Judicious Asininity

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Sat Jan 31, 2004

Bureaucratic Intelligence

Follows Bureaucratic Efficiency

James at Outside the Beltway points out this from Ralph Peters discussing the shortfalls in our intelligence gathering abilities. Bottom line:

It would have taken brilliant "out of the box" analysis to get it right. But our intelligence system is, above all, a bureaucracy. And bureaucracies cherish consistency, while shunning the risks of excellence. Bureaucracies only deliver what executives demand. Left to their own devices, they plod along in a defensive crouch.

Administrations come and go. If we truly want to improve our intelligence system, only sustained, bipartisan congressional action can force the critical changes.

Throw in certain policy changes such as the one precluding our agencies from 'hiring' certain foreigners as informants and other anti 'boots on the ground' methods and it is no wonder that we often come up short. This is especially true in certain rather closed societies such as those favored by Islamic Jihadists. Compound this with the tendency of our intelligence agencies to be forced to adhere to whatever political wind happens to be blowing at the moment and it is a wonder we knew anything about matters that would prove to be critical to our national security. For instance there is this prescient warning:

Read more »

More Liberal than Teddy Kennedy

That's a Tough One to Beat

Ed Gillespie has a few words to say about John Kerry:

"Who would have guessed it? Ted Kennedy is the conservative senator from Massachusetts!
Kerry, is one of the most liberal members of the Senate. Americans for Democratic Action--the premier liberal rating organization--puts [Kerry's] lifetime rating at 93 percent. Senator Kennedy has a lifetime rating of 88 percent--five points less."

More liberal that Teddy Kennedy? That takes some doing.

Botox Warrior Fights Back

Standing up for the Rights of Cads and Gigolos Everywhere

Standing smack in the middle of war of words in which he has been declared a cad, a gigolo, and a botox warrior, John Kerry has had enough and is fighting back:

Speaking from his presidential campaign headquarters this morning, Senator John F. Kerry-Heinz denied accusations from his opponents for the Democrat nomination that he is a “glorified gigolo” and “playboy” who has used his wife’s millions to garner a top position in the crowded field for the Democrat nomination.

Kerry-Heinz seemed particularly upset at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s characterization of him as a “lazy @ss cracker who’s never worked a day in his life.” Kerry-Heinz’s voice almost displayed emotion as he told the press, “I’ll have you know that I worked very hard to become Mr. Heinz and have access to my wife’s inheritance. I had to work out three hours a day and undergo a strict nutritional regimen to be able to compete against the young gigolos out there, many of whom are two decades younger than me. And I did it before viagra.”

Go read the rest of the satire from Broken Newz:
Link via Right Wing News

Meanwhile, there's this: Read more »

U.N. Tries Shame as Weapon on Terror

Words tha Cut Like a Knife

In a bold move, the U.N. has taken the war on terrorism to new heights by vowing to shame any country that fails to live up to its responsibilities in battling terrorists and their enablers:

The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to name and shame countries that fail to report on their efforts to fight global terrorism.
It passed by 15-0 a resolution aimed at strengthening sanctions against al-Qaeda, Taleban and related groups.

Last year, a UN committee said stronger measures might be needed to compel UN member states to help fight terrorism.

It is hoped a threat of being publicly named will encourage governments to enforce sanctions against such groups.

That ought to about wrap it up then. When this resolution hits home it is a good bet that every single country in the world that is not actively fighting terror organizations will immediately join the forces of good. Without a doubt, a strong 'shame on you' from the U.N. will be sufficient to alter the hearts and minds of leaders like the Ayatollahs of Iran, Castro, Little Kim, and other dastardly evildoers. Who knows, even Saddam may suddenly revert to an upstanding world citizen and cooperate fully with his captors. Yep, shame them into shape. That's the ticket. Now we can all rest easy knowing that victory is at hand thanks to that august world body, the United Nations. But wait a minute, isn't 'united nations' a bit of a contradiction? Ah, maybe it's just me and my cynical self.

Fri Jan 30, 2004

Wizbang Guest Blogger Opportunity

It's Free and Easy

Keving at Wizbang is offering anyone the opportunity to post as a guest on his blog. If you feel the urge to voice your opinion or try your hand at blogging head on over there. If you are already a blogger, head on over and give yourself a little limelight.

The Strategy of Combatting Terrorism

Exacting a Price from their Supporters

Little Tiny Lies points out a remark that Dennis Miller made on his new CNBC show that gets right to the point about our fight with terror:

Ever since talk of going into Afghanistan and Iraq started, I said the real reason for going in was that terrorists have no terrorist nation we can attack. Al Qaeda was made up from idiots from all over, so when they destroyed the World Trade Center, it wasn't like we could bomb their country and teach them a lesson. And they knew it. And we knew they knew it, and we needed to give them something to lose, should they continue attacking us. Hence Afghanistan and Iraq. Now the terrorists know there is a price to pay. Not all of them are Taliban or Afghan or Iraqi, but a whole lot of them, and their families, have Taliban or Afghan or Iraqi connections, and they suffered greatly when we attacked.

No one in the mainstream media picked up on this idea, possibly because it's embarrassing to admit, or maybe because they're just too stupid to figure it out.

Well, the other night, Dennis Miller spelled it out. He said we went into Iraq because there was no country called "Al Qaedia" we could attack. Good for him. Someone has the guts to say it.

The good news is, this strategy seems to be working.

Botox Warrior Speaks

Letting it All Hang Out in SC

Amid cries of 'botox warrior', Kerry let his slip show during last nights debate regarding our choice to actually fight back against terror:

"I think there has been an exaggeration," Mr. Kerry said when asked whether President Bush has overstated the threat of terrorism. "They are misleading all Americans in a profound way."
The front-runner for the Democratic nomination said he would engage other nations in a more cooperative fashion to quell terrorism.
"This administration's arrogant and ideological policy is taking America down a more dangerous path," Mr. Kerry said. "I will make America safer than they are."

John Edwards tried to set the record straight with this:

"It's just hard for me to see how you can say there's an exaggeration when thousands of people lost their lives on September 11," Mr. Edwards said.

Whether we're safer or not is debatable, but if we are not it is because we have elected to pursue a course of fighting back. This is in contrast to our previous policies of sitting around trying to appease terrorists while waiting for the next attack. The track record of the latter and a number of real life examples showing why it is not advisable to negotiate with terrorists serves to reinforce Mr. Edwards' words. Most Americans understand that, like Bush says, we are at war, and we are at war because the threat of terrorism must be faced now before they become so powerful that we are indeed held hostage to their delusions of grandeur.
Robert Prather has a good rundown on the rest of the 'action'.

Thu Jan 29, 2004

Glory Be

A Court Yields to the Legislature

In a ruling concerning a Florida law banning adoption by gays, a court showed it knows its proper place in such a matter:

The three-judge panel in Atlanta said the issue was properly before the Legislature rather than the appeals court.

"We exercise great caution when asked to take sides in an ongoing public policy debate," Judge Stanley Birch wrote in a unanimous decision. "Any argument that the Florida Legislature was misguided in its decision is one of legislative policy, not constitutional law."

Head on over and read the rest of this well reasoned decision. Regardless of the merits of allowing homosexuals to adopt children, the bottom line is that adoption is a priviledge, not a right, and the state legislature has the authority to set the requirements for such a priviledge:

The legislature is the proper forum for this debate, and we do not sit as a superlegislature “to award by judicial decree what was not achievable by political consensus.”

And that, is the way it is supposed to be.

Nobel Gets One Right

Finally, A True Winner

Here's a man that may help remove some tarnish from Nobel's prize:

The Nobel Peace laureate and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble called human rights organisations a "great curse" yesterday and accused them of complicity in terrorist killings.

"One of the great curses of this world is the human rights industry," he told the Associated Press news agency at an international conference of terrorism victims in Madrid.

"They justify terrorist acts and end up being complicit in the murder of innocent victims."

After winners like Jimmah it is refreshing to see one that takes a bit different view.

Bush and Arnold in LaLaLand

Imagine This

It looks for the moment as if California may be in play for Bush and the Republicans this year:

Democrats and Republicans surveyed said Bush is favored for three reasons: Saddam Hussein is in custody, there's more money in their pockets after Bush-imposed tax cuts and actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger (search), a Republican, is in the governor's seat in Sacramento.

State GOP leaders aren't sure if Bush's uptick is an aberration or a turning point, but, to use a California term, they're getting their boards waxed and ready to ride.

Whew. The south and California?
That'll only leave, what?, 3 states going liberal?

Colorado College Republicans

Taking on the Liberal Establishment

Join Us Now
or Work for Us Later

Learn More and Report incidents of Liberal Bias at the University of Colorado.

Boys are Stupid

More Hurt Feelings

How about this?

The T-shirts and pajamas are meant to be funny, with cartoon captions like "Boys Are Stupid -- Throw Rocks At Them." But some protesters, encouraged by a fathers-rights talk show host, are unamused and have pressured three retail chains into dropping the merchandise.

What's the problem?
Update: Daily Pundit weighs in with this:

Uh huh. Imagine how funny the usual suspects - who probably did find these slogans hilarious - would think the same phrases were if you added one little change: "Black Boys Are Stupid...Throw Rocks At Them."

Yeah, I reckon they figure that white males can take a little joshing, unlike other more 'sensitive' groups.

Understanding Terror

Rewards Do NOT Work

Rewards do not work, compromise does not work, and surrender will not work when dealing with Jihadists. First, terrorists blow up a bus and kill ten Israelis on the very day of a prisoner release that freed some 400 Muslims. Now this:

Hezbollah will kidnap more Israelis to secure the release of Lebanese prisoners, if necessary, the militant movement's leader warned Thursday. Speaking at a mass rally to welcome 21 Lebanese prisoners freed by Israel hours earlier, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said his guerrillas could capture more Israelis to bargain for the freedom of Lebanese still held in Israeli prisons.

Uh, yeah, they sure will.

Government Run Broadcasting

A Captive Audience in Action

Stephen Pollard discusses the plight of the BBC:

The BBC is an organization that, from top to bottom, sees itself not as a neutral reporter of the news, but as a de facto opposition to whatever government happens to be in power. There is a clear left liberal bias in the BBC's assumptions. As a body funded by a tax paid by every TV and radio viewer, without any alternative -- failure to pay results in imprisonment -- that is simply grotesque. Lord Hutton has done the process of democracy a huge service.

There is a golden opportunity to reform the way this organization operates but the chances of true reform seem bleak. Go read the rest.

Dems Propose Immigration Reform

No, It doesn't Involve Open Borders, or Does It?

John Cole takes a look at the Democrat's counter proposal on immigration and comes away less than impressed:

There is a good chance that ~~the Botox Cheerleader~~ Pelosi and the ~~Mild Mannered Moron~~ Daschle just simply don't get it. They really do believe their own rhetoric about an emerging liberal majority, and they mistakenly believe that everyone thinks like they do. If they do, they are forgetting that the reason they have won elections in the past is not because of their coalition of wacky interest groups, but because of the support of blue collar Democrats- often called Reagan Democrats. About 98% of Republicans understand the meaning of the term 'illegal' in the phrase 'illegal alien,' as does about 60% of the Democratic party. The 40% of the Democratic party that fails to understand this distinction consist of the hard left who are going to vote for Anyone but Bush, the several million illegal aliens in California that the Clinton administration already illegally franchised, and the dead Daley voters in Chicago.

Not much to add. Like I've said before, at the least the idea is on the table and needs some long overdue attention from those vote craving bureaucrats in DC. We'll just have to wait and see if anything whatsoever can be passed that resembles a sane immigration policy.

Impending Palestinian Collapse

Oh, The Humanity of It

Inoperable Terran points out this disturbing news as relayed by Amish Tech Support:

The Palestinian Authority could collapse unless there is urgent extra international aid to relieve the plight of the Palestinian people, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday.
"We share our concern about the economic, social and humanitarian situation of the Palestinians," Annan said after talks with Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency.

"I appealed for additional support for them, because I am afraid that if the situation continues, we will see real despair and perhaps even partial collapse of the Palestinian Authority," Annan told reporters.

Such a collapse would truly be a shame. Pass the hat, or not.

Rudy, Rudy, Rudy

Will He or Won't He?

The speculation continues that Bush may surprise the nation with an annoucement that the VP slot in his campaign will have a different name:

But the show-stealer was former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Capacity crowds greeted him at rallies and diner stops. He was energetic and engaged, and glowing in his endorsements of Bush. He looked, well, like a man on a mission for national office.

That the former New York mayor was in New Hampshire to raise his political profile isn't rocket science. He has made it clear to interviewers that he's eager to get back into the game. Speculation abounds that he might challenge Hillary Clinton in 2006 for her Senate seat. (He was forced to bow out last time by a prostate cancer diagnosis.)

In fact, all three New York politicians — Clinton, Pataki, Giuliani — are likely candidates for president in 2008. But Giuliani, despite his fame and popularity, has not been a national political player in the traditional sense. He'd immediately leap to the front as, say, George Bush's vice president.

Of course, Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney did their best to put any rumors of a ticket change to rest about a year ago when concerns over Cheney's health put the question on the lips of pundits. But then, they might just have been preserving their right to surprise voters tuning into what otherwise would be this summer's suspenseless GOP convention in ... New York City!

Besides, Giuliani would resolve a serious issue for Bush. Cheney has made it clear he won't be a presidential candidate, so Bush needs an understudy to inherit his incumbent laurels in 2008 (assuming he wins re-election).

The issue of '08 certainly makes a lot of sense but the political risk of changing the ticket in '04 may be seen as too great to risk a change in VP. But....it's an interesting possibility. Then there is the huge task of changing all those stickers, buttons, and campaign slogans. I dunno.

Wed Jan 28, 2004

COTV

A Good Crop of Entries This Week

This week's Carnival of the Vanities is over at The American Mind.
Check it outl

Death to Infidels

Understand? Comprende? Get It?

While discussing the goings on in Thailand where 'Islamic thugs' are murdering Buddhist monks, Michael Totten adds this quote from Omar Bartov in this week's New Republic:

[W]e still do not seem to have learned a simple crucial lesson that Hitler taught us more definitively than anyone else in history: some people, some regimes, some ideologies, some political programs, and, yes, some religious groups, must be taken at their word. Some people mean what they say, and say what they will do, and do what they said.

Like I've asked before: What part of 'Death to all Infidels' and 'Death to America' is it that some people fail to understand? Our enemies mean what they say and intend to carry out their threats to us. Simple.

Men in Dresses

Promoting Female Attire for the Less Fair Sex

Throughout the history of Western dress, women have frequently borrowed elements of men’s clothing. Examples of men appropriating women’s dress, however, are rare. Today, while women enjoy most of the advantages of a man’s wardrobe, men enjoy few of the advantages of a woman’s wardrobe. Nowhere is this asymmetry more apparent than in the taboo surrounding men in skirts. Bravehearts locates “men in skirts” in historical and cross-cultural contexts and looks at designers as well as individuals who have appropriated the skirt as a means of injecting novelty into male fashion, transgressing moral and social codes, and redefining ideals of masculinity.

Oh hell yeah. Men in skirts. On the surface perhaps some excuse can be found for the asinine idea that men should follow women's fashion so closely as to adopt it as their own. Maybe, but it ain't likely. Perhaps some investigation into the practicality of the skirt should be done by the proponents of this exhibit. The best place to start would be with women. Ask about such things among those who should know, foregoing those who shouldn't know, like transexuals. A simpler approach might involve a little mental imaginery conjured up by a rational mind. You know, picture an iron worker high in the steel, wrestling with his wind blown mini skirt. If that don't do it, try a truck driver clambering out of his big rig while vainly trying, or not, to prevent the exposure of his vital zone to onlookers. Then ask women. Go ahead ladies, tell these folks why you wear skirts in spite of their less than practical nature. Do it, and while you're at it tell them why you wear lacy undergarments, and panty hose because obviously these people simply don't have a clue. Once that part is cleared up, be kind enough to explain to these 'artists' exactly what part of a man in a skirt it is that you find so masculine. While I can't presume to speak for all men, I can guarantee you one thing: This ain't gonna catch on. Real men will not wear skirts. Perhaps a few of the gay crowd might express an interest but even then the practical problems associated with a dress would probably discourage most. These skirt advocates who seek to redefine ideas of male masculinity evidently have too much time on their hands. Either that, or they have a few screws loose. Or both. Like the 'artists' said, instances of men appropriating women's dress are rare. Duh?? and a Double No Shit?
Art my ass.

Thanks to Horsefeathers for pointing out this 'art' and putting me in a foul mood. Head on over and read a more refined discussion of the merits of men wearing skirts. Or.....just take my word for it: It Ain't Gonna Catch On.

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Kerry in Gore's Footsteps

It's Those Damned Facts Again

Patrick Michaels is offering 'a night of free beer' to the first journalist that can come up with a picture of John Kerry wearing a coat in November. This offer stems from a statement Kerry made in support of the 'global warming' theory:

“In Massachusetts, we always looked forward to fall because the ponds froze over and we could play hockey. Today, you are lucky if the ponds freeze in northern New Hampshire. Up there . . . I do not wear a coat until after November now.”

There is also the matter of other Goresque 'facts' that have made their way out of Kerry's mouth. Like this for example:

A year later, on May 1, 2001, Kerry said, “This summer the North Pole was water for the first time in recorded history,” a story that was originally carried by The New York Times in September 2000. It was retracted three weeks later as a barrage of scientists protested that open water is common at or near the pole at the end of summer. Further, it’s common knowledge in the scientific community that there has been no net change in Arctic temperatures in the last 70 years.

He went on: “In 1995, after a period of unusual warming, a 48- by 22-mile chunk of the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica collapsed.” Disregarding that ice shelves don’t “collapse,” the fact, as accessible as the nearest Nature magazine, is that Antarctica shows a slight cooling trend in recent decades.

Yep, Kerry really should be more careful with his 'facts'. After all, Google is watching and waiting for the chance to prove him wrong.

Dems Seek Guidance

Clinton To Provide the Wisdom

Leading Democrats are set to gather tomorrow to discuss the state of their bid for the Whitehouse:

The high-level gathering led by Clinton comes as Democrats nationally are sharply divided, struggling to sort out who their nominee will be in the midst of a bitter primary contest.

It also marks the latest example of the Clinton power couple continuing to dominate the Democratic Party, three years after they left the White House. Sen. Hillary Clinton will also be there.

Clinton's office confirmed his appearance but had no comment. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) also will attend.

"I asked President Clinton to give us his observations about how we might work more closely together and also as to how we ought to look at our own responsibilities as we see them in creating our agenda this year," said Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle.

The Democrats' decision to turn to Clinton for tips was mocked by some Republicans.

"They're desperate," said Sen. George Allen of Virginia. "They will bring in next [former Vice President] Al Gore, I guess."

With the wisdom of such mainstream voices as Clinton, Clinton, Schumer and Daschle there is sure to be a move to return the party to more solid ground with the majority. Sure, and the Mars rover just found a colony of Super Freaks living in splendor on the red planet.

Read more »

In any event, it would seem that the Dems need a quick resolution of exactly who their nominee might ultimately be. Perhaps after the next round of losses some of the 'lesser' candidates will be under such pressure from their leaders that they give up on their lost causes. As it looks now, there is not much reason to continue to split the vote among the 5 most viable candidates. That list doesn't include such Democratic stalwarts as Al 'Sharpee' Sharpton and Dennis 'The Menace' Kucinich. The latter had no business being on the same stage with the other candidates to begin with and simply added a touch of circus to the already confusing and writhing mass of desperate minds. Somebody needs to drop out, two somebodys need kicked out, and the field needs to pared down to a couple of 'logical' choices. That leaves maybe Dean and surely Kerry in the fray. After that, if the current trend of Kerry victory continues, which it should after Howie exposed himself as a candidate for the Baker act, the smart money should all shift to presenting a united front in the hope of bringing the very different Democratic factions together in time to prevent riots and rumbles at the Convention. Yep, and that fine group of upstanding Democrats, lead by Slick Willy and his 'stand by your man' woman, will have to provide the wisdom that will propel the party towards mainstream acceptance. If you think that to be an impossible task, just remember, there will be an awful lot of pickup trucks, rebel flags, and stock car racing concentrated in a very small area beginning during the month of February. That's right, Nascar kicks off with the annual Daytona race and this should present the perfect soapbox for the Democrat nominee to showcase his policies and test the water with a class of Americans that could prove to be critical to a Democratic victory in '04. Just imagine, John Kerry or Howard Dean addressing a hundred thousand Nascar fans at one of the biggest races of the year. Perfect, do you hear that Bill, Hill, Chuck, and Tom?

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Tue Jan 27, 2004

Good news for Blair

Bad news for the Baathist Broadcasting Corporation

Seems the Hutton report on the Kelly affair will exonerate Blair. That's good news for GWB. The last thing he needs is for such an important ally to be undone on the WMD issue.

Intelligence Failures

You can get it wrong both ways

The Bush administration is taking heat for failing to find actual stockpiles of WMD in Iraq. So, the intelligence was wrong and the intelligence community overestimated Saddam's WMD capability. But the same intelligence community made a far more dangerous mistake when they grossly underestimated Libya's nuclear weapons program. According to the Washington Post:

Libya's quest for atomic weapons was aided by a sophisticated nuclear black market that offered weapons designs, real-time technical advice and thousands of sensitive parts -- some of them apparently manufactured in secret factories, according to diplomats and experts familiar with the probe of Libya's weapons program.

The scale of the black-market operation -- described by one expert as an "international supermarket" for nuclear parts -- exceeds anything seen before, and it was undetected by Western intelligence agencies until recent months, the officials said. The same operation also is believed to have aided Iran, they said.

There is a certain irony in the fact that taking out Saddam, based on faulty intelligence, led directly to the exposure of a worse intelligence failure: the failure to detect a secret and highly advanced Islamic nuclear weapons program.

Kerry Takes New Hampshire

Like Croton Oil Through a Widow Woman

Kerry is laying his Democratic rivals to waste in his bid to be the sacrificial lamb in the general election. Why anyone would want this honor is beyond me but obviously there are some who enjoy the limelight enough to do anything to get it. But, hey, somebody has to do it, may as well be Kerry. What with his interesting history and all, his run should provide for fine entertainment. The Command Post has some good coverage if you're interested in more.

The Bush Administration's Weak Response on WMD

They are not doing themselves any favors by letting the media set the agenda

So far as the media is concerned, the Kay report boils down to "Saddam had no WMD." According to AP, Bush said

"There is no doubt in my mind that Saddam Hussein was a grave and gathering threat to America and the world," Bush said. "And I say that based upon intelligence that I saw prior to the decision to go into Iraq and I say that based upon what I know today. And the world is better off without him."

What Kay actually reported is that inspectors had not found any stockpiles of banned WMD. Iraq did have a relatively advanced program for banned ballistic missiles and plans for the development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Junkyardblog points to a significant quote from Kay:

"There were scientists and engineers working on developing weapons or weapons concepts that they had not moved into actual production," Kay said. "But in some areas, for example producing mustard gas, they knew all the answers, they had done it in the past, and it was a relatively simple thing to go from where they were to starting to produce it."

So, why isn't the administration highlighting capability rather than stockpiles?

Way back when UNSCOM was active, it documented that Iraq possessed large stocks of anthrax and botulinum toxin: tens of thousands of liters. These stocks are still not accounted for yet just a few liters in the hands of a terrorist could kill hundreds of thousands of people. So why isn't the administration highlighting the fact that Kay could not find evidence for the destruction or continued existence of these stocks?

Everyone knew that Saddam had used WMD against Iran and the Kurds. Everyone knew he sponsored terrorist groups. All the intelligence agencies, US and foreign, believed Saddam had WMD and WMD programs. Democrats and Republicans alike warned of the dangers posed by Saddam, WMD and terrorists. Resolution 1441 called for Saddam to come clean on WMD. It was up to Saddam to prove he had abandoned WMD programs and destroyed all his stocks of WMD. He failed to so.

But the Bush administration does control the agenda and this is an election year. One suspects the responses will be stronger and more pointed once the Democrats have selected a presidential candidate.

Patriot Act Paradox

Shackling Our Own Defense

SoCal Law blog provides some details in the recent court decision declaring a part of the Patriot Act unconstitutional:

A provision of the USA Patriot Act that makes it illegal to give "expert advice or assistance" to foreign terrorist organizations has been declared unconstitutional by a Los Angeles federal judge.

Yeah it would be terrible to muzzle free speech among our enemies. Terrible.

Head on over and read the rest. To see the actual decision, try this in pdf format from Findlaw. You might also view this from the U.S. Attorneys' Manual and find something like this:

Second, it is prudent to avoid the constitutional questions that would be presented if the statute were interpreted more broadly. Independent speech in support of a designated group is clearly protected by the First Amendment, and the statute can and should be interpreted to avoid criminalizing such speech.

Doesn't sound like a threat to free speech to me. Either way, some wording involving the terms 'aiding in any way, shape, or form' seems reasonable for this particular offense.

Confused by the Scream

Dems Can't Figure Dean Out

Calpundit is confused. Having weighed the Dean scream to his satisfaction and decided that 'it wasn' that bad', Matthew Yglesias has now muddied his water with this:

Today, though, Matt Yglesias says we're all wrong: "I watched the thing live on television and it really was weird and frightening -- the initial CW was totally correct."

Don't worry guys, that scream merely accelerated the inevitable.

Meanwhile, Matthew offers a gem in response to a whine that a website is 'hounding' Paul Krugman:

The truth is much worse than that. Luskin has a blog devoted to Krugman-bashing because there's enough money floating around on the right to pay a guy to be a professional Krugman-basher. If someone wanted to pay me to hound David Brooks (or, better, Bill Safire, but I'm not picky) I'd do it. It's just that we're not so well-financed here on the left, George Soros notwithstanding.

Well, now, how many billionaires does it take? Perhaps Moveon.org is getting all the money in its never ending quest to be the foremost Dem propaganda machine. But hey, check with some of the millionaire Democratic senators, they might be willing to chip in. But there is a better and cheaper method of protecting your beloved Krugman. Hire him a fact checker. That would really stick it to the right. They would go ballistic.

Read more »

Al Franken Defends Free Speech

Right to Protest is not Right to Stifle Others' Speech

Al Franken has made the news by taking out a protester at a Dean rally:

Wise-cracking funnyman Al Franken yesterday body-slammed a demonstrator to the ground after the man tried to shout down Gov. Howard Dean.

Franken said he's not backing Dean but merely wanted to protect the right of people to speak freely. "I would have done it if he was a Dean supporter at a Kerry rally," he said.

"I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down."

Well, hell Al, we have something in common after all. Good for you. Hopefully your attorneys will be able to provide you with a competent defense against any charges that may result from this defense of civil rights. You might also want consider some form of safe haven for the money you are raking in from that fine and insightful ~~propaganda~~ book you wrote due to the very real threat of civil litigation. Of course, a man of your calliber has most likely availed himself of some form of offshore tax haven that would already be sufficient to protect your assets from a dastardly lawsuit.

Cyber News

Viruses and Ugly Background Images

Inoperable Terran passes on a warning about a new email virus:

If you get an email with a subject like "Test" or "Returned mail" that contains an attachment, delete it immediately. Do not open the attachment - it's the latest wonderful Outlook virus.

Here's a bit more info on this particular beast:

A new computer worm is spreading rapidly across the internet, threatening to clog e-mail systems and open a back door for hackers to get into personal computers.

The MyDoom worm, also known as Novarg, comes as an e-mail attachment. Since late Monday, it has been spreading at a rate that rivals last year's Sobig worm.

The worm affects computers running Microsoft Windows versions 95 to XP.

Infected e-mails come with a random subject line, often including phrases such as "Test," "Mail Delivery System'' or "Mail Transaction Failed.'' The attachment could have any of the following file extensions: .bat, .cmd, .exe, .pif, .scr, or .zip.

Clicking on the attachment launches the malicious program.

Computer users are advised to delete the attachment without opening it, and to update their anti-virus software in case they accidentally open an infected attachment.

DO NOT open attachments. Better yet, do not download attachments unless you are sure of the source and have antivirus email protection. I had noticed a serious slowdown in my connection yesterday and this attack could have been part of the problem as it clogged servers. It is also a good idea to perform a virus scan regularly. If you don't have one there are some free online scans available from places like Symantec. You can also test your security settings and find out how best to prevent such attacks.

On another subject, note that on the top left menu there is now some links to change the background of this blog. If you are among the artistically challenged who do not appreciate the sheer beauty of the blue image that frames the blog area you now have the option of selecting a plain background. This particular method of style switching doesn't use cookies so it will not remember your preferred view across different browser sessions. I will continue to look around and may institute another method that remembers your choice of views. For now, just debeautify if you prefer the plain look.

Polygamy Law Challenged

Bound to Happen

Powerline points out this challenge to a polygamy law that is among the forecast repercussions as a result of the Supreme court ruling on sodomy:

[Brian] Barnard, a civil rights attorney, has brought a lawsuit challenging Utah's ban on polygamy. And some legal experts say the case could have a fighting chance because of the Supreme Court's gay-sex ruling.
The federal lawsuit, filed Jan. 12, involves a married couple, identified only as G. Lee Cook and D. Cook, and a woman, J. Bronson, who wanted to enter into a plural marriage but were denied a marriage license by Salt Lake County clerks.

Dani Eyer, executive director of the ACLU of Utah, which is not a party to the case, said the state will "have to step up to prove that a polygamous relationship is detrimental to society.''

"There's no denying that thousands and thousands are doing that here and will maintain that it's healthy,'' she said. "The model of the nuclear family as we know it in the immediate past is unique, and may not be necessarily be the best model. Maybe it's time to have this discussion.''

Reckon what's next? Perhaps Fido has a chance to wed his dream bride after all.

Curious About Kerry

This Should Help

For a clearer picture of just what kind of leader John Kerry is liable to be, take a look at some history:

WILL COMMUNIST VIETNAM BE AMONG THE BIGGEST behind-the-scenes bankrollers of the Democratic National Convention this July 26-29 in Boston? It already has been, via a de facto intermediary, thanks to the Massachusetts boy and friend of Hanoi now likely to be nominated there as the Democrats’ presidential standard-bearer.

Senator John F. Kerry has a long political career, distinguished by his willingness to go farther Left in politics and lower for money than most other American politicians would dream of going. He has been largely unnoticed outside the liberal Northeast and the approving pages of leftist magazines and newspapers.

But now, with the latest polls showing Senator Kerry likely to follow his Iowa Caucuses win last week with a strong victory this Tuesday in the New Hampshire Primary, it’s time for America to wake up and smell the Kerry.

Who is this gaunt and haunted, French-looking apparition nicknamed “Ichabod” by his preppy classmates? And what could America expect from a John Kerry candidacy – or presidency?

While past history is no guarantee of the future it still bears remembering that some skunks never change their stripes. Head on over and read the rest of the story.

Mon Jan 26, 2004

French Islamic State

Is it Too Late to Turn Back the Tide?

Barbara Amiel starts her article with this tribute to multiculturalism:

France, wrote Luigi Barzini, wouldn't be the great and endearing country that it is, la lumière du monde, if its quarrelsome people had not been "moulded down the centuries by antagonisms and tensions between tribes, clans, cliques, classes, coteries, guilds, camarillas, sects, parties, factions, regions..." The French are ever at the barricades.

That being said she moves on to the meat:

France is facing the problem that dare not speak its name. Though French law prohibits the census from any reference to ethnic background or religion, many demographers estimate that as much as 20-30 per cent of the population under 25 is now Muslim. The streets, the traditional haunt of younger people, now belong to Muslim youths. In France, the phrase "les jeunes" is a politically correct way of referring to young Muslims.

Given current birth rates, it is not impossible that in 25 years France will have a Muslim majority. The consequences are dynamic: is it possible that secular France might become an Islamic state?

So we watch and wait for France to descend into the middle ages of Islamic rule. Meanwhile, we should carefully consider the obvious fact that France is under great pressure to please certain types of people. Comprende?

Were Saddam's WMD capabilities moved to Syria?

The Times casts doubt but the Daily Telegraph's interview with Kay sheds light

According to the venerable New York Times:

Dr. Kay said there was also no conclusive evidence that Iraq had moved any unconventional weapons to Syria, as some Bush administration officials have suggested. He said there had been persistent reports from Iraqis saying they or someone they knew had see cargo being moved across the border, but there is no proof that such movements involved weapons materials.

But the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph gives a rather different perspective. It directly quotes David Kay:

"We are not talking about a large stockpile of weapons," he said. "But we know from some of the interrogations of former Iraqi officials that a lot of material went to Syria before the war, including some components of Saddam's WMD programme. Precisely what went to Syria, and what has happened to it, is a major issue that needs to be resolved."

Which to believe? The NYT reporting or the Daily Telegraph's direct quote?

Slavery Reparations

Dismissed Without the Scorn it Deserves

Kate points out this rare bit of common sense from a court:

A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit brought by descendants of slaves against corporations they say profited from slavery, saying the plaintiffs had established no clear link to the companies they targeted.

Head on over and check out the interesting counter proposal that Kate offers any who feel somebody owes them something because their ancestors were slaves. I guess my list of deductions from any awards that stem from this litigation can be safely mothballed for a while. But.......it will remain ready should the day come when a court loses all of its sense and allows this asinine lawsuit to go forward.

Blood-Lust for Political Power

Setting Up for an Exciting Democratic Convention

Noel of Sharp Knife takes a trip back in time and compares a previous Democratic nomination fight with the present one and reaches this conclusion:

The Clintons continue to backstab the other candidates in turn, so that no one candidate arrives in Boston with a clear majority. HILLARY!'04 offers herself as the Reluctant Saviour of a divided party, not having said one bad word against anyone. She clinches the nomination on the third ballot and picks Wesley Clark as her running-mate. The news anchors all spontaneously wet themselves live on national TV. And not hidden behind a desk, as is the usual practice. The media go into Full "Candidates Gone Crazy!" Mode, Meme-Wild with " THE FIRST-EST, SMARTEST WOMAN IN ALL OF HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Of course, this scenario depends entirely upon the willingness of the Clintons to betray all the other candidates and use every dirty trick in the book to sabotage any opposition in a blind, all-consuming frenzy of personal ambition and a blood-lust for raw political power.

Well, maybe. But I still think Hillary is smart enough to avoid this particular election unless the current political atmosphere changes significantly. Head on over and read this entertaining post.

Embarrassed by Success

Catering to the Sensitivity Challenged

Now it looks as if success and excellence are viewed as offensive by some people:

The school honor roll, a time-honored system for rewarding "A" students, has become an apparent source of embarrassment for some underachievers.

As a result, all Nashville schools have stopped posting honor rolls, and some are considering a ban on hanging good work in the hallways — at the advice of school lawyers.

After a few parents complained their children might be ridiculed for not making the list, school-system lawyers warned that state privacy laws forbid releasing academic information, good or bad, without permission.

Why stop here? May as well institute some form of punishment for those who have the audacity to excel. You know, nip it in the bud so to speak. After all, these high achievers will ultimately flaunt their abilities in the real world by becoming successful, and possibly even, the ultimate insult, rich.

Link via Inoperable Terrran

Hamas Offers Ten Year Truce

The Iraq Effect Speads?

The Daily Pundit takes a look at a Hamas proposal for a ten year truce and comes away with something less than a good impression:

So maybe we'll back off a little, while it still looks as if we might be caving of our own choice, and not because the Devil Americans and the Hated Jews are kicking the holy shiite out of us.

Go see.

Britain at Sea

Putting All the Eggs in One Basket

There is an interesting article discussing the current greatly diminished state of the Royal Navy in the Guardian:

Which leaves the Royal Navy steaming towards its numerically diminished yet extraordinarily powerful future of new aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, destroyers and submarines, together with a power that Horatio Nelson would never have dreamed of and might not have relished - the ability, from a Trident submarine, to lay a whole continent to waste.

Which leads me to wonder about the wisdom of putting one's eggs all in one basket. After all, in Britain's case, one lucky hit on that Trident sub or an aircraft carrier would greatly reduce the effectiveness of its navy. Head on over and read this article of you are interested in such matters as military strategy and the current trend towards smaller and lighter forces.

Sierra Club Under Attack

Anti-Population Growth at Issue

The Sierra Club is reported to be embroiled by a battle for control of its policies. At issue is the Club's position on population growth in the form of immigration policy:

Anti-immigration activists some with loose connections to alleged white-supremacist groups, have launched an aggressive bid to take over the Sierra Club, one of the most respected environmental groups in North America.

Population control has been alluded to as a possible explanation for such controversial positions as the ban on DDT. While people die due to malaria and other diseases that could be greatly reduced by the use of this pesticide, the science behind that ban remains a source of many questions. In light of such a strong position that seems to put animals questionably ahead of humans in the chain of importance, groups like the Sierra Club and their views on population control become implicated by motive when the science behind a ban of chemicals that have a significant benefit to humankind is weak. Now, if this takeover bid succeeds, the group will possibly become even more anti-human on issues like population and immigration:

Read more »

Blogging of the President

Live Radio Blogfest

Blogging of the President has some interesting posts and comments from their live radio special special. Evidently, Andrew Sullivan and Atrios went at it pretty good on several fronts including the issue of posting under a pseudonym. Head on over and check it out.

Sun Jan 25, 2004

Beavis and Butthead of the Left

An Education is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Centerfield points to this article by Thomas Friedman and addresses the reaction of a couple of bloggers to it.

First here's a portion of the article in question:

Just read the numbers and weep: of the 90 million Arab youth today (between the ages of 15 and 24), 14 million are unemployed, many of them among the 15 to 20 million Muslims now living in Europe. "There's not enough jobs and not enough hope," Jordan's King Abdullah told the Davos economic forum. According to the 2003 Arab Human Development Report, between 1980 and 1999 the nine leading Arab economies registered 370 patents (in the U.S.) for new inventions. Patents are a good measure of a society's education quality, entrepreneurship, rule of law and innovation. During that same 20-year period, South Korea alone registered 16,328 patents for inventions. You don't run into a lot of South Koreans who want to be martyrs.

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