Okay, I'm Stupid. So sue me!

I have just realized the good news article I reported has already aired. D'oh! I do believe the text of the program is right here. Sorry about that. :)

Great News of Awareness about Darfur

On Sunday, August 28, the CBS television news magazine 60 Minutes will report on the crisis in Darfur. Please check your local listings.

THE KILLING IN SUDAN -- The horrible images of genocide are captured for a report on the mass murder and subsequent refugee crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Scott Pelley reports.

You can find more information about the program on the 60 Minutes web page.

This link above was made in 1998, if the dates are correct. I have a more current film and link: CBS News.

It may not be the type of movie you would take your sweetheart or children to see, but it is a highly recommended documentary to bring awareness to the world. Who knows? It may the first time anyone has ever heard of this part of Africa. Please mark your calendars. Thank you. Have a nice day.

National Day of Action for Darfur 8/30/2005

Host an event September 21st, and join communities all across the country in a National Day of Action for Darfur.

You can take action by meeting with your elected representatives, organizing a prayer vigil or hosting a video screening. At each event, we would like participants to write to President Bush. We will provide postcards upon request.

For all interested parties, you may find out more details at Causes of Interest.

Please respond. These are people whom have no voice. Their cries are not heard. Let this question be asked: "If YOU cry in the woods and no one hears, does that mean you have no pain?"

Lost Dog Catches Train Home

When Archie the black labrador lost his owner at a lonely Scottish railway station, he proved his well-trained pedigree and jumped aboard the first train home.
Not only did the dog catch the right train, he got off at the right station, the Mail on Sunday newspaper said.

Owner Mike Taitt lost sight of Archie at Inverurie station, near Aberdeen in eastern Scotland, and was hoping someone would spot his tag and return the much-loved mutt.

"He is a very intelligent dog," Taitt said.

"When he could not find me, he simply took the right train home. He's been on that train before. I am convinced he knew it was the right one. But who knows?"

Closed-circuit television footage shows the dog waiting for his master at the station before watching the Aberdeen to Inverness train pull in.

Unable to find his owner, the black labrador decided to avoid a long walk home by nipping aboard the train.

He got out at the right stop, Insch, 12 minutes along the line, to the bemusement of signalman Derek Hope.

"There was a train conductor standing with Archie on the platform saying he had got on at Inverurie but didn't have a ticket," Hope said.

Two police forces, the national rail operating system and the local train service have all logged the incident.

NEWS.com.au

Demand Rights for Military Students

If you want to support our troops, then I recommend you contact your Senators and Congresspeople at (toll free) 1-877-762-8762. Voice your opinion about this situation on campuses across the USA. We need to come together, and we need to forget about the stupidity the Left press is putting out there.

I want you to read this. The National Review Online has found a very interesting article about 2 Marines who are having a very difficult time of it at school. They are being harrassed, yelled at, mocked, and unimagineable other things.

Do you want it to be Nam, again? Then do something. Go to the local campus. Find a counselor. Offer your time to start an organization of retired Military people. Get a permit for a rally across from the school with signs saying, "THANK YOU for your SERVICE, and WELCOME HOME!" Bring them anything they may need.

Show our men and women they are NOT isolated. They are HEROES! I thank each and everyone of them, and they deserve the respect of this country. We must not allow the Left (Communists) to steal from them the honor they so courageously deserve.

Please, read the article, and you will understand. It is worth your two minutes. Considering they gave their all.

Hat tip to Blackfive.

Computer Trouble

I may not be able to write much for a day or two. I do not know if the hurricane knocked out my IP, but I keep getting disconnected. I'm fine. Thanks. Have a great day.

Them WMD's In Iraq

The media is fond of reminding us that no Weapons of Mass Destruction were ever found in Iraq. This has been the clarion call of the Democrats for a couple of years now. However, did you know that WMD were found in Iraq? Not just a couple...but lots of them. I wonder why we never hear much about that from our "fair and balanced" media?

So far we're found:

- 500 tons ... that's right ... TONS ... or 1 million pounds of yellow cake uranium was found at Saddam's nuclear weapons facility. Yes, his nuclear weapons facility.

- 1.8 tons of partially enriched uranium found at the same place. You know, the stuff you need to make nukes.

- Hidden centrifuge parts and blueprints.

- Two dozen artillery shells loaded with Sarin and mustard gas.

Again, I wonder why we never hear much about that from our "fair and balanced" media?

The Gasoline "Crisis"

From www.randomuseless.info:

The following plot shows how much I paid for each gallon of gas I bought over the past 26 years or so ... The upper, black curve shows the actual price paid for each gallon. The lower curve is the data adjusted for inflation using April, 1979 as the datum. That is, the data in this curve has been adjusted to "April 1979 dollars" ... The third, faint line, shows the average price for the entire U.S., again from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dr. King's Widow Suffers Stroke

As I stated in an earlier article, Mrs. King has suffered a stroke.

By Paul Simao
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Coretta Scott King, the widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., faces an extended stay in an Atlanta hospital, where she is recovering from a stroke that left her partly paralyzed, her doctor said on Friday.

King, 78, has been unable to walk or speak at length since August 16, when she fell ill in her Atlanta home.

Coretta Scott King, 78, will stay at Piedmont Hospital for at least one month. For the whole story, please read this.

Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" Speech, 42!

Today many people are celebrating the 42nd year anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech, "I have a dream..."

I would like to add my 2 cents. Thank you, Dr. King. I appreciate all you did for America. I believe in your speech. It is most memorable, and it is righteous.

I would love to live in a world where we are judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin. I know there were so many things you stated in your speech that so many young people may not have heard.

Here is a paragraph that moves me greatly when I am angry:

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

I always find comfort and shame in these words for thinking of my own selfish needs and desires. Here stood a man who had suffered much more than I ever could imagine, and I am angry? The nerve! I would tell myself. His heart is filled with Christ, justice, and righteous indignation.

I say righteous indignation because he was right and it was indigant the way segregation had left the black people of our country to suffer. Discrimination, intolerance, poverty, and it was like living on an island in your own land. Would you have be indigant? I would.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

Yes, we are, and I thank God for this. Happy Anniversary Dr. King.

PS. In my research I found that his wife has suffered a stroke. If you would please pray for her, I am sure it will be appreciated.

Coverage of Darfur, Sudan Hits the News

It is about time. The news is going to cover the genocide and the tragic state of affairs in Darfur, Sudan. While many of us do not watch TV, I urge you to watch CBS's 60 Minutes on Sunday, August 28, 2005.

On Sunday, August 28, the CBS television news magazine 60 Minutes will report on the crisis in Darfur. Please check your local listings.

THE KILLING IN SUDAN -- The horrible images of genocide are captured for a report on the mass murder and subsequent refugee crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Scott Pelley reports.

You can find more information about the program on the 60 Minutes web page.

If you would like further information on this subject, I am referring you to www.SaveDarfur.org/. This is a reputable organization, and we finally have an opportunity to something about a situation of which we do not approve.

The ratings alone will send a message to Congress (toll free: 1-877-762-8762,) the Senate (toll free: 1-877-762-8762,) and President Bush (202-456-1111.) I thank you on behalf of the peoples who do not a voice...yet.

News: Asian Pacific Korner

China Bans Media From Zhejiang Environmental Protest-2005.08.25, HONG KONG- The authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang have succeeded in preventing any first-hand media coverage of an environmental protest in which thousands of villagers clashed with riot police, local residents say.

China Culls Cattle in Qinghai Tibetan Village-2005.08.25, KATHMANDU-Chinese officials in the northwestern province of Qinghai have slaughtered cattle belonging to Tibetan villagers after a "mysterious cattle disease" was found in the Amdo region of the province, local residents say.

South Korean Abductee Reunited With Mother After 30 Years-2005.08.18, SEOUL- A 62-year-old former South Korean fisherman has been reunited with his aging mother, 30 years after being abducted from his fishing vessel by the Stalinist North.

China Tightens Grip on Cyberspace-2005.08.17, HONG KONG-The Chinese government has already spent at least U.S.$800 million on state-of-the-art monitoring technology to control its citizens online, but recent moves suggest Beijing may soon tighten its grip on cyberspace still further.

China Jails Three Tibetans For Dalai Lama Pictures, Teachings-2005.08.11, KATHMANDU-Three men who tried to carry pictures and audio tapes of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, into the Himalayan region were handed jail terms of up to four years by a Chinese court for ‘political offences.'

Former Chinese Labor Camp Chief Says Regime "Sickened" Him-2005.08.08, TORONTO-A former overseer of labor camps from the northeastern city of Shenyang, Han Guangsheng, has said he defected while on a trip to Canada because he says he could no longer tolerate the level of brutality, human rights abuses and corruption in the Chinese Communist Party.

China Bans Foreign Investors From News Industry-2005.08.05, HONG KONG-China has released a new set of regulations banning foreign companies from operating in the media and publishing industries, tightening existing restrictions still further in a new, and tougher, policy initiative, analysts say.

The Plunder of Tibet's Treasures-2005.08.01, WASHINGTON-The ancient Himalayan culture of Tibet—already subject to strict religious controls from Beijing—is suffering irreparable cultural losses amid a tide of burglaries, looting and illegal trade in Buddhist treasures from its monasteries and temples.

Wild Pigeon: A Uyghur Fable-Read the first English translation of a Uyghur tale of a young pigeon—the son of a pigeon king—trapped and caged by humans when he ventures far from home.

America Supports You 8/26/2005

Mayor Jeff Rea opened the ceremonies, but privately said the "real story" belongs to the husbands and wives, the moms and brothers and kids. "We're here to show our support for the troops," said Stephanie Biek, 28, who walked to the park with her husband, Will, and 4-month-old Arabella. Read the South Bend Tribune story.

The United Service Organization arranged to have 33 injured troops from Walter Reed Army Medical Center as guests of honor at the WWE's Summer Slam pay-per-view event. Read more.

Lowe's home repair and car care clinic for Hampton Roads military spouses was held Aug. 20 onboard Naval Station Norfolk. Read more.

The secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) has urged employees of his department, veterans and their families to take part in the Sept. 11 America Supports You Freedom Walk. Read more.

Code Pink at Walter Reid

This report has been verified. CNSNews.com would prefer I just link the video to their site, so I will oblige them. You will find this story there, also.

What does this video contain? People standing in front of Walter Reid with signs that say, "Sign here, and die for Halliburton" among other outrageous statements. One of the most unnerving displays is the coffins with the American Flag draped over them.

They have tried to say they are supporting our troops. Oh? Right. Many of our men and women in Walter Reid are suffering "surviror's guilt" because their best friend died right next to them or in their arms. This is a riveting story, and Marc Morano did an excellent job researching this story. Please, read it. Thank you.

Daily Quotes 8/26/2005

Friday, August 26, 2005
"A judiciary independent of a king or executive alone, is a good thing; but independence of the will of the nation is a solecism, at least in a republican government." -- Thomas Jefferson (letter to Thomas Ritchie, 25 December 1820)
Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America (1446)

Solecism: (sol'e*siz'm), n. [F. solecisme, fr. L. fr. Gr. soloikismos, deriv. of soloikos speaking incorrectly, from the corruption of the Attic dialect among the Athenian colonists of Soloi in Cilicia.] 1. An ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence; loosely, any minor blunder in speech. 2. A breach of etiquitte or decorum. Syn. Solecism, barbarism, impropriety. A solecism is a construction which violates the idiom of a language; a barbarism is a word or phrase not in accepted use; an impropriety is a word or phrase employed in a sense contrary to good usage.

I came upon a word I was unfamiliar with so I looked it up. I believe if I did not know this word, others may not, also. I will continue to do this, because I believe language is very important if we are to communicate.

Speaking of communicating, I believe the quote of the day hit the nail on the head. While the norm in a society may sometimes be abhorant (such as slavery), many of this society strive for what is right and proper. This cannot be dictated from the bench, nor should it be. It is a solecism for the courts to assign this job to themselves. (I hope I used the word properly. lol.)

In what manner do I refer? The raising of children (women almost always are awarded the children in a divorce), schooling (mandatory), savings (we pay for banks stupidity?!), taxation (without representation-borders), burden sharing (social security), and many other social issues. I cannot find in the Constitution anywhere that it proscribes our rights to the court.

That does not stop them, however, from taking land owned by a United States citizen and giving it to an illegal alien because...the illegal was trespassing, he was detained for the ICE, and he now has PTSD? GOOD!

Let him have it! Maybe it will teach him not to do such things. No. The property owner is in jail, the illegal lives in California while owning a 70 acre ranch in Texas. Is this justice in your eyes? Throw the bums out! (Both the Justices and the illegals.) Have a nice day.

Definition: Reporter

Reporter: (re-por-ter; 70), n. One who or that which reports. Specif.:a. A person who makes authorized statements of law proceedings or of legislative debates. b. One who reports speeches, news, etc., for a newspaper or other periodical; also, one who gathers news.

As you may derive from the definition above, what you have stumbled upon is indeed a newspaper! It is a cyber newspaper. Many of the Reporters at this site are reporting factual data to help you make an informed decision.

It is no quandary to find some commentary here, also. Note that it is mostly qualified as such. There are also some humorous characters writing here. They are very delightful.

Henceforth, this is the CyberNews known as Knickerbocker News. If you enjoy any particular writer, you will find their individual sites located before the news links to your right. Look out, New York Times! (lol)

Should anyone have any question as to the veracity of our journalistic prowess or integrity, see the definition at the top of this article. Thank you, and have a nice day.

Advice For Thems That Needs It, vol. 492

Today's question comes from Cheryl Ann of Rockville, Nebraska:

Dear Shamalama,

I am 18 and a student. I recently slept with a guy at work and he has not paid attention to me since. I have totally fallen for him.

We have known each other since primary school and he always was shy. Why won't he speak to me, let alone date me?

First off, Cheryl Ann, you have to understand that many city boys don't like finding a plug of tobacco between your cheek and gums when giving you a goodnight kiss. That's not to say that you should stop, but rather that your guy at work might not be the guy for you if'n he's that squeamish. Heck, I remember once me an'a this gal actually swapped our plugs without breaking lip-lock. Damn fine girl, she was.

And there ain't nothing wrong with wearing that skimpy strapless dress to impress him. But what bothers some weaker boys is the tattoos of the names your former boyfriends up your arm and across your shoulders. Your guy at work is obviously an insecure type. Or you could only date guys with the same name.

Then there's the issue of those cutie sandals you were wearing. Now I likes them just fine. Just be sure and wash off your feet after feeding the pigs and before your slip on them sandals. Otherwise the aroma works against the Jungle Gardenia perfume your aunt gave you last Christmas.

-----

Well, that's all the time Sister Rosemary will allot me this week. Y'all just send me an email, or add a comment here, with your question and I'll answer it. Like we say down here in Conyers, it's been more hotter'n recently than goat's butt in a pepper patch.

Governor Abazari and family die in "car accident"

In the city of Bookan, Iran, the Governor and his family were classified as dying in a "car accident" at 1:30 am on a weekday. To many, this is a suspicious death.

The hard-liners are extending their reach for control all over Iran, while everyone else has their eyes focused on the same old rhetoric of nuclear weapons. While these two may be connected, there should be sufficient news about the reformers and their struggles.

There have been riots up and down Iran, including Kurdistan, Iran. The Kurds must not be forgotten in order to make everyone "feel" easy. They have been the best ally to the West in the last decades. They deserve recognition and autonomy.

Why is the Iranian government telling of this "accident" right away? This government likes to stay silent about such deeds, if indeed it was a deed.

Governor Abdollah Abazari was a quiet man who prefered no violence. He also opposed the armed militias. This did not sit well with the intillectual Left or the regime.

Bookan and most northwestern cities of Iran are still under tight security measures and foreign Islamist brigades are also deployed in the region.

It is a wait and see situation now. With no media attention, Iran believes they may do whatever they wish. Can they? Will you voice your opinion? Some in Iran are wondering where all the Human Rights groups are?

If they will not stand for the Reformers and Akbar Ganji, then it is up to the rest of the world.

Source: Daily Briefing on Iran.

A Fresh Look into Iran

In the year of our Lord nineteen hunred seventy-nine, American hostages were captured in their Embassy. Their captivity lasted 444 days. This was the Iranian Revolution. That was a victory for the hard-liners because while the attention of whole world was on the hostages, "they had annihilated all internal opposition and consolidated their grip on power."* They still crave it today.

Still today, so much is printed about their plans for nuclear weapons. Yet, the real story, the story of reform, goes quietly unnoticed by most of today's media. This is a miscarriage of reporting justice.

There is one lady, Roya Hakakian, who knows about Iran very well. She was a little girl during the revolution (I believe), and she is Jewish. She was also Persian but to the Mullahs, this was unacceptable. This is why the article she has written is so riveting, both in content and manner.

She has written about the true star of Iran, Akbar Ganji.

Twenty years ago, when I was a disillusioned teenager in Tehran, the possibility that I would someday write in defense of a former member of the Revolutionary Guards would have seemed unthinkable. The Guards had robbed the Iranian people of the egalitarian dream the revolution had once instilled, even in minorities -- even in a Jewish girl like me. But for my change of heart, I deserve no credit. It is Ganji, and others like him throughout history, whose quest for justice soothes the wounds of a dictator's assault, and leads the bitter exile to forgiveness.

Akbar Ganji has been on a hunger strike now for over 70 days. While people are claiming he has broken his strike, they may just be hoping. He would not break his strike for his beloved mentor, he will not break it for the man he claims must go--Khomeini.

He has been in prison for 5 years of a 6 year sentence for writing about the crimes and murders of dissidents by the Iranian Guard and Khomeini. He refuses to denounce his books, so in prison he stays. What is so special about this man?

Ganji was one of the Revolutionaries. He moved up all the way to gain Khomeini's trust. In 1985, he was "assigned to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance appointed him its cultural attaché in Turkey."*

[The] evolution that took Ganji from hard-line Islamist and fervid supporter of the revolution to Iran's most outspoken advocate of secularism, the embodiment of a metamorphosis that the Western world longs to bring about in the Middle East.

Even before this time, he had begin to notice some discreprencies. He began to question his loyal support of a regime that stole the dreams of it's people.

While in Turkey, he managed to convince the people there not to follow in the way of the hard-liners. This may be the reason Turkey is even considered today to join the EU. (They sure did not confess and apologize to Armenia for their atrocities. Save that for another day.)

As most reasonable people do, Akbar Ganji decided to try to reform the regime from inside when he returned in 1988. He became a very well known in Iran writer.

It was there, under the mentorship of Abdolkarim Soroush, one of the world's leading Islamic theoreticians, that Ganji reexamined all of his most venerated totems: Khomeini, the notion of the Islamic republic, and finally Islam itself. He remains to this day a believer in God and in Islam, but -- after years of imprisonment -- he also believes that separating religion and state is an essential prerequisite for democracy.

There were many who doubted his awakening. Reformers, for one. After all, he was close to Khomeini. The Left, who accused him of being a puppet for the CIA and the West. This was a very usual stance for the Left of anyone who defied the Intillectuals. (Gosh, that sounds familiar.)

Courage has been in ample supply...there have been many others just as resilient as Ganji: Abbas Amir-Entezam, deputy prime minister of Iran's post-revolutionary provisional government, refused to sign a recantation letter that would have absolved him of the charge of "espionage for the Great Satan," and remained in prison for 20 years. The journalist Faraj Sarkuhi, kidnapped by intelligence agents in 1996, managed to send a note that told the world about his captivity and brought about his freedom.

Yes, there many of brave men and women of Iran. There still are. Ganji is now the symbol of all the courage of the great nation of Iran.

In his third letter, Ganji writes a letter responding to his mentor Soroush,

He respectfully defied the master who taught him much of what he knows. Recalling the experience of Italy under the fascists, he declared that the supreme leader is Iran's Mussolini. And as the master instructed, a tyrant should not be tolerated. "Freedom and democracy come at a price,..."

Ganji's responded by declaring he was ready and willing to pay that price for his beloved country. God bless you, Akbar Ganji. May you be released before it is too late.

*Quotes taken from Hungering for Reform in Iran By Roya Hakakian

Mahabad, Iran and Akbar Ganji consolidated

Mahabad, Kurdistan:
Outrageous!
Update: Mahabad Iran
Update: Unrest in Iran
Protests, martial law, and NO NEWS, Iran
Mahabad, Iran in Serious Trouble
Fears for Kurdish Iranians

Akbar Ganji:
Fresh Look Into Iran
News from Iran 7/30/2005
Akbar Ganji as a Dissident
Iran: Behind the Iron Curtain

Iranian News:
News from Iran 8/18/2005
News from Iran 8/22/2005
"SPIEGEL online" Reports: Future of Terrorism.

Korosh has also been keeping a close eye on these topics since he is also Iranian. He is very worried about his home.

Many of these topics never make front page, if they make the pages at all. It would be well advised to stay up to date on the situation in Mahabad, Iran. This is Kurdistan, Iran, for those unfamiliar with the region. If you read the articles, you will understand it's importance. Thank you, and have a nice day.

Civl Liberties News Roundup

Ten Commandments Monument Wins in Nebraska

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit today ruled in favor of a monument bearing the Ten Commandments in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. The court reversed the decision of a district court judge who ruled the monument unconstitutional, vacating the position of a three-judge panel of the court that earlier upheld the district court's decision.

In this case, ACLU of Nebraska v. City of Plattsmouth, the 8th Circuit panel reversed the earlier decision, relying upon the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Van Orden v. Perry, which concerned a similar monument in Texas.

The opinion states, "The Ten Commandments monument had stood on the Texas State Capitol grounds for forty years without legal challenge. In Justice Breyer's view, 'those 40 years suggest more strongly than can any set of formulaic tests that few individuals...are likely to have understood the monument as amounting, in any significantly detrimental way, to a government effort' to promote, endorse, or favor religion."

Further, "Like the Ten Commandments monument at issue in Van Orden, the Plattsmouth monument makes passive-and permissible-use of the text of the Ten Commandments to acknowledge the role of religion in our Nation's heritage."

The case was defended by Frank Manion of the American Center for Law and Justice, with assistance from Jeff Downing of the Lincoln, Nebraska, law firm Keating, O'Gara, Davis & Nedved. Downing is allied with the Alliance Defense Fund.

Congress Considers "Border Protection Corps Act"

H. R. 3622 is a bill in Congress, which reads:

"To authorize the Governor of a State to organize and call into service a militia of able-bodied and eligible citizens to help prevent individuals from unlawfully crossing an international border and entering the United States anywhere other than a port of entry, to appropriate funds to support this service, and for other purposes."

Supporters believe it will defend the civil rights of all U.S. citizens, while opponents say it will violate the civil rights of illegal immigrants and Latino U.S. citizens in Southern border areas. Read the full text here.

Police Crime Watch Program Criticized by ACLU

In Orange County (FL), the ACLU is protesting a program called "Eyes and Ears," in which a local pest-control company agreed to inform law enforcement of anything unusual their employees see at work.

The ACLU's George Crossley said "This is a misguided attempt by the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the State Attorney's Office to intentionally turn neighbors against neighbors."

Barry Murray, of the Truly Nolen pest control company said "It is nothing more than crime watch, the same [program] that has been in existence from more than 30 years ago."

He added, "Whoever came up with this idea that somehow we're getting special police training for the purpose of spying on people is blatantly false."

The ACLU is looking into whether police have similar programs with other businesses. The "Eyes and Ears" program is not affiliated with the Citizen Awareness Program, established last year by Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary and State Attorney Lawson Lamar to employ utility workers and others against crime and terrorism.

CAIR and ACLU fight for Swearing on Koran

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is being joined by the ACLU in fighting a N.C. judge's decision that taking an oath on the Koran is not allowed by North Carolina state law. At issue is the judge's interpretation of state law, which specifies that witnesses shall place their hands on the "holy scriptures."

It remains to be seen if the Koran will be admitted for this use in the courts. Case law has permitted individuals to swear without a Bible. The ACLU and CAIR believe it is a violation of the establishment clause to bar the Koran, while allowing the Bible.

Hat tips to, and commentary at Crosses aCross America, Gribbit's Word, and STOP the ACLU.

News from Iran 8/22/2005

Today there are a few items that are of great concern. Many women in Iran are being arrested in Iran for the way they dress. If their scarves are not on properly, it is as if they were not wearing one at all. This is a new law set by the new Justice Miniter.

The Iranian government has been interfere in Iraqi politics since the build up in 2002.

Time's Michael Ware nailed down the details of Iran's plans to create a greater Iranian Shi'ite empire. The information came from documents smuggled out of Iran and dozens of interviews with U.S., British and Iraqi intelligence officials, an Iranian agent, armed dissidents and Iraqi militia. The Iranian endeavor's scope rivals the U.S. push for a secular Iraqi democracy. It clearly involves a confrontation with the U.S. for regional influence. [read more]

The next issue deals with the agreement between the E-3 and Iran.

Bloomberg
By Alex Morales
New York - Iran has continued to produce centrifuges, which are used in the uranium enrichment process, in contravention of a November 2004 agreement with the U.K., France and Germany to suspend all such activities, the exiled opposition National Council for Resistance in Iran said. [read more]

What is Iran's strategic plan for the world?

When he launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003 President George W. Bush promised to help the greater Middle East, the Muslim heartland from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, to bury a despotic past and build a democratic future. [read more]

The ME has used this as a disguise for their true intent, so this article explains. It is a good read, and very telling.

"Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji continues hunger strike...Is anyone watching?"
by Jerome Corsi
This is an article about Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji who has been on a hunger strike for over 70 days now. Have you read about him in your local paper? How about the New York Times? Someone wrote about him in the Washington Post but not on the front page.

He is the Nelson Mendella of Iran. It is an outrage that he is not receiving more attention. If you are truly for human rights, then you are obligated to call your Congressperson and Senators toll free at 1-877-762-8762. [Please read this].

This one is thrown in for everyone to remember when the CIA gives a statement, especially anonymously!

The Free World's Guess

By ELI LAKE
August 18, 2005

"Iran is not in a revolutionary or even a pre-revolutionary state." This quote is from an August 1978 CIA assessment of a government five months away from being toppled by the first modern Islamic revolution. [read more]

It is rumored the CIA still has this "estimate" problem. Many dissidents and high-level government officials seem to differ. You decide. Have a good day.

"SPIEGEL Online" Reports: Future of Terrorism

Yassin Musharbash
Fouad Hussein is the author of this book which explains the seven steps to "Total Victory" in al Qaeda's sight. Fouad has gained the trust of these people. They allowed him to interview them. They looked at this book, and liked it. They thought it was fair and captured their plan properly. This is from an article Fouad wrote.

...the world's most dangerous terrorist network's plan of action: al-Qaida's strategy for the next two decades. It is both frightening and absurd, a lunatic plan conceived by fanatics who live in their own world, but who continually manage to break into the real world with their brutal acts of violence.

Yassin continues from here to explain the seven phases of the plan they are using, after interviewing Fouad.

An Islamic Caliphate in Seven Easy Steps
The First Phase ..."the awakening" ...September 11, 2001...in a hope of awakening all Muslims.
The Second Phase "Opening Eyes"...the period we are now in and should last until 2006. ...al-Qaida wants an organization...[to become a] movement. ...Iraq should become the center for all global operations, with an "army" set up there and bases established in other Arabic states.
The Third Phase "Arising and Standing Up"...from 2007 to 2010."..."There will be a focus on Syria,"...fighting cadres ...already prepared...[They also plan on attacking Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and any neighboring countries that do not join them.]
The Fourth Phase Between 2010 and 2013...bring about the collapse of the hated Arabic governments.
The Fifth Phase...an Islamic state, or caliphate, can be declared. ... between 2013 and 2016...[all other people and gov'ts will be so weak] resistance will not be feared. Al-Qaida hopes that by then the Islamic state will be able to bring about a new world order.
The Sixth Phase...2016 onwards..."total confrontation."..."fight between the believers and the non-believers"
The Seventh Phase...final stage..."definitive victory."...[they think the] rest of the world will be so beaten down... the caliphate will undoubtedly succeed. ... completed by 2020...the war shouldn't last longer than two years. [read the whole story]

Neither the author of this article nor the author of this book believe al Qaeda has the network to make this plan work anymore. This is a must read article. It is not that long, and it is easy reading. Thank you, and have a good day.

Ambassador Bolton's Success

As the Israelis were leaving the Gaza Strip, the Hamas and other terrorist groups were touting banners that said, "Today Gaza, Tomorrow Jerusalem!"

Mr. Bolton inquired why the UN funded this anti-semetic operation of supplying, financially and ethically, the banners with the UN seal on the them? After discussions, the UN seal was removed from the banners.

Yes, this is a victory. At the same time, the damage has already been done. There is sure to be more bloodshed due to the cold hearts of Hamas and the other terrorist groups.

Why should they not believe it is okay to continue acting in this manner? After all, the UN has been suporting them. Thankfully, this is over. It is time for the terrorists and the UN to understand the USA is serious about this war. They have to either put on a uniform or stop.

There shall be no peace, however, because terrorists are usually cowards. They hide behind women, and they send others to die. Do they die themselves? Why not? Has any suicide-bomber ever stopped to ask this, or are they too brain-washed? Either way, now that John Bolton is in the UN--the game is over. That is a success that all peace-loving people should cheer.

Hat tip to JAMES TARANTO.

Public Service Announcement

Do you keep WD-40, hair spray, Off, Fix-A-Flat, etc. in your vehicle? If so, you might want to reconsider. The picture to your left is of a pressurized can that exploded in a person's vehicle and imbedded itself in the back seat of the car. The temperature outside of the closed up vehicle was about 100 degrees F. What if you or a loved one had been sitting in that seat? Do any of your family members keep aerosol cans in their vehicles? If they do, please pass this warning along to them!

The incident pictured to your left happened at a refinery in Beaumont. A deodorant spray can was left in the back of the vehicle that was parked in an open space in the middle of a hot, sunny day.

Without warning, the can exploded inside the car. Fortunately, no one was inside or near the car when it happened.

Lesson:
Do NOT leave pressurized containers (of any kind) in your vehicle where they can be exposed to sunlight! You should always read and follow the manufacturer's safety recommendations that come with the can. Reporting incidents such as this can help inform personnel of possible risks and dangers both inside and outside the workplace!

Hat tip to Neil Reinhardt, a very fine gentleman.

Some Facts about Atheism

Atheism.org is an organization which received it's start in the year 1963.

Our movement grew out of the historic MURRAY v. CURLETT (1963) U.S. Supreme Court case filed by an Atheist, Madalyn Murray, which removed coercive, unison prayer and Bible verse recitation from the public schools.

This organization is trying to remove any religious organizations from the government, such as Faith-based initiatives. Also, they do not want their tax dollars going to fund any religious groups. They also choose to add "freedom from religion" as another right, although this is not in the First Amendment. That is why the 1963 case was so important.

It must be remembered the debate for "ideas" is a welcome one in America, and people who are religious should never fear a good debate. After all, you must be able to defend what you believe and why in order to be a good Christian, Jew, Muslim, or whatever you may be.

Atheism from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has many links to explain this concept. It is, as it says, an encyclopedia. It states the history, the growth, the decline, and then the growth again during the age of enlightenment.

Atheism, as it is defined in this site, is the best one I have come across. Please keep in mind I am a Christian, so I have been searching far and wide for a simple explanation. (Third paragraph:)

It is important, however, to note the difference between the strong and weak atheist positions. "Weak atheism" is simple scepticism; disbelief in the existence of God. "Strong atheism" is an explicitly held belief that God does not exist. Please do not fall into the trap of assuming that all atheists are "strong atheists". There is a qualitative difference in the "strong" and "weak" positions; it's not just a matter of degree.

You may wish to visit these sites yourself, if you are interested in this topic. There is much information out there.

My only contention is that you be careful. Some of these sites are good, but others are filled with the same bigotry they accuse in others. I tried to stay clear of those, because I do not want to interfere with your decisions. Have a wonderful day, and God bless you. lol. I had to throw that in there. Ease up.

Raiders v. Houston

There will be news posted to this site over the weekend, but right now the game is on. lol. Have a good day.

ABA gives Roberts the go

The following was originally posted at the legal redux:

Amid vast media speculation that Judge John G. Roberts Jr. might be unfit for duty, and pointed questions about the Justice's environmental record, civil rights opinions and abortion views, the American Bar Association has given Roberts the highest marks available, clearing a major hurdle for him on the path to the Supreme Court.

The Associated Press reports that every time Roberts has received the top rating (“well qualified”), he has also been confirmed:

[Roberts] was designated well qualified in 2001 when he was nominated for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He received the same rating in 2003 when he was nominated again for the appeals courts and then confirmed. He was rated as qualified as an appeals court nominee in 1992, but the Senate never took up that nomination.

The ABA rates judges with a tertiary system; they decide between "not qualified,” "qualified” and "well qualified” for each nominee. The fifteen member panel was unanimous in its decision.

Clarence Thomas was rated as “qualified/not qualified” by the ABA, David Souter and Antonin Scalia were both voted highly qualified before their Supreme Court confirmations.

NFL Pre-Season: Week 2

We are now at week 2 for the preseason games. Can you believe it snuck up on me again? Geez. I will have the schedule and times for you, and I will fill them in as we go along. All the game scores can be found here, and choose preseason week 2. (Red=win, blue=losers, lol. Okay, blue=loss.)

Let us start with today! Thursday, August 18, 2005. The
New Orleans Saints-37 are playing the New England Patriots-27. Good job, Saints. Tomorrow, we have three games.

The Tennessee Titans-24 v. Atlanta Falcons-21 at 7:30pm.
At 8pm, we have the Cincinatti Bengals-24 v. Washington Redskins-17 and the
Minnesota Vikings-21 v. NY Jets-28.

On Saturday, we have 10 games! I hope they put some on regular TV. I'm not wasting my money on cable. We have the Cleveland Browns-21 v. Detroit Lions-13 at 1pm.

At 6pm, we have Green Bay Packers-7 v. Buffalo Bills-27. I hate when these two play. I love them both. Being from NY, I go with the Bills. Sometimes, however, I have been disappointed in recent years. I sure wish I could see them play more.

At 7:30pm we have two games.
Jacksonville Jaguars-20 v. Tampa Bay Bucs-17, and
Miami Dolphins-3 v. Pittsburgh Steelers-17. Now it's time to move on to the 8pm four.

We have Chicago Bears-24 v. Indianapolis Colts-17,
Carolina Panthers -21 v. NY Giants-27,
Philadelphia Eagles-20 v. Baltimore Ravens-14, and the
Oakland Raiders-17 v. Houston Texans-19.

Now we have the Arizona Cardinals-24 v. Kansis City Chiefs-17 at 7:30pm, and the San Francisco 49ers-21 v. Denver Broncos-26 at 9pm.

On Sunday we have one game, as well as on Monday we have only one game. Sunday we can see St. Louis Rams-21 v. San Diego-36 at 4pm, and on Sunday,
we get to watch Dallas Cowboys-18 v. Seattle Seahawks-10.

Sounds like a pretty good line-up to me. I just wish I could watch them all. lol. If someone watches a game on ESPN, would you please contact me with some information about the game? I sure would appreciate it. Thanks.

News from Iran 8/18/2005

Oil embargo best response to nuclear boycott. The 'Tehran Times' suggested in its editorial that the world oil-rich states should form a united front in order to confront "Western neocolonialist countries." Criticizing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution against Iran, the paper said that it was ratified "to meet the objectives of the Zionist regime and the United States."
Review of an assassination. [They are] accusing the supporters of imprisoned journalist Akbar Ganji in the assassination.
Iran arrests agents with British links. Iran claimed today that it had arrested anti-government separatists with links to British intelligence services, accusing them of involvement in violent protests and a recent spate of deadly bombings.
Two Iranian Dissidents Abducted in Capitol. U.S. officials said yesterday that two members of an Iranian dissident group living under American protection in Iraq have been kidnapped, and organization members said they fear the men will be turned over to Tehran for execution.
Israel Intelligence Chief: Iran to Acquire Nuke Warheads in 3 years. Iran's nuclear capabilities are at a much more advanced stages than the United States estimates, IDF Intelligence Chief Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash told the Knesset's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee.
Islamists burn French flag outside Tehran Embassy. "England, France, two Satans, two Lucifers," chanted the demonstrators, as security agents tried in vain to stop the flag burning. <...> "Death to France, death to England, death to Germany," they cried.
Iranian President Coming to America. by Hamid Namvar - 8/18/2005
According to media reports indicate that the United States is considering an entry visa to Iran's new president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend a UN meeting in New York City in mid-September. This would send a very wrong signal at a very crucial juncture to the increasingly belligerent Iran. Administration must firmly deny Ahmadinejad entry to the United States. And by all indications, the American public opinion would certainly welcome such a move.
Danger in ignoring Iran's dare Iran unilaterally made the important plant fully operational. As an added touch of bravado, the Iranians waited until UN surveillance cameras were in place and running so that everyone could witness their cheek.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that hundreds of demonstrators called for the release of student leaders held since 1999 by the Iranian government during a rally Sunday at the Federal Building in West Los Angeles.

Comments

It may seem unusual to comment on a news site, but I would be grateful for your comments. Comments can help me to remain factual, honest, sharp, productive, and they also let me know that someone is reading the paper. lol.

I would like you to let me know what you think about the articles. Have you seen them in your daily paper? Do you see any bias, other than it seems too American?

(I am an American. I am a citizen of the USA. I write as an American, because I love my country. Will I point out her flaws? Yes. I will do so in a constructive way, though. I find pessimism very off-putting.)

Are there articles you would like to have me cover which I have missed or left out? I would also welcome comments that disagree with what I wrote, as long as they are constructive. I do not really care to which "party affilliate" you belong. I believe we can come together for a better America and a better world. With your help, this is possible. Thank you.

News from around the World 8/17/2005

There are 3 articles about the underlying troubles between the USA and Venezuela. The first one, written by Andy Webb-Vidal, involves President Urbine of Columbia. President Bush welcomed Alvaro Uribe to his home near Crawford, Texas, tightening their political ties. This is very important. Columbia is a large country in South America.

Columbia is facing a devastating war-torn country, and he would like some help from the USA. This war has been 41 years long over illegal drug exports.

The USA has been very critical of Venezuela, claiming they were actively trying to interfere with the democratically elected neighbors. Venezuela is not a member of CAFTA.

Chavez has been accused of aiding and arming groups in Bolivia, Ecuador and elsewhere. The USA is also concerned about Chavez's purchase of 100,000 AK-47's from Russia. They are expected to end up in the hands of leftist terrorists, FARC.

In another article, the State Dept. is worried by the sale of weapons from Russia. Nothing new, but more detailed.

There has been much chatter about China and Russia as far as weapons and testings. They have the whole Pacific Rim anxious. This article, however, is about the Chinese military build-up. Of course there is always Taiwan, which we have a pact to protect. (People really should learn history.)

Possible Palestinian-al Qaeda Ties

Global Terror Alert has interpreted an allegiance letter, presumably to Osama bin Ladin. This is a group that has not been known before, yet that does mean they did not just splinter from another group.

This "Al-Qaida-Palestine Frontier Jihad Brigades" claims responsibility for one rocket attack on Israel. They are hoping for an alliance with OBL.

They are awaiting orders from him. If he orders them to go to the USA, then you will begin to see suicide bombers here. Hopefully, this is a group that just wishes to make a name for itself. Unfortunately, there are many whom already have chosen to follow these such orders.

Remain alert as you live your lives. Continue to defy the enemy. Many are working on our defense. If everyone does their part, we will get through this together. God bless America and you.

Alert: California Voters

A judge has ruled today that Proposition 77 should be back on the ballot for this special election, and so it is. This proposition will take the decision making of determining districts out of the hands of those whom the benefit is greatest. It would be placed in the hands of retired judges, who apparently answer to no one.

Opinion: Should we change from what we know to something we have much doubt? At least Assemblypersons and Senators can be voted out of offices or recalled. I am not quite convinced. I do consider the process we have now broken, but I blame that more on us than I do them! Why do we keep putting in the same losers, only to complain again? We are doing it to ourselves.

Is there a solution? Yes. The lines that are drawn as cities and towns, ie Long Beach, Hollywood, etc., should be the district! Wow! That took a lot of thought, time, money, and wasted nonsense to resolve! lol.

Source: KRLA News.

Able Danger

"Tony" will be on Fox TV tonight at 7pm EST. He is an intelligence person who worked on "Able Danger." He is expected to speak about the 3 times he tried to speak to the 9/11 Commission, and he will also speak about the confusion between "the wall of separation" between the FBI, CIA, and DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency).

Source: Tony Snow Radio program between 8am-8:30am.

Update: The search engines are coming here, instead of more up-to-date articles, therefore this site shall be update as needed. Able Danger, Part-2, and Able Danger Video.

Venezuela: 160 Feared Dead in Plane Crash

In a report today from the AP, it is feared the passengers and crew of a West Caribbean Airways (McDonnell Douglas MD-82) are all dead. This happened in the area of Machiques, near the border with Colombia some 400 miles west of Caracas at around 3:30am today.

A plane carrying vacationers from the French Caribbean island of Martinique crashed Tuesday in western Venezuela after reporting engine trouble, and at least 160 people aboard were feared dead.

There is one question, other than the usual, that is left to be answered. The French claim there were 153 passengers, while the airline claims there were only 152. Where is the missing person? Who is the missing person? Is this a new tactic? Was this practice? Maybe there are more than one question to be answered.

Iran: Behind the Iron Curtain

Support Ganji has requested the ones with a voice to speak up and speak out for the people of Iran. While Ganji is a political prisoner who has been on a hunger strike since June 11, 2005, he is more concerned about his beloved people and their country.

Korosh is a man of integrity, and he has asked anyone has a site to write about the atrocities that are happening to the Iranian people. Does this mean he does not understand the importance of the regimes continuation of developing nuclear weapons? No. This is precisiouly why.

While many are worried about the threat to the world, the Iranians already know the threat to them. They have no freedom of the press, religion, assembly, etc., and this is on a good day in Iran. They do have a press, however. Like Russia during the Cold War, it is run by the government. The Iranian people, however, do not support their government, nor do they believe what they read. They want, no...they need this message to get out to those who can help them.

I am going to publish his plea for everyone to write about it on their own site. This is important. I hope you will do concider doing the same.

Islamic Republic has resumed its nuclear activities and the world’s media has decreased the reporting of the Freedom Movements in Iran. Replacing it is the nuclear news from Iran, but we, the blogers, have to change that.

It is important to realize how dangerous the Islamic Republic could be by having nuclear weapons, but considering what they do to the Iranian people, according to the human rights activist , these two subjects can not be separated.

Why? Because the world has to know that Iranian people are not supporting this regime, and they are actually major victims of this regime. (Pictures of the brutalities of the Islamic Republic on the Iranian people) So please join the campaign for supporting Ganji and freedom in Iran

If you would like to keep the pressure on your Senators and Congressperson, you may contact them by calling them toll free at 1-877-762-8762. You can reach the President's switchboard at 1-202-456-1111, but President Bush has already stepped up to denounce Akbar Ganji's imprisonment.

It has been a buzz around the world that President Bush may allow the new president of Iran, which the Iranian people concider him as a murderous thug of a president the mullah's put into office, to have a visa to enter the USA to visit the UN. Tell the President of the USA how you feel about this before Thursday of this week. The feeling of this cyber newspaper is, "No visas for terrorists!" Thank you.

Michael Yon LIVE

Michael Yon will be on the radio at 9pm EST. The station is WRKO 680 am. You can streamline it so you may listen over the net. Don't forget, for those of us who live on the west coast coast, that means 6pm!

Hat tip to Seawitch. She also told us about Pundit Review. They will be hosting the program. I'm going to check it out. Hey! Why don't we all, and then we can compare notes? You may have picked up something the others missed. Just a thought. Have a great day.

Cross posted at Love America First and My Newz 'n Ideas.

Breaking News: Plane Down, Athens

A plane has gone down near Athens, Greece carrying 115 passangers and 6 crew members. There are reports that the cabin where the pilots were lost air pressure, and at least one fell unconscious. It has not been determined whether this was a terrorist attack or not.

The Helios Airways flight HCY 522 was headed from Larnaca, Cyprus to Athens International Airport when it crashed at about 12:20 p.m. near the coastal town of Grammatikos, about 25 miles north of the Greek capital. [read the whole story]

The Greek AF scrambled 2 jets after losing contact with the plane. The residence near the crash are trying to look for survivors but so far there are none.

Sotiris Voutas, the first cousin of a passenger on the plane, said he received a text message from his relative on his mobile phone minutes before the crash.

"He told me the pilots were unconscious ... he said: 'My cousin I bid you farewell, we are all frozen'."

The AF pilots saw no movement in the cabin before the plane went down. Fortunately, the plane went down 437 yards (400 meters) from any homes.

Hat tip to KABC 790am news and AP.org.

Cross posted at My Newz 'n Ideas.

NFL Pre-Season Games to Start-Scores from Friday

I was watching the Chicago Bears v. St. Louis Rams. The Bears had a chance to win. I swear, everytime I watch them play, they lose. I am not going to watch them this season! They lost to the Rams 13-17. I'm only in trouble if they make it to the Super Bowl!

In other news, there were 5 other teams that played last night. New England Patriots-23 v. Cincinnati Bengals-13, Tampa Bay Buccaneers-20 v. Tennessee Titans-17, Seattle Seahawks-34 v. New Orleans Saints-15, Kansas City Chiefs-16 v. Minnesota Vikings-27, and Detroit Lions-3 v. NY Jets-10.

There was a game Thursday played by San Diego Chargers-7 v. Green Bay Packers-10. (Good job, Green Bay! Sorry San Diego. Maybe during regular season?!)

The use of a different color will help us to know which team is the away team. It is unusual for so many away teams to win, but hey! This is pre-season. lol.

For today, Saturday, August 13, 2005, here is a schedule of the teams.

At 7:30pm, we have Baltimore Ravens-3 v. Atlanta Falcons-16 and Miami Dolphins-17 v. Jacksonville Jaguars-12.

At 8pm, we have 4 teams. Washington Redskins-10 v. Carolina Panthers-28, NY Giants-14 v. Cleveland Browns-17, Denver Broncos-10 v. Houston Texans-14, and Buffalo Bills-17 v. Indianapolis Colts-10.

At 10pm we have the Dallas Cowboys-11 v. Arizona Cardinals-13 and the Oakland Raiders-13 v. San Francisco 49er's-21.

On Monday, August 15, we will be treated to Philidelphia Eagles-31 v. Pittsburgh Steelers-38, if they can get their acts together.

For the people on the southern-west coast, the Washington Redskins v. Carolina Panthers will be live on Channel KTLA at 5pm. Starting at 7pm on KCBS we have the Raiders and the 49er's live. I hope it is a good game between these two old rivals.

The scores for the other teams will be in another article, also, so you do not have to look all over the place. You may, however, if you wish. We have a lady who has her eyes and ears on the ground in Yemen, and a young Iranian man who has passion for freedom for his homeland as well as America. Then there is me. lol.

NOTE: These times are EST for the schedule. The games playing today are given the accurate time. Don't forget to tune in.

The NFL Official Website is nfl.com. You will find the scores here. I will not begin to pick the winners until the season starts. I am very upset about the decision to trade Monday Night Live to Desparate Housewives.

I am not one, nor do I watch that stupid show. Well, then again, I don't watch most anything except football. Now they've taken that. I may just throw the rest of them away...nah. lol.

NFL Pre-Season Games to Start

The NFL pre-season started already, but it caught me off guard. While I missed the Hall of Fame game, I do have the scores for you. It appears we had two very close games between Indianapolis Colts v. Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears v. Miami Dolphins, old rivals, indeed.

Atlanta won 27-21. It appears they were pretty hot in the second quarter. They scored 20 points, while the Colts scored a touchdown each quarter except the third. It may have been a boring game, but one never knows unless you get watch it!

The Bears rocked the Dolphins again, or maybe it's about time. The Bears have been a let down during regular seasons. The score was 27-24. Miami is still in the running, however. Keep your eyes on them.

The games that are playing tonight (and the scores at this time) are: Detroit Lions-3 v. NY Jets-10, final. The New England Patriots-16 v. Cincinnati Bengals-13 with 3:26 minutes left to play. It is the 4th quarter (for those who didn't catch that.)

We have 4 games playing in the 3rd quarter. Starting with Tampa Bay-14 v. Tennessee-14, with 3:39 minutes left in this quarter. Seattle Seahawks is whipping New Orlean's Saints all over the field. The devastating score is 27-10 with 3:43 seconds left in this quarter. (New Orleans scored to make it 10, good job.) Kansas City Chiefs-6 v. Minnesota-20.

I will finish this article when I have the scores the scores. I just found a game that is on! See ya!

A Moment to Show Gratitude

I would like to bring to your attention a friend of mine who has had a computer meltdown. His laptop computer crashed. He does not have the necessary funds to fix it, nor can he afford a new one.

He has swolled his pride, which wasn't really necessary because the blogger family will always come to a true need, and he shared his troubles with us. It is up to us, now, to make sure that we do not allow this source of news just dry up. I know I depend on this site.

I sometimes give thanks when the e-mails come, because I have been so busy fixing my own computer, editing, or writing! I am always grateful, however, that the e-mails keep coming.

I am very interested in Iran. It is a beautiful place with beautiful and proud people. It is rich in culture and history. They love their country as we love ours.

We are not going to war with them precisely because 70% of the population desires demacry! They want to bring it about themselves, however. I would know none of this without the help of The Daily Briefings on Iran and my Iranian friend, Korosh. I am very grateful to know them.

I have "borrowed" his latest post to show you how many people share my feelings.

When I first put out a call for help yesterday, I never expected the kind of support I received from fellow bloggers such as:

Chrenkoff, wrote:

Dr Zin from the indispensable Regime Change Iran is sending out an SOS ... Please help if you can.

WindsOfChange's Dan Darling wrote:

DoctorZin's Regime Change Iran has served as a valuable resource for those seeking the latest news and information on developments inside Iran. ... I would like to take this opportunity to urge all those who have benefited or at least appreciate the worth of his briefings to make a contribution to such a valuable resource.

SMCCDI's Aryo Pirouznia wrote:

Your valuable help is needed in order to allow a very useful pro-democracy website ( http://www.regimechangeiran.com/ ) to continue its informative operation. ... Contact Gary and provide your assistance to his useful website! Let's avoid that another source of voicing up become silent!

Free Thoughts's Stefania who wrote:

Gary is doing a great job in letting the world be informed about what's going on inside Iran. I also received this email from Gary. Help as much as you can ! Your help is for a just cause!

as well as activists like Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzzi wrote:

Gary's blog has provided invaluable information by compiling news from a huge number international media outlets, organizations' websites and activists' blogs to bring readers up to date on the daily events surrounding the Iranian movement. He has also deconstructed information that requires clarification for readers who are unfamiliar with certain historical or cultural contents.So please be generous.

I want to thank you all for your tremendous support in helping spread the word. It is working.

The good news is that we have received $800 so far.

So we are closing in on the goal.

Friends from Canada, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, and in the US: California, Florida, Iowa and Ohio have contributed so far.

Our goal is around $2000.00.Several serious bloggers have suggested the make and model of the replacement laptop as well as warranties I need, etc.

Anything you can do to help us meet this goal would be greatly appreciated.The best way to contribute is to use PayPal with the link below.

In the meantime, my posts will be rather limited. I am using a desktop computer and this means I cannot spend any where near the time I typically spend on this work. I apologize. I will work to catch up as soon as possible.If you believe in this work, please help now.

If you could, please go to The Daily Briefing on Iran and make a donation toward this cause. Even if it's only $10. Every bit helps. For those of us who rely on Dr. Zin and F14Pilot, please help. It will be a service to us all. This way, I may continue to keep you up to date. Thank you so very much. May God bless you, and have a great day.

Rep. Curt Weldon Lays it Bare

This is a 32 minute clip of Rep. Curt Weldon on C-SPAN on the 10th of August. He is speaking specifically about the problems he has had with the CIA, and the attitude they have about sharing intelligence. I believe this very telling clip will be a must listen.

You will need Real Player. I would like to thank C-SPAN for the wonderful job it is doing. I like to give credit where credit is due.

File Name rtsp://cspanrm.fplive.net/cspan/project/ter/ter_wj081005_weldon.rm

I am going to give you the full C-SPAN link, because I lost some valuable video I had from them before. If you lose the taping, or come late to the story, you can e-mail C-SPAN and they will send you the link or you may have to purchase it. Either way, it would be well worth listening to it.

PROGRAMMING QUESTIONS & SUGGESTIONS
Viewer Services: Questions about our schedule, how to buy videotapes, and for any other general comments about C-SPAN - viewer@c-span.org

Dictators and Terrorists: The Connection

Many have wondered how there could be any connection between Saddam and al Qaeda. It is really quite natural. Saddam hates the USA. The Islamists hate the USA. The terror masters hate the USA. The USA is coming to free the Iraqi and Afghani peoples. We are also avenging our dead from September 11, 2001.

Is there a connection? Who knows? It does not matter. Over many years, Hizbollah has murdered many USA citizens. Saddam has fired upon our pilots daily for 11 years. They had formed a "relationship" in 1990 until the present. Does it really matter, now that we're here?

I say that it does not. I also say that we should come together and win this theatre of operation. Mohammed has written a very good article over at Iraq the Model. He has written about the who, what, when, where, and why. It is pretty good. Click on his name for the article. Click on the name of the site for the site. Thank you.

Cross posted at My Newz 'n Ideas.

Akbar Ganji as a Dissident

Akbar Ganji, according to the NY Sun, will do more to move the case for democracy forward than any polititian has in the past 8 years of "Reformers.” In a letter to Mr. Soroush, Mr. Ganji stated:

"It saddens me considerably to see some who are under the impression that it is possible to confront the Sultanist system by cautious words about democracy and free speech, and to make the transition to a democratic system this way,"

There are some who do not see his political martyrdom as a purification of past sins.

...the chairman of the Los Angeles-based Iranians for a Secular Republic accused the writer of placing thumb tacks in the foreheads of unveiled women.

"We cannot remain indifferent in the face of your project of purifying the image of the murderous Ayatollah Khomenei on which you and your colleagues have been working on for several years," Roozbeh Farahanipour wrote.

Of course, this is being denied by the government. However, there are some human rights organizations that are accepting of his change of heart.

"What distinguishes Ganji is his moral and intellectual integrity," a historian and human rights advocate, Ladan Boroumand, said in an interview last week. "We are a generation dominated by the Marxist Leninism and the goal justifies the means mentality. But Ganji has evolved as an intellectual and in doing this he has revived the tradition of Shapur Bakhtiar," she said, referring to the former Iranian president.

Mr. Ganji spoke at the University of Shiraz in 1997. The topic was titled, "The Fascist Interpretation of Religion and Government." He compared the ideology of the Islamic Republican to Benito Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany. His focus was on the deterioration of an individual's rights to the point of non-existence. This led to him getting arrested and serving time in prison. This was his first arrest, but not his last.

Although Mr. Ganji had been imprisoned prior to this, he wrote

"The Red Eminence and Gray Eminences," which accused a former president, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, of helping to plot the murders of Iranian dissidents in the late 1990s, known in the country as the "chain murders." The publication of these texts and Mr. Ganji's attendance at a reformist conference in 2000 in Berlin led to another arrest that year. In 2001, he was sentenced to six years at Evin Prison.

Before he was imprisoned, however, he urged the people to vote for the reformer, Mr. Khatemi. This was after the very brutal police action against a student uprising in 1999 after the Republican Guard murdered some student activists. He must have thought it best to try the political route to reforming his beloved country.

When the elections came around this time, however, he called for a boycott. He not only called for a boycott, he declared that Ayatollah Khamenei must leave his post as leader, and if Mr. Ganji dies, he declared that his blood will be on his hands.

"I hate to predict something this terrible, but if Ganji dies it will be like the ceremony of Dr. Shariati. Twenty thousand showed up at his funeral even after the Savak (the secret security service for the shah) told them they could not. It was one of the events that led to the Islamic revolution. I don't know if there will be a revolution. But if Ganji dies, there will be massive hatred of the people against the regime."
Mr. Sazegara paused and then added that the object of the people's hatred will be Mr. Khamenei, the man Mr. Ganji has so explicitly compared to the shah.

Many people are praying for Akbar Ganji's release. Even the President of the United States of America has called for his release. With hope, they will change their minds. Without hope, they will not. This mayy lead to the overthrowing of the tyrannical government.

It would be better for the western world if he died, but we are all praying for him to live. That is who we are. Every life is sacred. May God have mercy on his soul, and may He change the hearts and minds of those who seek his death. Long live Akbar Ganji!

Voter Fraud 2004

American Center for Voting Rights has completed their study on the 2004 election. It appears that the America people have a right to be skeptical when it comes to voting, but not for the reasons you may bevieve. In fact, it may surprice many.

If you live in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, or Wisconsin, you will find what could be uncovered through these links.

While this section points out where fraud occurred last year, it is also important to dispel one of the more pervasive urban legends stemming from 2004 vote: that the election in Ohio was “stolen.” A bipartisan consensus has now emerged confirming that the 2004 election in Ohio was fairly decided. [read more]

It is a very informative and interesting report. You may wish to read it. You may do so by clicking on the title. Have a nice day.

Link to Gen. McCaffrey's Report on the War

Here is the link: Trip report from Kuwait/Iraq by Gen McCaffrey (Ret). It is very informative as to what needs to be changed, what we are doing right, and how the troops are doing as far as morale, integrity, etc.

There is much to this report. If you are interested in reading a report written by someone who was very critical of the war, this is it.

Update: I found the full unclassified report here.

Russian Could Get 60 years in Oil for Food Scandal

Uncovered by Federal Investigator David N. Kelley, Mr. Alexander Yakovlev, 52, allegedly accepted money under unlawful terms. He was a Russian procurement officer for the UN. He was accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from companies doing business with the United Nations.

Yesterday, August 8, 2005, he plead guilty to three of the counts against him. They were wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The charges could carry a penalty of up to 60 years in prison.

Monday's events also signaled that U.N. investigators and prosecutors have expanded their probes beyond the oil program to include allegations of corruption in other parts of the U.N. bureaucracy. [read the whole story]

Mr. Annan waived Mr. Yakovlev's diplomatic immunity from prosecution Monday. He is also prepared to do the same in the case of son, Mr. Sevan. While this sounds good on paper, Mr. Sevan has fled to Cyprus, which has no extradiction treaty for financial matters. So...your guess is as good as anyone's as to whether he will face charges.

Mr. Yakovlev was released on a $400,000 bond. His travel arrangements have been taken away so he cannot flee. It may be that he is cooperating with the investigators, because his lawyer believes he will receive a lighter sentence.

A summary report will be prepared by September of this year for the UN and the US House of Representatives and the Senate. At that time, there should be more answers...and more questions!

Chrenkoff is Retiring: *tears*

Many a day, it was, when all we heard was how we messed up, what we were doing wrong, why we couldn't win, etc, and Arthur Chrenkoff would come to the fore with evidence that it was a lie. He would produce his "Good News from Iraq" (part 25) and "Good News from Afghanistan" (part 15) every two weeks or so. Each of them separately, of course.

He would also share some of that great Australian humor with so many of us, even though he is Polish! I love him. I am very sad at the news of his retiring from the blogosphere. He has accepted a job which will not permit him to blog. To heck with censorship! Arthur, don't leave me! Don't leave us!

This was my first response. I even tried to bribe him! It didn't work. I have had time to think and grieve, albeit not enough. I have come to this conclusion: I am very selfish.

Many people have come and gone on this here blogosphere. That didn't upset me. So why now? Because, Arthur, you are special. You are the tops. You will be sorely missed, but I am sure that as we adjust we will realize you are only doing what is right and best for you. (YOU ARE SO SELFISH!) LOL.

Arthur has given up so much of his time to keep us informed. I am only joking when I call him selfish. I'm the one who is guilty of that. It just comes out, because I am still crying. If you would like to know, DadManly has a very nice farewell for him. I must now go wipe my face...again.

God bless you and keep you, Arthur Chrenkoff. You will remain in my heart and prayers. Thank you for all you have given of yourself so we would know the truth. You will be sorely missed. Don't forget, my e-mail still works! lol.

For the rest of us, Arthur has kept an archive of all his writings about Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places. You may find them at the bottom of his sidebar. Godspeed, Arthur. You had better really love this job! :)

Cross posted at Love America First and My Newz 'n Ideas.