Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Washington Post
"There's a very good reason for that," Clarke replied. "In the 15 hours of testimony, no one asked me what I thought about the president's invasion of Iraq. And the reason I am strident in my criticism of the president of the United States is because by invading Iraq ... the president of the United States has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."
Flynt Leverett, a former CIA analyst and Middle East specialist who left Bush's National Security Council staff a year ago, also agrees.
"Clarke's critique of administration decision-making and how it did not balance the imperative of finishing the job against al Qaeda versus what they wanted to do in Iraq is absolutely on the money," Leverett said.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, in his public testimony before the commission Tuesday, confirmed that Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz -- a forceful advocate of attacking Iraq -- "raised the issue of whether or not Iraq should be considered for action during this time."
National security adviser Condoleezza Rice, in an interview with network correspondents Wednesday, said, "The president asked if Iraq was complicit. Anybody should have asked whether Iraq was complicit given our history with Iraq." But, she added, Bush was told by CIA Director George J. Tenet before they went to Camp David the weekend after the attacks "there was no evidence of that."
Rice defended Bush -- and pointed the finger of blame at the Clinton administration
"There's a very good reason for that," Clarke replied. "In the 15 hours of testimony, no one asked me what I thought about the president's invasion of Iraq. And the reason I am strident in my criticism of the president of the United States is because by invading Iraq ... the president of the United States has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."
Flynt Leverett, a former CIA analyst and Middle East specialist who left Bush's National Security Council staff a year ago, also agrees.
"Clarke's critique of administration decision-making and how it did not balance the imperative of finishing the job against al Qaeda versus what they wanted to do in Iraq is absolutely on the money," Leverett said.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, in his public testimony before the commission Tuesday, confirmed that Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz -- a forceful advocate of attacking Iraq -- "raised the issue of whether or not Iraq should be considered for action during this time."
National security adviser Condoleezza Rice, in an interview with network correspondents Wednesday, said, "The president asked if Iraq was complicit. Anybody should have asked whether Iraq was complicit given our history with Iraq." But, she added, Bush was told by CIA Director George J. Tenet before they went to Camp David the weekend after the attacks "there was no evidence of that."
Rice defended Bush -- and pointed the finger of blame at the Clinton administration
In the comments of the previous post, Ricky makes some excellent points. I've never heard it put that way and I'm going to be using it a lot. A "right-thinking" friend wrote, "Where are the men's rights? A woman's rights end at conception. She has the right to use birth control and to abstain and if she doesn't exercise those rights she should live with the consequences." (I know, it's a struggle to keep friendships alive in these trying times).
Here are the man's rights. He has the right to use birthcontrol, he has the right to not have sex with women that won't want have his child. If he chooses not to exercise these rights he must live with the consequences.
I did have that tubal ligation. I was just strong enough, just smart enough, had just enough self esteem to go to this man's Commander (I can't explain but it was something you just did not do) and tell him that they would perform the tubal or they would pay for me to have it elsewhere. He picked up the phone and scheduled the surgery that moment.
So many young women would have caved under this man's self-assured authority. I was so close to being one of them.
While preparing for surgery, a tech brought in some of the forms I had filled out and said, "Your husband needs to sign this one." That poor guy got such a look from me, it may not have killed him but I bet he walks with a limp to this day. The Dr. (a new one), said " that won't be necessary".
Here are the man's rights. He has the right to use birthcontrol, he has the right to not have sex with women that won't want have his child. If he chooses not to exercise these rights he must live with the consequences.
I did have that tubal ligation. I was just strong enough, just smart enough, had just enough self esteem to go to this man's Commander (I can't explain but it was something you just did not do) and tell him that they would perform the tubal or they would pay for me to have it elsewhere. He picked up the phone and scheduled the surgery that moment.
So many young women would have caved under this man's self-assured authority. I was so close to being one of them.
While preparing for surgery, a tech brought in some of the forms I had filled out and said, "Your husband needs to sign this one." That poor guy got such a look from me, it may not have killed him but I bet he walks with a limp to this day. The Dr. (a new one), said " that won't be necessary".
Saturday, March 27, 2004
NARAL
John Ashcroft has subpoened hundreds of women's private medical records from at least six hospitals in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Ann Arbor.
The Justice Department is tracking down, one by one, records of women who had abortions to see if the procedures used were actually medically necessary.
While I was pregnant with my second child I made arrangements with the doctor to perform a tubal ligation soon after the birth. When it came time I was told that the head of the gynecology department had decided that I would not be having the surgery. I went through 4 interviews with this man over the next year, trying to justify my reasons for wanting the procedure. I remember clearly his saying to me "It won't kill you if you get pregnant again. " My response was "How do you know I won't kill myself?"
He was not swayed.
Bush appointed W. David Hager to the FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. This guy would not prescribe birth control to unmarried women during his 30 years of medical practice. He is now giving interviews to lifenews in which he describes RU-486 as "killing the baby".
I don't know about you but I don't want these misogynists that believe they are God in charge of any part of my life.
Friday, March 26, 2004
E-mail from the Right or If being Right is right, I don't want to be right.
Perspective:
Liberals claim President Bush shouldn't have started this war. They complain out his prosecution of it. One liberal recently claimed Bush was the worst president in U.S. history. Let's clear up one point: We didn't start the war on terror. Try to remember, it was started by terrorists BEFORE 9/11.
Let's look at the "worst" president and mismanagement claims. FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us: Japan did. From1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost, an average of 112,500 per year.
In Berlin on December 8, 1941, Adolf Hitler was elated. "We have ally that has not been defeated in 1500 years!” he told Minister of Propaganda Josef Goebbels. On December 11, 1941, Hitler gave a speech to the Reichstag. Confused and rambling, he compared his own childhood of poverty to that of the wealthy Roosevelt. He declared war on the United States.
Truman finished that war and started one in Korea, North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost, an average of 18,333 per year.
...when North Korean troops invaded the South, the Truman administration seized upon the opportunity to defend a noncommunist government from invasion by communist troops.
The Truman Administration did not fabricate the invasion, it actually happened. Unlike like the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" lie we were fed to get our quiescence. Iraq never attacked us.
John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.
JFK didn't start the Vietnam Conflict, he joined it, in an effort to avert the very real threat of communist dominance. Iraq never attacked us.
Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year.
Whether the United States should have been in Vietnam for so long, at such a great loss, is certainly debatable but, we weren't there based on a lie. We knew why we were there, even if we didn't agree with it.
Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent, Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.
United States as part of NATO acted peacekeepers in former Yugoslavia. Iraq never attacked us.
In the two years since terrorists attacked us, President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Lybia, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people. We lost 600 soldiers, an average of 30 a year. Bush did all this abroad while not allowing another terrorist attack at home. Worst president in history? Come on!
Liberated from Saddam, imprisoned by terrorists. The fundamentalist terrorists have been unleashed since last March. IAEA inspectors were kicked out of North Korea last year. Libya's change of status has been achieved through years and years of containment and economic sanctions.Bush can not take credit for Libya.
Your math is very poor. We have lost 600 young men and women in the past year. That's an "average" (as disgusting as it is to speak of their lives in mathematical terms) of 600 per year.
The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking, but...
It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51 day operation.
Have we "taken" Iraq. You must not have watched the news since Bush declared an "end thostilitieses". And why is David Koresh always brought up in defense of Bush? Wasn't Timothy McVeigh's revenge for Waco enough for you? (I cannot convey my anguished venom in these mere words)
We've been looking for evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
No one was killed while she was looking.
It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Teddy Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.
Let's see, what was Bush doing in 1969....
June 9, 1968:
Bush's student deferment expires.
September 1968:
After basic training, Bush pulls inactive duty to act as gopher on Florida Senator Edward J. Gurney's campaign.
November 1968:
After Gurney wins, Bush is reactivated and transferred to Georgia.
November 1969:
Bush is flown to the White House by President Nixon for a date with daughter Tricia.
December 1969:
Bush transfers to Houston and moves into Chateaux Dijon complex. Laura lives there too, but they don't meet till later.
It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!!!
Perspective:
Liberals claim President Bush shouldn't have started this war. They complain out his prosecution of it. One liberal recently claimed Bush was the worst president in U.S. history. Let's clear up one point: We didn't start the war on terror. Try to remember, it was started by terrorists BEFORE 9/11.
Let's look at the "worst" president and mismanagement claims. FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us: Japan did. From1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost, an average of 112,500 per year.
In Berlin on December 8, 1941, Adolf Hitler was elated. "We have ally that has not been defeated in 1500 years!” he told Minister of Propaganda Josef Goebbels. On December 11, 1941, Hitler gave a speech to the Reichstag. Confused and rambling, he compared his own childhood of poverty to that of the wealthy Roosevelt. He declared war on the United States.
Truman finished that war and started one in Korea, North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost, an average of 18,333 per year.
...when North Korean troops invaded the South, the Truman administration seized upon the opportunity to defend a noncommunist government from invasion by communist troops.
The Truman Administration did not fabricate the invasion, it actually happened. Unlike like the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" lie we were fed to get our quiescence. Iraq never attacked us.
John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.
JFK didn't start the Vietnam Conflict, he joined it, in an effort to avert the very real threat of communist dominance. Iraq never attacked us.
Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year.
Whether the United States should have been in Vietnam for so long, at such a great loss, is certainly debatable but, we weren't there based on a lie. We knew why we were there, even if we didn't agree with it.
Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent, Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.
United States as part of NATO acted peacekeepers in former Yugoslavia. Iraq never attacked us.
In the two years since terrorists attacked us, President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Lybia, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people. We lost 600 soldiers, an average of 30 a year. Bush did all this abroad while not allowing another terrorist attack at home. Worst president in history? Come on!
Liberated from Saddam, imprisoned by terrorists. The fundamentalist terrorists have been unleashed since last March. IAEA inspectors were kicked out of North Korea last year. Libya's change of status has been achieved through years and years of containment and economic sanctions.Bush can not take credit for Libya.
Your math is very poor. We have lost 600 young men and women in the past year. That's an "average" (as disgusting as it is to speak of their lives in mathematical terms) of 600 per year.
The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking, but...
It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51 day operation.
Have we "taken" Iraq. You must not have watched the news since Bush declared an "end thostilitieses". And why is David Koresh always brought up in defense of Bush? Wasn't Timothy McVeigh's revenge for Waco enough for you? (I cannot convey my anguished venom in these mere words)
We've been looking for evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
No one was killed while she was looking.
It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Teddy Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.
Let's see, what was Bush doing in 1969....
June 9, 1968:
Bush's student deferment expires.
September 1968:
After basic training, Bush pulls inactive duty to act as gopher on Florida Senator Edward J. Gurney's campaign.
November 1968:
After Gurney wins, Bush is reactivated and transferred to Georgia.
November 1969:
Bush is flown to the White House by President Nixon for a date with daughter Tricia.
December 1969:
Bush transfers to Houston and moves into Chateaux Dijon complex. Laura lives there too, but they don't meet till later.
It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!!!
And they still got it wrong!
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
WASHINGTON — Political appointees in the Environmental Protection Agency bypassed the agency's professional staff and a federal advisory panel last year to craft a rule on mercury emissions preferred by the industry and the White House, several longtime EPA officials say.The administration chose a process "that would support the conclusion they wanted to reach," said John Paul, a Republican environmental regulator from Ohio who co-chaired the EPA-appointed advisory panel and who says that its 21 months of work on mercury was ignored.
They're turning on him everywhere. Yes, America is Great. You can not lie and bully your way through 4 years in the White House and find enough people with so little integrity that they will back up your lies. You've found more than we would like but, not enough.
They're turning on him everywhere. Yes, America is Great. You can not lie and bully your way through 4 years in the White House and find enough people with so little integrity that they will back up your lies. You've found more than we would like but, not enough.
“Having been here and seeing the care that these troops get is comforting for me and Laura. We are -- should and must provide the best care for anybody who is willing to put their life in harm's way.” – Bush, 1/17/03
Bush's visit came on the same day that the Administration announced it is immediately cutting off access to its health care system approximately 164,000 veterans
[W. Post, 1/17/03].
Bush's visit came on the same day that the Administration announced it is immediately cutting off access to its health care system approximately 164,000 veterans
[W. Post, 1/17/03].
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
"A Wonderful Life"
I've been reading Bob Zanga's Journal, and crying all morning.
If you have any interest or curiosity about Iraq you should visit his journal,
look at his amazing photos, and read his commentary. He gave a refreshing perspective
on the people, places and, politics of Iraq.
I've been avoiding reading about Fern Holland.
I need for people to be furious about this.
Why isn't anyone furious?
I've been reading Bob Zanga's Journal, and crying all morning.
If you have any interest or curiosity about Iraq you should visit his journal,
look at his amazing photos, and read his commentary. He gave a refreshing perspective
on the people, places and, politics of Iraq.
I've been avoiding reading about Fern Holland.
I need for people to be furious about this.
Why isn't anyone furious?
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Real Heroes
Freeway Bloggers
On any given day the average American is subjected to about 4,000 images and messages. Of these about 3,990 are generated by corporations. Not coincidentally, about 95% of them are lies. Like weblogs, freewayblogs are one of the last outlets for individuals to express themselves to the masses.
Freeway Bloggers
On any given day the average American is subjected to about 4,000 images and messages. Of these about 3,990 are generated by corporations. Not coincidentally, about 95% of them are lies. Like weblogs, freewayblogs are one of the last outlets for individuals to express themselves to the masses.
Monday, March 15, 2004
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld Make Things Up
Arizona Daily Star
CIA Director George Tenet told the Senate Armed Services Committee that on a few occasions he told administration officials that they had misconstrued intelligence data. This was data that led to the conclusion Saddam Hussein had amassed vast stores of biological and chemical weapons.
Tenet told senators: "When I believed that someone was misconstruing intelligence, I said something about it."
Tenet said he corrected Vice President Dick Cheney and President George Bush. When the president noted in his 2002 State of the Union address that Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa, Tenet said he objected. When Cheney declared that trailers discovered in Iraq were used to make biological weapons and thus proved the existence of weapons of mass destruction, Tenet said he told Cheney there was "no consensus" that it was true. Analysts at the Defense Intelligence Agency argued the trailers were used to produce hydrogen.
Evidently, Cheney and Bush didn't exactly take Tenet's message to heart. To this day, Cheney claims there is evidence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld agrees. So there seems to have been something sort of lost in translation.
Or maybe they're just making it up. That's right, hundreds of brave young Americans and thousands of Iraqis have died because of something the Bush Administration has been MAKING UP.
Just when you thought no one could top Education Secretary Rod Paige calling the teachers' union "a terrorist organization," along comes Veep Dick Cheney with this gem: "If Democratic policies had been pursued over the last two to three years, the kind of tax increases both Kerry and Edwards are talking about, we would not have had the kind of job growth that we've had."
Molly Ivins read more...
Well now, that's actually true Dickie.Since "the kind of job growth that we've had" has been job LOSS.
Molly Ivins read more...
Well now, that's actually true Dickie.Since "the kind of job growth that we've had" has been job LOSS.
Who Should Be Kerry's VP?
How much damage can a VP do? John McCain on the ticket might make it a lot easier for some to switch.
Are Democrats going to vote for Bush if it's Edwards and not Clark, or visa versa? I don't think so. I'm paraniod (who's not after the fiasco in 2000?), I want as many votes as we can get.
How much damage can a VP do? John McCain on the ticket might make it a lot easier for some to switch.
Are Democrats going to vote for Bush if it's Edwards and not Clark, or visa versa? I don't think so. I'm paraniod (who's not after the fiasco in 2000?), I want as many votes as we can get.
Does your weblog own you?
Actually, I would say that my blog owns about 4% of me and y'all's blogs own the other 8.5%. Most of the blogs I read are linked on my favorite blogs and counting the daily links to news articles and other blogs, well, there goes my free time.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
12 of the 213 Things Skippy is No Longer Allowed to Do in the U.S. Army
7. Not allowed to add 'In accordance with the prophesy' to the end of answers I give to a question an officer asks me.
11. Not allowed to join the communist party.
16. Must get a haircut even if it tampers with my 'Sampson like powers'.
17. God may not contradict any of my orders.
23. Must never ask anyone who outranks me if they've been smoking crack.
29. The Irish MPs are not after 'Me frosted lucky charms'.
33. Not allowed to chew gum at formation, unless I brought enough for everybody.
34. (Next day) Not allowed to chew gum at formation even if I *did* bring enough for everybody.
48. I may not use public masturbation as a tool to demonstrate a flaw in a command decision.
57. The proper response to a lawful order is not 'Why?'
58. The following words and phrases may not be used in a cadence- Budding sexuality, necrophilia, I hate everyone in this
formation and wish they were dead, sexual lubrication, black earth mother, all Marines are latent homosexuals, Tantric yoga, Gotterdammerung, Korean hooker, Eskimo Nell, we've all got jackboots now, slut puppy, or any references to squid.
83. Must not start any SITREP (Situation Report) with "I recently had an experience I just had to write you about...."
7. Not allowed to add 'In accordance with the prophesy' to the end of answers I give to a question an officer asks me.
11. Not allowed to join the communist party.
16. Must get a haircut even if it tampers with my 'Sampson like powers'.
17. God may not contradict any of my orders.
23. Must never ask anyone who outranks me if they've been smoking crack.
29. The Irish MPs are not after 'Me frosted lucky charms'.
33. Not allowed to chew gum at formation, unless I brought enough for everybody.
34. (Next day) Not allowed to chew gum at formation even if I *did* bring enough for everybody.
48. I may not use public masturbation as a tool to demonstrate a flaw in a command decision.
57. The proper response to a lawful order is not 'Why?'
58. The following words and phrases may not be used in a cadence- Budding sexuality, necrophilia, I hate everyone in this
formation and wish they were dead, sexual lubrication, black earth mother, all Marines are latent homosexuals, Tantric yoga, Gotterdammerung, Korean hooker, Eskimo Nell, we've all got jackboots now, slut puppy, or any references to squid.
83. Must not start any SITREP (Situation Report) with "I recently had an experience I just had to write you about...."
Saturday, March 13, 2004
I can't believe I've never seen this before. Snopes says it been around since 2000.
I enjoyed it so I'm sharing it in case y'all've never seen it either. (Is that how you spell y'all've? I can't find it at Dictionary.com)
Dear Dr. Laura,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.
a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?
i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.
I enjoyed it so I'm sharing it in case y'all've never seen it either. (Is that how you spell y'all've? I can't find it at Dictionary.com)
Dear Dr. Laura,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.
a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?
i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.
Plan A for abstinence, Plan B for better contraception and, the Bush Plan C for Coathanger.
ELLEN GOODMAN-Houston Chronicle
For one brief moment it looked like the Food and Drug Administration actually was going to weigh the evidence on an objective scale. In December, an advisory panel voted 24-3 to recommend that emergency contraception be sold over the counter and without a prescription. It looked like a done deal.
But after the FDA advisory committee agreed that it was safe to sell Plan B over the counter, there was a flurry of letters from conservative members of Congress. "The new fight,' " says a frustrated Kirsten Moore, president of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project, "is that it will lead to teenage promiscuity." The FDA has chosen to "review" this question for as long as another trimester. Do I hear the beakers of science crashing again on the administration's floor?
I think we should all pray on it. I'm going to pray that we get that rat bastard Bush out of the White House before the rich bitch wives and daughters of him and his holier than thou cronies are once again the only women in America with access to safe abortions.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Oh no! John Kerry said that President Bush's Republicans are "the most crooked ... lying group I've ever seen."
Mygod, it's almost like calling someone an asshole.
So now everyone knows that, even when he thinks no one is listening, John Kerry still tells the truth.
George Dubya, on the other hand, is apocryphal at best and, when he thinks we're listening, he just lies.
Mygod, it's almost like calling someone an asshole.
So now everyone knows that, even when he thinks no one is listening, John Kerry still tells the truth.
George Dubya, on the other hand, is apocryphal at best and, when he thinks we're listening, he just lies.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Planning a trip to Oklahoma? Looking for something to do?
How about visiting this Memorial? You can look up famous and infamous graves wherever you're going, in the US or Canada. Or just leave a note for a lost love at Find A Grave.
How about visiting this Memorial? You can look up famous and infamous graves wherever you're going, in the US or Canada. Or just leave a note for a lost love at Find A Grave.
Sunday, March 07, 2004
GOP Drops Charade and Renames Itself NRA
NYTimes
WASHINGTON, March 2 — The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a measure to shield gun manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits. The defeat came after a roller-coaster day in which Republicans abruptly withdrew their support for the bill because Democrats had tacked on amendments to renew the 10-year assault weapons ban and require background checks on customers at gun shows.
"This is a huge victory," said Richard Aborn, former president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. "Kerry has placed the gun issue on assault weapons firmly back into the presidential debate."
But Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, which has made legal immunity for gun makers and dealers one of its top legislative priorities, predicted the votes would hurt Democrats. Referring to the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Mr. LaPierre said, "I can just see Terry McAuliffe cringing in his office all day long."
The defeat of the immunity bill came after Mr. LaPierre sent e-mail messages to senators urging them to reject it. Some Senate Democrats who supported immunity were spotted reading the e-mail message on their BlackBerry pagers; within minutes, a copy of the message — in which Mr. LaPierre said his group would use the vote "in our future evaluations and endorsement of candidates" — was circulating in the Democrats' cloakroom.
"I'm a bit numb," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, the lead sponsor of the assault weapons ban, said after the final vote. Of the rifle association, she said: "They had the power to turn around at least 60 votes in the Senate. That's amazing to me."
Richard Aborn is nothing if not proof that optimism lives. If the power of the NRA over our government frightens and infuriates you, go to STOP The NRA, join the Blacklist, (get hope from seeing all the cool people that are on the list) and tell everyone you know about it.
Saturday, March 06, 2004
Bush Mislead by Lack of Intelligence
George Bush and Tony Blair , perhaps fired by a religious conviction they were battling evil, were seduced by unproven intelligence reports of Iraq's illegal weapons, former chief U.N. arms inspector Hans Blix says.
Blix, who said he came under intense U.S. pressure to accept such intelligence as fact and was vilified for refusing...
"I added that it would prove paradoxical and absurd if 250,000 troops were to invade Iraq and find very little," he wrote about their meeting on February 20, 2003.
Nearly a year after the invasion and Saddam's overthrow U.S.-led forces have not found any illegal weapons.
What a gentleman. Instead of "paradoxical and absurd" he could have used clearly criminal and arrogantly moronic.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Curtains Ordered for Media Coverage of Returning Coffins
In March, on the eve of the Iraq war, a directive arrived from the Pentagon at U.S. military bases. "There will be no arrival ceremonies for, or media coverage of, deceased military personnel returning to or departing from Ramstein [Germany] airbase or Dover [Del.] base, to include interim stops," the Defense Department said, referring to the major ports for the returning remains.
Unfortunate Anniversary
Naming the Dead You must see this. You think it's your duty to see The Passion of The Christ? It's your duty to witness what you're responsible for, what we, are responsible for.
Curtains Ordered for Media Coverage of Returning Coffins
In March, on the eve of the Iraq war, a directive arrived from the Pentagon at U.S. military bases. "There will be no arrival ceremonies for, or media coverage of, deceased military personnel returning to or departing from Ramstein [Germany] airbase or Dover [Del.] base, to include interim stops," the Defense Department said, referring to the major ports for the returning remains.
Unfortunate Anniversary
Naming the Dead You must see this. You think it's your duty to see The Passion of The Christ? It's your duty to witness what you're responsible for, what we, are responsible for.
Friday, March 05, 2004
Email from the Right
"There is a peace and a Godliness about him. It radiates from him. It
is the only reason that I was able to remain calm."
Believe it, or not, this woman is talking about Dubya. Seems he was sitting behind her at church one day, and did all kinds of Godlike stuff, like letting her have the closest spot at the communion rail. I would find this really hard to believe if I didn't know that several women (and men) felt the same way about this guy.
"All we owe people is dignity, respect and civil rights. I think the country will evolve."
Teresa Kerry--(optimistic) Quote of the Day
Teresa Kerry--(optimistic) Quote of the Day
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Wow, so it's John Kerry.
I reeeally liked Wes Clark.
But I LOVE Teresa Kerry.
"This administration is the most cynical, the most venal, the most Machiavellian administration in my 32 years in Washington."
So let's go. Let's get those arrogant (Machiavellian, cynical, venal) crybabies out of The White House.
I reeeally liked Wes Clark.
But I LOVE Teresa Kerry.
"This administration is the most cynical, the most venal, the most Machiavellian administration in my 32 years in Washington."
So let's go. Let's get those arrogant (Machiavellian, cynical, venal) crybabies out of The White House.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
I know I've mentioned this before....
but seriously, it's almost all the news you need.
And Funnies Too!
If You Only Knew How Much I Smell You
She showed up at the front door a few days ago and can't be convinced to leave. We tried being mean to her (we're not very good at it). We haven't let her into the house. I put a flyer in all the neighbors boxes, "Is this your dog? If not, would you like her to be?" If no one calls by tomorrow night........
I guess we'll have to think of a name.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)