The Revenge of the Caption Contest!

Last one of the Year!


Co-conspirators:

Wyatt
RT
Cowboy Blob
Rodney Dill

Parade Knows "Best"

And who's on the cover??



The Best & Worst of 2008
Publication Date: 12/28/2008
We've gathered the year's top news, political events and breakthroughs. Plus, the quirkiest stories of '08.

We're Losing in Iraq, Right?

For first time, Christmas official holiday in Iraq
By JIM HEINTZ, Associated Press Writer Jim Heintz, Associated Press Writer – Thu Dec 25, 6:41 am ET

BAGHDAD – Iraq's Christians, a scant minority in this overwhelmingly Muslim country, quietly celebrated Christmas on Thursday with a present from the government, which declared it an official holiday for the first time.

But security worries overshadowed the day for many, particularly in the north where thousands of Christians have fled to escape religious attacks.

Overall security in Iraq has improved markedly in the past year, but a fatal car bombing in Baghdad on Christmas morning was a gruesome reminder that serious problems remain.

In his homily on Thursday, Chaldean Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly praised the establishment of Christmas as an official holiday as a step toward easing tensions.

"I thank the government for giving chances to all to serve each other for the general benefit, and I thank it too for making this day an official holiday where we pray to God to make us trust each other as brothers," he said at the Christmas Mass before several dozen worshippers in the small chapel of a Baghdad monastery.

A senior Shiite cleric, Ammar al-Hakim, attended the Mass flanked by bodyguards in a gesture of cooperation with Christians.

"I thank the visitors here and ask them to share happiness and love with their brothers on Christmas; by this they will build a glorious Iraq," the cardinal said.

"We came here to bring a message of love, respect and gratitude to our Christian brothers and to share happiness with them as we have shared sadness with them during the cruel targeting they came under," al-Hakim said in an interview with al-Furat TV. "We will do our best for equality between people and a good life for all, whatever their religious, sectarian and ethnic background."

He is the son and heir-apparent of Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, Iraq's biggest mainstream Shiite party.

Iraq's Christians, estimated to number only a few hundred thousand of the country's 26 million people, have often been the target of attacks by Islamic extremists in Iraq. Tens of thousands have fled; many of those who stayed were isolated in neighborhoods protected by barricades and checkpoints.

A coordinated bombing campaign in 2004 targeted churches in the Iraqi capital and anti-Christian violence also flared in September 2007 after Pope Benedict XVI made comments perceived to be against Islam.

For Mariam Polis, who fled her home in Mosul a year ago after anti-Christian threats spread and two priests were killed, this Christmas was a day of bitterness.

"There's not enough money, no house, no stability to prepare for Christmas Eve," said the 55-year-old woman who now occupies a one-room clay house in the northern village of Ein Kawa. "It is better for us to die."

But for another woman who fled to Ein Kawa, there was a bit of cheer thanks to money sent from abroad by her brother.

"We got a bright Christmas tree — it is a symbol we love," Raeida Anwar Abid said.

In the city of Sulaimaniyah in Kurdistan, which is comparatively orderly, many Christians spent hours at a Christmas Eve Mass at the Mar Joseph church.

"Iraq is bleeding and we have to heal the wounds with united hands," priest Dinha Toma said the service.

___

Associated Press writers Yahya Barzanji in Sulaimaniyah and Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Merry CHRISTmas!!

From Luke 2:

1 And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. 2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David. 5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. 6 And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn. Her firstborn... The meaning is, not that she had afterward any other child; but it is a way of speech among the Hebrews, to call them also the firstborn, who are the only children. See annotation Matt. 1. 25. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock. 9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them and the brightness of God shone round about them: and they feared with a great fear. 10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people: 11 For, this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.

15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us. 16 And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. 18 And all that heard wondered: and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

To all of my readers, bloggers and fellow colleagues:

I wish you all health, peace, happiness and success in all of your 2009 ventures!

From the Bitch & Moan Files

Alligator tears from Brian Tierney:

Philadelphia's newspapers: A public trust Brian P. Tierney, Publisher

It happens everywhere I go: an Eagles game, my church, even a recent Neil Young concert - where a stranger recognized me as "the guy with the papers" and told me he subscribes to both of them.

(You know what they say about fools and money, Brian,...)

Everyone is talking about the great stories in our newspapers, whether it's our recent series on the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Postal Service, coverage of the Eagles' quarterback controversy, or minute-by-minute dispatches from the Fumo and Fort Dix Five trials on Philly.com.

But some aren't just talking about the great stories in The Inquirer and XXXXX XXXX. They're also asking a question: Are our papers going to make it?

(I hope so. My bird and fishmongers throughout the Delaware Valley are counting on it)

It's no wonder.

The news about newspapers has been deeply distressing.

The Tribune Co. has filed for bankruptcy. Detroit's daily papers are about to cut four days a week of home delivery. And we've had to make some painful cuts, too, to remain profitable - including selective layoffs in recent weeks.

(Obviously Chris "America Sucks" Satullo and and Trudy "America Can't Win" Rubin weren't high on that layoff list)

But there's more to the story here in Philadelphia. And given all the bad news and anxious questions, it's time to tell some of the rest of the story.

What makes our Philadelphia newspapers different? First and foremost, we've invested heavily in the quality of our journalism. And we've been rewarded for it with faithful readership, steady growth and profitability.

(What planet are you on, Brian?? You almost missed a loan payment in October!)

About 1.2 million people physically pick up and read our papers every day. That audience compares favorably to those of many national news outlets, and it dwarfs the reach of other local media. And, contrary to conventional wisdom, 30 percent of our readers - more than 300,000 - are young people, between 18 and 34.

Our advertisers keep telling us that nothing moves their products like an ad in our newspapers.

(An ad in ANY newspaper moves products. Next,...)

Most important, it's the fuel that powers our democracy, providing citizens with the facts they need to make informed decisions in their daily lives.

(And commenter tr88 hits it on the head: "A free press keeps us free, a biased press misinforms and does just the opposite.")

Some may lament, "Oh, journalism has changed, and I like newspapers the way they were 25 years ago." All I can measure is how we compare to June 30, 2006, the day our local investor group took over, and I can say with certainty that our papers are better, and the research shows that, by a margin of 5-1, you agree.

(I didn't get polled. Must be the same pollsters at CeeNoNews who asked Democrats if they were going to vote for Obama or McCain.)

Not only do we continue to provide outstanding coverage of breaking news, politics, sports and culture, but we also keep coming up with inventive ways to deliver it. From videos to blogs to live chats with reporters, we're inviting you into the conversation and giving you access to the amazing journalists who make our newspapers not just relevant, but also indispensable.

Our original news reporting sets the table for the entire region's news output, much of which derives from the work we do. No other news medium - television, radio or Web - can compare to the daily coverage produced by our approximately 400 journalists. Overall, more than 3,000 men and women sell the ads, run the presses, drive the trucks, and make the papers possible.

This is a tremendous responsibility, and we take it seriously. Without The Inquirer and XXXXX XXXX, who would be exposing corruption and incompetence, celebrating athletic and artistic accomplishments, chronicling business successes and failures, and covering our city and region so thoroughly?

Among the hundreds of skilled journalists doing that is Pulitzer Prize winner Mike Vitez, one of a dozen on staff. His moving stories about people without health insurance have cast a bright, unforgiving light on our deeply flawed health-care system - and prompted government agencies to help people who had been struggling alone.

You can't get that kind of 360-degree view from any other news source in the region.

In today's economic climate, we all have to stick with what we do best. In our case, that's delivering comprehensive, uncompromising coverage of the news that hits close to home. Our journalists know what matters to your community because it's their community, too. They're driven by what compels you to pick up our paper every day: the need to understand this region and its people.

Much the same can be said of the homegrown group of investors who returned this paper to local control 21/2 years ago, proudly making it the largest locally owned paper in America.

We're your neighbors.

We grew up in towns like Upper Darby, Elkins Park, Springfield, Flourtown and Deptford Township.

We went to school here.

We care deeply about Philadelphia, its suburbs and South Jersey.

We're not trying to create the next multinational media behemoth. We're rebuilding the kind of world-class hometown papers that used to define cities like Philadelphia.

Big challenges lie ahead, and a slowing economy makes it undeniably tougher. But The Inquirer has been around for 180 years, and we're committed to making certain it's around for 180 years more.

So, the next time I see you at a game, at Mass, or at a concert, please keep telling me what we're doing well - and what we can do better. And please remember the critical role these newspapers play in our community.

At 51, I've been in other businesses that were just as tough as this one. But none of them seemed quite as important. And that's why I'm proud of this great, historic endeavor. Our local owners know it's more than a business; it's a public trust.


The TrekMedic shouts from his soapbox: Brian, you had every opporuntity to make the Inkwaster something better. Change isn't only from the bottom line to pay back your investors; change comes from the top. You've kept the same liberal-leaning editors that drove the paper into the ground. Sure, adding Trek-friend Lisa Scottoline was cute. Adding Rick Santorum would be better if he wasn't marginalized to every other Thursday. Giving that bald-headed Quisling TWO columns a week is a joke. No, Brian, there won't be a CHRISTmas for your newspaper and tree-killing rag. The government won't bail you out, no matter how much of the Obamistake's Kool-Aid you drink. Want "change?" Start reporting the news as news, not as another left-leaning opinion piece!

**THAT'S MY OPINION AND YOU'RE ENTITLED TO IT!!**

Chappy Channukah!

Oy to the World?

52 Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year,* 53they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt-offering that they had built. 54At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. 55All the people fell on their faces and worshipped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. 56So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and joyfully offered burnt-offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving-offering. 57They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and fitted them with doors. 58There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the Gentiles was removed.

59 Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.

DoubleStandarddradnnatSelbuoD (NY Style)

Does this sound familiar?

From The Onion:

September 24, 2008 | Issue 44•39
Point
Gov. Palin Has No Foreign Policy Experience, Refuses To Acknowledge Global Warming, And Supports The War In Iraq

By Roger Hobaugh, Concerned Citizen

There may be no better word to describe John McCain's vice presidential pick than "ridiculous."

After months of criticizing Sen. Obama for his inexperience with foreign policy, McCain has chosen quite possibly the least experienced woman in politics to serve as his second-in-command. How little experience does Palin have, you ask? She was a part-time mayor of a tiny Alaska town and then governor of one of the least populous states in the union for less than two years. Palin has never met with any foreign leaders of any kind—in fact, she only applied for a U.S. passport last year!

In this time of international turmoil, how could McCain, a man who would become the oldest candidate ever elected, select a novice like Palin knowing she would be one heartbeat away from having to step into the presidency and protect our nation? The mere notion that Palin is even remotely equipped to manage the ongoing war on terror is an out-and-out fantasy dreamt up by the Republican party to disguise why they really selected her: to attract female and evangelical voters in a desperate attempt to win the election at any cost—even if it means sacrificing our nation's security.

Palin is not a bold new choice for America. I have no doubt she will provide the same type of irresponsible and flat-out dangerous leadership we've seen from President Bush for the past eight years. That is, if she provides any leadership at all.


The TrekMedic ponders:

OK, class,....who does this sound like? Raise your hands if you can guess,...


tic,....


tic,...


tic,...


tic,...


tic,...

OK,..time's up. Look familiar?




Yup,..its Miss Experienced-by-Genetics herself, Caroline "Nepotism? Dynasty? Moi?" Kennedy!!

And the Backstabbing Begins,....

Imagine all those Jews who blindly supported the Obamessiah's "change:"

Report: Obama Team Planning Iranian Outreach Post
The Washington Times reports that Barack Obama's administration will probably include a newly created post meant to reach out to Iran.

Barack Obama is planning to create a new administration post meant to reach out to Iran, The Washington Times reported Friday.

Such a move would support the president-elect's pledge during the campaign to engage the rogue nation.

The Times quoted a State Department official who said Obama's team discussed naming a senior Iranian outreach coordinator in early meetings with Hillary Clinton, Obama's pick for secretary of state.

Iranian specialists also said the position was in the works. Obama's team has made no official announcement on the creation of such a post.

Obama drew criticism from his GOP rival John McCain during the presidential campaign for saying he would be willing to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Though the Bush administration has traditionally refused to negotiate with Iran without preconditions, Undersecretary of State William Burns attended a meeting in Switzerland over the summer with an Iranian nuclear official.

Click here to read the full story in The Washington Times.

The TrekMedic thinks:

Not only is the Obamistake bringing back every Clintonian loser alive, he's bringing back the same ol' "talk, accept at face value, but DON'T verify, act shocked when we get stabbed in the back" Clintonian foreign policies, too!

Live Long and Prosper!

Majel Roddenberry, 'First Lady of Star Trek,' dies

NEW YORK (AP) — Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has died. She was 76. Roddenberry, an actress who appeared in numerous Star Trek TV shows and movies, died Thursday of leukemia at her home in Bel-Air, Calif., her representative said.

At Roddenberry's side were family friends and her only son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr. Gene Roddenberry died in 1991.

Her romance with Roddenberry earned her the title The First Lady of Star Trek. A fixture in the Star Trek franchise, her roles included Nurse Christine Chapel in the original Star Trek, Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in almost every spinoff of the 1966 cult series. She recently reprised the voice role in the upcoming Star Trek film directed by J.J. Abrams.

What the FuCC??

And the horse they rode in on,....

FCC gets complaints on Utley's on-air F-bomb
By Michael Klein
Inquirer Staff Writer

It was the F-bomb heard round the world . . . or at least the Philadelphia area.

And Phillies second baseman Chase Utley's use of the colorful adjective during the team's World Series victory parade on Oct. 31 has landed in the lap of the Federal Communications Commission.

The FCC reports it received 26 complaints from the public about Utley's language, which was heard live, in the late afternoon, on at least five television stations and one radio station, KYW (1060). Nielsen Media Research estimated that more than 825,000 local viewers saw part of the parade on CBS3, 6ABC, NBC10, Fox29, or Comcast SportsNet.

Whether any of the stations will face sanctions is not clear. An FCC spokeswoman said Tuesday that the agency does not comment on open issues.

The complaints - copies of which were requested by The Inquirer under the Freedom of Information Act - assign equal blame to Utley and the stations. The identities of the complainants were redacted.

"If they didn't want such words to be broadcast, they should have aired [it] on a delay to catch any obscene language," wrote a viewer from Philadelphia. "Pull their license to broadcast."

Another viewer wrote: "He should be disciplined for his lack of respect towards his fans and in particular the children exposed to such vulgarity. . . . The broadcasters are not at fault. Chase Utley is."

Another: "This was not a casual slip. This was an intentional misuse and abuse of the public airwaves. . . . How am I to explain such profanity to my child?"

And another: "It was embarrassing that he was allowed to do that and if there are no ramifications I will be furious. Is there no platform that is sacred anymore?"

Utley, who would not face sanctions himself, addressed his language Monday during a news conference about his surgically repaired hip: "I tell all kids not to use that word. If they're 29 and they win the World Series, I think they can say that. But I definitely would say to all the kids out there, 'Kids, it's a bad word. Don't say it. And I'm dead serious.' "

Anchors on most stations apologized after the speech, which was not subject to the delays common in talk radio. The stations themselves this week recalled receiving few if any complaints. The stations either declined to comment or did not respond to inquiries this week.

The case - the uttering of a fleeting expletive in a live setting - may become part of a battle between the FCC and broadcasters.

The audio and video in Citizens Bank Park, at the end of the parade, was provided by Comcast SportsNet under a pool arrangement to local broadcasters. SportsNet would not face sanctions because it is a cable network, not a broadcaster, and is not subject to FCC indecency rules.

SportsNet, which has made the parade video available through Comcast On Demand, recently edited out Utley's comment.


Here's the unedited version - NSFW - will curve the spines of Vestal Virgins and cause autism in small children (/snark!)



The TrekMedic sez:

For cryin' out loud, we haven't won the Big One in 28 years. Chase rarely gets in front of a microphone. He was probably still half-lit from all the champagne. Cut him a f**king break.
Oh, yeah,...and we're Philadelphia sports fans! We throw snowballs at Santa!!

The Elephant Man Speaks!

From the Inkwaster:

Commentary
The Elephant in the Room: Republicans need a new leader

By Rick Santorum

The American electorate has taken the Republican Party to the woodshed for a beating the past two election cycles. Suffice it to say I'm personally familiar with the inside of that woodshed.

Many factors have contributed to my party's going down to defeat time and again: an unpopular war, ethical scandals, and a budget deficit that grew for both good (9/11 response) and bad reasons (bridges to nowhere).

But the most important factor may be our failure to articulate who we are as a party. In short, what do Republicans stand for, and how do we communicate that today?

Let's look at this in the context of the Republican Party's current national leadership void.

Between 2001 and 2007, I served as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the organization charged with coordinating Republican senators' message to the American people. During this time, Republicans controlled the White House, the House and Senate, and a majority of the country's governorships. We didn't have just one bully pulpit; we had dozens.

This was both an opportunity and a challenge. And we failed.

I look back and marvel at the missed opportunities. A few of us were committed to developing a cooperative culture among our leadership and, ideally, a coordinated communications strategy. For the first time in memory, we held bicameral retreats. We talked about joint strategic planning. But the planning broke down in practice.

And Republicans made it worse by nominating a 2008 presidential candidate who has never been known for either his vision or his ability to communicate.

It is vital, therefore, that the Republican Party's next national chairman be not just a great manager of a large, complex organization, but a leader who can forge a consensus vision and help articulate it.

First, the new chairman must help the GOP leadership in Washington and the states produce a clear, compelling vision for America, rooted in our party's long-standing conservative beliefs.

I believe America is a center-right country. America will not thrive if we continue to abandon capitalism; our leadership role in the world, backed by a strong military; and the values our forefathers bequeathed to us in our founding documents.

Second, the new chairman must plan and prepare to effectively articulate that message to the American people.

Our governing philosophy was not rejected in the last two elections; rather, we could not plausibly explain how our ideas and actions matched that philosophy. That problem continues today, as the government considers whether to borrow and print more money to bail out the Big Three auto manufacturers, which are even less worthy of a bailout than the financial sector.

Finally, the Republican Party must develop technology that will make the Obama team envious. While that seems unlikely, it's exactly what the Democrats did between the 2004 and 2008 elections.

The Republican National Committee and the Bush campaign once ran circles around the Democrats. We tried to build on what worked, but the Democrats grasped the scale of change in technology and vaulted past us.

And technology alone won't be enough. The new chairman has to winsomely communicate our vision and build a nationwide team to deliver our message.

We are up against a new Great Communicator. We cannot leave the field uncontested.

The First 2008 Blog List

From Political Vindication:

After checking out Fred R. Shapiro’s choice of quotes for 2008 (that’s the article you’ve seen plastered all over the internet this past week), Political Vindication decided we could do far better. So here it is - the best (and by definition, the worst) political quotes of election year 2008.

10) As the election hysteria rose to a feverish pitch in 2008, Obama followers were balancing on their toes in orgasmic anticipation of The One’s ascension. This quote, recorded at a rally, reflects perfectly the dementia running rampant among the glazed-eyed crowds:

“It was the most memorable time of my life. It was a touching moment because I never thought this day would ever happen. I won’t have to worry about putting gas in my car. I won’t have to worry about paying my mortgage. You know, if I help him, he’s gonna help me.”

9) Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, had been saying for years that there was nothing wrong with either the finances or practices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. When the government sponsored private institutions collapsed and brought on the collapse of the economy, Barney changed his tune. Suddenly it was all the Republican’s fault!

“They get to take things out on poor people,” Frank said at a mortgage foreclosure symposium in Boston. “Let’s be honest: The fact that some of the poor people are black doesn’t hurt them either, from their standpoint. This is an effort, I believe, to appeal to a kind of anger in people.”

8 ) It seems irony is an elephant that never forgets. As the Democrats began the political season boasting a diversity in all but dogmatic liberalism, it didn’t take long before everyone began pulling out the shame cards they’d been using against Republicans for years. This time, though, they were pulling it out on each other. Bill Clinton, America’s “first black president”, was not amused by Obama’s quick draw:

“I think that they played the race card on me. And we now know, from memos from the campaign and everything that they planned to do it all along.”

7) When the issue of abortion is being debated in the Catholic community, it’s expected that we defer to church doctrine. Unless, of course, you’re Nancy Pelosi. Then you defer to…well, Senator Augustine. What did he say about when life begins? The Speaker tells us:

REP. PELOSI: “I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition. And Senator–St. Augustine said at three months. We don’t know….(skip ahead) I don’t think anybody can tell you when life begins, human life begins. As I say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are those who’ve decided…”

MR. BROKAW: “The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it…”

REP. PELOSI: “I understand that.”

MR. BROKAW: “…begins at the point of conception.”

REP. PELOSI: “I understand. And this is like maybe 50 years or something like that. So again, over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy. But it is, it is also true that God has given us, each of us, a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions. And we want abortions to be safe, rare, and reduce the number of abortions…”

6) It’s tough to pick a winner among the hundreds of examples of Sarah Palin derangement that poisoned minds and wet panties across the leftosphere during the 2008 election. Liberals assured us she was a “disabled” “blow up doll” and the only thing that differentiated her from a Muslim fundamentalist was lipstick. But for pure malicious moonbattery, no one matches the camp commander of paranoia, Naomi Wolf:

“Please understand what you are looking at when you look at Sarah “Evita” Palin. You are looking at the designated muse of the coming American police state.”

“Under the coming Palin-Rove police state, you will witness the plans now underway to bring Iraqi troops to patrol the streets of our nation. This is not McCain’s fantasy: it is Rove’s and Cheney’s.”

5) The Middle East is a bloody cauldron of medieval malevolence that is near to boiling over, or it’s not. Many on the left, including President Hopeandchange, are willing to hold on to their shoes and listen respectfully to what nuke-waving leaders like Mahmud Ahmadinejad have to say about the prospects of peace in our time.

“You should know that the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime which has 60 years of plundering, aggression and crimes in its file has reached the end of its work and will soon disappear off the geographical scene,” he said,

“Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States has come and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has started.”

4) Patriotism is a touchy issue around election time. Americans will think you’re bullying them into submission with the insinuation that to reject your call for their sacrifice is to hate your country. So naturally, the noted gaffemaster Joe Biden reached for the flag with one hand and your wallet with the other, singing:

“We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle class people,” said Biden today during an appearance on Good Morning America. “Anyone making over $250,000…” the host began to question, “Is going to pay more,” Biden interjected. “You got it. It’s time to be patriotic, Kate. It’s time to jump in, it’s time to be part of the deal, it’s time to help get America out of the rut.”

3) Being leader of the free world is a full time job, and there’s really nowhere to hide from the philosophical conundrums that demand a direct answer. This realization hit the presumptive President Hopeandchange one day in August as he was levitating under the klieg lights of Saddleback Church, being asked where on the pay scale we would find a world leader capable of deciding when a baby deserved human rights. He quickly discovered another way to vote ‘present’:

“Well, uh, you know, I think that whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or, uh, a scientific perspective, uh, answering that question with specificity, uh, you know, is, is, uh, above my pay grade.”

2) In Hollywood they say the streets are lined with fool’s gold, but it never look so good between a set of silicone street cones. I guess that’s why Americans think the script readers from tinsel town are capable of governing states and lecturing us on impending environmental catastrophes. Aspiring catastrophe Brooke Hogan is eager to offer a little wisdom of her own:

“You know what? I am actually not that much into voting. I think it’s kinda crazy that a woman is running, because I think that women deal with a lot of emotions and menopause and PMS and stuff. Like, I’m so moody all the time, I know I couldn’t be able to run a country, ‘cause I’d be crying one day and yelling at people the next day, ya know?”

1) People will pay good money for a top notch prognosticator, but what if you could get somewhere near the truth for free by deciphering grunts from the psychic’s dog? Maxine Waters, psychic version of a poodle with a personality disorder, sprayed us with a golden version of the future when she let it slip what government would do to the economy if free market principles interfered with a good time:

Waters responded, in part, “And guess what this liberal would be all about. This liberal will be about socializing … uh, um. …”

The congresswoman paused to collect her thoughts.

“Would be about, basically, taking over, and the government running all of your companies.”

Well, you know what they say - you hang out with dogs, you got to live with the fleas. There’s little doubt about why this country is in the shape it is - America is run by mangy creatures threatening us with the shampoo we ought to be scrubbing them with. But what if we did kick them all out, and the congress was a kennel full of new faces and a free neuter and spade clinic in the coat room? We’d still get what we voted for. If anything is ever going to change, it’s going to have to start with the people holding the leashes.

BTW: George Bush gets dishonorable mention for his hard work over the last eight years dismantling the conservative movement. Along with many kooky liberals and spaced out ‘moderates’, I’ll be cheering his exit from the People’s House in January. Let’s remember him this way:

“I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system,” Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision “to make sure the economy doesn’t collapse.”

Those Who Forget History,....

From TheStreet.com:


This post originally appeared on RealMoney Silver on Dec. 16.

When I understudied for Doug Kass in The Edge, his RealMoney Silver trading diary, way back in February, my theme was "That '70s Show," with the concern at that time being surging inflation caused by the Fed's massive money creation in the second half of 2007.

Well, Fonzie, those certainly were "Happy Days," being pre-Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae Lehman Brothers, American International Group), General Motors and Madoff. Inflation did surge in the first half of 2008, but the financial crisis subsequently intervened, and now we are plunging into what could be the worst recession of the post-War era.

The following quote effectively sums up the feeling:

Not for many years has a Christmas season begun with so many tidings of spreading discomfort and lack of joy about the U.S. economy.... The nation is now also plunging deeper into a recession that seems sure to be the longest and could be the most severe since World War II.... For many Americans, the Yuletide will be a time of less elaborate meals, infrequent parties, fewer and cheaper presents.

Wow! The First Amendment DOES Apply to Conservapublicans!

69% Say Merry Christmas, but Few Offended by Happy Holidays
Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Americans generally say “Merry Christmas” to greet people at this time of year, but 71% are not offended by others who say “Happy Holidays.”

The Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 19% typically use the “Happy Holidays” greeting and 23% are offended by it.

While few are offended by casual greeting, retailers must negotiate a trickier path during the holiday season. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Americans would avoid stores where employees are told not to say “Merry Christmas” and the signs say “Happy Holidays.” Fifty-two percent (52%) would not avoid those stores while 12% are not sure. Americans over 50 are evenly divided as to whether they would avoid such a store while younger adults are less likely to do so.

There are no substantive differences between men and women on the Christmas questions.

Overall, these figures suggest a nation where Christmas matters but so does an acceptance of others.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say Merry Christmas and less likely to shop at stores that don’t.

Thank God Obama Isn't Naming Him Secretary of Education!

HT to Lisa Mossie at PAWaterCooler:


“Today is Dec. 7, the day that this government killed over 80,000 Japanese civilians at Hiroshima in 1941, two days before killing an additional 64,000 Japanese civilians at Nagasaki by dropping nuclear bombs on innocent people.”–anti-American preacher Jeremiah Wright, Dec. 7, 2008


BTW - If someone burned down Rev. Wright's church, would the MSM ignore it as much as Gov. Palin's church fire??

Hmmmmm,......

Why? Why?? WHY???

Tracing career criminal through system to Phila. officer's death
By Larry King

Inquirer Staff Writer

By Nov. 10, Bucks County Court Judge David W. Heckler had endured enough of William Allan Foster, a junkie, career thief and scofflaw from Levittown.
Foster had failed to show in Doylestown that day for a series of probation violations that almost certainly would have landed him back in jail. Have him arrested, Heckler told Foster's probation officer, Ventura Vazquez-Acosta, an order reinforced by the officer's supervisor.

The arrest never happened. Seven days passed with no action taken, according to an investigative report compiled by county probation officials and released last week.

"According to Officer Vazquez-Acosta, a variety of issues including a holiday, training and miscellaneous duties prevented him from coordinating the arrest of William Foster over the next week," the report says.

By then, Philadelphia Police Sgt. Timothy Simpson was dead.

On the night of Nov. 17, police say, Foster, 41, was drunk and had just scored some heroin. Police were chasing him in the city's Juniata Park section when his speeding car broadsided Simpson's cruiser, killing the 20-year veteran.

Foster was wanted at the time on a New Jersey fugitive warrant for jumping parole, as well as on multiple warrants in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia police officials have angrily questioned why Foster was free at all.

Some answers are in a four-page timeline created at the behest of Heckler and Sean R. Ryan, Bucks County's chief adult probation and parole officer. It tracks the county's involvement with Foster from August 2007, when Hecker put him on probation.

Foster was arrested at least three times in recent months - twice in Bucks County, and at least once in Philadelphia - and released each time, the report says.

Two mistakes led to Foster's Aug. 11 release from the Bucks County prison, where he had spent four days after an arrest on theft charges in New Britain.

First, Vazquez-Acosta and his supervisor, Edward Chromiec, failed to review his file after being told Foster was in prison, the report says. Had they done so, a violation hearing before Heckler could have been scheduled.

Second, Magisterial District Justice Robert Gaffney erred by allowing bail on the New Jersey parole violation after Foster's Aug. 7 arrest, Heckler said in an interview.

A policy directive circulated to Bucks district justices in February 2007 instructs that out-of-state fugitives facing local charges be allowed bail on the local charges only. Once the local charges are addressed, the sheriff's department should start extradition proceedings, the policy says.

"I'm disappointed that we let this fellow slip through our fingers when we had him," Heckler said. "Bail should not have been set on the detainer, and our probation office should have picked up on the proposition that he was in the prison."

Ryan called his officers' errors "sloppy work." He said he has taken steps to ensure that when a probationer or parolee is jailed, his officers act immediately and document their actions by midday.

Heckler and Ryan were less critical of the failure to quickly arrest Foster last month for parole violations. Both said the lag was not unusual, given the massive workload of probation officers and Foster's reputation as a petty, nonviolent criminal.

"Given the low level of this offender . . . I was authorizing them to take him into custody," Heckler said. "It was not a direction for them to go out and find him immediately."

Ryan said that Bucks County's 46 probation officers are assigned to oversee more than 8,200 offenders. Vazquez-Acosta, he said, is one of just six intake officers required to interview every offender entering the system, as well as to prepare presentencing and pre-parole reports.

Rounding up nonviolent probation violators often is trumped by more pressing duties, Ryan said.

"We don't have an arrest unit waiting to detain people," Ryan said. "In a perfect world, this is sloppy work. But in the context of the workload, it is not unusual for these things to happen."

The TrekMedic seethes:

So, "business as usual" in a podunk, suburban county led to another senseless LODD??

Goodbye and Fare Thee Well,...

Over the weekend, the Pat Burrell era of Phillies baseball came to a quiet end with the signing of LF Raul Ibanez.

The Philly-area sportwriters are calling the departure "bittersweet."

The TrekMedic isn't having any mixed feelings.

I'm glad he's gone. Sorry, gentle readers, but that's how I feel. I'm an old-school Philadelphia sports fan: I support players that work everyday. Pat Burrell will be remembered as a steady force in Phillies history. True, he never complained about the media or fan derision heaped upon him every year. He never asked for a trade. He never made a big ass of himself in the media, either.

But,...for the past few years, he constantly needed a kick in the rear to produce. In the 2007 season, his bat only came alive after Charlie Manuel benched him for a fwe games. This season, it was only the outside hope that a stellar season would earn him a new contract that seemed to motivate him to produce on a consistent basis. And when it appeared that he had worn out his usefullness in Charlie's eyes, Burrell slacked off again.

So, while I'm not asking for the door to hit him in the ass on the way out, I'll offer him a handshake and a thank you.

BTW New Yawk Mutts - we're STILL the team to beat, despite what K-Y-Rod has to say about it!

You Can't Make This Up....

Only the NY Mutts could pull this off:

Mets get Putz as set-up man

LAS VEGAS -- The New York Mets overhauled their much-maligned bullpen with two big moves Wednesday, obtaining J.J. Putz from Seattle as part of a three-team, 12-player trade that gives them a setup man for new closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Our Turn to Hope?

From Politico:

Scandal, appointments give GOP hope
By JOSH KRAUSHAAR | 12/10/08 7:57 PM EST

Even as fallout from Tuesday’s arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich clouds the political landscape, one thing is becoming clear: The ripple effect from Barack Obama’s presidential victory is creating promising Republican opportunities across the national map.

Whether it’s the Senate seat Blagojevich allegedly sought to sell in Illinois, the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seats of Joe Biden in Delaware and Hillary Rodham Clinton in New York, or the Arizona governorship that Janet Napolitano will give up to take the helm of the Department of Homeland Security, Republicans are finding an unexpected upside to Obama’s election and subsequent Cabinet picks.

With Blagojevich’s arrest, Illinois Democrats are now scrambling to ensure Obama’s Senate seat remains in their control, amid fears that the scandal could jeopardize the party’s ability to hold what, under normal circumstances, should be a safely Democratic seat. In New York and Delaware, the sudden opening of two solidly Democratic Senate seats also has raised the prospect that Republicans could mount serious challenges.

In Arizona, Republicans will be picking up a governor’s office when Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer takes over for Napolitano. The statewide Republican bench had been thin, but since Brewer will be the incumbent in 2010 with two years of experience under her belt, the GOP is more optimistic about the party’s chances.

If Napolitano finished her term, Brewer likely would have contended with a crowded Republican primary. Now it appears that Democrats will have a contested nomination. State Attorney General Terry Goddard and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon are among potential Democratic candidates in 2010.

Obama’s pick of Napolitano also took her out of the picture for a Senate run against John McCain. Without the two-term Democratic governor as an opponent, McCain is likely to have an easier time winning.

In Illinois, all eyes are on GOP Rep. Mark Kirk, who is considering running for the Senate seat in a special election. He would give Republicans a battle-tested candidate with no ties to the tainted Chicago and Springfield machines. He might otherwise have been unlikely to run statewide, since as a moderate Republican he could be vulnerable in a primary where conservative voters would hold sway.

Kirk isn’t the only credible Illinois Republican mulling a Senate bid. A source close to Rep. Peter J. Roskam said the second-term congressman is also “very interested” in running for the Senate seat and wouldn’t automatically defer to Kirk. Roskam has a more conservative voting record than Kirk and has won election to a suburban Chicago seat during two rough election cycles for the GOP.

“When you’re a party that has had two bad election cycles in a row, you look for the first rays of light at the end of the tunnel,” said Cook Political Report Senate analyst Jennifer Duffy. “And they saw them in Georgia, saw them in Louisiana, and now there are opportunities in Illinois.”

Pinocchio-o-o-Obama??

Obama: I Had No Contact With Blagojevich Over Vacated Senate Seat
Barack Obama adviser David Axelrod says he was 'mistaken' when he said in November that his boss had talked to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about Obama's Senate seat.

WASHINGTON -- Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state governor -- concerning Obama's own Senate seat no less -- are an unwelcome distraction. And the ultimate fallout is unclear.

As Obama works to set up his new administration and deal with a national economic crisis, suddenly he also is spending time and attention trying to distance himself from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and charges that the governor was trying to sell the now-vacant Senate post.

The president-elect was blunt and brief in addressing the case on Tuesday: "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening" concerning any possible dealing about Blagojevich's appointment of a successor.

It's Obama's first big headache since his election last month, and Republicans were anything but eager to let it go away.

Said Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the new GOP House whip: "The serious nature of the crimes listed by federal prosecutors raises questions about the interaction with Gov. Blagojevich,

President-elect Obama and other high ranking officials who will be working for the future president."

Added Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, chairman of the Republican National Committee: "Americans expect strong leadership, but President-elect Barack Obama's comments on the matter are insufficient at best."

In Chicago, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said prosecutors were making "no allegations" that Obama was aware of any scheming.


The TrekMedic rejoices in the schadenfreude:

This is the same Obama that didn't know his minister was an outright racist for 20 years, didn't know William Ayres was a natural-born terrorist, and didn't know he and Tony Rezko used the shady real-estate agent? I guess he didn't know how much of a f**king tool Bill Clinton was when he was infesting the White House for 8 years, either. That would explain the Obamistake's cabinet picks!

Conservatives and Their Toys

The TrekMedic at the Constitution Center, exercising his First Amendment rights, on what I want from our Chief Executive:




Unfortunately, lousy phone camera wouldn't let me focus on the fact that all of this was created under the picture of President Ronald !

Stop Mayor Squidward from Burning Down Philly!!!

From Captain America, a PFD Captain:



Click Uncle Sam for More Info!

All Hope Not Lost for Conservapublicans!

Louisiana Voters Oust Indicted Rep. William Jefferson
Unofficial results showed Anh "Joseph" Cao, a Republican attorney, denying Jefferson a 10th term.

NEW ORLEANS -- Voters in Louisiana ousted indicted Democratic Rep. William Jefferson on Saturday, instead electing a Republican attorney who will be the first Vietnamese-American in Congress.

Unofficial results showed Anh "Joseph" Cao denying Jefferson a 10th term. Republicans made an aggressive push to take the seat from the 61-year-old incumbent, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, laundering money and misusing his congressional office.

Cao, 41, won a predominantly black and heavily Democratic district that covers most of New Orleans.

A barrage of election-day automated telephone calls on Cao's behalf flooded the district, including a pitch from the national Republican Party.

New Orleans voters had long been loyal to Jefferson, re-electing him in 2006 even after news of the bribery scandal broke. Late-night TV comics made him the butt of jokes after federal agents said they found $90,000 in alleged bribe money hidden in his freezer.

"People are innocent until proven guilty," said Faye Leggins, 54, an educator and Democrat who moved back to the city six months ago and still has fresh memories of Hurricane Katrina. She voted for Jefferson on Saturday. "He has enough seniority, so he can do a lot to redevelop this city."

But Republicans argued the scandal had cost Jefferson his clout in Congress. Election Day brought excitement to the state's usually low-key Vietnamese-American community, said David Nguyen, 45, a store manager and Cao supporter.

"The Vietnamese aren't much into politics," he said.

Turnout appeared light in the district, where two-thirds of voters are Democrats and 11 percent are Republicans. More than 60 percent are black.

Though he was the underdog, Cao received endorsements from some Democrat and green-conscious groups as well as the area's Vietnamese-American community. Cao came to the United States as a child after the fall of Saigon in 1975 and went on to earn degrees in philosophy, physics and law.

The election was one of two in Louisiana postponed because of Hurricane Gustav.
In western Louisiana's 4th Congressional District, Republican physician John Fleming defeated Democratic district attorney Paul Carmouche in a very close race to replace U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery, a 10-term Republican who is retiring. Fleming had 48 percent of the vote to Carmouche's 47 percent. Two minor candidates split the remaining vote.

Both candidates had help from national heavyweights. President-elect Barack Obama recorded a radio ad for Carmouche, while Vice President Dick Cheney helped Fleming with fundraising.

The national GOP also backed Cao, an immigration lawyer, with a barrage of advertising portraying Jefferson as corrupt.

Prosecutors contend Jefferson used his influence as chairman of the congressional Africa Investment and Trade Caucus to broker deals in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and other African nations on behalf of those who bribed him.

The 2007 indictment claims Jefferson received more than $500,000 in bribes and demanded millions more between 2000 and 2005, including the $90,000 found in the freezer of his Washington home.

History Quickly Ignored by the Democrats,....

On this day in 1865, the 13th Amendment -- abolishing slavery -- became part of the U.S. Constitution -- when ratified by three-quarters of the states.

Despite protests from the Democrats, the Republican Party made banning slavery part of its national platform in 1864. Senator Lyman Trumbull (R-IL) wrote the final version of the text, combining the proposed wordings of several other Republican congressmen.

All Republicans in Congress voted for the 13th Amendment, while nearly all Democrats voted against it. So strongly did President Abraham Lincoln (R-IL) support the 13th Amendment, he insisted on signing the document, though presidential approval is not part of the amendment process.

Outlawing slavery was a Republican achievement.

Yeah,..Who Needs Experience to Run the US Government?

Cast of Characters
One More Question...

Incoming Obama administration director of speechwriting Jon Favreau (L) and a friend pose with a cardboard cutout of incoming Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a party. (Obtained by The Washington Post)

Updated 9:22 p.m.
By Al Kamen
Question No. 58 in the transition team vetting document for the Obama White House asks that applicants: "Please provide the URL address of any websites that feature you in either a personal or professional capacity (e.g. Facebook, My Space, etc.)"

Question No. 63 asks that applicants "please provide any other information ... that could ... be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-Elect."

For a while there this afternoon, President-elect Barack Obama's immensely talented chief speechwriter, 27-year-old Jon Favreau, might have been pondering how to address that question.

That's when some interesting photos of a recent party he attended -- including one where he's dancing with a life-sized cardboard cut-out of secretary of state-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and another where he's placed his hand on the cardboard former first lady's chest while a friend is offering her lips a beer -- popped up on Facebook for about two hours. The photos were quickly taken down -- along with every other photo Favreau had of himself on the popular social networking site, save for one profile headshot.

Asked about the photos, Favreau, who was recently appointed director of speechwriting for the White House, declined comment. A transition official said that Favreau had "reached out to Senator Clinton to offer an apology."

Favreau is not the first campaign aide whose online presence has proved awkward. Last March, John McCain aide Soren Dayton forwarded an anti-Obama YouTube video to his private Twitter feed linking Obama with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, leading to his suspension from the campaign. And in 2007, two bloggers hired by former North Carolina senator John Edwards stepped down after blog posts they had written before he hired them became a subject of controversy.

Favreau's case seems unlikely to be so dire; Clinton senior adviser Philippe Reines cast the photos as evidence of increased bonhomie between the formerly rival camps.

"Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon's obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application," he said in an e-mail.

OJ Squeezed!

O.J. Simpson Sentenced to at Least 15 Years for Armed Robbery and Kidnapping
Friday, December 05, 2008

Justice served! With a side order of hash browns,...



O.J. Simpson was sentenced Friday to at least 15 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping in a failed attempt to recover sports memorabilia from two collectibles dealers.

There will be the possibility of parole after six years, Judge Jackie Glass said.

His co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart received the same sentence.

Before the judge handed down his sentence, Simpson apologized to her and the Las Vegas court after learning he won't be able to be freed on bail if he appeals.

Simpson appeared at the hearing in a blue prison jumpsuit, shackles and handcuffs.

"I stand before you today sorry," an emotional Simpson told Glass, fighting back tears. "I am apologetic to the people of Nevada. ... When I came here, I came here for a wedding. I didn't come to reclaim property."

He said he thought he was taking advantage of an opportunity to retrieve items that were rightfully his.

"In no way did I mean to hurt anybody, to steal anything from anyone," Simpson said. "I didn't want anybody else's stuff. I just wanted my own. I realize that I was stupid. I am sorry. I didn’t know that I was doing anything illegal. I thought I was retrieving property from friends. I’m sorry, I’m sorry for all of it."

Simpson's lawyers called his actions "stupid" and admitted he broke the law, but said they didn't rise to the level of criminality that would warrant a long prison sentence. They asked Glass to show mercy.

Glass responded during her statements that she believed "it was much more than stupidity."

Fred Goldman and his daughter, Kim Goldman, father and sister of murder victim Ron Goldman, the friend of Simpson's slain ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, were among the 15 members of the public to gain entry to the courtroom. Most of the 63 seats were taken by media, lawyers and family members of the defendants.

After the sentence was handed down, Fred Goldman told reporters that "this is a bittersweet moment" but spoke of the satisfaction of seeing Simpson — whom he called an "SOB" and a "monster" — in shackles.

"He'll be where he belongs, with others of his kind," Goldman said.

DoubleStandarddradnatSelbuoD (Redux)

So PA Governor "Fast Eddie" Rendell managed to stick something into his mouth other than a free cheesesteak - his foot.

So, he thinks only single, carrier driven women are suited for cabinet positions?

Along comes Katie Couric-wannabe Campbell Brown to drop in her two cents:

The story

How many times have politicians been warned about the dangers of an open microphone? And yet, on Tuesday, the lectern mic at the National Governors Conference picked up this little nugget from Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell.

He's having a conversation near the lectern about President-elect Barack Obama's choice for to lead the Homeland Security Department, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. Here is what Rendell said about Napolitano:

Rendell: Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it

Wow. Now, I'm sure Gov. Napolitano has many qualifications for the job beyond having no family, and therefore the ability to devote 20 hours a day to the job. Watch Campbell Brown's commentary

But it is fascinating to me that that is the quality being highlighted here as so perfect. C'mon. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is married with two grown children. His predecessor, Tom Ridge, had a family. Anybody remember a debate about whether they would have trouble balancing the demands of work and family?

But,...isn't this the same "journalist" who gave a certain pro-life mother of five (one of whom is a special needs child) a ton of grief over being able to be a mom AND Vice-President of the United States??

DoubleStandarddradnatSelbuoD

BREITBART: Six degrees of Imran Khan
Andrew Breitbart
Monday, December 1, 2008

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

On the evening of Nov. 26, the biggest names in Bollywood walked the red carpet at the Bombay premiere of "The President Is Coming," a comedy about six 20-somethings vying to win the right to shake hands with President Bush.

Among those in attendance at the star-studded premiere Wednesday evening was Bollywood's "new heartthrob" Imran Khan, who proudly posed for paparazzi donning a T-shirt with Mr. Bush's face sandwiched between the words "International Terrorist."

(Because if he wore a t-shirt with Bin Laden on it and the same label, he'd be dead by now - TM251)

Mr. Khan - a member of India's Muslim minority - chose not to mock international terrorists who kill in the name of Allah. He and his co-religionists know the deadly results for those who do.

At the precise moment Mr. Khan and hundreds of others making their fortunes in the multibillion-dollar Indian movie business were watching "The President Is Coming," only a few blocks away, 10 20-something Muslim extremists began a horrific three-day terror spree.

Azam Amir Kasab, the sole surviving terrorist, told his saviors, "I was told to kill to my last breath." The 21-year-old Pakistani stated that the group's goal was to kill 5,000 people. Overall, at least 174 people died and more than 300 were injured.

Mr. Khan might have been spared only because Kasab and his cohorts failed to reach their death quota. His fellow Bollywood actor Ashish Chaudhary wasn't so lucky. His sister and her husband were killed by indiscriminate gunfire sprayed into Tiffin restaurant at the Oberoi-Trident hotel.

"It's shocking, really shocking. I still can't believe that my dear sister and brother-in-law are now no more. I am completely shattered," Mr. Chaudhary said.

The terror attack has hit Bollywood hard. The opening of "The President Is Coming" has been postponed and India's film capital is in a state of shock.

And, like their Hollywood counterparts, the Bollywood thespians appear predisposed to blame everyone but the culprit.

"My pain has been the sight and plight of my innocent and vulnerable and completely insecure countrymen, facing the wrath of this terror attack," action star Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog. "And my anger has been at the ineptitude of the authorities that have been ordained to look after us."

Mr. Khan's uncle Aamir Khan, another prominent Bollywood actor, director and film producer, also sought to redirect responsibility for the monstrous violence.

"I dread to think of how various political parties are now going to try and use this tragedy to further their political careers. At least now they should learn to not divide people and instead become responsible leaders," the elder Mr. Khan blogged. "When will these politicians realize and admit that terrorists have no religion. Terrorists are not Hindu or Muslim or Christian. They are not people of religion or God. They are people who have gone totally sick in their head and have to be dealt with in that manner."

Ironically, the Bollywood crowd is in the minority in India, where a majority approve of the U.S. behavior and more people like Mr. Bush than don't. Indians lean 45 percent to 34 percent in favor of Mr. Bush, according to a Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) poll taken earlier this year.

"I think, if you look at the public opinion polls, the ratings for President Bush are higher in India than in any other country. That is the factual basis," Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon explained.

That was true, too, in the U.S. until the American media's relentless propaganda against Mr. Bush finally took hold and took its toll. The real question is when the people who make the world's most popular form of entertainment finally accept the truth: that the Islamist threat is real, growing and won't go away when George W. Bush leaves the White House in January.

What Planet is LA On??

The LA Times helps draw the line in the sand between liberals and conservatives:

For the U.N., a clean break
Obama's choice of Susan Rice, a liberal multilateralist, as the U.S. ambassador represents the flip side of Bush's approach to the world body.

Rice is a liberal multilateralist, and Bolton, who spent a tumultuous year at the U.N. before resigning when it became clear that he wouldn't be confirmed by the Senate in 2006, is a conservative unilateralist. She would be warmly welcomed in New York if confirmed, and would be in a strong position to rebuild the bridges burned by Bolton, which current Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad has had a tough time doing, given that he represents a deeply discredited, lame-duck administration.

Bolton's appointment was President Bush's way of thumbing his nose at the U.N. The ambassador's bullying, arrogant approach rendered him ineffective as a diplomat, but it did please a conservative wing of the Republican Party that has long despised the U.N. in the same way, and for many of the same reasons, it despises big government: It's bureaucratic, slow and rarely gets much done. Yet it's also utterly indispensable. Warts and all, it is the world's only meaningful bulwark against nuclear proliferation, human-rights violations, genocide and wars of conquest .

The TrekMedic is ROFLHAO:

What genocides has the Untied Nations stopped recently? Srebrenica,Bosnia?

Rwanda? Darfur??

"Wars of conquest?" Yeah, I seem to remember soemthing about those faggotty-blue helmets getting between the Russians and the Georgians earlier this year,...oh, wait,..that was all the Jagermeister I drank one night and the result of the ensuing hallucinations the drink causes!

Hmmmph! And the MSM paints conservatives as "out of touch" with reality?

Whiskey,..Tango,...FOXTROT???