Watch Out Mustang, Part II

Dodge Challenger Concept. As the gear up for the winter car shows starts more and more info on the Challenger slips out. The latest, price! Rumors are flying the get in price will be 28 large.

If so, this car is no Mustang slayer, unfortunately its too high at that price. Entry must be 20-22, or buy the Ford. An 05' entry V6 convertable Mustang is right around 25 sticker. Sorry MoPar, the Charger is too much now, and it looks like a crate, I'm really looking forward to a reasonably priced and well styled Pony car. Lets hope the Rumors are false.

But will it sell anyway? I think it could be a major hit, even with a tougher entry price. The styling for the Challenger is dead on, and every MoPar fan in my generation already wants one. When I was at the POMOC dealers recently the sales guy told me he already had customers trying to place orders. “If the Ride is Fly you must buy”, I have to agree with Snoop on this one. And folks in his econmic bracket like buisness owners, the independantly wealthy, and even lower level celebs will be able to get in one. The reputation is that Chrysler is a better car than a Ford and can command the bucks.

Those 300's are selling at an increadible rate even at their price! Sales for cars on the platform that the Challener is to have for the first 11 months of 2005 are:

131,866 300s

49,586 Magnums

37,667 Chargers

50 thou of that hideous Magnum is pretty increadible!

Blogs Say:

Leftlane News - http://www.leftlanenews.com

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2005/12/21/new-images-of-the-2006-dodge-challenger-concept/#more-1037

Forbes- http://www.forbes.com/2005/12/20/dodge-challenger-musclecar-cx_dl_1221vow_ls.html?partner=alerts

More Disney History, cira 1972

It appears that Spielberg has joined the Hollywood mainstream, and is now using his film to try to portray some future utopian ideal of Humanity while trashing the Historic events as they actually occurred. This ongoing Disneyfying of History doesn't have a measured effect, yet, but likely will have. In Past generations it was the printed word that over time became fact, by mere virtue of having been published, today that medium is film. And once pressed into DVD format will likely be with us forever, and overtime, that former drama will become reality. I am concerned about this, because more and more, there are inaccurate or flat out wrong interpretations of actual events being pawned off as fact and reality in major films. A filmmaker like Spielberg owes it to History to make an effort to be as accurate as possible when representing real events. Otherwise, he should stick to fantasy and make a movie about that ideal society he would like to see.

Here's what the Spectator has to say: http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=9178

ET TU, Redskins?

Yes, Even the Redskins Fight song has been cleaned up to be more Politically Correct. Cleaned up to wash away Southern ties and heritage to be more palatable to the metropolitan denizens. Read about it here: http://espn.go.com/page2/wash/s/closer/020315.html

The original words were:

Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old Dixie!
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Scalp 'em, swamp 'em -- We will take 'em big score
Read 'em, weep 'em, touchdown - we want heap more
Fight on, Fight on -- 'Till you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Go Redskins! Beat The Giants!

Whoo Hooooooo!

Misleading America? and to what end?

Representative John Murtha's poor assessment of our Army as made on the House floor is debunked here:

In Search of Murtha's Army
by Jed Babbin
http://americanprowler.com/dsp_article.asp?art_id=9137

The idea has gotten lots of TV time in the last two weeks. Murtha and his group seem to have employed negative reinforcement to get the American public to abandon their resolve to stay in Iraq, and further confuse the American military presence there.

If anyone has evidence of an inadequately prepared force with "boots-on-the-ground" in Iraq right now, then they must bring case and point forward to the Army for correction. Broad accusations aired out on the House floor and on TV, only damages our Country's credibility in Iraq and abroad. Elected officials who seek to undermine the credibility of the U.S. military do so at their own peril as well.

NASCAR; No Commercials

As NASCAR returns to ESPN for coverage next season, it’s a good time to revisit advertising and discuss improvements. I recommend that all coverage be commercial free from Pole to Checker like in F1 racing and European Soccer. F1 and Soccer Hooligans won’t have interruption in their sport. And good on them! Racing under Green flag, doesn’t lend itself to all the commercials that get rammed into the coverage, it really diminishes the viewing of a Race. Television shouldn’t treat all sports like Football with all of its glorious built-in breaks. Place your Ads for Budweiser and Doritos into the turf like F1, and let’s view the NASCAR Racing uninterrupted!

Leadership and Credibility

Its easy to point at the folks who are undermining the Military Action taking place overseas, they are everywhere. Certainly America’s reputation in the civilized and emerging world has been damaged by the homefront’s failure to support to the "War on Terror" and especially the “War in Iraq”. The "War on Terror" as a name is an inappropriate moniker and reminds me of George H. W. Bush and his "War on Drugs". But I digress, the "War in Iraq” was never declared by Congress, showing the rest of World right off the bat that our elected officials didn’t have the stomach for this commitment and were already looking for a way out. Our collective reputation was damaged coming out of the gate and not just now as the “War” drags on. The loss of credibility occurred long before the Democrat’s seeking a quick power grab thought to disparage the "War" and smear those who would support it. Lets be honest this is typical behavior for the Democrats and we all saw it coming. Every “War” will forever be Vietnam to them, the rest of us must move on. The smear machine that’s been cranked up is still hurting all Americans and must stop. But be aware there is some blame to be shared by the so-called conservative representatives who were quick to pass-the-buck to a sitting President ready to take action. But what continues to really hurt the most is a failure of Leadership to set any kind of goal and accomplish it. We have boots-on-the-ground and these men are more than capable of success if give proper clear objectives, keeping the undermining to a minimum, and letting military leadership determine means and methods.

This does not require the Congress or the current Administration to write up a document and forward to the New York Times detailing where and when specific activities will take place for friend and enemy alike. We are in Iraq now, with our forces in place, our elected officials must define in general terms for our military and for us at home what we are doing and do it right now. This will be the first step to credibility in the world and restoring confidence in our resolve. Set an objective and meet it. The world sees and hears “the U.S. will do X”, and the “X” is done. We mean what we say. This point, above all else, needs to be communicated to the world. To do this we must answer the following for ourselves; Are we fighting a War? Are we Nation Building? Are we involved in an Imperial Adventure? Are we going to cut off Al Qaeda's head?

If we are fighting a War: Who is the Enemy Nation? What capital do we topple? What army do we crush? Who’s people do we beat into submission and bend to our collective will? Lets crank out the ordinance and fire up the bombers to eliminate our enemies. That’s a "War" I’m describing; this is not what we are doing in Iraq or anywhere else for that matter. I think we should quit misrepresenting these activities as a “War” immediately. Or we should identify our enemies and let Congress declare “War” on them, and then wage total “War” in a way never seen before on this earth. So unless our Congress is completely replaced with “Pods” by the war hawks (are there really any out there?), the idea of "War" is off the table.

If we are Nation Building: What Nations are we building and what do we hope to accomplish? What will we construct? What type of Government are we creating? What about Infrastructure? Items like Power, Water, Sewers, Roads, and Bridges could be built (how many, where, and when will it be complete). Is a National Army and Police infrastructure needed? Or is a fair Justice system required? How big an army, how many lawyers, how loyal to their own nation do they need to be? How long will it take for a previously subjugated and divided people to have their own national unified identity? Are we going to spend the American people’s money to create a new Nation built on the principles of a Religion that essentially has not reformed and wants us all dead? Some tough questions and let’s say we ignore the last one, this process is best guess, a 30 year plus proposition. We are not currently prepared for this responsibility; no one has told the American people that’s the objective. The media amplifies the idea that we are failing our commitments now and the discussion of "pulling out" is rampant. This is unacceptable and must change if we are in fact Nation Building. We seem to be doing a half-way version of this right now in Iraq and Afghanistan. If we are going to build new Nations in the ashes of the old then we must send in more troops and advisors now and start planning for the long haul. A stronger commitment from all our Armed Forces will be needed immediately to protect those who will do the building. The border between Syria and Iraq as well as Iran and Iraq where enemies of a new Nation freely cross the borders must be addressed for stability. That little matter of the National religion must be addressed. We can no longer fund people now with U.S. tax dollars who will attack us in thirty years claiming Religious Jihad. However, Nation building can still be a possible task.

If this is an Imperial Adventure: What is the booty for defeating Iraq: Where’s all the treasure? How did we benefit from our Invasion? Are we going to keep the land? Are we sporting to Invade Syria and Iran in another land grab? When will the price of Gas drop from all the Oil we're raking in? Sorry folks that’s "Imperialism", this is not what we are doing in Iraq or anywhere for that matter. It’s also out of character for the U.S. now and forever. We will never be that nation. So unless we reconvene the Continental congress and re-write our Constitution an "Imperial Adventure" is right out.

If we are going to cut off Al Qaeda 's head: Find and kill USAMA BIN LADEN in a very public and spectacular fashion, on camera LIVE if at all possible. Find and kill Al Zarkari in a… you get the idea. I hope this why we still have personnel in the Middle East and in-harms-way if not someone owes the American public one hell of an explanation. It seems logical that is what keeps us going. Tell everyone in the world, we aren’t done until, and then name everyone in Al Qaeda leadership, are dead. Next get the additional resources to do it. More troops, more help, more everything. Show the world why we are fighting, those Towers falling down should be on TV everyday till we are done, I don’t care how we get that accomplished. If the government is paying for TV with tax dollars then take it over and use it for the government’s message. The American people must remember why we are fighting. Enlist the help of everyone in the U.S., ads in every paper in the U.S. with pics and descriptions of the perpetrators, their last whereabouts, and a bounty if killed anywhere in the world, again more pics of what they did. These killers should lead-off every episode of Americas Most Wanted until they are all dead. Find a General with the will to do what’s necessary and put him in charge of the task, then give him what he needs, and don’t ask any questions about the how. This is what I expect we should be doing, this is our goal, if this is the only real task, lets get it done.

Identify these general objectives for the entire world. If we plan to Nation build alot of resources and planning are required in addition to any already undertaken. Make a descision on this and stick to it. We will finish Al Qaeda. Show our resolve down to the personal level. Restore our credibility in the world with action, success, and accomplishment of tasks. That is the American way. Stand up to the heat of those who don’t like the way we are trying to accomplish tasks, they have no alternatives to offer and are totally unimportant. No matter how loud the critique. We mean what we say. Al Qaeda is done, the world is off limits to you, we will destroy you wherever you are, do you hear me Saudi Arabia?

The OTHER Monument to a First President

The Jefferson Davis Monument, Fairview, Ky.

This design looks awfully familiar, I know that I’ve seen it somewhere before…

DETAILS
- The 351-foot concrete monument at the Jefferson Davis State Historic Site in Fairview, Ky., juts above the cornfields and tobacco barns and can be seen for miles around.
- The Jefferson Davis Monument is the tallest concrete obelisk in the world and was constructed as an unreinforced concrete structure. The Davis obelisk is two-thirds the size of the Washington Monument. The walls are 7 feet 8 Inches thick at the base, 2 feet thick at the top.
- 4th tallest monument to honor an American.
- The monument walls were constructed with a base mix placed in 2-foot lifts with a form-board finish, covered with a 1-inch thick white cement face mix.
- The birthplace monument was conceived in 1907 at a reunion of the Orphan's Brigade of the Confederate Army in Glasgow, Ky.
- In April 1909, the group paid $7,025 for the seven parcels of land that now include the structure and the park. About $150,000 toward the monument construction was raised in the next eight years.
- Construction began in 1917 but stopped for a time during World War I after being deemed unnecessary work during the wartime by a U.S. inspector.
- The dedication was held June 7, 1924, with total cost about $200,000, before installation of the elevator.
- The United Daughters of the Confederacy raised an additional $20,000 and the Kentucky General Assembly then kicked in $15,000 for the elevator construction in the mid-1920s.
- The elevator was dedicated in 1929.
- More recent renovations and restorations have improved the facility and its user-friendliness. A new interpretive museum and visitors center opened in 2001.
- The repair project of the Jefferson Davis monument, has been awarded a 2004 Award of Excellence in the historic category by the International Concrete Repair Institute. Concrete repair materials were placed using form and pour techniques, and were anchored to the original base mix concrete by embedded dowels.
- In addition to the monument, the grounds have picnic facilities, a playground area and two covered pavilions.

HOW TO GET THERE
The Jefferson Davis Monument State Historic Site is at the intersection of Kentucky Highway 115 and old Highway 68, also called Jefferson Davis Highway.
To get there from Nashville, go west on Interstate 24 to the Oak Grove/Pembroke exit, which is Highway 115, the first exit in Kentucky. Go right for about a dozen miles. You'll pass through Pembroke, and by the time you reach the outskirts of that town, you'll see the monument several miles away.
Park grounds are open year-round. Elevator tours to the top of the monument are scheduled from April 1 to Oct. 31. The visitors center and museum also is open during those months. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tours can be arranged in the off months by contacting park superintendent Mark Doss at 1-270-886-1765.
Inside the visitors center, there is a museum and a video presentation focusing on Davis' life, which included stints as a U.S. senator and secretary of war before the West Point graduate's years as president of the Confederacy.
Tours of the monument and the museum are $4 a person. If a person chooses not to ride the elevator to the top of the monument, the museum cost is just $2. For those under 12, the cost is $2.50 for the whole tour, $1 for just the museum.

Until a recent story in the Daily Press, I had never heard of this Monument before. Kind of an oddity, and a weird parallel to the Washington Monument. Interestingly enough they both completed repairs and face lifts in the last few of years. As road side attractions go, I bet alot of folks go a couple miles out of the way to stop by.

Safety tips for the Holiday Shopping Season

A set of Safety tips for the Holiday Shopping Season:

Theft and crime in parking lots at Shopping Centers and Malls is at its highest this time of year. Folks are carrying lots of Cash and may have hands full of shopping bags, gifts, and coffee. Not to mention kids. Folks are distracted to say the least and may be weary and tired. But this is the time, more than ever we need to keep our wits and take basic precaution to prevent crime.

Don't forget when you shop to travel in groups of competent adults, you'll make a less tempting target.

Tis the season to steal and rob; but getting your car broken into is much more common than being robbed or kidnapped.

At the Parking Lot:

1 - ALWAYS when you Park your car, Park your car near well lighted areas or light poles and where you may be seen by passers-by. Dark corners of the lot are to be avoided.

Getting out of your car:

2 - NEVER leave a purse in the car. EVER. If you don't want to carry it in the store, leave it at home.

3 - NEVER leave packages or any other valuables in the accessible part of your car, especially if it is visible. Best to buy stuff, go home, put it away, and go back out if need be - thieves know your bad habit of going store to store and dumping your winnings in the back seat too. They WILL break your window and have a Merry Christmas themselves. Best to store items in a locked trunk, a lock box if you have one installed in your vehicle, and if you are in a wagon or minivan, try taking a large plastic storage container and putting it in the back with a lock or two, and use a bike chain or other device to secure it to the vehicle itself. Make things difficult for a thief, and they are likely to give up.

4 - NEVER leave you car unlocked, and never leave any keys visible in the car. Nor cell phones, credit cards, wallets, or other valuables.

In the Store:

5 - ALWAYS be observant when you are shopping. Make sure your children are close, even older ones, and try not to split up in a crowded mall. Staying together is one of the best ways to prevent crime. Know your surroundings, know where you are going, observe those around you - especially if people are following you or seem to be aimless.

6 - NEVER put a purse in a basket at Walmart or other places with baskets. It can disappear with you HOLDING the cart. This has happened over and over again at our local Walmart, often to older women who better targets due to more money, more credit cards, and less awareness.

7 - ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stair wells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)Elevators usually have a Phone for Emergencies. Use them.

8 - NEVER be afraid to call mall security or local PD if you think something suspicious is happening. EVER. During the Holidays, many police departments have extra officers working the shopping corridors just to make citizens feel safe, to scare off thieves and other miscreants ... and it's often on the clock overtime, so don't be afraid to ask an officer to work for it.

Going back to your Car:

9 - ALWAYS be aware: look around you look behind your car and underneath it as you approach. If something is out of place, walk away, return to the building, but whatever you do get out of that situation.

10 - ALWAYS be observant, take time to Look at the cars parked on either side of yours before and after going to the store. At your car, be especially be sure to check the driver's side of your vehicle, where you get in. If an adult male is sitting alone in the passenger seat, of a nearby car, leave or go back into the mall, store, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. This is unusual behavior, and just plain creepy.

11 - ALWAYS notice your surroundings, if you find that you are parked next to a big van, enter/leave your car from the passenger door. Many kidnappers have attacked their victims by pulling them into a van or delivery vehicle while the person is attempting to get into their car.

12 - ALWAYS double check your own car before you get into it: Look into your car, at the passenger-side floor, into the hatch (if glass hatchback) and in the back seat. Is it the way you left it, are things out of place, is someone in there?

13 - ALWAYS look and note when things are out of place, or don't make good sense. If they are out of place, then this is a good time to summon assistance from local PD. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

After Shopping:

14- LEAVE: Do not hang around parking lots. Many multi-taskers have a tendency today to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, checking the PDA, or checking a list, etc. DO NOT JUST SIT IN YOUR PARKED CAR!) Someone may be watching you. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

If confronted:

15 - KEEP YOUR WITS. If a robber asks For your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

16 - RUN. If you are confronted by a predator and he has a gun, before he has you under his control, and if you have the opportunity, RUN! If you are a running target you are unlikely to be hit (less than 4 in 100), and that's if he actually shoots the gun. RUN, Preferably in a zig-zag pattern!

17 - RESIST. Use whatever you have to get away from an attacker, the hot coffee in your hand, your keys, a MAG flashlight. Get out of his control. Then RUN!

At Home:

16. NEVER open the door to Strangers. Even infants! You can never repeat this one too many times! Recently during the search for a suspected serial killer, a potential victimm heard a crying baby on her porch, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." The Detective told her that the serial killer they were investigating has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes hoping that the victimm will think that someone dropped off a baby. Be aware that a recorded message may be anything devised to get you to open the door to your house and catch you off your guard; like an injured puppy, a smallchild's cry, or young girl.

Dont be afraid to go out, but shop safe, shop smart, shop 'S' Mart!

Of course you realize, this means War!

There was a time in these United States when the mere hint that the Mexican Government was interfering with our affairs would be enough for a declaration of War. The idea that Mexico might feeding its Economy on drug money should be a red flag to somebody in Washington to at least look into our Border Issues. The idea that these drug lords might be actively supported by the Mexican Government is scary stuff.

The fact that the information about what is going on at our southern border is being covered up, ignored, and buried by the Press is scarier still.

In reading other associated links, this is not the first occurrence of uniformed Mexicans coming into the U.S and interfering with the Border Patrol. So far, no one has confirmed that Mexico was officially involved in any occurrence. Wouldn't you think it would be important to know, for certain, that the Mexican Government was not involved.

Can you imagine the Public Opinion if this was the lead off story on the nightly news on all major networks each time it occurred. The People would be calling for the Invasion of Mexico!



Armed standoff Rio Grande
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

U.S. Border Patrol agents were backed down this week by armed men, dressed in what appeared to be Mexican military uniforms and carrying military weapons, who seized a captured dump truck filled with marijuana from the U.S. agents and dragged it across the border into Mexico with a bulldozer.

The border incident occurred Thursday evening when Border Patrol agents attempted to pull over a dump truck on Interstate 10 in Hudspeth County, Texas. The driver fled from the agents, exiting the freeway and driving toward the Rio Grande which runs within 2 miles of the interstate in this portion of West Texas. The driver abandoned the truck after it became stuck in the river bed, escaping into Mexico. Agents called for reinforcement from the Texas state troopers and Hudspeth County sheriff and began unloading the haul estimated to have been nearly 3 tons when everything changed.

Officers "started to retrieve the bundles when the armed subjects appeared," said Agent Ramiro Cordero, Border Patrol spokesman. According to Hudspeth County Chief Deputy Mike Doyal, the dump truck driver returned with armed men, some of whom drove "official looking vehicles with overhead lights." Some of those armed, Doyal told the El Paso Times, appeared to be Mexican soldiers in uniform with military weapons. "It's a very serious incident," Doyal said. "We are very fortunate ... no one got hurt. Everyone had the presence of mind not to cause an international incident, or start shooting."

As WorldNetDaily has reported, there are widespread reports of U.S.-trained Mexican commandos, called the Zetas, making cross-border runs into U.S. territory in military-style vehicles, armed with automatic weapons.

The Zetas were trained as elite commandos by U.S. forces to combat the drug cartels, but they have switched sides and are working for the drug smugglers in the border area posing a special hazard to American law enforcement and Border Patrol agents, according to a U.S. Justice Department memo. Under the control of reputed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the Zetas are conducting a bloody war for control of the entire southern border in an effort to secure a monopoly on drug-smuggling and people-smuggling routes.

As both sides faced off, a bulldozer appeared from the Mexico side of the river and was used by the armed men to pull the dump truck and the two-thirds of the marijuana that had not yet been unloaded into Mexico. The bulldozer, Doyal said, is believed to be used regularly to make makeshift crossings over the Rio Grande.

The "armed encounter with drug smugglers," as Cordero described it, is under investigation. No confirmation was made as to whether or not the "soldiers" belonged to the Mexican military.

Sleepy Hollow Lane

How to lose a job

In case you were wondering what you needed to do to lose your job just follow this guy's lead. I can't imagine he'll keep his postion long.

Head of the Orlando NAACP changes parties

When life imitates South Park II

If you remember the episode when Reford brings his Sundance independent film festival to South Park, then you will remember how Cartman describes what all independent films are about:


Gay cowboys eating pudding


The Hollywood Reporter will give you some more info here

Blog Cornucopia...

See it here:

Punditdrome

Its a great site to take in a wide variety of Blogs with just a sample instead of going to each and every site. Don't forget to check out page 2.

Doesn’t the Press have to prove that documents at the center of an important story are authentic? Mary Mapes: "No, I don't think that's the standard."

Apparently a lot has changed since High School journalism back in 1987. This was not the standard then. I assure you an unfounded story like the Guard Documents couldn’t make it into a leaflet, let alone the “Torch”, in our High School’s Paper. Our journalism professor, Mrs. Grimm, with cigarette hanging from her lip would have backhanded Mapes across the mouth, bounced her out of journalism (permanently), and used her as a prime example of what not to do. That little lady was tough as nails, and knew her job. To bad that kind of journalism is fading from the scene.

By Mapes standard, lies and defamation make good copy, generate ratings, and apparently sell books. And that doesn’t require a backcheck. An unsubstantiated story is true until proven wrong by critics.

Not in 1987, and not now, goodbye Mrs. Mapes.

Mrs. Grimm please forgive these political zealots who would use journalism as their personal platforms for governmental overthrow, they have no idea how destructive the changes to our society will be…


A full transcription of the November 9, interview:

Charlie Gibson: "We're going to turn next to the woman whose investigative reporting on President Bush backfired and ignited a scandal at CBS News that wound up involving anchorman Dan Rather. Former CBS News producer Mary Mapes tells her side of the story in a new book out called 'Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power.' And she's given her first interview to our chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross, who's here with me this morning, Brian."

Brian Ross: "Good morning, Charlie. CBS fired Mary Mapes earlier this year and she's not been heard from until now. She is unrepentant and defiant. Refusing to accept membership in the journalism hall of shame."

Mary Mapes: "I loved that job, loved it wildly and suddenly there were pictures of me on the Internet. They were saying mean things about me, saying that I was an angry, man-hating femi-Nazi. I had people driving by my house and taking pictures. I have a little boy, seven years old, and--"

Ross: "What did you tell him?"

Mapes: "I didn't tell him much."

Ross: "Mary Mapes was the woman behind the scenes, the producer who researched, wrote and put together Dan Rather's 60 Minutes report on President Bush's National Guard service. A report which Rather and CBS would later apologize for airing."

Mapes: "Friendships were destroyed, trust was abandoned and it was a very, very dark time. It was a very dark time, I mean, it was like having a little, mini witch hunt within the corporation."

Ross: "And at the heart of that was Mary Mapes."

Mapes: "Yes. Yes, that's true. I know."

Ross: "In the ten months since she was fired, Mapes has been working on a book titled, 'Truth and Duty,' her answer to her enemies in politics, critics in the media and one-time colleagues at CBS News.
"You're seen by many as the person who brought down Dan Rather and CBS News."

Mapes: "Oh, probably. I think that's an accurate characterization. I think I'm somebody who got fired for trying to do their job in a difficult atmosphere."

Ross: "Nothing to do with bad journalism?"

Mapes: "I don't think I committed bad journalism. I really don't. I don't think I've done a good job for 25 years, woke up on the morning of September 8th and decided to commit professional hari-kari."

Ross: "At the heart of the controversy were documents CBS said came from the files of President Bush's then National Guard commanding officer."

Dan Rather: "Now, news about CBS News and the question--"

Ross: "After 12 days of defending them, CBS and Dan Rather later admitted they could not vouch for the authenticity of the documents and that they should not have been used and the story should not have aired.
"Do you still think that story was true?"

Mapes: "The story? Absolutely."

Ross: "This seems remarkable to me that you would sit here now and say you still find that story to be up to your standards."

Mapes: "I'm perfectly willing to believe those documents are forgeries if there's proof that I haven't seen."

Ross: "But isn't it the other way around? Don't you have to proof they're authentic?"

Mapes: "Well, I think that's what critics of the story would say. I know more now than I did then and I think, I think they have not proved to be false, yet."

Ross: "Have they proved to be authentic though? Isn't that really what journalists do?"

Mapes: "No, I don't think that's the standard."

Ross: "CBS News strongly disagrees. An outside panel appointed by CBS found the story did not meet CBS News standards and that it was caused by a 'myopic zeal' to be first, to report on the President's National Guard service. It's harshest criticism was for Mapes, herself.
"They essentially suggested you didn't tell the truth."

Mapes: "Right. I know they did."

Ross: "Basic reporting was faulty and her responses when questioned that others who trusted her down the wrong road, her confidential source was not reliable."

Mapes: "I think what they were hired to do was basically come in and handover some heads and I think that's what they did."

Ross: "Mapes says she feels CBS network president Les Moonves used the damming report as a pretext to remove Dan Rather as the anchor of the CBS Evening News."
Mapes: "I also think, frankly, Les Moonves viewed the news department as being kind of an uppity group of folks who thought they worked in news rather than television news. And he wanted them to work in television."

Ross: "And you think he used this then?"

Mapes: "Sure."

Ross: "In her book, Mapes blames plenty of others but as to herself, admits only a few regrets."

Mapes: "Oh, in a cosmic sense, like so I could be back at work and everything would be fine, like Groundhog Day, if I could turn it back and do it over, maybe. Just from a human standpoint."

Ross: "Maybe?"

Mapes: "Well, Brian, as a human being, but as a journalist that was a good story, that is a good story, that's a story that deserves coverage."

Ross: "In a statement CBS says Mary Mapes' disregard for journalistic standards and for her colleagues comes through loud and clear in this interview and her book, which CBS says tries to rewrite history. CBS says the idea that a news organization would not need to authenticate such important source material is 'just one of the troubling, erroneous statements in her account.'"

The Failure of Diversity training...

Another great quote!


"Americans should take note. France's riots are the logical consequence of awful urban, multiculturalist, and socio-economic policies. Rather than bringing people together multiculturalism keeps people apart. Rather than freeing people economically, welfare causes resentment. Add to the mix wrongheaded labor and affirmative action policies and you've got a ticking fragmentation bomb. Perhaps I am getting a bit carried away; nonetheless the next time I hear a liberal educator stress the importance of multilingual and multicultural education I will remember Paris burning."


Christopher Orlet


I enjoy the opportunity to embrace other cultures and their ways, but we must remember that at the end of the day we are all Americans.

France and Progressive law Fail:

Please engage carefully gentle reader, these riots now appear very serious, and I fear France may not have reacted with sufficient force in time.

For US the jury is still out. In time of riots I believe the old way is the best. No matter who is doing the rioting, nor what is being stolen or vandalized, our police should shoot to kill until the rioting and situation under control of the proper authorities.

Anarchy, er I think not!

If France had done that on Night one the situation may be under control and never made the American media BliTz. And Icky and I might be using this space to debate the merits of T.O. or not!



a peice from Paris Burning: How Empires End

"These newcomers worship a different God and practice a faith historically hostile to Christianity, a traditionalist faith that is rising again and recoils violently from a secular culture saturated in sex.

Severed from the civilization and cultures of their parents, these Arab and Muslim youth may hold French citizenship and carry French passports, but they are no more French than Americans who live in Paris are French. Searching for a community to which they can truly belong, they gravitate to mosques where the imams, many themselves immigrants, teach and preach that the West is not their true home, but a civilization alien to their values and historically hostile to their nations and Islam.

The soaring Muslim population is a Fifth Column inside Europe."

by Patrick J. Buchanan
Posted Nov 7, 2005

This is a job for the UN, or World Police...

Pirates! You gotta be kidding me, in this day and age? Check it out here.

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20051106/2005-11-06T000045Z_01_
SCH573731_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-CRIME-PIRATES-DC.html

No way this sould go on, and this isnt the first attack either. I would say that a completely lawless nation like Somalia comes under the jurisdiction of the U.N. And if they artnt going to do anything about it, because "the rights of those pirates to make a living might be violated". Then its time to dispose of the U.N. once and for all. And I dont want any of that typical, " Well if the Americans will step in and do it all, by-themselves, then ok," Crap! Time for the French and Germans to really step-up! Its their back yard, its primarlly their citzen tourists at risk, and past time for the civilized world to send the message we are not prepared to go thousands of years backward in history.

Stop placating the criminals. Stop the pay-offs and bribes. Man-up for crying out loud , I mean this is completely outrageous. Where are you Western Europe?

And if your not capable U.N., lack the gumption, or dont want to risk resoursces. Then get the H*** out of the way of people who will do the job, and shut-up while its being done!

Take a look

I stumbled across this blog and I think some of you guys will like this guys perspective. Check out the link for American liberals who want to move to Canada.

http://tallcotton.blogspot.com/

Sunday Night on Fox...

...When Moral Busybodies Attack!!!!!!


Folks they are back! Hide your logic behind barred doors. Lock your good-sense in a trunk in the basement. Send your sense of humor to the neighbor's house. The moral busybodies who have, of course our best interests at heart are on the loose. Be extra careful because the have had their sense of humor euthanized and they are coming after your shirt. Well, that is if you are wearing one of the trendy new shirts from the industry leader in "trendy" Abercrombie & Fitch, like in the photo above. (Photo courtesy of The Drudge Report)

Some high school girls in one of this countries wonderful states is offended by these shirts and she wants A&F to know about it. To get their attention she has forme a "girlcott" with some of her humor deficient friends. You can read about their shenanigans here:

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/
ny-chifitch1103,0,2875928,print.story?coll=ny-hsports-allstars-features

I have a question. Exactly how full of yourself do you have to be to form a boycott, sorry "girlcott," against bad fashion? That's kind of like boycotting, sorry misspoke again "girlcotting," oxygen because someone passed gas. Sure it's bad for a moment, but if you tolerate for a bit the foul funk will pass. No, tolerance with other people's opinions on what is funny will not due. Someone needs to pay for making these offensive and degrading t-shirts. (Those poor little Vietnamese kids chained to the sewing machines in their villages who are earning 3 cents a day making those shirts better watch out.)

Please, these shirts are causing damage to no one except the morally self-indulgent busybodies who are offended by them and to that I say: "Great fun! Keep it up! Where that shirt with pride knowing you are doing society a service by making an "I care more than you do" activist have a conniption."

If you are a parent of a young girl and she has a question about the meaning of these shirts you could use it as an educational opportunity. It would be a perfect chance to teach your daughters about humor. About how not everything in life is to be taken as seriously has a chest pain after the "Fat-Boy Special Combo at Heart-A-Tack Burger." You can teach them to laugh at your sex and yourself.

As an aside, you don't see Bubba gathering the bar crowd out to boycott the TV networks because they are offended because fathers are portrayed as bumbling oafs in most TV sitcoms. Bubba's too busy laughing at Homer because he is a bumbling oaf and because Bubba remembers the times he acted the part.

As you can tell I don't have much respect for those girls and their cause and I don't. I wonder if those girls are bothered by the return to fashion of Che Guevara. His image is back upon the "trendy" t-shirts of America's youth. Of course that would assume these high school girls were taught about Che and the communists of Cuba and the world. He was the right hand man behind Communist Revolutionary Fidel Castro. He was the idea guy and Fidel was the strong arm. Together they saved Cuba from the tyranny of a right wing dictator and of the corporations and delivered a unto the people a left wing dictator and oppressive communist regime that appreciates the natural rights of man about as much as I appreciate the "girlcott" of A&F.

One of the reasons these girls don't mind "The Return of the Che" is because, whether they realize it or not, they are disciples of them same ideals: that I know better than you how to live your life and I'll use of the force of the government to show you.

And as if on cue:

http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=4067918&nav=3w6o

An Indiana State Senator with a "R" behind his name is introducing legislation in his state to force A&E from selling these "offensive" and "degrading" shirts. Now since I don't live in Indiana and I am a firm believer in the 10th amendment, I believe that "what happens in Indiana can stay in Indiana," but it is utter nonsense and foolishness to use the force of government to regulate the sale of a t-shirt with a joke on it.

So what is the moral of the moral busybody story?
Hmm...
Shirts with communist murderers on them --> A - Okay
Shirts with jokes about hair color or boob size --> B- Bad
People with "R" after their names are just as bad as those with "D" and anyone who tells you any different, Dread Pirate Roberts, is selling you something.

Who's that kid with the Oreo cookie?

You know I read the following article and felt like I should post the link to Sleepyhollowlane.blogsot.com and follow it up with a good rant about hypocrisy, racism, the slave mentality and simple minded followers, but I'll let your own hearts respond.

Let me warn you: What you are about to read will offend you sense of logic and decency.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20051101-104932-4054r.htm

Pumpkin Carving...

Off the front porch...
Natalie Portman

I love this time of year!


Happy Halloween Everyone!

Society of the Hobbling

• John Jenkins
• May 13, 2005
• 6:30 pm

All of these are examples of how, as a society, we have increased the amount of work and time spent on communication. For some unknown reason we think it is such a good idea to fill our day with wasted time.

In a room of 100 people, how many people do you think have the first name John? I would be willing to bet more than one. In that same room of 100 how many people have the last name Jenkins (barring John's own family members)? While there may be more than one, I would be willing to say that the number of people with the last name Jenkins is far less than the number with the first name John.

When we talk about dates throughout time, why do we always start of by saying December 7th, 1941? There are any number of Decembers throughout time. It makes more sense to say 1941, December 7th. From the first word your brain is propelled back 64 years, then to the next of that year, and lastly the specific day. Using the way we speak currently, anyone you talk to will have no idea reference till you get to the end of the date when you finally state what year.

Time fails the same as dates. 6:30.... Ok morning or afternoon? Then, again, at the end we get the reference... PM.

In all of these cases the listener is required to retain the complete context of what is being said, till the very end when they then have to filter back through the retained information and reasymbol using proper context.

I have worked with multiple programming languages and I can say without a doubt that I have saved so much time by simply working with a drill-down language rather than a drill-out language. Here is an example...

Drill-down
_window("Main").element("text1").text.line[4].word[1]


Drill-out
the word 1 of the line 4 of the element "text1" of the window "main"


Look at most any form you might fill out these days, such as at the doctors. Last name first. Because it is much easier to locate when the proper information is presented first.

Another example of wasting our time while communicating is using redundant or superfluous words. Here are a few examples.

• I was very surprised.
• It was a super huge event.
• She was extremely happy.

Lets rework these by removing the superfluous words and using proper words.

• I was flabbergasted.
• It was a enormous event.
• She was ecstatic.

Sure these are bigger words, but there is a reason they were created!

I suggest reading The Evasion-English Dictionary

Feeding The Frenzy

This marks my first post to our collective's blog. I look forward to being flamed and roasted by you.

Now for the blog proper...

Growing up as a kid, in the 70's, I always looked forward to going out trick 'r treat'n with my brother and friends. It was a time I was allowed outside, at night, without my mother yelling at me to get back in the house. Really, that was my main motivation. Candy was a nice side bonus.

We would make our way up and back down the street we lived on, gathering sugary highs all along the way. We would also scare the other "littler" kids by jumping out of the bushes and screaming. Of course I would cause extra panic to the girl up the street who I "liked".

These days parents take their kids to the mall to go trick 'r treat'n. Why? Because of the razor blades, pin and needles, and other assorted harmful instruments people put into apples and candy of course. At the same time these mall events started cropping up, I noticed a news cast which talked about how malls were organizing these events because kids were increasingly finding harmful items in their candy and other treats. This in addition to kidnapping, alien abductions, and other criminal activity.

"Of course! Protect our children!" ....right?

Yes, but I would offer not from the "criminals" were hear about on the news. Rather, from the news itself. What percentage of the news is about death, murder, kidnapping, and other related crimes?

How does this relate? What is one of the biggest heart aches for parents while their children are growing up? Lose of innocence. I am not suggesting that kids are watching the local news. No, what parent would have the local news on the television between 5 and 7 in the evening? Not like their family is together eating dinner and doing homework while they gather the local news.

The news media is breeding criminals each and every day. The news is desensitizing all of society, not just our children. This leads to a common lack of knowing what is right and wrong. Thus, this can lead to any degree of criminal behavior. Do you get a ping of horror everytime you hear about Jane Bag'a'Donuts being rapped or murdered? I am willing to bet not. Perhaps you need to ask yourself why?

So, while the news media broadcasts all the different ways kids might get hurt, stolen, and altered this Halloween, just think of all the people who just got a "good" idea from that same report.

When life imitates South Park.....

So some very enlightened folks in a Massachusetts school have banned Halloween.

You can read about it here:
www.boston.com/news/local/Massachusetts/articles/2005/10/28/
student_ghosts_unmasked_in_newton?mode=PF


Reminds me of the first Christmas South Park where the Jewish mother of Kyle gets in an uproar because her son , a Jew, is playing Jesus in the Nativity play. The next thing you know every Christmas icon from the nativity, to the Christmas Tree, to Frosty is removed from the town and the only thing left to save the Christmas spirit of South Park the a talking turd, Mr. Hankey.


The best part of this news story is the principal who last year dressed as Johnny Damon. Damn, that would have offended me. Just look for your self.

Hmm..... and if you only need a few parents to keep their kids home from school to change a school's policy, wow, imagine the power parents now have. If you are a racist and hate black folks, or if you just hate the segregation of history, all you would need is a few parents to keep their children out of school and --BAM!-- adios Black History Month.

If I'm offended by Amelia Earhart, and Susan B Anthony, and Sandra Dey O'Connor --BAM!-- Women's History Month vanishes from your local school.

See the power you have parents. The public school system has been castrated by the PC police in such a manner that they can't even hold to a principle as basic as dressing up in goofy costumes and passing out candy.

Can Matt and Trey write in an appearance by Korn in the Mystery Machine to save us from these spooky pirates.

Welcome

Welcome to the inaugural post to Sleepy Hollow Lane. This is where the kooks rant and rave upon their soap-boxes. Just ignore the headless guy on horseback. He's all bluster anyway.