Dave and Blarney at Christmas

Dave: Merry Christmas, Blarney.
Blarney: I don't celebrate Christmas.
Dave: Oh, okay, belated Happy Hannukah.
Blarney: I don't celebrate any mythological holidays.
Dave: Really?
Blarney: Absolutely. I only celebrate authentic holidays.
Dave: Such as?
Blarney: Kwanzaa.
Dave: But you aren't African-American.
Blarney: See how racist you are! All you right wingnuts are racist, sexist, homophobes!
Dave: Excuse me?
Blarney: Okay, this time. But you really should seek help.
Dave: That's the whole point of Christmas. I do seek His help. I mean, though, how does a statement of fact morph into a racist statement?
Blarney: Just because my skin is white, does not mean I can't be black. What about Bill Clinton?
Dave: The first black president?
Blarney: Exactly. According to Andrew Young, he is every bit as black as Obama and has probably been with more black women than Obama. Yet his skin is just as white as mine.
Dave: We started with me wishing you a Merry Christmas and now you accuse me of being racist because your skin is white?
Blarney: No, Dave, I called you a racist because you are a right-wing nut and all of you are racist, sexist homophobes.
Dave: O-o-o-kay. What do you think of Achmadinejab?
Blarney: He's a great statesman.
Dave: You don't think he is racist because he wants to eliminate the Jews?
Blarney: He is not any more racist than Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, two of my other heroes.
And you hate the Jews because they killed your Jesus.
Dave: You are wrong on two points Blarney. No, three points. First, Jesus was a Jew. He was the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Second, the Jews did not kill Jesus, the Romans did. Last, I don't hate either the Jews or the Italians because it was all part of God's plan to purchase redemption for us.
Blarney: Well, uh...
Dave: And Blarney, both Jesus and I love you. The whole point of Christmas is that God visited this planet in human form to provide redemption for our sins. So, like I said, Merry ...
KwanzHanuChristmas.
Blarney: ....

New Post at the Alternate Site

Click here for the article.
I'll follow up later.

Happy Birthday, Marine corps.

Human Events has a tribute to the Marines on their 232nd birthday (10 Nov 2007).  They are the third oldest* of the services, predating even our Declaration of Independence.  My USAF is quite young by comparison (started as a separate branch on 18 Sep 1947).  But always remember that 75% of the earth is covered by water and 100% of the earth is covered by air.

 

*Marine corps founded 10 Nov 1775

US Navy found 13 Oct 1775

US Army founded 14 Jun 1775 as the Continental Army.  Became the US Army on 3 Jun 1784.

Help SAVE America

An unprecedented bi-partisan illegal immigration bill has been brought to the House.  Introduced by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), with 89 original co-sponsors, the SAVE (Secure America with Verification and Enforcement) Act of 2007 (H.R. 4088) presents proof that at least the House of Representatives understands that Americans frown on amnesty and illegal immigration.  The Blue Dogs are starting to bite.  Get your Republican Representative on board also. 

 

In case you are new to the web, the underlined text above provides links to:

Rep. Shuler's web site

The Blue Dog Coalition

The list of co-sponsors

and

The text of the proposed legislation.

Click on any of the links above or below to go to the background documentation.

NumbersUSA provides a summary of the bill.

 

If you haven't ever contacted your Senator or Representative, click the appropriate links to get started.

Can you believe the Weather Channel?

Well, how about its founder? This was published at ICECAP, (ICECAP, International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project, is the portal to all things climate for elected officials and staffers, journalists, scientists, educators and the public. It provides access to a new and growing global society of respected scientists and journalists that are not deniers that our climate is dynamic (the only constant in nature is change) and that man plays a role in climate change through urbanization, land use changes and the introduction of greenhouse gases and aerosols, but who also believe that natural cycles such as those in the sun and oceans are also important contributors to the global changes in our climate and weather. We worry the sole focus on greenhouse gases and the unwise reliance on imperfect climate models while ignoring real data may leave civilization unprepared for a sudden climate shift that history tells us will occur again, very possibly soon. )

Intro by Joe D’Aleo, Icecap, CCM I was privileged to work with John Coleman, the founder of The Weather Channel in the year before it became a reality and then for the first of the 6 years I was fortunate to be the Director of Meteorology. No one worked harder than John to make The Weather Channel a reality and to make sure the staffing, the information and technology was the very best possible at that time. John currently works with KUSI in San Diego. He posts regularly. I am very pleased to present his latest insightful post.

By John Coleman

Accuracy in Media Matters

That is actually the name of two "watchdog" organizations in one title.

 

We all know that the news media's main job is to provide...

... income for the media stars.  A large percentage of people in the news media admit to being liberal.  Even if they didn't the bias would be obvious.  The news media desperately want the Democrats to be in power.  They are willing to ignore for as long as they can any missteps by someone in the Democrat party.  Like William "cold cash" Jefferson.  Or Hillary "if the Hsu fits" Clinton.  Or Harry "phony soldiers letter" Reid.

 

They ignore or downplay conservative efforts (Like Rush "4.2 Million to the Marine Charity" Limbaugh) to move people forward.  Apparently, Marxist doctrine is taught at journalism schools and "intellectual" hotspots like Harvard and Yale.  You can see and hear the Marxist ideology when Mrs. Clinton wants to "take" the profits from oil companies.  You can see it in the way the Democrat leadership portrays our troops (air-raiding villages, torturing women and children, killing civilians in cold blood) and how they want ever larger government intrusion to private areas of out lives, most recently noticeable health care.

 

I'm just rambling now.  More to come.

Breaking News From the Left

Global Warming and the War in Iraq cause .....
Arson!

Yes, Harry Reid, there was a cause for the fires and it had nothing to do with Global Warming. Yes, Barbara Boxer, there are enough National Guard in California to handle the situation.

Guess what? California also has earthquakes. And fires are not uncommon. Fire's can be caused by downed power lines or by man. Smoky the Bear claims he has never set a forest fire by dropping his lit cigarette or leaving his campfire unattended, or on purpose.

Quick - Who are These People?

Navy Lt Michael Murphy
Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith
Cpl. Jason Dunham

OK, then. Quick - who are these people?
Britney Spears
Paris Hilton

My guess is you probably knew the latter names because of the incessant media exposure. My further guess is that unless you subscribe to military news, you never heard of the first three.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a media that extols spoiled, rich, substance abusing "celebrities" and neglects true heroes. Oliver North takes them to task in an article titled Real American Heroes.


That's all I have to say at the moment.

Update 11/05/2007. sorry about the broken link to Lt Murphy. It is now fixed.

News From the Front Lines

For whatever reason (probably another topic someday) the mainstream media (aka the alphabet networks and certain newspapers with national distribution) is slow to report any good news from Iraq or Afghanistan. You can go straight to the USCENTCOM home page or subscribe to news feeds from them or from Defense Link and get the official information. Of course, some distrust the government, so you could also go to the military blog site for videos.

If you prefer a non-government view, try Iraq The Model. This site provides commentary and insight on aspects of the conflict that are not reported elsewhere. Since the bloggers are also graduate students, they have begun posting less frequently, but what they say is worth reading. Then there is Michael Yon's excellent photojournalism.

For a lighter look at the war, one of my blogging buddies has posted excerpts from another real buddy currently serving in Iraq. You will enjoy it.

More About Climate Change

As I promised (or warned, as the case may be) you, here is some rambling thought about climate change (CG) and anthropogenic global warming (AGW).

Since climate is locally defined, it would appear that climate change happens every day as a matter of course. Some days it is warm, some days it rains, some days it is cold, etc. Somewhere along the line we (not me, but somebody) decided that the region in question is global. Now on any given day somewhere on the globe it is hot, somewhere else it is raining, somewhere there might be a tropical storms. How then, can we define a global climate? We have seasons in most areas of the globe. We have long nights in the winter season and long days in the summer season.

When I was in high school I learned that carbon dioxide was a life-giving gas for plants. The plants, through a process called photosynthesis, return the favor by providing oxygen. As you may recall, photosynthesis is

The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates
are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source.
Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.

As you may also recall, most animals (including humans) depend on this oxygen stuff and the carbohydrates in plants for life. So the deal seems simple

• Plants take carbon dioxide and water and sunlight and release oxygen.
• Animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

Using this simple scheme, plants and animals get along famously, each emitting what the other needs to breathe. Superb. What a clever arrangement. Almost like it was planned.

Now, however, carbon dioxide has become the nasty "greenhouse gas" that will result in the sea levels rising 20 or more feet next year (OK, I exaggerated a little). One other thing that happens is that salt water in the seas (lakes, rivers, etc) evaporates to become moisture in the air. Later it condenses and falls as rain. This is the water cycle. However, moisture in the air is another one of those "greenhouse" gases. And it is all man's fault.

Here's my question: If all the carbon dioxide generated by man (including that from breathing) results in less than one degree temperature rise in a century (assume for the moment this is true), would that not make for a longer growing season? And a longer growing season would mean more carbon dioxide being converted to oxygen. Would that not improve the overall quality of air? I'm just asking.

What do Al Gore, Jimmy Carter and Yasser Arafat Have in Common?

I mean, other than being America-bashing, anti-Israeli demagogues?

They are recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.  Yes, Al Gore shares the award this year with the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC).  Apparently this year the hot topic is Climate Change.

 

Interesting to me are the various definitions of climate:

• The composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years. (Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Climate (accessed: October 12, 2007).) (emphasis added)
• The meteorological conditions, including temperature, precipitation, and wind, that characteristically prevail in a particular region. (Climate. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Climate (accessed: October 12, 2007).)(emphasis added)
• The weather in some location averaged over some long period of time; "the dank climate of southern Wales"; "plants from a cold clime travel best in winter"  (Climate. (n.d.). Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary. Retrieved October 12, 2007, from Dictionary.com website:) (emphasis added)
• The general or average weather conditions of a certain region, including temperature, rainfall, and wind. On Earth, climate is most affected by latitude, the tilt of the Earth's axis, the movements of the Earth's wind belts, the difference in temperatures of land and sea, and topography. Human activity, especially relating to actions relating to the depletion of the ozone layer, is also an important factor.
  (The American Heritage® Science Dictionary, Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.)(emphasis added)
• A region's usual weather patterns. The climate at any point on Earth is determined by things such as the general movement of the atmosphere, the proximity of the oceans, and the altitude of the location.
  (The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
  Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
  Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.) (emphasis added)
  

You can look up change (if you need to) by yourself.  So, Al Gore wins an Oscar and a peace prize for a documentary that is flawed, much like Michael Moore wins Oscars for faux-umentaries.  Who can doubt that he will enter the Presidential race for the Dems? 

 

Did Blarney write this?  Am I dreaming?  Somebody wake me up, please.

 

Phony Soldiers

The Democrats are up in arms over Rush Limbaugh saying two words ("phony soldiers") to a caller who was referring to the likes of Jesse MacBeth, Scott Thomas Beauchamp, and others. These people make up things to say about our troops and try to gain credibility by enhancing their military service, much like the Senator from North Vietnam and Tom Harkin. They are, in fact, phony soldiers attempting to steal the valor of our military.

Now, it is interesting to me who is leading this fight. Notice the names of the folks who voted AGAINST condemnation of MoveOn.org (previous article), and then note the names of those on the letter from Senator Reid.

Anybody surprised? Who do YOU think really "supports the troops"?

In case you missed the Congressional Response to the "Betray US" AD

MoveOn.org ran a subsidized ad in the New York times implying that General Petraeus could be called General "Betray Us".

In response, Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex) sponsored an amendment expressing support for the General and condemning the personal attacks.

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110^th Congress - 1^st Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Amendment (Cornyn Amdt. No. 2934 )
Vote Number:	344	Vote Date:	September 20, 2007, 12:36 PM
Required For Majority:	3/5	Vote Result:	Amendment Agreed to
Amendment Number:	S.Amdt. 2934 to S.Amdt. 2011 to H.R. 1585 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008)
Statement of Purpose:	To express the sense of the Senate that General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, deserves the full support of the Senate and strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the United States Armed Forces.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	72
	NAYs	25
	Not Voting	3

You would think that would be a fairly straightforward proposition. The moveOn ad was despicable. Yet, there were 25 who voted against the resolution. Here are the names and votes. (Blue are Democrat or Independents who voted in favor of the resolution. Red are current or former Democrat Presidential candidates or Majority Leader):
Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---72
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Barrasso (R-WY) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Craig (R-ID) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC)	Dole (R-NC) Domenici (R-NM) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hagel (R-NE) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johnson (D-SD) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN)	Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McCaskill (D-MO) McConnell (R-KY) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Roberts (R-KS) Salazar (D-CO) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Sununu (R-NH) Tester (D-MT) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA) Webb (D-VA)

NAYs ---25
Akaka (D-HI) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Byrd (D-WV) Clinton (D-NY) Dodd (D-CT) Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI)	Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Levin (D-MI) Menendez (D-NJ) Murray (D-WA) Reed (D-RI)	Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-MI) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 3
Biden (D-DE)	Cantwell (D-WA)	Obama (D-IL)

Notice that two of the current crop decided not to be on record one way or the other. Also notice that the anointed President (Clinton) was just fine with the ad.

Iraqi Freedom Death Toll

According to the DoD, the total casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan to date are 3,299 Killed in Action (KIA) plus 860 deaths from non-combat causes. That means we can shortly expect another round of cheering as we go over a new benchmark for the drive-by media: 3,300 combat deaths for US forces in the War on Terror. Or maybe they will wait for the 3,100 deaths in Iraq. At any rate, there are some interesting things to note about what is not reported. In the 41 days of active combat against Iraqi forces, we lost 109 in combat, or 2.65 per day. In the 1,611 days since, we have lost 2,942 due to enemy actions. That comes to about 1.83 per day. In a typical year we lose anywhere from 31,693 to 42,884 on our highways. That is a minimum (taking 31,693 and a leap year) of 82 per day. So, on average, our soldiers are safer fighting in Iraq than we are driving here.

Stay tuned...

UPDATE 2132 29 Aug 2007:
Stories you won't see in the drive-by media:
29 Aug 2007-
Coalition Kills More Than 100 Insurgents in Afghanistan Engagement
Coalition Forces Kill Two Terrorists, Detain 22 Suspects in Iraq

28 Aug 2007
Coalition Troops Kill, Detain Dozens, Seize Weapons in Iraq
Afghan, Coalition Troops Kill, Capture Insurgents, Find Weapons

27 Aug 2007
Afghan, Coalition Forces Destroy Taliban Heroin Lab
Iraq Operations Net 36 Terrorists, Kill Nine
Troops Kill, Capture Terrorists, Seize Weapons in ‘Lightning Hammer’

26 Aug 2007

Seven Iraqis Escape Makeshift Prison, 11 Terrorists Detained
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2007 - Seven Iraqi citizens found their way to a coalition patrol base near Khan Ban Sa’ad, Iraq, yesterday after escaping a makeshift prison, military officials reported.
Attacks Down, Economic Development Up in Iraq


08/24/2007

Commander Says Iraqi Citizens Turning Against Insurgents
Al Qaeda Disrupted During Operations in Iraq’s Tigris River Valley
Lightning Hammer Disrupts Terrorists in Iraq’s Diyala Province

You get the point.

Eco-Conscious

An email is making the rounds about the energy consumption and environmental impact of two houses. One belongs to Al "inconvenient" Gore. The other belongs to George W. (the chimp) Bushitler. One is 10,000 square feet, the other a mere 4,000. One uses 20 times the national average of energy, the other recycles water for irrigation and uses geothermal exchangers to heat and cool the property.

If you were a man-made global warming enthusiast, you would be shocked, shocked to learn that the energy guzzling home belongs to Al Gore and the eco-friendly abode belongs to George W. Bush. You would, no doubt, scream "fraud". So, allow me to point you to some references for a credibility check.
Truth or Fiction dot com.
Urban Legends.

Since Gore's house uses 20 times the national average of electricity (being only 4 times larger that the average house) and Bush's house uses about one-fourth of the energy, who is the champion of the environment?

My Granddaughters

This is a departure from the usual political or satirical commentary. This is a part of my son's 39th birthday celebration. My granddaughters (Brianna and Chase) had their "American Idol" debut. They "won" and went to "Hollywood". I enjoyed it. I hope you do, too.

Oops. The video would not post. Try clicking the link.

My New Hero

Here is a new hero for the people:  Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican, Alabama.

Watch him on immigration.

Check here for the written word.

ACLU and Immigrant Rights

The following is a direct quote from the ACLU page at http://www.aclu.com/immigrants/gen/11663res20040806.html

The Immigrants' Rights Project (IRP) of the American Civil Liberties Union works to defend the civil and constitutional rights of immigrants through a comprehensive program of impact litigation and public education. The IRP files constitutional and class action lawsuits protecting the historic guarantee to judicial review, enforcing fair employment practices and maintaining constitutional safeguards against detention practices and biased asylum adjudication. For ten years, the IRP has been at the forefront of every major legal struggle securing immigrants' rights; this role has become particularly crucial since the passage of two 1996 congressional acts implementing the most radical and draconian cutbacks to immigrants' rights ever.

Excuse me, but what the h*ll are “immigrant rights”?  The Constitution is for American Citizens!  Check the preamble:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

 

 

Why Not Vote for Generic Republicans?

I don't know about you, but I get numerous requests for campaign contributions. Even John McCain wants my support (translation: dollars). I get phone calls from the Republican National Committee, the College Republicans, The Republican Senatorial Alliance (or something like that), all asking me to contribute because the Republicans are better than Hillary.

That strikes me as the same type argument that the Democrats used in 2004: "We're not George Bush". The recent cloture vote on gave me at least seven reasons to not support generic Republicans and ten possible reasons to like the Democrats. Of course, one might argue that some of the Democrat votes were for other reasons, but I think Boxer knows that her constituents will really be upset if amnesty carries. Maybe "Sheets" Byrd is just a bigot. That still leaves eight good Democrats.

In case you missed the link above, here are the Republicans who favor amnesty:

Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Specter (R-PA)
Voinovich (R-OH)

Here are the Democrats who helped keep the amendment from coming to a vote:

Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Pryor (D-AR)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Tester (D-MT)
Webb (D-VA)

Call or write and thank them.

Amnesty

am·nes·ty /am-nuh-stee/ noun, plural -ties, verb, -tied, -ty·ing.
–noun

1. a general pardon for offenses, esp. political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
2. Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, esp. to a class of persons as a whole.
3. a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.

–verb (used with object)

4. to grant amnesty to; pardon.

The way I see it, people who are here illegally should have one of two options: pay for the crime or leave. Anything short of that seems to me to perfectly fit the definition of amnesty. So, whatever else the President may think this bill is, it is amnesty. This is not a difficult concept.

See, when people come to America, we expect it to be in order to become Americans. If they are only here for a visit, that is fine, too -- as long as they are here legally. If people are here illegally, then they might need amnesty. Unfortunately, that also involves jumping ahead of other people who are trying to do the right thing. Apparently our politicians could not care less about those who are trying to come into the country legally. This whole measure is drafted to cater to the 12 million illegal aliens that it is impossible to round up.

I'm done with the lot of them, except for my two Senators and my representative.

Global Warming Test

I was recently referred to a Global Warming Test.  You might want to try it for yourself.

Another Roll Call Vote

While it is interesting to hear what candidates say, it is often more instructive to watch what they do.  Case in point is Senator John McCain, the man who would be President.  Just two days ago, he participated in a vote FOR embryonic stem cell research.  Here is the text of the legislation (S. 5; Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007) and the results of the roll call vote (63-34), mostly Democrats for and Republicans against.  I'll note the exceptions below.

 

First a summary:

S.5
Title: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.
Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 1/4/2007)      Cosponsors (41)*
Related Bills: H.R.3, S.997
Latest Major Action: 4/11/2007 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Passed Senate, having acquired the 60 votes required under unanimous consent, without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 63 - 34.

Record Vote Number: 127.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY AS OF:
1/4/2007--Introduced.

 

Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Limits such research to stem cells that meet the following ethical requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements.

Full Text

 

The Italics were added by me to call attention to the relevant language.  Note that it does not allow, it requires human embryonic stem cell research.

*Note that both Democrat front runners were cosponsors.

 

Now the votes (Full vote count at the link above)
Republicans FOR the bill (asterisks identify co-sponsors for the legislation):

Alexander (R-TN)	Burr (R-NC)
Cochran (R-MS)	Collins (R-ME)*
Gregg (R-NH)	Hatch (R-UT)*
Hutchison (R-TX)	Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)	McCain (R-AZ)
Murkowski (R-AK)	Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)*	Specter (R-PA)*
Stevens (R-AK)*	Warner (R-VA)

 

Democrats against the bill:

Casey (D-PA)

Nelson (D-NE)

 

Really, there are few surprises in this vote for people who have been following the other Congressional votes.  President Bush has promised to veto this legislation if it ever reaches his desk.

 

 

 

 

 

Dave and Blarney April Fool

Dave: Hi, Blarney. I haven't seen you since you left for that Man Made Global Warming conference. How did that go?

Blarney: It was cancelled due to a blizzard. We decided to hold the next one in July.

Dave: That's pretty smart. You should have some record high temperatures somewhere that you can point to as evidence.

Blarney: We had a record high just a few days ago in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dave: Really? How hot was it?

Blarney: 88.

Dave: That doesn't seem too hot for Alabama.

Blarney: Oh, but it was a record for that day in March.

Dave: What was the previous record?

Blarney: 87.

Dave: And when was the previous record set?

Blarney: 1895.

Dave: So, let me see if I understand. The previous high was 87, set Mar 28, 1895. In 112 years, man-made global warming resulted in a new high of 88?

Blarney: That's right.

Dave: But all the years in between it was colder?

Blarney: Yes. That's what Man Made Global Warming is all about.

Dave: OK. I have a question for you. What made it so hot back in 1895?

Blarney: The transportation industry, just like today.

Dave: You'll have to explain that.

Blarney: Hello, railroads, STEAM locomotives!

Dave: <sigh>

The Wedding Party

My daughter, Michele, married Caesar Espinoza in Las Vegas. Although I was unable to attend, my son, Scott, carried me along by cell phone. So I was able to give her away at the appropriate time. I thought some of you would be interested in seeing the wedding party. Michele's friend, Ava Rose, was the maid of honor.

You Easter, I say Resurrection Day

Being, as you know, a Christian, I have more regard for Easter than I do for Christmas. There are several reasons for this, chief being that the whole point of the birth of Christ (say, did you know that was what Christmas was about?) is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Without such resurrection, in the words of Apostle Paul, we are lost.

But, of course, we can see the fruits of this resurrection in the changed lives of not only the original apostles and believers, but those we know who have been born again.

And since this is the most important Holy Day or holiday, you will begin to see - actually we have already seen - attacks on this doctrine. Last year it was the Da Vinci Code. This year it is the Lost Tomb of Jesus. I find that the following two postings do an admirable job or stating the truth. Please read them in their entirety and enjoy.

What Do We Mean When We Say "Christ is Risen?" by Fr. Theodore Stylianopoulos

Why do you seek the living one among the dead? Some remarks on "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" Rev. Eugen J. Pentiuc, PhD, ThD

You will see a lucid debunking of the film's basis.

Imagine a World Without America

Here is a video from the newest link on my blogroll:



Be sure to visit them.

The Senate Vote

The Republicans, using the 60 vote rule managed to "filibuster" the motion. On the vote to end the filibuster, seven Republicans actually sided with the Democrats. The names are no surprise if you have been following Congressional votes. For a review of some of the ones I thought were important, click the Congressional Votes link below.

Anyway, the seven Republicans who voted for cloture are:

• Norm Coleman of Minnesota


• Susan Collins of Maine


• Chuck Hagel of Nebraska


• Gordon Smith of Oregon


• Olympia Snowe of Maine


• Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania


• John Warner of Virginia

The total vote was 56 to 34, with 10 either absent or abstaining. When the Senate updates it voting records, I will update this post with a link to the vote.

Who wants to support the trops?

As Scott Ott at Scrappleface has nailed it,

Moments after Republicans in the senate blocked a Democrat attempt to vote on a non-binding resolution expressing disapproval of a U.S. troop surge in Iraq, Majority Leader Harry Reid hailed the non-vote as “perhaps the greatest Democrat military accomplishment of the past 40 years.”

Reid is upset because the House did what he could not get the Senate to do, pass a non-binding resolution of support for the enemy. Oh, no, wait, that's not how it was worded. Here is the text of the House Resolution 63, Disapproving of the decision of the President announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq:

Disapproving of the decision of the President announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--

(1) Congress and the American people will continue to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honorably in Iraq; and

(2) Congress disapproves of the decision of President George W. Bush announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

The results were almost predictable. With 231 Democrats out of the 435 total representatives, the majority was guaranteed along party lines. What was not quite so predictable was that 17 Republicans sided with the majority. They are

1. Michael N. Castle of Wilmington, DE
2. Howard Coble of Greensboro, NC
3. Tom Davis of Vienna, VA
4. John J. Duncan Jr. of Knoxville, TN
5. Phil English of Erie, PA
6. Wayne T. Gilchrest of Kennedyville, MD
7. Bob Inglis of Travelers Rest, SC
   
8. Timothy V. Johnson of Urbana, IL
9. Walter B. Jones of Farmville, NC
10. Ric Keller of Orlando, FL
11. Mark Steven Kirk of Highland Park, IL
12. Steven C. LaTourette of Concord Township, OH
13. Ron Paul of Surfside, TX
14. Thomas E. Petri of Fond du Lac, WI
15. Jim Ramstad of Minnetonka, MN
16. Fred Upton of St. Joseph, MI
17. James T. Walsh of Syracuse, NY
    

Also surprising was the fact that two Democrats actually opposed the resolution:

1. Jim Marshall of Macon, GA
2. Gene Taylor of Bay St. Louis, MS
   

Was the President's decision to send more tropos correct? I have mixed thoughts about this, but General Petraeus seems to think so. He also thinks the resolution will in fact, accomplish two things:

1. Demoralize our own troops
2. Give aid and comfort to the enemy
   

But since the left values feelings over results, that's just what the doctor ordered.
Rant off.

What the Troops Deal With

Read the entire report.

Pat's thoughts on the troop excerpts

Why are the uninformed in reality...those who have not served their country in the armed forces or are not even informed on the conditions faced by them... making the laws that govern military conduct on the battlefield. Those who are unable to help a drowning young woman out of a sinking car, the ones who are calling for American servicemen to be prosecuted for fighting and preserving their lives and those of their fellows, those who would not volunteer to fight for this country if they were still of the appropriate age...those who would pee themselves if confronted with a single thing that our brave men and women and for cripes sake...the Iraqi civilians, face every day of their lives. How is it that things can be so frightfully turned around so that the Deviants are making decisions for those who at least strive to be righteous and upstanding??? It is so wrong that the laws governing how the war is to be fought should be made by 'politicians' who have one if not both eyes on the requirements of getting elected again for the next term, not what is right. Men and women are living and dying according to the policies made by the underbelly (politicians) of American society. People who have no conscience nor moral fortitude...why are laws made by many who don't even obey the basic laws of being a responsible and God ( oh...the 'word') fearing human being.

We had better, each and every one of us, be in prayer for the way and means of making a difference in turning this country back to what it was originally meant to be...while we still can make a difference.

Oh well...pardon the rant. I really do hate to talk about politics, brings out my more colorful language...political thoughts really can ruin the illusion of a 'good' day.

Another View of the War on Terror

There is a report that consolidates the perspectives of actual people engaged in the fight (as opposed to the talking heads and politicos) over at Free Republic.  Click here for the full report.

 

Here is a summary:

Please go read the whole report.

Then you might want to visit another site for background:  World Threats.

 

Global Warming Ravages Carolinas, Georgia

As February marched onto the calendar, Atlanta weathered an ice storm, in spite of the fact that man-made global warming is indisputable.

By 9 p.m., temperatures across the metro Atlanta area had dropped below freezing and were still falling. Light rain -- most of it not reaching the ground -- was observed on radar moving eastward into far western Georgia.

The Carolinas were also hit, mostly with snow.

A winter storm rushed across the Southeast Thursday, closing schools and grounding flights a day after coating roads with deadly ice in the Plains.

A winter storm warning covered the western Carolinas and northern Georgia on Thursday afternoon, and more than 4 inches of snow fell in spots.

This, in spite of the fact that Global Warming is virtually indisputable.

An international panel of climate scientists said yesterday that there is an overwhelming probability that human activities are warming the planet at a dangerous rate, with consequences that could soon take decades or centuries to reverse.

If you listen closely, you can hear the residents of West Yellowstone, Montana yelling "Bring It On".

Bitterly cold air poured southward across the nation's midsection Wednesday, dropping temperatures to record lows from Montana to Illinois.

The mercury dived to a record 45 below at West Yellowstone, Mont., the frequently cold spot at the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park, the National Weather Service said. The old record for Dec. 7 was 39 below, set in 1927.

Also

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
0718 AM EST FRI JAN 26 2007

...RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE SET AT KENNEDY...
Swimsuits, anyone?

The State of the Union

The President was right on so many issues.  Read the full text here.

Some of my favorite points deal with the War on Terror.  For example, "what good have we done":

In the last two years, we've seen the desire for liberty in the broader Middle East -- and we have been sobered by the enemy's fierce reaction. In 2005, the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution, they drove out the Syrian occupiers and chose new leaders in free elections. In 2005, the people of Afghanistan defied the terrorists and elected a democratic legislature. And in 2005, the Iraqi people held three national elections, choosing a transitional government, adopting the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world, and then electing a government under that constitution. Despite endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly 12 million Iraqi citizens came out to vote in a show of hope and solidarity that we should never forget. (Applause.)

How about pulling out now?

If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country -- and in time, the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.

For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective. Chaos is the greatest ally -- their greatest ally in this struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens, new recruits, new resources, and an even greater determination to harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September the 11th and invite tragedy. Ladies and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East, to succeed in Iraq and to spare the American people from this danger. (Applause.)

Are there any heroes in this war?

Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. In December 2003, he was on a reconnaissance mission in Iraq when his team came under heavy enemy fire. From his Humvee, Sergeant Rieman returned fire; he used his body as a shield to protect his gunner. He was shot in the chest and arm, and received shrapnel wounds to his legs -- yet he refused medical attention, and stayed in the fight. He helped to repel a second attack, firing grenades at the enemy's position. For his exceptional courage, Sergeant Rieman was awarded the Silver Star. And like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and the gratitude of our entire country. (Applause.)

That's what I'm talking about.  The President took the fight to the enemy in enemy territory and did it with grace and humor.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own -- as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker. (Applause.)

...

Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour -- when not even C-SPAN is watching. (Laughter.)

 

Where has he been this last year?

Global Warming Continues Rampage

Where is Algore when you need him?

Global warming yesterday ruined plans of many Californians by dropping a freak blizzard on them. Global Warming champion, Heidi Cullen has issued a fatwa against any meteorologist who would disrespect GW (not Bush).

Interestingly, none of the mainstream media seemed to notice the blizzard in Colorado (although the weather channel did).

Well, off to work now. Be back later tonight.

New Year, New Format

Some of you may have noticed a few cosmetic changes to the blog. My picture has moved to the sidebar, which has moved to the left. There is a new way to access previous posts. And Sacred Cow Burgers is no longer on my blogroll. Jay Dyson has apparently completely shut down his site. What used to link to him now goes to a site full of ads. No more biting photos and commentary.

However, note that Day by Day is still at the bottom. I will soon be back to real blogging, but I thought you might have noticed the absence of the link and had not heard that Jay was getting out of the internet game.

It's a New Year

And you can make it happy.
Or you can make it sad.
You can make it good,
Or you can make it bad.

As for me and my family, we will choose life.