Saturday, January 27, 2007

The Decline and Fall of Western Civ for 27 Jan.

The Decline and Fall of Western Civ.: Barbarians have Crashed the Gate
After reading: wash, rinse and repeat.

  • Question: How many U.S. troops died in Iraq last year? If you answered over 1000, you are misinformed. If you answered over 2000, you have been brainwashed by the mainstream media. The number, in fact, is more around 850. This is a far lower number than the murder rate in any major blue state city. New York City alone, for example, suffered 579 murders last year. And while New York city has a population of slightly more than 8 million, Iraq has a population of almost 27 million.

    My point here is that the lower than expected number of folks who showed up in town today to protest American bloodshed in the Iraq war would be better served by addressing issues of violent crime here at home. Heck, I'd be happy if they were doing something like protesting the over 55 thousand vehicle fatalities that happen on U.S. highways each year. We all have problems with bad drivers.

    Keep in mind, since the Democrats came to power on a platform promising withdrawal from Iraq, there have been over 230 military deaths.

    AP reports tens of thousands marched Saturday in an anti-war demonstration in Washington. Marching with them was Jane Fonda, in what she said was her first anti-war demonstration in 34 years. The rally on the Mall unfolded peacefully, although about 300 protesters tried to rush the Capitol, running up the grassy lawn to the front of the building.

    Click here for more biased coverage of the protest from The Washington Post.

  • Speaking of violent crimes in major blue state cities, latimes.com reports a smoldering body, believed to be that of a woman, was found on a quiet Playa del Rey street after residents called to report a rubbish fire.

  • Reuters reports the planned roll-out of hand geometry scanners in all New York City government agencies has sparked union cries of "geoslavery" and assertions that technology developed for security will be used to track, label and control workforces.

    The use of hand geometry and other biometric data, like facial and iris recognition, is not new -- the University of Georgia pioneered the use of hand geometry when it installed scanners in its student dining hall in 1974.

  • Citing the controversy surrounding the Dakota Fanning film Hounddog, the leader of the state Senate Republicans says he wants the government to review scripts before cameras start rolling in North Carolina, according to StarNewsOnline.com.

  • The Washington Post reports Mexico is in the grip of the worst tortilla crisis in its modern history. Dramatically rising international corn prices, spurred by demand for the grain-based fuel ethanol, have led to expensive tortillas. That, in turn, has led to lower sales for vendors and angry protests by consumers.

  • President George W. Bush's father accused the news media of "personal animosity" toward his son and said he found the criticism so unrelenting he sometimes talked back to his television set, according to Reuters.

    "It's one thing to have an adversarial ... relationship -- hard-hitting journalism -- it's another when the journalists' rhetoric goes beyond skepticism and goes over the line into overt, unrelenting hostility and personal animosity," former President George Bush said.

  • AP reports New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton blamed President Bush on Saturday for misusing authority given him by Congress to act in Iraq. Unlike colleague Sen. John Kerry, who was for the war before he was against the war, Clinton conceded "I take responsibility."

  • Finally, Republicans, newly demoted to the minority, say they are suffering abuse despite repeated Democratic promises that theirs would be a more open, democratic and inclusive rule, according to AP. What goes around comes around. It's too bad they didn't think about that BEFORE the election.

Tags: , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Combat Camera: USS Stennis Deploys

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 23, 2007) - An incoming F/A-18C descends onto the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting CQ off the coast of Southern California prior to heading west to help bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean (Jan. 23, 2007) - An incoming F/A-18C descends onto the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting CQ off the coast of Southern California prior to heading west to help bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 25, 2007) - Fire controlmen assigned to combat systems department lift a case of RAM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) to load into the RAM Battery by crane aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California prior to heading west to help bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jon Hyde (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean (Jan. 25, 2007) - Fire controlmen assigned to combat systems department lift a case of RAM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) to load into the RAM Battery by crane aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California prior to heading west to help bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jon Hyde (RELEASED)

San Diego (Jan. 20, 2007) - The Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) departs San Diego after embarking Sailors and Marines from Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9). Stennis will be conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of the global war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Lawrence J. Davis (RELEASED) San Diego (Jan. 20, 2007) - The Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) departs San Diego after embarking Sailors and Marines from Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9). Stennis will be conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of the global war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Lawrence J. Davis (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean. (Jan. 20, 2007) - Sailors stand on the flight deck of the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as it pulls out of San Diego for a scheduled deployment. Stennis will be conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of the global war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean. (Jan. 20, 2007) - Sailors stand on the flight deck of the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as it pulls out of San Diego for a scheduled deployment. Stennis will be conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of the global war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 21, 2007) - An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Pacific Ocean (Jan. 21, 2007) - An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the "Blue Diamonds" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Four Six (VFA-146) is launched from a steam-propelled catapult aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications (CQ) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd class Heidi Giacalone (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 21, 2007) - Tactical Action Officer (TAO), Lt. Josh Taylor, sits in the Combat Direction Center aboard the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), during flight operations. Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of the global war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman John Wagner (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean (Jan. 21, 2007) - Tactical Action Officer (TAO), Lt. Josh Taylor, sits in the Combat Direction Center aboard the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), during flight operations. Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to heading to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of the global war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman John Wagner (RELEASED)

Bremerton, Wash. (Jan. 16, 2007) - USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Sailors man the rails to say good-bye to their friends and families as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier pulled out of Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton for their scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric J. Rowley (RELEASED) Bremerton, Wash. (Jan. 16, 2007) - USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Sailors man the rails to say good-bye to their friends and families as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier pulled out of Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton for their scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric J. Rowley (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 22, 2007) - Fire Controlman Chief Sean Cartney signals the final count of a Close In Weapons System (CIWS) 20mm phalanx gatling gun, during a live fire exercise on the fantail of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications (CQ) off the coast of Southern California prior to steaming west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean (Jan. 22, 2007) - Fire Controlman Chief Sean Cartney signals the final count of a Close In Weapons System (CIWS) 20mm phalanx gatling gun, during a live fire exercise on the fantail of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications (CQ) off the coast of Southern California prior to steaming west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 22, 2007)- Plane captains from each squadron stand by while pilots conduct their pre-flight inspections prior to flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to transiting west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ron Reeves (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean (Jan. 22, 2007)- Plane captains from each squadron stand by while pilots conduct their pre-flight inspections prior to flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to transiting west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ron Reeves (RELEASED)

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 23, 2007) - Seaman Akilah Geddes stands watch on the fantail of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to transiting west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED) Pacific Ocean (Jan. 23, 2007) - Seaman Akilah Geddes stands watch on the fantail of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is conducting carrier qualifications with embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) off the coast of Southern California prior to transiting west to bolster security in U.S. Central Command area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd class Paul J. Perkins (RELEASED)

USS John C. Stennis Strike Group Website

More Combat Camera Images on THE TENSION

Collections from Amazon.com:
War Photography
Combat Photography
Military Periodicals

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,, , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Thursday, January 25, 2007

The Decline and Fall of Western Civ for 25 Jan.

The Decline and Fall of Western Civ.: Barbarians have Crashed the Gate
After reading: wash, rinse and repeat.

  • In Greenville South Carolina, dozens of WYFF 4 viewers reported seeing some strange blue lights in the night sky Wednesday. Reports came from areas near Paris Mountain and also from Gaffney.

    "A blue light streaked across the sky in the Gaffney area. The light ... moved from the Greenville-Spartanburg area toward Huntersville, N.C.," Terry Coyle said. "The object had a bluish green tail about two miles long."
    In Charlotte, a hovering light was seen in the sky.

    However, officials say the colorful illuminations seen Jan. 9 over western Arkansas came from special military flares that slowly parachuted to the ground as part of an Air Force training mission involving A-10 aircraft pilots at nearby Fort Chaffee, a base used for testing weaponry, according to WND.

  • Speaking of aliens and other strange sightings, Time magazine reports that a recent poll shows Hillary Clinton is the clear front-runner (over Obama) to win the Democratic party's nomination for President in 2008, but the Republican race will be a close contest between Senator John McCain and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Obviously, in the latter finding, Time was unable to poll any real Republians.

  • From the State that still won't let you pump your own gas, New Jersey lawmakers are ready to crack down on one perceived danger: talking on a cell phone while riding a bike, reports WCBS.

  • The Denver Post reports a new study indicates that most people spend more time with technology than they do with their family.

    More than 80 percent of those polled said they were more dependent on their computer than they were three years ago. We all know who we are.

  • In more news about folks with dependency issues, Ann Coulter notes girl-power feminists who got where they are by marrying men with money or power -- Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Arianna Huffington and John Kerry -- love to complain about how hard it is for a woman to be taken seriously. Coulter continues:

    But the most urgent question surrounding Hillary's candidacy is: How will the Democrats out-macho us if Hillary is their presidential nominee? Unlike their last presidential nominee, she doesn't even have any fake Purple Hearts.

    Sen. Jim Webb, who managed to give the rebuttal to President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday night without challenging the president to a fistfight (well done, Jim!), won his election last November by portraying himself as one of the new gun-totin' Democrats.

    He once opposed women in the military by calling the idea "a horny woman's dream." But -- as some of us warned you -- it appears that Webb has already been fitted for his tutu by Rahm Emanuel (news, bio, voting record).

    Webb began his rebuttal by complaining that we don't have national health care and aren't spending enough on "education" (teachers unions). In other words, he talked about national issues that only are national issues because of this country's rash experiment with women's suffrage. I guess we should all be relieved that at least Webb's response did not involve putting a young boy's penis into a man's mouth, as characters in his novels are wont to do.

    He then palavered on about the vast military experience of his entire family in order to better denounce the war in Iraq. As long as Democrats keep insisting that only warriors can discuss war, how about telling the chick to butt out?

  • Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., has scheduled a hearing next Tuesday in his Judiciary Committee subcommittee to explore whether Congress has the authority to cut off funding for the U.S. military campaign in Iraq. The move comes as Congress prepares to vote on a congressional resolution opposing President Bush's escalation of the war, according to The Politico.

    As much as I disagree with him, I have to give Feingold credit for the fact he is actually doing something about his position on the war -- unlike other Democrats who only divisively complain, but fund the war anyway to save their political hides.

  • From Bloomberg, Ford Motor Co. makes record $12.7 billion loss, but may resume paying executive bonuses to boost the morale of managers battered by three rounds of job cuts and plant closings in the past five years, people familiar with the matter said.

  • 20th Century Fox served YouTube with a subpoena Wednesday, demanding that the Google-owned viral-video site disclose the identity of a user who uploaded copies of entire recent episodes of "24" and "The Simpsons," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

  • And finally, researchers in Italy claim global warming is possibly linked to an enhanced risk of suicide. This seems plausible, given the psychological profile of liberals contemplating suicide who are already angry and depressed about everything else in their self-important lives.
Tags: , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Combat Camera: Charlie Company on Patrol

Charlie Company on Patrol; Pfc. Young is ready for the mission - and the cold weather. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007  Charlie Company on Patrol; Pfc. Young is ready for the mission -- and the cold weather. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007

Charlie Company on Patrol; The Soldiers prepare for the mission, going over all the details one last time. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007  Charlie Company on Patrol; The Soldiers prepare for the mission, going over all the details one last time. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007

Charlie Company on Patrol; The Soldiers drive their Humvees to the area they will patrol. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007  Charlie Company on Patrol; The Soldiers drive their Humvees to the area they will patrol. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007

Charlie Company on Patrol; Iraqi police provide security during the cordon and search mission. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007  Charlie Company on Patrol; Iraqi police provide security during the cordon and search mission. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007

Charlie Company on Patrol; A Soldier uses a power saw to cut the locks off the door of a building suspected of containing a weapons cache. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007Charlie Company on Patrol; A Soldier uses a power saw to cut the locks off the door of a building suspected of containing a weapons cache. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007

Charlie Company on Patrol; Success! The Soldiers discover a sizeable weapons cache, which includes artillery rounds. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007 Charlie Company on Patrol; Success! The Soldiers discover a sizeable weapons cache, which includes artillery rounds. Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas January 24, 2007

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Santillana listens to a mission brief inside an M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq, Jan. 23, 2007. Santillana is assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Cavalry Division, 12th Infantry Regiment. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall, U.S. Air Force. (Released) U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Santillana listens to a mission brief inside an M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq, Jan. 23, 2007. Santillana is assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Cavalry Division, 12th Infantry Regiment. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

A U.S. Army soldier from the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment relays information to other members of his unit through his radio during an operation to neutralize insurgents in Balad, Iraq, on Jan. 7, 2007. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. DeNoris A. Mickle, U.S. Air Force. (Released) A U.S. Army soldier from the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment relays information to other members of his unit through his radio during an operation to neutralize insurgents in Balad, Iraq, on Jan. 7, 2007. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. DeNoris A. Mickle, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

Lt. Col. Tariq, right, executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jay George, center, inspect a building in Baqubah, Iraq, Jan. 22, 2007, after Iraqi soldiers recaptured it from insurgents. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall, U.S. Air Force. (Released) Lt. Col. Tariq, right, executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jay George, center, inspect a building in Baqubah, Iraq, Jan. 22, 2007, after Iraqi soldiers recaptured it from insurgents. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 10th Mountain Division and a U.S. Air Force Airman from Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell carry unexploded ordnance to a staging area in Afghanistan Jan. 17, 2007, for destruction. The ordnance was discovered in a weapons cache in the nearby village of Mandikowl. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Michael L. Casteel, U.S. Army. (Released) U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 10th Mountain Division and a U.S. Air Force Airman from Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell carry unexploded ordnance to a staging area in Afghanistan Jan. 17, 2007, for destruction. The ordnance was discovered in a weapons cache in the nearby village of Mandikowl. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Michael L. Casteel, U.S. Army. (Released)

U.S. Army Sgt. Lavan Dawson cuts zip ties from a detainee's hands while releasing him at a bus terminal in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2007. Dawson is a military policeman with the 57th Military Police Company. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Sean A. Foley, U.S. Army. (Released) U.S. Army Sgt. Lavan Dawson cuts zip ties from a detainee's hands while releasing him at a bus terminal in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2007. Dawson is a military policeman with the 57th Military Police Company. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Sean A. Foley, U.S. Army. (Released)

COMBAT CAMERA More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Labels: , ,

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The Decline and Fall of Western Civ for 24 Jan.

 The Decline and Fall of Western Civ.: Barbarians have Crashed the Gate
A croc(odile) of tears.

After reading: wash, rinse and repeat.

  • ABC News reports, in an emotional speech on the Senate floor, John Kerry, the losing 2004 presidential candidate, on Wednesday said he would not seek the Democratic nomination in 2008 but would instead remain in the Senate to fight George W. Bush's "misguided" war in Iraq.

    According to Kerry associates, reports The Boston Globe, the senator's plans changed dramatically in the fallout of his election-eve "botched joke" about the education levels of US troops. The harsh reaction to that incident -- from many Democrats as well as Republicans -- displayed to Kerry the extreme skepticism within his own party about whether he should mount another run.
Kerry Joke
He was for the joke before he was against it.
  • The Hotline dabbles in a rather foolish exercise about some conflict between Barack Obama and Fox News after they broadcast a story credited to Insight Magazine that said Hillary's team had questions about Obama's Muslim background. The Hotline, liberals, Democrats, random bloggers -- blatherers all -- simply miss the basic point of the story the folks at Fox repeated: the Clinton hit-machine is in gear and selecting targets. Kudos to Hill and camp for a well executed two-fer ploy by making conservatives take the heat for the `Bama hit.

  • Speaking of Hill and `Bama, ABC News reports Hillary's Hollywood friends have switched sides; movie producers Spielberg and Geffen have invited hundreds of stars to their big Obama fundraiser.

  • Reuters reports a leading restaurant association has called for the cancellation of a TV commercial featuring Britney Spears' estranged husband, Kevin Federline, as a failed rap star working in a fast-food eatery.

  • The following story is really not news by now but stands repeating to illustrate the important things in U.S. politics. B&C notes what was worth commenting on in the State of the Union Address was the contrast in blinks per minute between Pelosi and Cheney. While Pelosi clocked a good 25-30 blinks per minute, Cheney barely mustered 3 or 4.

  • USA Today reports a novel in which the entire narrative consists of mobile phone text messages was published Wednesday in Finland, home of the world's top handset maker Nokia Corp. LOL dweebs.

  • A man from Wollongong south of Sydney, who has been offering his life for sale on Internet auction site eBay, says he will accept an English offer of 7,500 pounds ($A18,751) if the bid is genuine, reports ABC News Online.

  • Last and truly least, ROO TV presents News for Blondes.
Tags: , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 by Dinesh D'Souza

BOOKS IN THE NEWS

CLICK HEREThe Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 by Dinesh D'Souza
The author contends that the cultural left is responsible for 9/11 in two ways: by fostering a decadent and depraved American culture that angers and repulses other societies—especially traditional and religious ones— and by promoting, at home and abroad, an anti-American attitude that blames America for all the problems of the world.

(From the Publisher/author) -- “In this book I make a claim that will seem startling at the outset. The cultural left in this country is responsible for causing 9/11. … In faulting the cultural left, I am not making the absurd accusation that this group blew up the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I am saying that the cultural left and its allies in Congress, the media, Hollywood, the nonprofit sector, and the universities are the primary cause of the volcano of anger toward America that is erupting from the Islamic world. The Muslims who carried out the 9/11 attacks were the product of this visceral rage—some of it based on legitimate concerns, some of it based on wrongful prejudice, but all of it fueled and encouraged by the cultural left. Thus without the cultural left, 9/11 would not have happened."

“I realize that this is a strong charge, one that no one has made before. But it is a neglected aspect of the 9/11 debate, and it is critical to understanding the current controversy over the ‘war against terrorism.’ … I intend to show that the left has actively fostered the intense hatred of America that has led to numerous attacks such as 9/11. If I am right, then no war against terrorism can be effectively fought using the left-wing premises that are now accepted doctrine among mainstream liberals and Democrats.”

Whenever Muslims charge that the war on terror is really a war against Islam, Americans hasten to assure them they are wrong. Yet as Dinesh D’Souza argues in this powerful and timely polemic, there really is a war against Islam. Only this war is not being waged by Christian conservatives bent on a moral crusade to impose democracy abroad but by the American cultural left, which for years has been vigorously exporting its domestic war against religion and traditional morality to the rest of the world.

Islamic anti-Americanism is not merely a reaction to U.S. foreign policy but is also rooted in a revulsion against what Muslims perceive to be the atheism and moral depravity of American popular culture. Muslims and other traditional people around the world allege that secular American values are being imposed on their societies and that these values undermine religious belief, weaken the traditional family, and corrupt the innocence of children. But it is not “America” that is doing this to them, it is the American cultural left. What traditional societies consider repulsive and immoral, the cultural left considers progressive and liberating.

Taking issue with those on the right who speak of a “clash of civilizations,” D’Souza argues that the war on terror is really a war for the hearts and minds of traditional Muslims—and traditional peoples everywhere. The only way to win the struggle with radical Islam is to convince traditional Muslims that America is on their side.

We are accustomed to thinking of the war on terror and the culture war as two distinct and separate struggles. D’Souza shows that they are really one and the same. Conservatives must recognize that the left is now allied with the Islamic radicals in a combined effort to defeat Bush’s war on terror. A whole new strategy is therefore needed to fight both wars. “In order to defeat the Islamic radicals abroad,” D’Souza writes, “we must defeat the enemy at home.”

About the Author
DINESH D’SOUZA, the Rishwain Research Scholar at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, is the author of several bestselling books, including Illiberal Education, The Virtue of Prosperity, and What's So Great About America. He lives in Washington, D.C, and San Diego, California.

Also see:

Pelosi's crew and Osama bin Laden share common goal
SFGate.com

How the left led us into 9/11
The Clinton and Carter administrations made the U.S. look like a weak, attractive target for terrorists.

latimes.com

Buy now from Amazon.com:
The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 by Dinesh D'Souza

10% off Amazon Prices at Buy.com:
The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 by Dinesh D'Souza

Tags: , , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

What Did Sandy Berger Hide From the 9/11 Commission?

Sandy the burglar
He agreed to a polygraph test before the Justice Department decided not to give one.

Ol' "Docs in his Sox" Berger is back in the news:

All things being equal, why does the Justice Department's case against Scooter Libby deserve more attention than their case against Berger? Perhaps it is easier for Hillary to run for president on Bill Clinton's legacy if that legacy remains untarnished by the truth.

  • The Washington Times reports eighteen House Republicans have urged the Justice Department to proceed with a polygraph test for Samuel R. Berger, the former national security adviser who agreed to take the test as part of a plea of guilty of stealing documents from the National Archives.
    "This may be the only way for anyone to know whether Mr. Berger denied the 9/11 commission and the public the complete account of the Clinton administration's actions or inactions during the lead-up to the terrorist attacks on the United States," the congressmen said in their letter to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.
    Berger agreed to a polygraph examination as part of a plea deal, but Justice never administered the test, according to two Justice officials closely connected to the case -- John Dion, chief of the counterespionage section, and Bruce Swartz, deputy assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division.

  • The Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Tom Davis (R-VA) released a formal statement a few days ago on a committee report that sheds important new light on Sandy Berger’s theft of classified documents from the National Archives. The report makes it clear that the full extent of Mr. Berger’s document removal can never be known, and consequently the Department of Justice could not assure the 9/11 Commission that it received all responsive documents to which Mr. Berger had access.

    “The 9/11 Commission relied on incomplete and misleading information regarding its access to documents Mr. Berger reviewed. No one ever told the Commission that Mr. Berger had access to original documents that he could have taken without detection."
Also see:

Staff Report- Sandy Berger's Theft of Classified Documents: Unanswered Questions (PDF)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Open Thread
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Combat Camera: Defend America for 24 Jan. 2007

Freezing rain encased the upper half of an SR-71 Blackbird and formed icicles along the leading and trailing edge of the static display aircraft Jan. 16 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)Freezing rain encased the upper half of an SR-71 Blackbird and formed icicles along the leading and trailing edge of the static display aircraft Jan. 16 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)

The lives of Tech. Sgt. Timothy Weiner, Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki and Senior Airman Daniel Miller were honored Jan. 12 during a memorial ceremony at Sather Air Base, Iraq for the explosive ordnance disposal technicians killed in the line of duty Jan. 7. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Scott McNabb)The lives of Tech. Sgt. Timothy Weiner, Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki and Senior Airman Daniel Miller were honored Jan. 12 during a memorial ceremony at Sather Air Base, Iraq for the explosive ordnance disposal technicians killed in the line of duty Jan. 7. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Scott McNabb)

A B-1 Lancer taxies Jan. 17 on the flightline at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Operations continued at the base, despite a winter freeze that affected much of the state. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Araceli Alarcon)A B-1 Lancer taxies Jan. 17 on the flightline at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Operations continued at the base, despite a winter freeze that affected much of the state. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Araceli Alarcon)

F-16 Fighting Falcons from the North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Fighter Wing get refueled by a 319th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker Jan. 16 over North Dakota. (U.S. Air Force photo/David H. Lipp)F-16 Fighting Falcons from the North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Fighter Wing get refueled by a 319th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker Jan. 16 over North Dakota. (U.S. Air Force photo/David H. Lipp)

An HH-60 Pave Hawk based out of Moody Air Force Base, Ga., hovers over a target area Jan. 9 as elements of the Army special forces along with members of the 38th Rescue Squadron drop into the water for survival and extraction training. (U.S Air Force photo/Senior Airman Javier Cruz Jr.)An HH-60 Pave Hawk based out of Moody Air Force Base, Ga., hovers over a target area Jan. 9 as elements of the Army special forces along with members of the 38th Rescue Squadron drop into the water for survival and extraction training. (U.S Air Force photo/Senior Airman Javier Cruz Jr.)

NOTE: Click image for high-res.

More Combat Camera Images on THE TENSION

Collections from Amazon.com:
War Photography
Combat Photography
Military Periodicals

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Army Sergeant Honored at State of the Union Address

Soldier Honored at State of the Union Address
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2007 (AFPS) -- An Army sergeant who was awarded the Silver Star for his valiant actions in Iraq was honored by President Bush at the annual State of the Union Address here tonight.

Sgt. Tommy Rieman, who is now an administrative assistant for the Army personnel office in the Pentagon, served with a reconnaissance squad in Iraq in 2003. When his team came under heavy insurgent fire near the Abu Ghraib prison Dec. 3, Rieman used his own body as a shield to protect his gunner, suffering two bullet wounds and 11 shrapnel wounds. He then led his team off the road, responded to a second insurgent attack, and called in a medical evacuation for his injured comrades. Read it.

Also see:

Pentagon Soldier Honored as Action Figure, Video Character

President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address

America’s Army: Real Heroes

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz

BOOKS IN THE NEWS

CLICK HEREWords That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz
(From the Publisher) -- In Words That Work, Luntz offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the tactical use of words and phrases affects what we buy, who we vote for, and even what we believe in. With chapters like "The Ten Rules of Successful Communication" and "The 21 Words and Phrases for the 21st Century," he examines how choosing the right words is essential.

About the Author
Dr. Frank Luntz is one of the most respected communication professionals in America. With his firm, Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research, he has conducted more than 1,500 surveys and focus groups for corporate, public affairs, and political clients in twenty countries. Luntz lives in McLean, Virginia.

Nobody is in a better position to explain than Frank Luntz: He has used his knowledge of words to help more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies grow. He’ll tell us why Rupert Murdoch’s six-billion-dollar decision to buy DirectTV was smart because satellite was more cutting edge than "digital cable," and why pharmaceutical companies transitioned their message from "treatment" to "prevention" and "wellness."

If you ever wanted to learn how to talk your way out of a traffic ticket or talk your way into a raise, this book’s for you.

Buy now from Amazon.com:
Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz

10% off Amazon Prices at Buy.com:
Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz

Tags: , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Monday, January 22, 2007

Docs Seized in Iraq Reveal Plans for Terror Attack in U.S.

Details Emerge About Possible Terror Threat
Suspects, Reportedly Tied to Al Qaeda in Iraq, Sought Student Visas
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2007 (ABC News) -- Mimicking the hijackers who executed the Sept. 11 attacks, insurgents reportedly tied to al Qaeda in Iraq considered using student visas to slip terrorists into the United States to orchestrate a new attack on American soil. Read it.

Sources tell ABC News that the plot may have involved moving between 10 and 20 suspects believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq into the United States with student visas — the same method used by the 19 al Qaeda terrorists who struck American targets on Sept. 11.
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Open Thread: Winter's First Snow in DC

A tour guide points out features of the Korean War Memorial to a group of South Korean tourists on the Washington Mall, January 21, 2007, as the first snowfall of the winter 2007 season hits Washington. The nation's capital was dusted with just 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) of snow in what has been a mild east coast winter so far.A tour guide points out features of the Korean War Memorial to a group of South Korean tourists on the Washington Mall, January 21, 2007, as the first snowfall of the winter 2007 season hits Washington. The nation's capital was dusted with just 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) of snow in what has been a mild east coast winter so far.

Visitors to the Washington Mall walk around the frozen Reflecting Pool, seen from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, as the first snow of the 2007 winter season hits Washington January 21, 2007.Visitors to the Washington Mall walk around the frozen Reflecting Pool, seen from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, as the first snow of the 2007 winter season hits Washington January 21, 2007.

A boy slides alongside the frozen reflecting pool of the Washington Mall, January 21, 2007, as the first snowfall of the winter 2007 season hits Washington. A boy slides alongside the frozen reflecting pool of the Washington Mall, January 21, 2007, as the first snowfall of the winter 2007 season hits Washington.

Pedestrians walk along the snow-covered Mall on 21 January during the first snowfall in Washington, DC.Pedestrians walk along the snow-covered Mall on 21 January during the first snowfall in Washington, DC.

Have Scientists Oversold Global Warming?
The proponents of climate change underplay the science of prediction.

Read it: Climate scientists feeling the heat
As public debate deals in absolutes, some experts fear predictions 'have created a monster.'

Tags: , , , , Open Thread
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE
AddThis Social Bookmark Button