Iranians Terrified by UN Resolution

Here is a sarcastic piece from Scott Ott regarding the impotence of the UN Security Council. Read and ponder...

(NEW YORK) — The United Nations Security Council yesterday passed a resolution calling on Iran to halt uranium enrichment by the end of April or face the looming specter of a “virtual mushroom cloud” of additional Security Council discussions and resolutions.

Iran immediately called the non-binding resolution “a terrifying deployment of words that threatens our women, our children and our peaceful way of life.”

The measure, which carries no consequences for non-compliance, nevertheless contains active verbs, challenging vocabulary and deliberate punctuation that pose a “clear and present danger” to the people of Iran, according to an unnamed spokesman for the Islamic Republic.

“The brutal thugs on the Security Council have us over a barrel,” the Iranian source said. “Our people are filled with fear. We are at the mercy of the United Nations.”

Holding one-tenth of the world’s known oil reserves and the second largest natural gas reserves, Iran desperately needs enriched uranium only to generate electricity, and not to make nuclear weapons to wipe Israel from the map." -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

We doubt Israel will sit idle waiting for the rest of the world to grow some balls to confront Iran's perverted ambitions of religious world domination. You can bet that the battle plans to disrupt their progress towards nuclear warhead manufacturing are already drawn up in Tel Aviv and Washington however!

Mr. Ahmadinejad's defiant rhetoric is based on a strategy known in Middle Eastern capitals as "waiting Bush out." "We are sure the U.S. will return to saner policies," says Manuchehr Motakki, Iran's new Foreign Minister.

Mr. Ahmadinejad believes that the world is heading for a clash of civilizations with the Middle East as the main battlefield. In that clash Iran will lead the Muslim world against the "Crusader-Zionist camp" led by America. Mr. Bush might have led the U.S. into "a brief moment of triumph." But the U.S. is a "sunset" (ofuli) power while Iran is a sunrise (tolu'ee) one and, once Mr. Bush is gone, a future president would admit defeat and order a retreat as all of Mr. Bush's predecessors have done since Jimmy Carter.

Taliban Lite

Bird Flu Vaccine Protects Half The People Who Take It

"According to researchers, a new experimental bird flu (avian flu) vaccine protects 54% of people who get two shots at a very high dose (90 micrograms). This dose is twelve times higher than that needed for protection from normal human flu.

You can read about this research in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

451 volunteers took part in this trial.

70% of those who got the shot had some kind of immune response, however, it was not possible to know how protective this response might be, said the researchers"

Sen. Clinton Solves Illegal Immigration Crisis

Some pointed satire from Scott Ott on the current debate over Legal/Illegal Immigration. The political winds are blowing at a catagory 4 working on a 5. Both parties are freaked over this issue!!!

March 27, 2006
Sen. Clinton Solves Illegal Immigration Crisis
by Scott Ott

(2006-03-27) — After a House-passed illegal immigration bill sparked massive protest rallies in Los Angeles and elsewhere over the weekend, Senator Hillary Clinton today introduced legislation that would grant all illegal aliens a new, “less judgmental” status.

“My plan will help pre-legal Americans escape the unfair stigma that’s placed on them just because they broke the law,” said Sen. Clinton, who last week criticized the House bill which she said “would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself.”

Sen. Clinton, wearing her ‘WWJD?’ bracelet (the acronym means What Would Jesus Do?), said her bill would make it a felony for employers or border patrol agents to discriminate against people who have not yet been granted immunity or guest worker status. --- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

US forces kill 20 militants inside Iraqi mosque

(BAGHDAD) At least 20 militant followers of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr have been killed after US soldiers raided a mosque Sunday night in Baghdad, said one of their leaders and Iraq police. The US military said it had no information about the incident.

“More than 20 militants have been killed in the Mustafa mosque in the neighbourhood of Ur,” said Hazem al-Aaraji of Sadr’s movement. Iraqi police said that US soldiers while conducting a raid on the mosque came under fire from its guards and responded, killing guards as well as number of Sadr’s followers inside the mosque which police described as a stronghold for the group. Also, political sources said that US troops arrested at least 40 Iraqi Interior Ministry forces who were holding 17 foreigners in a secret bunker complex. " Read More...

Keeping Up Appearances

Death Penalty or Worse...

This from Mr. Sarcastic himself Scott Ott...

ScrappleFace: "2006-03-24) — A judge in Afghanistan said today that Abdul Rahman, the man charged with converting to Christianity, would face the death penalty, or worse, if convicted of the crime.

“We could behead him and then throw the book at him,” said the judge presiding over the case, raising the specter that the punishment could include intentional abuse and damage to Mr. Rahman’s copy of the Bible.

The threat to the Bible comes as retribution for reported incidents of Koran desecration last year by Americans at the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention facility. Those allegations sparked deadly Muslim riots worldwide.

Meanwhile, state governors across the U.S. made preparations to call out National Guard units to quell anticipated unrest among Christians if the Muslim judge carries out his threat to the Bible.

“Arresting the convert was an offense against our religion,” said an unnamed Southern Baptist cleric, “but damaging the pages of the holy Scriptures is a crime against the entire Christian publishing industry. Church members will rise up from their potluck suppers and join the crusade to avenge this unforgivable sin.”

The pastor declined to specify how Christians would seek revenge, but he refused to rule out “devastating waves of gossip” and even deployment of the so-called “cold shoulder” against American Muslims.

Moderate Muslims could not be found for comment." -- Scott Ott

The Lighter Side of Life

A teacher was doing a study testing the senses of first graders, using a
bowl of lifesavers.

The children began to say:
"Red...........cherry,"
"Yellow.........lemon,"
"Green.........lime,"
"Orange.........orange,"

Finally the teacher gave them all honey lifesavers.

After eating them none of the children could identify the taste.

"Well," he said, "I'll give you all a clue. It's what your mother may
sometimes call your father.

"One little girl looked up in horror, spit her lifesaver out and yelled: "Oh
My God!!!! They're butt holes!"

March Madness II

London Terrorist Seeking Nuke From Mob

Today we learn of something subtly hinted upon in this past week's episode of the Sopranos. Except in this case it was far from a HBO series and who knows if the Russian mob tipped Scotland Yard or not? Very interesting coincidence when contrasted with the one scene where the Feds about seeking help from the mob to uncover terrorist plots. Freaky. [Hat tip: Gateway Pundit]

Gateway Pundit: Terrorist on Trial Has Atom Bomb Links!: "A terrorist on trial in Great Britain is accused of discussions to buy a nuclear bomb from the Russian mafia. Sky News has this:

One of the suspected terrorists on trial for allegedly plotting a nationwide bombing campaign has been linked to a nuclear weapon. An Old Bailey jury was told Salahuddin Amin had been involved in discussions to buy an atomic bomb.

The prosecution said contact had been made with the Russian mafia in Belgium to buy the radio-isotope device. Seven men - all British citizens - are on trial accused of conspiring to cause explosion. The prosecution claims the gang planned to blow up pubs, nightclubs, trains and also considered hitting the UK's power infrastructure.

They wanted to blow up 'the biggest nightclub' in central London, prosecutor David Waters QC said. In February, 2004, they were allegedly overheard discussing bomb targets. Mr Waters said: 'Jawad Akbar referred to attacks upon the utilities, gas, water or electrical supplies. 'Alternatively, a big nightclub in central London might be a target.'

All the accused deny conspiring to cause explosions between January 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004." More...

Moussaoui Prosecutors Now Confident of Execution

Looks like US prosecutors have come up with a strategy to ensure that Moussaoui is finally executed. ScrappleFace reports on the clever change in strategy given recent events in the Islamic world in today's lead story.

(2006-03-22) — Justice Department officials said today they have a new plan to get the so-called 20th hijacker executed, despite a TSA attorney’s bungling that may have allowed Zacarias Moussaoui to escape the death penalty under U.S. law.

The novel prosecution approach calls for getting Mr. Moussaoui converted to Christianity, then shipping him to Afghanistan with a Bible verse tattooed on his forehead.

The latest rendition of the death penalty strategy, which lawyers acknowledge faces some significant obstacles, was sparked by news that an Afghani man, Abdul Rahman, faces execution under Muslim Sharia law for becoming a Christian and carrying a Bible.

“In the U.S., we can’t get a confessed terrorist executed after five years of trying,” said an unnamed Justice Department attorney, “But when Moussaoui lands in Kabul, he’ll be lucky to make it through baggage retrieval alive.”

A spokesman for Rick Warren, author of ‘The Purpose Driven Life‘, said the government has asked him to come to Mr. Moussaoui’s prison cell to lead him in a ‘40 Days of Purpose‘ course in hopes that he’ll hear, and believe, the Gospel of Jesus Christ." --- Scott Ott

Sex Charges Dropped Against Teacher

(TAMPA) - A few hours after an Ocala judge refused to accept a plea deal, Marion County prosecutors announced that they were dropping all charges against Debra Lafave, the former middle school teacher accused of sexual assault of a student nearly two years ago.


'The court may be willing to risk the victim's well being in this case in order to force it to trial, I am not,'' said Ric Ridgway, chief assistant state attorney in Marion County.

Earlier Tuesday, Marion County Judge Hale R. Stancil had rejected a plea deal that would have spared Lafave jail time in exchange for pleading guilty.

'Accepting the proposed plea agreement would undermine the credibility of this court, and the criminal justice system as a whole, and would erode public confidence in our schools,' Judge Stancil wrote in the order released Tuesday.

Marion County prosecutors then decided to drop the charges."

Prosecutors agreed to the plea bargain after the family of the victim implored them to find a way for the now 16-year-old boy to avoid what was destined to become a media circus. LaFave had faced up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

You can bet that if this had been a male and we were talking about a sexual charge against a female the prison bars would be hitting him in the ass about now. I guess the prosecutor wanted to spare the boy at his mother's request from the embarrasment. In the meantime Ms. Lafave speaks to the media like she is a victim of her "illness" never once mentioning she is a convicted sex offender on house arrest for three years. Want to bet she will be embarking on a new career making the late night talk show tours after writing a book about her "illness" while under "arrest and rehab" for three years??

New Firefox Optimization Guide Written for Bloggers

Learn how to power tune Firefox for maximum speed. Software and guide bundle now available at 20% off at the OpenWeb Downloads area!

Hyper-Tuning Firefox: A Bloggers Guide is a 12 page detailed instruction guide with tuning software for optimizing Firefox that explains in detail how to optimize 6 aspects of your browser installation. PC hardware configurations were consolidated from a number of referenced procedures from top leading "developer-design" software engineers within the industry. The guide is organized into six key areas of focus with detailed instructions on how to unlock and increase latent Firefox speed by custom tuning it for your own PC hardware and internet configuration.

These are the 6 Key Areas Covered:

1. All MEMORY CACHE ADJUSTMENTS
2. HARD DISC CACHING OPTIMIZATION
3. SPECIAL TIPS FOR WINDOWS XP USERS
4. MAXIMIZING WINDOW RENDERING SPEED
5. LEVERAGING VIRTUAL HARD DISCS
6. SETTING HIGH END BROAD BAND CONNECTIONS (CableModem / DSL / T1)
(#6 is the only item addressed by the common "freeware" found on the web)

Top Firefox optimization freeware is also included to automatically make the 1st level tuning adjustments to perform step 6 above. Spend a few minutes with this easy to follow download and switch on your Firefox's afterburners!

We now have the Hyper Tuning Firefox Guide (with and without 1st level tuning software) available at the OpenWeb Emporium and at Payloadz. A "guide only" version is also available.

Strange Bedfellows

Rabbi calls for 'UN of Religions'

BBC NEWS | Europe | Rabbi calls for 'UN of religions': "Rabbi Metzger was addressing the International Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville, Spain.

He called for the formation of a 'United Nations of religious groups'. More...

There have sure been worse ideas. But modeling themselves after the impotent U.N.??

The Imam of Gaza, Imad al-Faluji, said politicians lied but religious leaders had a different objective - to work towards a higher good.

The imams and rabbis at this conference, which opened on Sunday, say the world is in crisis and it is time they acted to restore justice, respect and peace."

Bush Anniversary Speech Admits Iraq Failures

Sarcastic satire from Scott's keyboard. We do believe his insights are worth sharing with you. The Bushmeister is clearly running out of steam.

Bush Anniversary Speech Admits Iraq Failures: As reported by Scott Ott

(2006-03-18) — President George Bush will mark the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by admitting he made mistakes, and asking Americans and Iraqis for forgiveness, according to a draft of the speech, leaked to journalists today.

On Monday the president will tell a nonpartisan group in Cleveland that despite the best efforts of American troops to capture Iraq’s oil production for U.S. consumption, the price of gasoline at the pump remains high.

“Frankly, I misunderstimated the difficulty of the war for oil,” the president will say. “I thought it would be as easy for us as it was for European leaders to pocket kickbacks from Saddam under the United Nations Oil-for-Food program.”

According to the draft manuscript, the least popular president of the modern era will also admit he shouldn’t have taken such aggressive action against Mr. Hussein until he could absolutely prove the Iraqi dictator still had stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons.

“I’m sure I’d have a lot more support for the war if I could have pointed to a bigger body count beyond the mere 5,000 civilian Kurds that Saddam gassed,” Mr. Bush will reportedly say. “Clearly, mistakes were made.”

The president will also express regret that the U.S.-led war has forever altered the politics of Iraq.

“My sensitivity to Iraqi culture is not what it might have been,” the president is slated to confess. “My actions have produced a bewildering array of candidates and choices at the polls, instead of the traditional one candidate, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ ballot. The Iraqis will never again enjoy that kind of simple life, and that’s my fault.”

As part of a massive PR push to rescue his presidential legacy, Mr. Bush will also apologize that the Iraq war has distracted his administration from protecting the homeland against al-Qaeda mastermind Usama bin Laden, who remains at large.

“While I was focused on Iraq,” Mr. Bush will confess, “Bin Laden could have easily taken down a dozen more skyscrapers, set off a nuculer (sic) weapon in the port at Philadelphia and dirty-bombed Washington D.C.. I guess it’s just dumb luck that those things never happened while I looked the other way. But that doesn’t excuse my incompetence. To the Americans who might have died in those attacks, and to their potential surviving loved ones: I’m truly sorry.”

Mr. Bush will also agree with critics who contend he has failed to “win the peace” and has pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.

“I’m afraid the U.S. occupation of Iraq has driven otherwise peaceful religious people to blow up innocent civilians as the only way to protest our oppressive presence,” the president will note. “If it weren’t for me, the Sunnis and Shiites would all join hands with Kurds and Baathists and they’d sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual — free at last, free at last, Allahu Akhbar, we’re free at last.”

The president will acknowledge that his biggest mistake was misinterpreting the word ‘resolution’ in 12 years of United Nations resolutions about Mr. Hussein’s failure to comply with the terms of cease-fire from the first Gulf War.

“I thought the root of that word was ‘resolve’, which means to reach a firm decision, to deal with successfully,” Mr. Bush will say. “My limited language skills led me astray. As most global leaders know, ‘resolution’ comes from the Latin word ’solvere’ which means to loosen or release, as in ‘dissolve’. Again, mea culpa. That’s Latin for ‘my [fault]’.” " -- Scott Ott

March Madness 2006

Bush, Democrats Restate Anti-Terror Strategies

(WASHINGTON) — In response to a Bush administration restatement today of the U.S. strategy for fighting the so-called ‘war on terror’, leading Congressional Democrats released a report reaffirming their party’s approach to “dealing with the causes of the hatred and intolerance that lead to acts of terrorism.”

In a 48-page draft of the new “National Security Strategy of the United States,” the White House remains committed to fostering democracy by opening more McDonald’s restaurants on the Arab Street and persuading Al Jazeera to carry the primetime lineup from ‘Nick at Nite.’ While committed to global diplomacy first, President George Bush reserves the right to “preemptively and repeatedly mispronounce the name of a foreign dictator until it causes regime change.”

Meanwhile, Senators John Kerry and Harry Reid, along with Representatives Nancy Pelosi and John Murtha, said their commitment to the Democrat anti-terror strategy remains “rock solid.”

The first 1,474 pages of the alternative Democrat report focus on “how the Bush administration has bungled the war on terror in everything from eavesdropping on innocent Americans to failing to catch the tallest man in Afghanistan.”

The final page lays out “the consistent, unwavering strategy that Democrats have endorsed since the days when presidential candidate John F. Kerry first said, ‘I have a plan’.”

“Above all, we’re determined to discover why terrorists hate us,” according to the report which will have a catchy title within the next few months. “If we can pinpoint the cause of their hatred, we can pass laws to become less threatening to them.”

The report concludes that “No one is better equipped to reveal what’s wrong with America than the modern Democrat party.”" -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

The Final Jury

Healing Iraq

Talk about disturbing. Just think this guy was actually nominated for a peace prize in Iraq. Neanderthal thinking alive and well in the 21st Century !! -- ZZ

Healing Iraq: "His Eminence, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, the supreme religious authority for Shi'ite Msulims in Iraq and worldwide, decrees that gays and lesbians should be killed in the worst manner possible, according to this news article from a London-based gay rights group.

A quick search through Sistani's official website turns up this page, translated as:


Q: What is the judgement on sodomy and lesbianism?

A: 'Forbidden. Those involved in the act should be punished. In fact, sodomites should be killed in the worst manner possible.'



Thus says the Iranian cleric who was nominated by Iraqis for the 2005 Nobel Peace prize."

Caption Contest: Jessica On The Hill

Michelle Malkin: CAPTION CONTEST: JESSICA ON THE HILL: "CAPTION CONTEST: JESSICA ON THE HILL
By Michelle Malkin · March 16, 2006 05:35 PM

AP caption via Yahoo!: Operation Smile International Youth Ambassador Jessica Simpson, center, listens to Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., during an Operation Smile news conference on Capitol Hill, Thursday, March 16, 2006. Operation Smile has treated more than 98,000 children and young adults suffering with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities around the world. Simpson's haridresser Ken Paves looks on at right. The singer was on hand to tell lawmakers of the charity's work and to recount her own Operation Smile mission to help children in Nakuru, Kenya, in October 2005.(AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Ok, I'll start with the obvious:

'Who am I? Why am I here? And who is he? And why is he here?'" -- Michelle Milkin

Ok so like what would your captions be?? We will publish and trackback to Michelle Milkin's site. Here is ours... "Congressman Franks, either take your hand off my butt or I will have to squirt you with that little flower on my chest to make everyone here smile again.... " (P.S. is that a glare we detect from a pissed off boyfriend in backgound?)

Moussaoui Hired to Pilot Air Force One

(2006-03-14) — After two previous federal government blunders that could end up sparing the life of convicted al-Qaeda terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, a source close to the Justice Department’s prosecution team revealed today that Mr. Moussaoui has been accidentally hired to pilot Air Force One, the president’s official airplane.

Yesterday Judge Leonie Brinkema called a halt to the penalty phase in the trial of the so-called 20th hijacker after the prosecution informed her that an attorney for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had coached witnesses in the penalty phase of Mr. Moussaoui’s trial.

Today, the prosecution was forced to reveal that TSA attorney Carla Martin had also written a letter of recommendation that got Mr. Moussaoui a position on the Air Force One flight crew.

A spokesman for Ms. Martin downplayed the significance of the Air Force One job saying “many inmates are employed as part of the corrections process, and that Zacarias would only be handling take offs anyway.”" -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

Thanks Scott... but your description of the ineptitude of our federal justice system is somehwat understated here.

Anti-Israel Rabbis Support Iran!

Now here is an article that is sure to have the Israeli people fuming. What is it with these lunatic fringe religious sects?? Do they all have a self destructive death wish?

Aljazeera.Net - Anti-Israel rabbis support Iran: "Leading rabbis of Neturei Karta, an anti-Zionist group of ultra-Orthodox Jews who consider the existence of Israel an abomination, met with Gholamreza Aghazadeh, Iran's Vice President, the top-selling Yediot Aharonot reported.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said the Jewish state 'must be wiped off the map' or moved as far away as Alaska - comments that have provoked anger in the West and condemnation from the UN Security Council.

Rabbi Dovid Weiss, the group's spokesman, was quoted as supporting Ahmadinejad's call during an interview on Iranian television last week."

Although all of the rabbis who visited Iran live in either New York or London, there are some 400 Neturei Karta families living in Jerusalem who refuse to recognise Israel's authority.

'Wish for calm'

The Iranian Fars News Agency reports that the group said in a statement that Ahmadinejad's call for a "world free from Zionism ... is nothing more than wishing for a better world dominated by peace and calm." More...

World Showdown with Iran Seems Inevitable

Iran Opts Out of Russian Enrichment Plan: (TEHRAN) Iran said Sunday it had ruled out a proposal to move its uranium enrichment program to Russia, further complicating the international dispute over the country's nuclear program.

Russia has sought to persuade Iran to move its enrichment program to Russian territory to allow closer international monitoring. The U.S. and the
European Union had backed the idea as a way to ensure Iran would not misuse the process to make nuclear weapons.

Iran had insisted that the plan was negotiable and reached basic agreement with Moscow, but details were never worked out.

'The Russian proposal is not on our agenda any more,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, meanwhile, said Iran had no intention to use oil as a weapon in its confrontation with the West over its nuclear program, contradicting comments made a day earlier by the interior minister.

'The Islamic Republic of Iran is insisting to provide Asia with the oil it needs as a reliable and effective source of energy and will not use oil as a foreign policy instrument,' he told a conference on energy and security issues in Tehran." More...

This showdown seem inevitable now. The IAEA will certainly now refer the Iranian uranium enrichment program to the U.N. Security Council. Russia had been desperatly been trying to find a way to avoid confrontation but with this turn of events, the outcome seems inevitable.

Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents

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Also feel free to sign up and join the OpenRing Blogring to increase your free site traffic. We manage one of the largest blogrings on the web with over 190+ members strong and still growing !!

Stop by and register to take advantage of all this free stuff. It's painless! See if you can beat the top scores in the V3 Flash Gaming Arcade and also learn how to add flash gaming to your site!! ......[ Sticky Post ]

NPR : American Hostage Found Dead in Iraq

"An American who was among four Christian activists kidnapped last year in Iraq has been killed, a State Department spokesman said Friday.

The FBI verified that a body found in Iraq Friday morning was that of Tom Fox, 54, of Clear Brook, Va., spokesman Noel Clay said. He said he had no information on the other three hostages. Clay said additional forensics will be done in the United States. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is investigating, he said.

Fox's family has been notified, Clay said, and 'our heartfelt condolences go out to them.' 'The State Department continues to call for the unconditional release of all other hostages' in Iraq, the spokesman said.

Fox was the one American among four Christian Peacemaker activists kidnapped last year in Iraq. On Tuesday, Al-Jazeera television aired footage of the three other activists purportedly appealing to their governments to secure their release."

Iran Threatens US With 'Harm and Pain'

(TEHRAN) "Iran fears the blind, toothless United Nations so much that today an Iranian delegation (LGF) threatened the United States in a meeting of the IAEA.

“The United States has the power to cause harm and pain,” said a statement delivered by the Iranian delegation. “But the United States is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if that is the path that the U.S. wishes to choose, let the ball roll.”" ....

Burns told the House International Relations Committee that U.S. officials expect the Security Council to consider a statement of condemnation against Iran. He said, however, that the Bush administration would like to go "beyond that to entertain the possibility of a resolution to isolate and hopefully influence (Iran's) behavior."

If Iran does not respond to words and resolutions, "then we believe that the world community should entertain the possibility of sanctions against Iran," Burns said.

ElBaradei's report accused Iran of withholding information, possessing plans linked to nuclear weapons and refusing to freeze uranium enrichment — a possible pathway to nuclear arms.

In comments to the IAEA board meeting, Gregory Schulte, the U.S. delegate to the agency, said the 85 tons of feedstock uranium gas already produced by Iran "if enriched, could produce enough material for about 10 nuclear weapons."

Contract on America

(WASHINGTON SATIRE) — The Democrat party, which has come under fire from within and without recently for its lack of a cohesive message or platform just eight months out from a national election, will soon unveil a plan intended to emulate the success of the Republicans’ 1994 ‘Contract with America,’ according to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

“We took a good concept that offered bad policies, and brought our progressive ideals to it,” said Rep. Pelosi. “We wanted a name that capitalized on the success of the previous plan, but made it clear that our goals are quite different.”

The Democrat ‘Contract on America’ will be launched within the next several weeks, she said, “and it’s destined to pull our party together, give us a sense of mission and meaning, and to inspire some really amazing bumper stickers and buttons.”

Mrs. Pelosi said the key difference between the old ‘Contract with America’, and the new ‘Contract on America’ is captured in the preposition.

The phrase was suggested by progressive linguist George Lakoff, the U.C. Berkeley professor who consults with Democrats on “how to say what they mean without using traditional, culture-bound words that people understand.”

“The word ‘on’ in the ‘Contract on America’ denotes something positive and active,” said Mr. Lakoff. “It indicates that Democrat ideas are not off, they’re right on. It’s much stronger than the word ‘with’, which always sounded passive. The ‘Contract on America’ says Democrats are progressively leading America onward in a single, inevitable direction.”

Rep. Pelosi said top Democrats “need just a few more weeks to finalize the ‘Contract on America’, now that we have agreed to this catchy title.”

“I’m sure the actual ideas and policies will start to flow from there,” she said. “Then you’ll see the American people rally to the Democrat cause in a way that hasn’t happened since we nominated Michael Dukakis for the presidency.”" -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

Rebuking Islamofacism: A Clash of Civilizations

American psychologist Wafa Sultan is a one outspoken crusader for 21st Century thinking! She puts her life on the line arguing against religious radicalism in a Clash of Civilizations. Here she is on Al Jazeera television on Feb 21st 2006, blasting Islamic religious extremists for following a course that would take the world back to the Middle Ages. She leaves him speechless.

In this news clip, she puts Dr. Ibrahim Al-Khouli, renown Middle Age thinker, in his place and trust me he could not get a word in edgewise! This gal really nails the entire issue solid. It is encouraging to see that it was aired as a spot on Al-Jezeera, although we doubt the Iranian women in the previous post ever had a chance to hear it in Iran.

We sure hope Wafa wears kevlar when she is out in public! We commend her for her passion and her courage!

(Courtesy MEMERI TV ) [Hat tip: lgf]
(Requires Windows Media Player)

Tell us what you think!

No Iranian Soccer Moms Allowed Here

More oppression of women in the holy Islamic state of Iran. Where is the National Organization for Women when you need them the most? Can't find them? Maybe it's because they spend most of their time with their heads stuck squarely in the sand absorbed in a tizzy over abortion rights. Heaven forbid openly supporting the emancipation of women in the Islamo-facist Republic of Iran.

(TEHRAN) "Dozens of women had bought tickets and hoped to cheer on the Iranian National team, were all banned from entering Tehran’s Azadi Stadium last Wednesday.

Iranian police officers stand as Iranian girls hold a banner sign which reads in Persian 'We want to watch a match of our national soccer team' as they wait to enter the Azadi stadium during a world cup friendly match between Iran and Costa Rica in Tehran, on Wednesday March, 1, 2006. Iranian women are not allowed to attend actual matches of the men's teams which are held in the coliseum. Iran won 3-2.

Iranian security officers forcefully removed several hundred women spectators from an indoor stadium as they were watching athletes performing in the 2006 Gymnastics World Cup tournament being held in Tehran, eye-witnesses reported.

The action took place on the opening day of the tournaments as fans gathered in Tehran’s 12,000-seater Azadi indoor stadium to watch the international gymnasts compete.

Little more than 10 minutes after the start of the games, intelligence officials from the government’s sports institution entered the stalls of the arena and demanded that all women exit the facility.

Among those asked to leave were several female translators for the international teams that were competing on the day.

Must a fun place for an educated woman. Wait till the stoning begins young ladies. You will have a front row seat in the stadium for that event.

Palestinians Vote to Strip Abbas of Powers

BREITBART.COM - Palestinians Vote to Strip Abbas of Powers: "Hamas headed into a full-blown confrontation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, voting to strip him of powers he was hastily awarded by his Fatah Party in the last session of the outgoing parliament.

In Gaza City, an Israeli missile strike killed two Islamic Jihad militants and three bystanders, including two young boys.

The Hamas-Fatah conflict has been simmering since Hamas swept Fatah out of office in January parliamentary elections, ending four decades of unchallenged rule by the party of the late Yasser Arafat.

Hamas has 74 seats in the new parliament and Fatah just 45, and the first order of business for Hamas was to cancel the powers the outgoing parliament gave to Abbas, the Fatah leader, authorizing him to cancel laws passed by the new parliament and appointing Fatah officials to key positions.

In the West Bank administrative capital of Ramallah, Fatah delegates walked out, accusing Hamas of twisting the rules to weaken Abbas' authority.

About 15 Fatah gunmen marched on parliament in Gaza City, firing into the air. The gunmen eventually headed to a Fatah meeting, where they demanded their party stay out of the government Hamas is setting up and threatened to kill any Fatah official who joined." More...

Once again the Palestinians prove to be their own worst enemy with the choices they make. This move will prove to be the beginning of the end of Palestine as it proceeds to make Abbas a non entity in future negotiations with the rest of the world. This does not bode well and expect a negative reaction from Israel, ala Netenyahu as the next Prime Minister.

Paradise Lost

Clinton's UAE Dealings: Hillary in Denial

This story could turn out to be a bigger problem for the Democrats than it is for the Republicans. Seems like the Clintons have more than one conflict to deal with...

Could this be part of the reason why Democrats want an immediate vote on the UAE ports deal? It certainly helps Hillary if the story just goes away.

Bill Clinton made hundreds of thousands working for the UAE. Bill even tried to get his good friend work promoting the state owned Dubai Ports World!

Yet, Senator Hillary Clinton had the nerve to play off like the former president just had one phone conversation with the UAE. Hillary said on Thursday that:

"The president, my husband, supports my position, a position that is rooted in legitimate concerns about security."

This could not be further from the truth!

"I did not have relations...

...with that port company."

But, his relations with UAE top officials who pull the strings are extensive!

Here is what the media is saying to protect the favorite senator and world traveling husband:

Former President Bill Clinton coached United Arab Emirates officials on how to handle the Dubai ports controversy two weeks ago, but he didn't tell his wife about that conversation, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton disclosed Thursday.

The telephone chat between Clinton and the UAE officials, which took place while the former president was traveling in Pakistan, ended with his advising state-owned Dubai Ports World to voluntarily submit to a 45-day probe, said people familiar with the exchange.

The former president's Dubai discussion was first reported in Thursday's editions of the Financial Times.

The senator's fundraisers have tried to cash in on the popularity of her anti-Dubai Ports World stance. An e-mail sent Monday listed her recent comments and directed donors to a Web page to make "Friends of Hillary" contributions.

But that is only the tip of the sand dune for the president and his UAE dealings:

He was paid $450,000 for a recent Dubai speech, and the UAE gave at least $500,000 for his presidential library.

In November, Bill Clinton referred to the pro-U.S. Dubai government as "a role model" for the Mideast.

[Hat tip: Gateway Pundit]

Bush's Polls

A Hunting We Will Go

Beheader of 116 captured in Iraq

(Jihad Watch): "Good thing Islam forbids beheading, or his death total might be in the thousands.

(Seriously, he was acting in accord with Qur'an 47:4, which commands Muslims to 'strike the necks' of unbelievers.)

'Suspected Kidnapper Arrested in Baghdad,' from AP:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi security forces have arrested a suspect in the 2004 kidnapping and beheading of a Japanese backpacker, officials said Thursday.

The Interior Ministry identified the suspect as Hussein Fahmi, a 28-year-old al-Qaida in Iraq operative arrested over two months ago in western Baghdad.

Fahmi confessed to carrying out 116 beheadings, including that of 24-year-old Japanese backpacker Shosei Koda, ministry official Maj. Raid al-Mafraji said.

Fahmi, who is of Egyptian and Palestinian descent, was captured by the Interior Ministry's counterinsurgency Wolf Brigade after a tip from local residents, al-Mafraji said. 'We managed to arrest three other terrorists with him and seized a huge amount of weapons,' he said."

Mayor Nagin Clueless

Scott Ott has provided this accounting of the facts in the Katrina debacle. Seems that the Willie Wonka Mayor of "Chocolate Town" was baffled by the new videos released by AP of the utter confusion at the state and local levels.

(2006-03-02) — Just hours after the Associated Press (AP) ‘shocked‘ New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin yesterday by showing him video of a FEMA briefing during Hurricane Katrina in which government officials speculate about the impact of the expected Category 5 storm, the AP has shown the mayor a second “alarming and disgusting” video.

The first video shows President George Bush, Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff and then-FEMA Director Michael Brown, among others, dealing with how to respond to the developing disaster, and what to make of inconsistent reports from New Orleans about the condition of the Lake Pontchatrain levees.

The second video, shot by a parking lot security camera several days earlier, shows row upon row of yellow school buses, sitting idle on a day when thousands of local residents remained in the path of the storm.

“Someone at the White House should have given the order to use those school buses to evacuate the city before Katrina hit,” said the Mayor, who is the top local government official in New Orleans. “It makes me ill to think that the federal government failed to intervene to save these people. George Bush had plenty of time, and he did nothing.”

Mr. Nagin, who is the Mayor of New Orleans, noted that local residents “did just what we have trained them to do in a disaster. They watched the hurricane coverage on CNN and waited for a federal official to knock on the door and rescue them.”

“They followed their training,” said Mr. Nagin, the Mayor of New Orleans, “but the knock never came. They were helpless, utterly helpless.”

In May 2002, Ray Nagin was elected Mayor of New Orleans, a city which sits below sea level, between the Gulf of Mexico and a large lake.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan today said, “One can always argue after the fact about whether President Bush should have intervened more forcefully to protect New Orleans from this grave threat, but Ray Nagin is the lawfully elected mayor, and whether he remains is not the decision of the President" -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

Hyper Tuning Firefox: A Bloggers Guide

Learn how to power tune Firefox. Detailed guide and software bundle now available at the OpenWeb!

Hyper-Tuning Firefox: A Bloggers Guide is a 12 page detailed instruction guide with software for optimizing Firefox based on 6 key areas of setting adjustments and PC hardware configurations consolidated from a number of referenced procedures from top "developer-design" level software engineers within the industry. The guide is organized into six key areas of focus with detailed instructions on how to unlock and increase latent Firefox speed by custom tuning it for your own PC hardware and internet connection.

The 6 Key Areas Covered:

1. All MEMORY CACHE ADJUSTMENTS
2. DISC CACHING OPTIMIZATION
3. SPECIAL TIPS FOR WINDOWS XP
4. MAXIMIZING WINDOW RENDERING
5. LEVERAGING VIRTUAL HARD DISCS
6. SETTING HIGH END BROAD BAND CONNECTIONS (CableModem / DSL / T1)
(Usually #6 is the only thing done by the freeware out there!)

The best Firefox optimization freeware is also included to help the "non-geek" automatically make the 1st level tuning adjustments for item 6 above. It also serves as a good starting point for the more advanced optimization recommendations compiled in the guide (items 1 thru 5). Spend a few minutes with this easy to follow download and switch on your Firefox's afterburners!

We now have the Hyper Tuning Firefox Guide (with and without 1st level tuning software) available at the OpenWeb Emporium and at Payloadz. Or you can also search Google to find it. If you are using Firefox, and have not optimized it for your particular hardware and internet access, you will probably want the support bundle from the OpenWeb where we provide support in our Forums for registered members! A "guide only" version is also available. Help support us while supporting you! -- OpenWeb Staff

Beijingers Being Taught How To Spit

This is no joke and not satire either... If you have been to China you will understand...

(BEIJING) - The government is teaching citizens 'the right way to spit.' A college is showing students the right way to spit. Two years ahead of hosting the
Olympic Games, people across Beijing are on an all-out drive to mind their manners.

China's hard, gray, briskly communist capital has a reputation for brusqueness. Visitors are often startled to see its people spit onto the crowded pavement.

Changing all that ahead of the 2008 Summer Games is 'crucial in providing a cultural and historical legacy to the world' for China, said Beijing city official Zhang Huiguang.

'We will work with newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, the Internet and mobile telephone carriers to teach people the right way to spit,' said Zhang, director of Beijing's Capital Ethical and Cultural Development Office.

Zhang said her office is running a 'behavioral training' campaign that also includes lining up properly for buses and turning off mobile phones during meetings.

But spitting is the No. 1 issue, she said at a news conference Wednesday.

'You have to spit into a tissue or a bag, and then put it into a dustbin to complete the process,' she said.

Zhang said her office has organized a small army of volunteers who are hitting Beijing's streets to hand out 'spit bags,' wearing bright orange uniforms with the Chinese character for 'mucus' emblazoned in yellow on the back." More...

I have been to Beijing and there is no doubt that this is a good idea for their public relations. I have to tell you, as a westerner I was very impressed with the people, their courtesy and hospitality, but the spitting thing is for real. In addition, you have to admire the efficiency of their government and how well they orchestrate activities involving the masses. I can promise you the world will be very impressed with the upcoming Olympics and it will be an eye opener for most Americans. Sure, they have their issues, but with respect to pulling together as a nation, they have a sense of real pride and nationalism. Something many of us Americans have long forgotten. -- zzb

Israeli Strike Kills Islamic Jihad leader

Aljazeera.Net - Israeli strike kills Islamic Jihad leader: "Khalid al-Dahduh, also known as Abu al-Walid, was killed on Wednesday when the vehicle in which he was travelling exploded in the strike.

He was the leader of the Al-Quds Brigades in the Gaza Strip.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Islamic Jihad, which boycotted a Palestinian general election last January in which its larger rival Hamas won a massive victory, has been behind the last six bombings in Israel.

Al-Dahduh's death brings to 4969 the number of people killed since the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising in 2000. Most of the victims have been Palestinian."

Israel scores a hit in their eternal struggle to prempt further terrorist attacks on their soil. It will be interesting to see what the official Hamas, excuse me, Palestinian leadership, reaction will be.