autobiographical book before they are 50 without having done anything remotely considered exceptional? And he now questions Clarence Thomas's qualifications? WOW! That takes a tremendous amount of cojones.
Lets face it, the identity politics of the left have driven this campaign. If Obama were white, he wouldn't have gotten very far, and it would have been Hillary waltzing to Denver.
This is the dirty little secret no one wants to confront or accept. The blind desire to see someone of color "succeed", in some desperate hope that it would make up for our past sins (of which none of us should be held accountable) and make things "right" has been Obama's trump card from the beginning, and he's played it like a Stradivarius. Liberal, hand-wringing, White Guilt amazingly enough, still has a vice-grip over the American left.
Oh, it's going to be a doozy of a Democrat Convention!
UPDATE 8-19-2008
Here is another glaring example of the media continuing to look the other way.
The cover-up can be worse than the crime. Will they ever learn?