Note of Thanks and Welcome

Big time thanks to Michelle Malkin for mentioning one of my post resulting in a major traffic spike. Welcome to all the new comers and I am hoping many will return frequently! Thanks again Michelle!!!!!

Do You See a Resemblance?

This is a picture of Senator John Kerry during the 2005 State of the union - I noticed a striking similarity.



Do you see any resemblance?

Christians Aren't Owed Anything

Chuck Colson has a good column warning Christians not to be obsessed with their perceived power -- we must remember power comes from God and as Christians should be cautious of pride... Pride and the pursuit of power have in the past and will paralyze any advances again. Some highlights:

And remember, Christians are just as susceptible to the seduction of worldly power as anyone else. The editors of Time may think religious voters ought to be lining up for our share of the spoils, but Christians know we should instead be falling on our knees, asking God to keep us humble. We ought to remember that the job of the Church is to bring biblical truth to bear in society, to win people to Christ, and to promote righteousness and justice. We should remember, as well, that throughout history, Christians have made the greatest inroads in society when we traveled, not among the politically powerful, but among the poor and the powerless. Think of the Wesleyan revivals or of Wilberforce and his reformation of morals in England.
[...]
We should also beware of allowing the world to define the Church. To the world, power is the name of the game. But Christians know that we are called to humbleness, obedience, and a loving attitude even toward our political enemies.

We should also beware of allowing the world to define the Church. To the world, power is the name of the game. But Christians know that we are called to humbleness, obedience, and a loving attitude even toward our political enemies.

So is Time magazine right? Does President Bush "owe us" for helping put him in office?

As one of the twenty-five leaders profiled in the magazine, let me answer: No. Instead of focusing on what we are owed, we need to remember what we owe to God and to our neighbor: to be steadfast witnesses to the truth, and always willing to serve. Let's follow the example of Christ-not demanding to be served, but serving others.

Read here.

"God Bless This Honorable Court"

But NO one else, the below is a story from Denver involving a conviction being thrown out because some jurors referred to the Bible during deliberation over the death penalty -- what is wrong you ask? That is what I thought! I guess the court is the highest authority accepted during trial, but I actually found it refreshing that some were so concerned about the decision that needed to be made they referred the "highest authority".

DENVER -- Jurors who sentenced a convicted killer to die did nothing wrong when they studied the Bible during deliberations _ including the verse that commands "eye for eye, tooth for tooth," prosecutors told the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday as they sought to have the man put back on death row.

A lower court threw out the death penalty given to Robert Harlan for raping and murdering a 25-year-old cocktail waitress in 1994. Defense attorneys challenged the sentence after discovering five jurors had looked up Bible verses, copied some of them down and then talked about them behind closed doors.

Adams County prosecutor Steven Bernard asked the justices to restore the death sentence, saying jurors should be allowed to refer to the Bible or other religious texts. He said a juror's religious beliefs aren't prejudicial or extraneous to a trial, prompting sharp questions from some of the justices.

"Don't we have a duty to make sure the death penalty isn't imposed under religious passion or prejudice?" Justice Gregory Hobbs asked.

Medal of Honor - Must Read

This is necessary to read about Sergeant Paul Smith -- awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq.
STORY here (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin)

More SOTU Thoughts

Over all I thought the President, President Bush not Mr. Bush -- Ron Regan, did a good job. I agree with Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) - the President looked more relaxed, comfortable, most likely because the Iraqi elections when so well, not sure I agree that all his (President Bush) eggs were in that basket as implied by Mr. Reynolds, but the President did appear very comfortable and very confident, not that he ever lacks confidence. Some quick thoughts below…

The President addressed some of my concerns over his first four years -- fiscal conservatism… I hope these suggestion come to pass or partially are enacted.

Now we must add to these achievements. By making our economy more flexible, more innovative, and more competitive, we will keep America the economic leader of the world. America's prosperity requires restraining the spending appetite of the federal government. I welcome the bipartisan enthusiasm for spending discipline. So next week I will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009. My budget substantially reduces or eliminates more than 150 government programs that are not getting results, or duplicate current efforts, or do not fulfill essential priorities. The principle here is clear: a taxpayer dollar must be spent wisely, or not at all.

I really would have liked more detail on the healthcare issues -- although I understand there are time constraints and believe Social Security was the chosen subject to concentrate on.

To make our economy stronger and more productive, we must make health care more affordable, and give families greater access to good coverage, and more control over their health decisions. I ask Congress to move forward on a comprehensive health care agenda - with tax credits to help low-income workers buy insurance, a community health center in every poor county, improved information technology to prevent medical errors and needless costs, association health plans for small businesses and their employees, expanded health savings accounts, and medical liability reform that will reduce health care costs, and make sure patients have the doctors and care they need.

On Social Security, I was glad the President nixed higher payroll taxes and thought it was a good technique to point out other's attempts to fix an "unbroken system", per Democrats. Moreover, I do believe the real problem Democrats have with personal accounts is they will not control or even have the ability to access the funds in these accounts.

All these ideas are on the table. I know that none of these reforms would be easy. But we have to move ahead with courage and honesty, because our children's retirement security is more important than partisan politics. I will work with members of Congress to find the most effective combination of reforms. I will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer. We must, however, be guided by some basic principles. We must make Social Security permanently sound, not leave that task for another day. We must not jeopardize our economic strength by increasing payroll taxes. We must ensure that lower income Americans get the help they need to have dignity and peace of mind in their retirement. We must guarantee that there is no change for those now retired or nearing retirement. And we must take care that any changes in the system are gradual, so younger workers have years to prepare and plan for their future. As we fix Social Security, we also have the responsibility to make the system a better deal for younger workers. And the best way to reach that goal is through voluntary personal retirement accounts. Here is how the idea works.
Right now, a set portion of the money you earn is taken out of your paycheck to pay for the Social Security benefits of today's retirees. If you are a younger worker, I believe you should be able to set aside part of that money in your own retirement account, so you can build a nest egg for your own future.
Here is why personal accounts are a better deal. Your money will grow, over time, at a greater rate than anything the current system can deliver - and your account will provide money for retirement over and above the check you will receive from Social Security. In addition, you'll be able to pass along the money that accumulates in your personal account, if you wish, to your children or grandchildren. And best of all, the money in the account is yours, and the government can never take it away.

President Bush did mention "the sanctity of marriage", but I am sure some will not be happy with the short comment -- but, is there a need? Think about it; several states passed laws and the courts, even with judges "legislating from the bench", have up held the "federal defense of marriage act". Everything cannot be done overnight and he did make mention of it; albeit enough to irritate both sides; one that he even stated it and the other because he did not dwell on it long enough.

Because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be re-defined by activist judges. For the good of families, children, and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage.

I thought it good that President Bush pointed out that judicial nominees, usually get the up-or-down vote and not a filibuster; however, when have Democrats been concerned with traditions of the Senate -- most don't even care about tradition of this country.

Because courts must always deliver impartial justice, judges have a duty to faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. As President, I have a constitutional responsibility to nominate men and women who understand the role of courts in our democracy, and are well qualified to serve on the bench - and I have done so. The Constitution also gives the Senate a responsibility: Every judicial nominee deserves an up-or-down vote.

Complete transcript of the speech here.

SOTU First Reaction

The most powerful moments came when Safia Taleb al-Suhail stood and displayed her figure and even more powerful was when Sergeant Byron Norwood's parents rose and later Safia Taleb al-Suhail hugging Mrs. Norwood... I felt these were great moments full of happiness, hope, sadness -- eloquent moments.



I felt speech was well delivered and detailed -- Social Security is the "hot topic", as if we did not know this! I maybe mistaken, but in my opinion this topic received the most "time" during the speech...

Just a first reaction...but I did think it was good maybe better than good; good for sure! Full text of the speech here

Driving w/ Cell Phone Condemns Elderly

I know the article and study was intended to demonstrate there should be tougher laws regarding driving while on a cell phone... First, I would like to say I am against any such laws -- all states already have laws that cover this (i.e. careless driving, inattentive driving, reckless driving, etc.) and in many cases can't enforce these, why would we want more laws? I believe it comes down to city and state revenue, while appeasing the "hot issue" people.

Back to my point -- pay close attention to the wording in the article.

"If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, his reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver," said David Strayer, a University of Utah psychology professor and principal author of the study. "It's like instant aging."

If you are advocating restricting younger drivers from cell phones using this study would you not have to investigate restricting driving by the elderly -- after all elderly drivers is the comparison made and if that is so bad to criminalize younger drivers with cell phones does it not by default criminalize the average "elderly driver". What will the AARP have to say about this? Will they defend their members? We will see!

Read the article here

Groundhog Day -- Long Winter

Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, and the news isn’t good. Video here.

Social Security a Diversion?

Now the Democrats are accusing President Bush of creating a diversion with Social Security - can they be serious? Of course, Democrats are experts on distracting attention form issues they wish to avoid, but accusing President Bush of acting the way they do is out of left field - or maybe they are just trying to justify their tactics, who knows.

Here are some reasons this accusation is untrue.

1. President Bush cannot be reelected - what would motivate him?


2. President Bush talked of this in his first campaign - seems he was a little slow it bringing it up


3. The Democrats actually want to avoid the Social Security issues - therefore they wish to distract by accusing President Bush of "diversion tactics"…

Story here. (Hat tip: David Limbaugh)

Will Not Fillabuster Gonzales

After threatening to filibuster the Gonzales' nomination, implying they had enough support to do so -- Democrat Leader Harry Reid said "there will be an up-or-down vote". Now does this indicate they did not have enough votes, changed their mind, or simply can't agree on a course of action?

WASHINGTON - Democrats won’t try to filibuster Alberto Gonzales’ nomination to be attorney general but will hold extensive debates in the Senate over his role in developing the Bush administration’s policies on treating foreign detainees, the Senate’s top Democrat said Tuesday.

Iraqi Election Must Have Meant Something

Besides already blogging the positive remarks from Around the World I wanted to provide more evidence that the Iraqi election actually meant something to the dismay of many "far left" liberals… The evidence is that the some are attempting to spin the successful election as a negative for President Bush - seriously!

The view that the elections are both the cause and effect of waning American influence in Iraq almost certainly contributed to the upbeat response in France and Iran, two of the countries where the U.S.-led invasion was deeply unpopular.

French president Jacques Chirac who led international opposition to the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, told Bush on Monday that the elections constituted "a significant stage in the political rebuilding" of the country and a "partial defeat" for terrorists, according to the center-right daily Nouvel Observateur in Paris. The antiwar editors of Le Monde praised the courage of Iraqi voters and said it would be "indecent to reproach Bush for having offered free elections to the Iraqis. "

In Iran, the country that Bush has described as part of the "axis of evil," the headlines about the voting were almost unanimously positive, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. " Ballots defy bullets in Iraq," declared the Tehran daily Hashahri; "Terrorists fail," said Mardomsalari, a reformist newspaper. The vote "helps open a new chapter for Iraq," declared S. Sadeghi in a front-page commentary for the Iran Daily.

No, Bush's adversaries have not suddenly seen the neoconservative light. Rather, they believe that Iraqi voters have seized the elections as the best means of thwarting U.S. domination of the country. In the words of al Watan, a Saudi daily, cited in a BBC press survey, the hope is that the results, "will give the Iraqi authority a semblance of legitimacy and pave way for the withdrawal of the occupation."

Not to worry, so far the majority of the people I hear, some begrudged, know where the credit goes. Read the article here.

Is it a Toy?

There are suspensions that the solider the insurgents claim capturing is actually a toy solider - - It appears to me this suspension is correct and I pray it is. Have a look:
The below picture is what the insurgents posted

Here is a picture of the toy

What do you think? Notice that the "insurgents" photograph shows the solider wearing knee pads which are in the bottom left of the toy package and the vest looks identical - - of course, the head does look "weird" on the alleged solider; so what do you think?

If this is a hoax - - what does it tell us about the "terrorist"? Would you believe they are getting desperate to demonstrate they are not beaten, which by default indicates they actually believe they are beaten themselves. I am not sure, but if this is indeed a hoax, which I believe and hope it is, it does make you think!

Insurgents Claim Capturing a US Solider

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi militants claimed in a Web statement Tuesday to have taken an American soldier hostage and threatened to behead him in 72 hours unless the Americans release Iraqi prisoners.

The posting, on a Web site that frequently carried militants' statements, included a photo of what appeared to be an American soldier in desert fatigues seated with his hands tied behind his back. A gun barrel was pointed at his head, and he is seated in front of a black banner emblazoned with the Islamic profession of faith, "There is no god but God and Muhammad is His prophet."

UPDATE: (15:33) Appears the story and the picture maybe a hoax - - those dastardly terrorist, if this proves true they are now committing terror by fiction. See the update at Drudge.

Surprise - NY Times Misleads

Larry Kudlow points out how Louis Uchitelle writing for the New York Times misleads his readers about gross domestic product.

It’s not even remotely as important as the Iraqi election, but the New York Times’s impoverished coverage of the latest reading on U.S. gross domestic product deserves a mention. Both the headline and the thrust of the story by Times writer Louis Uchitelle suggest a big slowdown in economic growth. While this is statistically correct, it is analytically wrong. The main thought behind the story -- that the economy has registered its “weakest quarterly pace in nearly two years, held down by a surge in imports” -- is completely misleading.

Underneath the headline number of 3.1 percent real GDP was a huge 5.5 percent increase in private-sector output (less government spending and trade). Private consumption and business investment comprises 80 percent of GDP -- a factoid the Times never relates. In fact, the tell-tale number in this latest GDP report is the outsized 15 percent gain in business investment -- the single most important swing factor in economic activity.
[...]
Not for the Times. The left-leaning Uchitelle worked hard to make the worst out of a good story. He obsessively emphasized the trade-deficit drag on output, a factor that statistically reduced overall GDP by 1.73 percentage points. This Alice-in-Wonderland arithmetic is totally misleading. To back up his pessimistic overreach, Uchitelle found a Wall Street economist from Goldman Sachs named Edward McKelvey who said, “foreigners are continuing to eat our lunch.”

Read it completely here.

Good - No President Kerry

Daivid Limbaugh take a hard and enlighten look at John Kerry who seems unwilling to give up the fact his ideas were defeated in November...

Kerry said, "This election is a sort of demarcation point, and what really counts now is the effort to have a legitimate political reconciliation, and it's going to take a massive diplomatic effort and a much more significant outreach to the international community than this administration has been willing to engage in. Absent that, we will not be successful in Iraq."
This nonsense was bad enough during the election, but we can't let Kerry get away with this kind of inane, destructive rhetoric now. What in the world does he mean by a legitimate political reconciliation, a massive diplomatic effort, a significant outreach to the international community?
[...]
Kerry's gratuitous invocation of "multilateralism" yet again is only noteworthy because it is a classic example of the utter inability of this exemplar of nuance to cut through to the heart of an issue. It might be the most egregious non sequitur uttered by a public official in recent memory.
The only thing useful about Kerry's analysis is that it can serve as a sobering reminder of how fortunate the United States, the Iraqi people and all freedom-loving peoples of the world are that Kerry lost Ohio.

Read the entire column here.

Hillary Reinvented

Suzanne Fields gives her take on the Hillary "Extreme Makeover".

Hillary Clinton changes images with the quickness of Madonna. Like the Queen of Pop, she provokes and reacts, rethinks and reforms, pushes at hot buttons and then cools off with a dip in the mainstream.
[...]
Madonna continues to surprise us, but Hillary's reinventions shouldn't surprise us at all. She's on a trip, guided by the road map first used by her husband. She's working at looking "moderate," and learning to feel the pain of others.
When she spoke to the Family Planning Advocates of New York last week, she actually expressed empathy -- if not necessarily sympathy -- with the fiercest opponents of abortion. "I, for one, respect those who believe with all their heart and conscience that there are no circumstances under which abortion should be available," she said. This from one of the fiercest defenders of uncompromising feminist voices in the cause of abortion rights; she voted against the ban of partial-birth abortion.

Read the entire column here.

Iraq Election from Around the World

French President Jacques Chirac spoke with President Bush by telephone, saying he was satisfied by the "participation rate and the good technical organization."
"These elections mark an important step in the political reconstruction of Iraq. The strategy of terrorist groups has partly failed," Chirac said, according to a French presidential spokesman.
[...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin also praised the elections, calling them "a step in the right direction and a positive event," according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.
"The conditions for holding the elections were quite difficult, to put it mildly," Putin said after meeting in the Kremlin with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. "At the same time, I must say that the very fact of it is an important event, maybe a historic event, for the Iraqi people because it is undoubtedly a step toward democratization of the country."
[...]
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the successful election was a psychological blow to insurgents because it demonstrated that Iraqis were committed to democracy. Britain has been Washington's chief ally in the Iraq war.
"Yesterday's elections represent a real blow to this disgusting campaign of violence and intimidation," said Straw, who also recognized Iraqi security forces for helping police the election.
[...]
In Brussels, the European Union's foreign policy chief said Iraq's move toward democracy would pay off in the provision of more aid.
"They are going to find the support of the European Union, no doubt about that, in order to see this process move on in the right direction," Javier Solana told The Associated Press.
[...]
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer praised Iraqis "for the will they have shown to shape the future of their country peacefully and democratically, despite massive intimidation."
But, he added, "it is of decisive importance in this to integrate all political, ethnic and religious groups in Iraq ... no part of the population must be excluded from shaping the common fate of all Iraqis."

Read about these and other comments here.

Notice the comments from Russia, Germany, and France - amazingly these there major opponents to US actions in Iraq show optimism about the election, maybe Kennedy, Kerry, and other democrats will come around some day... Oh yeh, I forgot, Kerry is "in touch with the feelings of foreign governments" - maybe he should have called them before going on Meet the Press and saying, "No one in the United States should try to overhype this election", and don't get me started tonight on Ted Kennedy.

Granddaddy Knew Best

Smoking Harms Women More Than Men, my Granddaddy always said, "Women should smoke"

Hillary Collapses - Video

Senator Hillary Clinton collapses - video here. Disagreements aside, I do wish her well!

UPDATE: Appears to have been a stomach virus all is OK - story here. Quote of the Day: "Probably dizzy from the 180 degree turn she took on abortion last week" - Rush Limbaugh