Month: November 2005

I’ve got to hand it to Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT). He recently returned from a two-day visit to Iraq, and while nearly every Democrat in Congress has a string attached to their back that, when pulled, delivers the same finite list of criticisms concerning Iraq and the Bush administration’s plan to “stay the course”, Joe bucked the trend and shared the truth about the real progress being made in the country.

“The country is now in reach of going from Saddam Hussein to self-government and, I’d add, self-protection,” the Connecticut Democrat said in a conference call with reporters. “That would be a remarkable transformation … I saw real progress there.”

Lieberman, one of the most hawkish Democrats in the Senate, said the effectiveness of Iraqi security forces and the ability of a new Iraqi government to rule after the Dec. 15 elections are critical factors in determining when U.S. troops could come home. But if all goes well, he forsees a pullout beginning a year from now.

“If Iraqi forces continue to gain the confidence the American military sees there now … We will be able to draw down our forces,” he said.

Ah, just stop a moment and savor the anomaly of a Democrat speaking the truth about Iraq. Go ahead, I’ll give you another minute.

(pause)

Nice, isn’t it? How refreshing it is to know that there are individuals in the Democratic Party like Joe Lieberman who are willing to go public with a positive message about the progress of the war in Iraq. It’s an incredibly rare thing these days, and worth a moment of reflection.

I still think Joe is out of his mind on issues like abortion, school vouchers, his view of Bill Clinton’s impeachment and the outcome of the 2000 election. But for today, I’ll not worry about that and only say, “Thanks!” to the distinguished Senator from Connecticut for telling the truth about the ‘good news’ in Iraq. It’s a real testament to the great job being done every day by our men and women in uniform.

The 38th Parliament died tonight after a no-confidence vote from opposition parties. A federal election will be officially called by Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin tomorrow.

The most notable quote came from Conservative Stephen Harper, who didn’t mince words.

“My friends, over the last few days the Liberals have made it clear that their biggest issue is not wanting to face the voters. Given their position, I don’t blame them. Let the Liberals complain about facing the people. We’re interested in facing the future as a party and a country.”

Only four federal governments have ever seen a swifter collapse: in 1926, 1958, 1963 and 1979. Voters will head to the polls on or around January 23rd.

Duke’d out, as a matter of fact.

Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges and tearfully resigned from office, admitting he took $2.4 million in bribes to steer defense contracts to conspirators.

Cunningham, 63, entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud, and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.

And it cost him…

Cunningham agreed to forfeit to the government his Rancho Santa Fe home, more than $1.8 million in cash and antiques and rugs.

In a statement, prosecutors said Cunningham admitted to receiving at least $2.4 million in bribes paid to him by several conspirators through a variety of methods, including checks totalling over $1 million, cash, rugs, antiques, furniture, yacht club fees and vacations.

 And that’s that. Shamed and shunned, and rightly so. Buh-bye Duke.

By now I’m sure you’ve read about Pajamas Media, who became Open Source Media, then reverted back to Pajamas Media due to more than a few start-up problems. The story continues today as one PM/OSM/PM member decides to exit, for now. Will there be more?

MORE: Conspiracy theories.

An ex-Green Party member will run against Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) in an attempt to take over her seat in the U.S. Senate.

A former Green Party member who advocates an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq says he will challenge incumbent Hillary Rodham Clinton for the 2006 Democratic nomination for Senate.

“She’s in favor of the war and in favor of continuing the occupation,” Steven Greenfield, a professional saxophone player, told The Associated Press.

Greenfield, 44, who has a degree in economics, switched to the Democratic party just last month so he could challenge Clinton. He says he likely will need 15,000 petition signatures statewide to get on next September’s ballot.

Quick! Someone check to see if Mr. Greenfield is on Hillary’s payroll.

I’m serious. Let’s not forget her scheme for 2008. ‘Hillary the Leftist’ must present herself as ‘Hillary the Moderate’ if she has any hopes in gaining support for her party’s presidential nomination. If she spends time during her reelection campaign answering challenges from an ultra-liberal like Greenfield, she’ll come off as sensible, reelect-able, and more importantly, MODERATE.

If Greenfield isn’t on the dole, watch for Hillary’s capos to exercise the necessary legal maneuvers to keep him off the ballot.

What a tragedy.

AP – Teen With Peanut Allergy Dies After Kiss

A 15-year-old girl with a peanut allergy died after kissing her boyfriend, who had just eaten a peanut butter snack, hospital officials said Monday.

Christina Desforges died in a Quebec hospital Wednesday after doctors were unable to treat her allergic reaction to the kiss the previous weekend.

Desforges, who lived in Saguenay, about 155 miles north of Quebec City, was almost immediately given a shot of adrenaline, a standard tool for treating the anaphylactic shock brought on by a peanut allergy, officials said.

I have three sons and all of them are allergic to peanuts, so I know first hand just how severe a reaction can be. Our entire lives have been affected by the allergy, and we have to take extreme measures to ensure they never come into contact with them. Problem is, accidents do happen, and we’ve ended up in the hospital a couple of times with minutes to spare. It’s a very scary thing.

We guard our kids from eating foods that contain peanuts, but this story puts a much different twist on our preventative methods. We do everything we can to guard against contact in our home, but it’s harder when they are out in the real world. My boys are a bit young to have girlfriends, but it’s easy to forget about the risk involved in kissing a relative of theirs who might have come into contact with peanuts. To the average person, it sounds strange to think that we have to ask Grandma or Auntie if they have eaten anything with peanuts before our kids give them a friendly peck, but that is the reality of living with this affliction.

This story is a real wake-call for me, and it should be for anyone who knows someone who is allergic to peanuts.

UPDATE: Boyfriend was unaware of Desforges’ peanut allergy.

The trial of Saddam Hussein continued today, then abruptly adjourned until December 5th because of complaints from the former dictator and his co-defendants. Among the various problems cited by Saddam, a chief gripe of his is that his pen and paper has been taken away from him. After being assured by the judge in the case that the police would be informed about his complaints, Hussein became agitated.

“I don’t want you to tell them, I want you to order them,” Hussein replied. “They are invaders and occupiers, and you have to order them.”

Kinda sounds like a child who had his ball taken away by the ‘big kids’ on the playground.

Security threats and untimely deaths continue to slow the progress of the proceedings, making it likely that a decision won’t be reached until we’re well into 2006.

After I got out of church today, I spent the entire afternoon and evening trying to recover data from my dead hard drive. Nothing worked. That’s all I did today, and it was a complete and utter waste.

It’s time to let it go.

Headlines and Commentary for 11.26.05

News Telegraph/UK – Hillary engages Clinton double act for White House

Hillary Clinton has enlisted her husband to attack the White House over Iraq in an attempt to shore up her sliding support among Democrat activists. The New York senator, who is expected to run for the White House in 2008, has been alarmed by a drop in her opinion polls ratings as she pays the political price for backing President George W Bush’s decision to topple Saddam Hussein.

Her hawkish stance was originally a useful way to shed her liberal reputation, but has become an increasing political liability as America’s mood has swung against the war. Anxious that criticising the way the occupation has been handled could expose to the accusations of “flip-flopping” – a charge that cost John Kerry when he ran against President Bush last year – she is leaving the task to her husband. As political positioning for the 2008 polls begins, it will be him, not her, who placates the Democratic Left with attacks on Mr Bush’s Iraq policy.

The new double act is being seen as a variation of President Clinton’s old “triangulation” strategy, where he positioned himself between Democrats and Republicans, that helped win his second term in the White House in 1996. Political observers believe that the Clintons are now engaged in ‘triangulation” over Iraq.

I’m not sure why this is news. Anyone who has a pulse knows that Hillary has been shaping herself for 2008. Heck, she’s been doing this ever since she agreed to marry Bill Clinton. She believes it’s her turn now. Quid pro quo – Bill’s job is to play the part of the lap dog. There’s only one problem – a majority of women won’t elect a woman to the presidency. Furthermore, many Americans just don’t want Clinton Part II, yet.

Los Angeles Times – U.S. Starts Laying Groundwork for Significant Troop Pullout from Iraq

Even as debate over the Iraq war continues to rage, signs are emerging of a convergence of opinion on how the Bush administration might begin to exit the conflict. In a departure from previous statements, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said this week that the training of Iraqi soldiers had advanced so far that the current number of U.S. troops in the country probably would not be needed much longer.

President Bush will give a major speech Wednesday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in which aides say he is expected to herald the improved readiness of Iraqi troops, which he has identified as the key condition for pulling out U.S. forces. The administration’s pivot on the issue comes as the White House is seeking to relieve enormous pressure by war opponents. The camp includes liberals, moderates and old-line conservatives who are uneasy with the costly and uncertain nation-building effort. It also follows agreement this week among Iraqi politicians that the U.S. troop presence ought to decrease.

I’d like to believe that Iraqi troops are getting better prepared to protect their country. I’d like to believe that Iraqi politicians are signaling that the presence of U.S. military ought to decrease.

I’d like to believe…but I don’t.

One thing we know now that we didn’t know then – most of the Republicans in Washington are wimpy. They simply can’t take the heat, or the threat of heat from the Left. At any sign of pressure, they cave. Bush, by proxy, does his own cave dance. It’s troubling, and I fear it will have permanent ramifications in the mid-terms and in 2008. So, when I hear that there might be a troop withdrawal in Iraq soon, I see visions of backroom compromises and giveaways aimed at political survival.

US News & World Report – Newt: Back in the Game

With America’s economic dominance threatened, Newt Gingrich, the brainy former speaker of the House of Representatives, argues, “science and technology are at the heart of our survival.” President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, Gingrich continues, is “nutty.” Instead, he says, kids should be paid cold, hard cash for excelling in math and science; prescription drugs, meanwhile, should be available on websites like Travelocity.com, where shoppers can compare prices before they buy.

The list goes on, but the bottom line, in Gingrich’s view, is that America is in dire need of bold fixes. This is the essence of Gingrich’s new stump speech, and he’s missing few opportunities to deliver it. A few months back, Gingrich made headlines by joining Hillary Rodham Clinton to promote electronic health records. Since the January publication of his book Winning the Future: a 21st Century Contract with America, Gingrich has appeared three times in Iowa and twice in New Hampshire, sparking speculation that he might run for president in 2008. He won’t say he’s interested, but he won’t say he’s not, either. This much is certain: Seven years after being deposed as speaker, Newt is back.

Newt is right. American government needs a fix. But, I don’t think Newt is the man to deliver on the fixes, and that’s too bad. He can’t win. Why? Because the media would crucify him. His paper trail is too long. His “Contract with America”, while revolutionary, is misunderstood today and would be used as a weapon against him.

Newt can be a great chief of staff, cabinet member, or maybe even a Vice President. Unfortunately for him, I don’t think the American Media would elect him to the presidency.

AP – Holiday Sales Off to a Lukewarm Start

The official holiday shopping season appears to have gotten off to a lukewarm start, according to results announced Saturday by a national research group that monitors retail sales. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was one bright spot in the crowd, reporting its sales exceeded expectations.

According to ShopperTrak RCT Corp., which tracks total sales at more than 45,000 retail outlets, the overall sales on Friday were relatively unchanged compared to a year ago, despite heavier discounting and expanded hours that drew a surge of shoppers to stores in the early morning hours.

Heh. I knew this story would come out today. I predicted it.

AP – Believers Flock to ‘Crying’ Virgin Mary

Carrying rosary beads and cameras, the faithful have been coming in a steady stream to a church on the outskirts of Sacramento for a glimpse of what some are calling a miracle: A statue of the Virgin Mary they say has begun crying a substance that looks like blood.

It was first noticed more than a week ago, when a priest at the Vietnamese Catholic Martyrs Church spotted a stain on the statue’s face and wiped it away. Before Mass on Nov. 20, people again noticed a reddish substance near the eyes of the white concrete statue outside the small church, said Ky Truong, 56, a parishioner.

Since then, Truong said he has been at the church day and night, so emotional he can’t even work. He believes the tears are a sign.

“There’s a big event in the future — earthquake, flood, a disease,” Truong said. “We’re very sad.”

I can’t wait until someone in the media uncovers the company who manufactures these ‘crying Mary’ statues.

AP – Bono Urges Canada to Increase Foreign Aid

Irish rocker Bono says Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin’s inability to further increase foreign aid mystifies him, especially when he’s facing an election in a country that clearly favors more foreign aid. “I’m mystified, actually, by the man,” the U2 lead singer said at a news conference Friday. “I like him very much, personally. “I just think that it’s a huge opportunity that he’s missing out on. This is important to the Canadian people. I think the prime minister will find out if he walks away from the opportunity to (boost foreign aid) he will hear about it in the election. I am absolutely sure of that.”

Giving away all that extra money means less time drinking brew! Bono clearly doesn’t understand the influence Molson has on the average Canadian.

I lost a hard drive today, and along with it, a ton of data that I have been saving for years. I can’t quite describe the moment when it happened. Typical really – the feeling that your heart just dropped into your stomach, the denial as you frantically evaluate the situation, and then the sense of acceptance, as your mind runs through the enormity of what has just taken place.

That was me, and how.

Yeah, I had some backups, but not of everything, and that’s what’s bumming me out the most.

So that’s what’s been on my front burner since 1:30 PM Friday. I’m hoping to be all caught up with the reinstall sometime later today.