Aug

31

2005

Katrina relief efforts

Filed Under Law and Ethics | Comments Off

Michelle Malkin had been asking where all the celebrities are, who love to organize for other worthy causes. Is the Deep South not worthy now? Slublog has at least one answer:

WKIT-FM 100.3 here in Bangor, Maine is a radio station owned by Stephen and Tabitha King. They’re holding a pay for play day on the station – call with a request and a pledge, and they’ll play any song you desire. All donations are going to the American Red Cross, with the Kings matching all donations dollar for dollar.

It’s nice to see.

Michelle gives credit where credit is due, then asks a follow-up question to provide some much-needed humor in this time of overwhelming loss:
Hear, hear! What are other radio stations and networks doing? Hello, ahem, Air America????? (On second thought, better keep Air America away from charities. You know how that goes.)
Meanwhile, some great news from Houston, also via Michelle:
HISD officials contacted the Texas Education Agency Tuesday about guidelines for temporarily accepting the storm refugees as students. Students living in temporary living arrangements due to loss of housing will most likely qualify as “homeless” students and may enroll in the school district where they are physically present without proof of residence. Parents temporarily housed within HISD’s borders can go to the school nearest their temporary residence to enroll their school-age children.
I’ve been wondering what the displaced families and businesses would do while evacuated from the devastation areas, and what the kids will do for school was one big question mark. Thank you, Houston.

For the record, both The Black Republican and The Black Madonna plan to join the Hurricane Katrina Blog Relief Day fundraiser tomorrow, Sept. 1. I’ll be working on our respective posts later today.

Aug

31

2005

The silence is deafening

Filed Under Foreign Affairs | 3 Comments

I have to say I agree with Neil Cavuto, the silence is deafening in regard to other countries response to our national disaster of hurricane Katrina. We seem to get a ration of shit any time the world perceives that we are not giving or doing enough for other countries in times of need, but where is the world when we have troubles? Not that we cannot handle this ourselves – we can and will – but at least an offer of assistance, from any country, would be welcomed and appreciated! I equate it to going to a funeral for a friend, or an acquaintance: there’s nothing you can really do for the family of the departed to ease their grief or pain, but the least you can do is show up and offer support. The family will probably never call on you to actually do anything, but I guarantee they appreciate that you at least showed up. I guess we’ll see who our real international friends are, and who are just posers.

As a bit of positive reinforcement, I suggest that we suspend all foreign aid money for those countries that don’t at least “show up” and offer assistance, send that money to the areas hardest hit by this disaster, and then send a note to the Ambassador, Prime Minister, or President of those countries thanking them for their donation to the relief effort. And as a bit of added reinforcement, we can tell them that the aid money will not resume until their country treats the United States and her citizens more like friends who are lending them money and less like a welfare office that owes them a check.

Update: Well it seems some of our friends have shown up…

Countries such as Great Britain and Germany have also offered assistance.

“Our thoughts are with the people in the states affected by Katrina and our condolences to the relatives of those who have lost their lives,” a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair told FOX News. “We have not received any requests for assistance but we stand ready to help if asked.”

Hat tip to Sue for a heads up on both articles.

Aug

30

2005

Katrina Victims and Google Earth

Filed Under Science | 3 Comments

This storm has been so awful. Devastation. A huge task for recovery. The big stuff will take a long time to accomplish, there are some little things that could happen now to ease those impacted. One small idea follows.

There has been noticed a strong, and natural, desire by those who left to see what damage was done to their homes by this most horrible hurricane. The leaders in the affected areas, correctly, say that it isn’t safe for them to return, yet. I have a solution which could satisfy but needs, remote viewing.

And the technology already exists. It is called, Google Earth. This program, free by the way, allows the user to see the earth from a collection of satellite images. While some pictures are fuzzier than others, generally, one can input his address and the program will take you to a satellite picture of your property. The picture is taken from space, and perhaps intentionally, lacks the resolution to be considered an invasion of privacy. But, with a few adjustments, could be a tool for the unfortunate people who fled Katrina, and now are prohibited from returning to see the fate of their property.

One change, the photos must be refreshed from their current age to show the real time conditions. Secondly, a sharper resolution could be allowed, if only temporarily, to allow the viewer a clearer perspective. Thirdly, I would like to have the technology allow the user to view a time lapse of images, which would be important, for example, to the residents of New Orleans who were spared yesterday, but are in peril because of post storm flooding today.

I believe such a use of Google’s technology would be of great benefit to the victims, the authorities currently undertaking rescue and appraisal, and could be a financial windfall for Google (if their advertising revenue is based on viewership). It would be nice if they donated the increased revenue, if there be such, to the relief effort, of course.

Update: Our satellites are taking a look.

Another way to make money from this tragedy, which I would approve, came to mind today. Have you, and surely you have, seen those “Terrorist Hunting Permit” bumper stickers; someone needs to start printing ‘Looter Hunting Permits’ in response to the scavenger’s who always take advantage in times like these. One change should be made though, where the “Terrorist Hunting Permit”s are taken as political statements, and not actual permits, I would have the Looter permits endorsed as to actually allow one to shoot a looter dead on sight. I expect this would have multiple beneficial effects. One, it would serve as a deterent to looters. Two, it would prevent those who are not deterred, and caught, from procreating, (in case there is a genetic component to looting), thus thinning the herd by de-selection. Third, it would be a great way for victims and recovery workers to blow off some steam, and regain a sense of control over things. Of course, I chose the word, allow them to shoot dead, because some looters today are taking only the things they need to survive, food, water,… And, those people would not need to be shot, some discretion is always necessary. The asshats animals who are stealing, they need to be shot, accurately and well.

I do wonder why so many stayed behind. Just as I wonder why the weather people keep going to these storms, (and I especially wonder why they think it a good idea to go outside during the storm, they never really show us anything for we only learn the entire impact when it is possible to see the overview). If you ever find yourself in the way of one these storms, if at all possible, leave sooner rather than later, and go far away.

A final note; one man has called this disaster, “our Tsunami”, how many countries do you suppose will send relief to the USA?

Aug

30

2005

The parody of a real life tableau

Filed Under Lies, Corruption and Scandals | 1 Comment

The other day I mentioned that while most of the time parody is of the funny sort, sometimes it’s far more serious. Well life teaches us that reality is often times funnier and more illustrative than the best parody could ever hope to be!

First, the tableau set for media consumption…

MamaMoonbatAndAl-01.jpg

… and then the parody of the entire real life tableau!

MamaMoonbatAndAl-02.jpg

This is a great lesson about life and the MSM. Like a horse with blinders on, the MSM want the public to see only the portions of life they want us to see.

Isn’t it amazing what you notice when you get the whole picture!

little green footballs

Aug

29

2005

The more things change

Filed Under History | Comments Off

As I’ve mentioned before, I have a Civil War desk calendar with interesting quotes and anecdotes for each day of the year. This was the entry over the weekend:

I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast. – William Tecumseh Sherman
It’s both comforting and unsettling to know that not much has changed in the MSM in the last 140 years.

Aug

26

2005

How the President should answer Cindy Sheehan

Filed Under Liberty and Democracy | Comments Off

You know, most of the time parody is funny, helping to illustrate absurdity by being absurd. But sometimes parody is not at all funny, but brilliantly illustrates the truth by stating aloud things which those who should be saying them will not, cannot, or should not say.

Hat tip to Dean Esmay for the link, and a big doff of the ol Stovepipe to Scott Ott for saying so elegantly what so many of us have been trying to express.

Aug

25

2005

All the news that print to fit

Filed Under Lies, Corruption and Scandals | Comments Off

Media bias? What Media bias?

Michelle Malkin

Aug

24

2005

A tale of three constitutions

Filed Under Liberty and Democracy | 1 Comment

Anyone concerned that “the United States seems ready to walk away from its fine words about helping the Iraqis create a beacon of freedom, harmony and democracy for the Middle East” because of this language or that in the new Iraqi constitution absolutely MUST READ Best of the Web Today.

Two hundred and twenty-nine years ago, the radical liberals in America proposed a violently leftist proposition: lords and ladies would be severed from their lands, royalty and caste structures would be outlawed, and a new nation would be based on a proposition declaring that “all men are created equal”. With those words, they formally declared war on the rightful ruler of the land, deposed his reign, defeated and expelled his armies, and installed a popular junta in his place. Four years after winning their radical revolution, the most prominent men of the land locked themselves in a room for four months to set up a new government. The final document they produced guaranteed all citizens the right to live under a republican form of government, where their fellow citizens were designated to rule in fixed terms of two, four, and six years respectively (depending on the specific office) after popular elections. The rule of law – rather than royal fiat – was the supreme governing principle, and no religious test would bar any man from serving in any office of government. And all of this was published in a written contract between all citizens of the land, who – outside of three notable exceptions – were constrained by no caste structure whatsoever.

It is impossible to express to today’s citizenry how radical and scandalous these ideas were to most of the nobility and gentry of the 18th century. And yet that first government did not guarantee the right to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to peaceably assemble, or to bear arms, or to be free from unreasonable searches or self-incrimination. Black men and women could be bought and sold as slaves, women were second-class citizens who could not vote, and the state could impose a poll tax that shut out the poor and ensured that only men of modest wealth could decide who ran the government.

Over time, all of these ideas and ideals were corrected in the United States Constitution, but interestingly, some are not so fundamental as some might think. Women’s suffrage is less than 100 years old. The right of the people to vote, regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude” was guaranteed by the 15th Amendment, passed in 1870 – almost 83 years after the Constitution was written. But it was not enforced by the President and Congress “by appropriate legislation” until 1965 – just 40 short years ago this month. The 40th anniversary of the amendment that guarantees that the right to vote “shall not be denied or abridged… by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax” is yet two years away.

Why should we be so strident in questioning the validity of an Iraqi Constitution that doesn’t quite match up on its first day to our own Constitution after its 66,000th? And why the difference in attitudes between the Iraqi and Afghan attempts? There’s only one reason, and it’s completely irrational: because Iraq is George Bush’s war, and nothing good will be allowed to come of it if the socialists in the Democratic Party and their willing accomplices in the media have anything to say about it.

Aug

24

2005

The Abortion Culture- Killing Babies And Women’s Souls

Filed Under Law and Ethics | Comments Off

Krumm makes the case that two people die with every abortion.

I see his point, clearly.

Hobbs

Note commenter “Mary”, who proclaims that women who abort make a “difficult decision”, but can’t see the difference between a woman killing her baby and men fighting in war. Makes me wonder if the baby killers, as a culture, are reformable.

Aug

21

2005

“A racist or a witless clod”

Filed Under Race and Prejudice | Comments Off

Suggesting that Trent Lott is, “more delusional than we knew,” Jeff Jacoby, writing in today’s Boston Globe takes a stand on the former Republican leader’s book (which we discussed last week) that a Black Republican could be proud of.

Who but a racist or a witless clod would claim more than 50 years later that America’s problems were caused by integration and civil rights? Not even Thurmond, who had long since recanted his segregationist views, would have said such a thing.
That’s the ironic part of all this. Lott persists in saying things like, “we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today,” in reference to Thurmond and the Dixiecrat platform, when there’s no way any sane man can think he’s doing anything less than pining for a return to tyrannical oppression based on race – even former Dixiecrats like Thurmond himself. This man is more than an embarrassment to the Republican Party, he’s dangerous to the Republic, which is exactly why the Right blogosphere and editorial pages “returned him to the back benches.”
If the Republican Party’s conservative base had rallied behind Lott, he might have survived the storm. But it was precisely the base that was most upset by his words. Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, told The New York Times that the outrage on the right was “a product of decades of hard work that conservatives have done on racially charged issues out of idealism and principle. To have those positions tarred, even inadvertently, with this backwardness on race is extremely distressing.”
Jacoby concludes by making the most polite suggestion possible against Lott’s mental stability.
What Lott really believes none of us can know for sure. But anyone who proclaims that “all these problems over all these years” could have been averted if a segregationist had been elected president – that America would be better off, in other words, if Mississippi’s bathrooms were still marked “white” and “colored” and its black citizens barred from voting – has obviously got a problem of his own.
I’m going to have to pick up Lott’s book at the library (I don’t want my hard-earned money going into his re-election coffers) so I can fisk it cover to cover. By our fourth anniversary, I hope we’ll be able to say there’s a real Republican – a Black Republican – in that seat.

Aug

19

2005

Closer to fascism than some may think

Filed Under War and Terrorism | 1 Comment

An intriguing article that could have been posted at either The Black Republican or The Black Madonna, Mystery Achievement suggests that the improving relationship between Catholics and Jews still has a long way to go. I ended up posting this here, rather than at TBM, because of the extensive exerpt of an article in the Jeruselem Post, describing the extensive ties between the first jihadis and Hitlerian Nazi Germany. “Islamo-fascism” is more than just a neocon catchphrase.

Aug

19

2005

Scandal to rival ‘Contra’ affair: Roberts encouraged Reagan to bribe Girl Scout

Filed Under Law and Ethics | Comments Off

In a positively breathless article in the Washington Post titled “Roberts Resisted Women’s Rights”, a team of reporters scouring the most recent document dump from the White House concerning the Roberts nomination uncovered scandalous evidence that Roberts has a sense of humor.

Among the memos the White House clearly hoped the press wouldn’t find was this shocking legal opinion:

In a memo to (White House counsel Fred) Fielding dated May 7, 1985, Roberts addressed the ethics of allowing a Falls Church Girl Scout to meet the president in the midst of the annual cookie drive. “Elizabeth . . . has sold some 10,000 boxes and would like to sell one to the President. The little huckster thinks the President would like the Samoas,” he wrote, before concluding that he had no objection to deviating in this case from the White House’s practice of avoiding “an implied endorsement” by the president.
I say confirm him – without delay.

Newsbusters.com

Aug

18

2005

With friends like these…

Filed Under Politics | Comments Off

It seems our old friend Mr. Lott has decided he’s had enough of our guff, and decided to throw The 11th Commandment out the window.

The Senate is crammed with “lone wolves and immense egos,” former Majority Leader Trent Lott writes in a memoir that settles a few scores with fellow Republicans and recounts an improbable partnership with a Democratic president.

In “Herding Cats, A Lifetime in Politics,” Lott wrote that Sen. Bill Frist, his successor as majority leader, was one of the “main manipulators” in the events that resulted in his own loss of power. Lott lost his post in 2002 after making racially tinged remarks at a 100th birthday party for one-time segregationist Sen. Strom Thurmond.

“Frist’s actions amounted to a ‘personal betrayal,’” Lott wrote. “I had taken him under my wing. … He was my protege. … We’d been friends off and on the floor, and that’s pretty rare in a governmental body loaded with lone wolves and enormous egos.”

…President Bush also played a role in his downfall, Lott wrote, not so much with what he said, but by saying it in a tone that was “devastating … booming and nasty.”

There’s some old news here, too: Lott seems to be “in denial of some deep-seated problems when it comes to race”.
A native of Mississippi, Lott recalled feeling “anger in my heart over the way the federal government had invaded Ole Miss to accomplish something that could have been handled peacefully and administratively,” a reference to the admission of the University of Mississippi’s first black student in 1962.
Yah, right. They ignored the 14th Amendment for almost a hundred years, but we could have let the good ‘ol boys get around to it “administratively”.

Well, Mr. Lott, I don’t think we should hold you to that commandment – I’ve never thought of you as much of a Republican anyway.

Aug

18

2005

News Flash! Newspapers make News!

Filed Under Lies, Corruption and Scandals | Comments Off

Still lagging days behind the rest of the blogosphere, I’d missed this yesterday. Apparently, oil and gas prices have collapsed after an Energy Department spokesman revealed that demand is low and supplies are high. So, economic-literate readers might ask with the law of supply and demand in mind, why are gas prices climbing? Two words: “News reports”.

I swear, if it weren’t for the news media hyping things into reality from nothingness, half the universe would disappear in a flash – and all the bad news.

Aug

18

2005

Air America: Stealing candy from babes since 2004

Filed Under Lies, Corruption and Scandals | 1 Comment

I wanted to note the yeoman’s work Michelle Malkin is doing on the Air America scandal (or, “Air Enron”, as she calls it), but the fact of the matter is her update this morning does a fair job itself of catching us up with the latest news and listing all the entries devoted to the scandal.

Meanwhile, the New York Sun is running with the latest revelation, uncovered in the first part of an extensive report posted yesterday by Michelle and Radio Equalizer blogger Brian Maloney, that “the transfer of ownership of the Air America radio network from Progress Media to Piquant LLC in May 2004 was a ’sham’ intended to maintain the network’s assets while deceiving its creditors”. Just as Charles Johnson’s expertise in fonts aided him in the Rathergate scandal, Mr. Maloney is a radio industry veteran.

Nice work, Brian & Michelle! I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

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