CatHouse Chat

Thoughts on the END OF THE WORLD that, well, wasn't

It has been rather amusing - and somewhat painful - to watch all the sturm und drang that Harold Camping's prediction of the world's end on 21 May stirred up. I wasn't too surprised when the media et al. hyped it because that's what they do - and God forbid that they should bring in, you know, an actual biblical scholar or theologian to discuss the matter and provide a real, non-sensational rebuttal to Camping's non-biblical bid for attention.

So, basically, my main reaction was amusement at the gullibility of 'most everyone who opined on the matter in their quest to sensationalize a topic that is really quite serious.

Which point brings me to the painful aspect of all the hoopla: you may not believe it, but the Bible - God's Word - does speak of the end of the world. Jesus, in fact, speaks more of unsaved man's fate in Hell more than any other person in the Bible; if He spoke of it so much, simple respect for His character should make us take a look at our eternal destination and the end of the world.

Since I've written about salvation a few times on this blog but not about the end of the world (not that I recall, anyway), I thought I'd toss in a few of my own thoughts on the matter as my blog-brother, Michael, has.

Full disclosure time: while I hold to the premillennial rapture view of the end times, it is not something which I hold with a "closed hand." What I mean by that is, since

1. I have not personally done a dedicated study of end time prophecies and the history of that doctrine as held by the Christian Church, and
2. while I consider it an IMPORTANT doctrine, I don't believe it's a doctrine (generally) that is an essential of the faith (i.e., if you don't believe in the premillennial rapture view, you're not a Christian), so we should view the subject through the lens of Christian charity and liberty, and
3. several Bible teachers who I hold in great respect and honor for their diligence in the study and proclaimation of Scripture have opposing views, each with biblical reasoning that, at least, requires me to give them careful consideration, even if I don't think I agree with them, and
4. finally, remember that in any discussion, positions A, B and C (or however many), when they are in opposition, cannot ALL be right... but they CAN all be WRONG! We are still imperfect humans, and "see through a glass, darkly." We have not yet been glorified with the Son and thus do not have perfect knowledge untainted by sin. Even when we do enter Eternity to be with our Savior, there will always be things we do not - and will not - know: finite creatures such as ourselves are incapable of fully comprehending the infinite God who created us.

Due to these points, I cannot be dogmatic on what Christian view of the end times is the "right" one - except, of course, for the fact that Jesus said He would return to judge the world, condemn the unrighteous to eternal punishment, take His Church to be with Him in Eternity, and to bring a "new heaven and a new earth" in which there is no sin and no tears (see Revelation 21).

OK, so what's the big deal about the end times, then? Why did I feel saddened by all the posturing and pontificating and derision heaped up on Camping and his deluded prediction?

Simple: because Christ IS coming back! When, we don't know - but it could be before I finish this post, or it could be hundreds of years from now: we just don't know. However, God knows. He has set the year and the day and the hour and the very minute that He will bring history to an end and usher us all into eternity.

Look, folks, you don't even know if you'll be alive five seconds from now, much less what the date is for the end of the world. Yet the Bible makes clear that NOW is the time for salvation, NOW is the time to repent of sin and turn to God for forgiveness. Once you die, there will be no second chance, and your eternity is fixed. There are no second chances!

So, Christian, while we wait in anticipation of Christ's glorious Return, we should be diligent in being committed disciples of Christ. We should be earnestly working out our salvation by immersing ourselves in His Word and rooting out sin in our lives. We should be loving and nurturing our families, working to support them and training our children up in the love and admonition of our Lord. We should be gathering together as a Church family to worship and praise the One who is our Salvation and our Strength, committing ourselves to proclaiming His name to all the earth. We should be dedicated bosses and employees, working honestly and fairly at our jobs as a witness to the character of Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

We should be living lives of faithful service, forsaking indolence and foolishness, so that when our Savior returns, He will not find us idle or behaving shamefully.

Unbeliever, what about you? The End of the World™ has become rather a joke, hasn't it? I am sorry for that, but I do urge you to take a sober look at your life and at the reasonableness of the Christian faith (yeah, I know, you've been told it's all smoke and mirrors - but have you actually read any Christian apologists with any semblance of an open mind?). Christ is not narrow - "whosoever will may come" (John 3:16, naturally) and be welcomed. Christ is not a killjoy - "I have come so that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Christ does not ask you to come to Him blindly, but to count the cost carefully.

You know, there's a famous challenge given by Blaise Pascal, known as "Pascal's Wager." It basically says that, if you are an atheist and there is no God, you have lost nothing - but if there is a God, you lose EVERYTHING. However, if you are a Christian and there is no God, again, you have lost nothing.

But if you are a Christian and there is a God, you gain EVERYTHING.

Atheist futures: either neutral annihilation or eternal loss.

Christian futures: either neutral annihilation or eternal gain.

It's a poor reason to accept Christ, but perhaps it will put your feet on the path to understanding the depths of your own sin and the infinite love, grace, and forgiveness that Christ offers with an open hand.

At Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter stands up among the people in Jerusalem and quotes the prophet Joel. In Joel 2, God calls for Israel to repent and return to Him and then promises:

And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
& For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said,
Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.

NOW is the day of salvation; you do not know know the hour of your reckoning. NOW is the time, before it really is the End of the World.

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

 

Ten Commandments on ABC's Nightline - ABC News

via abcnews.go.com

I found this out from a post over on Mars Hill Church's FaceBook page, since ABC interviewed Pastor Mark for the second Commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me."

There's a cutsey little quiz - "How big a sinner are you?" sort of thing - which, biblically speaking, is pretty worthless. The only way to pass the test is to get nothing less than 100% perfect non-sinner - and if you get that, you're a liar. We are ALL sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God, and ALL worthy of wrath and condemnation.

The quiz's middle range was "Earth Angel:" You're not perfect, but God knows you're trying, and that's all that counts. BEEEEEEEEEEEP! Wrong! One hundred percent perfection is the standard, and if you fail at any point, you are condemned. As it says in the epistle of James,

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

That is why Christ had to come and die for our sins - there is no way any of us can live as perfect and sinless in any part or our life! Jesus, in His love and mercy for us, came down and lived a perfect life FOR us, and then died the death we should have so that the penalty and punishment for our sins could be paid in full. When He saves us, He clothes us in the perfect righteousness of His life, while at the same time applying His shed blood to completely pay for our sins - past, present, and future.

Christians can now live in freedom from the penalty of sin. Instead of following and obeying because we're terrified of the consequences - cringing and wincing like beaten dogs - now we can obey out of love and awe at all our great Savior has done for us.

At any rate, it looks like an interesting series, although I note a few flinch-worthy items:

1. I don't see the fifth Commandment, "Honor your father and mother," anywhere
2. The use of "Do not kill" vs. "Do not murder," along with an article about a person who teaches people how to commit suicide (!!!!)
3. A discussion of adultery/open marriage as a good thing (I didn't actually read/watch that - the squick factor was pretty much pegged for me)

I'm sure there are several more, which really shouldn't surprise me in a secular production. Still, props to Nightline for even discussing the topic, I suppose...

Stereotypical Republicans

Or at least that's what you'll think, if you watch the lamestream media all the time....

Loved the video! But then, it's got BOTH Steven Crowder and Zo, so how can you lose????

A "pivot"... That's the new word for "broke a promise," right?

How about as an alternate for "has no moral foundation, much less any principles"?

Brian Kirwin at Bearing Drift alerted me to the newest bit of idiocy from President Obama (and you do not KNOW how much more difficult it is getting to NOT use some of the disrespectful and rude nicknames I have for Obama....)

President Obama, in a pivot from a campaign promise, told Democratic senators Tuesday that he is willing to consider taxing employer-sponsored health benefits to help pay for a broad expansion of coverage.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said Obama expressed a willingness to consider changing the existing tax exclusion. The decision probably would anger liberal supporters such as labor unions, but such a tax change would raise enormous sums of money as Congress and the White House struggle to find the estimated $1.2 trillion needed to pay for an overhaul of health care over the next decade.

Yeah, that's the completely unbiased and totally non-partisan Seattle Slimes oops Times.

A "pivot."

You know, if the tone-deaf and too-comfortable-on-their-asses... persons... in Washington DC would actually STOP SPENDING MONEY WE DON'T HAVE... Ah, no... why bother? The sheeple want their free money, and so the government will write more and more bad checks while trying to extort more "revenue" out of the pockets of those of us who actually work and produce goods and services...

Socialism looms close on the horizon, and the destruction of this wonderful country cannot be far behind.

I will give the Seattle Times some props, though - here's the last sentence in their article:

Nevertheless, the issue represents treacherous politics for Obama, given his attacks on Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who advocated a similar approach during the campaign. [emph. mine]

Obviously, I have a HUGE girl-crush on Megyn Kelly!

Yesterday, she PWNED Bradley Jacobs of Us Weekly magazine, and today, she eviscerates Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton:

I want to meet this woman and shake her hand! So polite, such a lovely voice - and she definitely has a steel fist under that velvet glove!

Looks like the classy Lady SaraCuda is beating the press at its own game

For all the negative coverage that Gov. Sarah Palin has received in the past week, it does look like it's boomeranging on the LameStream Media to their detriment.

Not only do most people think that the MSM has treated SaraCuda unfairly (kittipurrs to Kim Priestap at Wizbang!) -

Over half of U.S. voters (51%) think reporters are trying to hurt Sarah Palin with their news coverage, and 24% say those stories make them more likely to vote for Republican presidential candidate John McCain in November.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) also believe the GOP vice presidential nominee has better experience to be president of the United States than Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

- but all the media smears have done is make people more interested to hear what she has to say:

More than 37.2 million people tuned in for coverage of the third night of the 2008 Republican National Convention, which featured Sarah Palin’s much anticipated national debut.  Wednesday night’s RNC broadcasts attracted just a 1.1 million fewer viewers than Barack Obama’s record-breaking speech on day four of the Democratic convention. (kittipurrs again to Wizbang! - love those folks! - but from Lori Byrd this time)

And Kim Priestap slides right back in to note:

I know, I know, you're yelling back at your computer, "but Obama had 38.3 million viewers!"

However, you need to keep this in mind: Obama drew 38.3 million viewers on 10 networks. Sarah Palin drew 37.2 million viewers on just 6 networks. If she had those same four additional networks, which were Telemundo, TV One, Univision, and BET, she probably would have had more viewers than Obama's record breaking viewership.

You need to go read the rest of Kim's post, because her next paragraph just twists the stiletto in Obama's gut *snicker* !

(You see why I love the folks at Wizbang!? They always come up with the goodies - and the facts to bback 'em up!)

So all the hype about the scandals, all the attacks the media made on Gov. Palin appears to have backfired on them, and SaraCuda got heard by more people than expected.

Kinda give me warm fuzzies for the old phrase, "What goes around, comes around..."

Jane Novak: Yemen's Paladin of Freedom

UPDATE: Jane will be on CNN today at 2:30 (eastern time) for an interview [UPDATE - It got bumped due to news of Sen. Kennedy's brain tumor], and on BBC by phone at 6:30pm - be sure to tune in! [/update]

My Cotillion blog sister, Jane Novak who blogs at Armies of Liberation, is the subject of a major article in the New York Times today:

Ms. Novak does not fit the profile of a dilettante in exotic causes. A former sales manager for a textile company, she speaks with a distinct Brooklyn accent, having grown up in Flatbush. When a Yemeni government minister visited the United States last year and invited the notorious “Jane,” as she is known throughout Yemen, to go to Washington for a meeting, she turned him down. “It was too much, the money, the kids, all for a one-day trip,” she said.

Nor does she have any background in Middle East studies. One of her opponents in Yemen accused her of being a Zionist member of Aipac, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. “I had to Google it,” Ms. Novak said with a chuckle. “I didn’t know what it was.”

It was after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that Ms. Novak, who used to work not far from the World Trade Center, first took an interest in the Arab world. “I thought it would be a good idea to write in the English-language Arabic press on subjects we could all agree on, freedom of the press, equality, stuff like that,” she said.

Through her efforts on behalf of Yemeni democracy and freedom, Jane was contacted by Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani, a Yemeni journalist currently imprisoned and facing a probable death penalty - all because he did his job and reported the truth of what was happening in Saada Province with the Houthi Rebellion.

She says her campaign is a matter of basic principle. “This is a country that lets Al Qaeda people go free, and they’re putting a journalist on trial for doing his job?” she said. “It’s just completely crazy.”

But Ms. Novak does admit to a personal interest in the case. She and Mr. Khaiwani have become close friends, though they have never met, and neither speaks the other’s language. One of the charges against him is receiving a cellphone text message from her, as part of an alleged plot (which he denies) to aid the Houthi rebels in northern Yemen.

“The penalty for this crime is usually death,” Mr. Khaiwani said during an interview at his home in the Yemeni capital, Sana, in January. A lanky 42-year-old with large, piercing eyes and a dark sense of humor, he has already been jailed four times by the authorities in connection with his journalism. Last year he was kidnapped and beaten by men he says were plainclothes police officers.

Mr. Khaiwani added, with a broad smile: “If you add to this my relationship with Jane Novak, it means the death penalty for sure.”

I urge you to add your name to the petition to demand that the Yemeni government free al-Khaiwani, and remove restrictions on journalists. The Yemeni government harbors and helps terrorists, and - as evidenced by their release of the convicted USS Cole bombers - has no real interest in fighting terrorism. Please join with Jane and scores of other people, and hopefully truth and justice will prevail for the people of Yemen - and al-Khaiwani will be freed.

SIGN UP NOW TO FREE AL-KHAIWANI!!!

UPDATE: Here's a pretty complete list of people blogging about this (thank you, Nicki!!)

• The Birthplace of the Process of Illogical Logic
• PoliGazette
• Fausta's Blog
• Conservative Belle
• My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
• International Herald Tribune
• Nice Deb
• The Cotillion
• Yeah, Right, Whatever
• Jihad Watch
• Talk Islam
• Cathouse Chat
• The Jawa Report
• Tigerhawk
• Texas Sparkle
• Crossroads Arabia
• Exit Zero
• Tech Republican
• Villainous Company
• Louisiana Conservative
• Hooah Wife and Friends
• Titus One Nine
• National Review Online (NRO)
• RightWingSparkle
• Alabama Improper
• politburo diktat 2.0 (ACE)
• Bill Doskoch
• Free Republic
• Atlas Shrugs
• The Home of Two of Jonah's Military Guys
• Alarabiya
• Redstate
• The American Mind (Sean Hackbarth)
• Blatherings
• Bill Boushka
• NeoConstant
• Time / CNN
• Little Miss Attila
• A View from England
• E the People (en español)
• Politics after 50
• Steal the Bandwagon
• The Reservoir
• Merri Musings
• Free Mark Steyn (link)
• The Jawa Report Radio Edition (click to listen)

FoxNews turning into a tabloid?

I mean, really! How the heck did THIS get on the front page this morning? And not just on the front page, but above the fold?!

A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in the Australian tropics, animal experts said Wednesday.

The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.

Aw. Gee. Too bad.

If it had been their 18-month-old sibling, though, the story would have been news - but a dog? And a Chihuahua-nix, at that?! Give me a break!!

Yeah, I know. I haven't watched FoxNews in an eon either....

The world's smallest violin, playing "My Heart Bleeds For You"

NBC refunds advertisers as ratings plunge .

Aw. My heart bleeds...

Fourth-ranked broadcaster NBC has quietly begun reimbursing advertisers an average of $500,000 each for failing to reach guaranteed ratings levels, the first time a network has taken such a step in years, media buyers said.

Networks usually offer make-goods -- free advertising slots -- in the event of such shortfalls. But NBC has none to give. In fact, no broadcast network has much ad inventory left between now and year's end -- except for, perhaps, a handful of units the week between Christmas and New Year's, and that doesn't do much for advertisers chasing holiday shoppers.

Go read the whole article for some very nice, satisfactory schadenfreude...

No, my head ISN'T "exploding"

After all, isn't this just what we expect from the lame-stream media?

"Newsweek welcomes Kos as a political contributor"

Of course, I will confess that my eyes are about to pop out of my head with all the scornful rolls they've been performing....

Lots of liberals love "free speech" - well, for themselves, anyway...

I just love those loony liberals who are going after everyone who's not on their side. If they don't like what you're saying, they agitate to get you silenced or misquote you or slander you. This is such a popular tactic from the left, that even their dearest-darling Queen of Shrill uses it:

The magazine, which is due to have Mr Clinton on its cover for its December issue, was told that the former President would no longer cooperate unless it pulled an article it was about to publish detailing infighting and tensions within Mrs Clinton’s campaign.

Despite protests at the magazine, the article was duly sidelined, according to a respected US political website. In an e-mail statement to The Times, Jim Nelson, the Editor of GQ, said: “I don’t really get into the inner workings of the magazine, but I can tell you that, yes, we did kill a Hillary piece. We kill pieces all the time for a variety of reasons.” He refused to elaborate. [link]

Ah, that lovely attitude of "Free speech for me, but not for thee!"

C'mon, Hillary - if GQ wanted to publish it, it really couldn't have been all that bad, right? Don't you want us to get to know the "real you"?

I shouldn't...

... but I will!

WARNING: That's a link to Misha, and the language is probably not safe for work (NSFW). That is, assuming you and the people you work with are educated enough to figure out the elegant epithets Misha can pile up on the moonbats and terrorists.

Go read.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Technorati Tags: rhetoric, terrorists, journalists, HBO

Cal Thomas tells it like it is... CAIR whines

Breitbart.tv notes this, and says that CAIR is calling these remarks "islamophobic." Here's what Cal said:

cal thomas
Uploaded by hotternews

 

Huh. don't see what the problem is - Cal is simply telling it like it is. We're really too complacent, and don't treat the islamist terrorists as we should (I'm for hunting them down like the rabid dogs they are, but I realize that's a rather kind fate for them). When will we wise up and treat these people as the self-professed murderers that they are?

Breitbart also links Cal facing off with Abish (? - didn't catch his name; I'll try to update) on Cavuto. I can't figure out how to embed it here (I'm unable to puzzle out the German, LOL), so just click the link to Breitbart.

Technorati Tags: Cal Thomas, Breitbart, islamophobic, CAIR, muslim, terrorism, terrorists

 

Dennis Miller talks sense on “the View”

... and is basically ignored.

Gee what a surprise! Oh, and check out BaBa WaWa's expression when Rosie opens her dhimmi-loving mouth *snicker* "Oh, geeze, Rosie, I know you bring ratings, but can't you just SHUT YOUR FACE for once?!"

(HT to Blue Star Chronicles)

Prayers for journalists!

Yes, you heard that right. Just in the past couple of hours, the news has broken that two Fox newsman have been kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen. Drudge is linking to a Reuters story, and the AP has it, too.

Ms Underestimated has also dug up the beginnings of a new odiferous cesspool of snide and insane gloating over at the DU, but you can visit via her post, and not here. Eeew.

CNN's initial report says

The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement calling for their release.

"We are gravely concerned about our colleagues' safety and call for their immediate and unconditional release," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "These are well established journalists who are not participants in the conflict. They should be treated accordingly and freed."

Well, guys, don't forget, you're dealing with spoiled, intractable, murderous barbarians, so it really shouldn't be surprising that they'd pull a boneheaded move like this. One of my sisters in the Cotillion mentioned that the Paleoswinians have a history of catch-whine-release for journalists, but you never know with these nutcases.

Nothing on FoxNews as of yet, but they may be enforcing a news blackout, so as not to encourage future kidnappings in pursuit of publicity.

UPDATE: TelChai Nation has an excellent round-up of bloggers posting on this.

Further proof that the Nobel "Peace" Prize is a crock

Thanks to my friends at the Cotillion, and to Rick Moran, I see this little news article:

Peace prize winner 'could kill' Bush

Annabelle McDonald, July 25, 2006

NOBEL peace laureate Betty Williams displayed a flash of her feisty Irish spirit yesterday, lashing out at US President George W.Bush during a speech to hundreds of schoolchildren.

Campaigning on the rights of young people at the Earth Dialogues forum, being held in Brisbane, Ms Williams spoke passionately about the deaths of innocent children during wartime, particularly in the Middle East, and lambasted Mr Bush.

"I have a very hard time with this word 'non-violence', because I don't believe that I am non-violent," said Ms Williams, 64.

"Right now, I would love to kill George Bush." Her young audience at the Brisbane City Hall clapped and cheered.

Oh, no irony here, huh? A Nobel Peace Prize winner wants to kill the leader of the free world, and gets cheered by kids and called "feisty" by a clearly unbiased *spit* journalist *spit*

What about this "Peace Prize" Ms. Williams won?

Ms Williams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 30 years ago, when she circulated a petition to end violence in Northern Ireland after witnessing British soldiers shoot dead an IRA member who was driving a car. He veered on to the footpath, killing two children from one family instantly and fatally injuring a third.

Ms Williams's petition had tens of thousands of Protestant and Catholic women walking the streets together in protest. Now the former office receptionist heads the World Centres of Compassion for Children International, a non-profit group working to create a political voice for children.

I suppose she doesn't care much that more children are going to school, not having their parents and older siblings killed or raped in front of them (or suffering the same), and so on now that the United States of America, under the leadership of George W. Bush, has removed the tyrannical and terrorist regimes of Hussein and the Taliban, hmmmm?

Wrapping up the three-day forum yesterday, delegates agreed to a 26-point action plan.

"There can be no sustainable peace while the majority of the world's population lives in poverty," they said.

"There can be no sustainable peace if we fail to rise to the global challenge presented by climate change.

"There can be no sustainable peace while military spending takes precedence over human development."

How about, "There can be no sustainable peace so long as Islamo-fascist totalitarian murderous Allah-cratic regimes insist on killing and torturing everyone who stands against their goal of a world-wide Islamic state under the rule of Sharia law."?

That works for me...

Full context?

*sigh* Well, no, of course not... This is the MSM, after all!

The GOOD news:

The U.S. military will not punish a Marine who performed an obscenity-laced song to a laughing and cheering crowd of fellow troops in Iraq making light of killing Iraqis, the Marine Corps said on Tuesday.

The Marines two weeks ago launched a preliminary inquiry into whether Cpl. Joshua Belile, who returned home from Iraq in March, violated military law or rules in singing the song, a four-minute video of which was posted on the Internet.

And the out of context part (same article)?

In the song, titled "hadji girl," Belile sang to fellow troops at a base in Iraq about encountering an Iraqi woman and her family.

"I grabbed her little sister and put her in front of me. As the bullets began to fly, the blood sprayed from between her eyes, and then I laughed maniacally," he sang. Laughing, clapping and cheers can be heard in the background.

Uh-huh. Anyone care for the full set of lyrics? The guy sings about puting the girl in front of him after her sister (who lured the Marine into ambush) has already been gunned down by her father and brothers.

Then she said that she wanted me to see.
She wanted me to meet her family
But I, well, I couldn't figure out how to say no.
Cause I don't speak Arabic.
So, she took me down an old dirt trail.
And she pulled up to a side shanty
And she threw open the door and I hit the floor.

Cause her brother and her father shouted
Durka Durka Mohammed Jihad
Sherpa Sherpa Bak Allah
They pulled out their AKs so I could see
And they said
Durka Durka Mohammed Jihad
Sherpa Sherpa Bak Allah

So I grabbed her little sister and pulled her in front of me.
As the bullets began to fly
The blood sprayed from between her eyes
And then I laughed maniacally
Then I hid behind the TV
And I locked and loaded my M-16
And I blew those little f***ers to eternity.

Oh, yeah. Context is everything! But, of course, al-Reuters can't be bothered with it....

E.D. Hill... ROCKS!

My buddy Beth at MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy has the perfect follow up to my previous post. She got a segment from Fox&Friends on FoxNews this morning (?) and got it up on YouTube:

I love ED. She's gutsy, committed, and passionately devoted to our troops. She's a great American!

Is he bored?

I forgot to mention in my last post, that Sen. Allen did address the question of his soi-disant "boredom." Earlier this week it was reported

Call this one the "All aboard, I'm bored" U.S. Senate campaign. George Allen formally got his re-election campaign under way this week with a three-day swing around ol' Virginny.

Allen wants another six-year term, oh yes, but the duties ... well, let's just say ennui has taken its toll. Service in the Senate is rather "slow," Allen says.

As he was speaking to the reporters just before I left, I overheard the Senator address this charge. I wasn't taking notes, so I cannot quote him precisely, but his response to the reporter's inquiry was basically, "I'm sick and tired of the inertia of Congress. I want to break up the log-jam and get things moving. Let's get things done!"

I do not know the original context of his statements in the linked news story, so I do not know how much "backpedaling" the left will claim he's doing. Nevertheless, as I said, he came across as enthusiastic for his job and the campaign ahead of him.

But, no, he didn't - exactly - say "No, I'm not going to run for President," either. Hey, I'd keep my options open at this point, too, if I were him!

Technorati Tags: Senator Allen, George Allen, senate, election, Virginia, politics, Republican

Typical liberal media

Via The Conservative Voice: NBC Plants Muslims at NASCAR -

By Sher Zieve - NBC's Dateline is reported to have planted Muslims at a NASCAR event, in order to uncover anti-Muslim sentiment. The NBC action is said to have been a "sting operation".

NASCAR, who confirmed with NBC that it had purposefully sent "Muslim-looking men" and a camera crew to the race in an attempt to see if there would be 'racist' activities, said it is "outraged" at this attempt by NBC to create the news. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Wednesday: "It is outrageous that a news organization of NBC's stature would stoop to the level of going out to create news instead of reporting news."

There are no reports that anyone bothered the Muslim-looking men. [emphasis mine]

Further proof of MSM bias and America hatred, as well as the general good will and decency of the American people.

No wonder I get my news from FoxNews and the blogosphere!

UPDATE: Chris Muir, of Day By Day fame (I LOVE this guy) comments, and gives mega props to the ever-excellent Partisan Pundit -

Partisan responds:

Chris Muir is one of those people who makes it big, but still remains a cool, blue-jeans and sweatshirt wearin' kind of guy. I wish him the moon and stars with his strip. He's sharper than Doonesbury, funnier than Bloom County, with the heart of Calvin and Hobbes. If you haven't made him a daily read...GET ON It!

I second that sentiment (and if you haven't also blogrolled PP, you ought to GET ON THAT as well!!): Chris Muir has stopped by CHC a couple of times, and is always gracious and kind in comments and e-mails.

Bush's approval ratings low

OK. I have two words for you: So. What.

Seriously. So what? Half the time you find out those polls used faulty screening or twisted the interpretation of the answers. The other half of the time - well, 100% of the time - there are never any suggestions to make necessary changes or propose solutions. And, this is, what?, the fourth or fifth poll with these "results" in the past couple of months. People, BUSH will not be running for re-election!

In the words of a great song, "My Give-A-Damn's Busted."

C'mon, let's move on to more interesting topics, OK?

With an opener like this...

The mainstream U.S. media outlets have failed to report a major terrorist plot against the U.S. - because it would tend to support President Bush's use of NSA domestic surveillance, according to media watchdog groups.

News of a planned attack masterminded by three Algerians operating out of Italy was widely reported outside the U.S., but went virtually unreported in the American media.

... you know you've got to go read the whole article!

(HT to the Anchoress)

LAMEstream Media screws up again

Like this is new?

Friday, Michelle Malkin posted about an article in the New York Times Slimes "commemorating" the 2,000th fatal casualty in Iraq. My take on the 2,000th death is here, but Ms. Malkin's article pointed out an even more egregious sin.

The Lamestream Media - you know, all those "unbiased" and "fair" ones - deliberately quotes a fallen hero out of context, and twists his sacrifice into an anti-war statement.

CPL Jeffery B. Starr was on his third tour in Iraq when he was killed in a firefight - with Islamofascist terrorists who were fighting against the rule of law and order, no doubt - in April. He was only 22, and his family obviously lost a bright, talented, and well-loved young man.

The NYSlimes quotes his farewell letter -

Sifting through Corporal Starr's laptop computer after his death, his father found a letter to be delivered to the marine's girlfriend. "I kind of predicted this," Corporal Starr wrote of his own death. "A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances."

And that's all they quote.

However, CPL Starr's uncle, Timothy Lickness, contacted Michelle and gives the complete context of the quote:

Several months after Jeffrey was killed his laptop computer was returned to his parents who found a letter in it that was addressed to his girlfriend and was intended to be found only if he did not return alive. It is a most poignant letter and filled with personal feelings he had for his girlfriend. But of importance to the rest of us was his expression of how he felt about putting his life at risk for this cause. He said it with grace and maturity.

He wrote: "Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I'm writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

What Jeffrey said is important. Americans need to understand that most of those who are or have been there understand what's going on. It would honor Jeffrey's memory if you would publish the rest of his story.

And thank God, Michelle did. Patterico has taken it up, as have Euphoric Reality,  Ace, the Daily Blitz, and many others (go see Michelle's trackbacks).

I see phrases like, "beyond despicable," "desecrating the dead," and "shameful editing." I would add traitorous, deliberately false, anti-American, liberal drivel.

How dare they use the death of a hero like this? I suppose it shouldn't surprise me, since Cindy Sheehan - the ultimate in desecrators of heroes' deaths - is practically their poster child.

I've been reading a lot about the NYSlimes' woes with circulation, readership, and downsizing. I await the ultimate demise of this scandalous rag with relish and profound anticipation.

 

Spanish stupidity

You know, I lived in Spain from 1987-90, and I don't recall the Spanish as bing this stupid. Now, my husband and I were based in southern Spain, not in a major city, and fifteen years can certainly make a difference in how people think. But geeze!

From CNN:

A Spanish judge issued an international arrest warrant Wednesday for three U.S. soldiers, charging them with murder in the death of Spanish TV cameraman Jose Couso in Baghdad, Iraq.

Couso, who worked for Spain's Telecinco network, died at the Palestine Hotel on April 8, 2003, as U.S. forces advanced to take control of the city in April 2003.

Investigating magistrate Santiago Pedraz of the National Court will seek the extradition of the soldiers to Spain, a court spokeswoman told CNN.

They are wanted for "murder" and "a crime against the international community," according to the warrant, a copy of which was viewed by CNN partner network CNN+.

My friend Raven posts "Spain Issues Arrest Warrents for American Soldiers" and speculates whether the Spanish have gone mad.

The sputtering and spoiled Spanish have gone MAD. First they wimp out and leave Iraq, after the Islamafreakoids bombed their trains in Madrid. Now they’ve joined the “International Condemn America Club”.

They’re seeking criminal charges against US soliders for the death of a journalist-in the war zone- a couple years ago.

I see that Cox & Forkum have reposted Targeted, a cartoon from February during the Eason Jordan affair. C&F point over to the Mudville Gazette, which has a very detailed account of the battle and the events leading to the journalists' deaths. That information is very clear that, although a tragic mistake, the accidental deaths were far from murder.

Barcepundit, who I've never read before (thanks, C&F for linking to him) has this scathing comment:

Anyway, I think there are grounds for not only not prosecuting the 3 GIs under war legislation, but for arresting all the journalists that were so keen to play witness to what had happened in the Palestine hotel. (all emphasis mine)

Works for me.

Chris Muir does it again! AGAIN!

Day By Day does it again!

Oh, I love this guy's sense of humor! Truly, he's just the best.

I have got to figure out how to insert his code into my blog template so his strip appears here every day. Running off to do so now...

White House Press Corps, Meet Lewis Caroll...

How should the White House respond to incredibly stupid accusations at press conferences?

This Precision Guided Humor Assignment from The Alliance of Free Blogs grew out of a comment by Walter Wallis in Jerry Pournelle’s Chaos Manor in Perspective Current Mail.

I think his answer to the question above has merit (recruit Ann Coulter and John Bolton to work together answering such press conference accusations), but we need to flesh it out a bit.

Wallis also suggests green goo or slime for the worst offenders. Maybe. But I think a more general approach would be best.

Deciding which accusations merited green goo would simply be too complex and time-consuming, and surely some Mass Media Podpeople would whine, "Why didn't Helen Thomas get slimed like I did? She's always rude and idiotic! It's not fair!"

In the service of both fairness and efficiency, I say give Ann Coulter a Queen of Hearts costume and let her have at it:

The players all played at once without waiting for turns, quarrelling all the while, and fighting for the hedgehogs; and in a very short time the Queen was in a furious passion, and went stamping about, and shouting `Off with his head!' or `Off with her head!' about once in a minute.
–Lewis Caroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Let John Bolton wield the axe.

I think that a few such White House press corpses might have a salutary effect on the White House press corps.

Of course, at first, "once in a minute" wouldn’t be a high enough frequency, but, sadly, things would settle down after a while, as Mass Media Podpeople began learning their manners—most for the first time in their lives.

Next? The floor of the Senate???

:-)

Crossposted from third world county

Orson Scott Card is a brilliant man

(Again, thanks to David at third world county... And didn't I say posting would be light??)

Orson Scott Card publishes The Riots of the Faithful over at the Ornery American and brings up the 800 pound gorilla in the room: the press are not American patriots.

The press isn't running for office. To say that the media culture is unpatriotic isn't a political ploy, it's an obvious observation. Oh, if my words actually mattered to them, they'd howl and scream about my illegitimate attack. But in private, they are perfectly happy to mock patriotism in all its forms. They're only patriotic when somebody says they aren't.

They are loyal to a community -- but it's not America.

It's Smartland. The nation of the newsmedia people. That's where they live. Not in America. These newspeople generally don't even know anybody, apart from "sources," who serves America in the military. Smartland consists of a very different crowd.

I know that crowd. I've heard them jeer at all the values that most Americans still care about, laughing at religious people, at the middle class, at suburbanites, at the poor ignorant saps who don't think correct thoughts all the time. You know -- the citizens of Heartland. Those poor sentimental fools who stood in line to see The Passion and who like Adam Sandler movies and who get tears in their eyes when they see the American flag and whose hearts break a little when it burns.

I'm sure there are exceptions - I know Rick Moran would attest that his broher, Terry, is one. However, the prevailing hostility among the media towards America and "Jesusland," is obvious and chilling.

Mr. Card concludes:

Just so the fanatics who now rule the Democratic Party, serving the cause of Smartland at the expense of the Heartland, will find that if they ever really get control of government, they will quickly be the most hated rulers our country ever had.

Already large numbers of Americans seethe over the puritanical laws imposed on us by anti-democratic judges, who cannot wait for compromise and the political process to "purify" us. Already we are outraged by the propaganda they foist on our children in the schools, without reference to the values of the community or the roots of the American culture.

The Taliban of Smartland will be just as repugnant to the people of America as the Islamist Taliban was to most of the people of Afghanistan.

So as we watch the Democratic Party flush away democratic processes in order to get correct outcomes, it's worth remembering that we're not so different from "those wacky Muslims."

People who are so sure they're right that they are willing to eliminate democratic processes in order to get and keep power are the enemies of freedom for everyone. We may be slow to recognize the danger, but one thing is certain: Once the Puritans have power, everyone else will finally see the cost of their utopia.

And as the Iranians and North Koreans have learned, it's very very hard to get rid of a dictatorship with a puritan ideology. Sometimes you're lucky and a big country comes along and liberates you. But sometimes there's no country big enough to do it, and you just have to hunker down and pretend to think correct thoughts and live some kind of life below the radar.

You know, the way believing Christians do right now at American universities.

Excellent essay - you really need to go read the whole thing!

Newsweak/Newsweek = KORANGATE

From a suggestion that third world country got from Cao: Google-Bomb Newsweek with "Korangate".

Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate Korangate

I also like liars, dishonest, biased, untruthful, anti-American agenda, liberal, deceitful, poor editors, bad management, weak, lame, and clueless.

Any other suggestions?

BLACKFIVE: Major Mathew Schram's Memorial Day

Yet another reason to remove Newsweak from your reading library: BLACKFIVE: Major Mathew Schram's Memorial Day.

The one part that I left out of this post is that Major Schram's convoy was followed by a car with a Newsweek reporter in it. Once the action began, the reporter and his driver turned and got the hell out of there. If it wasn't for Mat's charge up into the ambushers, they never would have made it out of there alive.

Newsweek never ran a story about my good friend, Mat.

It took a few weeks for me to decide what to do.

I had been reading Stephen Den Beste, Bill Whittle, Frank J.'s IMAO, and Misha for awhile at that point.

I started Blackfive and decided to write about Mat and other Americans like him - people that Newsweek would never tell you about.

It's Mat Schram's blog as much as it is mine.

So, today, on the anniversary of the sacrifice of my friend, please take a moment to pray for the families who have lost their loved ones in our fight against terror. Mat would have liked that.

When Newsweak prefers to run stories that smear the United States and our honorable armed forces, when they can't even get a simple apology correct, and when they have clearly shown themselves to be anti-American in word, thought and deed... How can a patriotic American, in good conscience, read such a rag?

Go read Blackfives' whole story about Maj. Schram, and then give devout thanks to whatever diety you acknowledge that the United States gives her best, who do their best, and therefore we shouldn't tolerate anything but the best.

SeeBS and Dan Ra^ther. C_ommunistN_ewsN_etwork and Eason Jordan. And now Newsweak and Michael Isikoff. In the immortal words of General George S. Patton:

America loves a winner. America will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise a coward.  Americans play to win. That's why America has never lost a war, for the very thought of losing is hateful to an American.

I submit to you that Newsweak wants America to lose.

"Newsweek has blood on its hands"

Michelle Malkin says it all in her post, NEWSWEEK LIED*. PEOPLE DIED.

Newsweek has blood on its hands. Blood on its desks. Isikoff should cough up his source.

Michelle has several links up to others' commentary, as well.

Unfortunately, I'm so outraged over this murderous "mistake" that I cannot comment without descending into common invective.

*** WARNING *** Media bias!

Of course, why should I be so surprised?

The New York Times, that fortress of honesty and fairness has a lovely little fluff-piece this morning, Tunes for the Freewheelin' George Bush.

Pretty harmless, no?

However, cuddled in with all the "Oooooo look at what the President listens to! Hey, I like them, too!" is this cute little throwaway paragraph:

Nonetheless, Mr. McKinnon said that Mr. Bush had not gone so far as to include on his playlist "Fortunate Son," the angry anti-Vietnam war song about who has to go to war that Mr. Fogerty sang when he was with Creedence Clearwater Revival. ("I ain't no senator's son ... Some folks are born silver spoon in hand.") As the son of a two-term congressman and a United States Senate candidate, Mr. Bush won a coveted spot with the Texas Air National Guard to avoid combat in Vietnam. {emph.mine}

Can you say, "Contrived?" How about, "Forced?" Perhaps even, "Bloody awful editing?" My high school English teacher (assuming s/he wasn't a raving loony lib-ruhl - which he wasn't, thank God) would have had red ink all over that sentence:

"Not pertinent to the story. No good tie-in. OFF TOPIC!!!!!"

Oh, can you also say, "Untrue and disproven?" Calling Dan Ra^ther!

Cretins.

(Oh, HT to Drudge, for the iPod story, anyway)

Is the full story coming out?

RatherBiased posts this interesting story: CBS Producers Threaten Wrongful Termination Suits. (HT to the always awesome Ace)

Is the wall about to crumble?

RB refers, in an update, to this article by Joe Hagan in the New York Observer.

Reese Schoenfeld on FoxNews

Reese Schonfeld was just on FoxNews (Fox & Friends 1st) talking about Eason Jordan. He basically called Mr. Jordan "an idiot who can't keep his mouth shut." I'll look for the transcript - if they put it up - of the interview.

Mr. Schonfeld is a founding president of CNN, and has written a book about CNN's beginning. You can find a brief biography here.

(Update - here's the transcript, thanks to Johnny Dollar's Place)

Bias? What bias?

PressThink refers to Vodkapundit's - Pay No Attention To The Arrogance Behind The Curtain, in which Will Collier refers to an e-mail from Steve Lovelady of CJR Daily. I believe the order of events is: this post, then this one, and finally this one.

VodkaPundit's (Mr. Collier's) commenters have some fantastic things to say in response to a comment posted by Mr. Lovelady.

(More below....)

My take on Eason Jordan

He said it. The video should be released. Everyone should jump on CNN's back and beat the ____ out of them.

Now, can we get rid of that stupid "he tried to walk it back" phrase?

Every blinking story I read about this whole scandal (and, yes, I agree that's it's terrible and needs investigation - but other bloggers are taking care of that just fine) has this stupid phrase.

I'm tired of it.

How about, "he tried to retract his statement?" Or, "he then began to dissemble?" Maybe, "then he backpedaled," "he tried to disguise his meaning," "he excused his statement," "he withdrew his assertion," or "he reneged on his pronouncement...."

Anything. Just not "walk it back." Blech.

Hooray for Power Line!

Power Line (which is it, guys? One word or two?) links to Johnny Dollar's Place, which posted the transcript from last night's interview (oops, Tuesday night's, I think) on the O'Reilly Factor:  'Here Is Bill Moyers Spinning His Own Fantasy'.

Now, Mr. O'Reilly is not necessarily a friend of the blogosphere, which you can tell from this transcript. Several times Mr. O'Reilly refers to "websites" in a rather disparaging way. However, the Big Trunk - Scott Johnson, of Power Line, of course - gets him to back off a bit at the end of the interview.

Fortunately, the interview stayed pretty much on track, focusing on the lie which Bill Moyers published about James Watt. In order, Power Line has the background here, here, and here.

Good going, guys!

The Red Sea

Yesterday, I followed a link from the Instapundit to this commentary,The Red Sea, by David Von Drehle. Instapundit linked to Tim Blair's discussion of it, as well as Patrick Ruffini's (the Instapundit also has an e-mail from a reader that's good to read). Mr. Blair doesn't appear to care for the article at all, while Mr. Ruffini seems to appreciate it a bit more.

I wasn't too sure of what to say, initially. I actually like the piece, even though I believe Mr. Von Drehle still doesn't "get" the Red State people. He is, however, fairly frank at the beginning of his piece:

We met dozens of people along the way. We asked them about themselves, about their communities, about their votes. Some were leery of us. Several asked politely: "What are you trying to accomplish?" Others were more blunt: "What's your angle?" Another version: "What are you hoping to find?"

We met Bruce Owen outside Abilene, Kan. He invited us into his home, introduced us to his wife, Donna -- and then seemed to wish he hadn't. He told us he rarely saw people like himself portrayed in "the media," except as objects of derision.

He had a point there.

But it's right near the end of the article that I thinks he makes his best point - even though I' m not really sure he understands it himself. I hope so, but like many in "Red America" (and I hate that color - it reminds me too much of communism), I am a wee tad suspicious of the MSM and its, um, minions....

After a campaign in which the Democrat made very little effort to seek their votes, the Red Sea folks decided to cast their ballots in large numbers for George W. Bush. Something he said or did struck a chord with some note of their own political music. Maybe it was the feeling that bureaucrats just don't get it. Or the idea that elitists hold the heartland in contempt. Maybe it was the worry that traditions are under attack. Maybe it was the view that coastal culture is an enemy, not a friend, in the effort to raise children. For some, it was the feeling of authenticity and apparent horse sense. The attitude toward land and resources that comes from living amid an abundance of both. The significance of personal faith.

In short, I found ordinary people with various motivations, sundry stories, personal beliefs, custom-made decisions.

I suppose there are no great surprises there -- these views represent many of the strands that have been collected over the past generation into the political camp we call "conservative." But the focus on this common label may obscure the individual nature of these voting decisions. I met regular churchgoers and people who attend church seldom if ever. I met young libertarians and elderly prims. I met a wealthy man and a man unemployed and deeply in debt. I met people who admire Bush and people who have little regard for him.

I imagine this might disappoint those people who seek a large and unified explanation of something as important as a presidential election. How much more satisfying it is -- especially for those who make a living from explaining elections in catchy sound bites -- to conjure up overarching themes, towering trends, looming like alps over an election. Nothing sells like a big trend story, whether the trend is "right-wing backlash" or "values revival."

At any rate, I think the piece is at least fairly thoughtful and worth reading the whole way through.

iowahawk: Farewell, My Producer

From the illustrious Iowahawk, comes the newest Inspector Dan Ra^ther mystery^tm Farewell, My Producer.

Dan Ra^ther, dick extraordinaire, is at it again in an adventure guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat in suspense. He again meets with his arch nemesis, Master Reynolds, and pries information out of a fink named Charley as well as some obscure lawyer and banker.

It's another caper of investigative ennui, packed full of deception, delusion, and duplicity. Don't miss it! Available at your nearest "bookstore" now!

(HT to lawyers and bankers)

Rathergate

Has cBS (screw it - I'm going to change it to how it ought to be spelled) SeeB.S. actually issued the "report that will only take weeks, not months" yet?

UPDATE: Yes, it has... Finally! Here's the .pdf.

Frankly, I'm fed up with the whole thing, so I'm not planning on going over it. Other blogger who have far more ability than I are already commenting intelligently. I daresay that most of the links on my blogroll will have better commentary than I could give.

(OK, translation: I'm bored with it, it's still frelled up, and I'm feeling too lazy right now to rehash the issue. There, how's that for honesty?)

UPDATE2: All right already! My conscience is guilting me into it. I hate that. Here's a roundup of links:

Q and O
WizBang
Outside the Beltway
Commonwealth Conservative
Patterico's Pontifications
Captain's Quarters
Michelle Malkin
Jim Geraghty at TKS
Jeff Jarvis
Powerline

Little Green Footballs is currently down, but I'm sure they'll have a lot, too.

Now I can stop feeling guilty.