Friday, August 29, 2008

McCain Picks Palin- According to...Me!

OK- I've said this before but this morning I'm even more convinced...Just remember you heard it here first..
Yahoo News...As the political community turned desperate for any clues, speculation moved toward several darkhorse candidates including Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the so-called "hockey mom" credited with reforms of her out-of-the-way state.
A Gulfstream IV from Anchorage, Alaska, flew into Middletown Regional Airport in Butler County near Cincinnati about 10:15 p.m. Thursday, said Rich Bevis, airport manager. He said several people came off the plane, including a woman and two teens, but there was no confirmation of who was aboard.
"They were pretty much hustled off. They came right down the ramp, jumped in some vans here and off they went," Bevis said. "It was all hush, hush."...
(more)

"...the right to die then runs the risk of becoming a duty."

RIMINI, Italy, AUG. 28, 2008 (Zenit.org).- People in favor of euthanasia often support it "for others," without thinking about the end of their own lives, contends a cancer patient who changed her mind about life after she was diagnosed with her terminal disease.Silvie Menard, a French oncologist and consultant at the Center of Experimental Oncology of the National Institute of Tumors in Milan, Italy, spoke of her change of perspective in a conference at the Rimini meeting organized by Communion and Liberation. The annual meeting is under way through Saturday.She said she had arranged for a living will, but as soon as she discovered that she was ill with cancer, she changed her mind.
Menard, a specialist in the study of cancer and the new medicines to combat it, said that after years of work with gravely ill people, she was in favor of living wills. But when she discovered that she herself had a bone marrow tumor, her life "took on a different meaning."
(more)

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Russia's Recognition of Independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia Is Illegitimate: They Are Not Kosovo

I'm not convinced that the rest of Georgia is safe much less the Ukraine.
The real reason the former Soviet states and Eastern block nations want to be part of NATO is for protection from the Russian Bear. But remember, Obama first said they were both to blame. Ah yes, the Bear and the goat, equally to blame...
From the Heritage:
Russia has signaled its intention to continue escalating the crisis in Georgia by unilaterally and illegally recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.After both failing to abide by the terms of the formal ceasefire negotiated by French President Nicholas Sarkozy and vetoing attempts to resolve the crisis in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he "now felt obliged to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as other countries had done with Kosovo."[1]
Comparing the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia with Kosovo is not only duplicitous, but it is also a calculated move by Moscow designed to show the West that it was serious when it threatened reprisals for Kosovo's declaration of independence in February.[2] Russia successfully engineered this crisis to suit its broader geopolitical ambitions, and unless the West pushes back in unequivocal terms, it is more than likely that Russia will pursue similar policies in other neighboring states, particularly Ukraine. (more)

What Obama doesn't Want You to Know

Obama's attack on free speech continues...
Kurtz, a conservative writer, recently wrote an article for the National Review that looked at Obama's ties to Ayers, a former 1960s radical who later emerged as a school reform advocate in Chicago.
The magazine had been blocked in its initial attempts to obtain records from the University of Illinois at Chicago regarding a school reform initiative called the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which Obama chaired and Ayers co-founded.
Obama critics were quick to suggest that political clout could be involved in seeking to protect Obama from embarrassment. The school later reserved its position and made the records available Tuesday.
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How the Georgian Conflict Really Started

From the WSJ:
...The damage in Gori's civilian areas, like the Stalin-era neighborhood of Combinaty, give the lie to claims made by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in these pages that Russian forces "acted efficiently and professionally" to achieve "clear and legitimate objectives." Either that, or they fully intended -- as a "legitimate" objective -- to flatten civilian streets in order to sow fear, drive out innocents and create massive refugee outflows....
Finally, he says, the invasion had to be done before the situation in Iraq got any better and freed up U.S. forces to act elsewhere -- a matter not simply of U.S. weakness but of increasing U.S. strength. "If America thinks it is too weak to do anything about Georgia," said Mr. Saakashvili, "you should understand how the Russians see it, how much Moscow respects a strong United States -- or at least a U.S. that believes in its own strength." (more)

Winged-Cat Causes Sensation in China

A break from politics. As reported by Fox:

While most cats are known for their ability to land on their feet, some in China may soon be able to glide to safety on their mysterious wings.
A tabby from the Qingyan province in China recently sprouted a pair of fur-covered wings on his back during a hot-weather spell, the U.K.’s Daily Mail reported.

Maybe he was trying to cool himself off- not wings, a fan...
Immediately, the unique kitty became a spectacle to behold, as visitors flocked (very punny) to see the unusual feline.
One cat owner, identified only as Feng, claimed her pet’s wings were the result of stress from too many females desiring to mate with him, the Mail reported.

Too many females trying to mate with him, huh? Maybe they weren't wings?
“At first they were just two bumps,” she told the Mail. “But they started to grow quickly and after a month there were two wings.”
But the owner later grew fearful that the tabby would either be stolen by envious admirers or that it would fly away and decided to cut one of the two flappers off, World Entertainment News Network said.

He can still fly, just around in circles...

VP Checkmate?

I think McCain will pick a woman, either from Texas (Hutchinson) or Alaska (Palin), as his VP. But this article over at Townhall makes agood arguement. I'm afraid it comes a bit late in the game to have any effect though.
...Rick Santorum is young, energetic, articulate, and has strong conservative bona-fides. He is engaging, intellectually oriented to vital public policy issues; and, he listens. Also, Santorum, a former Senator from Pennsylvania, is Catholic and pro-life.
These are just a few of the reasons why McCain’s selection of Santorum checkmates Obama, and neutralizes Obama’s political calculations in picking the very liberal Joe Biden.
Here is another reality: Rick Santorum will excite the conservative base nationally, strengthen appeal with Catholics and evangelicals everywhere, and help in Pennsylvania.
Let’s calibrate this further....
More

The Re-Education of the Speaker

This headline over at LifeSite: "Catholic" Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion followed by the story- In an appearance on the NBC program Meet the Press on Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a self-professed Catholic, denied that the Catholic Church condemns abortion. and further as reported at Salon: "doctors of the church" have not been able to define when life begins and that "over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy." Thankfully the Church has chosen not to remain silent in the face of these lies. You can go here and read the rest.
For the record, The Didache (c.150) an early Christian document provides additional evidence that among all Christian communities at all times, abortion is forbidden. Specifically, it says this:
"Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not practice pederasty; do not fornicate; do not steal; do not deal in magic; do not practice sorcery; do not kill a fetus by abortion, or commit infanticide."
Hippocrates, in the Hippocratic Oath says..." I will not give fatal draught to anyone if I am asked, nor will I suggest any such thing. Neither will I give a woman means to procure an abortion.
I will be chaste and religious in my life and in my practice."
Both reminders can be found in my current favorite book, "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization," by Professor Anthony Esolen. An excellent gift for your children before or during their college careers.

Major Media Decide - Vote Obama

From Townhall:
...How bad is it?
Take the recent studies by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, a nonpartisan, non-ideological and nonpolitical research organization. PEJ finds that from June 9 through Aug. 17, Obama received significantly more coverage than McCain -- even during Obama's Hawaii vacation. During the not-particularly-memorable week of June 23 to June 29, Obama received more than twice the coverage of McCain -- 82 percent to 40 percent.
And it's not just Obama. Last year, Harvard and PEJ studied presidential campaign stories from January through May in print, TV, radio and Internet outlets. Surprise, surprise, it turns out Democrats got more stories (49 percent) than Republicans (31 percent). Also, the tone of the coverage was more positive for Democrats (35 percent) than for Republicans (26 percent).
...(more)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Creative Minority Report: Cardinal Egan Blasts Pelosi - A Catholic Blog: Religion, Politics, Current Events, Humor, and more.

Don't you just love it when a Church leader, well, leads? What a breath of fresh air...

I love this, "Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name."
Read the rest of the statement here:
Creative Minority Report: Cardinal Egan Blasts Pelosi -

And Sometimes Tea: Arthurian, Not Messianic

Good and funny stuff over at "And Sometimes Tea" on the Obama/ greek column discussion...."Shazam!" That's funny...

And Sometimes Tea: Arthurian, Not Messianic

FactCheck: The fuller story in Denver

From Salon:
Aug 27th, 2008 DENVER -- Sen. Barack Obama's formal nomination Wednesday as the Democratic candidate for president brought with it a barrage of renewed attacks on his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain. Some were on point, but others missed the mark.
One example:
—SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER of WEST VIRGINIA: "John McCain has served his country with honor. But his refusal to change course even in the face of the failed policies of Bush-Cheney is reckless and will not keep us safe."
THE FACTS: After the U.S. led the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, McCain initially said he had no doubt U.S. forces would be "welcomed as liberators" in Baghdad; Vice President Dick Cheney made the same prediction.
But McCain changed his mind after making his first visit to the Iraqi capital later that year
...(More)

Editorial: Does Obama support free speech or not?

A good question raised by the DCExaminer. Added to their desire for the so-called "Fairness Doctrine", to silence talk-radio and the question takes on even more importance...
...Democrats such as Barack Obama are increasingly showing a disturbing eagerness to invoke the power of the state to silence critics. The latest example of this growing anti-First Amendment mentality is Obama’s heavy-handed response to a television ad by an independent nonprofit that raises some very basic questions about the Illinois senator’s relationship with William Ayers, the unrepentant 1960s terrorist bomber.
Obama’s campaign has encouraged supporters to flood television stations with protests whenever they see the ad. Nothing wrong with that, but the other thrust of the Obama response was to ask the Justice Department to intervene to stop further airing of the ad. That’s where Obama crossed the line and raised a question of fundamental importance — does he or does he not believe the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech?..(
more)

People of faith challenge Democrats

From Salon:
...The head of a large African-American denomination challenged the party on abortion. An Orthodox Jewish rabbi raised his voice about school choice. A thirty-something evangelical Christian author warned against Democrats who mock believers.
Although well aware that party officials have political reasons for reaching out to them, several faith figures taking part in convention events say they want to go beyond talk about how faith and values inform longstanding Democratic policies. They are also calling for change on core Democratic issues, which could create tension....(
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Obama seeks to silence ad tying him to 60s radical

From Breitbart: BTW the ad can be seen on the left of this blog...

...Obama not only aired a response ad to the spot linking him to William Ayers, but he sought to block stations the commercial by warning station managers and asking the Justice Department to intervene. The campaign also planned to compel advertisers to pressure stations that continue to air the anti-Obama commercial....

So much for that "tolerance" thing...
I mean if it was about an outright lie that would be one thing, but once again the judgement of Obama comes to the forefront. As a McCain spokesman said, "The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama's judgment than any TV ad ever could." (more)

Wind turbines make bat lungs explode

Well now. If this is true it adds a bit of a difficulty for the enviromentalists does it not? I mean added to the noise and the marred skyline....

"Beware: exploding lungs" is not a sign one would expect to see at a wind farm. But a new study suggests this is the main reason bats die in large numbers around wind turbines. The risk that wind turbines pose to birds is well known and has dogged debates over wind energy. In fact, several studies have suggested the risk to bats is greater...

read more digg story

Monday, August 25, 2008

The Devil went Down to Georgia-

Russia's Nuclear Threat Is More Than Words- From the Op-Ed of WSJ:
...Not only has Russia retained a sizable nuclear arsenal, its military and political leaders regularly engage in aggressive bluster about expanded deployment and possible use, and sometimes they go beyond bluster. Six months ago, Russia began sending cruise missile-capable Bear H bombers on sallies along the coast of Alaska.
As recently as July, the newspaper Izvestia floated the idea that Moscow would station nuclear weapons in Cuba if the U.S. went ahead with the deployment of an antiballistic missile radar in the Czech Republic and interceptors in Poland. Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, chief of Russia's strategic missile command, has openly spoken about aiming nuclear-tipped missiles at those two countries. Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine that if it were to join NATO, "Russia will have to point its warheads at Ukrainian territory." Not long before that, Mr. Putin cheerfully described a series of ballistic-missile flight tests as "pleasant and spectacular holiday fireworks."...(
more)

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Creative Minority Report: Devil Worship Promoted at the Front Lines of the LA Cathedral - A Catholic Blog: Religion, Politics, Current Events, Humor, and more.

Wow. Really unbelievable story over at CMR. Although I'm fairly sure I would get even more horrific reponses at my Methodist church. OK- scratch the fairly...

Creative Minority Report: Devil Worship Promoted at the Front Lines of the LA Cathedral - A Catholic Blog: Religion, Politics, Current Events, Humor, and more.

Creative Minority Report: Nuts: Gen. Petraeus Should be Court Martialed for Proselytizing? - A Catholic Blog: Religion, Politics, Current Events, Humor, and more.

Good article over at CMR. Just another example of our culture's demise. It's not just that there are people out there with such ideas. Rather, it's the fact that they're taken seriously.
Creative Minority Report: Nuts: Gen. Petraeus Should be Court Martialed for Proselytizing? - A Catholic Blog: Religion, Politics, Current Events, Humor, and more.

The odd choices in Barack Obama's career

From the American Thinker:
It's time to throw my hat in the ring as regards predicting the election results. So here it is: Barack Obama will be defeated. Seriously and convincingly defeated. Not due to racism, not due to the forces of reaction, not even due to Karl Rove sending out mind rays over the national cable system. He will lose for one reason above all, one that has been overlooked in any analysis that I've yet seen. Barack Obama will lose because he is a flake. ..(more)