Damn It

Well, my attempt to install a spell checker just destroyed my WordPress editor.

The Naked Telephone

In a just released British study, 40% of men and 27% of women admit they make phone calls in the nude.

The mind boggles. Now we know why we have never been given the vision phones they promised us years ago.

Hmmm. I wonder what percentage of bloggers eschew even the much talked about pajamas. One has to wonder……

Full disclosure, I am fully dressed right now. Honest.

Duty and Honor

“When I was 18, I wasn’t aware that duty and honor would mean as much to me as they do now.”

The words of Vietnam War deserter Allen Abney. He deserted from the US Marines in 1968 and fled to Canada. He was arrested March 9th while crossing the border and was returned to Camp Pendleton, California. He says the Marines treated him with respect despite his status. He was detained for a week, then given a discharge and was allowed to return to Canada, where he is now a citizen.

I often wonder how many of the deserters and draft dodgers that fled to Canada feel after all these years. We know at least one who is truely sorry that he deserted. He spent virtually his whole life on the run from the desertion charge. His younger brother died of cancer while Abney was in custody. The Marines expedited his release so he could attend the funeral.

I expect that Mr. Abney will go to his grave knowing he should have lived his life differently.

H/T Tim Blair for the link

Kansas Lawmakers Override Concealed Carry Veto

The Kansas State House of Representatives has just voted 91-33 to override the Governor’s veto of a concealed carry weapon bill. Once the law goes into effect, law-abiding citizens will be able to carry concealed firearms after a background check and firearms training. Guns are prohibited in schools, bars, courtrooms, churches and some other locations. (My state bans firearms in schools, parks, post offices and courts, oddly bars are not on the list. However, your permit is not valid if you have a drink). The governor, a Democrat said she was urged by law enforcement to veto the bill. The House didn’t agree.

Funny, I know a lot of law enforcement types who think that armed citizens are pretty darned great. The guy who taught my carry class was thankful for armed citizens who had bailed him and his fellow deputies out several times…….

This leaves only three states with no CCW law, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Illinois. (Oddly, Nebraska is an OPEN carry state, though. Their law banning concealed carry actually has the wording on how to beat a charge of carrying a concealed weapon in it, too. Weird).

A Culture of Corruption

Yet again the New York Times shows just how bad they have gotten. In their all-consuming passion to paint the Bush administration in the worst possible light, they have run yet another completely fabricated story.

And they have had to publicly admit it.

They ran a “profile” on a woman who claimed to be a victim of Hurricane Katrina from Biloxi, Mississippi. She complained about how shabbily the federal government was treating her and her children by not giving them more aid.

The problem is, the woman wasn’t a Katrina victim and wasn’t from Biloxi at all. Police arrested the welfare cheat on Wednesday. She is charged with welfare fraud and grand larceny.

The Times did NO fact-checking whatsoever in their haste to publish something, anything that they thought would damage the Bush administration. THey have had to issue repeated corrections lately admitting they have been printing falsehoods. How many more falsehoods have they not admitted to?

The New York Times new official motto should be “All the News We see fit to Make Up”.

Anyone who considers the New York Times to be a credible news source should seriously think about finding a more honest source. The Grimm Brothers for instance.

Lovely People

At what point does a civilized society realize that it cannot continue to allow thuggery? At what point does it become necessary to eject trouble makers from your country?

I think Denmark is getting very close to finding out. The Danish Imams who stirred up the trouble over the cartoons of Mohamed are back in the news. This time they are attempting to stir up more controvery at a conference in Bahrain. They plan to go to the UN after the Danes refused to prosecute the cartoonists.

And one of the Imams has been captured on film threatening to blow up a moderate Danish Islamic politician and a Danish Government Misistry. But he said it with a smile, so that’s ok……

Gateway Pundit has a very good roundup.

I think it’s time to send these Imams packing. Let them live in a Muslim country they will be more comfortable in, instead of catering to thugs like them.

First They Came For Santa Claus….

Then they came for the Easter Bunny.

The St. Paul, Minnesota human rights director, Tyrone Terrill, Insisted that a toy bunny with pastel colored eggs and a sign reading “Happy Easter” be removed from the lobby of the City Council offices. He said the display might be “offensive to non-Christians”.

The display had been put up by a secretary using  personal funds. No city money was involved.

Isn’t political correctness wonderful?

Now That’s a Work Ethic

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency lost a long-time employee on Monday when Arthur Winston retired.

How long-time you ask? Well, he’d held the job for more than 75 years. Winston is 100 years old.

His coworkers are sorry to see him go, Winston was well respected.

He has no plans to slow down, though. He will be volunteering to do charity work and plans to explore LA using his bus pass!

Holy smoke, this guy held a job longer than most people live! May your retirement be long and healthy, Mr. Winston!

Criminal Mastermind Department

Well, some people will stoop to any level to win a game. A team put a ringer into it’s ranks to win a softball tournament. The Ringer was a former minor league baseball player. The team gave the man a no-show job just so he could play.

The problem is that the team represented the Florida Corrections Department.

They actually paid this guy and he didn’t have to show up at the prison library, just at the tournament.

The team did, in fact, win the tournament. 

The ringer was ordered to pay back the money he received and perform 50 hours of community service. The head of the Department was fired last month by Governor Jeb Bush.

No word on what happens to the trophy…..

I’ll Bet It Grows Well, Though…

Someone planted a crop of wheat in a village cemetary in Lympia, Cyprus. Officials are very angry about the planting and have vowed to find out who did it… Perhaps by harvest time.

Apparently, the wheat is about 50 meters from the graves themselves.

You can’t make this stuff up……

I See…..

Well, the lunatics folks at PETA have announced that Chicago is one of the most vegeterian-friendly cities in America with more than twenty vegetarian restaurants.

They said this with a straight face apparently.

I have no idea how many restaurants there are in Chicago, but I rather doubt that twenty or so is even statistically measurable…..

I tried a vegetarian diet once. I found them to be tough and stringy.

Thanks, George!

Thank heavens George Lucas has discovered what's wrong with America! We're too provincial! Lucas informs us that Hollywood is practicing cultural imperialism and exporting all of our bad habits around the world. We export television shows like Dallas and people around the world want grand lifestyles! Students must study abroad to become imbued with a global perspective. Sarcasm mode off. Lucas has it partly right, I think, but it's not Americans in general who are too provincial. It the Hollywood types who exist in a fabricated fairyland that lack perspective. Hollywood regularly produces anti-American propaganda and cheerfully exports it. In their world the CIA is an evil, all-powerful agency bent on toppling foriegn governments. Journalists are heroes who can unite to bring down an evil Senator. Hollywood cannot comprehend that the drivel they are producing is killing their box office reciepts. They can't comprehend that Susan Sarandon does not speak "truth to power" but rather speaks foolishness to an empty hall. Lucas is concerned with the export of Dallas, that should warn you right there that he is out of touch. Dallas went off the air how many years ago now? But the Hollywood types are indeed exporting a twisted view of America. But it's less about Dallas and more about Syriana.