Monday, January 31, 2005 Iraq I have been far too busy as of late... I didn't even blog about the biggest historical/news item of the year; the Iraqi Election. ... but what can I say that hasn't already been said? Did you see the look of absolute joy on the faces of the Iraqi's who risked their lives to go out and vote? People were dancing in the streets! Just try and tell me that the Iraqi's "don't even want us over their"... Try and tell me their lives aren't better now than under Saddam! I personally have a lot of feelings wrapped up in the future of Iraq. I voted for George Bush twice. I supported the President on the Iraq issue 110%. I believed that my second vote for Bush was, at least in part, a vote on America's handling of Iraq. I see America as a liberator of Iraq. I believe we have delivered the Iraqi's from a brutal dictator. In doing so we have unleashed the chaos and uncertainty that is sure to follow the fall of any government. We Americans have a duty, as liberators, to ensure that the Iraqi's replace despotism with freedom. America has paid a major price for the liberation of Iraq - and no-one knows this greater than the soldiers who spent their blood to buy the Iraqi's their freedom. Every triumph for Iraq is a triumph for America. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Iraqi brothers as they work towards a peaceful democracy. When I see the Iraqi's dancing in the streets I am filled with joy. For the first time in ages I didn't have to look to Chrenkoff to find good news out of Iraq. I just feel good about Iraq. No amount of leftist conspiracies claiming ballot stuffing and false reports of voter turn out in Iraq can ruin my mood. Leftist propaganda inflating Iraqi civilian death tolls cannot ruin my mood. Stories like this one can only make me happier. Check it out and tell me this doesn't make you feel good about Iraq: The man replacing the mayor of Baghdad - who was assassinated for his pro-American loyalties - says he is not worried about his ties to Washington. In fact, he'd like to erect a monument to honor President Bush in the middle of the city. "We will build a statue for Bush," said Ali Fadel, the former provincial council chairman. "He is the symbol of freedom." ... "We have a lot of work and we are especially grateful to the soldiers of the U.S.A. for freeing our country of tyranny," Fadel said. Tell me that doesn't make you feel good about the job our President and our soldiers have been doing! God Bless Iraq and, as the President is fond of saying, may God continue to bless America! posted by fabulinus : 1/31/2005 07:54:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

The Gang That Won’t Shoot Straight The Gang That Won’t Shoot Straight It began when ol’ Dubya gave Al Gore the boot, Those gun-hating Dems really started to shoot. Their weapons of choice though leave much to desire For they’re usually off-target and so often misfire. In his blustering barrages, as everyone knows, Al Gore is most likely to blow off his own nose. And in hitting his targets, Teddy’s chances are slimmer He’s no better at bombast than he was as a swimmer. John Kerry took aim at Bush’s war in Iraq But salvoes from Swiftees left him smoking black. Daschle went to Dakota with all barrels loaded; When the smoke finally cleared, he had clearly imploded. They were gunning for George, but without enough practice And ended up full of holes, their butts full of cactus. That dimwitted cowboy turned out muy mal Blew the Libs clean away at their O.K. Corral Howard Dean, more than most, embodies the phrase, “Shoot yourself in the foot,” yet may see better days. If DNC chiefs decide the Party needs Deaning, Shooting yourself in the foot will have Party-wide meaning. Senator Boxer shot holes in her own reputation, Taking potshots at Condi before the whole nation. We can’t wait for the chance to see Nancy Pelosi, Take aim at ol’ George: “BAM!” there goes her toesy. We’ll not tolerate lying, fumes Senator Dayton, A lightweight compared to the lady he’s baitin.’ But he shoots from the lip and quite clearly he misses, While eighty-five colleagues hand out Condi kisses. This “Gang that won’t shoot straight,” is really no puzzle, Did you ever see a Lib knew his butt from his muzzle? Have you fathomed the lesson that runs through this poem? All guns should have locks if there are Libs in the home. Russ Vaughn posted by fabulinus : 1/31/2005 01:35:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Wednesday, January 26, 2005 Oscars Snub Moore-on Michael Moore's attempt to turn voters against U.S. President George W. Bush has failed and he has lost his gamble as well for a coveted best-picture Oscar nomination for his incendiary documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11." The Whole Story W00t. posted by fabulinus : 1/26/2005 06:09:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Monday, January 24, 2005 So You Say You Support The Troops? 2d Ed. So You Say You Support The Troops? 2d Ed. It’s so easy to say you support the troops, regardless of which side you come down on in the issue of the War in Iraq itself. Yeah, you can send care packages and put yellow ribbon magnets on your car to make you feel all warm and fuzzy that you’re doing your own small part. You can do as I do and use forums such as this one to expound the viewpoint of the folks we send in harm’s way, hoping that someway, somehow, someone who can make a difference may read your rant and actually do that something that makes a difference. But right now, folks, we have a rare opportunity, a seldom-held power for ordinary citizens, to actually do something for the troops that will bring them more comfort than any supportive letters or boxes of cookies and candy ever possibly could. You see, right now we have the ability to provide them with comfort of mind, to lift a mental and emotional burden that they all carry with them when they enter any theater of combat. We hold in our collective hands the ability to grant them assurance that should the worst befall them, we, their grateful nation, will provide for their loved ones in a manner that will approximate what they would have provided in the normal course of their lives. Under current law, Uncle Sam is a rather parsimonious patron when it comes to providing for the families of fallen warriors. For example, when an American is killed in combat, the surviving spouse receives a one-time death gratuity of $12,400. Service Member's Group Life Insurance coverage (SGLI) up to $250,000 is available for those service members who can afford to pay the premiums. If the fallen trooper has been in service for an extended period of time, the surviving family may also qualify for the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), which is paid up to age 62 or until the spouse remarries. This SBP benefit is limited to 55 percent of the soldier's retirement pay, in the pay grade at the time of death. With so many combat deaths occurring among the youngest service members, we must keep in mind that this is frequently a pay grade that actually qualifies the family for food stamps and aid for dependent children. The annual base pay of a sergeant E-5, with six years of service is less than $30,000. With twenty years service his retirement benefit is half of that. Think for a moment what 55 percent of less than $15,000 amounts to. Think about being a young widow trying to raise small children on less than $700 a month. And for lower pay grades, which constitute the majority of combat deaths, the situation is even grimmer because most of them will not have served long enough for their families to qualify for even this miserly benefit. Even if the service member is insured to the maximum amount, an unlikelihood for younger troops, think about how little $250,000 amounts to over the twenty-plus years required to raise and educate children in today’s world. Now think about the benefits conferred by our government on the survivors of 9/11. Yes, think about it long and hard: millions awarded to families because their loved one happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Millions handed to them not because their loved one had volunteered for the hard service of fighting in combat, but had simply shown up for work. Tell me, America: where’s the justice in this situation? Fortunately, there are some in government who have taken notice of this gross injustice and are preparing to attempt a legislative correction long overdue. Senator Joe Lieberman, D-CT, and Senator Jeff Sessions, R-AL, are scheduled to introduce the Honoring Every Requirement of Exemplary Service (HEROES) Act on January 24th. This legislation will increase the benefit paid to the survivors of military personnel killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and future conflicts, from $12,400 to $100,000, retroactive to October 2001. The benefit for non-combat deaths will remain at $12,400. The Act will raise SGLI Insurance coverage from $250,000 to $400,000, with the government paying the premiums for the first $150,000 for military personnel serving in a combat zone, also retroactive to October 2001. So you say you support the troops? Then as soon as you finish reading this, start hammering that keyboard and let your two senators and your congressman know that you expect no less than their full support for early passage of the HEROES Act. To a person, they all swear they support the troops, regardless of party affiliation or individual positions on the war. Let them know, their future electoral efforts will, in your mind, be dependent upon their actions on behalf of those troops and those families who have given that “last full measure of devotion,” to their nation. Want a place to start? For a list of sites with congressional contacts, go here. Get off your butts, America and show you really do support the troops. Russ Vaughn 2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Vietnam 65-66 posted by fabulinus : 1/24/2005 10:35:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

How many Liberals does it take to win a war? How many Liberals does it take to win a war? How many of you Liberals does it take to win a war? Well how the hell can we tell? You won’t fight one anymore. You say that you support the troops, but the truth’s plain as your face, You’d pull us from the battle, march us home in full disgrace. You’ve no stomach for the fighting, got no mettle, got no pluck; If you ran this war on terror, we’d be a very well plucked duck. The wolves of Jihad smell your dread, can smell your craven breath, And emboldened by the fear they scent, lust for our bloody death. “But wait,” you protest piously , “We are fighters for the poor.” Might we suggest you start to fight, before wolves come through the door? Do you think they’ll still believe in you, your poor, your gays, your blacks, When the wolves run wild among them, sinking fangs into their backs? Think then that they’ll be caring, when they’re counting out their dead, We inflict pain on a captive wolf to learn what’s in his head? Do you really think, you bleeding hearts, when they bleed in scarlet torrents, They’ll care we cage the savage wolves, search lairs without signed warrants? For years we watched your “feel good” courts defang our criminal laws, Handcuff our police, give felons rights, espouse the criminals’ cause. Felonious wolves were freed to prey, and we suffered their wild rages Till “thinking” men took back the courts, put the wolf packs back in cages. With your same old clueless “feelings” you now decry this war; And with your same old fuzzy logic, common sense you still ignore. We must look into “root causes” and we must try to “feel their pain;” Pardon if our eyes start rolling, at your same old lame refrain. It’s hard to fathom whence you come, perhaps some flawed eugenics, That begets utopian pessimists, sires optimistic cynics. Thanks be the power to rule the land remains beyond your means; A regime of yours, would be like, no doubt, being ruled by pimpled teens. Your quixotic quest for a world love nest, denies some truths quite real, Like the need to have some “thinking” folks to preserve your right to “feel.” Abhorring blood on your own hands, there’s a hard truth you’ve ignored, Someone else must take your plowshare, and beat it back into a sword. So how many of you Liberals does it take to win a war? Or is there simply nothing you believe worth fighting for? How is it that you’ve never learned, like most when they grow older, That appeasing badness is a bad idea, only makes the bad guys bolder. Has your fear of spilling human blood made you Jihad’s useful fools, Ignoring that their wolf packs never fight within the rules? By your demand we stay our hand, you weaken and you bind us; Forcing us to fight off wolf attacks with that hand tied behind us. So we bend some rules, in war you fools; so what? Show some respect, When it’s your fuzzy-headed “feelings” “thinking” men fight to protect. Russ Vaughn 2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Vietnam 65-66 posted by fabulinus : 1/24/2005 10:25:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Saturday, January 22, 2005 Lightening Strikes Twice for Evan Maloney Almost 2 years ago a brash young conservative posted a video to the internet entitled Protesting the Protesters, a short video that ranks among my favorite political films and which often was played on the weekends in my dorm room (back in my college days). Protesting the Protestors made Evan an instant success in the conservative community where Evan received accolades from the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Brit Hume. Evan made many other short films during the past 2 years, but sadly Evan's fifteen minutes seemed just about up - even in the build up to his feature length documentary, Brainwashing 101, which as of yet is still in the works. Yes, it seems evan was on the path to obscurity; until today, that is. Lightening has struck twice for young Evan Maloney. Having an article written about you is pretty cool; having the drudge report pick it up means you hit the big time. Kudos to Evan for hitting the big time twice. posted by fabulinus : 1/22/2005 01:15:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Thursday, January 20, 2005 Inauguration Speech Vice President Cheney, Mr. Chief Justice, President Carter, President Bush, President Clinton, reverend clergy, distinguished guests, fellow citizens: On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable wisdom of our Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country. I am grateful for the honor of this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I have sworn and you have witnessed. At this second gathering, our duties are defined not by the words I use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half century, America defended our own freedom by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire. We have seen our vulnerability - and we have seen its deepest source. For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny - prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder - violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a mortal threat. There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom. We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world. America's vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one. From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth. Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time. So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. This is not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law and the protection of minorities. And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way. The great objective of ending tyranny is the concentrated work of generations. The difficulty of the task is no excuse for avoiding it. America's influence is not unlimited, but fortunately for the oppressed, America's influence is considerable, and we will use it confidently in freedom's cause. My most solemn duty is to protect this nation and its people against further attacks and emerging threats. Some have unwisely chosen to test America's resolve, and have found it firm. We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies. We will encourage reform in other governments by making clear that success in our relations will require the decent treatment of their own people. America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty. Some, I know, have questioned the global appeal of liberty - though this time in history, four decades defined by the swiftest advance of freedom ever seen, is an odd time for doubt. Americans, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of our ideals. Eventually, the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul. We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery. Liberty will come to those who love it. Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world: All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you. Democratic reformers facing repression, prison, or exile can know: America sees you for who you are: the future leaders of your free country. The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it." The leaders of governments with long habits of control need to know: To serve your people you must learn to trust them. Start on this journey of progress and justice, and America will walk at your side. And all the allies of the United States can know: we honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help. Division among free nations is a primary goal of freedom's enemies. The concerted effort of free nations to promote democracy is a prelude to our enemies' defeat. Today, I also speak anew to my fellow citizens: From all of you, I have asked patience in the hard task of securing America, which you have granted in good measure. Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom. And as hope kindles hope, millions more will find it. By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well - a fire in the minds of men. It warms those who feel its power, it burns those who fight its progress, and one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world. A few Americans have accepted the hardest duties in this cause - in the quiet work of intelligence and diplomacy ... the idealistic work of helping raise up free governments ... the dangerous and necessary work of fighting our enemies. Some have shown their devotion to our country in deaths that honored their whole lives - and we will always honor their names and their sacrifice. All Americans have witnessed this idealism, and some for the first time. I ask our youngest citizens to believe the evidence of your eyes. You have seen duty and allegiance in the determined faces of our soldiers. You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself - and in your days you will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its character. America has need of idealism and courage, because we have essential work at home - the unfinished work of American freedom. In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty. In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. This is the broader definition of liberty that motivated the Homestead Act, the Social Security Act, and the G.I. Bill of Rights. And now we will extend this vision by reforming great institutions to serve the needs of our time. To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance - preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society. By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear, and make our society more prosperous and just and equal. In America's ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character - on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives. Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people. Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before - ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever. In America's ideal of freedom, the exercise of rights is ennobled by service, and mercy, and a heart for the weak. Liberty for all does not mean independence from one another. Our nation relies on men and women who look after a neighbor and surround the lost with love. Americans, at our best, value the life we see in one another, and must always remember that even the unwanted have worth. And our country must abandon all the habits of racism, because we cannot carry the message of freedom and the baggage of bigotry at the same time. From the perspective of a single day, including this day of dedication, the issues and questions before our country are many. From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few. Did our generation advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause? These questions that judge us also unite us, because Americans of every party and background, Americans by choice and by birth, are bound to one another in the cause of freedom. We have known divisions, which must be healed to move forward in great purposes - and I will strive in good faith to heal them. Yet those divisions do not define America. We felt the unity and fellowship of our nation when freedom came under attack, and our response came like a single hand over a single heart. And we can feel that same unity and pride whenever America acts for good, and the victims of disaster are given hope, and the unjust encounter justice, and the captives are set free. We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because freedom is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul. When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction, set by liberty and the Author of Liberty. When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom. May God bless you, and may He watch over the United States of America. One hundred years from now, young historians will read this speech and think: Wow! posted by fabulinus : 1/20/2005 10:58:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Wednesday, January 12, 2005 That's Not Funny How do you tell when a lawyer is lying? His lips are moving. Funny Joke, Right? Apparently some folks don't think so. Upon hearing the joke, a lawyer outside a Long Island courthouse told the jokers to "pipe down." When the jokers refused, the lawyer reported them to court personnel. The jokers were charged with disorderly conduct. Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau County courts, said the men were “being abusive and they were causing a disturbance.” He said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained. Read More So telling lawyer jokes on the steps of a courthouse constitutes abusive behavior and causing a disturbance? Now that's just not funny. posted by fabulinus : 1/12/2005 08:16:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Monday, January 10, 2005 Liberals love America like... Liberals love America like O.J. loved Nicole. As Ann Coulter said, bless her scathing sharp soul, Liberals love America like O.J. loved Nicole. Sad words those may be, but with ire they must fill us, If the Left can’t control us, they’d just as soon kill us. It’s a madness you see, coming full to the fore, Since they lost every battle of 2004. The weaker seek shrinks while the blamers point fingers, And the madness just festers, the lunacy lingers. They had trusted John Kerry to lead from above, But the problem with that was his hand fit the glove. And the Swift Boat detectives took us far back in time, Shining their hard bright light on the Perp and his crime. The psychosis blooms full and the future’s not rosy, As long as they’re led by the likes of Pelosi. The symptoms are glaring, prognosis is poor Till enmasse, they pass, their worm, Michael Moore. So the Left can’t win fairly, can’t win at the poll? Then they’ll seek other ways to defeat and control. Undermine our elections, give aid to our foe, To debase, to deface, a Nicole-U.S. Ho.’ O.J. had a jury that saw it his way, But believe me you Lefties, it’s come a new day, Red State America sits the main jury seat And for your socialist goals, that spells jury defeat. If you believe as I do, O.J. murdered Nicole, Then you believe as I do, he was out of control. Like crazed Lefties stabbing at our nation’s heart, He was crazy with loss, acting stupid, not smart. Will America share the same fate as Nicole? Slashed, shattered and battered for resisting control? No, Nicole-America has punch in her Right, And this time Juice Lefties, THIS BLONDE’S GONNA FIGHT! Russ Vaughn posted by fabulinus : 1/10/2005 01:11:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

It Finally Hit The Fan CBS Ousts 4 For Bush Guard Story The action was prompted by the report of an independent panel that concluded that CBS News failed to follow basic journalistic principles in the preparation and reporting of the piece. The panel also said CBS News had compounded that failure with “rigid and blind” defense of the 60 Minutes Wednesday report. Asked to resign were Senior Vice President Betsy West, who supervised CBS News primetime programs; 60 Minutes Wednesday Executive Producer Josh Howard; and Howard’s deputy, Senior Broadcast Producer Betsy West. The producer of the piece, Mary Mapes, was terminated. The correspondent on the story, CBS News anchor Dan Rather, is stepping down as anchor of CBS Evening News Looks like a good start to me. posted by fabulinus : 1/10/2005 10:37:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Wednesday, January 05, 2005 GOP Email: Tsunamis Eight days ago a violent earthquake shook the island of Sumatra causing the formation of tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. These tsunamis caused horrific destruction from Thailand to the Horn of Africa. Over 150,000 lives are estimated to be lost and 5 million people are homeless and many without food. Millions are vulnerable to disease. Across the nation flags will fly at half-staff to honor the victims. The entire nation mourns for those who have lost loved ones and we keep all those affected in our prayers. Monday morning President Bush announced that former Presidents Bush and Clinton will head a nationwide charitable effort to help those affected by this disaster. In the coming days both will be asking the American people to donate what they can to those charities helping with the effort. For more information on donating visit the USA Freedom Corps Web site at www.usafreedomcorps.gov These charities are helping to get food, water and other assistance to the tsunami victims. Americans know from our own catastrophes, such as the Florida hurricanes this past fall, the important role charities play in the rebuilding effort and that any and all help is appreciated. Please visit www.usafreedomcorps.gov to see what you can do to help the tsunami victims. Forward this link to family and friends and let's do our part to help bring hope and relief to this devastated region. Sincerely, Ed Gillespie Chairman, Republican National Committee posted by fabulinus : 1/05/2005 07:41:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

When the World Dials 911 When the World Dials 911 Disaster strikes a world away We get the call, what do we say? We move at once, to ease their plight, To aid them through their darkest night. But come shrill cries from carping Press, That’s not enough to fix this mess. We know that, fools, but give us room, To counter Mother Nature’s doom. America gives to those in need, With no regard to faith or creed. We’re there for all when need is great A helping hand to any state, That’s fallen under Nature’s wrath And needs a lift back to the path. So what they may have mocked our ways? We’ll turn our cheek ‘til better days. But there are those who hate us so, They’ll carp and snipe and hit us low, Who’ll bend disaster to their needs, And try to choke us on our deeds. They’ll play their dirty liberal tricks, For them it’s only politics. In the face of massive human pain, They only think of their own gain. But the world knows sure whom it must call, When disaster strikes, when nations fall. America is the beaming light That fades, dispels disaster’s night, And standing firm provides relief To salve the pain, allay the grief. So to Hell with what our critics say, America’s fine, still leads the way. Russ Vaughn posted by fabulinus : 1/05/2005 01:37:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Tuesday, January 04, 2005 Russia Inches Away From Freedom For the first time since the fall of Communism, Russia is listed as “Not Free” in the Freedom House’s annual survey Freedom in the World. Read More posted by fabulinus : 1/04/2005 09:11:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

France: America's Greatest Emerging Threat? After 9/11 a line was drawn in the sand. President Bush made a bold declaration: If you are not with us you are against us. Shortly thereafter, France made a firm stand, with one foot on each side of the line. It is no wonder that John Kerry took such a liking to the French... In a world where the most powerful man of the most powerful nation decreed that you are either our friend or our enemy, France has decided not to be America's friend. The Center for Security Policy in Washington DC, in a piece entitled False friends, writes: the government of France under Jacques Chirac is bent on policies that are antithetical to U.S. interests. They are not simply anti-Bush, they are anti-American and anti-Atlanticist. The latest example is Chirac's determination to have French and other European weapons manufacturers arm Communist China as part of what he has called "a necessary rebalancing of the 'grand triangle' formed by America, Europe and Asia." I cannot help but ponder whether France was as concerned about keeping a balance of power between the major forces in the world during WWII after Paris fell to Hitler. America has been the greatest friend to the world since the end of WWII, acting more benevolently than any nation in the history of mankind, but France, in all their wisdom, has decided it is best to tip the balance of power away from the United States. Amazing! The article continues: Seen against this backdrop, Chirac's calculation that Europe must strengthen China militarily at America's expense is not just a one-off betrayal of an ally. It is part of a geostrategic tradition that renders France, at best, an unreliable partner in international affairs and, at worst, what the French call a "faux ami," or false friend. I think it may be a bit presumptuous - perhaps naive - to call the French America's friend... The article concludes: Jacques Chirac's determination to provide weapons that may be used to kill Americans in the event China decides to attack Taiwan should be a wake-up call. False friends are not allies. They should not be entitled to the preferential treatment accorded the latter. Mr. Bush is right that democracies traditionally don't fight democracies. But when they equip authoritarian regimes to do so, they must expect to pay a real cost. If you are either with us or against us AND France is not with us then ... posted by fabulinus : 1/04/2005 08:36:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

al-Zarqawi Arrested? Boy wouldn't that be nice... Drudge is reporting: URGENT: 'TARGET #1': al-Zarqawi reportedly arrested in Iraq Tue Jan 04 2005 09:49:47 ET At this point U.S. military and intelligence sources are denying that al-Zarqawi has been captured. Strategically it would make sense to wait as long as possible to announce the capture of so high profile a target... if the enemy doesn't know you have their leader then you have more time to garner information about the enemy's network, you have more time to lay traps and find all the key players. For instance, if we had al-Zarqawi in custody and kept that in secret we could, in theory, lay a trap for Bin Laden or at least find and capture more of al-Zarqawi's terrorist network. Once the cat is out of the bag, though, there is little use in trying to put on a charade and lay traps for the enemy. It seems unlikely, therefore, that the US would continue to deny al-Zarqawi's capture once it has been reported in the press if we actually had him. Because the US military sources continue to deny al-Zarqawi's capture, it only stands to reason that al-Zarqawi is still on the loose. posted by fabulinus : 1/04/2005 07:50:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Monday, January 03, 2005 More US adults reading Web logs Less US adults reading Esoteric * Diatribe... heh The AP is reporting that blog readership is up in the US... Readership of online journals known as blogs grew significantly last year, driven by increased awareness of them during the presidential campaign and other major news events, according to a study released on Sunday. Twenty-seven percent of online adults in the US said in November they read blogs, compared with 17 percent in a February survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Neat. Readership of E*D is down but that is likely because I have reduced blogging from a multi-daily task to a once a week if I get around to it sort of thing. Also of interest from the article: Though blog readership jumped, the percentage of online Americans who write blogs grew only slightly, to 7 percent in November, up from 5 percent early in the year. Blog creators tend to be male, affluent, well-educated and young; 70 percent of them have high-speed connections at home, and 82 percent have been online at least six years. Male: Check Affluent: Ahahahahahahahaha! Well educated: Check Young: Check High Speed at Home: Check Not available where I now live. In a related piece, Blogs Booming?, Alyce Lomax astutely points out: The Pew data does show that the majority of Americans still don't know what a blog is, posing the idea that, despite no shortage of hype, the blog phenomenon could remain a niche or stagnate at these levels. However, it seems to me that's a slim chance. How this industry evolves will be of the utmost importance to traditional media -- and Internet-based -- companies, and the individuals who have invested in them. Speaking of investing in blogs, who wants to write Ken a big fat check? Read more about blogs. posted by fabulinus : 1/03/2005 11:18:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website