Scott Ritter on Iran :

We are told that the President of the United States and others in the administration have said there can be no doubt Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

Well you know what, there's nothing but doubt that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. There is no evidence whatsoever! I need to reinforce that point: There is no evidence whatsoever to back up the rhetoric that the Bush administration has put out there that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program.The sole purpose of the Bush administration's policy objectives vis-à-vis Iran is to create opportunities for conflict and confrontation, because the goal is regime change.

The sole purpose of the Bush administration's policy objectives vis-à-vis Iran is to create opportunities for conflict and confrontation, because the goal is regime change.

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Miss Candy Barr

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Make no mistake: Former Vice President Al Gore will be our next president.

I am as confident about that assertion as I am that George W. Bush will go down in history as America's worst president ever.

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Datsyuk getting a little physical. Snieder said he likes to see him get a little physical during the game,in the first intermission against the Nashville Predators Saturday. I would have to agree.

But I don't want to see him get injured that's for sure.

The last two games were kind of an upset, but they can't win all the time.

Both games seemed similar, except the second one they didn't go into a shootout. Which is my favorite part, if it gets to that point.

Cleary I hear is out indefinitely. Bummer.

Williams not doing as well as expected but I think he will do well in the playoffs. I think he's better under pressure.

Lidstrom on a point gouging streak. Not to shabby.

Holmstrom on a tear in front of that net. Reminds me a little of Ciccarelli.

As a whole I think the Red Wings have a good chance to win the cup again. We'll see though?

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Were the bones of Jesus in this box?

Cameron: Jesus tomb film is a ‘detective story’

Excerpt from "The Jesus Dynasty"

Many years ago a man from the BBC came to me and he asked me if the Dead Sea Scrolls will harm Christianity. I said to him that nothing can harm Christianity. The only thing which could be dangerous to Christianity would be to find a tomb with the sarcophagus or ossuary of Jesus — still containing his bones.

I have to say I love this story. If true (a big if) it shows that Jesus of Nazareth was a man; a man who had a mother and a father; who may have married a had a son; and who died.

Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine. - Patti Smith

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Continuing The Chain

Burg stole this meme from Jenn who stole it from...so, anyway, I am continuing the chain!


How tall are you barefoot?
BARELY 5 foot 1 inch.

Have you ever flown first-class?
Yes, but only because I could only get a first-class connecting flight. I was on the way to visit K during the Easter holidays when he was in the Navy.

One of your favorite books when you were a child?
Don't remember what was a favorite when I was very young. When The Brother was young, I LOVED the Dr. Seuss books.

A good restaurant in your city?
Casa Calabria--great Italian food!

What is your favorite small appliance?
A tie between my Bunn coffee maker and my Senseo coffee maker. (Are you sensing a pattern here?) The Bunn for when I need a full pot, the Senseo for when one cup will do.

One person who never fails to make you laugh?
My oldest daughter--she just cracks me up.

What was the first music that you ever bought?
That is soooooo long ago--I'm talking vinyl albums, people! The Beach Boys? The Monkees? How embarrassing!

Do you do push-ups?
That involves physical activity, right?

What was one of your favorite games as a child?
Red Rover.

When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Probably a doctor or medical researcher.

Your favorite Soup of the Day?
Chili?

Have you ever met someone famous?
ONLY local 'celebrities'--and they certainly don't impress.

Date of Birth?
November 28.

From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news?
Has to be the internet.

Current worry?
Other than mild concerns about health issues, nothing.

Current hate?
My lack of motivation to lose weight.

Favorite place to be?
At home.

Least favorite place to be?
With The Family.

Do you consider yourself well organized?
Does anal-retentive mean anything? But I AM doing much better these days!

Do you believe in an afterlife?
Absolutely!

Where do you think you will be in 10 years?
Right where I am in a new house--I hope!

Do you burn or tan?
No. Oh, wait, I was supposed to choose! I DON'T burn and I don't tan very well--although I can get very dark when I work at it.

Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the future?
Kind of neutral--but it depends on WHAT future. If it is MY future, then I'm mildly optimistic--if it is the future of this country and the world, then mildly pessimistic.

What did you fear was going to get you at night as a kid?
The monsters under my bed.

What's in your pockets right now?
No pockets on what I am wearing.

Last thing that made you laugh?
Let's see. My daughter describing something Conan O'Brien said last night or Dazd's post about Survivor: Texas Style.

Worst injury you've ever had?
There was the cut on my wrist which I got when my hand went through a window--didn't get the stitches I needed. Then again, there was the cut I got last year from the glass in the garbage--I required 4 stitches for that. I don't do well with broken glass, obviously.

How many TVs do you own?
Five.

Best compliment received?
Really can't remember.

What leaves you speechless?
VERY little.

What is your favorite book?
Oh, my...can't pick just one. There is The Lord of the Rings trilogy, several books by John Grisham, several books by Michael Crichton, Watership Down...

Last meal you cooked for the opposite sex?
Turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans/corn.

What were you doing at 12 midnight last night?
Sitting here at the computer--probably surfing the sport sites looking for hockey trade rumors.

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From San Francisco Chronicle. Its called a circumzenithal arc; not exactly an upside down rainbow, but close enough.

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SOME of America’s most senior military commanders are prepared to resign if the White House orders a military strike against Iran, according to highly placed defence and intelligence sources.

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"More troops in Baghdad are irrelevant to what's going down in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The surge supporters who accuse the Iraq war's critics of emboldening the enemy are trying to deflect attention from their own complicity in losing a bigger battle: the one against the enemy that actually did attack us on 9/11."

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Short Post-season?

After the games of the last two nights, I really am afraid that the Wings will not get past the first round of the playoffs. They still are not playing consistently enough and it is too late in the season to say they WILL get it together.

Last night's game against Edmonton brought back nightmares of last year's playoffs. I wonder if the Wings had flashbacks which caused them to not play as well as they could? They just CAN'T lose overtime games like that and expect to get the Cup.

Tonight was a fairly good game, but they lost again in overtime. While I don't think anyone could have stopped the tying goal late in the third period, the Wings shouldn't have let Nashville get to the point where they COULD tie the game. And how pissed off am I that Forsberg got his first point AND his first goal playing for Nashville against the Wings?!?!?! And to add insult to injury, he got the winning goal!

Some good things ARE happening, though. Holmstrom got his second hat trick tonight! Good thing they signed him for another three years or some other team would be trying to get him. Also, the Wings are beginning to play a bit more physically. When you have Zetterberg AND Datsyuk making some heavy hits during a game, then things are moving in the right direction. Now all they need is someone who can do a little bit of enforcing and things might not look so gloomy.

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QKENCHANT UPDATE

The CIA has recently put some documents related to QKENCHANT online. They can be found here.

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General says eliminating bin Laden not priority

The Army's highest-ranking officer and the former leader of the secretive world of Special Operations offered his thoughts on the importance of capturing or killing Osama bin Laden during a luncheon here Friday.

They're probably not what anyone expected.

"I don't know whether we'll find him," Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, said in a speech to the Rotary Club of Fort Worth. "I don't know that it's all that important, frankly."

His Commander-in-Chief agrees.

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The percentage of poor Americans who are living in severe poverty has reached a 32-year high, millions of working Americans are falling closer to the poverty line and the gulf between the nation's "haves" and "have-nots" continues to widen.

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The United States demanded that Israel desist from even exploratory contacts with Syria, of the sort that would test whether Damascus is serious in its declared intentions to hold peace talks with Israel.

Syria has made overtures towards Israel and the U.S. I guess peace in the Middle East doesn't fit in with the neocons plans.

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Datsyuks 100th goal.

13 sec

I have to admit Zetterburg looks really good. But I can't help to think Datsyuk has a lot to do with that. That could go either way though? People could argue maybe Datsyuk wouldn't be where he's at if it weren't for Zetterburg. Anyways there's a game tonight and tomorrow. If they win tonight, that would make it 14 home games won in a row. A new record for them.
The assist he made to Cleary was cool, after Cleary missed an easy open netter. Datsyuk could have easily got the goal, but instead gave it away. Always a true team player. Thats why I like him.

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Top U.S. Bin Laden Expert: Confession Video “Bogus”

Is the famous “confession video” genuine? Despite Bush’s insistence that the tape is authentic, America’s top academic Bin Laden expert has finally gone on the record, joining numerous other experts. “It’s bogus,” says Professor Bruce Lawrence, head of Duke University’s Religious Studies program.

Lawrence, author of Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama Bin Laden, offered his historic debunking of the administration’s lie in an interview with Kevin Barrett (“Dynamic Duo,” gcnlive.com, 2/16/2007, first hour). The interview marked Lawrence’s first major public statement since he made headlines last year by suggesting that recent Osama tapes are hoaxes and that the real Osama Bin Laden may be dead.

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Tomb of Jesus Found?

Jerusalem- The makers of a new documentary, to be aired for the first time at a news conference in New York Monday, claim that a tomb found in a Jerusalem cave 36 years ago belongs to none other than Jesus Christ.

The claim presented in the documentary is based on years of research by world-renowned archaeologists, statisticians, experts in ancient scripts and in DNA, the Israeli Yediot Ahronot daily Friday quoted the makers as saying in an exclusive interview.

DNA? In other words, if this actually the tomb of Jesus Christ, THEY FOUND THE BODY.

Update: new book The Jesus Tomb: The Discovery That Will Change History Forever

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Move over Wikipedia: Conservapedia is here!

Many thanks to my favorite Conservative Jon Swift for calling my attention to this new online conservative encyclopedia. According to their main page "Conservapedia is a much-needed alternative to Wikipedia, which is increasingly anti-Christian and anti-American."

Now, thanks to this valuable resource, if your child is asked to do a report for school on, let's say, kangaroos he or she will no longer be limited to encyclopedias that are limited to facts. Instead the student will learn this:

Like all modern animals, modern kangaroos originated in the Middle East[1] and are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard Noah's Ark prior to the Great Flood.

Or let's say that our young student is interested in learning more about Jesus Christ:

Historical context indicates that as a 'rabbi' in judea, Jesus would have been married. An explaination (sic) for his lack of a wife may be that he was a confirmed bachelor, and had twelve men to fufill his needs.

There have been a number of attempts by silly people to tamper with Conservapedia. For example, the page on Jesus now says that God has recently announced on his blog that Jesus is actually his nephew, not his son. I would urge these trouble-makers to desist. Conservapedia is funny enough already.

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Ion Mihai Pacepa is a high-level Romanian intelligence official who defected to the United States during the Carter admistration. Subsequently, according to his Wikipedia entry, "he worked with American intelligence in various operations against the former Eastern Bloc."

Pacepa has recently expressed his opinions on the Kennedy assassination in a manuscript "Programmed to Kill", quoted in this blog. He maintains that Khrushchev and the KGB programmed Oswald to kill Kennedy but later unsuccessfully tried to abort his mission. In the end Oswald went ahead on his own. His opinion seems to be based more on his professional opinion than on evidence but as an intelligence professional his opinion is one to be taken seriously. (One must also consider the possibility of disinformation. He once worked for the Communist Romanian government, but it is obvious who he is working for now.)

All of us bloc intelligence leaders had spent at least twenty years focused on recruiting American servicemen assigned outside the United States, and all of us could recognize the elements of Oswald’s intelligence handling even in our sleep...It was crystal clear to us that Oswald had been recruited by Soviet espionage while he was a Marine stationed at Atsugi Air Base in Japan ...

I am inclined to agree with him here; however I think that Oswald was probably working for American intelligence at the time.

the U.S. investigators had in their possession Oswald’s 1961 letters to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and to his brother Robert in the U.S. stating that his wife, Marina, was born in Leningrad; the investigators established that she did indeed speak with a Leningrad accent, but they did not know what to do with Marina’s birth certificate stating that she was born in remote Archangel oblast. The investigators were, evidently, not familiar with the Soviet pattern requiring that intelligence agents selected to become spouses of Western visitors be endowed with fake identity documents showing that they came from remote areas, usually ones prohibited to foreigners, so as to preclude attempts to verify their backgrounds.

Again, I think he is correct than the KGB likely steered Marina toward Lee Oswald.

That was another Soviet pattern—seven chiefs of the Soviet political police itself were secretly or openly assassinated to prevent them from incriminating the Kremlin. Furthermore, immediately upon news of JFK’s assassination Moscow launched Operation “Dragon,” a disinformation effort in which my service was deeply involved. The aim—which has succeeded only too well—was to throw the blame on various elements in the United States for killing their own president.

Pacepa, in these excerpts at least, does not consider the possibility that Oswald was working for American intelligence the whole time, a possibility that any intelligence analyst would obviously have considered.

The only evidence that Pacepa has ever alluded to is a conversation he had with Romanian President Ceausescu, in this article in National Review.

“Ten,” Ceausescu remarked to me. “Ten international leaders the Kremlin killed or tried to kill,” he explained, counting them off on his fingers. Laszlo Rajk and Imre Nagy of Hungary; Lucretiu Patrascanu and Gheorghiu-Dej in Romania; Rudolf Slansky, the head of Czechoslovakia, and Jan Masaryk, that country’s chief diplomat; the shah of Iran; Palmiro Togliatti of Italy; American President John F. Kennedy; and Mao Zedong. (Among the leaders of Moscow’s satellite intelligence services there was unanimous agreement that the KGB had been involved in the assassination of President Kennedy.)

Now it is my opinion that no intelligence service, either theirs or ours, would have used Oswald in a plot to assassination the American President, except as what he said that he was, a "patsy." Although Oswald was hardly the dolt he has been made out to be, neither was he 007. Would the Soviets really have used an individual who could so obviously have been traced back to them? Also it would have been unlikely that either side could be completely sure that he was actually working for them, and had not been doubled.

Is it possible that Pacepa is being influence in his opinions by his current employers in American intelligence? Of late, he has been associated with David Horowitz's FrontPage Magazine and The Washington Times in efforts to establish that Saddam Hussein really did haveWMDs. He also wrote an article for National Review linking John Kerry's Vietnam-era testimony to the Congress to a Soviet propaganda campaign.

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Number 13

And I DON'T mean Datsyuk--although, he DID get a goal tonight (his 100th career goal)! No, the Wings have now won 13 games straight at home--just one shy of the record set in 1964-65. Zetterberg got two goals in the 4-2 victory against Chicago. Once again, they just came alive in the third period--seems to be their MO this season. Khabibulin played VERY well tonight--a little too good for my tastes! :) He stopped 31 shots for the night.

With this win, Detroit is now in first place in the Western Conference--one point ahead of Nashville--and second in the league--one point behind Buffalo. A tight race, but the team doesn't seem to put much emphasis on being first in the standings--after all, it did them NO good last year when it came to play-off time! They could be EIGHTH for all I care--just as long as they do well in the play-offs!

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Look for an article soon to be in the LA times that will piece a good portion of the JFKA [JFK assassination] together. EHH [E. Howard Hunt] confided this information to his sons 4 years before his death. All information was verified by ERIC HAMBURG and a real book will be out with in a year. American Spy was ghost written and has no real value.

--David Hunt, son of E. Howard Hunt

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Blackwater Forms Intelligence Agency

Cofer Black, vice chairman of Blackwater USA, announced Tuesday the formation of a new CIA-type private company to provide intelligence services to commercial clients.

The executive roster for the new venture, Total Intelligence Solutions, is loaded with veterans of U.S. intelligence agencies, including two other Blackwater officials.

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Riverbend of Baghdad Burning:

And yet, as the situation continues to deteriorate both for Iraqis inside and outside of Iraq, and for Americans inside Iraq, Americans in America are still debating on the state of the war and occupation- are they winning or losing? Is it better or worse.

Let me clear it up for any moron with lingering doubts: It’s worse. It’s over. You lost. You lost the day your tanks rolled into Baghdad to the cheers of your imported, American-trained monkeys. You lost every single family whose home your soldiers violated. You lost every sane, red-blooded Iraqi when the Abu Ghraib pictures came out and verified your atrocities behind prison walls as well as the ones we see in our streets. You lost when you brought murderers, looters, gangsters and militia heads to power and hailed them as Iraq’s first democratic government. You lost when a gruesome execution was dubbed your biggest accomplishment. You lost the respect and reputation you once had. You lost more than 3000 troops. That is what you lost America. I hope the oil, at least, made it worthwhile.

Emphasis added.

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Stupid Ass

Okay, how drunk and stupid do you have to be to do this:


8-year-old caught behind wheel

Man charged with drunk driving, endangerment

By KAYLA GAHAGAN, DMG Writer

HOUGHTON — A Hancock man was arrested and charged with child endangerment and drinking and driving after Houghton County Sheriff Deputies responded to a possible drunk driver and discovered an 8-year-old driving the man’s vehicle.


Anthony Alan Bickman, 42, was arrested Feb. 18 after a 6:24 p.m. report of a vehicle stuck in the ditch near Lake Avenue and Upper Pike River Road.


While deputies were traveling to the scene, they received a report that the vehicle was out of the ditch and northbound on Pike River Road, traveling at a slow speed and weaving all over the road, according to a sheriff’s department press release.


The deputies stopped the vehicle and discovered that an 8-year-old was driving the vehicle.


The Houghton County Prosecutor’s Office could not say whether the 8-year-old was Bickman’s son, but did report that they had different last names. The child’s name will not be released because he is a minor.


Bickman was arrested and transported to Houghton County Jail on charges of operating while intoxicated — third offense, which is a felony punishable by one to five years in prison.


The Houghton County prosecutor’s office reported that Bickman was also charged with a misdemeanor count of child endangerment — permitting an unlicensed minor to drive, which is punishable by 90 days in jail; and a misdemeanor count of driving on a revoked/suspended/refused license, which is punishable by 93 days in jail. For the latter charge, it was Bickman’s second offense, which is punishable by up to a year in jail.


The Sheriff’s Department reported that Bickman is also being held on a misdemeanor charge in Green Oak County, Wis., failure to pay child support.


Bickman was arraigned in Houghton County District Court Tuesday afternoon on the charges and was remanded back to the jail, unable to past bond.


Bickman will be back in District Court March 1 at 9 a.m. for a preliminary examination. The case has been forwarded to Houghton County Child Protective Services.


And, yes, this happened in the UP.

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Afternoon Musings

--So, Britney left rehab after less than 24 hours--AGAIN! I don't know if this story is going to have a happy ending.

--The temp right now is in the upper 40s. BEAUTIFUL day! And tonight we have a snow and blowing snow advisory through tomorrow morning. There will be 40 mph winds, snow, and visibility of less than 1/4 mile. Our weather is NEVER boring.

--C called and said she passed her nursing-program entrance exam. For the LPN program, she needed a score of 70 and for the RN program she needed a score of 80--she scored a 90! I'm so happy for her.

--There have been several people getting to this blog by searching 'Zetterberg teeth.' I am assuming they are searching for something on the Red Wing player, but, still, that is a strange search term!

--Looks like Clinton and Obama are going to be fighting over the Hollywood crowd, in terms of who will be supporting their presidential campaigns. They just may cancel each other out and an entirely new person will wind up as the candidate. They both can just fade away, as far as I am concerned.

--FINALLY, I get to watch a hockey game tonight. Correct that: a RED WING hockey game. I really think I have been suffering withdrawal pangs--it has been an entire week since I got to see them play!

--One of the world's smallest premature babies got to go home today. She was born at less than 22 weeks--a 'normal' pregnancy is 40 weeks--and she was 9 1/2 inches and less than 10 ounces at birth. I STILL cannot understand how some will refuse to accept unborn children as people--instead of 'only' fetuses. I do not understand how anyone can support abortions--AT ALL.

--If you like off-beat TV shows, try 'Boston Legal.' I LOVE the show. Last night's episode had me laughing till I was sick--and then it tugged at the heartstrings to the point of getting misty. The main attraction, though, is William Shatner's over-the-top performance as Denny Crane--an absolute genius. The show might, however, be something that has to be watched for awhile before being able to really 'get'--the humor is not 'normal.' :)

--K's last night shift tonight--yay! In a week he starts his long weekend and I'm trying to see what he wants to do. I'm thinking road trip! St Paul, anyone? :)

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Terry Nichols: McVeigh had high-level help

Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols says a high-ranking FBI official "apparently" was directing Timothy McVeigh in the plot to blow up a government building and might have changed the original target of the attack, according to a new affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Utah.

The official and other conspirators are being protected by the federal government "in a cover-up to escape its responsibility for the loss of life in Oklahoma," Nichols claims in a Feb. 9 affidavit.

In his affidavit, Nichols says he wants to bring closure to the survivors and families of the attack on the Alfred B. Murrah Federal Building, which took 168 lives. He alleges he wrote then-Attorney General John Ashcroft in 2004, offering to help identify all parties who played a role in the bombing but never got a reply.

A curious lack of curiosity on the part of the former Attorney General.

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New York Times editorial: Making Martial Law Easier

A disturbing recent phenomenon in Washington is that laws that strike to the heart of American democracy have been passed in the dead of night. So it was with a provision quietly tucked into the enormous defense budget bill at the Bush administration’s behest that makes it easier for a president to override local control of law enforcement and declare martial law.

Beyond cases of actual insurrection, the president may now use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any “other condition."

Senators Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, and Christopher Bond, Republican of Missouri have introduced a bill to repeal this provision.

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Telemarketer Meltdown

I definitely am behind in a lot of things, so if this is really old, please bear with me. I found this to be one of the funniest things I have seen/heard in a long time. As far as I can tell, this is a recording a comedian by the name of Tom Mabe made while he was messing with a telemarketer who happened to call his home. I wish I was clever enough to pull off something this hilarious!

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In My World

So, what has been going on in my world? Not a whole lot, that's for sure. K is on night shift, so that means alone time for me--which isn't always that bad of a thing! Other than that, here we go:

--Yesterday I went for my semi-regular blood-letting. Yup, that means I have a doctor appointment next week. Again, I believe I have gained a couple of pounds and I'm waiting--read that as scared--to see if he will say something to me about it. It really is hard to do something about your weight when food is your drug of choice--and I have had ample reason for self-medicating these last couple of months. I know that is an excuse, but...I'm still waiting for whatever clicked with me to quit smoking to finally click and I will be able to start losing the enormous amount of pounds I need to get rid of!

--For the past couple of days we have had temps in the mid-30s--at least in my backyard! The warm temps combined with the sunshine today has caused a big reduction in the depth of the snow--I actually can see some bits of bare ground out there. Whenever we get the mid-winter thaw, it is so nice while it lasts. However, it is that much harder to accept the next winter storm that we inevitably get.

--Is everyone as 'over' the Anna Nicole thing as much as I am? For crying out loud, do DNA testing on half of the male population of the Western Hemisphere and find out who that poor baby's father is already! And, PLEASE, bury that woman for pity's sake! Doesn't she deserve a little bit of decency?

--Glad to see that Britney is in rehab--hope she stays there this time and that all works out well for her. Those babies of hers deserve a healthy, sane mother.

--While I haven't actually seen anything more than a few birds at our feeders, there are a number of 'footy prints' all over the backyard. I can see some bird prints and rabbit prints, but there are some I'm not able to identify. The larger ones I think are from a dog, but I want to believe they are from another larger, wild, animal--though I don't think that is the case. I believe I am also seeing prints from the grey squirrel, which I am NOT convinced has left our attic. And there are tunnels in the snow, which are made by shrews or moles. I have actually seen them pop out from under the snow in years gone past, so I know that is what makes the tunnels.

--Since the beginning of this television season, I definitely have dropped a lot of 'must-see' shows. However, I still am liking a few. I picked up 'The Dresden Files,' a new series on the Sci-Fi channel, and am really enjoying it. It is like a cross between 'Harry Potter' and 'Supernatural'--a nice little piece of entertainment. I was all set to give up on 'Heroes' and decided to watch it last night. It turned out to be a decent episode and I guess I will keep that one in the rotation. 'Prison Break' had a few surprises, which were good, but I don't see how they can sustain this series after this year--if they ever planned on it, that is. And I'm still loving '24'--I could watch Jack Bauer getting all macho every day. LOVED the little surprise at the end of the episode, too!

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New Iraqi Oil Law Leaked

This law legalizes PSAs (production sharing agreements) in Iraq. Iraq will be the only country in the middle east with such contracts privatising Iraqi oil and giving foreign companies crazy rates of profit that may reach to more than three fourth of the general revenue. Iraq and Iraqis need every Dinar that comes from oil sales. In addition to the financial aspects of this law, it can be considered the funding tool for splitting Iraq into three states. It undermines the central government and distributes oil revenues directly to the three regions, which sets the foundations for what Iraq's enemies are trying to achieve in terms of establishing three independent states.

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I subscribe to the email newsletter of the Blackwater Corporation, also known as the Rock Stars of Baghdad:

Blackwater is, for all intents and purposes, your very own little Special Forces, available anywhere, anytime, for the low low price of a couple of million dollars. These Birds are used to fly recon and air support for various security contracts, usually with federal government agencies.

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Arnaud de Borchgrave writes in the Washington Times of a conversation he had with R. James Woolsey, the former CIA director:

In response to my question about how he rated the odds of a bombing campaign against Iran, R. James Woolsey, the former CIA director, hummed an answer for me on the sidewalk as we exited the Metropolitan Club. It was a parody of the Beach Boys hit "Barbara Ann" -- "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb-Bomb Iran."

This is the mentality we are dealing with. Mr. Woolsey also believes that we have been in World War 4 since 1979, when the Shah's regime was overthrown in Iran.

Meanwhile Tehran insider tells of US black ops:

TEHRAN - A former Iranian ambassador and Islamic Republic insider has provided intriguing details to Asia Times Online about US covert operations inside Iran aimed at destabilizing the country and toppling the regime - or preparing for an American attack.

"The Iranian accusations are true," said Richard Sale, intelligence correspondent for United Press International, referring to charges that the US is using the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) organization and other groups to carry out cross-border operations. "But it is being done on such a small scale - a series of pinpricks - it would seem to have no strategic value at all."

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science on Global Warming:

“The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing threat to society.

"Accumulating data from across the globe reveal a wide array of effects: rapidly melting glaciers, destabilisation of major ice sheets, increases in extreme weather, rising sea level, shifts in species ranges, and more.

“The pace of change and the evidence of harm have increased markedly over the last five years. The time to control greenhouse gas emissions is now."

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From Kikos House

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A new book Ariel Sharon: An Intimate Portrait by Uri Dan reveals that George W. Bush told Arie Sharon that if he caught Osama bin Laden, "I will screw him in the ass."

Ha'aretz from a review the new book "Ariel Sharon: An Intimate Portrait" by Uri Dan, Palgrave Macmillan, 320 pages, $18.45 :

Speaking of George Bush, with whom Sharon developed a very close relationship, Uri Dan recalls that Sharon's delicacy made him reluctant to repeat what the president had told him when they discussed Osama bin Laden. Finally he relented. And here is what the leader of the Western world, valiant warrior in the battle of cultures, promised to do to bin Laden if he caught him: "I will screw him in the ass!"

I have always thought of the President as a bottom.

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New film released shows JFK motorcade ninety seconds before assassination

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, TX is releasing a newly found color film which shows President John F. Kennedy's motorcade ninety seconds before the president was assassinated in November of 1963.

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David Ferrie's Plane Located

Noblesville resident Don Roberts had no idea what was sitting out in the shed next door to his eastside home, located at the Noblesville airport on Promise Road. He knew it was a Stinson Voyager single-engine airplane manufactured in 1946. More significantly, it turned out to be a piece of American history.

David Ferrie, known to all viewers of Oliver Stone's JFK as the character played by Joe Pesci, has been a mainstay of JFK assassination conspiracy theories since the sixties. This article describes how one researcher located his airplane.

Not only is the article above most interesting but some of the comments are worth reading as well. One from Dallas researcher Jim Gatewood:

Randy Brodenhead Owner of the Highland Park Airport 7 miles from Dealy Plaza.

"Two FBI agents came to the airport 2 days after the assassination - and found a flight plan filed for Havana. David Ferrie the pilot - Lee H. Oswald passenger. The plane had been rented at the Garland, Texas airport a twin engine Apache Piper. The agents tried to take the flight plan but had no warrant and were refused.

That night there was a fire at the air port- but the files were not destroyed as they were in steel filing cabinets. The next night there was another fire and the files were destroyed."

Mr. Gatewood is the author of several books on Dallas history. I have taken the liberty of correcting several typos in his comments.

Update: Another article on the plane.

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The Waiting Game

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Sunday Trivia

As my life is still boring as hell, it is time for another edition of 'Sunday Trivia.' Enjoy! (Once again, all of these facts are courtesy of mental_floss.)

--The male seahorse is the gender of the species that gets pregnant and gives birth. The female deposits her eggs in the male and they then are fertilized.

--During World War II, Julia Child tried to join the WACs but was turned down because of her height (6'2"). Instead, she joined the Office of Strategic Services, a precursor to the CIA.

--The substance that makes flamingos pink is carotene--the same stuff that makes carrots orange. If a flamingo does not eat carotene-rich foods, its pink coloring will fade after it molts.

--Frogs don't have teeth, so they must swallow their food whole.

--At one time, Roman law decreed that all prostitutes must dye their hair blond.

--Cats were originally desert animals.

--The dried, green berry of the pimento tree is ground to make the spice known as 'allspice.'

--On June 6, 1933, in Camden, NJ, the first drive-in movie theater was opened.

--The Venus flytrap plant is only found growing on the coastal plains of North and South Carolina.

--The cheetah can go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds.

--A Labradoodle is a cross-breed of a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle. There are many benefits to this breed: the dog sheds very little, usually has no body odor, rarely attracts fleas, and has a coat that is allergen-reduced.

--There are no newly-born ox. The reasons? 1) All oxen are males. 2) All oxen are adults. 3) All oxen are castrated. 'Ox' is simply a name given to a castrated, adult male bovine. (That being said, an ox cannot be born, or give birth--so, no new-born oxen!)

--President Eisenhower was the only US president with a four-syllable last name.

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All the Christian Conservatives who maintain that United States of America was founded by Christians as a Christian nation, and that their original intent was later corrupted by secular humanists, would do well to read Christian Theocrat Gary North's Conspiracy in Philadelphia: Origins of the United States Constitution. North's book, which I must admit I have only glanced through at this point, argues precisely that this country was not founded as a Christian nation, and that, in North's view, is the problem.

Ultimately North's argument is with the founding fathers and their constitution and, indeed with the values of the Enlightenment and the liberal democratic tradition. He correctly sees the founding fathers as his enemy.

Why were the pamphlet debates of 1787–88 conducted in terms of Roman historical examples and not biblical historical examples? Why was there never any appeal to specific biblical laws, but endless appeals to natural laws? Why were the symbols adopted by the Continental Congress, the Convention, and the post-war nation systematically non-Christian? Why, if the Constitution is Christian, is the name of Jesus Christ missing?

There is only one sensible answer: the U.S. Constitution is not
Christian. But Christians resist this answer. They want to blame later generations of politicians for the decline of Christian political influence. They want to share in the glory of the Convention. This is a strategic mistake, and it is surely an historiographical mistake.

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Rep. Don Young uses fake Lincoln quote to suggest that Democrats should be hanged as traitors. Let's call this what it is: fascism.

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Hank's Hat Trick

Henrik Zetterberg scored his first NHL career hat trick against Phoenix tonight in a 4-1 win. Hot damn I wish I could have seen that! I DID listen to the game on the radio via the web, but it just ain't the same. :) However, it really made me realize just how much I actually do miss listening to good radio--something we are sorely lacking here. If I could convince K, I would love to have satellite radio--but he likes to listen to local stations wherever we are, so that isn't going to happen. Anyway, this moves the Wings to first in their division, first in their conference, and second in the league--and they are only one point behind Buffalo overall! There are still two months left of the regular season, so it doesn't REALLY mean all that much, but it is a good feeling nonetheless. (And it just might shut up some of the people who said the Wings were washed up when Yzerman retired and Shanahan left!)

It also was announced that Tomas Holmstrom has signed a three-year contract extension. Good news, as he really is doing some good work on the ice. Homer would be missed a lot if he wasn't there being a 'pest' in front of the other team's net game after game after game!

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Another Train Wreck Happening

I don't think anyone will be too surprised by the news that Britney Spears is in the process of totally losing it. In the last few days it has been reported that she checked herself into--and out of-- rehab at Crossroads rehab center in Antigua, shaved her head, and gotten two new tattoos. She was reportedly agitated and 'wasn't making any sense at all' while at the tattoo parlor. Here is the whole story and a picture of her new look.

Isn't there SOMETHING that can be done for these stars/starlets/personalities when EVERYONE can see that they are self destructing? Why do we just have to sit by and watch all of this happening? This young girl has two babies that need a mother who is healthy and can be with them while they are growing up, so why doesn't anyone get her the help that she needs? Are the laws in this country such that we can't force someone to get help when they are so obviously in need of it? At this point, she is a danger to herself and, quite possibly, others--including her children! This is just so, so sad to have a second one in such a state in so short a time.

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JFK assassination author and researcher Mark Lane's mugshot after he was arrested as a Freedom Rider in the civil rights movement.

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I keep on seeing Zetterburg's pass through his legs and his opponent to give Datsyuk a goal. I do like it, I think it's very impressive goal. Datsyuk comes from the left like he might have come off the bench. I'm not sure but either way it was great. Although if Zetterburg was in that means Datsyuk must have been in? (This is 1 time I'll let it go?)

Red wings are in....

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I'm going to the Second Level of Hell according to this internet test.

You have come to a place mute of all light, where the wind bellows as the sea does in a tempest. This is the realm where the lustful spend eternity. Here, sinners are blown around endlessly by the unforgiving winds of unquenchable desire as punishment for their transgressions. The infernal hurricane that never rests hurtles the spirits onward in its rapine, whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. You have betrayed reason at the behest of your appetite for pleasure, and so here you are doomed to remain. Cleopatra and Helen of Troy are two that share in your fate.

Cool, a threesome with Cleopatra and Helen of Troy.

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"Unless there is some great reversal, Bush will be seen as one of the country's poorest presidents. Iraq will stand at the top of the list, but the administration's failed responses to Katrina and global warming will stand with its abuse of civil liberties to mark Bush out as a man with poor judgment and a failed leader."

— Robert Dallek, historian

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The Truth at Last

I would like to refer my readers to today's Cannonfire post. It seems that Georgia state Representative Ben Bridges of Georgia, a Republican of course, has fallen in with a bad crowd; namely anti-Semitic geocentrists. Yes, that's right, people who believe that the Jews are concealing the truth that the Earth does not move and the rest of the cosmos revolves around us, just like they believe the Bible says. Now, you might think that no one in their right mind could believe this, and you would be right, of course. Nonetheless, geocentricity seems to be making a small come back among creationists. There is even one astronomer, Gerardus Bouw Ph.D, who holds to the geocentric position, according to his website, which calls itself the official geocentricity website. Dr. Bouw is, of course, a religious nut. Now, before anyone takes offense, I respect all religions (except Scientology) but if your religious beliefs lead you to believe that the Sun orbits the Earth, or that the Universe is 6000 years old, you are a religious nut, and you might as well wear the label proudly.

Now, back to Rep. Bridges. He is also a religious nut, of course, and wants to ban the teaching of evolution in the public schools. He has backed away a bit from the geocentric nonsense but did have this to say:

“I agree with it more than I would the Big Bang Theory or the Darwin Theory. I am convinced that rather than risk teaching a lie why teach anything?”

Now, I am sure that Rep. Bridges is not opposed to teaching, say reading and writing, so long as children are not allowed to read science books that might lead them to believe that life evolved from more primitive forms, or that the Earth is billions of years old, or that the Earth rotates and revolves around the Sun. Because those beliefs, you see, offend some people's religious sensibilities.

Update: copy of crazy anti-evolution memo

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A Little Of This, A Little Of That...AND some hockey

--The town is all set and ready for the annual dog sled races. They bring snow into the downtown area, on the main street, and that is where the race starts. This all will be happening tomorrow evening and continue through the weekend, ending some time on Sunday. K asked me if I wanted to go and watch the start of the race. HA, HA!!!! I don't care WHAT the temps might be--right now they are thinking maybe the low teens--I have no intention of standing around in the middle of the winter just to watch dogs start running!

--I don't know where the problem lies, but Site Meter hasn't been recording all of the visitors to this blog. The reason I know this: first, I have seen the visits recorded on StatCounter; second, people who have not been recorded have left comments. Strange.

--Talked to A tonight and she thinks she may allergic to her vitamins! All winter long she has been all stuffy and every time I time I talk to her it sounds as if she has a cold. It has become so prevalent that I just quit asking her if she is feeling okay. (Her co-workers have commented on how she is ALWAYS sick, too!) Well, it seems as if she was feeling a bit nauseous a few days ago and she stopped taking her vitamins. This caused her to 'unstuff.' Then she went back to taking her vitamins and all of her 'cold' symptoms have returned! Now she has to talk to her doctor and see if the allergy thing is possible and if she has to be tested. Weird!

--Our three-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with a genital hernia. A couple of days ago, they took her to see a surgeon for evaluation and she will be having surgery the end of this month. I guess this is something quite common in boys, but a bit unusual in girls. The surgeon wants to take care of things while she is still young enough so that things don't get more complicated. It is always something when you have kids!

--Here is a post on mental_floss entitled 'World's most dangerous road?' It is a tunnel dug through a rocky cliff somewhere in China and the pictures are awesome. It is the most frightening thing! It is hard to describe--click on the link and see the pictures for yourself.

--Daisy Singer Alexander, the only heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune, was quite eccentric. She would put messages in bottles and drop them in the River Thames. In June of 1937, she wrote the following and put it in a bottle: "To avoid all confusion, I leave my entire estate to the lucky person who finds this bottle." She then threw the bottle in the river. In 1940, Alexander died. In 1949, in San Francisco, a dishwasher by the name of Jack Wrum was walking along the beach and found a bottle. Inside the bottle was a note. Jack Wrum inherited 8 million dollars because of the note inside the bottle. (courtesy of mental_floss)

--I hate to see what our yard will look like when the snow goes. Once again, I witnessed our neighbor's rather big dog taking a dump in our yard! And he was outside the whole time, probably watching the damn dog doing it! Pisses me off.

--K went back to work after his long weekend on the 8th. When it is all said and done, he will have his next day off around the 23rd. At least, we THINK he will have a day off then. He isn't SCHEDULED to work that day, but with the overtime, who knows.

--I am so bummed! The Wings play in Phoenix on Saturday night and I will not get to see the game! The ONLY channel that is broadcasting it is one of the NHL channels that you have to pay for. And I'm not sure if you can only buy one game or if you have to buy an entire package. I have to call our cable company tomorrow and see what the deal is--hopefully it won't be too expensive and I can get to see the game after all.

--Well, all of the speculation is over: Forsberg was traded to Nashville. I don't know how I feel about this. First, it probably wouldn't have been very comfortable for some of the Wing players to have him at Detroit--after all, there IS history. Second, it is being talked that this could be just what Nashville needs in order to win the Cup this year. Without wanting to wish any harm to a person, it might be to Detroit's advantage if Forsberg's foot starts acting up again. Time will tell on whether Nashville did good with this trade. And there is always the possiblity that Detroit will trade for someone that will help them even more than Forsberg could possibly have done.

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My new t-shirt. Bought it on ebay.

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Wonkette clears up Bush News Conference on Iran

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They Redeemed Themselves

While tonight wasn't the best game I have seen, at least the Wings won 3-1. It really was quite a boring game until the third period. Then, again, the Wings became fired up and started to play amazing hockey. Dallas scored in the second and the Wings were scoreless until Datsyuk scored in the third. If Detroit's first goal of the game isn't featured in all of the highlight reels for a long time to come, no goal will be. Zetterberg was rushing toward the net with the puck, started skating around the back of it, as he is known to do, and at the last possible moment he passed the puck BACKWARDS, between his own legs AND a Dallas player's legs, and got it to Datsyuk to score. Beauty, grace, talent--absolutely amazing. Zetterberg is very possibly the best player in the NHL, and he doesn't get nearly enough credit for what he does. Later, he scored the winning goal.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg celebrate the winning goal:

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

It will make for much nicer pictures when Zetterberg gets those teeth fixed! :) I believe he chipped one tooth and knocked off a crown on another. What a way to make a living.

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Al Gore at the Grammys (Say, has he lost weight?)

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Happy Valentines Day!

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CentCom Commander: ‘I Have No Idea’ If White House Iran Claim Is True

Today on CNN, CentCom Commander William Fallon, the top commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, was asked about the administration’s claim. Fallon said, “I have no idea who may be actually with hands-on in this stuff.”

(Via Cannonfire)

Meanwhile General Pace is not backing down: No evidence Iran is arming Iraqis

A top U.S. general said Tuesday there was no evidence the Iranian government was supplying Iraqi insurgents with highly lethal roadside bombs, apparently contradicting claims by other U.S. military and administration officials.

Update: General Caldwell, the chief spokesman in Iraq: U.S. general: No evidence Iran is arming Iraqis

"I think people want to make an inference. I think people want to hype this up."

I'm shocked. What possible motive could the Bush administration have to hype up evidence on Iran? Obviously there is substantial opposition within the military to a war with Iran.

Update: President Bush at his news conference this morning on the alleged Iranian involvement in IEDs in Iraq:

"Here's my point, either they knew or didn't know. What matters is, is that they're there. What's worse, that the government knew, or that the government didn't know?"

What's worse is that he really doesn't care one way or the other.

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Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day! As my Valentine's Day gift to all of you, here are a couple of videos.

First, a Teddy bear goes to see his love:



And to help you rock out your Valentine's Day, here is a live video of Queen singing 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love.' Freddy Mercury sure could sing! I DEFY you to not keep this song going through your mind all day after hearing it! :)

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Dead Wings

While the Wings don't really deserve to be called their nickname from the 80s, the way they played last night was absolutely abysmal. In a 6-1 loss, one of the top 4 teams in the NHL lost to the worst team, Philadelphia. (Sorry, RT, but that IS their record. :|) It took me an entire 24 hours to actually process what I saw--and I'm STILL not sure what went on. The Flyers ran over Detroit and there is nothing more to be said about it. I guess some would blame Joey MacDonald for his work in the net, but it wasn't all his fault. He is, after all, young and new to the NHL--he just didn't have much help from the rest of the team. I really doubt Hasek or Ozzie would have done a whole lot better with the lack of support.

So, what is it that the Wings need to do in order to take their play up a notch? First and foremost, I believe they need to get one or two players that are willing to get physical. I am not talking about becoming a clone of Philadelphia when they were the 'Broad Street Bullies,' I am just saying they need someone to intimidate and protect. Philadelphia went after Detroit's goalie, as well as several Wing players, and there was NO ONE on Detroit's team to say, 'BACK OFF!' Yes, Detroit needs Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Holmstrom, etc, to make the beautiful plays and goals, but finesse isn't all there is to the game. Teams all through the NHL know that Detroit is all about finesse and little physicality--this leads to Detroit being pushed around and getting run over. It's time that the powers that be get with it and bring someone in that will take care of the star players. It's time for Detroit to start intimidating, not just look good!

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The whole purpose of setting up Guantánamo Bay is for torture. Why do this? Because you want to escape the rule of law.

--Lieutenant Commander Charles Swift, the JAG lawyer whose career was ended for representing his client in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld. An American hero.

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World Underwhelmed by Iran-Iraq Connection

After two delays several anonymous officials have presented their evidence that Iran is arming the insurgents in Iraq.

Iran denies the charges of course:

Such accusations cannot be relied upon or be presented as evidence. The United States has a long history in fabricating evidence.

(When they're right, they're right.)

Patrick Cockburn is skeptical:

The allegations by senior but unnamed U.S. officials in Baghdad and Washington are bizarre. The U.S. has been fighting a Sunni insurgency in Iraq since 2003 that is deeply hostile to Iran.

The insurgent groups have repeatedly denounced the democratically elected Iraqi government as pawns of Iran. It is unlikely that the Sunni guerrillas have received significant quantities of military equipment from Tehran. Some 1,190 U.S. soldiers have been killed by so-called improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

The Voice of America reports Top American General Disputes US Military Claim on Iran

The top American military officer, General Peter Pace, declined Monday to endorse the conclusions of U.S. military officers in Baghdad, who told reporters on Sunday that the Iranian government is providing high-powered roadside bombs to insurgents in Iraq.

This is astounding. The Bush administration cannot get the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to back them up on this. The Minneapolis Star Tribune in an editorial titled Congress must prevent attacks against Iran has this to say:

Sunday came a strange briefing in Baghdad in which three anonymous Pentagon officials laid out what can only be generously called "evidence" that Iran was supplying advanced munitions to Shiite militants in Iraq that were being used to kill U.S. soldiers. The briefing was a dud, leaving reporters, according to National Public Radio, "with more questions than answers." Even the new U.S. intelligence estimate on Iraq says "the involvement of these outside actors (Iraq's neighbors) is not likely to be a major driver of violence or the prospects for stability." On Monday, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pointedly declined to endorse the central allegation made at the briefing: that the Iranian government was sending the munitions to Iraq.

It appears that the Joint Chiefs do not want to attack Iran, probably because it is such a monumentally stupid idea.

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The McCone-Rowley Memo: Is it a fake or new evidence connecting Lee Harvey Oswald to the CIA? Since I first received this document from a 70's era tabloid journalist it has made the rounds of the internet. For more on its history and origins click here.

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They Were Smokin'--for 40 minutes

Pity the team that has to play against the Wings the next game after a humiliation like they experienced last Thursday. Tonight, it was Calgary that needed to be pitied. Detroit played a 40 minute game tonight, not just a 20 minute one. (They could TRY a 60 minute game once in awhile!) After the first period, they were leading 3-0. After the second period, they were leading 6-1. THEN, they gave up 3 goals in the third and finally ended up winning the game 7-4. The first two periods they played as if they were the only team on the ice--it was beautiful to watch. Joey MacDonald was in the net tonight, so he got the first win of his NHL career! Yippee! He'll be in net again tomorrow night, as Ozzie has a broken finger and Hasek has an inflamed wrist. We'll see how he can do in back-to-back games.

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Snow Statues

Last year I posted about the Winter Carnival at MTU--you can find the post here. Well, this weekend is Winter Carnival and they have some amazing pictures of this year's snow statues. Here is the overall winner:


This pic is kind of impressive, but if you want REALLY impressive, go here. Click on the pic and when you get to the next page, click on the picture again to zoom in. The amount of detail work that goes into these statues is simply amazing! There are numerous links on the first page, so if you want to see some truly awesome examples of snow statues, spend some time and look around. And don't forget, these are all done by COLLEGE STUDENTS, NOT any professionals.

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Some Thoughts For Today

Gee, I wish I had some good, philosophical things to write about, but I don't. So, here are some things going around in my head today.

--Many people have come to this blog by searching for 'deathclock lyrics.' I have NO idea what that is--and searching for it isn't any help. Does anyone know what this is?

--This made me happy today: I looked outside and all of the 3-4+" of snow/ice on the top of my Jimmy was gone! Yup, the sun was out and it was warm enough for every bit of ice to come off the roof--HOORAY! We don't have a garage, so there is usually at least a little bit of snow/ice on the vehicles at all times. (The Jimmy is too high for me to reach and brush everything off--and it has a luggage carrier on top, so that makes it doubly hard to take care of. K doesn't mind that it isn't snow-free.)

--The temp went up to 22 degrees above zero on our backyard thermometer this afternoon! How great is that?

--This winter has been a little strange in the fact that I can't keep the house humidified at all. All winter long, every year, I have to run humidifiers just so I won't shock myself to death by walking through the house. For some reason or another, this year is horribly bad! I have three humidifiers running at top speed constantly and it STILL is very staticky! My hair stands out around my head like some sort of halo/aura--NOT a good look. We have an antique brass bed that we sleep in, so it is LOADS of fun making the bed every day. I have to try not to get too near the headboard or foot or I wind up creating sparks that would light up a medium-sized room! The poor cat is terrified to rub against my leg for fear of a teeth-shattering shock. This is one thing that could make me want winter to go away.

--The cat usually will come with me in the computer room and keep me company. While I don't mind this, the other night she drove me absolutely insane. She was chewing her toenails! The sound is very close to fingernails on a chalkboard and just grates away at my nerves. Despite what some people feel, we had the cat declawed at the time we had her spayed. (Some people feel this is akin to torture--I feel this has saved her life. I WILL NOT have a cat destroy my furnishings, etc, by shredding them. I find no problem with declawing a cat that will NEVER be allowed to roam outside on its own--which ours doesn't.) However, she still has her back claws and, I guess, she has to groom them to keep them at a respectable length. I really don't care WHAT the reason is for her doing it, it just drives me insane!

--I saw this video and thought it was one of the funniest I have seen in a long time. Here I present "Baby Panda Sneezing."

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"the intelligence community is quietly indicating that the case purporting to prove Iran's involvement in Iraq is murkier and less decisive than the thrust of recent administration statements suggests."

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Impeach Cheney not Bush

The primary wingnut defense of the sales campaign that got us into the war in Iraq is that it was just bad intelligence. Now the Pentagon's own Inspector General's report shows that this simply is not true. There is a word for "purposely manipulated intelligence" and that word is "lies". There is apparently an attempt to lay the blame for this on Douglas Feith but clearly the trail leads to Donald Rumsfeld and, above all, Dick Cheney.

CBS: A "very damning" report by the Defense Department's inspector general depicts a Pentagon that purposely manipulated intelligence in an effort to link Saddam Hussein to al-Qaida in the runup to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, says the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Washington Post: Intelligence provided by former undersecretary of defense Douglas J. Feith to buttress the White House case for invading Iraq included "reporting of dubious quality or reliability" that supported the political views of senior administration officials rather than the conclusions of the intelligence community, according to a report by the Pentagon's inspector general.

Not only is Cheney likely involved in the campaign of lies that led to an unneccessary war but the evidence suggests that he was behind the smearing of Joseph Wilson and the outing of Valerie Plame.

If Bush is impeached it is highly unlikely that he would be convicted in the Senate. And if he was we would have President Cheney--a very scary thought. Impeach Cheney. (And while we're at it, impeach Alberto Gonzales; there is a good deal of documentary evidence linking him to the legal justifications for torture and mistreatment of prisoners.

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Stopped At 175

The Red Wings lost tonight to St. Louis--and were shut out at the same time. So the record ends at 175 games without being shut out--the last time was 7 January 2004. (The score tonight was 1-0.) Really, with the way Detroit played tonight, they deserved to lose. HOWEVER, Joey MacDonald didn't deserve the loss--he was very good in goal, having stopped 28 of 29 shots. It would be nice if he could have been awarded the win--and the team not get any points--just for the good effort he made. He didn't have a team backing him well enough--he couldn't do it all himself, and so the Wings are now 3 points behind Nashville for the top spot in the Central Division. And they would have had the top spot to themselves with a win. Damn.

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Let's Talk Manners

One of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't send thank you notes. I am not talking getting a little pissed, I am talking I WANT TO RIP THEIR F*****G HEADS OFF! Where did this tirade of mine come from all of a sudden? We FINALLY received a thank you from one of The Nieces for the wedding gift we sent--for their SEPTEMBER wedding! Granted, I actually GOT a thank you, but why so late? And, no, it is NOT true that you have an entire year after getting married in which to send out the notes. The rule of 'as fast as possible' still applies to wedding 'thank yous' as well as any others.

While I was growing up, I had to call everyone who sent me a birthday card with money. (Gifts were few and far between for the birthday.) At Christmas, I had to call everyone who gave me a gift. This was the rule, this I had to obey. (I think The Mother didn't make me WRITE thank you notes because it cost money to buy them and then to send them. My opinion.) Whatever way it was done, I was EXPECTED to acknowledge a gift and thank for it--even the $1 bill one of my VERY cheap aunts always sent.

From the time my girls were old enough to hold a pencil, they 'wrote' thank you notes. Granted, the first ones were ones I wrote and they scribbled their 'names' on. Then, I wrote the notes and they actually signed them. The next step: I wrote out a sample note which they then copied in their own handwriting. And, finally, they were on their own to write the notes by themselves. To this day, they continue to write thank you notes for gifts they receive--and quite beautiful ones, I have been told. (They are very hit-and-miss when it comes to sending notes to me. I have accepted this as long as they remember to send to everyone else.)

The Brother and his family hardly ever send thank you notes. I am still waiting for thank yous from his three oldest daughters for their graduation gifts--as well as YEARS of other gifts we have given that family. These graduations were in 2001, 2003, and 2004 (or '05)--I don't think they will be coming. Their youngest--our goddaughter--gets a note out to us once every few years. No note this year for the Christmas OR birthday gifts. (Last year, I sent a check for her birthday and it never was even CASHED!) I have always wondered WHAT the hell is wrong with The Brother and his wife and I still do to this day. They are such social SLOBS.

The way I look at it: if someone spends the amount of time to pick out a gift for you, spend their money, and get it to you, you have an OBLIGATION to spend three minutes writing a thank you note. Why aren't people being taught this very simple social grace?

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Anna Nicole Smith

It is being reported that Anna Nicole Smith has died. The only reason I am even writing about this is the fact that she has been a frequently recurring subject in the gossip columns I read. Terrible thing for me to say, but, I'm not really surprised by this. It will be interesting (?) to see how this plays out in the media over the next few days, weeks, months.

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Three killed in suspected meteorite fall

New Delhi- Three people were killed and four injured in a mysterious blast in a village in India's northern Rajasthan state Thursday that villagers claim was caused by a meteorite, news reports said. Residents of Banchola village in Bundi district, about 200 kilometres south of Rajasthan capital Jaipur, said the victims were sitting with some iron scrap in an open field when an "object" fell from the sky and hit them, IANS news agency reported.

"The matter is under investigation. We know that there was a blast but looking at the crater it does not seem that it happened due to a meteorite," a Bundi police official was quoted as saying by IANS.

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Anna Nicole Smith

11-28-67 - 2-8-07

Rest in Peace

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Army probe: No Abuse at Guantanamo

An Army officer who investigated possible abuse at Guantanamo Bay after some guards purportedly bragged about beating detainees found no evidence they mistreated the prisoners — although he did not interview any of the alleged victims, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

There is also no gambling at Rick's.

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Things I Don't 'Get'

There are some things that just completely elude me--other than football, that is. Here are a few:

--Ayn Rand

Praises on top of praises have been heaped on this author and I just don't see what is so great about her. I read 'The Fountainhead' and hated it--there were no characters in the book that I admired or 'pulled for', and that included the main character. After my disappointment with this book, I decided against reading anything else she wrote.

--Shakespeare

Now, he may have been a wonderful writer and told great stories, but I just found his writing to be too much work. When I read something, I want to be entertained (to a certain extent) and I found myself working too hard when I read anything of his. For entertainment purposes, I need things to be easy--Shakespeare isn't easy. Other than being forced to read him for school, I will pass on Shakespeare.

--Regis Philben

If anyone can explain WHY this man is on TV and WHY anyone wants to watch him, I will listen. All I see when I look at the man--not that I do so voluntarily--is an old man with an enormous ego who loves to hear himself talk. Just don't get his popularity.

--Bruce Springsteen

I know these are fighting words, but, I DON'T LIKE 'THE BOSS.' I don't think he is overly talented with his song writing or his singing. Can't see what the appeal is there.

--Opera

Do I even need to explain why I don't get this?

--The 'handsomeness' of Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio

Okay, maybe this is a generational thing, but I don't think either one of these two men are good looking. For sure, neither does a thing for my 'knock my socks off' meter. I 'get' Patrick Dempsey, Hugh Laurie, Adrian Grenier, Matthew Fox, Matthew McConaughey, etc.--I just don't see it with Brad or Leo.

--Apple and Steve Jobs

No one has explained in an understandable way why exactly Apples are better than PCs. I have had an opportunity to 'mess around' with an Apple and just don't see the advantage. Steve Jobs, as far as I have ever been able to tell, is just a great salesman. The man is an over-sized ego inside a normal-sized body. At least with Bill Gates, he actually KNOWS how to write software (the man does have a near-genius IQ)--something I have never heard said about Jobs.

--American Idol, Survivor, and most every other reality show

Granted, I HAVE watched 'Queer Eye For The Straight Guy' (and was a fan), 'Project Runway' (and was a fan), and one or two other shows (for part or all of only one season), but I don't understand the obsession that people feel for some of these shows. I don't see the appeal. (That being said, I AM watching the new show on Bravo called 'Top Design'. It is only in its second week, so I am not sure how much more I will watch. I figured I might get some good ideas for my own home by watching--we'll have to see.)

--Sushi

Raw fish? And just WHO thought this was a good idea?

--A Brazilian Wax

Don't even want to THINK about it.

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