Tancredo announces for Colorado Governor

The Denver Post continues its efforts to ridicule the gubernatorial candidacy of Tom Tancredo. Tom announced his candidacy officially Thursday. The headline, accompanied by a closeup photo of Tancredo's hat, was His hat's in the ring. You see, Tancredo wore a U.S. Border Patrol hat.

The Post's second page columnist continued his sarcastic belittlement of Tancredo. Instead of just Xeroxing copies of his previous columns, which have been relentlessly ridiculing Tancredo, the columnist found some new points of ridicule: Tancredo's clothing! Standing outside in 90 degree weather to announce his candidacy, Tancredo wore a blue shirt (not tucked in) and khakis, along with "leather driving moccasins" on his feet. The columnist, Mike Litwin, described the shirt as "one of those Florida/Cuban shirts that don't tuck in." Littwin described Tancredo as looking like "he was headed for the 5 o'clock special at the Country Buffet." The Country Buffet is a local restaurant chain very popular with middle class people of all ethnic groups, the very people who are going to vote for Tancredo this fall.

I have served as a delegate to the Jefferson County and Colorado Republican conventions, and I have seen the love the people have for Tancredo. No one is greeted more warmly than he at those gatherings.

The Post sent their best reporter, Karen Crummy, to cover the announcement. She correctly notes right away in the first two paragraphs that Tancredo seemed to have an agenda that was exactly the same as the GOP agenda, even though he is running as the candidate of the American Conservative Party. That is because Tancredo helped write the platform of GOP candidate Scott McCinnis, who is still running, but who has been damaged by revelations that he is a plagiarist. "Opposition to new taxes, support for education reform, and a business-friendly atmosphere, along with his signature issue of stopping illegal immigration" are what Tancredo stands for, writes Crummy.

Littwin, though, wonders if Tancredo is really serious about staying in the race, or if he is just trying to get the two GOP candidates to drop out and be replaced by a candidate who has a better chance of winning.

And crown thy good with brotherhood

A rousing tribute to our military and our country by Gene Simmons

I never thought I would agree with Al Franken...

I never thought I would agree with Al Franken on anything pertaining to life on planet earth until I stumbled upon a 3 minute segment of a speech he gave recently concerning his concern of free speech, the internet, and how a potentially big set of mergers coming could leave the power of information distribution in this country in relatively few hands. Well worth the view.

"Stop talkin about it!"

I borrowed this from Joan of Arggh at Primordial Slack.

Known best by your enemies?

Peter Boyles is the host of the morning show on KHOW radio. He is an unabashed supporter of Tom Tancredo. Boyles asks us to consider the old saying that the best thing you can know about a man is who are the man's enemies. Tom Tancredo has a long list of enemies, and none of them are people I admire or respect. So, count me as one who will be happy if Tancredo gets in the race, and who will listen to what the man has to say.

Hickenlooper rides the Denver Post train

A few days ago the Denver Post had a big photo prominently displayed of its publisher, Dean Singleton, along with his adult son, the Post CEO, and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. They were all aboard the Post train to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the annual Frontier Days rodeo. I tried unsuccessfully to find that photo on-line. I thought it would be a perfect analogy of this year's race for Colorado governor. My headline would be Hickenlooper rides Denver Post train to victory.

The Denver Post does not like Tom Tancredo. They have been working their page two political columnist overtime (seemingly a column every day now) sarcastically trying to belittle Tancredo and make him look like a fool or a villain or anything else that will stick.

Meanwhile, Hickenlooper rides in the private car with the Post publisher and executives, hoping that will be the surest way to get to the state capitol, and also hoping to avoid any questions. It is not going to work. We the people are a bit stirred up. We ain't buying the bull anymore (to use a good rodeo term).

The press uses its power in subtle and not-so-subtle ways

Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo has announced his candidacy for Governor of Colorado.

Today the Denver Post used a banner headline on their front page to say Tancredo thwarts GOP. That headline is designed purposely to capture the attention of the voter who is not a news junkie like us bloggers, but still votes Republican all or most of the time. That person is going to read that headline and immediately get upset at Tom Tancredo. My wife, who fits the non-news-junkie portrayal I just laid out above, read the headline and got upset at Tancredo and in a loud voice yelled out, "Why is he doing this?"

Presto! The Post accomplshed exactly what it wanted to accomplish with the banner headline: cause Republican voters to be angry at Tom Tancredo! But just to be sure, the Post went on to develop another story with this headline: Tancredo's new party way out in right field. The new party is the American Constitution Party. A spokesperson for the ACP said that all of his party's beliefs are founded in the Constitution, and "indeed, each plank is proceeded by excerpts from it or other documents drafted by the Founding Fathers."

The man the Post wants to be the next governor, Democrat John Hickenlooper, will now be directly challenged by the fearless Tancredo. Tancredo will expose Hickenlooper as providing illegal immigrants with a sanctuary city to come to. The media will do its best to protect Hickenlooper by slanting headlines and stories.

God's Love or Our Anger? - Francis Frangipane

It's hard to remember a time when people were more angry. A civilized person ought to be, first of all, civil. Yet today there is no discourse, no respect for another's opinion, no reasoning together for the common good. I am concerned, especially for the church.

One may argue: "Our society is decaying. We should be mad." Yes, but we can be angry yet still not sin (Eph 4:26).

Our souls should be vexed at the darkening cloud of demonic infestation in our culture. Especially when children are caused to stumble, or the weak are exploited, or because the advance of evil ultimately means more people will die without Christ.

So, if we are angry, it does not necessarily mean we have sinned. It can simply mean we care.

My concern is, however, that unless this anger regenerates into something more redemptive—more Christlike—we will not see our world renewed. Indeed, anger that does not awaken in us redemptive action ultimately degrades into bitterness and unbelief.

Hell advances into our world on many levels, but I want to discuss only two primary areas.

The first is a brazen, widespread and alarming manifestation. For example, a corrupt law is passed or gang violence breaks out or a beloved public figure is scandalized. It makes the news, and people are talking about it. The shock waves caused by this demonic intrusion smash against our hearts—we're disappointed, offended, stunned and often outraged.

While we're in this state of mind, hell launches the second area of attack. No newscast features this next stage of warfare. On this front, the devil does not come flaunting himself openly. He comes quietly. In seething whispers he stirs the pot of our discontent until it boils. Ultimately, where once the heart of the Christian was full of faith and love, now bitterness, hatred and malice churn.

So, though we must fight the culture wars of our times, we must also preserve our capacity to love if we want to actually win our war. We must remember we are not fighting "against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Eph. 6:12, KJV).

Sadly, I have heard many people say recently that they've lost their vision for America. What they actually lost wasn't their vision. It was their love. For love believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things (1 Cor. 13:7).

Here is how I look at this:

I believe that if the Almighty's highest plan was to end evil on Earth, He could do so in a flash. Why does He wait? He desires to bring believers to Christlike maturity.

In a moment evil would be gone, as it was with Sodom and Gomorrah. But we must never forget: Jesus did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.

What God waits for is us. Our Christlike perfection is the harvest the Father is waiting on. He desires to bring many sons and daughters to glory, and this world, with all its evil, is the perfect setting for bringing us to Christlike maturity. Here, we have real enemies God can use to perfect our love. In this environment, we have actual foes whose persecution helps to perfect our prayer.

Yes, we should be angry about what's wrong, but we must be Christlike in making things right. We cannot just be political; we must be spiritual, like people from another realm.

Rightly there are times when we must defend the helpless among us. But concerning ourselves, let us consider again what Jesus commanded:

"But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:39-45, NASB).

You see, God desires mature sons and daughters who, while fighting for their world, open the door of love into His world.

To see our nation transformed, we ourselves must be transformed. Otherwise, we will risk becoming Christian hypocrites: angry that the world is not Christian but untroubled that we are not Christlike.

About the author: Francis Frangipane is the founder of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has traveled throughout the world ministering to thousands of pastors and intercessors from many backgrounds. Francis' heartfelt prayer is to see Christlike pastors and intercessors established in every city, united before God, revealing the love of Christ to their communities. In June 2009, he retired from his position as senior pastor of River of Life Ministries and is devoting himself to prayer and the ministry of God's Word. For more about Francis and his ministry, go to www.frangipane.org.

Read more: http://charismamag.com/index.php/prophetic-insight/28929-gods-love-or-our-anger-#readmore#ixzz0utyQyur4


This is a good article I thought I would share. It is a clear reminder that our hope is in the Lord, and not men, and that no one who is just a flesh and blood human is really the enemy. We have a clear mandate from God to love others and be at peace with them as far as it is possible. Political discourse should be civil and rooted in passion, belief, concern and respect. Keep fighting the good fight. - Cliff

A former hacker creates world-wide front page news today

What does Wikipedia have to tell us about the founder of Wikileaks, the organization that has just leaked thousands of secret military documents about the war in Afghanistan? The founder's name is Julian Assange. "Assange was born in Townsville, Queensland in 1971.[2] Assange has said that his parents ran a touring theatre company, and that he was enrolled in 37 schools and six universities in Australia over the course of his early life.[3] During his childhood years, he lived on the run with mother and half-brother. They were avoiding his half-brother's father who was believed to belong to a cult led by Anne Hamilton-Byrne.[2]" Wikipedia also tells us that Assange pled guilty to 24 counts of hacking in Australia.

37 schools? Now that is moving around!

How is your day going?

Oregon: Edge of Financial Chasm

Oregon, another of our wonderful left leaning states is facing a financial chasm with it's promised spending and benfits set to rise 4 billion dollars in the next 2 years and best case scenario of an increase of 2 billion dollars in revenues. This is a wonderfully insightful one page article by Mish, a deflationist, who argues that with states across the country getting smaller and smaller revenues from taxes, are being face with making Draconian cuts to state payrolls and services in order to live within their means.

Our national and state economies face the same 4 problems.
1. Our economy is shrinking.
2. We have more people in need.
3. We've locked up a lot of money.
4. We can't grow our way out.


This is another example of what economists are calling "the new normal".

Saying one thing; doing another

Another example of the White House saying one thing and doing another?

Rationing Health Care

In order to avoid Congressional questioning, Obama recently made a recess appointment of Donald Berwick to head up the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Berwick is a fan of Britain's National Health Service. The NHS is said by this newspaper account to be drawing up secret plans to save money by rationing care even further than they already have done.

Grandpa and Grandma in Britain will just have to live with those cataracts. We here in America better pay attention, and elect people who will pledge to repeal Obamacare!

A Post-American Presidency?

Remember who we are!

Glenn Beck is organizing a rally at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28. If you have heard his radio program, you know that he always starts every hour with the song about remembering who we are; that we the people will be the key.

Did you hear the news about the possibility that Glenn may be losing his eyesight? Please pray for him.

Which is the greater temptation: "over-repentance" or self-deception?

Ted Haggard tells Wall Street Journal reporter Stephanie Simon that he "over-repented." The article in today's WSJ tells how Haggard has built a new congregation of nearly 200 people, who are no longer meeting in his barn on Sundays, but are renting space at a Colorado Springs community center. Haggard says he now "cusses," and people freely confide in him with stories of their own troubles, something which Haggard says never happened when he was pastor of the New Life megachurch there. I can understand that last point. I agree with Mark Twain, who said something to the effect that there is nothing more insufferable than a Christian holding four aces.

Haggard says he founded the new church as an act of "humble repentance," and if it would have been out of arrogance, he would have gone to Iowa and gotten a job in a farm bureau coop somewhere, changed his name, and never be heard from again. Huh?

Charisma over Character

This last weekend I sat in front of a group of folks and asked them about the election back in 2008. I mentioned how similar the Obama campaign seemed like revival meetings in the religious realm, complete with spontaneous outbursts and shouts and people fainting with excitement. I mentioned the regular themes that brought about such enthusiasm: "Hope", "change", "it's about time", "we're the ones we've been waiting for","Yes we can', and like themes which, I thought seemed very much like the themes of revival meetings and renewal group prayer campaign slogans.
In fact, it was really the far book end of the social gospel era. Mr. Obama's rhetorical ability aside, gifted as he was, there was the reality of what we really chose, which was charisma over character. We as a people for the last forty years or so have slowly gravitated toward looking competent instead of actually being competent. Our postmodern drive to be continually entertained has driven us to a desert of leaderless wandering, where we prefer style over substance, and are impatient with the process that would bring out character, hastily choosing glitz and glam, hype and spin, all the while knowing that this is the way of destruction. Thankfully, at least for now, we get a new chance to reverse this terrible error of judgement every couple of years.
The Bible, history and literature are full of stories of people who get the leadership they deserve and then repent of the decision and cry out for more "change we can believe in." When will we once again look to character instead of charisma? Soon, I hope.

The "ruling class" versus the "country class"

We are all trying to figure out how to get our country back on track again. Rush Limbaugh has evolved some interesting theories about "the ruling class," which includes leaders of both political parties, and the "country class," which is all the rest of us. He notes, for example, that Trent Lott, who was pushed out of his Republican leadership position by relentless Democrat and media opposition, has been well-taken-care-of in his new position as a lobbyist in Washington. Lott, typical of the GOP leaders of recent years, has expressed far more concern about the Tea Party activists possibly sending conservatives to Congress in November, than he ever expressed about far-left Democrats.

Rush reminds us of the horror elitist "country club Republicans" expressed about the rise of Ronald Reagan, but there was nothing they could do about it, because Reagan just kept winning election after election, as governor, then as president. You see, in America, we the people really do have the power in the final analysis, because that is the way our founders set things up.

Russian Pentecostal Pastor Shot Outside Church

The pastor of the largest Pentecostal church in Russia's predominantly Muslim region of Dagestan died Friday after being shot in the head outside his church.

Artur Suleimanov, 49, himself a convert from Islam, was shot late Thursday by a gunman as the pastor got into a car outside Hosanna House of Prayer in the capital, Makhachkala, according to the religious liberty ministry Barnabas Fund.

The group said Suleimanov died from his wounds in the hospital around an hour later. No one else was injured in the attack. Police have not arrested a suspect in the shooting.

Many see the attack as an attempt to intimidate converts from Islam. "Pastor Suleimanov was a wonderful Christian brother and his shocking death is a devastating loss for the Dagestan church," said a Barnabas Fund leader who worked closely with the church. "He and the Hosanna House of Prayer church were very active in ministry and outreach in particular. We see his murder as an attempt to put further pressure on Christian converts in Dagestan."

Dagestan, which is more than 90 percent Muslim, is plagued by insurgent violence often inspired by Muslim separatists in neighboring Chechenya, BosNewsLife reported. Christians there face regular harassment, and Suleimanov was no exception.

Earlier this year, Dagestan authorities abruptly cancelled a five-year agreement with Hosanna House of Prayer that allowed the church to visit prisoners, Forum 18 reported last month. Three other Pentecostal pastors told the persecution watchdog that public attitudes were infringing on their religious freedom, even preventing some members from attending worship services.

Suleimanov is survived by his wife, Zina, and five children, the youngest of whom is 12 years old. Barnabas Fund asked supporters to pray for their safety, that those behind the attack would be apprehended and that Christians in the region would not be intimidated by the violence
(via Charisma News Online)



Just a reminder that not everyone enjoys the freedom of faith and religion with liberty that we do, and that we need to pray for those who are persecuted around the world and stand firm for our own religious freedom here at home.

"Age of the Zipped Lip"

Paul Berman has written a book entitled "Flight of the Intellectuals." Berman says we are living in the "Age of the Zipped Lip," when it comes to acknowledging that Islamism is a modern, instead of ancient movement "which arose in a spirit of fraternal harmony with the fascists of Europe in the 1930s and 40s." The book is based upon genocidal quotations of Islamist leaders from the thirties to present day. Certainly not the politically correct line being emphasized by Obama, academicians, and accepted by the dominant liberal mass media establishment elites.

Some good battles!

I don't usually focus much on state issues, but Colorado's governor and U.S. senator races this year are really heating up. My fellow blogger at Kingdom Triangle, Cliff Stewart, recently skewered the GOP in this blog post. Yet, is there any better vehicle available than the GOP to achieve the economic, libertarian and social goals embraced by people in the conservative coaliton nationally and here in Colorado?

Ross Perot gave us Bill Clinton. Who will Tom Tancredo give us? He has issued a challenge to the two flawed Republican candidates running against Democrat John Hickenlooper for governor: since neither of you can defeat Mayor Hickenlooper, please announce by noon on Monday, that after the primary next month, if poll results indicate that you will lose, you will drop out of the race and let the GOP appoint a strong candidate who can win in November. He said that if they do not accept his challenge, then he will personally enter the race Monday afternoon.

Politically astute radio personality Craig Silverman speculated that Tom will function as a kingmaker, and that after the August primary some highly respected member of the GOP, such as former Senator Hank Brown or former Congressman Bill Armstrong or former Governor Bill Owens will step forward to save the day for the GOP in the governor's race.

As I have written previously, this year the most noteworthy GOP candidates nationally are women. Sarah Palin has raised huge amounts of money for herself and other GOP candidates. Sharron Angle may topple Harry Reid in Nevada. Congresswoman Michelle Bachman of Minnesota is always right out front on every major issue that comes up on the national scene.

Here in Colorado one of the senate candidates is a woman, Jane Norton. Smooth and attractive, she has a lot of experience in high-level positions in Colorado. Her opponent is the District Attorney in the geographically largest county in Colorado, rural Weld County. His name is Ken Buck. Buck has a good record fighting against illegal immigration. The largest city in Weld County is Greeley, which has mysteriously drawn L.A. gangstas bringing to Colorado illegal guns and drugs imported from Mexico.

Colorado's GOP chairman, Dick Wadhams, challenged Tancredo to go head-to-head with him on the Caplis-Silverman radio talk show. Tancredo did not accept the invitation. Instead, he was on Fox News today talking about impeaching Barack Obama. Wadhams said the gubernatorial race should not be about Barack Obama, but about the record of the current Colorado Governor, Democrat Bill Ritter. Wadhams also wants candidates who will draw distinctions between themselves and the record of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

By talking about impeaching Obama, Tancredo can get lots of national media attention, and bring in huge amounts of money from conservatives across America who financed his run for the presidency in 2008. He also advocates legalizing marijuana, which is an issue that will subtract from liberal Hickenlooper's voter base.

Stay tuned!

They Still Love Me!

"Welfare agencies boost new voters"

Rush Limbaugh referenced this article in USA Today, which shows how welfare agencies across the country sign up voters. I saw this first-hand when I used to take our foster children into the welfare agencies for visits with their biological parents or grandparents. Denver had a large table staffed by two ACORN workers, agressively inviting welfare recipients to register to vote. As the article points out, these are the voters most likely to approve of Obama and the Democrats.

Andrew Breitbart on Sherrod Controversy

ABC news attempts to marginalize Andrew Breitbart as a radical right wing exploiter. OK, he is. Even then, Breitbart gets a good showing.  He is a fascinating figure in the world of new media. But he took one on the chin this week as he released only a snippet that was seemingly controversial, but turned out to be incomplete. That's why "the rest of the story" is important.

Analyst: Apple Earnings Will Surpass Microsoft

You may want to mark today as a turning point in the long-running rivalry between Apple and Microsoft. The Cupertino, Calif. company will likely emerge from Microsoft’s shadow, earning more revenue this quarter than the software giant, according to an independent analyst.


“It’s likely that Apple will have surpassed Microsoft in revenue for the first time in the company’s recent history – and that it will continue to do so in the future,” Andy Zaky writes at AppleInsider. Tuesday, Apple announced $15.7 billion in quarterly revenue. Microsoft is expected today to announce $15.26 billion in revenue, according to Zaky.


That gap will widen when the two companies announce earnings for the upcoming September financial quarter. Apple is expected to announce $18 billion in revenue while Microsoft should report $15.16 billion, he added.


Apple should remain in the lead for revenue for the full 2010 and 2011 financial years. Zaky expects Apple will earn $81.6 billion in 2011 – $11 billion ahead of Microsoft’s expected $70 billion in revenue.
(from: cultofmac.com)


This is a good day for all of us diehard Mac-heads. I stuck with Apple computers all through the 90's, even in the long ago dark days of the Jobs-less Apple, and have cheered for Apple all of these years. I stayed with the Mac and was an early adopter to the iPod. And while Mac fans are truly loyal, some would even say cultic, I am still proud to be named among them. Top of the heap sounds and feels good for a change. It was a long way coming. Congratulations Apple! What's next?    

Civil Disobedience - Chuck Colson

This is a short exhortation to be prepared in season and out to stand for what we believe. I found it inspiring and engaging. Could a day come when law abiding, peaceful Christians, and believers of other faiths, would need to engage in acts of civil disobedience? Could today be that day?

"Wrong boat, wrong place, wrong time"

How is your day going?

If the GOP takes both houses of Congress this November...

There was a lot of chest thumping this last week or so about the possibility of the GOP taking control of the House and Senate this next election. Dick Morris and the Wall Street Journal writers are all doing the magic math and wondering how this could be done. I for one hope that this does not happen. Why? Because the GOP has a serious lack of self control and vision, and does not have the strength of character and direction that is needed to steer the U.S. back to a place of sanity. They just don't deserve that kind of leadership and power, only to once again squander the opportunity by just being against Obama. I would accept that as a compromise in the event of a comeback of sorts by the Democrats, which is just as likely between now and November, but I would prefer a more difficult political season that would force more soul searching on the part of the Republicans, and reforge a more robust dedication to true conservative moral principles.

For instance, I have not heard any acknowledgement from the GOP of their part in the giant financial mess we are in. They throw out the line "Stop blaming Bush!" but don't ever answer the real question of responsibility of their own party in the situation. I want to hear more than one real mea culpa before I can trust the Republicans again. The real preachers of personal responsibility and individualism aren't accepting their rather large piece of the humble pie. There just has to be a willingness for them to accept their part in America's greatest financial disaster in memory next to the Great Depression.

And, if the Republicans do what they did in the 90's, we'll see a different result than back then because Obama will have his scapegoat that he knows everyone is looking for. He will be able to make the "Bush and the Republicans did it" schtick stick. He will make the transition from Savior to Martyr, and then we'll be stuck with him and his "leadership" for another four years.

I know this seems dire, but we are going through rather dire straits. Where is the captain who will lead us through them?

A Staunch and Self-Confident Ally by David Cameron

No other international alliance seems to come under the intense scrutiny reserved for the one between Britain and the United States. There is a seemingly endless British preoccupation with the health of the special relationship. Its temperature is continually taken to see if it's in good shape, its pulse checked to see if it will survive.


I have never understood this anxiety. The U.S.-U.K. relationship is simple: It's strong because it delivers for both of us. The alliance is not sustained by our historical ties or blind loyalty. This is a partnership of choice that serves our national interests.


There are three sets of critics who seem to fret incessantly about the relationship: those who question the whole concept, those who say it is no longer "special," and those fixated on form rather than substance. Each of them is misguided.


The first group seems to view America as some sort of "evil empire," a country that is too powerful, that does nothing but sow discord in the world. They say Britain should have much less to do with America. I say they are just plain wrong.


The U.S. is a formidable force for good. Together we fought fascism, stood up to communism, and championed democracy. Today we are combating international terrorism, pressing for peace in the Middle East, working for an Iran without the bomb, and tackling climate change and global poverty.


Then there are those who claim the U.S.-U.K. relationship was special once but not any longer. They argue that the U.S. doesn't care about Britain because we don't bring enough to the table. This attitude overlooks our unique relations across the world—throughout the Gulf States and with India and Pakistan, not to mention the strong ties with China and our links through the Commonwealth with Africa and Australia. There's also the professionalism and bravery of our servicemen and women who have spent much of their careers serving alongside Americans in the world's combat zones. And the skill and close relationship of our intelligence agencies.


Finally, there are those who over-analyze the atmospherics around the relationship. They forensically compute the length of meetings; whether it's a brush-by or a full bilateral; the number of mentions in a president's speech; dissecting the location and grandeur of the final press conference—fretting even over whether you're standing up or sitting down together. This sort of Kremlinology might have had its place in interpreting our relations with Moscow during the Cold War. It is absurd to apply it to our oldest and staunchest ally.


I know how annoying this is for Americans, and it certainly frustrates me. I am hard-headed and realistic about U.S.-U.K. relations. I understand that we are the junior partner—just as we were in the 1940s and, indeed, in the 1980s. But we are a strong, self-confident country clear in our views and values, and we should behave that way.


The U.S. is a global power, with shorelines facing the Pacific and Atlantic, so of course it must cultivate relations with Indonesia, China and others, just as it has to with Europe. We're living in a new world where the balance of power in different regions is shifting, and the U.S. is strengthening its ties with rising powers. Britain is doing the same thing. That's why I'm off to Turkey and India shortly and why we have a strategic relationship with China. In a world of fast-growing, emerging economies, we have a responsibility to engage more widely and bring new countries to the top table of the international community. To do so is pro-American and pro-British, because it's the only way we will maintain our influence in a changing world.


When I see President Obama this week we have a very clear common agenda: succeeding in Afghanistan, securing economic growth and stability at home and across the world, fighting protectionism. And on one issue in particular, Lockerbie, let me be absolutely clear there's no daylight between us. I have the deepest sympathies for the families of those killed in the bombing. Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was found guilty of murdering 270 people. I never saw the case for releasing him, and I think it was a very bad decision.


There will inevitably be areas where we have differences of emphasis, such as trade. As I made clear at June's G-8 and G-20 meetings, promoting trade will be a huge priority for my government. It's the real stimulus our economies need, and Britain is open for business—especially to the U.S., where our close ties already deliver jobs and prosperity for both our peoples.


Trade isn't a zero-sum game. Just because another nation's exports grow doesn't mean your own have to fall. When we import low-cost goods from China we're not failing, we're benefiting—from choice, competition and low prices. Where there are potential issues between us we must work at them and deal with them.


One of the reasons why I find this whole debate around the special relationship puzzling is because it's clear to me that the partnership is entirely natural. Yes, it always needs care and attention, but it is resilient because it is rooted in strong foundations. My grandfather worked on Wall Street, then fought alongside Americans after D-Day. My wife Sam, then pregnant with our first child, was in New York on 9/11 opening a new store she had designed and worked on for months. I worked for a business for seven years that owned Technicolor, the California-based firm which printed almost half the films that came out of Hollywood.


Every aspect of our daily lives on either side of the Atlantic owes something to each other. Each day a million people in America go to work for British companies. And a million people in Britain go to work for American companies. Teenagers in the U.S. play music by British bands and our kids listen to rap.


As this is my first visit to America as prime minister, let me emphasize that I am unapologetically pro-America. I love this country and what it's done for the world. But I am not some idealistic dreamer about the special relationship. I care about the depth of our partnership, not the length of our phone calls. I hope that in the coming years we can focus on the substance, not endlessly fret about the form.


Mr. Cameron is the British prime minister.

(from Wall Street Journal)

British Prime Minister David Cameron Meets With President Obama

David Cameron is holding talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington, with the BP oil leak, Afghanistan and the global economy on the agenda.

He arrived at the White House, on his first visit as UK prime minister, shortly before 1600 BST. A press conference will take place later.

Mr Cameron told a US newspaper he would be "hard-headed and realistic" about UK-US relations.

The PM will also meet four US senators about the Lockerbie bomber's release.

(BBC)

Hot Shot of the Day - Do Not Trust GOP on Spending Cuts

Best shot across the bow of the GOP in a while is by Kevin Williamson on National Review Online. The piece shows that the GOP, in the guise of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, have not thrown off their wayward ways. McConnell talks the Conservative talk, but promises millions to his constituents in the form of major pork. The GOP needs to humble itself and return to the ways of it's not-to-distant ancestors, those not willing to sell America's future for a few votes. The Republicans have no right to complain about spending when they have been as guilty as anyone else. Here's my favorite part of Williamson's op piece, the big ending with a wry smile:

Now, I think every household in America should have a Raytheon laser Gatling gun on its rooftop, right next to the Democrat-subsidized solar panels. In fact, a Raytheon laser cannon that runs on solar panels sounds like an awesome bipartisan project, and I want one. But we can’t afford it. You want to cut spending, Senator McConnell? Ask an intern to print out that list from your website, and take a deep breath.

- Kevin D. Williamson (NRO)

Anti-aircraft energy laser unveiled

US firm Raytheon unveils its new anti-aircraft laser at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, releasing a video of it shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the US Navy test range on San Nicolas Island off the coast of California.

Video supplied by Raytheon. (no sound on the video)
(BBC)

Syria bans face veils at universities

Female students wearing a full face veil will be barred from Syrian university campuses, the country's minister of higher education has said. (BBC)

Check the links at the bottom of the page to see much more on the veil problem and the Islamic cultural takeover of Europe. 

Evil Steve Jobs Fixes iPhone 4 Antenna Problem - Funny!

Unions Hiring Non Union Workers to Protest

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction as unions around the country are paying minimum wage and slightly above to non union workers to protest for them. So, gentlemen and gentle women, call your local union rep and ask if they are hiring, to pick up some extra Christmas cash!

Woulda, coulda, shoulda...Interview with Alan Greenspan

Judy Woodroof has posted an interview with Alan Greenspan on Bloomberg in anticipation of the televised version this weekend. The big headline is "Greenspan Says Congress Should Let Bush Era Tax Cuts Expire." Of course, he says a lot more than that. He seems to think quite a lot of himself, for one thing. And he thinks the mess we are all in now has nothing to do with him, which is a load of 100% Scottish Grade A sheep dip. So go read Alan's woulda's, coulda's and shoulda's. I'll invite the Lancer to a more proper rant on Greenspan, but I just want to say that the Chinese have a lot to thank him for their current ability to hold our nether regions in a metaphorical financial vise grip. In one word: boo!

Goldman Sachs "Victory"

With the SEC fining Goldman Sachs $550 million dollars, the US government just let one of the most evil institutions in world history off with no more than wrist slap. $550 million dollars of fines is a lot of money...to you and me. But to Goldman Sachs? This company pays it's own employees bonuses each December of between $100 to $150 BILLION dollars. And despite knowingly coming up with the scheme of packaging all those fraudelent mortgages in such a way that they looked AAA, these mortgages had no chance of ever being paid back...even in the first year.

Chalk up another victory for the bad guys!

An animated film of nuclear tests conducted between 1945 and 1998.

From 1945 to 1998 there were 2053 nuclear bombs detonated. Here is an animated depiction of where the tests were, and which country did the test. It starts slowly, but by the time of the Reagan Presidency, there was a lot of action, especially by Russia and the USA.
Via Ace of Spades

What did our founders believe?

Via Invincible Armor

Reset the regimen, Mr. President!

Victor Davis Hansen offers a "ten-step healing program for our president in the spirit of our therapeutic age."

Fed Judge Rules DOMA Unconstitutional

  A federal judge in Boston has struck down portions of the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional in two separate cases, ruling DOMA interferes with state sovereignty and denies gay married couples, who have been able to legally wed in Massachusetts since 2004, equal protection under the law.
U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro slammed the original motives behind the 1996 passage of DOMA, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman and relieves states from recognizing marriages performed in other states if the union is between persons of the same sex. He wrote:
"Indeed, Congress undertook this classification for the one purpose that lies entirely outside of legislative bounds, to disadvantage a group of which it disapproves. And such a classification, the Constitution will not permit."
One case was brought by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. She argued, on behalf of the state, that Congress exceeded its legal authority when passing DOMA because it forces the state to discriminate and treat gay married couples differently from straight married couples, denying gay spouses the same federal benefits, like Medicaid coverage.
Judge Tauro agreed, arguing that DOMA interferes with the state's right to define marriage.
The other case was brought by the Boston based gay rights group Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, or GLAD, who argued on behalf of several gay couples and widowers that DOMA tramples on the couples' right to equal protection under the law.
Judge Tauro wrote: "Decidedly, DOMA does not provide for nationwide consistency in the distribution of federal benefits among married couples. Rather it denies to same-sex married couples the federal marriage-based benefits that similarly situated heterosexual couples enjoy."
"Today the Court simply affirmed that our country won’t tolerate second-class marriages," says Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights Project Director. "I’m pleased that Judge Tauro recognized that married same-sex couples and surviving spouses have been seriously harmed by DOMA and that the plaintiffs deserve the same opportunities to care and provide for each other and for their children that other families enjoy. This ruling will make a real difference for countless families in Massachusetts."
Kris Mineau, president of the conservative Massachusetts Family Institute, released the following statement, in response to the judge's rulings: "In another blatant example of a judge playing legislator, a Boston-based federal judge has struck down the bipartisan Defense of Marriage Act passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton in 1996. Same-sex marriage activists have tried time and time again to win public approval of their agenda, and they have failed each time. This is why their strategy is to force same-sex 'marriage' through judicial fiat, as they did here in Massachusetts and other states."
While the judge's rulings apply to Massachusetts, likely appeals in the cases could have broader implications and national impact. The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the decisions. An appeal would first be considered by the First Circuit which serves Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico, but further appeals could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
(from Foxnews.com)

Watchdog: Feds Were Asleep at the Switch When Minnesota Felons Went to the Polls

The group that uncovered evidence of large-scale illegal voting by felons in Minnesota's contested 2008 Senate race says the whole mess might have been prevented if the federal government had just done its job.

The federal government is required under the Civil Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act to make sure that states purge their voter rolls of ineligible voters — the dead, those who have moved, felons, undocumented immigrants, etc. — and to ensure that elections are administered and conducted fairly, said Dan McGrath, executive director of Minnesota Majority.

But the conservative watchdog group's review of Minnesota's voting records found that the government apparently did not fulfill that obligation in the state in 2008, which in turn affected the number of voters whose ballots were counted -- and possibly the outcome of the dead-heat election.

The group's recently published report found that hundreds of felons voted in the election in which Al Franken, a Democrat, beat then-incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman by just 312 votes out of more than 3 million cast -- a margin that was determined after six months of legal challenges and recounts.

The report, using public election records, state felony conviction documents and hand-sorted searches of voting rosters, found “irrefutable evidence” that hundreds of felons voted illegally in the election, and that the number of felons whose votes were wrongly counted exceeded the margin by which Franken beat Coleman.

(from Foxnews.com)

China cuts rare earth minerals exports by 72%

China, which accounts for 95% of all of the supply of rare earth minerals, has announced a 72% cut in the exports of rare earth minerals for the 2nd half of 2010. If this continues, green energy companies outside of China will be decimated and not only will we be at the mercy of China for the rare earth minerals, we will be at the mercy of China for the green energy products they produce such as wind mills, solar panels, hybrid car batteries, etc.

If pressure on China is not successful, then a trade war and even world wide depression will quickly follow. Follow this story as it is important.

Business News Nework, out of Canada reported this story. They start at the 54 second mark in the video.

Speaking truth to power

This morning, as usual, I listened to Glenn Beck. He mentioned this July 4th sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley. Then, Mr. Beck asked his listeners to ask their own rabbis, pastors and ministers to address the issues of individual freedom and unity of believers in God. God definitely has a sense of humor. He is using a Mormon, Glenn Beck, to speak the truth, even to smug evangelicals who look down on Mormonism. I don't mean to imply that Dr. Stanley is a smug evangelical. He is one of the men Mr. Beck holds up as a man who is speaking truth to power.

White House tosses NASA administrator under the bus

If you do not want to listen to the whole press conference, begin listening at about 18 minutes into the conference.

Another update on the thieves who stole the trailer of the 82-year-old man

No criminal charges have been filed, but they have both been referred to I.C.E. So the strategy is to get them out of town and keep the charges against the 82-year-old man.

Kingdom Quotes - Oswald Chambers - The Price Of Vision

THE PRICE OF VISION

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord." Isaiah 6:1

Our soul's history with God is frequently the history of the "passing of the hero." Over and over again God has to remove our friends in order to bring Himself in their place, and that is where we faint and fail and get discouraged. Take it personally: In the year that the one who stood to me for all that God was, died - I gave up everything? I became ill? I got disheartened? or - I saw the Lord?

My vision of God depends upon the state of my character. Character determines revelation. Before I can say "I saw also the Lord," there must be something corresponding to God in my character. Until I am born again and begin to see the Kingdom of God, I see along the line of my prejudices only; I need the surgical operation of external events and an internal purification.

It must be God first, God second, and God third, until the life is faced steadily with God and no one else is of any account whatever. "In all the world there is none but thee, my God, there is none but thee." Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.

Steve Wynn Takes on Washington

Steve Wynn is a casino owner and operator and I believe a billionaire. He was on CNBC in May talking about our current federal government. Though he is a Donald Trump kind of guy, he gives several clear and concise arguements about why it is our own government that is the problem and how this all cannot continue. Definitely worth checking out on this 4 minute or so video.

A Loving Father

Because of my father, it was easy for me to understand the concept of a loving God. It is easy for me to understand that when things go wrong, after a short period of self pity, I can realize that the person who sinned and fell short of the expectations of a loving God, is the one I am looking at in the mirror.

Although we attended the local Methodist church every Sunday, and Dad was an usher there, I don't think he ever heard the Gospel until I returned home from my first year of school at Hardin-Simmons University, and shared with my loving father what I had learned in the Baptist church I attended while going to school.

For those of you who are children of alcoholic fathers, it must not have been so easy to accept the truth of the Gospel. Neither of my parents drank. I have one great memory in this regard. My father's sister lived in Seattle. One year we went out to visit her. There was some kind of regatta going on in the Puget Sound. We were guests on the boat of some doctor friend of my aunt. Alcohol was being served to the guests. I was a young teen or tween, and my Dad was sitting next to me at the back of the boat, and he decided to have some fun. He told me to watch him closely. Drink after drink was served to him. Soon other people began to comment on "how well he holds his liquor." What only he and I knew was that he was only pretending to drink the stuff, and when others were not looking, he was dumping the drinks into the Puget Sound! That was an unspoken lesson to me that drinking to excess is ridiculous, that people can have fun at parties without having a drop of alcohol in their bloodstreams.

I was obsessed with the game of golf as a teen, and got pretty good at it. Dad would drive me to tournaments. One day, before the start of a Sunday tournament, I felt the need to sharpen up a bit by hitting practice balls, while my Dad retrieved them and brought them back to me to hit some more. When I was a little boy he hung a hoop in our tiny basement, so I could play basketball all throughout Iowa's bitter cold winters. He often played the foil, allowing me to drive around him for a score.

He was a very hard worker, and a wonderfully sincere man. As a teen I loved nothing better than to sit with him on the couch at night watching the Johnny Carson, George Gobel, or Perry Como shows. When I was younger, the whole family would gather around the radio, eat popcorn, and listen to the Jack Benny radio show. We did not get t.v. until Howdy Doody came into my life when I was about ten years old. Even then, though, my heroes were Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Tom Mix, The Lone Ranger, and The Shadow. The Shadow knew! All of these figures were wonderful role models for a young boy.

But none of them were needed to show me the way to manhood. I had a loving father who did that.

Psychology and Advertising

Are you intrigued by psychology? Are you thinking of majoring in psychology in college? What will you do with a degreee in psychology? Remember when the CEOs of the major tobacco companies testified before Congress that they had no clue that nicotine is addictive? Well, if you have few morals and a knowledge of psychology, you could really help them sell their products! Let me give you some examples. You know how guys fear being called fags? Yes, it seems to be the number one fear of young teenage guys. Well, you could capitalize on that fear by emphasizing how manly it would be for a guy to smoke or chew tobacco.

Take chewing tobacco, for example. Evoke manly images by naming your tobacco Kodiak, Grizzly, Longhorn, or Timber Wolf. Even though the pesky government tries to ruin your fun by requiring you to admit that your product may cause cancer, you can rest assured that just by putting a picture of a growling Wolf, Grizzly, or Husky on your can, guys will go for it.

That same pesky government may say that you can no longer label your cigarettes "Light," "Ultra Light," or "Smooth." You can stay one step ahead of the feds by calling your cigarettes "Gold" or "Silver," commodities that hold or increase their value (so the user can see herself as increasing in value).

Speaking of females, you could design "Slim" cigarrettes, because you know females are always conscious of being overweight and they think they need to slim down. Your art work on the packages could use pretty pastels, curving upward toward Heaven in the shape of a flame. On the side of your package, you could say "Please don't litter," because you know how easy it is to make females feel guilty.

Back to the guys. Don't forget the Marlboro Man, the last cowboy, riding in on his stallion. Put two stallions on your package! Have them standing tall on their hind legs, facing off against each other. On your pipe tobacco you could put a drawing of an old schooner, evoking memories of the adventurous first settlers of America from Europe. You know how men always like to be right? Well, you could use this for your logo: "Always the Right Choice!" Put mountains on your package, so the guys could pretend they are man enough to climb the highest mountains!

Oh, wait, the industry has already done all these things.

A breath of fresh air

Webutante linked to this article in Human Events on Independence Day (Defiance Day) by Ted Nugent. I confess I do not know anything about Mr. Nugent's music, but I have heard him interviewed on various radio talk shows, and I find him to be a tremendous breath of fresh air.

Update on thieves who stole trailer from 82-year-old man, who shot one of them as they fled

Here is a video news report on Denver Fox Channel 31 televison station on the 82-year-old Wheat Ridge, Colorado man who faces criminal charges for firing two shots from his revolver at two thieves who were driving away after hooking up his flat-bed trailer to their pick-up truck.

I understand that one of the thieves is now in the custody of I.C.E. The other man may still be in treatment for bullet wounds in his face.

Saudi Arabia Running out of Oil?

There has been a lot of chatter about Saudi Arabia running out of oil since Matt Simmons published his famous book "Twilight In The Desert" several years ago.

Christian DeHaemer, a well known commodities investor and newsletter writer is hearing more chatter about Saudi Arabia hiring Haliburton to come in and drill further on the world's biggest oilfield Ghawar, which produces some 5 million barrels a day. This field has been produced very hard for over 4 decades and rumors have swirled for years about the Saudis attempts to maintain production through water injection. To bring in Haliburton brings questions as to whether the Saudis have run into field management problems to maintain production.

Mr. DeHaemer lists 3 reasons in his short article as to why he thinks the Saudis have reached the other side of peak production. Its worth a read.

It is okay to intimidate voters?

The head of New Black Panther Party in Philadelphia and another man block the entrance to polling places in Philadelphia on election day 2008. The Bush attorney general files charges. The New Black Panthers do not even bother to show up in court to answer the charges. Obama's Attorney General, Eric Holder, drops the charges. These men are free to continue intimidating people in the next election and in all the days leading up to the elections.


Bill O' Reilly just cannot bring himself to believe that Barack Obama is behind the decison to drop the charges. The civil rights attorney O'Relly interviews believes it, and I agree with everything this lawyer says in this video. Like him, I fought against the racism that prevailed in this country until Martin Luther King had a dream, and LBJ and Everett Dirkson finally succeeded in making the words of the founders ("all men are created equal") become law of the land.

In the next video, Glenn Beck shows some video of the same head of the Philadephia New Black Panther Party raging at fellow blacks who are mixing with whites at a festival.


Glenn Beck plans to hold a rally on the mall in Washington on the anniversary of the MLK "I have a dream" speech in August. The New Black Panthers say they will be there.

Of course, Martin Luther King fought for people to be recognized for the content of their character, not for the hate that spewed forth from their mouths. I think it is despicable that Obama/Holder decided to drop the charges against these thugs. This lawyer is absolutely right that they dropped the charges for political reasons, in order to allow the ACORN and New Black Panther types to continue to harass voters.

The man Obama has picked to run Obamacare

Donald Berwick, President Obama's recess appointment to head the $800 billion CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) in a 2008 speech in England applauding their Marxist socialized medicine program.

I have listened to an audio tape of Dr. Berwick in which he said, "The question is not whether we will ration care; the question is whether we will ration with our eyes open." Anybody know what that means? I'd sure like him to explain. Because Obama appointed Berwick when the Senate was in recess, no Senator got the chance to ask him to explain what he meant by that statement prior to his being appointed.

Obama's goals for America's space program

Obama's NASA Director tells Al Jazeera what Obama wants him to do with NASA.

Most Christians Cannot Explain their Faith, Says Apologist

The faith of most Christians, even that of many pastors, will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, according to renowned apologist Josh McDowell.
This is a concern because pastors’ inability to present biblical truth comprehensibly and relevantly has led to children from Christian families leaving the church, research has shown.
In the United States, the age at which nearly all such children leave church has decreased to 18 years.
Not even the children of many successful ministers are spared.
McDowell made his comments at a recent networking dinner among various men’s ministries organized recently by Men-in-Covenant. MiC is the men’s ministry of Covenant Evangelical Free Church.
He recalled speaking with the pastor of one of the largest U.S. churches, a man known for his expository preaching. Confiding in him, the pastor said their church was losing its youth right after high school graduation.
In his 50 years of ministry, McDowell has asked several thousand pastors and leaders how they could be certain Jesus Christ said “I am the truth” and not one of many truths or a truth
“Not one person has ever given me an intelligent, biblically-based answer,” said the author of The New Evidence that Demands A Verdict.
During the past six years, he asked hundreds of Christians and leaders why they see themselves as Christians. Again no one gave him an "intelligent" answer.
In the past 17 years, he has asked over 4,000 pastors, leaders and parents why they believe the Bible is true.
A mere six “came close to giving an intelligent answer,” McDowell noted.
“If anything is based upon truth, it’s the Christian faith,” he said. “Christians who do not know why they have faith or believe have a very difficult time expressing themselves to others.
"The saddest thing is people come to me and say, ‘What’s the answer?’"
“I say, ‘There’s no answer… There are hundreds of answers.’"
Most Christians, even some pastors, don’t even know one. On the other hand, the apologist said he could give 50 reasons for his belief that the Bible is true.
Ninety-five percent of Christians gave disappointing responses when asked why they believe Jesus is the Son of God.
Asked why the Bible is true and historically reliable, Christians replied that it was what they had been taught by their church or parents.
A common response that most Christians gave to both questions was that it is “what I believe.”
McDowell responded: “That’s voodoo thinking. Where did we ever get that crazy idea that something is true just because we believe it?
“If that is true, then there will never be heresy. Everybody would be right.”
On one occasion, 13 youth pastors at a large convention were unable to reasonably answer the apologist’s question.
Finally one young person stood up, walked toward him and told him he knew the answer.
The young man promptly held up his Bible and said, “Because I believe it.”
And to McDowell’s dismay, all the youth pastors applauded him.
McDowell said, “Young man, do you know the difference between you, me and the majority of Christians in the world?
“To you, it is true because you believe it. For me, I believe it because it is true.”
Another response the apologist received was: Because I have faith.
He commented, “Where did we ever get the crazy idea that faith makes something true? That’s idiotic. That’s so unbiblical you can call it heresy.
“God doesn’t use faith to create truth. He uses truth through the Holy Spirit to create faith.”
Christians, the apologist stressed, are called to explain their faith when asked. They are set free by the faith in the truth, he expressed, referring to John 8:32.
Yet others say Christianity is true because Jesus changed their lives.
Even this will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, McDowell argued.
“Lies change lives; cults change lives,” he said.
To make such an appeal is “not the essence of Christianity,” the author emphasized.
McDowell said: “We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our children, we owe it to our neighbors, we owe it to the lost, to tell them not just what we believe but why do we believe it.”
(from Christian Post)

Hitchens v/s Hitchens Debate - Is God There, And Is He Great?

The first four videos in this series are an excellent debate on whether the US should have gone into Iraq, with Peter Hitchens arguing against, and Christopher arguing for. This video is the first of their debate on the existence of God. I must say that nobody gets away with dropping an F-bomb in a church better than Christopher Hitchens. His ability to argue "emotionally" is very strong. But his brother, Peter, keeps him honest and gets in some excellent arguments, choosing to stick to a more intellectual basis for his arguments. This is actually a very entertaining debate. 

Deciphering today's top story

Today the big news is that the Obama administration has filed a lawsuit against Arizona, which passed a law designed to aid the feds in enforcing their own laws! Rush Limbaugh brilliantly notes two things. One is that the media seems unable to just say "the Arizona law." They always say the "controversial" Arizona law. That, of course, is designed to manipulate us, the readers and listeners and viewers of the dominant liberal establishment media, that there must be something wrong with the Arizona law. The thing that is supposedly wrong about the Arizona law is that it allegedly will encourage racial profiling. Yet, Rush brilliantly notes that the feds' lawsuit does not mention racial profiling!

That leads me to conclude that this lawsuit, and the accompanying media coverage of the story, is really all about pandering to the ever-growing Latino population, in hopes that their votes will enable the Democrats to stay in power.

Christopher Hitchens, diagnosed with cancer, cancels book tour

Christopher Hitchens

(from Vanity Fair.com)

"I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me. I regret having had to cancel so many engagements at such short notice."

I am saddened to hear of Christopher Hitchens' throat cancer, and will, though he probably would not care much, pray for his recovery and healing. Hitchens, author of the book God Is Not Great, among twenty or so others, is well known as a critic of religion and belief in God, and is also known for his colorful character and wit. I deeply respect his abilities as a writer and speaker, and wish he and his family well as they deal with this challenge.

Are we a Christian nation? Not according to Barack Obama.