Too Conservative -- Not Conservative Enough?

After hearing several republicans say Governor Schwarzenegger is not conservative enough and democrats saying he is too conservative, over the last year -- I thought this story and the "govenator's" explanation might create even more confusion.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed two of the most high-profile bills of the legislative session Thursday, rejecting a measure to make gay marriage legal and another that would have increased the state's minimum wage by $1 an hour over two years.

The Grieving Mom

Grieving while enjoying new found popularity!

Not Gone - Just a Break

I guess everyone is aware that I have posted anything for some time now (about a week)…  I have had several things going on while trying to get back in a daily routine.  Please be patient -- I have not left just taking a break!

Google Marketing to College Students

Appears that Google has targeted college students ---

Only in America is the Pledge 'Unconstitutional'

Maybe it is just California -- can you believe this?
School Pledge Is Unconstitutional

SAN FRANCISCO -- Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools was declared unconstitutional Wednesday by a federal judge ruling in the second attempt by an atheist to have the pledge removed from classrooms. The man lost his previous battle before the U.S. Supreme Court.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge's reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God."

Some more from Angle Bitting Pundits.

Google Blog Search

Political Correctness Runs Amok

Now this takes the cake -- Tony Blair is urged to eight-six "Holocaust Day" in an effort to appease the Muslims, now we are talking about the bunch that bombed London mind you, not all Muslims... Give me a break!
Ditch Holocaust day, advisers urge Blair

ADVISERS appointed by Tony Blair after the London bombings are proposing to scrap the Jewish Holocaust Memorial Day because it is regarded as offensive to Muslims.
They want to replace it with a Genocide Day that would recognise the mass murder of Muslims in Palestine, Chechnya and Bosnia as well as people of other faiths.

(hat tip: Little Green Footballs)

CNN -- Reports All the Facts - RIGHT!

More proof of bias reporting from the liberal at CNN
Michelle Malkin: THE DEMOCRATS' KATRINA PROFITEER

From the 'Bias? What liberal bias?' files...
On Saturday, CNN.com had a piece titled 'Firms with White House ties get Katrina contracts:'
[...]
The Baton Rouge-based Shaw Group, CNN tells us, is a major corporate client of Joe Allbaugh, President Bush's former campaign manager and a former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Among its Katrina-related contracts are this one valued up to $100 million from FEMA; and this one also valued up to $100 million from the Army Corps of Engineers.

But in their zeal to embarrass the Bush administration, CNN overlooks one very fat and inconvenient fact--and embarrasses only itself.

The Shaw Group, a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate, is headed by Jim Bernhard, the current chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party. Bernhard worked tirelessly for Democrat Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco's runoff campaign and served as co-chair of her transition team. Another Shaw executive was Blanco's campaign manager. Bernhard is back-scratching chums with Blanco, whom he has lent/offered the Shaw Group's corporate jets to on numerous occasions.

Make sure you let CNN know what you think!

Never Forget - Remember Forever

(via Cox & Forkum)

and The picture that says it all

Interesting Way to Celebrate 9-11 Anniversary

CNN and other media outlets choose to "self censor" themselves after September 11, 2001 so not to "enrage the nation". We now see that these outlets that did not want to "enrage a nation" four years ago sue for the ability to photograph/video such images (from New Orleans) that they "self-censored" before, WHY? One can only assume -- to "enrage a nation".
CNN.com - U.S. won't ban media from New Orleans searches

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Rather than fight a lawsuit by CNN, the federal government abandoned its effort Saturday to prevent the media from reporting on the recovery of the dead in New Orleans.
Joint Task Force Katrina 'has no plans to bar, impede or prevent news media from their news gathering and reporting activities in connection with the deceased Hurricane Katrina victim recovery efforts,' said Col. Christian E. deGraff, representing the task force.

(hat tip: B. Preston - JunkYard Blog)

Remember September 11, 2001

This is the fourth anniversary of the most devastating event of my lifetime. An event that brought a nation together and in ways it divided it. Did the terrorist get what the wanted? Some might say the division that has crept into this nation is one thing that the terrorist wanted and some might say our response was not what they expected -- both the response and the division go hand-in-hand in this "day and age". Can you imagine the American people ever caring more about understanding why the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor then ensuring it never happened again, or second guessing every possible error made by the U. S. Military after that attack, would Truman a democrat have even been able to consider using the atomic bomb to end the war with today's democrats?

To answer my original question -- Did the terrorist get what they wanted? My answer, NO -- they did not get the appeasement that many countries expect from the USA nor was it overlooked or forgotten. Yes, many Americans have forgotten but as evidence by the 2004 election the majority have not nor is the majority ready to "forgive and forget"....

On this fourth anniversary we should remember those that died that tragic day, but we must also remember those that have made the same sacrifice, knowingly, since that tragic day. Take a moment and pray for those that have fallen, those that are in harms way, and those that are working to ensure this never happens again!.

You might be interested in what newspapers around the world have to say in remembrance -- Google News - "Remember 9/11". If you like and have time you might want to visit Remember September 11, 2001, a website that has bios of many lost that day.

An Avid Military Supporter -- This is Getting Old

I am not sure what it is! I suspect the military is trying to keep the negative press down, which is understandable but not distribute all the facts then having to reveal you knowingly choose this path is doing more harm then good. We have yet another story where the Army changes story about soldier's death -- supporters and non-supporters are solidified you are not going to gain anymore support then you have at this time, but you may certainly loose some. My suggestion, say nothing, which was my unit's response to anything, or tell the whole truth nothing but the truth so help you...... Again, knowingly being deceitful does more harm then good.

Don't get me wrong, I assure you I know better then most that secrecy is a must -- "loose lips sink ships" -- this is why I say "say nothing", silence is the best policy in most cases, attempting to steer a story only to be "found out" is a lousy policy!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Army said Saturday it knew for more than a year that 1st Lt. Kenneth Ballard was not killed in action in Iraq, as it initially reported.
The family was not told the truth until Friday.

Simply Out of Touch

Others have posted about this the "Flight 93 Memorial: CONTROVERSY" -- unfortunately I am not surprised one bit. Remember artist are "in touch" and have a deeper understanding then us neanderthals -- RIGHT! Me, it just sickens me that anyone would choose to honor Americans death/sacrifice by making yet another political statement -- yes, I think it was intentional! (via Michelle Malkin, who has a link to National Park Service to send your comments)

The Idiocy -- Animal Before Human

(via Michelle Malkin)The Los Angela's Times has a story about how environmentalist with their lawyers blocked a major project that may have protected New Orleans... The idiotic idea of animal life before human life strikes yet again!A Barrier That Could Have Been

In the wake of Hurricane Betsy 40 years ago, Congress approved a massive hurricane barrier to protect New Orleans from storm surges that could inundate the city.
But the project, signed into law by President Johnson, was derailed in 1977 by an environmental lawsuit. Now the question is: Could that barrier have protected New Orleans from the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina?
'If we had built the barriers, New Orleans would not be flooded,' said Joseph Towers, the retired chief counsel for the Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans district.
Tower's view is endorsed by a former key senator, along with academic experts, who say a hurricane barrier is the only way to control the powerful storm surges that enter Lake Pontchartrain and threaten the city. Other experts are less sure, saying the barrier would have been no match for Katrina.
The project was stopped in its tracks when an environmental lawsuit won a federal injunction on the grounds that the Army's environmental impact statement was flawed. By the mid-1980s, the Corps of Engineers abandoned the project.
The project faced formidable opposition not only from environmentalists but from regional government officials outside of New Orleans who argued that the barriers would choke commerce and harm marine life in ecologically sensitive Lake Pontchartrain.
The barrier would have protected New Orleans from storm surges barreling into the lake through two narrow passages � the Rigolets and the Chef Menteur Pass"

Check out what Stephen Bainbridge has to say too!

By the Way -- Iraq is Still There

Other than the Katrina blame game there is a major attack on Iraq 'rebel town' underway. Continue to remember these troops!

Iraq says a major operation is under way to try to retake the northern town of Talafar from insurgents.
US and Iraqi troops swept through the town, smashing walls with armoured vehicles and engaging in gun battles.
The Americans believe the town is being used as a staging post by foreign fighters crossing into Iraq from Syria.
Iraq's defence minister said 144 rebels had been killed in Talafar in the past two days. He said his forces were ready to strike rebels in four other towns.

Louisiana Politicians Should Stop the Blame Game

Because they will loose! Below is one article that starts the snowball rolling to wards Louisiana -
Money Flowed to Questionable Projects

In Katrina's wake, Louisiana politicians and other critics have complained about paltry funding for the Army Corps in general and Louisiana projects in particular. But over the five years of President Bush's administration, Louisiana has received far more money for Corps civil works projects than any other state, about $1.9 billion; California was a distant second with less than $1.4 billion, even though its population is more than seven times as large.
Much of that Louisiana money was spent to try to keep low-lying New Orleans dry. But hundreds of millions of dollars have gone to unrelated water projects demanded by the state's congressional delegation and approved by the Corps, often after economic analyses that turned out to be inaccurate. Despite a series of independent investigations criticizing Army Corps construction projects as wasteful pork-barrel spending, Louisiana's representatives have kept bringing home the bacon.
For example, after a $194 million deepening project for the Port of Iberia flunked a Corps cost-benefit analysis, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) tucked language into an emergency Iraq spending bill ordering the agency to redo its calculations. The Corps also spends tens of millions of dollars a year dredging little-used waterways such as the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, the Atchafalaya River and the Red River -- now known as the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway, in honor of the project's congressional godfather -- for barge traffic that is less than forecast.
[...]
But overall, the Bush administration's funding requests for the key New Orleans flood-control projects for the past five years were slightly higher than the Clinton administration's for its past five years. Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, the chief of the Corps, has said that in any event, more money would not have prevented the drowning of the city, since its levees were designed to protect against a Category 3 storm, and the levees that failed were already completed projects. Strock has also said that the marsh-restoration project would not have done much to diminish Katrina's storm surge, which passed east of the coastal wetlands.

and then there is this: Louisiana Officials Could Lose the Katrina Blame Game

By 1998, Louisiana's state government had a $2 billion construction budget, but less than one tenth of one percent of that -- $1.98 million -- was dedicated to levee improvements in the New Orleans area. State appropriators were able to find $22 million that year to renovate a new home for the Louisiana Supreme Court and $35 million for one phase of an expansion to the New Orleans convention center.

The following year, the state legislature did appropriate $49.5 million for levee improvements, but the proposed spending had to be allocated by the State Bond Commission before the projects could receive financing. The commission placed the levee improvements in the "Priority 5" category, among the projects least likely to receive full or immediate funding.

The Orleans Levee Board was also forced to defer $3.7 million in capital improvement projects in its 2001 budget after residents of the area rejected a proposed tax increase to fund its expanding operations. Long term deferments to nearly 60 projects, based on the revenue shortfall, totaled $47 million worth of work, including projects to shore up the floodwalls.

No new state money had been allocated to the area's hurricane protection projects as of October of 2002, leaving the available 65 percent federal matching funds for such construction untouched.

13% Blame Bush, 38% No One to Blame

Don't let the title of the CNN article fool you. The news, little reported news, is that the media has failed in convincing Americans to blame President Bush -- unless you believe 13% is a massive number. Further, 63% do not believe anyone should loose their job -- I am in the minority since I believe Brown should be gone if only for his lack of relating the "true facts" at the beginning by trying to blow smoke up our .....
CNN.com - Poll: Most Americans believe New Orleans will never recover
Now stay with the article the below paragraph is at the bottom.

Respondents also disagreed widely on who is to blame for the problems in the city following the hurricane -- 13 percent said Bush, 18 percent said federal agencies, 25 percent blamed state or local officials and 38 percent said no one is to blame. And 63 percent said they do not believe anyone at federal agencies responsible for handling emergencies should be fired as a result.

Now can we get back to human compassion and respond to the tragedy and not the "blame game"?

Wendys' Digit Caper Ends

You might remember the "chilli finger case" from here, here, here, and here -- we finally have an end to it with the Couple pleading guilty. I know that many were so worried about this case -- me I find it interesting that we are set in our society to allow junk like this, you may recall this was the third or fourth attempt for these people -- the others were successful.

SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- A Nevada couple pleaded guilty Friday to all charges related to planting a human fingertip in a bowl of Wendy's chili in a scheme to extort money from the fast food restaurant chain.
Anna Ayala, 39, and Jaime Placencia, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiring to file a false claim and attempted grand theft. The Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy's International Inc. claimed the scheme cost it $2.5 million in lost sales because of bad publicity.
Ayala faces up to nearly 10 years in state prison when sentenced November 2. Her husband faces up to 13 years behind bars.

MSM Misses Another "Good Story"

As per the norm the MSM missed another "good" story out of Iraq as Iraqi soldiers donate to Katrina victims -- would be nice if the picked up one or two of these every now and then!

TAJI, Iraq, Sept. 9, 2005 - Iraqi soldiers serving at Taji military base collected 1,000,000 Iraqi dinars for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Iraqi Col. Abbas Fadhil, Iraqi base commander, presented the money to U.S. Col. Paul D. Linkenhoker, Taji Coalition base commander, at a Sept. 5 staff meeting.
“We are all brothers,” said Abbas. “When one suffers tragedy, we all suffer their pain.”

Brown Relieved

Embattled Brown Relieved of Katrina Duty
From and earlier post...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite command Friday.
He will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief, recovery and rescue efforts, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced.
Earlier, Brown confirmed the switch. Asked if he was being made a scapegoat for a federal relief effort that has drawn widespread and sharp criticism, Brown told The Associated Press after a long pause: 'By the press, yes. By the president, no.'
'Michael Brown has done everything he possibly could to coordinate the federal response to this unprecedented challenge,' Chertoff told reporters in Baton Rouge, La. Chertoff sidestepped a question on whether the move was the first step toward Brown's leaving FEMA.