If All Else Fails, Bring Up the War

Little Green Footballs (with a hat tip to Kate McMillan) gives us this little tidbit of French penal sociology:

“The CFCM has been working on the issue of the Muslim chaplains for Muslim prisoners, who make up 70% of prisoners in the French jails,” he stressed.

The French are oh-so-very tolerant!

Which leads to this Comment (#33) by Bluetick:

Re: #30 In Vino Veritas
"I'm wondering. Do the French have problems with illegal immigrants?"

Well, they didn't have a problem letting the Nazis in...

(Hat tip to No Pasaran!.)

The Battle For The Culture - The War Room

Nicol gives us a report on the current state of the film industry:

"For a community that says it is so culturally curious about all walks of life where are the stories depicting the plight of the millions slaughtered under Joseph Stalin? For every ten Hollywood love songs to Marxism/communism, where is the director who dares tell the story of those brave students who died in Tiananmen Square? How about an Oscar caliber film detailing the slaughter of the three million Polish Catholics killed in the Holocaust? For every story about how repressed America was sexually in the fifties, how about a film detailing the pure intellectual repression caused by leftist speech codes on modern university campuses?"

If you agree that "(h)earing Julia Roberts in Closer talk about ‘cum’ was about as shocking to someone my age as…hearing Julia Roberts talk about ‘cum’", then read DOSSIER # 5:DINNER AND A MOVIE ON A HOT SUMMER NIGHT?.

Latin America Intelligence Briefing

From Stratfor via VCrisis: World Terrorism Report: Latin America Net Assessment -- 2005

Why the Latin Arms Build-Up Worries Washington [Part 1]
(via Watching America)

Why the Latin Arms Build-Up Worries Washington [Part 2]
(via Watching America)

Latin America: docile no more (via Watching America)

Darwinian Dilemma For Europe

pragueBlog points us to The End of Europe.

This article (Samuelson) is basically saying: 'the constitution was never going to solve Europe's basic problem - in fifty years the continent will resemble a gigantic old folks' home.'

At Least They're Not The Hated Huguenots!

One finds that in France, Europe's Islamist Future Is Now.

Just in case you missed Mugged by la Réalité.

Obin discusses the attitudes of Muslim students, some as young as first graders. He reports, for instance, that Muslim students, asked their nationality, answer, "Muslim." When they are told that this is not a nationality and they are French, some insist that they can't be French since they are Muslim.

(Hat tip to sda and Tim R. for the reminder.)

Huguenot?

On The Acqisitive Nature Of The PRC

China is buying American companies. Heavy-Handed Politics asks Does It Matter?

And then you have this:


Find Information here.

Children Of a Lesser Atrocity

The Checkpoint Charlie monument scheduled for destruction July 4th in Berlin: Each cross has the name, and in some cases, photo of a victim of Communism murdered attempting to escape East Germany during the Cold War.

What is the Berlin City Government thinking?

"The Berlin Senate for Urban Planning, one of the project's main detractors, fears that the capital is fast becoming a "Disneyland" version of its former self and insists the wall monument is too reminiscent of the Holocaust project at the Brandenburg Gate. The authority stresses that the East German dictatorship cannot be equated with the atrocities of the Third Reich."

Read the rest here.

Blair's Eldest Son To Be Republican Intern

"Euan Blair has been given the opportunity to take up a short, unpaid internship with the Rules Committee of the House of Representatives," said a spokesman at the prime minister's Downing Street office.

Despite Blair's close relationship with U.S. President George W. Bush, the news raised eyebrows among some Democrats who see Blair's Labour party as natural allies, reported the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

"It is extremely surprising that the son of a Labour prime minister would intern with the Republican majority staff on the committee," the paper quoted Eric Burns, communications director for Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, the committee's leading Democrat, as saying.

But then the Democrats are still surprised by the outcome of the last election, aren't they? Read the full story here. (Hat tip to Shamthetoryman via The Blogging Tories.)

Watching America

From small dead animals:

A news aggregator with a difference - Watching America collects news items about the United States from across the globe and translates them into English.

It's certain to be an eye-opener for those who have been sheltered from the breathtaking anti-American propoganda commonplace in the European media - not to mention that of "unfriendly" nations. It should help bring polls on America's so-called "popularity in the world" into sharp - and disturbing - perspective.

America Watch has been added to my link list under "Travel Guides".

Kate, the proprietor of small dead animals, is a member of The Blogging Tories and The Cotillion. Read Child Labour for her take on growing up on a farm and child abuse.

Football Unites Northern Ireland

Competition builds Unity? From Everything Ulster:

I'm not defending the rule. It's completely anachronistic. The IFA should ditch it at the next available opportunity - but it's not anti-Catholic. I suppose I could nearly see an argument that it's anti-Jewish, or anti-Atheist, since neither of these religions believe Sunday is a sacred day. However as Catholics also celebrate the Sabbath and their religion lays down the same laws as the Protestant one, I can only conclude this rule is a sign of Christian fundamentalism, not Protestant fundamentalism. Any self-respecting 'good Catholic' wouldn't work on a Sunday anyway.

This May Have Something To Do With It

Daimnation! takes us to The corrupt continent.

Last year King Mswati III of Swaziland went against the grain. He passed over Mercedes and went for a £264,000 Maybach 62 for himself plus a fleet of BMWs for each of his 10 wives and three virginal fiancées selected annually at the football stadium 'dance of the impalas'. Imagine if he continues buying BMW for his wives; his dad collected 50 spouses and 350 kids. In May southern Africa's Mr Toad changed his mind about Mercedes and roared up to his rubber-stamp parliament in a new S600L limo. The total bill for his car purchases alone will be about £750,000, or three quarters of the annual figure for British assistance. Of the £14 million Swaziland gets in foreign aid, £9 million goes on the king's balls, picnics and parties - and cars. Yet 70 per cent of Swazis languish in absolute poverty and four out of ten have HIV/Aids, the highest rate in the world. [emphasis added]

That may explain the poverty, but didn't the Pope cause all the AIDS?

Science Wankers Unite!

Ken analyzes the speed of light at the speed of light in the dark. Read c isn't c anymore.. Ken is now the official cosmologist of this blog. (I am sure that accolade will be appearing in his banner soon. Hat tip to sda.)

A Golden Canary In The Coal Mine

Doug from Bogus Gold confirms that the Democratic Party is the party of Europe, complete with anti-Semitism. One must not forget that the Klu Klux Klan was the military wing of the Democratic Party after the Civil War. (Or was the Democratic Party the political wing of the KKK? Perhaps Senator Byrd could clarify that for us.) This open anti-Semitism is the party getting backkk to its roots. They have progressed, however. . . at least they didn't quote from "The Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion" as evidence.

On Symptoms Of Pathology

A common symptom of mental illness is the loss of a sense of proportion. Dr. Mark Steyn analyzes the case of one "D. Durbin":

One measure of a civilized society is that words mean something: "Soviet" and "Nazi" and "Pol Pot" cannot equate to Guantanamo unless you've become utterly unmoored from reality. Spot the odd one out: 1) mass starvation; 2) gas chambers; 3) mountains of skulls; 4) lousy infidel pop music turned up to full volume. One of these is not the same as the others, and Durbin doesn't have the excuse that he's some airhead celeb or an Ivy League professor. He's the second-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Don't they have an insanity clause?

Read the rest here. (Hat tip to RealClearPolitics.)

Autopsy Confirms

Liberal Larry reports Florida Woman is Brain Dead, Autopsy Confirms.

Never Forget The Viet Nam Generation

I recently was thinking about the experience of Colonel Nick Rowe in Viet Nam, but couldn't remember his name. I put it on the "to be researched later" list. The Belmont Club did the research for me and brought the story up to date. The duplicitous Leftists that betrayed Nick Rowe continue their fine work today.

On Failing To Meet Certain Standards

Has Europe failed to meet the most basic Darwinian standards?
Paul Johnson concludes:

In short, the EU is not a living body, with a mind and spirit and animating soul. And unless it finds such nonmaterial but essential dimensions, it will soon be a dead body, the symbolic corpse of a dying continent.

Read What Europe Really Needs. (Hat tip to Barcepundit.)

Another Take On The Schiavo Autopsy

Doug at Bogus Gold gives his analysis of the aftermath:

. . . The autopsy reveals Terri Schiavo was blind. The reaction to the autopsy reveals that many of those disparaging Terri's defenders are virtually deaf.

Why do I say so? Because knowing what we know from the autopsy, what exactly would it have changed? Does it suggest those opposed to pulling Terri’s feeding tube were wrong in suggesting:

1. The best and most accurate diagnostic tests should have been performed.


2. The mentally retarded have an inherent right to life.


3. The evidence that Terri had asked to die if in such a condition didn’t meet a reasonable evidentiary standard to decide a matter of life and death.


4. Issues around her court appointed guardianship deserved more consideration.


5. The court system demonstrated too many arbitrary decisions in this case that, unlike criminal cases, had no avenue of appeal.

Someone can feel free to walk through every finding in the autopsy report and explain how it resolves any of the above questions. Short of that, I’m puzzled at the exclamations of vindication over this. The only vindication here is to those who have remained fixated on this particular case without regard for how the issues it uncovered can help us decide future cases of the sort.

Read the rest here.

Venezuela Watch: 6/17/2005

Hard Cases Make For Bad Law

From The BBC: 'Plane bomber' extradition sought

Venezuela has made a formal request to the US to extradite a militant Cuban exile wanted over the downing of an airliner which killed 73 people.

Caracas says Luis Posada Carriles is a "terrorist" and is urging the US not to protect the ex-CIA informant.

The case has strained ties between the two countries, with Venezuela accusing the US of double standards.

Mr Posada Carriles, 77, who denies involvement in the 1976 bombing, is in US custody seeking political asylum.

"It is up to the state department to decide if it will protect a terrorist or not," said Venezuelan Vice Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez.

The request was based on a 1922 bilateral extradition treaty and other international accords, said the Venezuelan ambassador in Washington, Bernardo Alvarez.

He said the extradition process should not be held up by the immigration charges against Mr Posada Carriles.

So, what exactly is the problem here?

He is also wanted by President Fidel Castro's regime for a series of bombings of hotels in Havana in 1997.

The US says it will not extradite people to any country which could then hand them over to Cuba.

Please note that it is not necessary for the Venezuelan government to "hand over" Carriles, as the Cubans have been granted the right to make arrests within the borders of Venezuela (see Democracy Venezuelan Style). I doubt that Carriles will stand trial in Venezuela and would expect him to be transported almost immediately to Havana. The Venezuelan government can claim the same propaganda victory whether he is tried in Havana or in Caracas. The Havana option allows them to avoid the cost of the trial.

This Should Leave You a Little Shaken!

Shaken, Occasionally Stirred asks if there is A Colonel of Truth in All This?
Chinese spies, Triads, corrupt businessmen, Chinese defectors, smuggling, Al Qaeda and (if you read deep enough) Clinton Administration duplicity make for a wonderful story. Even better, it has a dashing Canadian hero. Unfortunately, this isn't a comic book and the threat is real.

Find more at I spy with my little eye . . .

Canary In The Coal Mine 6/17/05

From the BBC: Hungary condemns cemetery attack:

Political and civic leaders in Hungary have strongly condemned an attack on a Jewish cemetery in Budapest which left some 130 gravestones damaged.

From No Pasaran!: Jewish cemetery hit by 117th attack in 15 years

The Guardian reports on the west Ham Jewish cemetery which has gone unmolested for more than a century, but hit by 117th attack in 15 years. West Ham is well known to football fans, but to neo-nazis and jew-haters?

What Venezuela Has Learned From Saudi Arabia

From Venezuela Crisis: Venezuela: Journalist Prieto Celis found beheaded [UPDATE] WARNING: GRAPHIC PICTURE

Schiavo Autopsy Review

From Captain's Quarters: The Schiavo Finale, Lacking Finality

For It In Iraq, Against It In Europe

From EU Referendum 6/15/05:

"The constitution can't proceed until a way is found round those referendum votes..."

Tony Blair, speaking during PM questions today.

Answering The Non-Spanish Inquisition

Barcepundit points us to an article by Michael Cook entitled: Was Karol Wojtyla the Greatest Mass Murderer of the 20th Century? Here is the accusation:

Nicholas Kristof, of the New York Times, says that the Vatican's rejection of condoms has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, making it one of "its most tragic mistakes in the first two millennia of its history" (1). The influential New Statesman, in London, ran a cover story shortly after the Pope's death claiming that he "probably contributed more to the continental spread of [AIDS] than the trucking industry and prostitution combined" (2).

Rosemary Neill, of The Australian, in Sydney, opined that the intransigent Vatican "will eventually be accused of crimes against humanity" (3). Polly Toynbee, of the UK's Guardian newspaper -- who clearly had something quite vile for breakfast that morning -- compared JP2 to Lenin: "they both put extreme ideology before human life and happiness, at unimaginable human cost" (4). Even doctors chimed in. The world's leading medical journal, The Lancet, accused an ignorant and rigid Pope of presenting "insuperable obstacles to the prevention of disease" (5).

Mr. Cook establishes the serious nature of the charge:

There's no doubt that AIDS in Africa is terrifying. The latest survey of AIDS prevalence in Swaziland, a tiny kingdom of 2 million people surrounded by South Africa, has reached 42.6 per cent, the highest in the world. And climbing. Three years ago, in 2002, it was 38.6 per cent. "Swaziland will be wiped out," said one AIDS activist despairingly (6). Figures for other countries in southern Africa are almost as grim.

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), two-thirds of people with HIV/AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa. At the end of 2004, 25.4 million people there were infected, with about 3 million infected during the year. Life expectancy at birth has dropped below 40 in nine countries: Botswana, Central African Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, life expectancy at birth was 52 years in 1990, and only 34 in 2003 (7).

Surely the evidence for this charge is conclusive and damning. On the other hand, perhaps the arguments in support of this charge are, as Mr. Cook quotes George Orwell, "so stupid that only intellectuals could believe them."

What Spain Has learned From Venezuela

QUICKLY GOING towards the Banana republic scenario:

The only evidence used by the police for the detentions was a photograph in which the members were depicted yelling close to the Minister.

An Education For Free

Plato's Stepchild gives us access to Thomas Hibbs and the Liberal Arts. Check out a (video streaming) lecture given at Notre Dame by Professor Hibbs, which Plato's Stepchild entitles "Film as Evangelical Instrument". This is what happens when philosophy is more than an exercise in vocabulary and grammar.

EU Constitution Update 6/13

The Emperor's Old Clothes analyzes the EU Constitution, and the process surrounding it, in terms of Orwell's "Newspeak." The emperor's old clothes are a bit too transparent when one of the tailors (Helmut Schmidt) says this):

"Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Jacques Delors, many of the old guard knew: We can repress the historically created egocentric nationalism of Europeans only gradually. Today's statesmen and the overzealous Brussels commissioners should follow this example."

Is fascism acceptable if it is instituted slowly? Does it help if you give the process a veneer of democracy?

Statue Park

Wondering what to do with the detritus from a recently discarded tyrannical regime? Put it in the Statue Park for all to see! How does the saying go, "Those who do not learn from the past are destined to relive it?" (Hat tip to The N.Irish Magyar.)

Clear And Succinct

"Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy."
-- Winston Churchill, 1948

(Hat tip to Heavy-Handed Politics.)

Gomery Commission Listing Updated

My listing of Gomery Commission Posts is updated .

• Corruption In The Great White North (Captain's Quarters: updated 6/11/05)
• Context For Understanding The Gomery Commission (updated 6/11/05 )
• Small Dead Animals Cry Out.
• AntiCorruption.ca added 4/21/05 (hat tip SDA)

New Listing for Earnscliffe Scandal:

• Roadkill On Earnscliffe (updated 6/5/05)

What binds Canada, Venezuela, Iraq and Pakistan?

TORONTO -- "Resist US Hegemony: Venezuela, Iraq, Pakistan" was the title of the symposium sponsored by the Muslim Canadian Congress, held at the University of Toronto on April 30, 2005. Among those putting forth their opinions were Tariq Ali, a radical activist, author and journalist originally from Pakistan; Leo Panitch, a Toronto-based political science professor, Marxist theorist, and editor of the Socialist Register; and María Páez Victor, a Venezuelan-born, Toronto-based consultant and Hugo Chávez apologist.

Read the rest here.

So, It Will Be Just Like Working With The UN

From EU Referendum: Turf wars

"As the situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate, western European countries have finally decided on some more tangible help to the region, agreeing to fund and organise a humanitarian airlift. But, so sooner had the scheme been agreed in principle, it became bogged down in a "turf war" between the EU and Nato.

According to a report in The Independent today, the two parties have failed to resolve their dispute and the airlift will now be co-ordinated from two different centres in Europe.

The problem started several weeks ago when France insisted that the operation should be co-ordinated from one EU base in Eindhoven in the Netherlands - which is also used by Nato planners. But this was rejected by the United States and an impass ensued.

Now, countries contributing to the airlift will chose whether they want to have their operations planned from Eindhoven under an EU banner or from Nato's military planning headquarters at Mons in Belgium. "Since we were not going to do the operation together, it was not worth moving people from Mons to Eindhoven if they were not even going to sit together," one diplomat said yesterday.

France has offered support through the EU arm of the operation, while Germany says it is unclear whether its operation will be under a Nato or EU flag. The UK, typically sitting on the fence, said that it plans to use both.

Although the dispute has thus been resolved – albeit in a messy fashion – it sets an uncomfortable precedent for future operations. Despite the honeyed assurances that the EU planning arm was to be "complementary" to Nato, the reality is clearly that it is – and was always intended to be – a rival.

And if the rivalry has has such an impact on a humanitarian mission, where the providers have the initiative, the prospect of the two organisations working effectively in a shooting war seem remote. A separate EU military indentity was always a bad idea, and now the worst fears look like being realised."

Read The Independent article for more information, including details on African Union participation.

The Captain Updates The McCartney Murder Files

Captain Ed of Captain's Quarters publishes a letter from Gemma McCartney, the sister of Robert McCartney. Looking for more information on the murder of Robert McCartney?

• The Murder:
1. The Courage of The McCartney Sisters
2. Other Blogs Covering The McCartney Murder
3. Update On McCartney Case
4. Two Charged In McCartney Murder
• Related Items:
1. The End Of The IRA?
2. The IRA is Not Alone
3. The Death of the IRA
4. A Bloody Irishman On Northern Ireland Elections
5. The IRA In Ireland

Values And The Scientific Method

The Modern Scientific Method: Cheating

I'm Sure This Will Make A Difference

From The BBC: Clinton 'still backing' Agreement

Mr Clinton described the Good Friday Agreement as "fair, with majority rule, minority rights and self government".

That will certainly cause all thugs to cease their acts of violence.

On the other hand, we have this commentary from the ever-vocal Mr. Ian Paisley:

"Clinton cannot have his way to force IRA/Sinn Fein terrorists into the government of this part of the United Kingdom as I told him to his face when he was in Belfast."

As an alternative, perhaps Mr. Paisley could force equality and tolerance into that part of the United Kingdom. Of what relevance would IRA/Sinn Fein then be (except as a law enforcement problem)?

Get Your Hackles Up

by reading up on John McCain! Updated constantly!

Bring Crucifixes And Stakes Of Hearty Oak!

From Kennedy v. The Machine: Mark of the Beast

BY G. ROBERT HILLMAN

The Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Mark McKinnon, the Austin political consultant who oversaw the advertising for President Bush in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns, has committed to help Sen. John McCain in a second presidential bid.

What, no crucifixes or stakes of hearty oak? Well then, we shall use a Daisy Cutter! (Hat tip to My VRWC via The Cotillion.)

On Epistemology and Science

• From Doug at Bogus Gold: Some Thoughts On Evolution, Intelligent Design, and Scientific Inquiry
• From The Most Proper Cotillionite, Ms. Willis at Sisu: Gaps in understanding and Reaping the whirlwind. (Isn't "Sisu" Finnish for "I'm Finnish?")
  

This gets back to the Platonic definition of knowledge as justified, true belief - parts of which are considered problematic.

On Knowing Your Enemy

Plato's Stepchild points us to an article about The Western Mind of Radical Islam.

Hasan at-Turabi, the effective ruler of Sudan, the man behind the notorious "ghost houses" and the brutal persecution of his country's large Christian minority, often flaunts his knowledge of the West, telling a French interviewer that most militant Islamic leaders, like himself, are "from the Christian, Western culture. We speak your languages." In a statement that sums up this whole outlook, an Islamist in Washington asserted, "I listen to Mozart; I read Shakespeare; I watch the Comedy Channel; and I also believe in the implementation of the Shari`a [Islamic sacred law]."

. . .

The Islamist leaders are not peasants living in the unchanging countryside but modern, thoroughly urbanized individuals, many of them university graduates. Notwithstanding all their talk about recreating the society of the Prophet Muhammad, Islamists are modern individuals at the forefront of coping with modern life.

. . .

Revealingly, militants compare Islam not to other religions but to other ideologies. "We are not socialist, we are not capitalist, we are Islamic," says Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Egypt's Muslim Brethren assert they are neither socialists nor capitalists, but "Muslims." This comparison may seem overblown-socialism and capitalism are universal, militant Islam limited to Muslims-but it is not, for the militants purvey their ideology to non-Muslims too.

We assume a western, liberal education is the answer. Apparently, some ask a different question.

The EU's Daily Constitutional

From EU Referendum:

• The Poles keep it alive:

  In what is clearly a move to counter the fall-out from the British announcement to postpone the ratification of the EU constitution, Polish foreign minister Adam Rotfeld has come out strongly declaring that the constitution is still alive.

• And what of the British?

  Reflecting the Polish view, about deciding for itself, a Populus poll, carried out for The Times shows that more than half the British public (54 per cent) still think that there should be a referendum here. Only two fifths (40 per cent) believe that it would be pointless to go ahead after last week's French and Dutch votes.
  
  This is despite those oppposing the constitution having doubled from 24 to 50 percent over the past six weeks, with support for the "yes" side dropping from 29 to 18 percent over the same period.
  
  Thus, while it seems that the constitution is very far from dead, the bulk of the British people seem keen to have a go at killing it. It will not only be the "colleagues" at the European Council, therefore, who will be wanting the ratification process to go ahead. Ironically, Blair could find himself not only "isolated in Europe" but isolated from the wishes of British voters.

Madrid Bombing Update

Barcepundit gives an interesting update on the Madrid bombings. The police had much of the information.

Fairness Doctrine?

"Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander." Will Al Franken be able to continue to fly Air America? Let's see how this is treated in the Star-Tribune as it develops.

Bad Math

Europe uses the new math to find hope in the French and Dutch votes on the EU Constitution. (Hat tip to The Cotillion.)

Two Charged In McCartney Murder

Read here and here. Note that the charges are based on witness testimony and this from Slugger O'Toole concerning Sinn Fein.

One Thing Leads To Another, Part 2

While following a link from small dead animals concerning the Earnscliffe scandal, I ended up at Plato's Stepchild. Reading further brought me to the post, For the Lukewarm Theist in Your Life. As that, all too often, is a description of me, I read it with great interest and reprint it here for your edification:

I will tread into dangerous, contested literary territory with this opinion. Several fine folk with whom I am acquainted believe that this book is too bleak and can lead one to question God's very existence. I disagree -- not because someone won't be led to atheism -- but because, as with Friedrich Nietzsche's polemics, this book confronts the debonair nihilist(to borrow a phrase from Flannery O'Connor) -- the Seinfeld, Friends and Curb Your Enthusiasm crowd -- with the logical culmination of their metaphysics, or lack thereof.

Brace yourself, this is as eerie a psychological and theological narrative work as pen has ever put to paper.

To what does he refer? "Silence" by Endo. He provides four links to reviews and additional information. I found this one to be the most informative.

Plato's stepchild has been added to my reading list. (See what he (or she) is reading here.)

One Thing Leads To Another, Part 1

A visit to Blogizdat introduced me to The Cotillion, which led me to add that link to my sidebar. This will eventually lead me to add an aggregated listing of posts below their most attractive logo.

(BTW: Happy Birthday, Muzzy!)

Blogging Tory News Aggregator

You may have noticed an addition to my side bar. The Blogging Tories News Aggregator gives a continually updated listing of post titles from BT members. Check out some of our friends in Canada!

ROI: Illegal Immigration And Law Enforcement

Family deported minus 7 year old child in the Republic of Ireland. Read the comments.

Bogus Support For Regime Change

It must be in the air. Doug also linked to Regime Change Iran yesterday in his post, Democracy In Iran. Read his commentary.

Dutch Dump EU

Breaking News: Another Blow to Europe's Elites...

EU Ends Euro?

Members of the faux European Union moving back to their own national coinage? Read The Euro - A Sinking Ship?.

"Deep Throat" Revealed!

Very Big Yawn . . .

Meanwhile, Back In Iran . . .

Gates Of Vienna reminded me that it had been some time since I visited Regime Change Iran. Latest post indicates that 92% of Iranians will boycott the upcoming election. That is a clear vote of a different kind and I doubt that it signals contentment.

Looking Under The BandAid

to check on the condition of LiveAid. Still festering?

More On McCartney Murder Arrests

Slugger O'Toole provides more information.

Arrests Made In McCartney Murder

From Everything Ulster: PSNI Make 2 McCartney Arrests

Weekend Trip Report

I went to Omaha for the graduation party of my sister's middle daughter over Memorial weekend. This was the first trip for my wife and I without my mother-in-law since last year's vacation. It was a great time with my family. Some random thoughts:

• Residential Omaha is very confusing. Getting in was easy, getting out was an adventure.
• A highlight was turning on CSPAN in my Ames, IA hotel room Saturday morning and seeing Denis Boyles, author of Vile France: Fear, Duplicity, Cowardice and Cheese, discussing the death of 15,000 French citizens during last year's heat wave. French Health Ministry advice in the aftermath: If you fear for your health because of heat stroke; go to the theater, not the hospital.
• Dug out some old CDs for Road Music:
  
  1. The Pretenders: "The Singles" If this was a "Greatest Hits", it would have included all the songs from "Learning To Crawl".
  2. Shawn Colvin: "Steady On" As good as I remember it being.
  3. Kate Bush: "The Whole Story" My wife called her a "shreaker". There is a line in "Sat In Your Lap" that could make it my theme song.
  4. Bruce Cockburn: "Dart To The Heart" I remember it being better.
  5. Cock Robin: "After Here Through Midland" A one-hit-wonder with two excellent vocalists. Overall, a pretty good cd.
• The eldest niece recently spent some time in southern France and had a wonderful time. Plans on returning, in spite of my attempts to discourage any positive thoughts concerning France.
• The middle niece (the graduate) was causing concern for her parents because of her coffee drinking (Starbucks disease). I suggested to the niece that decaf would be a good alternative. Her reply was, "What would be the point?" Another addict is born - espresso maker for Christmas.
• Youngest niece uses instant messenger like young women in the past used the telephone. This while searching for a song by the Omaha band "311" on the internet. Multitasking or ADHD?