BHUTTO ASSASINATED!

Suicide bombers just took the life of Pakistan's only hope. May God have mercy on their souls.

Putin is TIME Person of the Year

You have got to be freaking kidding me.

Oprah's Commitment to Obama

Originally Oprah was going to throw her hat towards Hillary Clinton. Then she changed it to Obama. I cannot help but believe that the reasons behind her doing this had nothing to do with his campaign issues and everything to do with race. I am one of the few black people I know that refuses to support a candidate on race alone, and I wish Oprah had the courage to do so, too.

Brit Jailed over Teddy Bear

A British woman was jailed for suspicion of violating a religious law in the Sudan for allowing a teddy bear to be named "Muhammed."

Normally I try not to make commentary about other cultures, but someone explain this to me. A teddy bear? Not a nuke, not a crime against humanity....a freaking toy. She could get 40 lashes, a fine, 6 months in jail or a combination of the three.

How the Christmas Wars Stole Christmas...

I never thought about what faiths my friends were until I got ready to start mailing cards for the holidays. Once upon a time I bought "Happy Holidays" cards because I wanted to cover the entire holiday season, and not just Christmas. This year I bought Christmas cards and "Happy Holidays" cards because I was so thrown off by the Christmas wars of the past two years that I don't want to risk offending anyone.

The irony of it is that my friends probably are just glad to get a card and could care less what it says.

Fun with Dick and Jane?

Apparently a new crime wave has emerged since the foreclosures of homes en masse took place in this country.

What a shocker.

Aqua Dots Hurt Tots

Yet another toy is being added to the list of banned items from China. Aqua Dots, that toy that I never considered to be a real toy in the first place, metabolizes into a powerful date rape drug when ingested.

Who are making these toys, pederasts and child killers?

The Word on the Kurds

Iraq wants the Kurd separatists to hit the road. And where are they to go? Turkey? I am sure the Turks would just love that. It would save them the trouble of flying into another country and bombing the hell out of it. The U.S. tried that; it doensn't work.

Roasted Turkey?

Apparently Turkey is thinking about doing some preemptives striking against Kurdish north Iraq. There is great fear among the Turks that an attempt by the Kurds to form their own country might embolden the Kurds in south Turkey to join in and try to take a bit of Turkey with them.

I really have no comment for this; I personally think it wouldn't hurt to just let the Kurds have their own land and call it a day, but given that would probably result in the Turkish Kurds trying to take a bit of Turkey with them, it seems to be a lose-lose situation.

Al Qaida on the Meltdown?

The U.S. military has reported that it has done significant damage to the Al Qaida terrorist group--significant to the point where it has declared victory over the organization.

I don't buy this one bit.

Al Qaida is like a nest of wasps. You think you've killed them all, but unless you kill the source then it will continue to go on forever, and even if you manage to kill the queen of the hive there is another wasp waiting to take the dethroned's place. On a slightly side note, given that this is coming from the same group that declared "Mission Accomplished" for the Iraq War and we are still there, I think that the credibility factor is lacking.

I personally do not believe it is possible to completely destroy Al Qaida; it is a beast that will have to die on its own, and right now it is thriving.

Alabama Sex Toy Ban

Yes, the state of Alabama has nothing better to do with tax dollars than to put laws into place that essentially ban people from having the opportunity to choose how they spend their private time...but it is still legal to own guns, buy porn, Viagra and men's sex magazines.

Alabama legislators, given that Alabama is at the bottom of the barrel every year for education, I think you can find better ways to spend your time. Sex toys do not create prostitution. People who don't want to find dates on their own create prostitution. I would think that sex toys would be a disease-and-unplanned-pregnancy-free alternative. Speaking of unplanned pregnancies, would you rather your daughter use one sex toy 50 times or sleep with 50 different guys? Maybe you see nothing wrong with driving her to an abortion clinic instead of embracing the idea that she could be entertaining herself in a disease-free environment, but the rest of the world does not concur.

The medieval age is over, Alabama. It is high-time you came into the 21st century.

Link to petition against ban:
http://gopetition.com/petitions/say-no-to-alabamas-sex-toy-ban.html

Wow

Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. So we could have had an Academy Award-winning, Peace Prize winner as president...

Put that in your hookah and smoke it.

The Ohio School Shooting: A Thought

The incident in Ohio, where a teenager opened fire wounding four people may very well bear the same origins as the other shootings. My concern with this recent shooting is that students viewed as "different" are going to be targeted by teachers and students, which will only inflame these "different" students even more. Although no one has mentioned it, I cannot help but suspect that this student was subjected to bullying.

Bullying has got to be the most underrated problem in schools. I have constantly heard adults say that bullying is not a big deal, but for a teenager or younger person, it is a huge deal. Schools should start implementing rules that buckle down on bullying instead of fishing out atheists and those who listen to Marilyn Manson.

Unless of course they want to wait until it happens to their school to act.

Where the Pro-Life Movement Goes Wrong

I'm sticking my neck out for this one, but it wouldn't be the first time.

When I started this blog, I vowed that I would never bring the abortion debate to this forum. I still intend to keep it that way. You cannot have a debate on a polarized issue, it simply is not possible. What I would like to discuss is the actual pro-life movement.

I was reading another blog where a woman was expressing concern about photos of aborted babies being exposed to children. There were those who stated that showing those photos only heightened animosity against the movement instead of invoking sympathy for the babies. I am obliged to agree. Where the pro-life movement goes wrong is in its delivery. If you want someone to listen to you, calling them a baby killer is probably not going to work. It is this lack of a compassionate approach that has made me hesitant to actively participate in the movement.

What disturbs me even more is that these same people (I have seen this repeatedly) are the ones against social programs designed to help these children that they are trying to save. I have even heard some go as far as suggesting legislation that protected fathers for "having to pay for babies they didn't want."

There are two people involved in this debate, and maybe if some sensitivity was given to both parties, before and after the pregnancy, then maybe these women would feel that there are other options besides abortion.

Hate is a poor salesman.

Detecting Criminals Before They Strike: Is It Possible?

I keep reading about the tragedy in Wisconsin about the sheriff's deputy that killed six teens. I keep reading and hearing over and over again, "How did he get through the system?"

What I like to refer to as "professional" criminals get through the system because the system does not know how to detect when someone is playing its own game against it. To me, it would make perfect sense for someone with the mentality that this deputy displayed to get into a position of power. The same frame of logic applies to other criminals in positions of power. They know how to "play the game," which makes them a million times more terrifying than the criminals we expect to see on the street. I personally do not believe there is a way to truly flush them out because they are so willing to adjust to whatever is designed to stop them.

My heart goes out to the survivors of this tragedy, but the fact that this was done by someone that had the audacity to put on a uniform that is representative of an institution that is supposed to protect the people does not shock me in the least.

Bush's Comments on Torture

President Bush made the comment that the United States does not condone or engage in torture, refuting recent reports that beg to differ. I think that the survivors of the likes of Abu Ghraib would disagree as well.

Craig Vows to Stay in Office

Despite having a judge refuse to throw out his initial guilty plea for shenanigans dans la salle de bains, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) is vowing to stay the course.

I honestly feel sorry for the Republican party. It is bad enough that they have to compete for the White House on the heels of a most unpopular president, but then they have to deal with this guy. Mr. Craig, give up the ghost; salvage what little dignity you can muster and free your party from the stain of your presence. Think of bigger pictures than those that include yourself, sir, and walk away. In the long run, people will think better of you for it.

All Children (except the rich ones) Left Behind

President Bush took a huge gamble on behalf of his party by slamming a veto on a $30 million health care plan for children. His reason? It was too much money and we can't have people that "might" be able to afford health care coverage depending on the government, despite the fact that we are probably one of the lone wealthy countries that doesn't provide universal coverage.

But this bill was just for kids.

The Senate saved their skins by voting to override the veto, but 19 House Republicans and a spatter of Democrats decided to ring the death knoll on their bids for reelection by going against the grain. I guess we can't have families with lower incomes than theirs running around insured...that would be unethical.

I guess they need the extra cash so that they can pay for the life insurance of the soldiers that are dying in Iraq.

My Wasted Vote

The Senate just approved 150 billion dollars to continue funding this debacle in Iraq. While I recognize that there simply aren't enough votes to do anything concrete about this war, I still cannot help but wonder why did I make such an exaggerated effort to go to the polls last election. What exactly are those who still hold their votes--that gift from the American people--out to end a long-lost cause? How many more limbless veterans or bagged bodies must be returned to our soil before it dawns on these hopeful individuals that Iraq was an absolute failure?

I exercised my right to vote yet it has left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"War on Terror" Supporter Murdered

The leader of the Anbar Awakening Council, an organization with the mission of flushing out the pockets of terrorist in Iraq, was murdered shortly after meeting with President Bush on Sept 3. Although no group has yet to come forward to claim credit for the death of Abu Risha, al Qaida has already been noted for killing several of his relatives that assisted the U.S. military. Followers of Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha, who was known as being a "charismatic Sunni," are vowing revenge against the slaying.

Given the increasing number of terrorists somehow I feel that my hopes are wasted in believing that the Anbar Awakening Council en totale is capable of even making a dent in the terrorist group.

Pavarotti Dies

We've lost another legend.

link to article

Senator Craig Reconsiders Resignation

This is getting good.

I secretly suspected that he was not going to resign but am still shocked that he considered sticking it out anyway. Given the bad press that the GOP has received because of Sen. Craig's poor bathroom etiquette, one would think that for the sake of the party he would silently slink away.

I suppose that his pride is greater than the bigger picture.

Ode to Karl Rove

Karl Rove's last day has come and gone, and I must say despite my obvious leanings towards the left, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rove. The man is a political genius, and I would have loved the opportunity to meet him. Karl Rove represents a growing list of walk-outs for the Bush administration, but I feel that he was the greatest loss that Bush could ever experience.

Mr. Rove, you worked for the wrong side, but I still raise my glass to you. You were brilliant.

L'il Kim Gives Up...or Is He the Winner?

North Korea agreed to end its quest to join the Nuclear League by the end of this year. What motivated the powers-that-be to this decision was the desire to procure "political and economic compensation." Talks between the U.S. and N. Korea in Geneva were said to have been a pleasant affair. The U.S. walked away victorious.

I personally think that the only reason North Korea was pursuing a program in the first place was to get a chance to sit at the table with the big dogs, and the only way to get any attention without the loss of life via warfare was with a nuke. I am willing to be that Kim is going to get all of the attention he can stand now just to keep him from going back to the atom-splitting drawing board.

So it seems that maybe the real winner in this battle was not the U.S., but little N.K. after all.

Cartoon of the Day

Craig Has Left the Building!

Soon-to-be former Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho) will be turning in his key to the senator's restroom at the end of the month. A shocker? Hardly. What I am curious to wonder is that if the senator's dirty little secret going to stain the sheets of the GOP to the point where they can kiss any hope of immediate recovery goodbye.

Senator's Career Is in the Toilet

I have been slow to write about this because I had to make sure I heard it correctly when I first saw it on the news: A pro-family, anti-gay right winger was caught soliciting sex from an undercover cop in an airport bathroom. Needless to say, I am tickled by the whole thing and I must extend my condolences to the thousands of men that will probably never use a public bathroom again after becoming aware of this scandal.

What I find more odd than the actual event is the fact that members of either party are not exercising more caution as the presidential election season approaches. One would think of all times to keep your nose clean and avoid hookers, pages and users of public toilets, this would be it. I do not blame the GOP for trying to get him to resign...I am surprised that they have not let Cheney loose on Craig.

GONZALES RESIGNS!

First the architect of the Bush administration and now Gonzales? Has the lame duck president been left to the wolves?

I Am Still Kicking...

I know it's been a bit since I have posted, but I will be back in full force soon.

Wal-Mart Adding Clinics to Stores

As a result of slipping sales in the U.S., the retail behemoth is adding doctor visits to its plan for one-stop shopping. Already there are 400 of these supermart-clinics scattered across the country, and Wal-Mart plans on upping that to at least 2,000 in the next few years.

Why are they doing it? To keep their economic base--lower income families--from spending money on going to the emergency room. Since roughly 16% of Americans cannot afford health care, this may be one of the brightest ideas that Wal-Mart has come up with in ages. The doctors will be real doctors: Wal-Mart is simply leasing space to them cheaply. Patients can then go from there and get their prescription filled while buying soup and crackers.

Given that health care is so ridiculous in cost I am all for this. I think it is shameful that a country as rich as this one has 46 million people that cannot afford to see a doctor. My hope is that in time the convenience of going to Wal-Mart clinics will appeal to enough people to were hospitals and clinics are forced to compete more for patients. I am not advocating that the doctor down the street should be forced into bankruptcy, but I have a problem the fact that people have to choose between paying their utilities or getting help that they may desperately need. True, under federal law no emergency room can turn down a patient, but there is an insane price involved in what should be a right instead of a privilege and that is deplorable.

On a side note, I think Wal-Mart should start attaching apartments to the stores, too. That way I would always be within walking distance of a 24-hour store that sells 7 layer dip.

Libby Sentenced!

Former chief of staff to VP Cheney, "Scooter" Libby, will be expected to serve 30 months in jail and will be fined $250,000 (€184,856.03) for his role in the Valerie Plame fiasco. It is reported that President Bush has no intention of intervening with a pardon, though there is some speculation that he will do it as he is leaving office á la former President Clinton.

Terrorist Plot Foiled at JFK Airport

As the title indicates, some would-be terrorists decided to take another aim at New York City. I have not heard whether or not this quartet is connected to any particular terrorist faction, but given that this incident has taken place on American soil, I have to ask the question: if the point of the Iraqi War was to fight terrorists over seas so that they cannot fight us in the United States, then how does the Bush administration explain this incident?

Kudos to the law enforcement agencies in NYC for stopping this plan. I can only hope that the American people will not allow themselves to be duped into another failed foreign policy as a result of this incident.

Man Eats Dog to Promote Animal Rights?

That's right, Mark McGowan protested Prince Philip's hunting and killing a fox by eating a corgi, which is apparently the favorite pooch of Queen Elizabeth II. Yoko Ono joined him in dining on the canine. McGowan, apparently a well-known animal rights activist, has also been documented as eating a swan to protest the monarchy.

Someone explain to me how this makes any sense. I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he waited for the dog to die of natural causes before he and Ono ate it in front of cameras with apples, onions and seasonings, but to me, this has got to be one of the dumbest forms of protests I have ever seen.

Even PETA has not done anything like this yet.

The Heat is On?

The New York Times led today with the news that the White House may be showing signs that it is beginning to cave under pressure from at home to end the war in Iraq. Apparently there is supposed to be a debate to determine whether or not troop reduction should start in 2008...conveniently amidst the heat of the presidential election. The numbers are supposed to drop by 46,000 troops and the fight is supposed to now focus on where Al Qaeda is suspected to be headquartered.

It would have been nice if our royal sovereign, the King/President Bush would have just signed the bill for a time-table instead of reheating Democratic leftovers and trying to pass them off as a new dish. I am pleased, however, that some of Bush's people are backing this idea, including Secretary Rice. If this is pulled off, this should be the first time there was a troop number of that size since 2004.

Maybe that pigeon pooping on him during his last press conference finally convinced him that even animals think his foreign policy is for the birds.

Sheri's Random Rant: The View

I would like to know who is actually watching this show and I demand that these people apologize to me. Thanks to you, that watered-down, four-headed version of Oprah has enough ratings to where I cannot turn the television without hearing about it.

And who gives a damn if Rosie O'Donnell is arguing with some blond Republican? What exactly have either of these people done to benefit mankind? O'Donnell's claims-to-fame are playing a corpulent version of Betty Rubble and arguing with a spoiled, attention-hungry rich guy with the worst hair ever and I have never heard of the other one before...and now they are media darlings?

At least when O'Donnell leaves that putrid excuse for entertainment will go back to the dry bit of airspace it has always been.

King Bush Wins!

The bill has passed. I feel so betrayed. This once great country is at the mercy of a tyrannical president and an impotent Congress. I cannot help but wonder why do I bother to vote.

Democrats Punk Out!

This is a sad day for America; Bush is officially the king of the United States.

The Democrats in Congress disappointed the hell out of me by letting Bush call their bluff with a bill that doesn't have a time-table. They have crippled the opportunity of exiting this disaster of a war. Why not just include a jewel encrusted crown and just make his monarchy official since they are too afraid to take this tyrant on with the bit of Constitutional power that they have?

Is there no one that will stand up to the Bush administration?

Wolfowitz Quits!

It was just too hot in the kitchen for World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz so he's getting out of it:

"Wolfowitz agreed to resign in negotiations with the bank's executive board, pre-empting a growing likelihood that he would have been formally reprimanded or fired, said bank officials who spoke on condition they not be named, citing the political sensitivity of the proceedings."

The end of his reign will occur at the end of June. I will give him credit for resigning; it is a far more dignified way of handling the situation.

Jerry Falwell Dies at 73

Link to WP article.

Sarkozy Wins!..Should I Panic?

Nicholas Sarkozy, son of immigrants but refers to other immigrants as "scum," is now the president of France.

I haven't paid much attention to this race, but what I do know about Sarkozy is not exactly favorable. From what I am understanding, France just elected Dick Cheney sans gun to run their country. But there are two benefits to Sarkozy winning, the first being his pro-American stance means there is a chance for France and the U.S. to get back on good terms with one another politically.

The second is that if he is as volatile as his language, then we get to thumb our noses at France for once.

When Mass Hysteria Clouds Reason

The Virginia Tech massacre was horrible, there is no doubt about that, however, we must still allow reason and logic to prevail over fear.

A high school student's dreams of being in the Marine Corps were dashed after they dropped him due to pending charges stemming from a violent essay he wrote for class. Why did he write a violent essay all of a sudden? Could it have had something to do with the fact that the assignment read "Be creative; there will be no judgment and no censorship." I read part of the essay and personally thought it was pretty ridiculous and he should have gotten an "F" for writing a crappy essay, but to have him face 30 days in a county jail and a $1500 fine when he has been an exemplary student his entire life is ludicrous.

And if anything, this rejection increases the chances that he would act on his words.

SENATE APPROVES BILL WITH IRAQ PULLOUT TIMETABLE

I can't believe it!

The Democratic-controlled Congress just basically flipped Bush's veto threats off by passing the bill anyway:

"The 51-46 vote was largely along party lines, and like House passage of the same bill a day earlier, fell far short of the two-thirds margin needed to overturn the president’s threatened veto. Nevertheless, the legislation is the first binding challenge on the war that Democrats have managed to send to Bush since they reclaimed control of both houses of Congress in January."

Let's ride on a prayer that a miracle will take place and Bush will just give up the ghost and let this mess go.

A Thought on the Osprey

I am a little late on commenting about the controversial MV-22 Osprey - the multimillion dollar helioplane crafted by the Marine Corps, but as they say, better late than never. What I see when I look at the Osprey is millions of our tax dollars to reinvent a propeller airplane. The fuselage is suspended in space like a dangling target. The only person that I would put in the Osprey is Bin Laden.

What I would have liked to see is that money redirected to the R&D of satellite technology that can detect IEDs.

Boris Yeltsin Dies

Yeltsin dies at age 76.

WP article

Civil Rights Movement Veterans and Obama

One of my professors said recently that generals are always still stuck in the last war they fought. I find that to be true for the veterans of the Civil Rights movement as well. I am not alone in my sentiment, I am just one of the few that has the courage to speak up since it is perceived to be ungrateful to say anything about Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton.

But I have to do this.

Sharpton et al have repeatedly criticized candidates like Obama for not being more aggressive in their tactics when it comes to addressing issues like the Imus debacle. Obama criticized Imus--like just about everyone else--but according to the CRM vets, he didn't do it with enough force. Then what exactly should he have done? I freely admit that we have a long way to go as far as civil rights go, but we keep forgetting the progress that has been made. A rally isn't necessary anymore every time we face prejudice and instead of criticizing modern leaders for not having one, maybe our CRM vets should just take the time to realize this and bask in the glory of the fact that we don't have to have a rally every time something goes awry to get something done anymore.

Cartoon of the Day

No Money, No Honey

Kudos to Wolfowitz and his so-called feminist girlfriend, Shaha Riza, for showing the women of the world that the only way they can get ahead is by getting between the sheets.

Do I think he should resign? Of course. Not too long ago a U.S. president was being impeached for having inproper relations with his subordinate, so why should the president of the World Bank be treated with kid gloves? This is incident is in the same field. The only difference is that Monica Lewinsky didn't get an "outstanding" rating that resulted in an instant promotion. I am not hiding my disgust on this incident because it reeks of the ghosts of hypocrisy that haunted the Clinton administration. Not only that, the fact that Riza is a feminist just makes it worse.

A special thanks to Riza, for showing not just women in general, but especially Arab women, how empowered they can be...provided they are in the arms of the powerful.

Missing Emails Scandal

Can the gall of this administration get any greater?

Imus in the Can

I watched Imus in the Morning once and vowed never to do it again. He was that level of brash that only a redneck could love. In regards to his recent fall from grace, I have to say this: What did he expect? This isn't about first amendment rights, this is about a business protecting its interests and MSNBC is a business. Imus overstepped his boundary and his responsibility to his employer when he decided to dub two college kids as "nappy headed hoes."

He should have known better, and as far as I am concerned, one less blight has been taken off the face of television.

The Iranian Hostage Issue

A U.S. soldier asked a question yesterday that I was personally wondering myself: where was the mothership of the vessel of the captured British sailors?

(On a side note, I know this is wrong, but I am so glad that the spotlight is off us for once. Hopefully our beloved president will use this time to make some graceful exit plans.)

Bush to Democrats: Bring it on?

So Bush is going to cave in and let Congress have a private chat with Karl Rove, Bush's personal savior, and the rest of the brood.

What caught me so much about that announcement was not so much the fact that Bush is going to allow this to take place, but his "bring it on" attitude. What I heard in this announcement was not an agreement between branches but a declaration of war between political parties. Bush has made it quite clear that the buck stops with him and that he is not going to take kindly to any meddling Congress members.

I am curious to see how the Bush administration will affect the future of the American presidency on the domestic level. I foresee some attempts to make sure that it is easier to keep a president under control in the future.

Stuck with Lame Duck

I wasn't going to comment on the State of the Union address because the only reason I could justify watching it this year is to see how many 9/11 references would find their way in the president's speech.

Actually, I think I still won't comment on it.

The speech is not what is causing me to lose sleep, it is the fact that the options involved in dealing with this rogue administration. Congress could cut funding, which would not only hurt troops already in Iraq but could come back and severely damage any chance of getting better leadership in 2008, and if they impeach Bush, that would make Trigger-Happy Cheney our Commander-in-Chief, which is frightening beyond words.

We're stuck. There is nothing else that Congress can legally do. How the hell did this happy? When Bush ran did someone tell him to pick a vampire for a VP so that it would guarantee that no one would try to get rid of him? It seems that the best Congress can do is let his reign peter out and make sure they have a tighter grip on the next prez.

America the Ignorant?

Keith Ellison, a convert to Islam, became the first Muslim member to be sworn into Congress. There is a big row over his decision to use the Quran (which was owned by Thomas Jefferson) in his swearing-in photo instead of a Bible. Several television and radio personalities are claiming that the Congressman's decision to acknowledge his faith will "embolden terrorists," etc. Is the land of the free and the home of the brave really that ignorant?

If we want to stay true to "American values," there would be no religious text used at all. The people that make the biggest row obviously slept through American National Government and all of their history courses as well. If anything, the Enlightenment period was not religious-friendly and it is suspected that Thomas Jefferson was a closet atheist based on some of his writings. The fact that this country exists at all stems from the greed of European colonialism and imperialism, not a love of God. I doubt very much that Jesus would look kindly on how Native Americans were deprived of their homeland and Africans were kidnapped and enslaved seeing that both of those were major issues for Jews before and during His lifetime.

This is the same level of ignorance that was portrayed when blacks and women began to actively participate in American government and society outside of their accepted roles. The only reason anyone thought the sky was falling is because of their own fears of change. Ellison was elected in a landslide thanks to the democratic process, and if anything, having a Muslim in our government projects the American values of freedom that so many of my Christian counterparts are so quick to forget.