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Day By Day© by Chris Muir.


July 31, 2007

Update on Anatolie

Last week, an article I wrote about Anatolie Vartosu was posted to American Thinker. Anatolie is a Romanian who had an H-1B work visa initially approved, then denied upon request for renewal.

The Greenwich Time has also picked up the story. Time is running out for Anatolie; he has until August 9th to either get an extension or pack his bags and leave.

"Right now, I'm stuck, I cannot do anything until I get an answer for the H-1B visa," said Vartosu, who does not want to return to Romania because he sees better opportunities here. "Nobody wants to go back. Like soccer, I'm going to fight until the last second to see if I can do something."

And I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Immigration is so messed up! We have our government trying to reward people who cross our borders to live here illegally, while giving the shaft to hardworking would-be immigrants who follow the rules to the letter. (He and his employer have spent $15,000 in lawyer and application fees.) Frankly, it's cr@p. The cynic in me is saying that since Romanians aren't part of a huge potential voting bloc, then Anatolie's situation is a forgettable one to our legislators.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome of this outrageous case.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:08 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0) | Illegal Immigration

US Reps Stick Nose into Canadian, Japanese Business

If the shoe was on the other foot, how many of us would be telling Canada to minds its own beeswax? Via Breitbart:

The US House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed a resolution demanding that Ottawa end the hunting of baby seals in Canada.
The resolution was introduced by Democrat Tom Lantos, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Christopher Shays, Republican of Connecticut.

The resolution said that more than a million seals have been killed in the past three years, and that over the past five years, 95 percent of the seals killed were less than 12 weeks of age, with the youngest just 12 days old.

Yes: I think clubbing baby harp seals is a nasty practice. But shouldn't our reps be worrying more about our business? Like, say, burgeoning congressional pork and winning (not losing) the war in Iraq?

Plus, Stephen Harper, Canada's PM, is more of a friend to us than his predecessor, leftie Paul Martin. So let's not sour this budding relationship by putting our two cents in when it hasn't been asked for!

Congress has a lot to do without looking for fluff work that makes it seem as though important things are being accomplished, like demanding that Japan apologize for sex slavery that took place during World War II. Shouldn't Japan be able to make that decision without us badgering them about it?

Will Congress pass a resolution demanding that slavery in the Middle East (in countries like Sudan) finally be abolished? Likely not, as this area is cloaked in the heavy mantle of political correctness. Meanwhile, the House is busy bullying our allies over issues that are truly none of our business.

Yet another reason Congress' ratings are in the toilet.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | International

July 29, 2007

Blog Fest West Coming Up -- August 18th!

I live on the East coast, so I won't be attending. But for those of you near enough the the San Francisco area who would like to attend (and feel like dodging moonbats), Blog Fest West is happening on August 18th at Fort Mason Center, located right on picturesque San Francisco Bay.

Organizing this event are Cinnamon Stillwell, Ed Driscoll and Nina Yablok. For more information, head over to the official website. And pass the info along to anyone you know who might be interested!!!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 06:15 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Blogging

July 27, 2007

PETA Wants Lighthouse for 'Fish Empathy' Project

Got a dollar? Penfield Lighthouse, an historic lighthouse in Long Island Sound off of Penfield Beach (my favorite beach) in Fairfield, Connecticut, is up for sale by the federal government. Built in 1874 and on the National Register of Historic Places, it is partially submerged and sits on a jetty. While it is structurally sound, it is in need of extensive refurbishing and repair, and would likely be an expensive building to keep up. PETA would like to buy it. The plan?

PETA says it hopes to convert the lighthouse into the headquarters for its "Fish Empathy Project," devoted to ending fish abuse, complete with a memorial to the millions of fish killed every year and a cafe.

"We could serve faux fish sticks and other foods that don't involve killing fish," said Michael Prescott, PETA's manager of fish empathy campaigns. "For our British guests we could even serve faux fish and chips. They taste pretty good." [Yeah, those Brits will come all the way to the U.S. to eat the fake version of something they can get at home -- ed.]

Prescott said the lighthouse would be an ideal location for the world's first "Fish Empathy Quilt," a 300-square-foot quilt made by PETA volunteers.

"Fish are interesting, quizzical animals with unique personalities," he said.

I'll check with my brother-in-law, who enjoys fishing in the Sound, how many "interesting, quizzical animals with unique personalities" he has come across. Come to think of it, I've enjoyed some of them myself, thanks to his generosity!

Perhaps PETA could create a display with the same tasteful "Holocaust" theme they have used in the past. After all, we know how much more important fish and other animals are to the folks at PETA than, you know, actual folks.

The town of Fairfield is also interested in purchasing the lighthouse, and Fairfield's First Selectman Kenneth Flatto has his doubts as to the viability of PETA's plan:

"I really can't imagine any public way there could ever be a use of the facility by the public on a daily basis," he said. "You pretty much can only reach it by boat. We've had people who tried to walk get stranded out there before and need to be rescued."

But why rescue them? They could become food for the fish, something PETA could get behind with some enthusiasm. Think of it as "giving something back."

PETA, of course, hopes to convert those nasty types who earn an honest living by fishing:

"We hope that any commercial fisherman would try our faux fish and maybe get involved in a line of work that doesn't involve the murder of animals," he said. "I'd invite any fisherman who are worried to see what the fish empathy program is all about." He suggested visiting PETA's anti-fishing Web site, fishinghurts.com. The site features interesting tidbits about the fish, like the fact that they are incapable of closing their eyes.

You know, once a fish is dead, the fact that it can't close its eyes is no longer relevant. And does PETA have a job bank that those enlightened fishermen can utilize once they've seen the error of their ways? Will they provide them with the training they need to start a new career from scratch? Because I can't imagine the skills needed for fishing in the open seas would be much applicable in the corporate sector.

PenfieldLighthouse
PETA's latest acquisition? (Photo: John Galayda/Connecticut Post)

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Just Plain Stupid

Cindy Sheehan's One-Ring Political Circus

She's baaack...and serious political discourse takes a huge step backward. I talk about Cindy and her campaign to unseat Nancy Pelosi over at Family Security Matters today.

UPDATE:

Cindy's caravan of bloviation has arrived in New York City. Since I no longer work there, I am missing all of the fun. But Kesher Talk is on it with video and still photo coverage.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:45 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | FSM

July 26, 2007

Stealing the Jobs Americans Want to Do

So much for illegal immigration not hurting anyone. Christi over at Common Sense America has a post up about Terry Funderberk, whose small business of installing copper on new homes last year grossed him $176K. This year, business is way down. Can you guess why? Yep. Competition from construction firms that hire cheap illegal labor.

One day, Terry had enough and went "on strike," as it were. And he didn't receive too much sympathy from the law. There are plenty of photos too.

Absolutely unbelievable.

But then, those who claim "illegals do the jobs Americans won't do" have jobs that the unskilled laborers who sneak over the border can't do.

Andrea Shea-King plans to interview Terry on August 5. Details here.

strike.jpg

h/t: ThirdWaveDave

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Posted by Pam Meister at 05:15 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Illegal Immigration

Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Hugo Chavez

Hugo Chavez is a sensitive guy. So sensitive, in fact, that he's decided to monitor the speech of foreign visitors to Venezuela...and if they say anything that hurts Hugo's feelings, they are to be deported.

The comments came after the President of Mexico's ruling conservative party criticized Chavez for seeking to do away with term limits at a recent pro-democracy conference in Caracas. "No foreigner, whoever it is, can come here to attack us," Chavez said. "How long are we going to allow a person, from any country in the world, to come to our own house to say there's a dictatorship here, that the President is a tyrant, and no one does anything about it?"

Indeed! Of course, that standard doesn't apply to Hugo, as he felt free to call President Bush the "Devil" when he visted the U.N. last year which, for those of you who forget, is in New York City. He also made similarly derogatory remarks during a speech in Harlem on the same trip.

Leftwingers here should be taking note that the freedom they enjoy that allows them to compare President Bush to Hitler does not exist in that utopian paradise Venezuela. But I'm sure that irony is lost upon many.

A government that cannot stand up to criticism is not a government of free men, but a tyranny. Only those who know their power has not been bestowed upon them by the people, but snatched in a power grab, feel the need to shut anyone up who would dare to speak out against them -- lest others begin to question the legitimacy of said leaders.

We'll be hearing about re-education camps and gulags next in sunny Venezuela.

Hugo
Sticks and stones may break bones, but your namecalling really hurts me!

h/t: Moonbattery

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:30 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Double Standards

July 25, 2007

On Elizabeth Edwards' Tangerine Boycott

So, Elizabeth Edwards "probably won't eat another tangerine again" because of the carbon footprint caused by transporting fruit.

Bullwinkle Blog has a bit of schooling for Mrs. Edwards:

Now thats some sacrifice! How many tangerines could she possibly eat in a year? If she ate enough to matter then wouldnt her boycott cause some farmer somewhere to go broke and his orchard go to ruin? If thats the case and enough people are silly enough to follow her example then a lot of tangerine trees will be chopped down and burned to make room for some crop that will make money so the farmer can feed his family. Thats sure to release even more Co2 into the fragile atmosphere!

Wont it also mean that the people who earn their livings transporting fruit will lose their jobs and add to the number of Americans living below the poverty line? To hear the Edwards family tell it they are concerned about both Global Warming and poverty but to watch them in action they seem to think theres not enough of either to go around. I guess there really are two Americas, one where real people live and one that artifical people like the Edwards family call home.

Heh! As to Bullwinkle's second point, if Edwards is elected, no one will have to worry about being poor because the government will take care of everyone! But since he doesn't have a snowball's chance of winning, we won't have to worry about that. Although come to think of it, Edwards has been buttering up both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama lately...I think he's angling for another VP nomination. Trust me, he'll be around until the fat lady sings.

tangerine-tree.jpg
Carbon footprint, thy name is tangerine.


h/t: Moonbattery

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:23 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Global Warming Hype

Ward Churchill Back in News Again

Sheesh, I thought we were rid of the "cigar store Indian!" After investigating charges of plagiarism, falsification and other intellectual misconduct, the University of Colorado Boulder's Board of Regents voted 8 to 1 to give Churchill the boot. However, Churchill has decided to fight back in court.

David Lane, Churchill's attorney, said his client's dismissal simply marks a change in venue for the dispute.

"We're out of kangaroo court and going into real court," he said.

Lane plans to file a lawsuit in Denver Wednesday alleging Churchill's First Amendment rights were violated. He says Churchill was targeted because of his views.

You know, I caught part of Lane's interview on Hannity and Colmes last night, and he was being a real @ss. All bluff and bluster, rude, and dismissive. I'd hate to have that guy coming home to me every night!

Churchill and his lawyer claim that he was fired because of his writings and speeches post-9/11 that essentially blame America and the 9/11 victims themselves for what happened to them. Basically, in Churchill's mind, we deserved it. And unfortunately, it's what a lot of the intellectual types who swell the ranks of our colleges and universities believe.

But I don't think it's his attitude about 9/11 that got him fired -- no, I think the controversy around him brought attention to his other works, and that's when charges of plagiarism started rolling in. Had no one raised the alarm about his offensive essay "Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens," then his other intellectually dishonest activities likely wouldn't have gotten noticed either, and he'd still be claiming American Indian heritage and spreading his special brand of "blame America first" vitriol to students at UC Boulder.

It's one of the dangers of publicity -- there will always be someone looking through your laundry to see if there's anything you forgot to wash. Churchill relished being in the national spotlight two years ago, and he's back in it with the lawsuit. But hey, "there's no such thing as bad publicity as long as they spell your name right."

WardChurchill
American Indian wannabe Ward Churchill enjoys his moment in the sun.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:27 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Leftwing Lunacy

July 24, 2007

Melanie Morgan vs. Naomi Wolf on Hardball

Chris Matthews wasn't the host, and while it's amusing to see his fill-in unable to stop his guests from taking over, it's not amusing to watch Naomi Wolf's condescension, misrepresentation, and utter disregard for reality. Melanie Morgan, however, is more than a match for Naomi. Go Melanie! (I notice when Melanie is introduced, she's only identified as a radio talk show host. That's true, but she is also chairman of MoveAmericaForward.org, and co-author of American Mourning: The Intimate Story of Two Families Joined by War, Torn by Beliefs. Wolf's recent book, of course, is given due notice.)

h/t: Hot Air

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:47 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Patriotism

The Problem with Immigration

While all the sympathy seems to be for illegal aliens who flouted our laws and are now crying for their rights, what about those who follow the rules but are told to get out? I've written an article about that very subject that American Thinker has posted today.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:49 AM | Comments (91) | TrackBack (0) | Illegal Immigration

July 23, 2007

Shocker Poll: AP, MSNBC, CNBC Perceived as Leaning Left

In yet another quite, er, surprising Rasmussen poll, more Americans believe the AP, MSNBC and CNBC lean left than right:

The current survey finds that 30% of American adults believe the Associated Press has a liberal bias and only 12% believe it leans the other way. Local television news is viewed as having a liberal bias by 30% and a conservative bias by 17%. MSNBC is seen as being a bit more to the left33% say it has a liberal bias and 13% say the opposite. For CNBC, 29% say it has a liberal bias and 14% say a conservative bias.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) say local television stations deliver news without bias while 36% say the same for the Associated Press.

Perhaps Journalism 101 should be required for everyone. That way they'll know that reporters are neutral and unbiased.

What we should be more interested in is the fact that poll respondents were evenly divided as to whether or not the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated (41% for and 41% against). Bias isn't the problem so much as a refusal to admit it exists. Be frank with your audience, and let us work out the truth for ourselves. Or does that idea frighten you?

Even worse would be the government sticking its nose into the free dissemination of information. Because once the government gets its teeth into something, it's like a rottweiler going for the kill: it doesn't let go.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:47 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | MSM

July 20, 2007

Gun-Free Zone

Worried about gun violence? Well, worry no more! The answer is in the following instructional video:

h/t: Right Wing Nation

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Posted by Pam Meister at 06:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Humor

Potter Mania Nears Ridiculous Heights

I am a Harry Potter fan, and look forward to the release of the final book tonight as much as anyone. I refuse to look at spoilers, but have been reading articles about the frenzy surrounding the release with interest.

Some die-hard fans have been camped out in front of stores since yesterday to be first in line to buy the book, some in costume. Others plan on going to parties thrown by book retailers. All well and good, if that's how you want to spend your time. This, however, is one of the sillier things I've seen:

In Britain, a phone counseling service for children expects a surge in calls when readers learn who is killed.

Um...what? It's a BOOK! A work of fiction! It makes you think about how pampered we have become as a society if a child can't handle having a favorite literary character killed off. There are children all over the globe who have to deal with more frightening life circumstances than whether or not Harry, Ron or Hermione bites the dust at the end of the Harry Potter series. Children in Iraq and Darfur, for example. Come on, now!

HPotter.jpeg
Some characters
die...get over it!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 01:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Culture

Quote of the Day

"And thats why open borders types on the left favor open borders: They didnt like the voting public, so they went and got a new one." ~ Bryan Preston

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Posted by Pam Meister at 12:13 PM | Comments (341) | TrackBack (0) | Quote of the Day

"Priceless" Anti-American Rally in Syria

Berlitz would do well to market their translation dictionaries in Syria.

Head on over to Marathon Pundit for a great laugh.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Humor

Naked Photo Planned for Glacier

Do you enjoy exhibitionism while freezing your tushie off for a "good cause?" Then get ready for the following, toot sweet:

Wanted: volunteers willing to take their clothes off and have their picture taken on a freezing cold Alpine glacier.

The appeal by New York artist Spencer Tunick, famous for taking pictures of thousands of naked people in public settings worldwide, is intended for a photo shoot to highlight the effects of climate change on Switzerland's shrinking glaciers, environmental group Greenpeace said on its Web site Wednesday.

Greenpeace said if global warming continues at its current pace, most Swiss glaciers will disappear by 2080.

2080? Start stocking your basement with canned goods now...organic, of course.

The photo shoot, which follows Tunick's previous shoots in London, Mexico City and Amsterdam, will take place in August at an undisclosed location in Switzerland.

Prospective candidates from further afield will have to start making travel arrangements now. "We aim to make this a climate friendly event, so please come by public transport and don't fly," Greenpeace said.

Perhaps you can reserve your spot on the next clipper ship sailing out of New York, followed by hitching a ride with a caravan of donkeys that will snake across Europe. By the time you get there, it might well be 2080 and the glacier will have already melted...

nekkid
Your chance to make exhbitionist history!

On a tip from Jeanette!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:05 AM | Comments (987) | TrackBack (0) | Global Warming Hype

July 19, 2007

Valerie Plame's Lawsuit Dismissed

Expect outrage from the left on this one. Via Breitbart:

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed former CIA operative Valerie Plame's lawsuit against members of the Bush administration in the CIA leak scandal.

Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had accused Vice President Dick Cheney and others of conspiring to leak her identity in Plame said that violated her privacy rights and was illegal retribution for her husband's criticism of the administration.

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not express an opinion on the constitutional arguments. Bates dismissed the case against all defendants: Cheney, White House political adviser Karl Rove and former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Plame's attorneys had said the lawsuit would be an uphill battle. Public officials are normally immune from such lawsuits filed in connection with their jobs.

PlameVF
Maybe Vanity Fair will run another "exclusive."

h/t: Cookiewrangler

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:34 PM | Comments (386) | TrackBack (0) | Judges & Law

Our Media: Playing Lip Service to Our Troops

My Family Security Matters column today.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | FSM

July 18, 2007

Lookie What I Made!

LiberalsMotivator.jpg

Go make your own!

Dave made one too...

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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:18 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Humor

Operation Defend the Surge: Update!

FightForVictoryBannerWEBSMALL.jpg

A message from Buzz Patterson, vice chair of Move America Foward:

We are a nation at war with a threat from Islamic jihadists that will not go away if we surrender and withdraw from Iraq; no, that threat will only grow in intensity and brutality. Iraq will become "killing fields" rife with sectarian violence and Al Qaeda will have the opportunity to seize control of the country and its oil fields, greatly enhancing their ability to launch coordinated terror strikes against America and our allies, in pursuit of their "Grand Caliphate".

Victory is our only option. Our troops know that, you know that and I know that. The members of the United States Congress, however, stand poised to force surrender upon our troops, defeat for our nation and undermine the security of the people they were elected to represent.

Read the entire thing at DC Protest Warrior.

Also, there's a rumor that an anarchist group will try to deface the Vietnam memorial wall on September 15, the day Operation Defend the Surge plans to rally in counterprotest to ANSWER, Code Pink, etc. We stopped them in March. We can stop them again!

Aaron e-mailed me: "You HAVE to come!" And I want to. Unfortunately, I am starting a second job this weekend, and don't know if I will be able to get the time off. (Yeah, another rich Republican working a second job to make ends meet.) I'll do my best to get there. At the very least, I'll do what I can to get the word out.

Move America Forward has details, details, details on their cross-country caravan and the rally on September 15 in Washington DC.

Previous:
Operation Iraqi Freedom: Fight for Victory Tour
Operation Defend the Surge

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:33 PM | Comments (33) | TrackBack (0) | Patriotism

New Website: Media Mythbusters

Lorie Bird included me in on this e-mail about a new site you may be interested in:

I am happy to announce the launch of Media Mythbusters.com. This new wiki website was created to provide a place for approved contributors to archive facts and links to chronicle major medias treatment of stories in which questions have arisen regarding facts or methods of reporting. Because the site is a wiki, it will always be a work in progress. Some of the listed entries consist of just a framework awaiting content to come, while others are already quite extensive. We have provided a format and some intitial posted items to serve as the beginning of a site I hope will grow considerably into a valuable resource.

Awesome!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 01:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Blogging

Deport Them Now

Who? Illegal aliens who commit other crimes. Hot Air has a public service announcement about it here.

Close off the borders and secure them. Deport illegals who commit other crimes while on our soil. Then we can deal with the others. Hello? Congress? Mr. President?

phone
Is anyone in Washington listening?

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:13 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Illegal Immigration

July 17, 2007

Obama Outraises Dodd in Dodd's Home State

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) might well consider throwing in the towel as far as his presidential run is concerned, and go back to actually representing the state. In the last quarter, he was trumped in fundraising by golden boy Barack Obama, with Obama raking in $941,486 compared to Dodd's paltry $857,263.

Maybe if Dodd actually campaigned in his home state, Democrats here might consider backing him.

He's not discouraged yet, however:

"We have 73 Democratic Town Committees already endorsing us, with more coming all the time, the endorsements of all statewide Democrats and legislative leaders, and importantly, thousands of loyal Dodd supporters who are behind this campaign. Support for Senator Dodd's bid for the White House is growing every day, and we're proud of that," [campaign spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan] said.

It's all well and good to have town committees and other political players behind you -- not to mention "yesterday's news" celebrities like Paul Simon. But if you don't have the popular support of your own constituents, that's a bad sign. Remember, Al Gore didn't win his own state of Tennessee when he ran for president in 2000.

But don't worry. Dodd will stick it out to the bitter end, going back to his comfy Senate seat when all is said and done.

DoddOtherSen.JPG

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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:16 AM | Comments (65) | TrackBack (0) | 2008

July 16, 2007

Details Magazine: Latest Media Hit Piece on the Military

Aaron has written a post about an article that appears in the August issue of "Details" magazine about the Pendleton 8. It's another media hit piece on our military. Click here to read it. (My name appears at the top as having co-written it, but Aaron did most of the real work...I just helped clean it up a bit.)

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Posted by Pam Meister at 12:59 PM | Comments (55) | TrackBack (0) | MSM

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Fight for Victory Tour

Melanie Morgan and Move America Forward are at it again! Back in March they formed a cross-country caravan that culminated in the Gathering of Eagles in Washington DC. Now they're planning another caravan. From the press release:

Well launch the cross-country caravan Monday, September 3rd with rallies outside the offices of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California, said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

The caravan will then continue across the nation until we reach Washington, D.C. for a giant pro-troop rally on September 15th the day that General David Petraeus, the U.S. Commanding General in Iraq, delivers his report on The Surge to Congress, Morgan said.

During the cross-country caravan we will stop and conduct pro-troop rallies that will be attended by thousands upon thousands of patriotic Americans who believe that our leaders cannot be allowed to undercut our troops who are bravely serving on the frontlines of the war against Islamic jihadism, said Robert Dixon, Executive Director of Move America Forward.

Yep, they'll be hooking up with Operation Defend the Surge in our nation's capitol on September 15, which I posted about a couple of days ago. More information on the caravan and the September 15 rally can be found at Move America Forward's site.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 12:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Patriotism

July 13, 2007

Clinton, Edwards: Let's Limit Debate

Huge egos don't enjoy sharing the spotlight. Politicians in general usually have larger egos than the average bloke, but Hillary Clinton and John Edwards leave others in the shade. Apparently they were heard talking amongst themselves about having smaller debates so that they'll get more microphone time.

Edwards says, "We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group."

Clinton agrees, saying, "We've got to cut the number" and "they're not serious." She also says that she thought their campaigns had already tried to limit the debates and say, "We've gotta get back to it."

Fox News microphones caught the surreptitious chat at an NAACP-sponsored forum in Detroit yesterday. Another reason to hate that dastardly channel!

Cookiewrangler, who gave me the tip, wonders if Edwards isn't buttering up Clinton so she might tap him as her VP nominee -- he doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hades, after all. I certainly wouldn't put it past him...

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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:41 AM | Comments (177) | TrackBack (0) | 2008

Operation Defend the Surge

Mark your calendars! Operation Defend the Surge takes place in Washington DC on September 15, which is a Saturday. Why? Code Pink, ANSWER, and other assorted dimwits will be rallying with their usual message: America sucks, America is always wrong, the only answer to all the world's problems is our defeat in the Middle East.

If you are thinking of going, keep in mind that that the Friday before, pro-troop demonstrators will be gathering at Walter Reed Hospital to keep the moonbats at bay -- another worthy cause.

Aaron asked me if I plan to attend, but I can't give a firm commitment at the moment. I'd love to...I just don't know if it's possible right now. But if you can make it, I recommend it...the Gathering of Eagles back in March was a great experience. (And it should be warmer!)

For further information, go to Protest Warrior. I'm don't think this posted there yet, but you can keep checking back. And I'll bring you further details as I receive them.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Patriotism

July 12, 2007

Brit Experts Push for 'Fat Tax'

Think the nanny state couldn't get more nannyish? You ain't seen nothin' yet! Experts in Britain are urging their government to impose what's being a called a "fat tax." No, not people actually being taxed for being fat, but a tax on foods deemed unhealthy and prone to contributing to obesity.

The author of the report, Dr Mike Rayner, told Sky News: "There's an overabundance of cheap, bad food in this country and we need to tax it, to make it more expensive, to make people switch to healthy foods.

"If we do have a tax on unhealthy food it will raise money for the Inland Revenue and a good way of spending that would be to subsidise healthy food."

Holy cow! Even uber-nanny state guy Tony Blair said no to this idea when it was first proposed back in 2004 because it went too far. But now that Gordon Brown is in office, perhaps proponents think they have a fair chance.

Of course many foods considered to be nutritious, when consumed in excess, can cause obesity. Which foods would be considered unhealthy enough to be taxed, and who would be in charge of choosing those foods?

Personal responsibility, folks. But nanny staters don't believe in personal responsibility, because people making decisions for themselves doesn't keep bureaucrats in power.

This video by 18 Doughty Street is worth seeing again (I've posted it in the past). Where will the taxing in Britain end? And how long will it be before leftwing nannystaters here decide such a tax is a good idea as well? Don't tell Mike "Trans Fat Ban" Bloomberg about it!


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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:55 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Nanny State Nonsense

High School Politics vs. the Real World

My Family Security Matters article today likens journalists to those obnoxious "beautiful people" who believed themselves to be the trendsetters back in high school. Check it out.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:50 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Commentary

July 11, 2007

Thinking the Best of America

I know I've been MIA today, but it's been a busy day at the office. However, I'd like you to read a great piece written by my friend Jonathan Strong. He's a Canadian living here in the US (and hoping to be a citizen someday), and wonders why Americans today tend to dwell on the worst of their country, rather than the best:

The mistrust of government is compounded by the lack of historical perspective and knowledge that exists in the citizenry itself. This reality is a result of the failure of the education system to inform students of Americas great history, despite its faults. Every nation has its faults, but many Americans seem intent on dwelling on their nations past wrongs when it is much more valuable and important to recall how America has recognized its failings and then gone to great effort to right these wrongs (i.e. affirmative action, the Civil Rights Act, etc.).

You can read more here at Family Security Matters. Jonathan is now going to be contributing regularly to FSM (yay!), and he also blogs at StrongConservative.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Commentary

July 10, 2007

Witchiepoo Lives

"If you wanna save the planet, let me see you jump!" Jump out the window, maybe, after seeing this performance. If you want to see Madonna pace onstage while she plays two chords and screams like Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf, then knock yourself out. The shriek in question is at the 3:50 mark.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 05:17 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0) | Celebrity

July 09, 2007

Michael Moore Debate Tutorial: Avoiding the Question

On an appearance on CNN with Wolf Blitzer today (his first in three years, he tells us!), Michael Moore was quite testy about Dr. Sanjay Gupta's videotaped review of Sicko. Moore was so testy, in fact, that instead of speaking to Gupta's rebuttals of facts presented in the, er, documentary, he went into a raging snit about how if CNN had "done its job" before the invasion of Iraq, we wouldn't be there now.

Iraq? What does Iraq have to do with the state of American healthcare?

Hot Air has the video. I'm surprised Moore didn't need a drool cup to catch the spittle that surely must have been flying out of his mouth.

Rule one of successful debating: respond to the last point your opponent makes. It seems, however, that Moore either wouldn't or couldn't respond, so he decided to go on the attack, drawing attention away from the subject at hand with his accusations about Iraq. The entire segment is therefore less about the shortcomings about Sicko and more about how CNN and the rest of the media "failed" the American people. While I can agree that our media establishment does not always serve the public interest well, listening to Michael Moore rant and rave about them is rich -- since he is more often on the receiving end of their commendations, rather than criticisms.

Kitchen feeling a bit hot, Mr. Moore?

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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:17 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Leftwing Lunacy

Sheehan vs. Pelosi

In this corner we have the long-time Congresswoman from California, current House Speaker, and lifetime shill for leftwing causes...Nancy Pelosi!

And in this corner we have the founder of Gold Star Moms for Peace, "peace" activist, and starving publicity hound...Cindy Sheehan!

That's right, Cindy Sheehan is planning to put up her dukes and battle it out for Nancy Pelosi's House seat in the election next year if Pelosi doesn't make a move to impeach President Bush within the next two weeks.

Sheehan, who announced in late May that she was departing the peace movement, said she decided to run against Pelosi unless the congresswoman moves to oust Bush in the next two weeks.

"I think all politicians should be held accountable," Sheehan told The Associated Press on Sunday. "Democrats and Americans feel betrayed by the Democratic leadership. We hired them to bring an end to the war."

I agree with Sheehan on the point that our elected officials should be held accountable...that's why we hold regular elections, after all. But while I am not impressed with Pelosi by any means, replacing her with Sheehan would not exactly be a step forward for democracy. Other than being a one-trick pony with the whole anti-war thing, what does Sheehan have going for her besides haircuts as public as John Edwards' and her love for Hugo Chavez?

Somehow, I doubt Pelosi is worried by the competition. By all means, though, I hope Sheehan does run for Pelosi's seat. It'll make for some much-needed entertainment in the election year to come.

NancyCindy.gif
"I don't want to be your friend anymore, Nancy!"

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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:53 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | 2008

July 07, 2007

The Planet is Burning...What to Do?

As Live Earth blares from television sets all over the world today (excluding mine, thank you very much...I plan to battle global warming by going swimming at my mom's pool this afternoon), this article from Spiked gives us some much-needed perspective in the guise of the wonderful, biting wit that distinguishes the Brits from the rest of us. The focus of the piece is the book put out by the Live Earth shysters, called the Global Warming Survival Handbook. Here's a teaser:

The book is unbearably middle class. Its packed with weblinks for companies that make eco-jewellery and eco-clothing, or organise eco-weddings and advise you on how to green your home. Skill No.21 advises us to work at home. Apparently if one million of us did that, wed eliminate three million tonnes of CO2 a year. Okay, but what about the millions of people who work in schools, hospitals, offices and factories, and whose jobs involve, you know, human interaction? Not everyone runs virtual online stores that sell overpriced hemp-based garments to the guilt-ridden daughters of the aristocracy. Most of us have proper jobs.

Read the rest!!! It's deliciously snarky, and dead on with the points it makes.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 11:38 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Global Warming Hype

July 06, 2007

Best Quote about Al Gore EVER!

"The only way Gore can get thousands of college kids to pay attention to him is to get a bunch of entertainers and bands to put on a concert together. Gore is literally the dorky kid in the neighborhood that people hang out with only because his house has a pool." ~ Lisa De Pasquale

AlGore
"And after we go swimming,
we can make s'mores!"

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Humor

Quote of the Day

"The public at large after the initial terrorist news alerts and warnings about severe threat-red level usually settles down to indifference. Then there is a return to business as usual. Last autumns near riots to buy a Playstation3 video game have given way to jostling in long lines for the new i-Phones both are as essential to madcap consumers as Hillarycare apparently is not.

In the same way, we went right from the postmortem hysteria over Anna Nicole Smith to Paris Hiltons new spirituality after her short jail sentence. With the economy strong and consumers flooded with inexpensive toys, life is very good in the West much too good to worry about much else. September 11 is as far from us as the Blitz is from Londoners." ~ Victor Davis Hanson

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Posted by Pam Meister at 01:34 PM | Comments (21) | TrackBack (0) | Quote of the Day

Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature

Ever wonder why blondes have more fun? Why most suicide bombers are Muslim? Or why men like to buy those hot, sporty cars when they reach a certain age? This article from Psychology Today has those answers and more. I found it fascinating. Oh, and feminists won't like many of them, but they'll like the last one least of all.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:30 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Society

Fred Thompson vs. Hillary Clinton: Tied

The latest Rasmussen poll puts Fred Thompson and Hillary Clinton neck and neck, each garnering 45% of the support from potential voters polled. Of the remaining 10%, half said they would vote for someone else in the event of a Thompson/Clinton race, and the rest were unsure.

This is significant for a couple of reasons: one, Thompson hasn't yet made his campaign official, and so for him to garner this much attention means people really are tired of the same old crowd. Two, Mrs. Bill Clinton's positive/negative numbers are very significant. She is either loved or despised, with no middle ground. She does not have the election tied up by any means, so having a close rival is sure to shake things up over at Hillary! for President.

Of course, any independents entering the race would have an effect, but it's not clear which party would suffer at this point. It depends upon who runs, really, and if there are more than one. Analysts are saying that if Mike Bloomberg runs he'd drain support from the Republican candidate, but I'm not too sure about that. Bloomberg may have been a "Republican" when he was elected as NYC's mayor, but that was only a matter of convenience for him because he couldn't get on the Democrat ticket. Now he's an Independent, but no matter what affiliation he has, he is a major fan of socialist policies, and does what he can to further New York City's demise into a nanny state. I'll post further on Bloomberg's policies in the near future.

No wonder the MSM and the Dems are pulling out all the stops on Thompson. This week alone we've had at least two unsavory reports about him. Look for plenty more in the near future.

Come on, Mr. Thompson...get that official ball rolling, before your early supporters get tired of waiting.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 08:20 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Fred!

Red Fridays!

If you've never heard of Red Fridays (no, it's not a Communist plot, heh!), then click here for my "tutorial" on the subject over at Family Security Matters. (Hint: supporting our troops!)

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | FSM

July 05, 2007

Some Anti-War Folks Avoid Paying Taxes

Yep...if you can't make your vote at the poll count, then hold back the cash:

War tax resistance, popularized by Henry David Thoreau in the 19th century and by singer Joan Baez and others during the Vietnam War, is gaining renewed interest among peace activists upset over the Iraq war.

"Clearly this year we definitely had more people calling, sending e-mails about how they decided to start resisting," said Ruth Benn, coordinator of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee in New York.

Based on the committee's mailing list and reports from numerous groups it works with around the country, Benn estimates 8,000 to 10,000 Americans refuse to pay some or all of their federal taxes over war objections. Internal Revenue Service officials say they don't have figures for that specific category, but earlier this year reported an overall noncompliance rate of 16.3 percent and estimated the annual tax gap at about $345 billion.

Interesting. Does that mean that if I don't like something the government is doing, like giving financial assistance to illegal aliens, that I can avoid paying taxes too?

Why didn't I think of it before?

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Just Plain Stupid

The Many Faces of Islamic Jihad

That's the title of my weekly Family Security Matters article, up today. Here's a preview:

Two incidents, thousands of miles away from each other, show that Islamists are not people to be reasoned with. It doesnt matter where they come from; it doesnt matter what material possessions they have or how impressive their career paths were to date. It doesnt even matter so much who they kill, as long as they strike panic into the hearts of all those whom they decide are their enemies.

You can read the entire piece here.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:49 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | FSM

July 03, 2007

White House Won't Rule Out Full Libby Pardon

USA Today reports:

WASHINGTON (AP) The White House on Tuesday declined to rule out the possibility of an eventual pardon for former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. But spokesman Tony Snow said, for now, President Bush is satisfied with his decision to commute Libby's 2 1/2-year prison sentence.

"He thought any jail time was excessive. He did not see fit to have Scooter Libby taken to jail," Snow said.

As the left continues to howl about the unfairness of it all, they conveniently gloss over some of the pardons made by Bill Clinton (Marc Rich is a prime example), and the slap on the wrist received by Sandy Berger for stealing documents out of the National Archive. A little perspective can go a long way.

As it stands now, Libby's felony conviction remains on his record, and he still has to pay the quarter million dollar fine.

Question: with increased terrorist threats abroad and Iraq still a going concern, is this really what we need to spend the bulk of our energies on?

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Posted by Pam Meister at 11:49 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Judges & Law

July 02, 2007

Bush Commutes Libby's Sentence

Breaking, from Newsday:

President Bush commuted the sentence of former aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Monday, sparing him from a 2 1/2-year prison term in the CIA leak case.

Bush left intact a $250,000 fine and two years probation for Libby, according to a senior White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced.

Commuted his sentence...not pardoned.

UPDATE:

Here's the official grant of executive clemency. And here is the official statement, with a portion excerpted below:

Mr. Libby was sentenced to thirty months of prison, two years of probation, and a $250,000 fine. In making the sentencing decision, the district court rejected the advice of the probation office, which recommended a lesser sentence and the consideration of factors that could have led to a sentence of home confinement or probation.

I respect the jury's verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.

My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting.

Has anyone asked Richard Armitage, the man who started all this hoopla, what he thinks of this?


HOOPLA!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 04:55 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Judges & Law

I'll be on BlogTalk Radio with Andrea Shea-King Tonight

Andrea Shea-King*, who has a show on BlogTalk Radio Monday through Thursday at 9 pm ET, has invited me to stop by tonight to shoot the breeze. Later in the hour, Seton Motley will be by with some wisdom and witicism.

Tune in tonight at 9 pm ET by clicking here.

*Andrea's blog is Radio Patriot, and her show website is ASKShow.com.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 03:12 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Media Appearances

Bless the Beasts and Children

The title to this post is the title of a recent post by journalist Michael Yon, the embedded independent journalist who continues to report about incidents in Iraq that the rest of the media refuses to touch with a ten-foot pole. I was first directed to it by my husband yesterday, and Hot Air links to it today. Here's Yon's intro:

On 29 June, American and Iraqi soldiers were again fighting side-by-side as soldiers from Charley Company 1-12 CAVled by Captain Clayton Combsand Iraqi soldiers from the 5th IA, closed in on a village on the outskirts of Baqubah. The village had the apparent misfortune of being located near a main roadabout 3.5 miles from FOB Warhorsethat al Qaeda liked to bomb. Al Qaeda had taken over the village. As Iraqi and American soldiers moved in, they came under light contact; but the bombs planted in the roads (and maybe in the houses) were the real threat.

The firefight progressed. American missiles were fired. The enemy might have been trying to bait Iraqi and American soldiers into ambush, but it did not work. The village was riddled with bombs, some of them large enough to destroy a tank. One by one, experts destroyed the bombs, leaving small and large craters in the unpaved roads.

The village was abandoned. All the people were gone. But where?

Where indeed? It's a question you can probably guess the answer to on your own, but I'll tell you now: al-Qaeda murdered them. An entire village. Click here to read the entire post, accompanied by photos. Photos are of a graphic nature. If you have any squeamish tendencies, do not say I didn't warn you.

These are the kind of people whom Iraq war critics side with when it comes to the "rights" of prisoners? Murderers of civilians, including women and children? It wasn't even a question of plunder, as all the village livestock was killed as well. Every form of life, brutally extinguished.

Scoff if you will at what I'm about to say, but this is what we can expect more of if America and her allies pull out of Iraq before the Iraqis are capable of warding off their enemies on their own. What happened to this small village outside of Baqubah has everything to do with conquest, fear and intimidation. "Join us or you're next."

Michael Moore's Minutemen indeed.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 01:36 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Iraq


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