More Relief Links

So two bit blogger calling himself Instapundit has relief links for Kataria assistance.

The Ecosystem (Truth Laid Bear) also rounds up useful links.

For news and blogging links, Truth Laid Bear also has that covered.

Carnival of Liberty IX

Great topics and arguments at Carnival of Liberty IX, hosted by Resistance Is Futile.

Go check it out, even though I did not have time to submit an entry this week.

Katrina Aftermath - Time For You To Step Up

The images I have seen from Gulf Coast are the most overwhelming for me since 9/11. There will be lots of bloggers working this story better than I. This is my one post on it (maybe) so let me be brief.

Here is my request for those lucky enough to stop here. First -- try to understand. I do not know if even I can.



You need to help Americans hit by Katrina right now. Go to the Atlanta Area Red Cross to give specifically for Katrina relief. The link takes you directly to the donation page for Katrina relief. Do not go to the International Red Cross. All that money will do is fund a new report about how bad America treats terrorists in foreign prisons.

If you want to give to another charity, stop here to evaluate its efficiency and answer questions about charitable giving.

If you see a looter carrying anything other bottled water and energy bars, shoot to kill.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is like school in New Orleans today. No class. Hey, you living off bootlegging money - let the Governor get his state in order before you start sniping at him on false claims that Kyoto had anything to do with Katrina. You sound like a stupid German bureaucrat. Maybe you should try listening to a few learned scientists.

Here is one media outlet with what appears to be pretty good coverage, at least of New Orleans.

I look forward to all of the foreign aid that is sure to come pouring in to help America, just as America came to the aid of the tsunami victims, the Iran earthquake, and every other natural disaster the last few decades.

Kevin Boyd - Louisiana Libertarian - are you out there?

Godspeed to everyone trying to get out and to those helping them.

Euro-trash Tuesday (8/30) -- Directions In England

Euro-trash Tuesday (8/30)

Forgive me, but this was too funny to pass up. The British roads are all real. The story, well, that may be fiction.

Overheard recently by the side of a British road:

Say British friend, how do I drive to my destination?

Oh, that is a toughie. Are you hoping to get there quickly, chap?

No, I assume that Grope Lane is not the best way to go.

Righto. It looks quickest, but it often is a dead end. Before we begin, I assume you aren't going to go by way of Menlove Avenue?

No, I'm looking for a more conventional route.

In that case, I recommend you take your time on this trip. It can be trickey. If you want to get to Titlington Mount, it is best to avoid Ugley. You should start out on Pant-y-Felin Road. Turn right on East Breast, when you come to the intersection of Juggs Close and Lickers Lane, and take the Muff exit. That turns into Fingringhoe. At Booty Lane, turn at Upperthong.

Now, I wouldn't suggest taking Mudchute, by Old Sodom Lane. Taking Back Passage will usually only end up at Bitchfield. And even if you don't, you come out on Brown Willy.

Good advice.

You may want to slow down at this point of your trip. You don't want to end up at Spital in the Street to soon.

Thank you. Now where do I go from Upper Thong?

Well, that depends. It may take you a while if you have go around the traffic at Six Mile Bottom. Once you pass there, look for Balls Cross, which take you to the intersection of Cockshoot Close and Twatt. Then you are done.

Is there a quicker route?

Oh sure. If you want to get there quickly without any obstacles, you can always take Hooker Road via Titty Ho. That will also offer you option of taking Spanker Lane, if you are into that kind of travel.

How about if I want to drive by the beach?

Well, that always ends up at Scratchy Bottom and Sandy Balls.

Thanks, mate.

No problem. Have a nice trip.

For more Euro-trash Tuesday, check out A Guide To Midwestern Culture.

Cindy Sheehan: My Way Or The Highway

I've commented as kindly as I could on Cindy Sheehan. She lost a son. Now she is the focus of the anti-war crowd because she brandishes a "grieving mother" shield. The only problem is her mouth keeps spouting off non-sense that her grief shield does not protect.

Mrs. Sheehan (for a little while longer anyway) has taken a full frontal assault on the Moms of dead soldiers who suport the Iraq war. She comments:

I have been silent on the Gold Star Moms who still support this man and his war by saying that they deserve the right to their opinions because they are in as much pain as I am. I would challenge them, though, at this point to start thinking for themselves. Iraq DID NOT have WMD's; Iraq WAS NOT linked to Al Qaeda and 9/11; Iraq WAS NOT a threat or danger to America.

How can these moms who still support George Bush and his insane war in Iraq want more innocent blood shed just because their sons or daughters have been killed' I don't understand it. I don't understand how any mother could want another mother to feel the pain we feel. I am starting to lose a little compassion for them. I know they have been as brainwashed as the rest of America, but they know the pain and heartache and they should not wish it on another. However, I still feel their pain so acutely and pray for these 'continue the murder and mayhem' moms to see the light.

Where to start. If you lost a child in the war, and you support Bush, you (1) aren't thinking for yourself; (2) can't spout off untrue "facts" about Iraq which did have WMD and did have connections to terror and Al Qaeda; (3) want others to feel the same pain; and (4) you are a "murder and mayhem mom." Why, these are the mothers of Hitler!

It is a shame that one can't see the other side of this debate. I know and respect many people who have an honest disagreement about whether we should have gone into Iraq, and what our strategy should be now that we are there. I wasn't sure about this war for a long time. I was convinced leading up to it though that the U.N. was going to back off and let Saddam return to his prior status quo. And that would mean another warThese people are not hanging out with Mrs. Sheehan.

If you read the entire comment, you see that Cindy has employed the language of MoveOn.org and other lefty moonbats. An essay peppered with insults and use of words like "fascism" and "reich" always add flavor to a peace essay. Additionally, Cindy is clearly incapable of dealing with facts or perspective. She comments on the "difficulty" of getting Iraq's constitution done. As though America had hers hammered out in a weekend. It took years to get to the point of recognizing the need for one, then it took the Bill of Rights and lots of political work to get it accepted. Iraq is in the infancy of this process.

Mrs. Sheehan then mentions the counter-protesters:

We are holding a big rally and so are the 'pro-continue the killing because Americans have died already' people.

Yep. If you wish to free a nation and give it a chance to start up, you are "pro-killing."

The war in Iraq could end tomorrow. The terrorists who come from other countries or who were beneficiaries of Saddam's reign could quit attacking peaceful Iraqis who want to move forward with a new Constitution and democratic regeime.

We have deposed a dictator that used WMD; after the war we found enriched uranium, hidden centrifuges, and WMD shells with gas; Saddam shot at U.S. airplanes. He shot missles at free countries. Iraq no longer welcomes terrorists, including those who assisted with the 1993 WTC bombing or hijacked cruise ships. Iraq no longer pays terrorists' families that kill Israelis. The war will end when the elements that want Iraq to return to this type of state quit.

Sheehan hasn't stopped at the insults and attacks of the moms with whom she disagrees. She is now supporting protests against our peaceful divisions of the armed forces.

On Sat., Sept. 10th, Maine Veterans for Peace will be joined by other major peace and justice groups (see list of co-sponsors below) in a massive protest:

[sic] to protest the false god idolatry of the Blue Angels Air Show, whose "ooh-&-aah"performances have one purpose: to promote badly-lagging military recruitment to protest the obscene waste of American tax dollars to stage these Blue Angels' multi-million dollar extravaganzas

And who will be speaking at this rally? None other than Cindy Sheehan.

You go girl. Nothing like taking on the brainwashed masses watching the evil Blue Angels.

In the meantime, if you would like a little balance to your coverage, check out the MilBlogs. Also, this is the site of the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I), which includes the good news.

Libertarians And Emergency

Below The Beltway has a good discussion on how a libertarian should view the concept of "mandatory evacuations" and other emergency power. In other words, does the state have the power to forcibly remove people from their homes for their own safety.

My two cents is - it depends.

The primary concern for people's safety is that if they stay, they may end up in danger. That may result in heroic efforts to save them, which in turn may cause other risks. If society is willing to say to these people who stay behind -- you must deal on your own for a certain time period, and we will not make heroic efforts to save you -- then all if fine. Let them stay.

I see three issues that arise with this solution. They do not support the same conclusion though. This makes this a sticky issue.

(1) The first problem with the let them stay if they want to at their own risk approach is that we live in a western, Judeo-christian culture. We don't let people die who might be saved, even at some risk, and even if they deserve it (as in knowingly took the rist they now face). It seems unlikely that rescues won't be attempted to help people who knowingly stayed behind. As soon as possible, rescues will be attempted. This factor would tend to favor giving the government more power to require evacuation.

(2) Another problem, however, arises. If a significant number of people stay behind, and the police and other rescue personnel flee, looting could become a problem. In fact, there were reports on Monday of looting in New Orleans. If looting were to be seen as a real concern for those who left their homes and businesses behind, the likelihood of their refusing to leave increases. Thus, the government would need to do as much as possible to ensure some police and rescue personnel would be around to ensure that looting is not a big enough concern to increase the number of non-evacuees.

(3) Finally, on a related note, is the problem with getting back to your home. Florida has had several incidents in recent years where police became violent with homeowners who wanted to return to their homes, in some cases several days after the hurricane had come and gone. If the public perception is that people will be prevented from returning to their homes in a timely as prompt manner, many are again more likely to refuse to leave.

The state bears some burden to prevent the actual and perceived looting and prevention from returning home problems, or it faces the obligation to protect as much as possible those that stay behind because of these concerns. For the most part, local law enforcement seems to do a pretty good job at maintaining order, though incidents do arise from time to time.

This issue remains a tough one at times.

As we discuss these political philosphy questions, let us not forget to pray for those who did and are dealing with the result of Katarina.

First Fair Tax Blog Post

I stepped into my contribuing role and posted for the first time at The Fair Tax Blog. It is a vanilla introduction and identifies a few endorsements to the Fair Tax.

Get the Fair Tax Book (and read it). Read the legislation. It is time for change.

I KNEW IT!

Coffee good for you. Better than fruits and vegetables.

COFFEE is likely to contribute far more health-giving anti- oxidants to the British diet than fruit and vegetables, new research suggests.

The evidence comes from the United States, where scientists measured the antioxidant content of more than 100 items, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices, oils and beverages.

Coffee emerged as easily the biggest source of antioxidants, taking account of the amount per serving and level of consumption. Black tea came second, followed by bananas, dry beans and corn.

Antioxidants help to rid the body of harmful free radicals - destructive molecules that damage cells and DNA - and have been linked to a number of health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer.

Studies have associated coffee drinking with a reduced risk of liver and colon cancer, type two diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

And as Milton Freidman warned us, "there are no free radicals."

A spokesman for the British Coffee Association said: "This study reconfirms the fact that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups a day not only is perfectly safe but may confer health benefits."

I'm not taking any chances. Seven to eight cups a day for me.

Buy A Nap

I was talking to co-worker last week about whether money could be made selling sleeping booths for naps in the Atlanta downtown, midtown or Buckhead business districts. The idea was to basically take abondoned space, put soundproof pods in and let people nap during lunch or break periods.

As with all of my business ideas, I'm a day late. The Mall of America beat us to it. For 70 cents per minute, you can get some shut eye while shopping. At $42/hour though, this comment is worth considering: "Some said it would be cheaper to buy an $8 movie ticket and spend two hours sleeping through a movie."

The News In Run On Sentences

Why is it always America's fault, there is no pleasing some dictators.

Cindy doesn't speak for most like her, a new poll shows to no one's surprise.

Lot's of deserving folks go to a little known hall of fame, a few I'd question though.

Fighting sharks ends badly for diver, friend watches.

A dead funny fat man is now a star, his living star friends attend.

How Did Atlanta Miss This One?

Atlanta is competing with several cities right now for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. This is believed to be a potentially huge tourist attraction. The reasoning goes that NASCAR has a huge following as reflected by the attendence at the races and the marketing money it brings in. Plus, as Atlanta hosts two Nestle Cup races and some Bush races each year, the likelihood of large attendance weekends is all but guaranteed. Then of course, there is the Southern thing. This is a southern sport after all, despite its now national prominence.

I guess some city leaders will believe anything.

What I want to know is how we missed cashing in on the Mascot Hall of Fame which opened this week in Philadelphia.

Among the inaugural inductees: Phoenix Suns Gorilla, the Philadelphia Phillies Phanatic and The Famous San Diego Chicken.

This is a Hall of Fame guaranteed to bring in the geek and animal lovers alike.

Philadelphia already has the Liberty Bell, an overrated black quarterback, and fans that throw batteries at sports players and boo Mike Schmidt. Some cities have all the cool stuff.
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Diary Of An Angry Black Woman

Oprah knows what it takes to be one of the powerful, highly paid entertainers, and it isn't just recommending lousy books. It takes attention. And anger.

First, Oprah throws a hissy fit in Paris because a store called Hermes, which had closed for the day (hey, they put in their 35 hours that week), refused to re-open to sell loud mouthed American Oprah an overpriced watch for another wealthy black woman she hardly knew.

Now, Oprah apparently expects people to hold the funeral open until it fits her schedule.

Oprah Winfrey said she is "furious" at allegations that her absence at the recent funeral for Ebony and Jet magazines founder John H. Johnson was a snub of the pioneering black publisher.

Winfrey said she was in Hawaii when Johnson died and was unable to make it back for the services, according to Martin's column. Johnson died of heart failure Aug. 8 at the age of 87.

She said she sent notes to both Johnson's widow, Eunice, and his daughter, Linda Johnson Rice — even offering to provide Martin copies of the notes and a receipt of the flowers she sent to Johnson's downtown publishing company, according to the
newspaper.

Apparently, Oprah was held up in Hawii because a store refused to open its doors to sell Oprah some coconut bras. Actually, the store wasn't closed. The owner just didn't want to have to think of Oprah wearing them on the island.

Doctor, Doctor, Don't Give Me The News

I have defended some attorneys against some pretty silly bar complaints before, but I have yet to see one as stupid as this doctor faces. A woman complains to the medical board that her doctor told her that (1) she was obese and (2) needed to lose weight.

Dr. Terry Bennett says he tells obese patients their weight is bad for their health and their love lives, but the lecture drove one patient to complain to the state.
"I told a fat woman she was obese," Bennett says.

"I tried to get her attention. I told her, 'You need to get on a program, join a group of like-minded people and peel off the weight that is going to kill you.'"

That is what I call sound advice.

Her complaint, filed about a year ago, was initially investigated by a panel of the New Hampshire Board of Medicine, which recommended that Bennett be sent a confidential letter of concern. The board rejected the suggestion in December and asked the attorney general's office to investigate.

Bennett rejected that office's proposal that he attend a medical education course and acknowledge that he made a mistake.

Well, what was the mistake? Was she really a skinny bulemic in need of a meal that stayed down? Or was she one of the healthy obese people? Otherwise, I have a hard time seeing what his mistake was.

Other overweight patients have come to Bennett's defense.

"What really makes me angry is he told the truth," Mindy Haney told WMUR-TV on Tuesday. "How can you punish somebody for that?"

Haney said Bennett has helped her lose more than 150 pounds, but acknowledged that she initially didn't want to listen.

Really, now. Don't we all know that is the case here.

Everyone is a victim. Everyone is offended. The nation of thin skinned wussies grows by numbers, and apparently by pounds.

I am getting pretty offended at so much offensiveness.

What Punishment, If Any?

We have a teenager who played a prank.

A dern funny one I think.

The police have charged him with "disorderly conduct."

Question: should he be punished? Is this "disorderly conduct"?

I'd have laughed, scolded him harshly, and sent him home.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Non-Jury Trial In South Central

A 59 year old South Central L.A. woman came home to find a 15 year old burglar in the act. After being threatened with a tire iron, she held a non-jury trial, found him guilty, and proceded with a death sentence.

LOS ANGELES A 15-year-old boy who was shot during a burglary has died.Authorities aren't releasing his name.

Police say a 59-year-old woman returned to her South Los Angeles home Tuesday morning after a walk and was confronted by a boy wielding a tire iron.

She shot him with a handgun she keeps for protection. He died today at a hospital.

The woman wasn't hurt. The district attorney's office will determine if the woman will face any charges.

I got two words for the D.A.: HELL NO!

APB On Seattle Thugs

Last month in Seattle, some thugs severely beat two Iraqi War Veterans. The attack left them both injured.

They stomped them in the head after they were unconscious, then did a little victory dance.





If you see any of these guys, contact Seattle police.


Then stomp them in the head and do a little victory dance.


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Via WuzzaDem

Judge Roberts* Thursday (8/25)

Judge Roberts* THURSDAY (8/25)

I received this article from spd rdr. At first I thought, oh, perfect for Gay**, I mean Judge Roberts* Thursday. But then I found it confusing. Let me explain.

This was the headline:

Gay channel to launch 'Worldcast' for nightly news.

This is good. I'm glad to know that there are some gay** channels out there. Lots of stations show dreary, depressing dramas. Also, most network news is just so sad and dark. We need more happy, colorful news.

But then the article said this:

Anchored by Josh Fountain, "QTN Worldcast" will feature "the latest in queer news around the globe," the network said.

Queer news? But queer means a deviating from the expected or normal; strange; odd or unconventional; suspicious, strange or unusual.

Oh, I get it. Because news is normally sad and depressing, a show about happy, colorful news would seem kind of queer wouldn't it. I think we should all tune in.

*Judge Roberts is currently replacing our Gay** Thursday.

** Gay: 1 a : happily excited : MERRY b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits 2 a : BRIGHT, LIVELY b : brilliant in color

News In Incomplete Sentences (8/24)

Gross.

Ya don't say.

D, for dumb.

Virgin.

Shocking.

Media Bias?

NOW

In 2005, a former Republican Presidential candidate and founder of a religious political group suggests the assassination of a troublesome foreign leader. There is no connection between this person and the Republican President. The comment is made off the cuff during a religious program not considered part of the "mainstream" media.

The media has a heyday, including asking the Republican President and his staff to respond to the statements and all but implying that Robertson was an unofficial spokesman for the Republican Party and President Bush.

THEN

In 1997, a liberal, former advisor the Democratic President in office suggested assassination of a troublesome foreign leader. There is a direct connection between the person and the President, and the advice includes the procedure by which the President could order the assissination. The comments are made in an opinion piece in a large Lamestream Media periodical publication, and the person is now the host of a major Sunday morning, Lamestream Media political interview and commentary program.

Do any of you remember the big deal made about Mr. Stephanopoulos' advice to assassinate Saddam Hussein?

Robertson on Chavez (2005):

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

Stephanopoulos on Saddam (1997):

"We've exhausted other efforts to stop him, and killing him certainly seems more proportionate to his crimes and discriminate in its effect than massive bombing raids that will inevitably kill innocent civilians."

Can the lack of bias be credibly denied by the media?

Safe, Legal, And Medium Rare

Hillary Clinton, in a debate for Senate against Lazio:

"We come to [the abortion] issue as men and women, young and old, some far beyond years when we have to worry about getting pregnant, others too young to remember what it was like in the days before Roe v. Wade. But I think it’s essential that as Americans we look for that common ground that we can all stand upon. [Our] core beliefs and values. can guide us in reaching our goal of keeping abortion safe, legal and rare into the next century."

This post isn't about Roe v. Wade, or what the proper public policy on abortion should be. I just want to ask a few simple questions, and point out the obvious to any thinking person.

The Leftist politicians typically banter about the "safe, legal and rare" standard for abortion. But why?

If abortion is merely a medical procedure --a simple choice, then why should it be rare?
It should be rare, because, in reality, both pro-lifers and pro-choicers alike know that abortion destroys a human life. The abortion procedure does not merely "terminate a pregnancy," it terminates the life of a human being. Both sides know this.

The difference is in the value placed on this life.

I think that is accurate. Why play up the rare? And does the evidence suggest that the Left actually believes in the rare part of the equation, or is that the buzz word to satisfy the large majority of Americans that are uneasy with abortion but afraid to outlaw it?

Fetal Pain?

In the news now is a study debating when a fetus/baby can feel pain. The University of California, San Francisco, decided (no surprise) that a fetus cannot feel pain until late in pregnancy. The study doesn't mention that one of the five panelists is a former NARAL member and abortion clinic director, but I'm sure the study is trustworthy anyway.

This study and the positions taken regarding it will largely be driven by the political position on abortion. Every ardent pro-choicer will scoff at the notion that a fetus feels pain. Every pro-lifer will accept the statement without proof. I don't know the answer. But the question raises more questions.

For example, here is a simple question. What if the evidence at least strongly suggests that pain is felt? Even if we stop short of outlawing abortion, shouldn't the mother be advised, like is requrired for every other medical procedure she would undertake?

Proposed federal legislation would require doctors to provide fetal pain information to women seeking abortions when fetuses are at least 20 weeks old, and to offer women fetal anesthesia at that stage of the pregnancy. A handful of states have enacted similar measures.

Some abortion rights groups oppose any efforts to discourage abortion, such as waiting periods, informed consent laws, and of course, this proposed legislation. In fairness, NARAL has announced that it will not oppose these laws.

The Intent of the Study?

I don't give this new study any weight personally. I also do not claim, however, to know the answer. It wouldn't matter to most people not considering the abortion anyway, though I do think it would give many "mothers" pause.

After reading the three different articles, however, I am inclined to go with pain felt earlier rather than later.

The federal legislation is based in part on observations that 20-week-old fetuses pull away if they are poked or prodded, in much that the same way children and adults react to pain.

But Dr. Rosen said that response in the fetus did not mean it felt pain, but was instead more likely to be a reflex, like the leg jerk that occurs in adults when doctors tap them on the knee with a rubber hammer.

Right. Just a reflex, like a knee jerk. Well, what about premies?

Not all physicians agree. Dr. K. S. Anand, a pediatrician at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said, "There is circumstantial evidence to suggest that pain occurs in the fetus."

For example, he said, tiny premature babies, as young as 23 or 24 weeks, cry when their heels are stuck for blood tests and quickly become conditioned to cry whenever anyone comes near their feet. "In the first trimester there is very likely no pain perception," Dr. Anand said. "By the second trimester, all bets are off and I would argue that in the absence of absolute proof we should give the fetus the benefit of the doubt if we are going to call ourselves compassionate and humane physicians."

The authors of the paper said that even crying or grimacing in a very premature infant did not necessarily signify pain because such infants often cry at even the lightest touch.

Well, I'm no fetus expert, but maybe the premies skin is so sensitive that the lightest touch is the cause of pain. No? Look, I don't know. Recognizing that this is limited evidence, but if "touch" correllates to crying, I am inclined to believe that there is pain.

Rare, But Never Discouraged?

Once again, though, we get to the abortion clinic director's real concern.

Dr. Eleanor A. Drey, one of Dr. Rosen's co-authors, said that as an obstetrician who performed abortions and the medical director of an abortion clinic, she would find it troubling to be compelled to bring up the subject of fetal pain with her patients. "I would be forced to drag them through potentially a lot of misinformation," Dr. Drey said. "Our systematic review has shown it's extremely unlikely that pain exists at a point when abortions are done. I'm going to have to talk about something I know will cause the patient distress, something that by our best assessment of the scientific data is not relevant."

My libertarian and my Christian sides battle this political issue constantly. Even if the Supreme Court decided that the people could be trusted to have this public policy battle, I think most states would allow pre-viability abortions and outlaw post-viability abortion except to save the life of the mother. Such abortions are rare, despite the protestations of the Left.

So fine. I accept that this is a tough issue. Let's work with safe and legal as a starting point. What about rare?

If the Left really wants "safe, legal and rare," then we should and need to make people confront the facts about the chromosomes, human DNA, heart beating clumps of tissue they are killing.

As a society, we should shout out: Abortion should not be birth control. Abortion should not be easy. Abortion should cause distress. Not as punishment, but because it is what it is.

If society did that, maybe one day abortion would be safe, legal and rare.

The money quote, explaining my view of the study, from Douglas Johnson, National Right to Life America: "If Congress wanted to know if lambs feel pain," he said, "it wouldn't ask the veal industry for an analysis of the scientific evidence."

That would have been a great quote if veal didn't actually come from a cow.

Christmas Gift Ideas

I've always been wondering what the person whose skull I found in my back yard looked like. If you buy me this for Christmas, I assume that I will be able to figure it out.



I don't know though whether I should get the "blue eyes" or the "brown eyes" model. Don't you love CSI?

I can't wait until more toys are modeled after CSI. What could we get then?

"Mommy, can I have the CSI Rape Evidence Collection Kit? And don't even think about not getting the sperm finding blue light that goes with it."

"Daddy, I want the blood collection and DNA analysis kit. I will prove to you that I didn't give Johnny that stupid black eye."

Yup. Christmas can only get better with these quality toys.

Timken High School Trojans Update

Angry in the Great White North has done some outstanding research and, I think, commentary on the pregnancy "outbreak" at Timken High School, the school so promiscuous that they had to make the mascot a condom.

Using public census and Ohio school reports, Angry in T.O. notes a number of sadly predictable numbers and perhaps, to a liberal, surprising numbers.

School Overview: Timken High School
School Level: High school School
Type: Regular (non-vocational)

Timkin has "good" numbers in some supposedly important areas:

Teacher : Student Ratio: 1:8 (vs 1:17 as a state average)
Agency Revenue / Student: $8,066 (vs $6,375 for the state)
Agency Expenditure / Student: $7,336 (vs $6,112 for the state)

Not surprisingly, though, more teachers and money don't create good results. They create drop outs, pregnancy and a school failing to meet state standards.

Agency Graduation Rates: 51% (vs 86% for the state)

The socio-economic figures are equally discouraging. Timken students are much more likely than the average Ohio student to be on subsidized lunch, live in temporary housing, live on other public assistance, and live below the poverty level. The kids having these kids are no doubt living the same life their parents did. And at each level of the way, we are subsidizing this behavior.

I do not offer this is an excuse for these kids. In fact, I feel particular anger over it. As the child of a high school drop-out due to pregnancy (me of course, and no, I wasn't aborted), I know that these kids can go to mediocre public schools, study and pay attention, and make a better life for themselves. Any economist will tell you, however, that you get more behavior of that which you subsidize and less of that which you punish. Without moral criticism for their conduct from any source - home, school, society, even some churches - these kids will also breed kids who get and have fatherless children.

Check out Angry's analysis and discussion.

Then tell me how we punish these kids, without punishing their kids, and convince them to break this cycle of the poor keeping themselves poor.

John Roberts Sense of Humor

Cassandra has collected a number of Judge Roberts funny notes and comments taken from the boxes of documents that have been produced from his Reagan Administration days.

I think Roberts has a great, dry sense of humor.

I can't wait to have him over for a brat and beer night.

Update: Link fixed. It looked right in HTML even before I fixed it. ???

High School Pregnancy Outbreak

When I read this yesterday, I couldn't think of anything to say except - sad. But then I read the article again this morning, and it struck me what is so stupid about this.

There are 490 female students at Timken High School, and 65 are pregnant, according to a recent report in the Canton Repository.

The article reported that some would say that movies, TV, videogames, lazy parents
and lax discipline may all be to blame.

School officials are not sure what has contributed to so many pregnancies . . . .

"Not sure what has contributed to so many pregnancies?"

My guess is not TV, video games or even lazy parents.

My guess is sex.

UPDATE: Further evidence that safe sex education does not work. See Canton's Timken High School Mascot.

Religion and State In The News

In North Carolina, there is a debate over the use of the Koran to swear in witnesses to testify in Court. Of course, you would think that this would upset the ACLU, what with allowing a holy book in a public building and all. Ah, but you forget. The book is not a Christian holy book. Thus, the Protest Warrior bumber sticker:



Now, one can sort of see the other side's point I suppose. According to Fox News, the statute uses generic "holy scriptures" language, though I think any idiot knows what the Legislature meant.

Chief District Court Judge Joseph Turner says taking an oath on the Koran is not allowed by North Carolina state law, which specifies that witnesses shall place their hands on the “holy scriptures,” which he interprets as the Christian Bible.

“We’ve been doing it that way for 200 years,” he said. “Until the legislature changes that law, I believe I have to do what I’ve been told to do in the statutes.” But the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the American Civil Liberties Union are challenging the Guilford County Courts.

“This was the first time that we had a judge … going on record and stating unilaterally what is a holy scripture and what is not — what we believe to be a violation of the establishment clause,” said Arsalan Iftikhar of CAIR.

As one law professor put it:

“I have absolutely no doubt that higher courts, if it gets there, will say that persons of Muslim faith can swear on a Koran rather than a Christian Bible,” said Erwin Chemerinsky. “The case law is so clear here that a person doesn’t even have to swear on a Bible to be a witness so long as they’re willing to promise to tell the truth.”

The latter point merits several comments. First, I suppose that hurts the state's position that only a Christian Bible can be used. If no Bible is necessary, then why can't the person insist on swearing in on the Augst issue of Field & Stream Magazine. OTOH, if no holy text is required, then the Muslim can swear in on nothing, and no offense of having to use an infidel holy text is required.

A cynic, like myself, might ask what if the point is to acquire moral absolution for lying in Court? After all, some Muslims believe that they should not be required to testify against other Muslims, and some believe that lying to an infidel is perfectly consistent with Islam (related to the doctrine of Taqyia) as an unbeliever does deserve the repect accompanying a sworn oath from a Muslim, and lying to an unbeliever for a Muslim's protection is an obligation.

Whatever the purpose here, two things are clear: (1) The ACLU wants religion out of the government in all ways, unless (2) it isn't Christian.

The book upon which an oath taken in court is now an "Establishment Clause" violation? Does anyone even know the meaning of that word any longer?

Muslims Have Sense of Humor?

By having this link to a Neal Boortz page of jokes, I am not endorsing them. I would not use them at work. I would not use them when visiting the West Bank, Iran, Syria or Detroit. Use them as you see fit.

And I'm not advising you to put these on your car, either.

Fair Tax Blog

I have agreed to contirbute to the Fair Tax Blog.

It has been added to my blog roll. I haven't posted anything yet, but when I do . . . well, then I will have posted something.

I'll probably say something here, if not go all out and cross-post something.

The site is run by Joshua Zader, and contributors include Patrick Altman from Nashville and fellow GAA (greater Atlanta area) resident, LLP Member and Cheese regular Brad Warbiany of Unrepentant Individual.

Wish us luck, if you are so inclined. A substantive change to our tax system would be a very good thing.

Also, for more information, check out Fair Tax Org and Neal Boortz.

Euro-trash Tuesday (8/23)

Euro-trash Tuesday (8/23)


This week's Euro-trash Tuesday isn't really from Europe, but it combines the best of European and Islamic fascisim.

Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov has deemed recorded music a negative influence on society and banned it from public events, TV and weddings. Niyazov has already banned opera and ballet from the former Soviet state, saying they were unnecessary, the BBC reported.

"Unfortunately, one can see on television old voiceless singers lip-synching their old songs, Niyazov told his cabinet regarding music on TV. "Don't kill talents by using lip-synching ... create our new culture."

In 2001, Niyazov, the country's president for life, banned gold tooth caps, long hair and beards on young men. He has also banned car radios, closed all hospitals except those in the capital and renamed calendar months after his relatives, the BBC said.

So let me get this straight. He banned all hospitals except in one city? This country isn't Luxemberg. And he doesn't like lip synching (on that we can agree), so he makes a law? And his calendar is named after relatives? And while I agree that balet is unnecessary, KJita loves it. And he has ruined the gold tooth cap industry of his country.

It is a good thing he is President for life. That is no way to win the sick, pop star, minority, hippy, talk radio vote.

For more Euro-trash Tuesday, check out A Guide to Midwestern Culture.

More Proclaiming Of The Gospel by Robertson

I am not knowledgeable enough on Venezuela to offer an opinion on what needs to be done there, though I do not beleive that we need to assassinate its "President." But as I contemplate the overzealous Left's attack on all religious people, we have Pat Robertson to remind us why being a Christian leader requires a little more tact than the average, oh, say the average race warload.

Pat Robertson is not Al Sharpton. He will not be given the same latitude to be stupid, and Robertson clearly is not stupid. Yet, one must wonder sometimes.

Speaking of Venezeula's President Hugo Chavez, currently an enemy of the United States:

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said Monday on the Christian Broadcast Network's "The 700 Club."

I know Robertson had political aspirations at one time. His commenting on such subjects in that context is both reasonable and necessary. Robertson is not, however, running for office any longer, and doesn't seem to be planning to in the near future.

The 700 Club is Robertson's primary show for religious broadcasting. Sure, the show touches on the political and social arenas and how Christians should deal with such worldly matters.

That is far cry though from calling for assassination of a foreign leader. Even if his statement of policy makes sense, which I don't think it does, he doesn't need to be the one to say it. For goodness sakes, bring on a guest to talk about the subject and advocate assassination if you like, but you're the preacher, Pat.

This type of message does not endure Christians to non-believers. It only fuels the fire of the anti-Christian and theocrat chicken-littles of our country. Not to mention, it doesn't help the U.S. achieve its policy, even if it is assassination.

As Laura Ingraham would say - shut up and preach.

Clinton Album, The Second Disc

Well, thanks to the contributions of my Cheese readers, we have helped President Clinton compile the second of his new 2-disc CD compilation, "The Bill Clinton Collection: Selections from the Clinton Music Room."

Here is the musical line up, in particular order except for the bonus track, for the second album:

1. "I Like Big Butts and I Can Not Lie" by Sir Mixalot (damian g.)

2. "Love the One You're With" by Stephen Still (Pile On)

3. "Guilty" by Bonnie Raitt (Portia)

4. "She Hates Me" by Puddle of Mud (Bill's Ode To Hillary) (Hummer)

5. "Beast of Burden" by The Rolling Stones (Portia)

6. "Father Figure" by George Michael (Bill's Ode To Interns) (Cassandra)

7. "Before You Accuse Me" by Eric Clapton (Bill's Ode To The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy) (Hummer)

8. "Liar" by Henry Rollins Band (KJ)

9. "Private Joy" by Prince (KJ)

10. "Girls, Girls, Girls" by Motley Crue (man riding unicycle naked)

and the special bonus track, one of my favorite party songs from college:

11. ""Sex (I'm a ...)" by Berlin, contributed by uber contributor Portia.

Pre-order your now on Amazon dot com.

Quit Helping Tom Cruise

I think psychology has had many successes. Psychology has given us reliable IQ tests, can really help with very real psychological disorders like OCD, PTSD, depression and others. But I really don't the profession very much. Why? Well, this is may explain why I have such a problem with modern psychology.

LOS ANGELES — A new study by Harvard University and the National Institute of Mental Health (search) claims that 46 percent of all Americans will, at some point in their lives, develop a mental disorder.

But this new statistic has experts arguing over exactly what constitutes a true mental illness.

Look, I'm no Tom Cruise. I don't think this is about the history of psychology, and I don't subscribe to an anti-psychology cult. Still, I think there is a real problem with present psychology.

The non-surpising details of this report is of course that psychiatrists have sensitized their diagnostic tests and defined every quirk and odd behavior as a disorder.

And what drives this distortion of so called medical science? Without ever putting on a tin foil hat, I will say, what else: money.

According to experts, severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, dementia and manic depression are relatively uncommon. But the updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM — the standard survey for mental illness — lists conditions like adjustment disorder, passive-aggressive disorder and female sexual arousal disorder as mental illness, reflecting what are claimed to be advances in the mental health profession.

Advances in the mental health profession mean defining and diagnosing disorders such that every one can be included. Try looking up ADD/ADHD in that book. It might as well say - all 8 year old boys.

How does the money come into play? Insurance and government coverage, of course.

Others say the DSM should be considered the mental health bible, because if it says that a person is mentally ill, then that person can get the treatment they need — and insurance companies will foot the bill.

This is at its basest two things: psychiatrists trying to expand the patient base by expanding the insurance coverage to more and more trivial things; and of course there is a drug ready for each of these trivial new disorders.

They will turn us all into wusses who can't handle any minor setback without therapy or an office visit and drugs. All of us -- wussies. Of course, if you must see a therapist . . . .

I Don't Like Cindy Sheehan's Conduct Or Opinions

There. I said it. Pictured at left is President Bush kissing Cindy Sheehan the first time they met.

I am sorry for her loss, and the loss of the rest of the non-pulicity seeking family members of our brave soldiers have been lost in Iraq and Afganistan.

"But KJ, Sheehan isn't about Afganistan, she is against the unjust war with Iraq."

Au contraire.

Cindy Sheehan . . . on Monday was asked by MSNBC's Chris Matthews, "If your son had been killed in Afghanistan, would you have a different feeling?" Sheehan answered, "I don't think so, Chris, because I believe that Afghanistan is almost the same thing."

"But Afghanistan was harboring the Taliban, was harboring al Qaeda, which is the group that attacked us on 9/11," Matthews said.

"Well, then we should have gone after al Qaeda and maybe not the country of Afghanistan," Sheehan said.

She isn't against one policy. She is against all defense of our country. She has alienated her family including her husband.

In the old days, a widower would be allowed to marry against after 12 months without raising an eyebrow. Casey Sheehan died 16 months ago. The statute of limitations for irrational, nutty behavior and talk due to the grieving process is over. I just really no longer feel the need to cut her any slack. She knows what she is doing and saying. She isn't in that "acting out of anger" stage. She is either in need of counseling, or she is a manipulative political minded activist. That means her comments and conduct are open for discussion -- open, rational and honest discussion without kid gloves.

I think she is a MoveOn.org mouthpiece of convenience. I know people who oppose the war in Iraq whose opinions I respect very much. Even they know the war in Afganistan was just and necessary. None of those people are camped out in Crawford, Texas.

Now, after throwing herself (or allowing it) into the public eye and demanding constant attention, she wants her privacy to deal with a family tragedy. Next year, Bush will be responsible for causing strokes in people's mothers.

Laughable. Sad.

Hollywood Sucks

There was once a time in Hollywood were even critical films were designed to portray America as the good guy, the enemies as the bad guys, and moral relativism was reserved for the casting couch.

It has been nearly four years since 9/11. Now the movies are coming, and they are not the small indie films only college student art house nerds see.

Jason Appuzo provides a sneak peak at the movies in the works or to be released soon. These films, telling stories both ficticious and based on real stories, seek to portray the west as the oppressors and the terrorists as heros or at least protaganists.

They include heavy hitters like Warner Brothers and the creators of the Matrix.

One film (Munich, about the 1972 terror attacks on the Jewish Olympic team) with Spielberg was written by Tony Kushner ("Angels in America"), who has been quoted as saying: "I think the founding of the state of Israel was for the Jewish people a historical, moral, political calamity ... I wish modern Israel hadn't been born."

An Oliver Stone project will star Nicholas Cage and Maggie Gyllenhaal - who recently suggested that America was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Syriana, starring George Clooney and Matt Damon, by Warner Brothers, is set during the first Bush administration. It features a plot by American oil companies and the U.S. government to redraw Middle East borders for greater oil profiteering. Terrorist attacks are protrayed as postive ways to stop this plot.

Sony is behind The Scorpions' Gate, which is based on a Richard Clarke novel with the original premise of oil companies and Washington politicians colluding to reshape the map of the Middle East for greater oil profiteering.

I will let you read the article for the rest. Suffice it to say that big names and big budgets are behind these films. That is their right of course. But if these movies turn out to be how they are described by Mr. Appuzo, it will quickly become time to start funding the conservative, Mel Gibson like projects.

Or we could start blacklisting again. Can Hollywood not support any U. S. effort any more?

No Government Cheese Disclaimer

Some will notice that I have a disclaimer on the side bar now. That is the abbreviated version. This post will serve as the complete disclaimer. Such things are important in our litigious society, after all. Plus, more people know about this blog, particularly in light of the CBWSTGJR.

This blog is the property of KJ. That means KJ's original works belong to KJ. All original work here is copyrighted by KJ. No file sharing. No downloading of my music. No pirating of my movies.

Some parts of this blog is serious. Not all of it though. Some of the posts here are intended to be satirical. Some are intended simply to be funny (a/k/a humorous). If I fail in that regard, my bad.

Some of the posts are serious but not delivered blandly. For example, I may use intentional hyperbole, understatement or simply make something up to make a bigger point. Also, I don't always intend for my purpose to be obvious. Stated another way, I don't always want you to know which is which.

Sometimes, I don't intend the literal meaning of what I say. That is usually intentional, but not always. If I misstate my intentions, and it is brought to my attention, I will correct or clarify and, if appropriate, apologize.

I don't spend a ton of time at this. I don't have editors. I type my thoughts as quickly as possible and move on. Also, I don't spell very well. What I'm saying is, let the type-os go. You know what I meant.

Sometimes, I speak in generalizations and stereotypes. When I do this, I know that there may be exceptions to every generalization. Stereotypes and generalizations, however, weren't typically created out of whole cloth. There is a reason they exist. If you don't like my generalization, challenge it on the merits. E.g., if I say the Left in this country hates America, hates God and wants us to lose the war on terror, respond with something like "the Left doesn't hate America; without it, what would they protest against." Do not, however, expect much response to a list of anecdotal exceptions. E.g., don't respond with "Well, my Uncle is a Lefty, and he once said the pledge of without taking out the words "under God."

This website includes opinion, and sometimes strongly held opinion. If you find that uncomfortable, you probably should not be reading this or any other blog.

I strive to state facts accurately. If I mistate a fact, please let me know. If I am verifiably incorrect, I will correct it. I reserve the right, however, to speculate about accusations and theories in the news, just like every other talking head on the news shows.

If you are offended by something I said here, chances are I don't care. I think we live in a society that embraces "offense," and you are probably a member of the cult of victimization. Get a thicker skin.

If my comment is not personally aimed at you, my goal certainly was not to offend. Get over it, and comment on the merits of my comment if you like. If I cross the line, however, and you point it out or I later realize it, I will correct that and apologize. This has happened once. Once!

I encourage comments and vigorous debate. Please, let's go at it if you are so inclined.

I do not moderate the comments much at all. I usually don't have to. I will, however, delete anything I view inappropriate. I don't claim this to be a G rated"family" blog. In other words, I don't want to hear about how uncomfortable you were that your kid saw something while you stopped by. The Cheese most certainly is not, however, an NC-17 blog. Personal attacks on me or other commenters, or foul language, that isn't at least artistic or funny, that I consider over the line may be deleted at my discretion. I will protect from attack my regular readers. I don't know where the line is, but I will find it from time to time. Thus far, that has happened one time (not counting spam).

Feel free to e-mail me comments as well. If you do so, I reserve the right to use them, post them, forward them or comment on them. If you send me a topic or site that I did not otherwise know about, and I use it, I will credit you unless asked not to.

This blog is intended to speak for KJ only. The views expressed here are KJ's alone, if they are even KJ's views at all (see above).

The views expressed are not those of KJ's employer, family, dogs, community or even country. If you have a problem with something here, address it to me.

There, that should clear up everything.

A Young Roberts' Resignation Letter

Judge Roberts resigned from the President Reagan White House in 1986. After readings several articles like this one on Roberts counsel and advice back then, I think Reagan had a star in the making (which we will see shining brightly soon I hope). Here is a great example of his insight.

In the latest documents, Mr. Roberts - then in his late 20's and early 30's - reflects a keen awareness of the eyes of history that would someday fall upon him and his colleagues. In a Sept. 9, 1985, memorandum, he warned of the potentially chilling effect on White House staff deliberations of the Presidential Records Act of 1978, the post-Watergate law making internal White House memorandums government property and requiring their release 12 years after an administration's end.

"Twelve years is a brief lifetime in public life," Mr. Roberts wrote. "Many of the personalities candidly discussed in sensitive White House memoranda, and certainly many of the authors of the memoranda, will be active 12 years from now."

How very prophetic.

Here is a summary of his resignation letter.

Mr. Roberts submitted his resignation from the White House counsel's office on April 10, 1986, with a letter addressed to President Reagan. He stated that it had been "a singular privilege, honor and delight" to serve in the administration over the previous five years, first as a special assistant to Attorney General William French Smith, and then for four years as a junior lawyer in the White House counsel's office.

"I know you receive many letters like this, and I recognize that over time they must come to seem fairly routine," he wrote to Mr. Reagan. "Please understand, however, that my years in your service will always be very special to me. The inspiration you have given me will burn brightly in my heart long after I have left the lights of the White House behind."

If I were dictator, I mean President, I would hope to have as able counsel.

Souter Home Seizure Update

Despite losing a vote of the city council, Logan Darrow Clements (right), the California businessman and property rights activist, is continuing his efforts to have Justice David Souter's home seized so that it can be turned into a hotel resort and museum.

Clements plans to create on Souter's land the "Lost Liberty Hotel," a kind of museum commemorating the lost right to private property in
America.

Because the Board of Selectmen of Weare has rejected Clements' request to condemn the property, Darrow hopes to use a ballot initiative to do the job.

Darrow plans to work the town for support.

The activist says he'll meet with residents Monday, hoping to begin the process to place a measure on the ballot in March. He says only 25 signatures are needed to put the initiative before the voters.

Not many signatures necessary there.

We will keep you updated on this and the Justice Breyer seizure efforts.

What Is In A Baby Name?

In the book Freakonomics, a study of baby names is discussed. [Freakonomics blog.] The point of the study was to see if giving your kids a really stupid name would interfere with his or her long term economic prospects in life. Actually, the study was about the rise of distinctively black names in the late 1960's and 1970's, through the modern day. The state of California had a lenghty, well documented set of birth records from which to draw information. They concluded that there was no negative relationship between having a distinctively Black name and later life outcomes after controlling for a child's circumstances at birth.

Aside: I recommend the book, though I would argue with a few of the various studies control factors absent additional evidence. Some though, are really neat and outstanding. I won't nitpick right now. It is a fun, quick read.

Anyway, below are a collection of some of the names and their categories. Humor fact: I have some friends in which the momma is named Ebony and the daughter is named Amani. Guess their race.

BABY NAMES:

Girls, by income-

Most Popular High-End White Girl Names in the 1990s

1. Alexandra 2. Lauren 3. Katherine 4. Madison 5. Rachel

Most Popular Low-End White Girl Names in the 1990s

1. Amber 2. Heather 3. Kayla 4. Stephanie 5. Alyssa

Boys, by income-

Most Popular High-End White Boy Names

1. Benjamin 2. Samuel 3. Jonathan 4. Alexander 5. Andrew

Most Popular Low-End White Boy Names

1. Cody 2. Brandon 3. Anthony 4. Justin 5. Robert

WHITEST AND BLACKEST GIRL NAMES-

The 20 Whitest Girl Names

1. Molly 2. Amy 3. Claire 4. Emily 5. Katie
6. Madeline 7. Katelyn 8. Emma 9. Abigail 10. Carly
11. Jenna 12. Heather 13. Katherine 14. Caitlin 15. Kaitlin
16. Holly 17. Allison 18. Kaitlyn 19. Hannah 20. Kathryn

The 20 Blackest Girl Names

1. Imani 2. Ebony 3. Shanice 4. Aaliyah 5. Precious
6. Nia 7. Deja 8. Diamond 9. Asia 10. Aliyah
11. Jada 12. Tierra 13. Tiara 14. Kiara 15. Jazmine
16. Jasmin 17. Jazmin 18. Jasmine 19. Alexus 20. Raven

WHITEST AND BLACKEST BOY NAMES-

The 20 Whitest Boy Names

1. Jake 2. Connor 3. Tanner 4. Wyatt 5. Cody
6. Dustin 7. Luke 8. Jack 9. Scott 10. Logan
11. Cole 12. Lucas 13. Bradley 14. Jacob 15. Garrett
16. Dylan 17. Maxwell 18. Hunter 19. Brett 20. Colin

The 20 Blackest Boy Names

1. DeShawn 2. DeAndre 3. Marquis 4. Darnell 5. Terrell
6. Malik 7. Trevon 8. Tyrone 9. Willie 10. Dominique
11. Demetrius 12. Reginald 13. Jamal 14. Maurice 15. Jalen
16. Darius 17. Xavier 18. Terrance 19. Andre 20. Darryl

MOST POPULAR RACE-NEUTRAL NAMES-

Most Popular Girl Crossover Names

1. Andrea 2. Whitney 3. Alicia 4. Kendra 5. Alexandria
6. Natasha 7. Tiffany 8. Brittany 9. Amber 10. Talia
11. Erika 12. Brianna 13. Ariel 14. Gabrielle 15. Veronica
16. Alana 17. Kyra 18. Ashley 19. Breanna 20. Erica

Most Popular Boy Crossover Names

1. Vincent 2. George 3. Troy 4. Christian 5. Martin
6. Corey 7. Brandon 8. Eric 9. Craig 10. Frank
11. Cameron 12. Shawn 13. Micah 14. Gregory 15. Nathaniel
16. Marc 17. Aaron 18. Dominic 19. Theodore 20. Isaac

Kanye West Calls For End To Roberts Bashing

Kayne West, who apparently is a rapper, has called for an end to the bashing of Judge Roberts.

West was called a "momma's boy" as a child, which naturally caused him to dislike homosexuals and lawyers.

West says he changed his ways, though, when he learned one of his cousins was a gay lawyer.

"It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, `Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.'"

That cousin was Judge Roberts.

West went on to explain what hip hop was all about.

West says hip-hop was always about "speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people." He adds that in slang, gay is "the opposite, the exact opposite word of hip-hop."

Judge Roberts will break down barriers (between abortion clinics and the protesters), speak his mind (even against women's rights) and dance the night away with his ho.

Yo yo yo! Go Judge Roberts!

BTK -- Better To Kill

Here is some testiomony from the Dennis Rader (a/k/a the BTK serial killer) sentencing hearing. The sentencing is about whether the life sentences will be consecutive or concurrent. Kansas didn't have the death penalty at the time of the murders.

After reading this, I don't know how one can say that society doesn't have the right to impose the death penalty in at least some cases.

As it stands, 10 consecutive life sentences will have to do.

News In An Incomplete Sentence

Yeah, right!

Exciting.

No kidding?

Boring.

Shut him up.

Pissed off.

Is it a slut?

Psychobabble.

Atlanta Makes Its Move For #1

Last year, Atlanta was named the #2 meanest city to the homeless in the nation, behind Little Rock. So the city, determined to be #1, proposed a ban on aggressive panhandling in the primary business and tourist district. This was of course alleged to be "racism."

Well, the majority black city council has passed the bill, and the black mayor is ready to sign it.

Even the normally nutty left wing rag the Atlanta Journal & Constitution is behind the measure, which allows silent, sign use panhandling.

We're going to be #1 baby! If we take over the top spot, I say we clear the streets and have a home and business owners only parade.

Judge Roberts Thursday

Judge Roberts* Thursday 8/18

There is nothing funny about being outed against your will. Even if you are gay.

Roberto Hernandez, 45, was driving to work in 2002 when
he received a phone call from a man who said that he met Hernandez at a San
Francisco gay bar. The caller then announced that the conversation was being
broadcast live on the "Raul Brindis and Pepito Show," based in
Houston.

Hernandez was awarded $250,000 and nearly $20,000 in
economic damages because of the emotional distress that led to seven months of
unemployment after quitting his job.

I am really conservative on damage awards. I'm not having trouble buying that.

*Judge Roberts Thursday will temporarily be replacing our normal Gay* Thursday segment.

* Gay: 1 a : happily excited : MERRY b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits 2 a : BRIGHT, LIVELY b : brilliant in color

What Did I Say About Feelings Before?

I am so glad to hear that Demi Moore says she feels married to Ashton Kutcher. Not actually married, but it feels that way.

I wouldn't want her to actually go to the trouble of getting married. Too much trouble. Signing the pre-nup, renting out the hottest Hollywood rave bar, and swearing an oath before a cult leader can be such a pain.

Demi Moore doesn't need a ring to feel married to Ashton Kutcher.

Moore tells Harper's Bazaar "I feel that we are and that we don't need something formal."

The tabloids have reported Moore is pregnant with Kutcher's child.

Oh, good. I see a new movie title: She's Having a Bastard. Am I the only one who thinks the institution of marriage in this country is damaged more by heterosexual Hollywood than the homosexual marriage agenda?

Virginia Woman Sets Lobster Eating Record

A Virginia woman gobbled down 44 lobsters in 12 minutes yesterday in Kennebunk, Maine.

Her date said that next time they go out, they were going dutch.

Dartmouth Students Learn About Communism

The Dartmouth living unit South Mass has been facing some real crappy fines lately. It seems that someone is rubbing human feces on the stall and fixtures of the varous floors restrooms. When vandalism is not caught, the cost of repair is paid directly by the students of the living unit through direct fines.

However, other students like Cole Glassner '07 are decidely more concerned
with the prospect of impending damage assessments. "I just wish I didn't have to pay for other people's mistakes," Glassner '07 said.

According to Reed, the damage policy often finds itself the focus of student criticism.
"[ORL] gets tons of feedback. While there is a large amount of people that understand the policy," Reed said, "the majority say the policy is unfair because they had no part in the damage."

This response is interesting in its young, liberal contradiction. While many of these young people are as liberal as the parents pocket book is deep, they fail to see the direct contradiction in their line of thinking.

These kids don't want to pay for other people's mistakes? I took KJita to the ER tonight to get X-rayed after a playground fall. She is fine, but my bill will be larger because of the many uninsured and irresponsible people in the ER with us tonight. When a criminals shop lifts at the Wal-Mart, the costs of good goes up. When a teen-aged girl downloads a child, lives with Grandma in Section 8 housing and pays for her dinner with a "credit card looking" food stamp card (so she won't be traumtized for living off the taxpayers at Kroger), the money comes directly out of my paycheck.

The students don't like paying for someone else's stupidity and mistakes? The self reliant of our society do it every day.

Welcome to the real world.

Pray For Him

Hummingbird.


Praying Mantis.



In the backyard battle rumble.



Who wins may surprise you.


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Carnival of Liberty VIII

Check out the Life, Liberty Property Blog Group's Carnival of Liberty VIII.

The Cheese has two entries.

You will also find many well written, interesting articles from excellent blogs focusing on what makes this country great: individual freedom.

Don't be a commie. Go check it out.

Who Needs To Talk About Heroes?

Cassandra has a post that discusses in moving detail many of the real heroes of the Iraq war. You don't know about any of these people of course. And Cassandra shows you why by comparing the number of mentions of these people with current media darling Cindy Sheehan in the NYT, WaPo and Chicago Tribune.

It is posts like this, with the combination of information and calm, rational argument, you cannot look at the media and this war in the same way.

Go read it.

How's The Weather From Up There

See it here.

Note: this is satelite picture of the U.S. with lines added to define the states. At night, the picture is black. Why? Because there is no light in North America, idiot. The sun is shining on the other side of the Earth.

Michael Moore Wins One. Good, In This Case.

Two complaints were filed against Michael Moore's mockumentary Farenheit 911 to the FEC on the grounds that it violated the a ban on the use of corporate money for election-time presidential ads. They were recently dismissed by the FEC. Good.

Unfortunately, the FEC didn't dismiss the Complaints on the grounds that a law that would make an advertisement about political speech was clearly unconstitutional. It did find, however, that the movie was legitimate commercial activity. This is good news for free speech, as limited as the ruling was, for it should allow propoganda movies and so called documentaries of all political stripes to survive such challenges in the future.

Next time, find the law unconstitutional, since our Supreme Court Leftists (plus, in this case, O'Conner) lacked the judgment to do so.

h/t: Libertas.

Judical Abuse

Libercontrarian brings us a story of an Ohio judge who has ordered the incarceration of a critical blogger for "intimidation."

If the allegations are true, this is a real head shaker. In fairness, I have seen people make claims like this before, and they were simply crazy. But even in those cases, no one jailed and denied people their phone call, visitors or access to the outside world prior to a conviction.

In general, though, I have seen a lot of speeches by judges recently whining about how they feel intimidated by the criticism they are taking. Why, Justice Breyer recently claimed ruling on "tough subjects" like gay rights and the death penalty have left the court vulnerable to political attacks that threaten judicial independence. Really? I don't see any evidence of the judiciary being afraid of taking any social issue and finding the power to substitute its public policy decisions for the legislature's.

Statements like this explaint the source of the problem: "There's nothing that's not on the table," former Solicitor General Theodore Olson said of the court's work, which this fall includes issues like abortion, capital punishment and assisted suicide.

While the filing of a lawsuit makes any issue subject to a judicial decision, the problem with the Courts is that it accepts the claim that the substantive outcome of all public policy issues are somehow implicated by the Constitution. They simply aren't.

Abortion is before the Court because the Court made it that way. The Constitution didn't. Capital punishment should only be before the Court on due process issues. There is nothing in the Constitution to suggest otherwise. And assisted suicide? That is a legislative function if ever I heard one. The Court shouldn't be promoting or denying it -- the Court should only enforce the process. So long as due process and the long standing common law fundamental right to control one's own health care is built in to the system, the Court needs to say, on occassion, "No thanks. You guys have other methods of getting a remedy."

In the irony statement of the article: Breyer said the nine-member court is focused on constitutional limits on major fights of the day. "We're sort of at the outer bounds. And we can't control politics of it, and I don't think you want us to try to control politics of it," he said.

The Court has been controlling the politics of it. If abortion is a fundamental right, that does not explain why the Court need inject itself into every single abortion regulation. At some point, even fundamental health care rights are simply health care. How did the unstated right of abortion become extended outside of parental control? Even free speech rights are subject to parental control, and it is the most protected right in the Constituion.

This confrerence was part of the ABA, an institution to which I belong. I must admit, though, that I grow tired of its political posturing as well. New group President Michael Greco of Boston said judges have faced physical threats, and threats of impeachment from Washington political leaders unhappy with court decisions.

True. The former is unforgiveable and should be prosecuted. The latter is a procedure outlined in the Constitution is a part of the checks and balances intended by the Founders. If the Judge has not remained true to his duty, then impeachment should be on the table.

"If we do not protect our courts, our courts cannot protect us," Greco said. Right he is. But our Courts must allow us to protect ourselves, and must be willing to honor the entire political process -- all three branches. The Courts cannot enforce a single ruling without an Executive branch to send in the cops. The Courts cannot here a single case without a Legislative brach to fund the Court and grant the jurisdiction. It is high time that the Court kept its business "judicial."

Over time, the judiciary has built its political house of glass. It is not immune from criticism. Get over it judges. The more political you get, the more political the process and criticism will become.

Clinton Seeks Our Help -- Needs Another Disc

I don't like to spend much time talking about Clinton anymore. His wife is the story now. But, he keeps jumping into the news.

As many know, President Bill Clinton has embarked on a project to release a CD compilation of his favorites. Called "The Bill Clinton Collection: Selections from the Clinton Music Room," the CD will contain some of his favorite songs, including one his daughter was named after.

The Clinton Library has contacted No Government Cheese and requested some music appropriate for the anticipated second CD to be added to a "Special Edition" to come shortly after the original.

Thus far, I have thought of the following:

Liar, Henry Rollins Band

Me So Horny, 2 Live Crew

Maybe a Prince song. There are so many potentials here. Of his first album, there is "I wanna be your lover" and "Why you want to treat me so bad." His third album includes "Controversy" and "Private Joy." All of these seem fitting.

OK, that covers punk and hip hop. We also need some regular rock and country tunes, because Clinton was a President for all the people.

I open the floor for suggestions.

Dumbass Of The Week

I haven't recognized societies non-political dumbasses recently. Let's focus on money this week.

Let's start in Indiana. What does it take to make a good counterfeiter? How about a clue.

A keen employee at a downtown bar helped police link a Lafayette man with several counterfeit bills being passed in town.

The dead giveaway that the money was fake? Abraham Lincoln's face, instead of Benjamin Franklin's, reflected on the side of a $100 bill.

The police tried to be very kind to the man and not hurt his feelings.

"The watermark on the bills don't correspond with the correct president's face," said Jeff Rooze of the Lafayette Police Department, a financial crimes detective who analyzed the money. "They all have Abe Lincoln's watermark, which is on the $5 bill."

The bills also had red and blue dots all over the paper, which is consistent with documents printed with an inkjet printer, Rooze said. Security features -- including color shifting ink in the lower right-hand corner and the correct security thread -- also were missing.

Despite those inconsistencies, Rooze said the bills were excellent fakes.

Yeah. Other than bad ink, not using the right colors, not having a watermark, not using paper with a security thread, and not having the right dude's picture on the front, they were excellent. This cop must be a public school teacher!

We now move to Pennsylvania were we have a bank robber with a purpose. He got away with the money and an ink bomb. Hey - where's my wallet?

Police Lt. Tom Thompson said a man walked into the bank wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses, and handed the teller a note from his wallet demanding money.

So far, everything is going according to plan.

When the teller asked what she should do with the money, the man handed her a white pillowcase . . . . The man took the pillowcase and left, authorities said.

Police set up checkpoints to search for the suspect but had to look no further than the bank counter, where the suspect's wallet was found with his identification inside.

Not surprisingly, he was arrested leaving Momma's house.