Justice Department To Finally Look Into NSA Leaks

Update: Via Stop the ACLU: The ACLU is calling for the investigation to be called off. They say that since the wiretaps were illegal, that is what should be investigated, not who leaked the wiretapping. ----------- All the outrage and coverage by the left over the "outing" of a desk jockey at the CIA. Special Investigations. Indictment of a man, not for doing the outing, but for perjury and obstruction of justice over the investigation into said outing. Now this is worth investigating. Who did the leaking? When was it leaked? Remember that the Gray Lady said that they sat on this for "a year" before finally printing it just in time to affect the Patriot Act and their writer's impending book release. 64% of Americans are okay with this type of surveillance including 51% that identify as democrats. The BBC:

US investigates Bush spying leak Bush says monitoring is part of his so called war on terror The US justice department has opened an inquiry into how information about President George Bush's secret spying programme was leaked, officials say. The investigation is expected to focus on how the New York Times newspaper obtained the information. Earlier this month, the paper reported that the National Security Agency had been conducting surveillance in the US without warrants. Mr Bush later admitted he authorised the programme after the 9/11 attacks.

The AP:

Justice Dept. probing domestic spying leak The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the leak of classified information about President Bush's secret domestic spying program, Justice officials said Friday. The officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the probe, said the inquiry will focus on disclosures to The New York Times about warrantless surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Times revealed the existence of the program two weeks ago in a front-page story that acknowledged the news had been withheld from publication for a year, partly at the request of the administration and partly because the newspaper wanted more time to confirm various aspects of the program. Catherine Mathis, a spokeswoman for The Times, said the paper will not comment on the investigation.

Reuters:

US probes eavesdropping leak

The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation to determine who disclosed a secret NSA eavesdropping operation approved by President George W. Bush after the September 11 attacks, officials said on Friday. "We are opening an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified materials related to the NSA," one official said. Earlier this month Bush acknowledged the program and called its disclosure to The New York Times () "a shameful act." He said he presumed a Justice Department leak investigation into who disclosed the National Security Agency eavesdropping operation would get under way. Justice Department officials would give no details of who requested the probe or how it would be conducted. The disclosure of the covert domestic spying program has triggered concerns among both Democrats and Republicans, with many lawmakers questioning whether it violates the U.S. Constitution.

Note the AP headline "Domestic Spying". Note also that the Gray Lady says that they have no comment on the investigation. I wonder how the Gray Lady is going to [not] cover this. Other coverage: Michelle Malkin - FINALLY: JUSTICE DEPT. OPENS NSA LEAK PROBE Stop The ACLU - Justice Department Opens NSA Leak Probe Blogs For Bush - Justice Department Opens Investigation Into NSA Program Leak Curt at Flopping Aces has a lot at - Justice Dept. Finally Investigating The Leak

Farris Hassan's Day Off

Farris Hassan, a 16-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Florida decided to take a [few] day[s] off and go to Baghdad.

Hassan, a junior at Pine Crest School, a prep academy of about 700 students in Fort Lauderdale, recently studied immersion journalism - a writer who lives the life of his subject in order to better understand it. The teenager, whose parents were born in Iraq but have lived in the United States for about 35 years, says he wanted to travel to Baghdad to better understand what Iraqis are living through. "I thought I'd go the extra mile for that, or rather, a few thousand miles," he told The Associated Press. Skipping a week of school, he left the country on Dec. 11, telling only two high school friends of his plans. His travels took him to Kuwait and Lebanon before he arrived in Iraq on Christmas Day.

(source) His brother said that he speaks no Arabic and would have to have had a translator to even try his immersion journalism. The AP office in Baghdad that he went to called the US Embassy. Farris is now on his way home.

Escaped Prisoner's Attorney Asks for Bail

Reynaldo Rapalo's attorney asked for bail for his client on the escape charge. The judge rightly denied bail, stating that Rapalo was "a danger to this community". Rapalo was in jail awaiting trial in February on seven felony rape counts. This suggests to me that he was denied bail for those charges. This is a man who was apparently denied bail on the initial charges, then he escapes, then he's caught again. His attorney then asks for bail on the escape charge. Why would bail ever be granted to someone on escape charges? Obviously, this person wants to be out of jail. Why reward him? Is this just some way to try to play the "get out of jail free card"? It's not just that this guy was a danger to the community. He is an illegal alien (he overstayed his visa), he has no ties to this country. He is a flight risk. It's absolutely absurd that anyone would even ask for bail under these circumstances. Good for the judge denying bail.

Energy Hogs

My five-year-old came up to me this morning and said, "Mom, if you waste a lot of energy, hogs will come into your house." He saw this Ad Council PSA. The campaign was announced in March 2004 and was done by the Ad Council in conjuction with the Department of Energy. The ads are aimed at kids between 8 and 13, but they seem to work on five-year-olds too. The ads direct you to www.energyhog.org where you can train to become an Energy Hog Buster. We try here at home. We turn lights off in rooms we're not in. We try to get the kids to turn off the TV when they leave a room. We keep our heat set at 66° during the day and 64° overnight.

Please Pray

Jeanette at Oh How I Love Jesus asked me to post this. Her husband may possibly have suffered a heart attack. He is at the hospital and she is with him. His EKG this morning was good, and they are doing a catheterization tomorrow to be sure it wasn’t a heart attack. Jeanette, you and your husband are in our prayers.

Luke 2: 10-11

¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. KJV

O Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine! Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the wise men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our Friend! He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger. Behold your King; before Him lowly bend! Behold your King; before Him lowly bend! Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother And in His Name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy Name! Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever! His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim! His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim! Merry Christmas to one and all!

Track Santa's Progress

This is the 50^th year that NORAD and it's predecessor CONAD have tracked Santa's progress by radar. Click here for English Click here to choose a language. Santa hasn't taken off from the North Pole yet, but he'll be taking off soon to visit children all over the world. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

No Ornaments

This is why I don't have any ornaments on the Christmas tree, just lights and bows. His first birthday will be St. Patrick's Day, so he's still just a kitten.

Polls Closed in Iraq

Take a look at this picture. And people here in the States were complaining about long lines to vote in 2004?

The Iraqi election commission extended voting by one more hour because of high turnout in the country's historic parliamentary elections Thursday. And to the surprise of coalition forces, violence in Iraq was much lighter than expected and the smattering of attacks didn't appear to discourage Iraqis, some of whom turned out wrapped in their country's flag on a bright, sunny day and afterward displayed a purple ink-stained index finger — a mark to guard against multiple voting.

There shouldn't be any attacks at all, of course, but the fact that they were so minimal is wonderful. The Iraqi Security Forces are doing a great job.Fox News has the rest. Welcome Blogs for Bush Readers! Please look around. Stop the ACLU has a good round-up linking to other round-ups. Tags: News & Politics, Iraq

A Different Christmas Poem at Blackfive

Just go read it. This is one of the most moving things I have read in quite a while. As an Army veteran, I can attest to the truth of it. Military

A Date Which Will Live In Infamy

Today the battle-scarred, submerged remains of the battleship USS Arizona rest on the silt of Pearl Harbor, just as they settled on December 7, 1941. The ship was one of many casualties from the deadly attack by the Japanese on a quiet Sunday that President Franklin Roosevelt called "a date which will live in infamy." The Arizona's burning bridge and listing mast and superstructure were photographed in the aftermath of the Japanese attack, and news of her sinking was emblazoned on the front page of newspapers across the land. The photograph symbolized the destruction of the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and the start of a war that was to take many thousands of American lives. Indelibly impressed into the national memory, the image could be recalled by most Americans when they heard the battle cry, "Remember Pearl Harbor."

Read more at the National Park Service USS Arizona Site. This quote was from the Education Programs link. Michelle Malkin and La Shawn Barber have excellent roundups. Welcome visitors from Classical Values and Scared Monkeys! We will not forget. News & Politics Military

Emails Purportedly From The FBI and CIA

I've been getting emails purportedly from the FBI and CIA saying that I have visited illegal websites and should open the attachment to see what sites I have visited. I have deleted these emails. If you get them, delete them too. Those agencies do not send you emails. The attachments will contain a virus.

"Holiday Tree" Too Inclusive

Via Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost in his Outtakes post of 11.30.05 we find this post by Gil Student, an Orthodox Rabbi at Hirhurim-Musings He says that renaming a Christmas Tree a "Holiday Tree" is offensive to Jews because it implies that the Tree covers all holidays at this time of year, including Hanukkah. Rabbi Student is correct. It is a Christmas tree, not a Hanukkah tree, a Diwali tree, a Ramadan tree, or a New Year tree. By renaming it a "Holiday" tree it lumps together all religious and secular holidays that occur at this time every year. Update: Oops! I forgot Kwanza! There is no Kwanza tree either. {sorry} It's time to Take Back Christmas! For Everyone! The American Princess has further thoughts on this. Very good commentary. Welcome Anchoress and A Lady's Ruminations Readers! Religion

The Carnival of True Civil Liberties IX

We are happy to be hosting this week's Ninth Carnival of True Civil Liberties! das Heize at info4beer presents Locater Service for ACLU Lawyers and Can Somebody Help Us Understand dumbswede? about a comment left on the first post. Team Swap at Swap Blog presents Oak Ridge Censorship Daniel Levesque at Raving Conservative presents The Biggest 'Tard in America Jay at Stop The ACLU presents Another School Censoring Christmas Greg Tinti at The Political Pit Bull presents A Principled Jurist Gribbit at Gribb presents Saddam's WMD's They Did and Do Exist Adam at Sophistpundit presents An Educated Jury If you have a post that deals with how our civil liberties are being stripped away via judicial activism, Please Submit it to our Carnival! We have a petition set up asking Congress to stop taxpayer funding for the ACLU. Stand up, and fight the ACLU. Sign the petition! Join Stop the ACLU! If you would like to join us, please email Jay at [email protected] or Gribbit at [email protected]. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 115 blogs already onboard. ACLU

Polipundit Temporarily Down

Via Anklebiting Pundits the PoliPundit site is temporarily down. They are aware of it and are working on it. Keep checking back to see if the problem's been fixed. Blogs & Bloggers

The Next Carnival of True Civil Liberties

We will be hosting the next Carnival of True Civil Liberties, here, Monday, December 5, 2005. The deadline for submissions is 9 pm (EST), Friday, December 2, 2005. You can use the Carnival Submission Form at Conservative Cat. ACLU

My Mother Broke Her Foot

Poor Mom. She woke up at 4 am yesterday morning and used the facilities. When she went to the sink, her blowdryer fell off the vanity and onto her right foot. She called me at about 9 am and said she needed some help because her foot hurt really bad. So, the little guy and I went over to help her out. I had brought some canes to help her move around but Mom couldn't use them. I went and got her some crutches, but she couldn't use those either. We finally used her office chair to get her out to the car. We drove over to the Acute Care Center and used a wheelchair to get her out of the car and around in the Center. They took x-rays of her foot and found that she broken the first and second metatarsals in her foot. Numbers 8 and 9 below are the first and second metatarsals. The red lines are where the breaks are. They tried her with a walker at the Acute Care Center, but she couldn't use that either. We went to a local medical supply company and rented a wheelchair for her. Right now she has a splint on. Tomorrow we're going to see the Orthopaedist to see what he'll do. Mom has plans to go to Florida to stay with my aunt for a while and we're hoping she'll have a walking cast so she can still do that. I told her yesterday that she'll just have the normal amount of trouble at airport security since she's an "old, white lady" and you know old white ladies are targeted by security anyway. I, at least, got a chuckle out of her... Blogging might be a little light for a while... Family& Friends Health & Wellness

Revising History

Found this story over at OpiniPundit. The Boston Globe reports in a column by Brian McGrory that the Provincetown, Mass. selectmen have voted to remove a painting that has hung in the chambers for years.

Selectwoman Sarah Peake spun her chair around near the end of the Nov. 14 meeting, gazed up at an oversized oil painting depicting the Pilgrims voting on the Mayflower Compact when they first landed in Provincetown, and declared that she wanted it removed. Mind you, it's not that she didn't like the look or the colors or the style. It's not that she thought it was too big or too small for the Judge Welsh Hearing Room. It's not that it clashed with anything around it. No, what Peake didn't like was that the painting didn't include any women. That and the fact that the painting's only Indian -- Native American, I'd better call him -- wasn't holding a ballot like everyone else.

The vote was 3 to 1 to remove the painting. The one, lone, voice of reason, Cheryl Andrews, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen said,

'There's this lovely oil painting. The thing is huge. It's been up there since forever. It was painted by Max Bohm, who's considered quite something in local art circles. And Sarah Peake turns around and faces it, and it's government. They're voting. She says, 'I'd like to talk about this painting. I find this painting disturbing.' That's a quote. She said it's disturbing to her because there are no women in the painting and the only one not holding a ballot is the Native American Indian. And I thought, 'Here we go.'

My dear Ms. Peake (and the other two members of the Board of Selectmen who voted to remove the painting), It is a fact that only men voted at the time depicted in the painting. It is a fact that a Native American Indian would not have any kind of voting privileges with the colonists. It is now a fact that any American Citizen may vote (with very few exceptions, such as convicted felons). At the time the painting depicts, there were no American citizens. There was no United States of America. As much as some people would like to rewrite and revise history, this country was founded by a bunch of (now)dead, white, Christian, men. They wrote our constitution to give us the greatest freedoms. Freedoms to eventually write laws to allow women, Native American Indians, Blacks, and others the right to vote. Freedom to worship (or not) as each of us pleases. Sure, mistakes have been made, they will continue to be made for we have the freedom to make mistakes as well. We also have the freedom to recognize and learn from those mistakes and remedy them. We can't ignore our history. Our history, the mistakes and all, have made us who we are today. It's time to recognize your mistake and put that painting back up on the wall. Welcome Anchoress Readers! Please look around... News & Politics dhimmitude

Hobby Lobby Says Merry Christmas

I went to Hobby Lobby last night to pick up a crochet booklet, some yarn, and a package of crochet hooks so I can teach my ten-year-old niece how to crochet. At the checkout, I said "Merry Christmas" to the clerk. She replied with a hearty, "Merry Christmas to you!" I was at Wal-Mart on Friday to pick up a couple of things. I said "Merry Christmas" to the greeter and she said, "to you too." The checkout clerk replied to my "Merry Christmas" with a "same to you." Last year I was out shopping with my mother and she said "Merry Christmas" to a clerk. The clerk seemed slightly taken aback at first, then said "Merry Christmas to you too". After Mom and I left the store, we concluded that with all the "can't say Christmas" going on, she was shocked that we had wished her a Merry Christmas. Then she was happy that we had and wished us one as well. Merry Christmas!

Fatal Kiss

Fifteen year old Christina Deforges died Wednesday, November 23rd in a Quebec hospital of respiratory failure. Christina went into anaphylactic shock after kissing her boyfriend on Sunday, November 20. Christina was highly allergic to peanuts and her boyfriend had recently eaten peanut butter. She was given an injection of adrenaline immediately, as is standard procedure with a highly allergic person when exposed to the allergen, but it apparently wasn't enough. About 100 people die of food allergies every year in the United States. We pray for her family and especially the boyfriend who must be feeling awful right now. New York Post Story Edmonton Sun Story Montreal Gazette Allergies Health & Wellness

They Painted the Playpen

Saddam went back to court today, was defiant, and the proceedings were delayed until next Monday. Between his first visit to the special courtroom and today, they have painted the "playpen" that Saddam sits in. It's now painted brown. It used to be white. Any thoughts on why?
	Saddam complained about having to walk up four flights of stairs in shackles and under foriegn guard. He tried to take control of the courtroom. The delays were a result of the defense team needing to replace two deceased attorneys and one who fled the country. The judge agreed to give them a week. (source)

Law

Carnival of True Civil Liberties

The Carnival of True Civil Liberties is being held this week at Gribbit's Word. We will be hosting the Carnival next Monday, December 5, 2005. It's okay Jay, really. ACLU

Happy Thanksgiving

Today we'll be going to my sister's house for the family Thanksgiving gathering. Because there are so many people there (and because it's at someone else's house) there won't be any leftovers. My personal tradition is to cook a "Leftover Thanksgiving Dinner" on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Today, my sister will do the cooking, tomorrow it will be me. mmmmm skin.....

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; he chastens and hastens his will to make known; the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing: sing praise to his Name, he forgets not his own. Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine; so from the beginning the fight we were winning: thou, Lord, wast at our side: all glory be thine! We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant, and pray that thou still our defender wilt be. Let thy congregation escape tribulation: thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Words: Nederlandtsche Gedenckclanck, 1626; trans. Theodore Baker, 1894. Music: Kremser Family & Friends

Deck-O-Blogger's Spades Voting Closed

Voting for Spades is over, the top vote-getters are as follows: Raw vote totals, without bonuses: 255 — Regime Change Iran — 20% 174 — Anti Idiotarian Rottweiler — 14% 159 — Babalublog — 13% 79 — Jihadwatch — 6% 69 — Resistance is Futile — 6% 65 — The Queen of All Evil — 5% 52 — Stop the ACLU — 4% 46 — Riding Sun — 4% 39 — Little Green Footballs — 3% 32 — A Nation of Riflemen — 3% 28 — Peace Like A River — 2% 19 — The Middle Ground — 2% We garnered 3 votes (but as we said before, it is an honor just to be nominated) Final Hearts standings: Michelle Malkin –Ace of Hearts The Anchoress –Queen of Hearts Atlas Shrugs — 10 of Hearts SarahK — 9 of Hearts Lorie Byrd — 8 of Hearts Ann Althouse — 7 of Hearts Soldier’s Angel — 6 of Hearts SondraK — 5 of Hearts Sister Toldjah — 4 of Hearts Blonde Sagacity — 3 of Hearts Karol at Alarming News — 2 of Hearts The Jack and King of Hearts have been reserved for male bloggers and the voting for them will be later. Congratulations Ladies!

Carnival of True Civil Liberties

The Carnival of True Civil Liberties is up at Stop the ACLU. We will be hosting the next Carnival of True Civil Liberties, here, Monday, November 28, 2005. The deadline for submissions is 9 pm (EST), Friday, November 25, 2005. You can use the Carnival Submission Form at Conservative Cat.

Deck-O-Blogger's Spades Voting Open

The voting is open for Spades in Aaron's Deck O' Bloggers and we've been nominated for a place in the deck. Vote here! And, we must say, it is an honor just to be nominated!

Remember Why

Jeanette answers the question For Those Who Don't Know Why. Go read it. You will not be sorry.

2005 Weblog Awards

The nominations are now open here Nominations close Saturday, November 26, 2005. We would be eligible for (not that I think we'll win) Shameless plug though - please nominate us!: Best Blog Best Group Blog Best Conservative Blog Best of the Top 251-500 blogs The Anchoress and Oh How I Love Jesus have been nominated for Best Religious Blog

Terry McAuliffe on Fox News

Bill Hemmer just interviewed Terry McAuliffe on Fox News Live... (all emphasis mine) {Rep Murtha's name has been corrected} Ian (that wonderful young man) has posted the video at Political Teen. Hemmer: Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe is my guest here now in D.C. and we welcome you, Terry, here. Welcome to Washington. McAuliffe: Very good to see you. Hemmer: It is downright nasty in this town. McAuliffe: Well... Hemmer: Is this just the precursor for what we're seeing in midterm elections, 12 months from now, in November of 2006? McAuliffe: I think, Bill, people are very upset. We've lost over 2,000 troops, we've spent 200 billion dollars, we have a mess on our hands in Iraq today. And it's not, you know they're trying to blame the democrats, I remind you that two days ago they voted in the United States Senate, bipartisan, 79 to 19 a no confidence vote in George Bush and Dick Cheney. And you saw Senator Hagel the other day come out against the Republicans saying it would be unpatriotic not to ask these kind of questions. {A "No Confidence" vote? Is that what that was? I'm sure McAuliffe wishes that the United States had a Parliment. Then, an actual no confidence vote would result in new elections, almost immediately. Too bad for him we don't have a Parliment. We have regularly scheduled elections and McAuliffe is stuck with President Bush and Vice President Cheney until noon on January 20, 2009.} Hemmer: Senator Joseph Lieberman, a Democrat from Connecticut saying exactly the opposite. He's saying the partisanship right now that's entering into this argument, is bad for the country, and it's bad for the U.S. men and women serving in Iraq today. McAuliffe: I think we want accountability and I think we want a timetable for our troops. I think our troops deserve it. They want to know what's going on over here in this country. We, as I say, we've lost over 2,000 troops today and there is no plan for George Bush what to do after, you know, the major assault operations were over. We're less safe today Bill. {We aren't any safer? All the attacks by Al Qaeda since 9/11/2001 have been in countries other than the United States. They have also all become smaller since then.} Hemmer: You say you want a timetable. Senator Barbara Boxer was on the air with me yesterday and she was emphatic saying that there is no timetable that Democrats are looking for it's benchmarks. Now is that how we define the difference between a benchmark and a timeline? Is it just a merging of the words right now that's throwing us into a gray area? Is it not true that Democrats really want a timeline to say when troops will leave Iraq? McAuliffe: We want accountability, we want to have progress reports, and that's what they did in the Senate the other day. George Bush's plan of just, keep continuing to go along. The American public as you know, 53 percent in the USA Today poll out today, say that the President is not honest or trustworthy. And much of that goes to, I believe, the war in Iraq. They keep telling you things are going great and people watching the news and they know that things aren't going great today. {Of course the media only tells us what's going "wrong" or "badly". The media is working hand in hand with Democrats like McAuliffe. They don't tell us what is going good, like the fact that the road to the Baghdad Airport is safer than it was when Saddam Hussein is in power. They don't tell us what a success the election in January was, what a success the passing of the constitution was, and they won't tell us what a success the elections next month will be either.} Hemmer: So, if you and other Democrats like you and John MurphyMurtha (D-PA){updated to reflect proper spelling} who was on the hill today saying immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces, if you've got way, say within six months right now, and in seven months from now you've got another bombing in Amman, Jordan, or in London, England, or here in the U.S. Wouldn't the Democrats be proved wrong about the War on Terror at that point? McAuliffe: Let me just say this again, it was bipartisan, 79 to 19, many Republicans joined with the Democrats the other day to say, "No confidence in George Bush's war on Iraq." Let's be clear on that. I will make the argument that we are less safe in the world today. There are more insurgents, they are inflamed today because of what we have done in Iraq. George Bush has made our nation less safe, not more safe. Iraq is a mess, terrorists are coming across borders all over in the middle east today. You talk to, I just got back from traveling all over the mid-east. You talk to many of the leadership over there. They will tell you they have a mess on their hands today because of George Bush and Dick Cheney's policies. {Perhaps, Mr. McAuliffe, the insurgents are inflamed because we are keeping them from taking over Iraq. Perhaps they are inflamed because we are winning this war. "Many of the leadership over there". I think that's like "sources say" and "experts say". No actual quotes and no actual "leadership" named.} Hemmer: We have to run and my list is very long, we'll do it again. Terry McAuliffe, thank you. Welcome Oh How I Love Jesus, Gateway Pundit, A Lady's Ruminations, Anchoress , Political Teen and Memeorandum readers! Please look around...

Cats & Dogs...Living Together...

This is Raven (left) and Bitsy (right). Bitsy likes to cuddle, so she cuddled with Raven last night, and Raven let her for a while.

ICANN Still Can

Although the headline at Fox News (story by Associated [De]Press[ed]) is U.N. Summit Lets U.S. Keep Control of Internet Domain Names (emphasis mine). As if the U.N. Summit can give us permission or something...

A U.N. technology summit opened Wednesday after an 11th-hour agreement that leaves the United States with ultimate oversight of the main computers that direct the Internet's flow of information, commerce and dissent.

...

"If the Internet had been developed in Australia, I don't think we would have had so much heat on this discussion," ICANN chief Paul Twomey, an Australian, remarked of the tension surrounding the U.S. control of the Internet.

The U.S. not only invented the internet, it performs its oversight duties exceedingly well.

First Snow

It's snowing here in Northern Illinois. A little more than flurries really, not much, but it is snowing. I don't think we'll get any real coverage, but the Shih Tzu leaves tiny pawprints in what's sticking to the porch. The Siberian, on the other hand, is in his element.

What LoTR Race Are You?

Found this through Lady Jane at A Lady's Ruminations.
Elvish

To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla The Elves were always my favorites.

Norman Podhoretz in Commentary

Read Who Is Lying About Iraq.

Among the many distortions, misrepresentations, and outright falsifications that have emerged from the debate over Iraq, one in particular stands out above all others. This is the charge that George W. Bush misled us into an immoral and/or unnecessary war in Iraq by telling a series of lies that have now been definitively exposed. What makes this charge so special is the amazing success it has enjoyed in getting itself established as a self-evident truth even though it has been refuted and discredited over and over again by evidence and argument alike. In this it resembles nothing so much as those animated cartoon characters who, after being flattened, blown up, or pushed over a cliff, always spring back to life with their bodies perfectly intact. Perhaps, like those cartoon characters, this allegation simply cannot be killed off, no matter what.

Go read the rest.

Veteran's Day

Happy Veterans Day! Last year, I linked to this post by Chris Lynch at A Large Regular. It's worth a read again. To all who have served and all who are now serving our country in America's Armed Forces: Thank you for your service. LaShawn Barber has a great Roundup of Veteran's Day Posts! Jeff has a Canadian Remembrance Day post just above. Here's my Dad circa 1954:

Mandatory Spanish Classes for 5- to 7-year-olds?

Florida Senate Bill 522 (.pdf here) will mandate Spanish language instruction for all kindergartners through second graders. Let's take a look at the bill:

Districtwide Spanish instruction in K through 2; requirements; funding.

The above sentence just describes what is to follow.

--By the 2007-2008 school year, each school district shall implement a districtwide foreign language program to provide students in kindergarten through grade 2 with instruction in the Spanish language which is designed to result in the student's communicating competently in Spanish at his or her grade level.

Senator Miller does state this is a foreign language. He wants 5- to 7-year-olds to be communicating competently in Spanish at his or her grade level. What about requiring students to communicate competently in English?

Each student in the program must be provided with a minimum of 20 to 45 minutes of instruction, 5 days a week, from a certified Spanish-language specialist.

A minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of 45 minutes? This isn't really very clear. A minimum is the smallest acceptable. Senator Miller has specified a range. Also, this is a five day a week program. We need to mandate a five day a week program when subjects such as physical education (much more important to the physical well-being of a child) have been cut back to two or three days a week? Ah, here's the real reason... Jobs. The bill calls for a certified Spanish-language instructor. Let's just bloat the system fuller than it already is.

The Spanish instructor and the classroom teacher must collaborate during the periods of instruction.

Who will be "in charge"? The regular classroom teacher or the certified Spanish-language instructor? Will the regular lesson be incorporated into the Spanish lesson, or will the regular lesson just be shunted aside?

The school district may use grant funds or private funds, as well as state funding, to support the program.

In other words, you figure out how to fund this mandate. I understand that there are quite a few Spanish speakers in Florida. I understand that some children have parents/others in their household who speak only Spanish or speak only minimal English. But how does teaching all children Spanish help this? What about immigrants from Japan, Germany, France, Romania, India, etc? Why should Spanish be the mandated language in a country where most people speak English? This reminds me of the woman at Kindergarten screening who, when asked if she wanted a bilingual aide, said, "We speak English. We are from Romania." Amazing. I first learned of this from Lady Jane at A Lady's Ruminations. She got it from Drudge. They both quote this from NBC-2. I found two more articles pertaining to this as well as the above quoted bill text. Article one from the Tampa Tribune quotes Dorothy Carregal, superintendent of foreign languages for Hillsborough schools as saying, "And even if they give us the money, finding the teachers would be very difficult". An editorial in the Lakeland Ledger asks: "But where's the money?"

Praise the Lord!

I decided to wash some down pillows today. In the course of washing the pillows the washer went off balance, big time. The switch that gets pushed by the pin in the lid broke. I called the repairman to come by. He was able to come tonight. While he was here, I asked if he could look at the dryer, because I thought I had smelled that "burnt belt" kind of smell. He tried to start the dryer, but it wouldn't turn on. It had worked earlier in the day. He looked around the back and this is what he found: here's another shot: Praise the Lord that I decided to wash pillows today and the washer broke. If it hadn't, I might not have called the repairman. If I hadn't called the repairman, he wouldn't have found that. The circuit breaker did not trip. He removed the circuit breaker and capped the wires. He'll be back on Saturday with a new switch for the washer, a new breaker, new wiring, a new plug and a new outlet. Praise the Lord our house did not burn down as a result of this. Praise the Lord!

Treo Blogging

Trying out Treo blogging. Does it work?

Harry Channels Howie

Transcribed from Special Report with Brit Hume (Video) Harry Reid says:

The manipulation of intelligence to sell the war in Iraq, Vice President Cheney's involved in that. The White House energy policy, that puts big oil ahead of the American consumer, Vice President Cheney is behind that. Leaking classified information, to discredit White House critics, the Vice President's behind that.

Harry seems to be channeling Howard Dean, who said that Karl Rove was responsible for the Plame lead no less than three separate times during an interview with Alan Colmes of Hannity and Colmes. (see Howard Dean - Alito, Libby and Cheney)

1. "Secondly, we still wonder when the President’s going to ask Karl Rove to resign since he’s now been identified by the special prosecutor as the person who leaked the name."
2. "Karl Rove has now been shown to have leaked, even though he wasn’t charged with a crime."
3. "Karl Rove has no business having a security clearance having now been established as a leaker by the special prosecutor."

Then he went on to accuse Vice President Cheney of the exact same thing.

Alan Colmes: Are you calling for a broader investigation of the Vice President? Howard Dean: Well, I'm not so sure about that although if there is such a thing, it'll be in the Vice President's office. And I do think there needs to be more investigation in the Vice President's office. One of the things established by the special prosecutor in the indictment is that Vice President Cheney was the source of Scooter Libbity's, Libby's knowledge about who the CIA agent was.

Lewis Carroll once said, "What I tell you three times is true." This is based on the old adage that "Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, but three times makes it true." The dems seem to think that if they just repeat something often enough, it will be true. They are aided in this by the media, who give them camera time and lap it all up. If the White House continues to let these assertations remain unchallenged, people will start to believe them. Fight back! Fight back on a daily basis!

Christmas Lights Too Uni-Cultural

Via DhimmiWatch comes a story from the Times Online edition: Christmas lights fail to shine in equality zone

A COUNCIL is planning to scrap grants for festive lights because Christmas does not fit in with its “core values of equality and diversity”. A report drawn up by the council in Suffolk concedes that the move could lead to officials being accused of “not supporting the spirit of Christmas”. The move is the latest in a string of decisions by organisations to downplay the celebration of the birth of Christ — ostensibly to prevent offence being caused to non-Christian religions. Last week it emerged that Lambeth council in south London had insisted on renaming its Christmas lighting displays as “winter” or “celebrity” lights. The latest is Conservative-controlled Waveney council in Lowestoft which provides grants totalling £10,000 for festive lights. Its report states that because Christmas focuses only on the Christian faith, continuing the funding would “not fit well with the council’s core values of equality and diversity”. Officials are proposing to cut the lights grants to £5,000 next year and to stop them altogether by 2007. The report is due to go before councillors on Thursday.

Now, they say that it is an economic decision. The money usually granted for "festive" lights could be better used elsewhere. The chairman of the lights committee, Sue Allen, said: "It will just mean that we will have to work harder to raise funds for the Christmas lights in the future." I still would like to know how the celebration of the birth of Christ, by Christians, causes offense to those of non Christian religions. Eid, Channukah, and Diwali do not offend me. Here's another story I just found at BBC: Row as Christmas lights renamed

A decision to call Christmas lights "Winter Lights" in south London has been condemned as showing a "total lack of respect" for Christians. Advertisements for the switch-on of the lights in multi-cultural Lambeth have renamed them, apparently for fear of offending other faiths. Tory councillor Bernard Gentry told the BBC: "Christmas appears to have been cancelled in our borough". A spokesman said it was an error by a junior official and not council policy. In three of Lambeth's main town centres, the lights were referred to as "Winter Lights", while in a fourth they were called "Celebrity Lights". The council spokeswoman said an official was concerned about people from other religions. She said: "It was a junior-level decision and it happened to go into print which was an error basically. "I think it was certainly not a council policy that we should call the lights winter lights." But it has led to a series of headlines such as "Christmas is banned" and "The PC [politically correct] lights show" and led some members of other faiths to call it "ridiculous". And Mr Gentry, a Conservative member of the joint Lib Dem-Tory controlled borough, told the BBC it went against efforts to promote respect for all faiths. "It just seems totally against everything that we as members of the council have said, when officers try to airbrush out one of the main festivals of what is still the biggest religion in Lambeth." "The idea that, in some way, the religious festival of Christmas is offensive to others is just daft - I have never heard a single person who's said that." The advert appeared in Lambeth Life - a newspaper distributed by the council - and on posters.

I started to put my Christmas lights up last Friday, but they were broken so I had to buy new ones. I put them up yesterday. I'll plug them in on Thanksgiving. For me, Christmas lights make a silent Joyful Noise unto the Lord. Some people Shout: (see UglyChristmasLights.com for more) Others are more subtle: Previous stories: Free Piglet Now It's Piggy Banks And Now The Three Little Pigs Too Peppermint Pigs for Christmas! "Holiday Tree" Too Inclusive Welcome A Lady's Ruminations and Anchoress readers!

Check your Christmas Lights

Today was a beautiful day. Sunny. 68 degrees. I took down the lighted ghost and spider web that had been up since early October.

Since I already had the ladder out, I thought I'd get out the Christmas lights and put them up (not to light yet, just to get them up).

After I had one string up, I decided to test it by plugging it in. Oh no! Half the string didn't work! (Lesson learned: Check the lights before you climb the ladder!) Check the other strings: One doesn't work at all, the other was another half. Well. These lights were used for the past few years, they're old. Back down to the crawlspace to get the three strings that were only used one year, several years ago. Two strings don't work at all. One string works, but there is a broken bulb in the middle and I can't get the broken bulb out. So, it's time to buy new Christmas lights! JEFF ADDS: Thanks for the reminder. Every year, as I try to balance a ladder in two feet of snow with my hands freezing because I can't wear my mitts while trying to adjust the bulbs, I promise myself that the next year I would have a little foresight to put the lights up earlier when the weather was better.

Alito Hearings

Per Senators Specter and Leahy: 3,700 opinions need to be digested. Hearings to begin January 2, 2006 with expected floor vote January 13th. The AP says the 9th with a committee vote on the 17th and floor vote on the 20th. I heard what I published above when I was listening to the presser, but perhaps I misheard. UPDATE: OK. I was right and wrong. I heard what I heard about the 2nd and 13th, but Specter went on to add that after consultation with Leahy, the week would start at the beginning so hearings would be from the 9th to the 13th, with executive on the 17th, floor debate the 18th to the 20th and a vote on the 20th. Political Teen has the video.

9th Circuit

According to the 9th Circuit :

...we hold that there is no free-standing fundamental right of parents “to control the upbringing of their children by introducing them to matters of and relating to sex in accordance with their personal and religious values and beliefs” and that the asserted right is not encompassed by any other fundamental right.

also:

We conclude only that the parents are possessed of no constitutional right to prevent the public schools from providing information on that subject to their students in any forum or manner they select.

This is from Flopping Aces who also has a link to the .pdf of the opinion. Parents brought suit against the Palmdale school district over a survey that was taken of elementary students asking questions about the frequency of the childrens' "thinking about sex" and "thinking about touching other people's private parts". The court has said that what a parent thinks about sex education for their children doesn't matter in the least and that the schools can provide information on that subject in any forum or manner that they select. These are elementary school students. Elementary students are first grade through eighth grade. Elementary students are six to thirteen years old. Most are prepubescent. Why is there a need for public school sex education for children in this age group? Curt notes:

The only bright spot is that it’s from the 9th Circuit. The bench whose opinions get overturned regularly by the Supreme Court. According to the ACLU and many on the bench it’s ok to take God out of the pledge, erase Christmas and Easter from the calenders, but it’s ok to teach a child about sex without the Parents consent. What a world we live in.

More at Confirm Them The children involved were between the ages of seven and ten. Definitely prepubescent. Schools should not be asking these types of questions, or discussing this subject, with children of that age. The parents were asked to sign a permission slip for a survey to be given to children in first, third and fifth grades.

While parents were informed that the survey would cover “baseline . . . exposure to early trauma (for example, violence),” it specifically did not mention sex. In fact, the survey asked seven year olds to “rate the following activities” among which were these: 8. Touching my private parts too much 17. Thinking about having sex 22. Thinking about touching other people’s private parts 23. Thinking about sex when I don’t want to 26. Washing myself because I feel dirty on the inside 34. Not trusting people because they might want sex 40. Getting scared or upset when I think about sex 44. Having sex feelings in my body 47. Can’t stop thinking about sex 54. Getting upset when people talk about sex

Parents found out about the questions when the children came home and told them. Cross-posted at Oh How I Love Jesus Welcome Anchoress and A Lady's Ruminations readers!

NYCLU Does Its Own Searches - And They Are Not Random

On O'Reilly's "Most Ridiculous Item" tonight, the text of a sign at NYCLU headquarters reads:

Please have photo ID ready for inspection. All packages are subject to inspection upon entering and leaving the premises.

The New York Sun wrote an editorial about it.

Either the NYCLU believes its headquarters are at greater risk of a terrorist threat than the city's subway system, or it believes ordinary New Yorkers don't deserve the same safety precautions that they do.

This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us, please register at Our Portal, or email Jay at [email protected]. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 115 blogs already onboard.

Malkin vs Wolff

Michelle Malkin was on Dayside today with Michael Wolff of Vanity Fair as her "opponent". I think Michelle won hands down. Here follows the transcript of the session. Mike Jerrick: We are back with the CIA leak investigation, the Supreme Court confirmation process and the ongoing war in Iraq. Criticism from the left has reached a fever pitch. Michelle Malkin, the author of the new book Unhinged Exposing Liberals Gone Wild. Michael Wolff is here too. He's a columnist for Vanity Fair magazine. He wrote a pretty good article, in fact it was a very good article, in this month's issue, Inside the White House Meltdown. Before we get into this topic here, I was looking at the back of the book Michelle. It's always great to have you on the program. But my goodness. Some reaction to this book. She "ought to be shot between those Viet Cong eyes!." Number two there, "this is what happens when you send a yellow woman to do a white man's job". And they get worse and worse. She's "dishonest", she's a "shill", "race-baiter", "war profiteer" and a "fascist". Welcome to the program. What in the world? Now these reactions to your book came from where? Off the internet? Bloggers, etcetera? Michelle Malkin: A lot of email readers and liberal websites. People who fashion themselves serious political commentators. Mike Jerrick: Why did you put them on the book? Michelle Malkin: I thought that these quotes speak for themselves. I mean I'm exposing the myth of liberal tolerance and civility and really turning a caricature on its head. Because it's conservatives who are always portrayed as the ones who are angry and racist and sexist and hatefilled. And I think it's time that the other side confront their own ugly portrait. Mike Jerrick: So we're talking about meltdowns and people becoming unhinged. {to Kiran} Kiran, what's going on? Are a you all right? Kiran Chetry: I'm feeling great. {laughter} {to Michelle}Actually, I think it's terrible when you see just how personal the attacks got. And Michael, let me ask about this, because even, we just saw it yesterday, within the Senate, the one that's supposed to be the refined arm of Congress. They were going at each other and even Senator Bill Frist was making some personal statements about fellow democrats. What is going on in Washington? Michael Wolff: Well, I think there's a lot going on in Washington. But also, I mean there's an interesting point about this, these kinds of, those kinds of comments because anybody who is in a public role of any kind, left, right, it doesn't matter who you are, the stuff that comes in through your email box is um... Michelle Malkin: Vicious sometimes. Michael Wolff: Is breathtaking. And I don't think it has anything to do with left or right. It has to do with some people are crazy and some people are not crazy. Michelle Malkin: Well, I beg to differ with that. And look at just the headlines today. Democrats, black democrats in Maryland, are saying that it's okay to pelt a black republican, the Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele with Oreo cookies because he's a traitor to his race. I haven't heard a single mainstream democrat condemn that, and I would like to see that. Michael Wolff: Yeah, but that's, that, you've just, you've just equated two things which are not, are not, remotely, remotely similar. You've got, you've got anonymous people coming over the internet. Michelle Malkin: Well they're not anonymous actually. They all have some email address. Michael Wolff: Well, ah, yeah, but they are merely using the, when you see an email address, everybody gets this. This has nothing to do with you. I mean I know, I think you... Michelle Malkin: It's not about me. I just gave you an example of Michael Steele. I mean the point {crosstalk} Michael Wolff: You put it on the back of your book. It's obviously, obviously you take it personally. Michelle Malkin: I'm saying it's a {crosstalk} Michael Steele: Everybody has, every other writer, gets the same kind of mail. Michelle Malkin: No. No. I think it's very different. Michael Wolff: I'll match my mail... Michelle Malkin: I think it's very unique. I think that the criticism of minority conservatives and minority republicans is uniquely vicious and uniquely ad hominem. I think it's something that mainstream democratic leadership has to confront. Michael Wolff: Again, you've done the same thing. People on the internet... Michelle Malkin: Do you think that Howard Dean should condemn those remarks or not? Michael Wolff: {pause}The remarks against you? Michelle Malkin: The silence is telling. I'm talking about Michael Steele. I'm talking about these kind of smears against minority conservatives and republicans. Calling them traitors, saying that they're not really their ethnicity. Saying that they're white on the inside. Can you just say that it's despicable? Because it is. Michael Wolff: Okay. So your point. Let me just. Your point is that... Michelle Malkin: Okay you still haven't answered... Michael Wolff: People are coming on you because you are a minority who is a conservative. Michelle Malkin: I'm saying that there is a liberal... Yes, I think there is a distinct liberal impulse to condemn conservatives who are minorities because they believe that they are traitors to their race. Regardless of the grounding and principles of what they believe. Michael Wolff: Possibly, possibly and that sounds despicable, but if it's something else Michelle Malkin: Do you think it's okay for black democrats to pelt a black republican with cookies? Michael Wolff: No, no, no. But let's, let's look at the Kiran Chetry: Michael, I think there's someone in the audience who wants to answer that question. Mike Jerrick: I don't know, I'm kind of fascinated by this conversation. Would you real quickly. Ma'am, you wanted to say something. Audience Member: I think she's absolutely right. I think there's, they just gotten unhinged. Michael Wolff: If the logic is something else. If essentially they're saying that, questioning the logic of minority conservatives saying, saying it's like a gay conservative. You know, why would you be a gay conservative if the essential conservative philosophy is against you? Um, I mean I think you can reasonably say that about, about somebody who is, um, a black conservative. Why would you be a conservative if the whole thrust of the conservative message, or a substantial thrust is against you. Now, now maybe people say this in ways that they shouldn't say it. Audience {No} Mike Jerrick: Ok I hear someone. Yes? Audience Member: Well, I mean to say that conservatives are against blacks is actually Michael Wolff: No, no, no, no. I, I.. Audience Member: That's actually what you said. Michael Wolff: You're taking that out of context. Michelle Malkin: That's the logical conclusion of what you just suggested. Michael Wolff: No, if. If you. If that is the logic, and certainly I'm not saying that conservatives are against blacks, but if you, if you do believe that in some... Let me go back to the gays which I think works more clearly, there are gay conservatives, but would you say, would you say that's odd to be gay and a conservative at the same time? Michelle Malkin: No. No, I do not think so. And actually I'm glad you brought that example up because do you think it's okay for Bill Clinton, who commented earlier this year, that Arthur Finkelstein was self-loathing. This is a republican, gay, political strategist. And Bill Clinton says something like that, that he loathes himself? Michael Wolff: Well, yeah, look. Let's look at this. This, you're doing two two things, you're saying Mike Jerrick: Michael, we're going to have to look at it later, we have a hard break coming up. We appreciate it. It was a good discussion. No meltdown. Nobody became unhinged. Kiran Chetry: Almost. Mike Jerrick: Well maybe one person. Kiran Chetry: Michelle Malkin and Michael Wolff, thank you very much. It's the liberals who keep telling everyone what the conservatives think and feel and it's not how the conservatives really think and feel. I think Michael Wolff really showed that mindset today. It's never the conservatives "outing" an gay conservative, it's the liberals doing so, hoping that the conservatives will "disown" that person. Conservatives aren't concerned with someone's race or sexual orientation.

Howard Dean - Alito, Libby and Cheney

Alan Colmes interviewed Howard Dean on Hannity and Colmes last night. My comments in maroon, all italics mine. Political teen has the video Alan Colmes: What’s your reaction to the nomination of Alito? Howard Dean: Ah, a couple of reactions. First of all I think it shows the President’s weakness. The extreme right of the party seems to be driving the judicial nominations process and I think that’s unfortunate. Secondly, we still wonder when the President’s going to ask Karl Rove to resign since he’s now been identified by the special prosecutor as the person who leaked the name. So, this all comes, uh, as kind of a, at kind of a difficult time. Uh, I don’t. I think the President’s really using this as a distraction right now to get away from his ethical troubles. {Mr. Dean, what does Karl Rove have to do with reaction to Alito's nomination? You just cited one reaction to Alito and then went off on a total tangent. Also, when did Patrick Fitzgerald identify Karl Rove as the person who leaked the information? I checked the Special Prosecutor's website again and there are no new press releases there. Just the links for the indictments and the press release of Friday, October 28, 2005. I did a search of both documents and Karl Rove's name does not appear in either.} Alan Colmes: I want to get to Rove and the indictment in a moment, but I want to ask you what, do you know the level of consultation this administration had, with democrats, before the nomination? Howard Dean: None. Ah, I’ve talked to Senator Reid and apparently there was no consultation whatsoever with any democrat that we know of. So I think it’s, this nomination is going to be in trouble. Um, ah, Judge Alito is apparently a nice person, but he’s got some pretty extreme rulings. For example, he, uh, in a dissent said that he didn’t think congress had the right to regulate the sale of machine guns. Ah, he held that, ah, in a very specific search warrant, where the police went in, could search a house and a guy suspected of something, they also strip searched his ten-year-old daughter and his wife, which was not in the warrant and Judge Alito didn’t see much trouble in that. A lot of sexual harassment cases and disability cases where the judge raised a very, very high standard of proof, including some really gross discrimination, so I won’t read it on your show. {Julian Sanchez of Reason has rebuttals to most of these talking points which are also being used by Think Progress and the Center for American Progress} Alan Colmes: Do you expect there could be a filibuster in this case? Howard Dean: I think it’s much too early to tell that. I think we need to know a lot more. But the preliminary findings are that Judge Alito is well outside the mainstream of what most Americans believe the courts should be doing. And I think we’ll have to see to learn more about that. {As I said in a post below, the dems and media are defining mainstream to mean anything that agrees with their worldview} Alan Colmes: What could he say during confirmation hearings to convince you and other democrats that he is worthy of the job? Howard Dean: Well I think he, we should find out if he believes that, uh, the courts ought to be used for, to stop discrimination against people. I think we ought to find out to what extent he believes that the police have a right to do anything they want. I think we ought to find out to what extent he thinks firearms ought to be regulated by the federal government, if at all. And I think we ought to find out whether he believes that a woman has a right to make up her own mind about her healthcare, or whether the government should do that for her. {a woman's healthcare = abortion on demand, any time, for any reason, at any age} Alan Colmes: Is it your belief that the President chose today to make this choice as a distraction from the indictment news? Howard Dean: Oh sure. But the indictment is not going to go away. The President promised he would fire anyone who leaked. Karl Rove has now been shown to have leaked, even though he wasn’t charged with a crime. This is a big ethical problem for the President. The President gave us his word that he would fire anyone who leaked. So far he hasn’t done that. We’re waiting to see if the President will keep his word. {Hey Howie, do you have the press release? It still isn't on the Special Prosecutor's website} Alan Colmes: Well, there have been three different standards. First, McClellan said anybody involved in, then he said if anybody leaked, then if anybody committed a crime. Are you calling for the resignation of Karl Rove? Howard Dean: Absolutely. Karl Rove has no business having a security clearance having now been established as a leaker by the special prosecutor. As I say, he wasn’t charged with a crime, what he did was, not, certainly unethical. And he ought not to have a security clearance and he ought not to be working and being paid for by the taxpayers’ money. {Howie, it still isn't on the Special Prosecutor's website} Alan Colmes: What do you think the democrats need to do? I mean, the argu, the criticism of democrats is usually well there’s no vision, no unified message. What do the democrats need to do at this point to convince the American people that their vision is a better vision? Howard Dean: Oh I think we do have a vision and we do have a unified message. The first vision is we want honesty in government. We have seen a culture of corruption that’s been brought to Washington and by state capitols like California and Minnesota, uh, and, uh, uh others. Ohio being the worst, by republican governments. We need to change that, we will change that. We’ll put in tough ethics legislation that will have to be complied with by people in our party, not just the re, opposite party. Secondly, we want a balanced budget. We want jobs in this country to stay in this country. We want somebody to balance the books. We haven’t seen a republican do that for forty years. Third, we want a healthcare system that covers everybody. Fourth, we want a strong public education system and we want, we want a strong defense. We want a real strong defense that depends on telling the truth to our allies and telling the truth to the parents of soldiers who are being sent abroad to fight for America. {Firstly, see No Agenda and Gateway Pundit to see the culture of corruption that exists in the democrat party. I would be happy to see tough ethics legislation if I could be absolutely sure that it would also cover democrats. Let's start with stopping the fight over requiring picture ID to vote. Secondly, a balanced budget would be great, but you dems would have to give up a lot pork and entitlements. Thirdly, healthcare for everyone. Well. As noted above women's healthcare means abortion, so you want abortion for everyone? Does that include the aborted? Fourthly, we want a strong public education system too. That means actually teaching our children and getting rid of teachers that can not do that. Fourthly part two, a real strong defense equals telling the truth to allies and the parents of soldiers? UPDATE: I have to add something here. Why is it that only the parents of soldiers are indicated here? Why not the spouses and children of soldiers? Oh yeah, it's the Cindy Sheehan wing speaking. All soldiers are just little kids that have been misled into volunteering in the United States Armed Forces. All the soldiers are children first.} Alan Colmes: Do you think there should be a broader investigation, we've had Gerald Nadler on our show for example, referring to criminal statutes that call, that basically state, that you are prohibited from making false and fraudulent claims to congress. Some democrats have said that there should be a larger investigation to the conspiracy to move us toward war. Do you believe that should be the case? Howard Dean: Well, I'm not so sure about that although if there is such a thing, it'll be in the Vice President's office. And I do think there needs to be more investigation in the Vice President's office. One of the things established by the special prosecutor in the indictment is that Vice President Cheney was the source of Scooter Libbity's, Libby's knowledge about who the CIA agent was. The question is, did the Vice President instruct Scooter Libby to reveal that name. If he did, the Vice President probably is criminally negligent and that he ought to be indicted as well. I think we'd better find that out because I suspect that, Fitzgerald has a reputation of being ruthless, relentless and totally non-political and I think that's just the kind of person you want this position. Alan Colmes: Are you calling for a broader investigation of the Vice President? Howard Dean: Oh, I think there should be. I suspect strongly that, frankly that the prosecutor's already doing that because he, himself identified the Vice President as a source of some of the information that got leaked. {Mr. Dean, Vice President Cheney had every right to know that information and he had every right to discuss it with his chief of staff/national security advisor Scooter Libby. That is NOT a crime of any kind whatsoever.} Alan Colmes: Chairman Dean, we thank you very much for being with us tonight. Good to see you. Howard Dean: Alan. Thanks for having me on. Alan Colmes: Thanks very much. Welcome readers of A Lady's Ruminations and Gateway Pundit (He's found a old speech of Wilson's)! Please look around. Lettori Benvenuti Di Ideazione!

Mainstream

Today there's been a lot of comment from the democrats and the media about Judge Alito being out of the mainstream. But who is defining mainstream? The democrats and the media. Of course, their definition of mainstream is "whatever agrees with our worldview". Too bad they are out on a tributary and just don't know it...

Halloween

Today is the Right Place's first blogiversary! They are celebrating with a masquerade party! They've been taken over by Dr. Evil who has renamed them the RightEvil Place! Go see who's posting and try to figure out who they are under their "costumes".

Halloween a Day Early

Our village has trick-or-treating on the Sunday before Halloween from 1 pm to 5pm. We had a pretty big crowd this year, larger than last year, but today was a very nice day. Here's our little Batman just before he set out trick-or-treating with his daddy. The purchased costume included the mask and the cape. I took a plain black t-shirt and painted the bat signal on it. He was a very happy Batman who came home tired from a long walk with a bucket full of candy. Now it's time for Mom and Dad to pick out all the good stuff!

Fitzgerald on Subpoenaing Journalists

During the press conference this afternoon Patrick Fitzgerald was asked about Judy Miller's incarceration and the proposed journalist shield laws. This was the very best explanation I have heard for needing to subpoena Judy Miller even though she had never printed anything.

I think what people don't understand, I understand why it is that newspapers want sources. And I read newspapers. And I'm glad you have sources. This is different. This was a situation where the conversation between the official and the reporter may have been a crime itself. It wasn't someone saying, "Hey so-and-so is doing something really, really awful down the hall and I might get fired if I tell you." If you're transmitting classified information is the crime itself, but also, the reporter is the eye witness. And what I think people don't appreciate is that we interviewed lots of people, very high officials, before we ever went to the reporters. And if, as apparent, the grand jury is investigating to find out whether Mr. Libby lied under oath about his conversations with reporters, how could you ever resolve it without talking to a reporter? You couldn't walk in and responsibly charge someone for lying about a conversation when there are only two witnesses to it and you talk to one. That would be insane. On the other hand, if you walked away from it with a belief that that conversation may have been falsely described under oath, you are walking away from your responsibility. And that's why, when the subpoenas are challenged, we put forward what it is that we knew and we let judges pass on it. So I think people shouldn't read this exceptional case as being something more than it's not and I think there's a pendulum that shifts. I'm not recommending that reporters be subpoenaed to my colleagues, this is not, we have to maintain a balance. I think what people are recognizing is this was narrow grounds, that they were justified, followed the Attorney General guidelines, that the court found that we satisfied those guidelines, the court found that we met any bar, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals found unanimously, the Supreme Court denied certiorari. I think we need to step back, take a deep breath, and appreciate what the facts were here. That it was not the ordinary case before we rush into debates about balancing two very important things, the first amendment and national security. I don't take either lightly.

(emphasis mine) She wasn't subpoenaed to "give up her source", she was subpoenaed to be a witness to a conversation that she was one of two participants in. Political Teen has the video here and also has the video of Joe Wilson's attorney pleading "privacy" and the picture from Vanity Fair magazine... Welcome Political Teen readers! Please look around. Welcome GOPINION readers! Welcome Wide Awake Cafe readers! Please look around.

Waiting for the Horse's Mouth

Waiting for Patrick Fitzgerald's press conference due at 2 pm EDT today. Still waiting for that, but Fox News reports that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted on five counts, two false statement counts, two one obstruction of justice counts, and one two perjury counts. Fox also reports that Libby has resigned. Nothing yet Indictments are now available on Fitzgerald's website.

Two Kitties Looking For A New Home

Newton at Oh How I Love Jesus is fostering two sweet girls who need a home. They are mother and daughter.

PinotNoir (daughter)	Keyboard (mother)

If you are in or know someone in the South Texas area who would like to give these girls a home, click on the link above.

Ted Olson

I agree with the American Princess... The man is eminently qualified. Sandra Day O'Connor's replacement does not have to be "diverse"...

Harriet Miers Withdraws

Says it was the documents issue. Maybe we can all get over this and come together for the next nominee. In a letter to Bush released by the White House, Miers said she was concerned that the Senate confirmation process "presents a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the best interest of the country." Update: Ann Althouse says:

Should I say something more about the Miers withdrawal? I keep thinking I should, but somehow I feel so calm about it all. I'm glad that the difficulties are over. But we shouldn't be complacent, because the new struggle is about to begin.

Go read the rest. Others (some happy, some sad) (updated with more reax): The American Princess - So You Wanted Someone Worse The Anchoress - Harriet, Bring the Cannoli! Ankle Biting Pundits - Miers Withdraws!!!! Ann Althouse - Miers Withdraws" Bench Memos - many posts Big Lizards - Miers Withdraws from Supreme Court Consideration Blogs for Bush - Miers Withdraws Captain's Quarters - The Krauthammer Option Wins Out Confirm Them - The Miers Withdrawal Danny Carlton alias Jack Lewis - Miers withdraws (finally) Gateway Pundit - Miers Withdraws Nomination GOP Bloggers - Miers Requests Withdrawal of Nomination LaShawn Barber - Blog Swarm Strikes Again: Harriet Miers Withdraws Nomination Mark In Mexico - Harriet Miers withdraws Michelle Malkin - Harriet Miers Withdraws: Relief Opinipundit - Meirs Withdraws!! Patterico - Breaking News: Miers Withdraws PoliPundit - several posts Powerline - Miers Withdraws Red State - several posts Right Wing News - Happy Harriet Miers Withdraws Day, Everyone Roger Simon says: Miers out! Is anyone surprised? Stop the ACLU - Miers Withdraws Wide Awake Cafe - Miers Withdrew Her Nomination Wizbang - Miers Withdraws SCOTUS Nomination A Large Regular - Miers Withdraws Name from Nomination A Lady's Ruminations - Success: Miers Withdraws Betsy's Page - Whoosh! Conservative Cat - Harriet Miers and the Cubs/Sox Rivalry Instapundit The Jawa Report - Miers Withdraws as Supreme Court Nominee Sigmund, Carl and Alfred - No Fair Hearing for Harriet Miers: A Jihadi Win Volokh - The Miers Withdrawal The Right Place - Miers Withdraws Publius Rendevous - The Final Chapter[?] Junk Yard Blog - Miers Withdraws Nashville Truth - Miers Does The Right Thing, Helps The "Coolest and Bestest" President Ever Save Face Basil's Blog - Miers Trackback Link Festival Don Surber - Miers Withdrawn Happy? GOP and the City - Icy Hot Judgaz Member Withdraws Nomination Oblogotory Anecdotes - Miers Withdraws!!! Daly Thoughts - Breaking: Miers Withdraws and Democrats Making a Strategic Error Right Now Kate at Electric Venom is "neither shocked nor awed" Oh How I Love Jesus - Miers Withdraws her Nomination Slobokan's Site O'Schtuff - Harriet Miers Withdraws Nomination RCP Blog - Miers Withdraws Stolen Thunder - Evil Triumphs Pundit Guy has another huge list

Peppermint Pigs for Christmas!

Buy Peppermint Pigs for Christmas. Peppermint Pigs are hard candy pigs (the hammer shown in the photo is to break them up). Saratoga Sweets is the Home of the Peppermint Pigs.

I have absolutely no connection to this company, I just like pigs.

No Plame Indictments Today

Hurricane Plame is hitting Washington D.C. and New York City hard. Rumors are flying everywhere! My personal prediction (wishful thinking): Joe Wilson gets indicted for outing his own wife. The weight-challenged lady hasn't yet begun to sing... she isn't even at the theater yet.

The Difference Between a (D) and an (R)

Sean Hannity was interviewing Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) on Hannity and Colmes last night. The following exchange ensued:

HANNITY: I'm listening to what you're saying. So you're saying when the President told the nation that Saddam's nuclear threats are a real grave danger to America and Saddam's WMDs are a threat to America, you're saying that George W. Bush purposely lied to America? Is that what you're saying? HINCHEY: I'm saying whoever wrote that speech gave false information to the Congress. Whether or not the President knew it when he gave the speech, I'm not sure. Whoever wrote that speech certainly did. HANNITY: The only problem is Congressman, the words I just said to you were John Kerry's words. John Kerry said that to America. You voted for John Kerry. Now I'll ask you, did John Kerry give false information to America? HINCHEY: John Kerry, I think, made a mistake and voted for the resolution — HANNITY: Oh, he made a mistake and Bush is a liar.(Via MediaBlog at NRO)

Just before Hannity's last line above I said to my husband. So, if President Bush had said it, it was a lie, but because Kerry (we still haven't seen your military records) said it, it was just a mistake. That's the difference between having a (D) after your name or having an (R) after your name. Remember though, that this is Maurice Hinchey. Back in February he was the one who said that Karl Rove was behind the documents that played such an important role in Ra^thergate. See our posts: Karl Rove - Evil Mastermind and Hinchey Sums it up for the Dems More at Blogs for Bush Welcome PoliPundit readers! Please look around...

And Now the Three Little Pigs too...

From the BBC via GOP Bloggers - The Three Little Pigs will no longer be read to under-seven-year-old students at Park Road Junior Infant and Nursery School in Batley

Somebody warn Glenn and Bear! Porkbusters will be next! Previously: Free Piglet and Now It's Piggy Banks Bryan Preston at Junk Yard Blog predicted a similar threat to Hogbusters (Energy Department Promotion) a week ago... Welcome Betsy's Page readers! Please look around.

Cindy Sheehan on Fox's Dayside

Cindy Sheehan was on the phone with Fox's Dayside today: Juliet Huddy: The official death toll for United States Military folk in Iraq has reached one thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine. Mike Jerrick: War protester Cindy Sheehan says she will tie herself to the White House fence, right there in front when the number reaches 2000, and she joins us on the phone from the front of the White House. Cindy, were you able to listen to the speech today? Cindy Sheehan: No, actually I wasn't. Mike Jerrick: Well let me play just one quick bite from it then. It's about how the President says, now that we've gotten rid of Saddam Hussien, if we leave now we'll probably just turn Iraq over to terrorists, basically is what he said. Here's specifically what he said: {videoclip} President Bush: Some observers also claim that America would be better off by cutting our losses and leaving Iraq now. This is a dangerous illusion refuted by a simple question. Would the United States and other free nations be more safe or less safe with Zarqawi and bin Ladin in control of Iraq, its people, and its resources? {end videoclip} Mike Jerrick: So, what do you think? As you can tell there, the President says that we can not leave now, the terrorists will take over. Cindy, what's your response to that? Cindy Sheehan: Well, um, I believe that, you know of course I believe that that's false. I, there are studies that show that most of the violence in Iraq are home grown insurgencies that are fighting against the occupation. And I believe that if we don't need our military presence there, we never did need our military presence there, Saddam was not responsible for 9/11. Osama is still free. It seems like they've forgotten that he was the one that planned attack on American soil and he's still running free. They, they're, um, devastating a country that was no threat to the United States of America. And I believe that our military presence is not needed there like it was never needed there. Juliet Huddy: Cindy, and it's comments like those that have made you, like it or not, a lightning rod for Americans. Here, we've got somebody in the audience who wants to ask you a question. Go ahead sir. Audience member: My question to you is, I was drafted into the Army and I served, I didn't want to go, but I went and I ended up fighting in combat in Korea. Your son volunteered. All of us thank God he did. I think what you're doing is denigrating your son's service. {Applause} Juliet Huddy: Cindy, I know you've addressed this before, but you know, today you're once again going to be out there and you've said you're going to chain yourself to the White House fence. What do you think your son would have thought about this? I know members of your family have come out in opposition of what you're doing. Cindy Sheehan: Actually, um, my son did volunteer to join, uh, the United States Army. My son was an honorable man. He was a brave man. And he was misused and abused by his commander in chief by attacking a country that was no threat to the United States of America. And he, and all of us, would gladly defend our country, but Iraq was nothing about defending our country. Mike Jerrick: So Cindy, real quickly. Your plans, when you say the death toll, when it gets to 2000 in Iraq, which, you know, sadly will probably be within the next week. You're going to chain yourself... Cindy Sheehan: It will probably be sometime today, sadly, tragically, and unnecessarily. Mike Jerrick: And your plan is to tie yourself to the fence there in front of the White House? Cindy Sheehan: Actually we've changed our plans a little bit. We're going to be, um, every, every night at 6:00 as many Americans who are working for peace and oppose this war as possible we are gonna ask them to lie down in a symbolic death. And we get, we get warnings, we get three warnings before we're arrested. So, um, you know people can get up during the warnings and not be arrested. But, the day after the 2000th death, I'm gonna lie down and not get up. Mike Jerrick: OK, ah, Cindy, if you don't mind hanging on the phone there real quickly we're going to bring in Bill Kristol the editor of the Weekly Standard. Bill, thank you very much. Just respond to Cindy's comments and the President as well. Bill Kristol: Well, I happen to agree with the President that it's a free country and Mrs. Sheehan's obviously entitled to demonstrate. I don't think she's entitled to claim to be speaking on behalf of the 2000 young men and women who have, did volunteer, and have died in Irag though. {applause} Juliet Huddy: In this, in this speech today Bill, did we hear anything new? I was listening with some people in the green room and there were comments both for and against. Saying, "It's the same old rhetoric." There was some encouraging, there were some encouraging words from his supporters. What do you have to say? Anything new, did you hear? Any new territory covered? Bill Kristol: Nothing fundamentally new. I mean, I think with the constitution passed, that was announced in this morning in Iraq and that's important. And the political process is moving ahead. There's been some military progress in the last, uh, couple of months I think. But, look, it's the same war, there's nothing, there's no new insight, just a matter of staying the course and winning, I think. Mike Jerrick: We still have some questions. In the control room, is Cindy still with us? So questions for either Bill or Cindy. Go ahead. Juliet Huddy: Go ahead ma'am. Audience member: I guess I would just like to say that as far as tying yourself to the fence, and laying down and staying there she is perfectly welcome to do that. Juliet Huddy: That's the great thing about America. Go ahead. Audience member: She's getting a chance to do what she's doing because we have freedom in this country. Her son fought and died for that freedom. She wants to deny it to people in Iraq. And she wants to overlook the freedom that we enjoy every day here in America. {applause} Juliet Huddy: Cindy, do you want to react to that? She is gone, I'm sorry. Sorry about that. So, Cindy's changing her plan. She's going to lie down and not get up. Is that a promise? Where will you lie down? Do you have a good supply of Depends Undergarments? Or a good bedpan? Don't you know it's dangerous to eat or drink while lying down? I thought all three audience members' comments were good, especially the first and last ones. Too bad Cindy didn't hear the last two. Welcome Back Country Conservative, Conservative Thinking, The Jawa Report, and Memeorandum Readers!