Been away…

Just returned from a couple weeks stateside on vacation.  Sure was a nice break from the dust and heat of Iraq.  Did the ole family vacation stuff full tilt; Disneyland, Sea World, fishing, museums.  A great time was had by all!

Filed under: Thoughts

Obama Administration Ordered FBI to Read Rights to Detainees

Found this on FoxNews.com which worries the bejeebers out of me.

U.S. Lawmaker Says Obama Administration Ordered FBI to Read Rights to Detainees

The move is reportedly creating chaos in the field among the CIA, FBI and military personnel, according to Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich.

Yeah, I would definitely say that it would create chaos.  And imagine how this process affects our ability to gather intelligence.  I shudder to think that we cannot get anymore information from a high value target without his lawyer being present, thereby potentially putting many more soldiers and civilians at risk.

Besides, doesn’t Miranda only apply to American citizens in the U.S.?  Jeez, can you imagine what it would have been like at during World War II or Vietnam if we had to Mirandize those prisoners of War?

What are these guys thinking???

U.S. Lawmaker Says Obama Administration Ordered FBI to Read Rights to Detainees – Political News – FOXNews.com

Filed under: Foreign Policy, Global Affairs

Chavez says Comrade Obama more left-wing

Got to love this, when Comrade Chavez make jokes about Obama’s socialist agenda…

During one of Chavez’s customary lectures on the "curse" of capitalism and the bonanzas of socialism, the Venezuelan leader made reference to GM’s bankruptcy filing, which is expected to give the U.S. government a 60 percent stake in the 100-year-old former symbol of American might.

"Hey, Obama has just nationalized nothing more and nothing less than General Motors. Comrade Obama! Fidel, careful or we are going to end up to his right," Chavez joked on a live television broadcast.

Venezuela Chavez says Comrade Obama more left-wing | Reuters

Filed under: Global Affairs

Barack Obama’s Top 10 Apologies from Heritage Foundation…

Great little article that sums up President Obama’s top 10 apologies, while humiliating us as a Superpower…  Grabbed the headlines from Heritage Foundation, you’ll have to link over to read the text…

On several occasions, President Obama has sought to apologize for the actions of his own country when addressing a foreign audience–including seven of the 10 apologies listed below. The President has already apologized for his country to nearly 3 billion people across Europe, the Muslim world, and the Americas.

1. Apology to France and Europe ("America Has Shown Arrogance")

Speech by President Obama, Rhenus Sports Arena, Strasbourg, France, April 3, 2009.[1]

2. Apology to the Muslim World ("We Have Not Been Perfect")

President Obama, interview with Al Arabiya, January 27, 2009.[2]

3. Apology to the Summit of the Americas ("At Times We Sought to Dictate Our Terms")

President Obama, address to the Summit of the Americas opening ceremony, Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 2009.[3]

4. Apology at the G-20 Summit of World Leaders ("Some Restoration of America’s Standing in the World")

News conference by President Obama, ExCel Center, London, United Kingdom, April 2, 2009.[4]

5. Apology for the War on Terror ("We Went off Course")

President Obama, speech at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., May 21, 2009.[5]

6. Apology for Guantanamo in France ("Sacrificing Your Values")

Speech by President Obama, Rhenus Sports Arena, Strasbourg, France, April 3, 2009.[6]

7. Apology before the Turkish Parliament ("Our Own Darker Periods in Our History")

Speech by President Obama to the Turkish Parliament, Ankara, Turkey, April 6, 2009.[7]

8. Apology for U.S. Policy toward the Americas ("The United States Has Not Pursued and Sustained Engagement with Our Neighbors")

Opinion editorial by President Obama: "Choosing a Better Future in the Americas," April 16, 2009.[8]

9. Apology for the Mistakes of the CIA ("Potentially We’ve Made Some Mistakes")

Remarks by the President to CIA employees, CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia, April 20, 2009.[9] The remarks followed the controversial decision to release Office of Legal Counsel memoranda detailing CIA enhanced interrogation techniques used against terrorist suspects.

10. Apology for Guantanamo in Washington ("A Rallying Cry for Our Enemies")

President Obama, speech at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., May 21, 2009.[10]

Barack Obama’s Top 10 Apologies: How the President Has Humiliated a Superpower

Filed under: Global Affairs, Politics

Patriot Post on Sotomayor…

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS News From the Swamp: Obama Picks Sotomayor When Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced his retirement earlier this month, the guessing game began as to whom President Barack Obama would pick to fill the seat. Tuesday, he answered that question with the non-surprise pick of appellate judge Sonia Sotomayor from the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Democrats and the media (but we repeat ourselves) immediately ran with their talking points about her "empathy" and her "compelling life story." Indeed, blogger Michelle Malkin quipped, "Drinking game: If you take a shot every time you hear the phrase ‘compelling life story’ today, you should be out by lunch." It is Sotomayor’s judicial philosophy, however, that is compelling us to oppose her nomination. In 2005, Sotomayor was caught on tape articulating leftist judicial activism in a nutshell: "[A] court of appeals is where policy is made." Knowing she had given away the game, though, she immediately clarified: "I know this is on tape, and I should never say that because we don’t make law. I know." Read more here…

Filed under: Supreme Court

Unconditional Talks or Threat of Force?

Cartoons By Michael Ramirez

Filed under: Global Affairs, Global Threats, Iran, Islam, Muslim, Religion

When One’s Race Make You Wiser…

I’m now soliciting for facts-based, reasoned, supportable and peer-reviewed documentation that supports SCOTUS candidate Sotomayor’s belief that being female and hispanic allows her to reach better and wiser judiciary conclusions than a white male.

"I'm wiser cuz I'm a hispanic female"

Please submit to  this website any academic research with statistical analysis and references to support her opinion.

Don’t have any?

Didn’t think so…

Filed under: Supreme Court, Thoughts

Memorial Day – 2009

In honor of my father, passed away this year.  Served honorably in the United States Air Force and retired in 1979.  God keep him and may he rest in peace.

Prayers For Our Soldiers

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Filed under: Memorial Day, Military, Thoughts

Man Helps Suicide Jumper… To Jump!

Lai Jiansheng, 66, said he was fed up with the desperate man’s “selfish activity” which caused huge traffic jams in Guangzhou, southern China. 

When I saw the headline on BBC, I initially felt appalled. But, after finishing the article, actually understood his point.

“I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish,”

Don’t worry, the guy didn’t die.  So no murder charges against the pusher…

Filed under: Global Affairs

Cheney and Obama duke it out…

CNN is running a non-scientific poll on whether Mr. Obama was right on stating he want Guantanamo Bay closed or Mr. Cheny is correct in not closing it.  So, here’s my chance to poll my few readers to get their reaction.  Yes, mine is non-scientific too, but lets see what my results are.

By they way, any guesses how CNN’s poll turned out?

Filed under: Global Threats, Military, Politics

Pelosi was lied to!

Now she’s accusing the CIA of lying. Things are getting pretty hairy for the SOTH.

Filed under: Politics , Politics

Today’s Technology Post…

Those of you folks who’ve been reading me know that at heart I’m a technology geek.  Today I found an article about studies in “Warp Travel” ala Star Trek.

Considering how much of the technology in the 1960’s TV show pretty much has become either reality or about to be, the idea that Warp Travel could be possible may be quite likely.

The warp drive, one of "Star Trek"’s hallmark inventions, could someday become science instead of science fiction.

Some physicists say the faster-than-light travel technology may one day enable humans to jet between stars for weekend getaways.

Clearly it won’t be an easy task. The science is complex, but not strictly impossible, according to some researchers studying how to make it happen.

The trick seems to be to find some other means of propulsion besides rockets, which would never be able to accelerate a ship to velocities faster than that of light, the fundamental speed limit set by Einstein’s General Relativity.

Think about it, the communicator is now the cell phone, the transporter beam is almost a proven concept using Quantum Physics theories.

Read more here.

Filed under: Science, Technology

Obama cuts prayer-day service – Washington Times

Since becoming President, he couldn’t find a church… now, he’s pulling back from the Day of Prayer.

President Obama is distancing himself from the National Day of Prayer by nixing a formal early morning service and not attending a large Catholic prayer breakfast the following morning.

He’s reversing a trend set by President Bush for the last 8 years.  But the most telling comment below seems to show he’s ignorant of one of the reasons for church.

"Prayer is something the president does every day," he said. "We’re doing a proclamation, which I know that many administrations in the past have done."

As a Christian, President Obama must recognize the importance of attending regulars meetings at a church of his choice.  I found a couple choice versus in the bible that makes the points.

Hebrews 10: 25

²⁵not forsaking our own ^(A)assembling together, as is the habit of some, but ^(B)encouraging one another; and all the more as you see ^(C)the day drawing near.

Hebrews 3:13

¹³But ^(A)encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the ^(B)deceitfulness of sin.

 

Obama cuts prayer-day service – Washington Times

Filed under: Faith

New CrisisWatch bulletin from the International Crisis Group

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05/01/2009

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CrisisWatch N°69, 1 May 2009

Seven actual or potential conflict situations around the world deteriorated and one improved in April 2009, according to the new issue of the International Crisis Group’s monthly bulletin CrisisWatch, released today.

Heavy fighting between Sri Lankan forces and the separatist LTTE rebels continued to produce an ever worsening humanitarian tragedy, as conditions deteriorated for tens of thousands of civilians trapped in a shrinking patch of land between warring parties. Government shelling into the self-declared “no-fire zone” surged on 21 April, triggering the chaotic exodus of 100,000 men, women and children into government-controlled areas with little access to urgently-needed food, water and medical relief. Available reports suggest 6,500 have died since late January; risks for 50,000 still caught in the war zone mount daily.  

With both the government forces and Tamil Tigers abdicating their responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocity crimes, a decisive and united international response is needed to ensure the safety of the civilians. Urgent pressure is required to push parties towards a solution that avoids further bloodshed.

Divisions within Kenya’s fragile coalition government rose to new levels in April, as the collapse of crisis talks on 4 April set the stage for series of blistering verbal attacks between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga. Developments raised fears of a new political crisis just a year on from the brutal election violence that fractured the country between late 2007 and early 2008. The month also saw dozens killed in attacks related to the feared Mungiki sect. 

The situation also deteriorated in Thailand, where demonstrations by supporters of ousted PM Thaksin quickly turned to violent clashes with police, leaving two dead and 120 injured. In Nepal, efforts by the Maoist authorities to sack the head of the army signalled a serious escalation in tensions between the government and Nepali army, while increasing mistrust between political parties over implementation of the country’s peace process resulted in two weeks of parliamentary paralysis. CrisisWatch also identifies North Korea and Moldova as deteriorated situations in April. 

The month brought an important step forward in talks between Armenia and Turkey following an agreement brokered under Swiss mediation on a “roadmap” towards the normalisation of relations and opening of their joint border. The agreement came despite strains related to Armenia’s longstanding conflict with Turkey ally Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

CrisisWatch identifies a conflict resolution opportunity in Niger, after a joint peace declaration agreed between the government and main Tuareg rebel group raised prospects for an imminent peace deal to address the long-running conflict in the north. 

April 2009 TRENDS

Deteriorated Situations
Fiji, Kenya, Moldova, Nepal, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Improved Situations
Armenia/Turkey

Unchanged Situations
Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Basque Country (Spain), Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chechnya, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Georgia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India (non-Kashmir), Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar/Burma, Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan), Nigeria, North Caucasus (non-Chechnya), Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan Strait, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkey, Turkmenista n, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe

April 2009 OUTLOOK

Conflict Risk Alert
Sri Lanka

Conflict Resolution Opportunity
Niger

*NOTE: CrisisWatch indicators – up and down arrows, conflict risk alerts, and conflict resolution opportunities – are intended to reflect changes within countries or situations from month to month, not comparisons between countries. For example, no "conflict risk alert" is given for a country where violence has been occurring and is expected to continue in the coming month: such an indicator is given only where new or significantly escalated violence is feared.

Search current and all past editions of CrisisWatch by using the CrisisWatch database.

To subscribe to CrisisWatch click here.

Filed under: Global Threats

Viagra rival ‘can be rubbed directly into skin’

Okay, this news story from the UK Telegraph is just too weird.  I’ve highlighted the parts that make me queasy…

Scientists in the United States have successfully tested the new technique – which involves tiny objects called nanoparticles – on rats and believe it could also be used to help humans.

Under the therapy, nanoparticles that release the anti-erectile chemical nitric oxide are rubbed on the problem area, and absorbed directly into the skin.

Okay, I get the rubbing on skin part, put the next part creeps me out…

Of the seven rats treated by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, five showed signs of arousal, according to results presented to the American Urological Association (AUA).

Please don’t tell me they rubbed the rat’s problem areas??? You know what I mean?

The new treatment would likely have fewer side effects than Viagra, which is taken orally and been shown to cause headaches and facial flushing.

Researchers also believe that the nanoparticle therapy could work much more quickly than Pfizer’s market-leading drug, which takes up to an hour to kick in.

"This is a very interesting concept which has potential to impact treatment of many conditions including erectile dysfunction if it can be translated from the animal lab to clinical practice," said Ira D Sharlip of the AUA.

An estimated 2.3 million men in Britain are thought to suffer from the erectile problems, which can be caused by a variety of conditions.

By the way, just read another article today about smog eating concrete that uses nitric oxide to do its work.  What is this stuff?  All purpose chemicals for erectile function and smog abatement???

Viagra rival ‘can be rubbed directly into skin’ – Telegraph

Filed under: Health