Friday, April 29, 2005 Topics I am looking for good topics to blog about. If you have an essay, poem, or topic you would like to read about on Esoteric * Diatribe, Contact Me. posted by fabulinus : 4/29/2005 11:12:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 Free Plug From the Inbox: Hello. I am Jay Wood. My blog site is called On The Third (http://jaywood.blogspot.com). A new conservative forum has been created, and we are currently looking to recruit strong conservatives. If you'd be interested in getting involved, please write me back. Not interested. No Free Time. Maybe someone else will see this and join. posted by fabulinus : 4/27/2005 02:00:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Inbox: Double Standards Here is one worth reading: Hypocrite - noun, one who pretends to be what he is not or to have principles or beliefs that he does not have. The Democrats' efforts to block President Bush's qualified judicial nominees are not only hypocritical but are examples of partisan politicking at its worst. Republicans in the Senate are working to ensure that all of President Bush's judicial nominees receive a fair and final up-or-down vote. Despite Senate history and tradition, Democrats are aggressively trying to prevent qualified judges from receiving what's been afforded every judicial nominee for over 200 years. During the Clinton Administration, Democrats demanded up-or-down majority votes on judicial nominations, but, now that they are in the minority, they have become the party of obstructionism and double standards. The Constitution guarantees an up or down vote, but the Democrats don't want to perform their duty. You can make a difference! Call Senator Harry Reid at 202-224-3542 and tell him to give these judges an up or down vote. On July 25, 2003, President Bush made history by nominating Janice Rogers Brown to the federal bench. Brown is the first African American elected to the California Supreme Court and was reelected by California voters with 76% of the vote. The daughter of Alabama sharecroppers who grew up in segregated schools in the midst of Jim Crow policies in the South, Brown is a single mother who worked her way through college and law school. Despite her sterling personal and legal credentials, during the 108th Congress, Senate Democrats used a hypocritical double standard to block her nomination. Judge Brown is not alone. Senate Democrats obstructed an up-or-down vote on 9 other well-qualified judges. Some of these judges have been waiting for a vote for four years. It seems Democrats have changed their tune on giving all judicial nominees a fair up-or-down vote. They now claim the filibuster is a sacred tool of the Senate. But in 1995, Democrats, including nine who still serve, voted to rid the Senate of this tool. That's right, nine current Democratic Senators voted to get rid of the filibuster. Now that it suits their needs, they praise it. What's worse than this hypocrisy is these same Senators now lead the obstruction and threaten to shut down the Senate. Their claims of loyalty to, and reverence for, Senate traditions are just another sham designed to hide their hypocrisy. To learn more about how the Party of Nine has become the obstructionist party of no, click here! See how these members used to demand fair up-or-down votes on judicial nominees, but now want to block nominees and hold the Senate hostage. You can make a real difference in this debate by calling the Democrats' obstructionist in chief, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. Senator Reid is leading the charge in the Senate to end 200 years of legal precedent and tradition and he needs to hear from you today! Call Senator Reid at 202-224-3542 and tell him to not be an obstructionist. Sincerely, Ken Mehlman Chairman, RNC I think the opening was really weak. Starting off a piece with a definition does little more than prove you were too lazy to come up with a good intro. I remember doing that back in high school. Other than the critique on the style, the content was A+ work. Outstanding! Heh. posted by fabulinus : 4/27/2005 01:55:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Monday, April 25, 2005 Email: From Director of Conservative Outreach From the Inbox: David Rexrode, RNC Director of Conservative Outreach Help Prevent Senate Democrats From Shutting Down the Government! Dear (Your Name Here), In a recent letter regarding President Bush's judicial nominees, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) threatened to shut down the government and not allow any important legislation to be considered. "...we will be reluctant to enter into any consent agreement that facilitates Senate activities, even on routine matters. Just this year we passed the class action and bankruptcy bills under procedures negotiated in good faith between the majority and the minority. We would decline to provide such cooperation in the future...". Instead of working in a bipartisan manner to pass meaningful legislation to help the American people, Senate Democrats are threatening to hold the Senate hostage if they don't get their way. Senators have a duty under the Constitution to provide advice and consent on judicial nominations, but Senate Democrats continue to prevent the President's judicial nominees from even being voted on. It is time to tell Senate Democrats not to shut down the government and start fulfilling their constitutional obligation by giving the President's judicial nominees a fair up or down vote! Call Minority Leader Harry Reid, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Robert Byrd, Senator Ken Salazar, and Senator Chuck Schumer TODAY and tell them we will not tolerate their efforts to hold the Senate hostage and that they have a constitutional obligation to give all of the President's judicial nominees an up or down vote. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid - (202) 224-3542 Senator Hillary Clinton - (202) 224-4451 Senator Ted Kennedy - (202) 224-4543 Senator Robert Byrd - (202) 224-3954 Senator Ken Salazar - (202) 224-5852 Senator Chuck Schumer - (202) 224-6542 I think it is appalling that appointments from the first term remain unvoted upon. The Republicans have a clear majority... if they don't start setting the legislative agenda and pushing things through, we ought to replace them with different Republicans - ones willing to get the job done. posted by fabulinus : 4/25/2005 03:29:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Friday, April 22, 2005 "I Punched Saddam in the Mouth" A 'Must Read' Article I just happened across this today. I have no way of knowing how much if any of the article is real, but the pics seem to corroborate the story. Check it out here or better yet here. Excerpt: "All these years of anger, I couldn't stop. I tried to say the worst things I could. I told him if he were a real man he would have killed himself. I asked him: 'Why are you living in that dirty little hole, you bastard? You are a rat. Your father is a rat.'" Pretty amazing IMHO. posted by fabulinus : 4/22/2005 12:25:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Monday, April 18, 2005 Who said it? Guess who said it: "To show you how radical I am, I want carjackers dead. I want rapists dead. I want burglars dead. I want child molesters dead. I want the bad guys dead. No court case. No parole. No early release. I want 'em dead. Get a gun and when they attack you, shoot 'em." A) Michael Moore B) Rosey O'Donnel C) Hillary Clinton D) Dick Cheney E) Ted Nugent F) Howard Dean posted by fabulinus : 4/18/2005 03:15:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Michael Moore-on: The Would Be Pope From here via here... Saturday, April 16th, 2005 Wassup? Friends, How's it going? Ready for the next step? Let me know what you've been up to and any ideas you have about what our next move should be (write me at the addresses below). Meanwhile, I'll be in conclave this week handing out goodie bags and running for pope. Wish me well! Yours, Michael Moore MMFlint@aol.com Mike@michaelmoore.com www.michaelmoore.com Just one more reason to dislike Michael Moore. posted by fabulinus : 4/18/2005 10:17:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Friday, April 15, 2005 Buy A Gun Day Go out and buy a gun. I did. Pics to come tonight. posted by fabulinus : 4/15/2005 10:57:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Thursday, April 14, 2005 Buy a Gun Day III Tomorrow Tomorrow is Buy a Gun Day, where we simple folk across this great country celebrate our God given right, recognized in the Second Amendment of the Constitution, to purchase, own, and bear firearms. Last year I signed on to support the 2005 Buy a Gun Day Blogroll and I am pleased to announce that this year I decided not only to support the cause by adding my blog to the list, but this April I stepped up and bought my first firearm... a nickel plated Smith and Wesson Model 59 with Pachmayr grips and two clips. Last weekend I ran about a hundred rounds through the gun and I am please to say that she shoots as good as she looks. (I'll post a pic tomorrow as part of my Buy A Gun Day celebration) For more on Buy A Gun Day, go here. For more on the history of Buy a Gun Day, go Here. posted by fabulinus : 4/14/2005 11:24:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 WWII MIA Identified I am signed up for DOD email/newsletters and came across an interesting one today... WWII Missing in Action Serviceman Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of an Army Air Forces crewman have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with military honors. Staff Sgt. Robert W. McKee of Garvey, Calif., will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery April 12. On Dec. 17, 1944, McKee was an aerial gunner on an 11-member crew of a B-24L *Liberator* that took off from Pantanella, Italy, on a mission to bomb enemy targets near Blechhammer, Germany. The aircraft crashed over Hungary, near the small towns of Böhönye and Felsosegesd, with the loss of two crewmen including McKee. The other nine were able to safely parachute from the aircraft. Following the war, the remains of the other unaccounted-for crewman were found in a cemetery in Felsosegesd. Following the war, remains from an American aircraft crash near Vienna, Austria, were found buried with McKee’s military identification tag. But the remains were identified as those of another flyer. Further analysis revealed that McKee had flown on the same plane and had lost his identification tag, most likely on that aircraft. In 1992 an undertaker recovered remains believed to be those of an American in the Böhönye, Hungary, cemetery but they could not be associated with a specific incident. DPMO analysts obtained information from a Hungarian researcher which indicated that the remains might be associated with McKee’s loss. Aerial gunner’s wings were found in the grave, as well as other items worn by U.S. bomber crews in 1944. Scientists of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used a number of forensic tools including mitochondrial DNA to confirm McKee’s identity, matching his DNA with that of two known maternal relatives. Of the 88,000 Americans missing from all conflicts, 78,000 are from World War II. For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169. That is amazing. I had no idea how dedicated our government is to accounting for every last soldier... even those from WWII. posted by fabulinus : 4/12/2005 03:53:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Thursday, April 07, 2005 Forever Green Forever Green Jane Fonda seeks exoneration, Forgiveness from her traitored nation. What say you warrors fought that war? Is forgiveness due that wartime whore? So rich, so smart, she thought she knew Much more than us, we bloodied few. So smug, self-serving, seeking fame, The rich bitch played her seditious game. A game that cost me many friends, Many, thanks to Jane, came to bad ends. I’ve borne scars forty years or more, From lies laid on me by this whore. Self-serving now she sells her tale, This traitor who should be in jail. Is it within our souls to grant her grace? Our souls shout, “No… spit in her face!” So self assured, she played high stakes, Telling American prisoners, “That’s the breaks.” She accused brave men of heinous crimes, Which were disproved in future times. And now our country knows the truth Jane Fonda betrayed us in our youth. She asks us now to read her book, Americans, the folks this bitch forsook. So now she crawls, her conscience bare, To tell us she screwed up back there. Well, hell, we knew that way back then, This Hanoi Jane who helped them win. It was glory then for this airhead star, But forever now she’ll bear the scar A scarlet letter she’ll now wear, A stench forever in her hair. So Jane, dear, you must realize, You’re the devil in a helmet in our eyes. When Vietnam vets raise up their toasts It’s to damn your soul, to salute our ghosts. We swear, we living, to our long-dead brave, We’ll live to piss upon your grave. So Jane, good fortune, unforeseen, Your traitor’s grave will be forever green. Russ Vaughn 2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Vietnam 65-66 posted by fabulinus : 4/07/2005 10:28:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Tuesday, April 05, 2005 Transcript: Sgt. First Class Paul Smith Added to the Hall of Heroes Pentagon Ceremony to Add Sgt. First Class Paul Smith, Medal of Honor Recipient, to the Hall of Heroes I'd like post the transcript here but the transcript has a disclaimer attached.. (C) COPYRIGHT 2005, FEDERAL NEWS SERVICE, INC., 1000 VERMONT AVE. NW; 5TH FLOOR; WASHINGTON, DC - 20005, USA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ANY REPRODUCTION, REDISTRIBUTION OR RETRANSMISSION IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED. UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, REDISTRIBUTION OR RETRANSMISSION CONSTITUTES A MISAPPROPRIATION UNDER APPLICABLE UNFAIR COMPETITION LAW, AND FEDERAL NEWS SERVICE, INC. RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PURSUE ALL REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO IT IN RESPECT TO SUCH MISAPPROPRIATION. FEDERAL NEWS SERVICE, INC. IS A PRIVATE FIRM AND IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. NO COPYRIGHT IS CLAIMED AS TO ANY PART OF THE ORIGINAL WORK PREPARED BY A UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE AS PART OF THAT PERSON'S OFFICIAL DUTIES. FOR INFORMATION ON SUBSCRIBING TO FNS, PLEASE CALL JACK GRAEME AT ***-***-****. Blogs tend to copy and past copyrighted material all the time, but I like to avoid it when I can... guess I'll have to start paying more attention to the boilerplate. Maybe I'll give a call and find out what I can and can't post. posted by fabulinus : 4/05/2005 10:50:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Last Chance to Speak Out - One of Us, One of Us... The latest from the inbox (in case you're wondering I do sign up for these) On Wednesday, the Democratic Party and our allies will deliver petitions signed by more than 1 million Americans who oppose the Republican abuse of power in the Senate. Which abuse was that? Today is the last day to have your name included -- add your name now: http://www.democrats.org/freespeech This fight is about more than any single issue. What was the issue again? They want to throw out the rules and give themselves total control -- to remove all checks on their corporate pandering or ideological crusades. Well... which is it, the corporate pandering or the ideological crusades? I guess we can't accuse the dem's of propagating empty rhetoric and making baseless accusations... psyche! And this fight isn't just about today's legislation -- with total control, the fringe GOP leadership will distort the federal judiciary for a generation by giving lifetime appointments to unqualified political hacks and hardcore ideologues. Unqualified political hacks and hardcore ideologues... How would you like to serve the public your entire life, as many judges do, graduating from law school and taking the low paying - compared to the private sector- job, spending your whole life agonizing over difficult decisions, buried beneath volumes of statutes, rulings, and never-ending paperwork, working hard to make the right decision every time, and finally having all your years of hard work rewarded with a judicial appointment showing that you were hand picked by the President of the United States of America to serve your country, only to be prejudged by angry, bitter, Democrats and labeled as a political hack. Wow. I can't imagine putting in all that work just to be attacked by people who don't know you and who hate you because you think differently than they about some issues. There is no issue The issue again was? more urgent than this one -- please join over a million of us who will be heard on Wednesday: http://www.democrats.org/freespeech Civil liberties, voting rights, a woman's right to choose, equality in education, environmental protections -- all the values we hold dear are at grave risk. Right, and if "W" is re-elected we are going to have a draft, and if he were elected the first time then Roe V. Wade would be instantly overturned, and since the republicans "stole" the election, we have returned to the days of Jim Crow - despite Bush having a more diverse Cabinet than Clinton and wannabe Kerry combined. The fringe Republican leadership is out of control. Usually in a persuasive piece this is where you insert examples to back up your claim, but we won't let the facts get in the way of a flowery rhetoric montage. But their unprecedented power grab has been matched by an unprecedented backlash from ordinary Americans who don't want their representatives silenced. An unprecedented backlash? Oh yeah, people are marching in the streets on this one. I mean... one in every few hundred people is slightly disturbed! Sound the alarms and put on your riot gear... yawn You can be one of us: Nice! Join us, you can be one of us, drink the kool-aid and you can be one of us, one of us, one of us... http://www.democrats.org/freespeech Your petition will be delivered to Senator Bill Frist, the Republican leader, and to key Senators who will decide this issue. The rest of the team and I are beginning to print hundreds of thousands of messages from all over the country to deliver Wednesday. I wonder if these "people" are the same ones Acorn and the NAACP registered to vote in Ohio Please add your name before it's too late. We have to take this stand together One of us, one of us, one of us... -- now -- because if we don't, we may not be able to take a stand on any of the other issues that matter to us so much. Thank you. Sincerely, Josh McConaha & the DNC Internet Team Thanks Josh, you keep writing them and I'll keep posting them. posted by fabulinus : 4/05/2005 09:59:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Liberal Experts Liberal Experts The things most Liberal’s Think they’re experts on, Are usually the things, They've never done. While their rhetoric’s raucous, Their record is poor In suiting up for the game, Or volunteering for war. It’s so easy to think You’re calling it right, When you’re not on the field, Or involved in the fight; To piously protest The spilling of blood, While not one drop of yours Lies mixed with the mud. Oh yes it’s so easy To be scolding and bold, When you’ve not felt the fear Makes the blood run ice cold. Standing safe on the sidelines, Do you never feel shame, When you’re bawling at us That we’re blowing the game? Till you’ve carried the rifle, Till you’ve handled the ball, Just sit down and shut up And let us make the call. To you few Liberal warriors, Who truly give us your best, We wish your hearts and cojónes Were shared by the rest. Russ Vaughn 2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Vietnam 65-66 posted by fabulinus : 4/05/2005 09:55:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

A Muse on Justice… From the Inbox: By Crystal Broyles Justice, is there really such thing? Our “justice” systems here in America have stood by with a deaf ear, numb heart, and unreasoning mind while a woman that has committed no crime was starved to death. Last week I mentioned this situation (i.e. starving Terri to death) in a group of people; a 13 year old girl responded “What did she do?” Exactly, what did Terri do? Last week on March 23rd Steven Staley, won reprieve just hours before his scheduled execution in Texas. His execution was halted by The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to allow his lawyers to develop further appeals. The justice system spared his life even though there is no question in 1989, while robbing a restaurant; he shot and killed a man. Furthermore, when a man and a woman are joined together in marriage they pledge to be faithful to one another, in sickness and in health. When Terri was 21 she married the first man she ever kissed, Michael Schiavo. She had been faithful to her husband even before she ever met him. She saved her first kiss for him. Six short years into their lifelong journey of marriage, under questionable circumstances, Terri suffers a collapse. As we all know this left her with considerable brain damage. With a common-law wife and two children by her, Michael has not remained faithful to Terri. Adultery is grounds for a divorce. Our legal systems once again erred on the side of injustice. Michael discarded Terri and moved on yet her family’s love has remained unconditional. Michael claims to be carrying out Terri’s desires. Think about that; let’s do the math. Terri was 21 when she married the first man she ever kissed after five months of dating. She was a Catholic and clearly a devout one. Then why did he go against Catholic doctrine, have her feeding tube removed and give her a medically assisted death? And why does Michael want her body to be cremated, which is also against church teachings? The Pope has been quoted as saying it is a “moral obligation” to provide food and water to the brain damaged. Then he continued to say the withdrawal of it (food and water) is “euthanasia by omission.” And all Michael Schiavo has to say is: “I moved on with a part of my life. I’m sorry that the Schindlers can't move on with any of theirs.” Michael’s own words show Terri was a part of his life – not his life. I purposefully did not blog on the Schiavo case, but I don't mind sharing what others thought about it. Send me your .02 and I'll post it. posted by fabulinus : 4/05/2005 09:36:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Monday, April 04, 2005 President's Statement on the Death of Pope John Paul II President's Statement on the Death of Pope John Paul II THE PRESIDENT: Laura and I join people across the Earth in mourning the passing of Pope John Paul II. The Catholic Church has lost its shepherd, the world has lost a champion of human freedom, and a good and faithful servant of God has been called home. Pope John Paul II left the throne of St. Peter in the same way he ascended to it -- as a witness to the dignity of human life. In his native Poland, that witness launched a democratic revolution that swept Eastern Europe and changed the course of history. Throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak. And during the Pope's final years, his witness was made even more powerful by his daily courage in the face of illness and great suffering. All Popes belong to the world, but Americans had special reason to love the man from Krakow. In his visits to our country, the Pope spoke of our "providential" Constitution, the self-evident truths about human dignity in our Declaration, and the "blessings of liberty" that follow from them. It is these truths, he said, that have led people all over the world to look to America with hope and respect. Pope John Paul II was, himself, an inspiration to millions of Americans, and to so many more throughout the world. We will always remember the humble, wise and fearless priest who became one of history's great moral leaders. We're grateful to God for sending such a man, a son of Poland, who became the Bishop of Rome, and a hero for the ages. posted by fabulinus : 4/04/2005 07:45:00 PM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website

Friday, April 01, 2005 Democrats Attack DeLay Looks like the dems are going after DeLay again... Meet Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), the man Republicans have chosen as their Majority Leader in the House of Representatives. True so far... Tom DeLay is at the center of a bewildering array of investigations into corruption, abuse of power, and ethics violations. Yes, these investigations are bewildering. As the courts and committees investigate DeLay's misdeeds and hand down indictments, keeping track of all the scandals can be a full-time job. What exactly is a misdeed? It seems an unusual choice of words... but a safe choice. I am in total agreement that tracking all the scandal surrounding this could be a full time job... but that doesn't mean that Tom DeLay has done anything wrong... far from it! But I still don't know all the facts surrounding this particular case. That's ok, though, cause the facts are often the last thing the Dems look for when throwing together a story *cough* Memogate *cough* So we thought it would helpful to offer folks a quick and easy guide: http://www.democrats.org/delaycasefile Talkingpoints anyone? People need to get to know Tom DeLay. He personifies the kind of government we're getting from Republicans -- corrupt, power-hungry, and out of touch. I guess the only logical solution would be to have less government then... They also need to know that his Republican colleagues in the House have been complicit in his pattern of sleaze. They even changed the ethics rules to protect him, and packed the Ethics Committee with a bunch of DeLay cronies for good measure. heh... I feel so dirty posting this, but I like to share my email. Spread the Word It is vital that you help us spread the word about Tom DeLay. The more people who know about his record, the more pressure he'll face. Forward this message to your friends or use this handy tool: http://www.democrats.org/spreadtheword Even conservative commentators and editorial boards see the writing on the wall -- they have been weighing in against DeLay's misdeeds and shaming his fellow Republicans for supporting him. Who exactly has been doing that? But House Republicans don't care -- his money for influence machine and his power-hungry crusades have become standard practice for the GOP. The DeLay boat is sinking. And it's taking the entire Republican Party with it. Yeah... the Republican party is in shambles... Republicans only controls the House, the Senate, and the Whitehouse... Whatever will they do? Thank you for making sure every American knows it. I'll do best to share what your saying, but I think my readers will see through the talkingpoints http://www.democrats.org/delaycasefile Nancy, Jesse, and Josh The DNC Internet Team posted by fabulinus : 4/01/2005 09:25:00 AM // | // © You must seek permission to reproduce anything on this website