John Effin' Kerry, What a Maroon

Via Gateway Pundit, all I can say is wow, just, I mean, what a massive, crippling piece of idiocy from Mr. Jean Francois Heinz-Kerry (D'oh-MA), and a week out before the midterm elections to boot. Worse than that, he digs in his heels and can't even muster even a pretend apology for such an obvious insult to the troops...this bumbling fool may yet allow the GOP to squeak out majorities in both houses of Congress. Thank you, Sen. Kerry, for letting your mask slip and your true colors show in the hot glare of an extremely contested election campaign...you truly are the gift that keeps on giving. Here's the junior senator from Massachussets in his own words:

"You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

And while I don't want him anywhere NEAR the White House in 2008, Sen. John McCain (RINO-AZ), calls Sen. Oompa-Loompa (his face looks orange again in this video, just like it did in the '04 race, gotta lay off the tan cream, senator) on the carpet on this, from Instapundit:

"Senator Kerry owes an apology to the many thousands of Americans serving in Iraq, who answered their country's call because they are patriots and not because of any deficiencies in their education. Americans from all backgrounds, well off and less fortunate, with high school diplomas and graduate degrees, take seriously their duty to our country, and risk their lives today to defend the rest of us in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. They all deserve our respect and deepest gratitude for their service. The suggestion that only the least educated Americans would agree to serve in the military and fight in Iraq, is an insult to every soldier serving in combat, and should deeply offend any American with an ounce of appreciation for what they suffer and risk so that the rest of us can sleep more comfortably at night. Without them, we wouldn't live in a country where people securely possess all their God-given rights, including the right to express insensitive, ill-considered and uninformed remarks." (Emphasis Mine --Ed.)

We'll leave VP Dick Cheney with the last word here... "Of course, now Senator Kerry says he was just making a joke, and he botched it up," said Vice President Dick Cheney at a campaign appearance in Montana. "I guess we didn't get the nuance. He was for the joke before he was against it."

That, as they say, will leave a mark.

The Biggest Reason Defense Lawyers are Necessary

The District Attorney in the Duke lacrosse "rape" case has shown himself, over the course of the events in the Duke case, to be incompetent, at best, and a malicious and pathetic political hack at worst. From Ankle Biting Pundits, these two links, here and here detail the numerous problems which now confront DA Nifong re: his case...for one, he hasn't even spoken to the accuser about the case! This happened last year for God's sake, and evidentiary concerns aside, he is duty-bound to investigate this case, especially the story and potential testimony of his chief witness, in a timely fashion. In addition, the accuser's friend is now saying that the accuser told her to "Put marks on me" the night of the alleged rape, and perhaps even more disturbing, the DA doesn't seem to care a bit about the numerous inconsistencies in the multiple stories told by the accuser, and by her friend, Kim Roberts.

A prosecutor has a duty to investigate and make sure as best he can before filing charges that there is solid evidence and a good faith basis for doing so. Instead, it looks more and more every day like DA Nifong is nothing more than a political hack, willing to exploit racial tensions and destroy the lives of three young men based on some of the flimsiest evidence and most incompetent investigation I have ever seen...all in order to make sure he got re-elected. The defense attorneys for the 3 lacrosse players will have a field day with the accuser, her friend, and this witch-hunting District Attorney. I, for one, can't wait, because attorneys like Mr. Nifong give all lawyers a worse name than we already have...so the next time you hear someone dogging criminal defense lawyers, know that without them, people like Mr. Nifong would be able to run roughshod over potentially innocent people on a whim, and that's scary.

"The point here is that as a prosecutor you have at your disposal an almost unimaginable power - the power over people's liberty and freedom. And any prosecutor needs to realize the gravity of that power, and always be aware their duty to use it responsibly, wisely and with great care,and to do whatever they can to make sure they're right, and if there's a doubt about whether or not someone committed that crime - to do all they can to investigate and clear up that doubt.

It doesn't look like DA Nifong has done that.

Let's hope for the sake of justice he does it quickly, because not doing it is about as grave an injustice to these defendants as can be imagined." ...

"What's really scary as well is that Kim Roberts (dancer #2/accuser's friend from the party the night of the alleged incident --Ed.) said she's never been called back for a follow-up interview, even after she made the allegations that the case was a "crock" and that she only spent 5 minutes away from the accuser (which is of interest because it was claimed the incident took place over a 30 minute time period).

What everyone should be watching now is whether or not Kim Roberts is re-interviewed by Nifong, who has now taken over as "lead investigator", another action that runs counter to common sense. As a prosecutor your job is to present the case in court, not act as a cop. First, you're not trained to do that. Second, you're potentially becoming your own witness. Third, you lose all objectivity and give the defense attorney a great argument for the jury and on appeal (if need be).

I can't see any way in hell that, given her statement, Nifong can ethically not call Roberts in and re-interview her. She has given a statement that potentially exonerates the defendants, and it's Nifong's duty to ensure the charges against these defendants are legitimate. Sadly, though I don't see this happening as Nifong hasn't done a whole hell of a lot to inspire confidence that he's doing his duty."

Rascal Flatts, Saw 3, and Tennessee Football Victories

Usually the fun I have in my life is spread out over time, but this weekend, it was packed in tightly, and I enjoyed it a whole bunch. On Friday, I watched "Saw III" the same day it came out, and it was very good for the most part. After discussing the movies of that trilogy with a friend who is also a fan, we decided that the major flaw in the movies is that the first one was so good, so original, that the sequel(s) would pale in comparison. The sequels here weren't nearly as horrible as Godfather III or Rocky V, but I think the entire "Saw" trilogy could have been compressed into one two and a half hour movie and maybe been one of the greatests horror films of all time. That said, the third film wasn't quite as tedious and as the second one, and it did a good job of tying up some loose ends that didn't make sense after "Saw II"...and, of course, the "games" were novel and horrifying (not much originality in the horror genre for quite some time now), especially the one called "The Rack" (*wince, shudder*), which was very cool. This kind of film isn't for everyone, but it made me cringe and stimulated my mind, so it was worth the price of admission...and on that note, I can't wait for "Hostel II" to come out.

Saturday night I drove to Memphis and got to see the FedEx Forum for the first time...very nice facility, first class all the way (esp. for Memphis), plenty of seating. Merchandise and concessions were vastly overpriced, but that's the case anywhere. I went to see Rascal Flatts perform, and the opening acts were Gary Allan ("Best I Ever Had") and Taylor Swift ("Tim McGraw"). I liked Taylor Swift's songs from what I had heard before the concert, but she is an excellent performer live, and beautiful to boot. She reminds me of Christina Aguilera in the sense that I couldn't believe such a powerful voice came from a woman of such slight stature. Beyond that, she seems to be very much a real person...my favorite thing she said was, "I'm about the nicest person you'll ever meet, but if you mistreat me, hurt me, or make me angry, I'm liable to write a song about you." Just priceless.

Gary Allan is a fine performer, I've just never been much of a fan of his music though. "Best I Ever Had" was his most inspired performance of the night (b/c he said it reminded him of his late wife), but I would rather have been watching the UT game. Rascal Flatts put on a very good show, a great experience to be sure, but not so off-the-charts that I would overpay to see them again live. The thing that stood out to me the most about the band is that these guys are funny. Maybe some of it is canned or scripted, but some of the jokes they told and things they did were laugh out loud hilarious, and I always appreciate a good laugh. Also, all three members of Rascal Flatts are very talented musicians who play more than one instrument, and the piano and acoustic sets they played were especially good. They sang all of their recent hits, including my favorites "These Days", "My Wish" and "What Hurts the Most". During "My Wish", the lead singer pulled this adorable little girl who looked about 6 years old up on stage with him, and she sang part of the chorus very well, just as cute as she could be, and she got a well-deserved standing ovation. I usually like to go with friends to things like this, but the scheduling didn't work out so I went by myself. Buying one ticket, I was able to get a ticket in the first level of seating, rather than the second or third/nosebleed level I'd have gotten if I bought 2 tickets, so it worked out fine.

On the way to the concert, I listened to the first half of the UT/South Carolina game on the radio, and I watched some of it on TV at the forum during performance intermissions. It was every bit the battle I thought it would be, and frankly, UT caught some good breaks and was lucky to escape with a win, but the better team did win this ballgame. Even so, the defense was opportunistic, Erik Ainge and the wide receivers were fantastic, and the special teams came up with big plays too. USC QB Syvelle Newton is very talented and scary to play against...there were at least three 3rd and 10 or more plays that he converted by scrambling, and he made some very accurate throws under pressure. If Florida overlooks the Gamecocks when they play, the Gators will lose. To top it off, the Titans beat the Texans 28-22 in a battle of rebuilding teams. The Titans D came up with 5 turnovers, and despite some growing pains, QB Vince Young gets better every week, passing for a TD and running for another in this one. The Titans aren't going on a playoff run, but at least they are improving and it's easier to watch them now than it was in Week 1.

This was fun, all in all a good weekend...I gotta try and create as many of these as I can, and I will ;).

10/28 Weekend Pigskin Picks With a Side of Insomnia

It's another week of conference play throughout the NCAA, setting up for the home stretch to determine who stays home, who goes to a bowl, and who plays for championships. In the NFL, there are some entertaining and confusing games, very tough to pick, some because of the talent of the teams playing each other (Denver vs. Indianapolis) and others because you don't know which team might show up (Atlanta vs. Cincinnati), so on with the picks.

NCAA

Florida vs. Georgia- I can't remember the last time a Cocktail Party game reasonably favored either team by 2 touchdowns, but this might be the year for it. Georgia got clobbered by the Vols and beaten by Vanderbilt at home, and tried their best to lose to Miss. St., who might be the worst team in the SEC...not exactly good preparation for the Gators, who are stinging after being walloped by Auburn. Florida's offense is very good and should rebound nicely against a Georgia defense that hasn't stopped a quality offense yet this year. Unless Florida completely craps the bed here, they should win going away. I still hope the Dawgs win, b/c that would open the door for the Vols to win the SEC East if they win out, but I don't see it happening (sorry Ashley)...Florida 41, Georgia 17.

Tennessee vs. South Carolina- Other than the embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt, no game typified the Vols' pitiful season last year more than losing to South Carolina and Steve Spurrier. They'll want revenge, and they will get it despite being banged up on offense, esp. at wide receiver. Gamecocks QB Syvelle Newton might be a better scrambler than Florida QB Chris Leak, but he isn't as good a passer and doesn't have the weapons around him Leak has. Look for a replay of the Auburn game, a much closer fight than people expect, but the Vols should wear down South Carolina as the game goes on and win it in the 4th quarter...Vols take it, 24-16.

MTSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette- The Blue Raiders have played very well against Sun Belt competition this year, and may take the conference crown and go to a bowl game if they can beat ULL. Both teams rely heavily on their running games, but both also have solid run defenses. MTSU has the slightly better passing game and better than average special teams, so pick the Blue Raiders in a mild road upset, 20-19.

NFL

Cincinnati vs. Atlanta- Everyone is hailing this as the umpteenth time where Michael Vick becomes a legit QB, but I don't buy it. He is fast as lightning and has a rocket arm, but against a superior defense with a good scheme, he becomes mortal. Vick is a younger, faster version of Steve McNair...good enough to make trips to the playoffs, not quite good enough to close the deal and win the Super Bowl. Cincy gets back WR Chris Henry from suspension, and behavior problems aside, he's a difference maker. The defense has speed to burn and is probably in the top 5 in the NFL, and Carson Palmer at 90 percent is better than Vick at full speed. Vick gets his yards but the Bengals win the game, Cincinnati 31, Atlanta 20.

Baltimore vs. New Orleans- The key battle here is Baltimore's defense versus New Orleans' improved offense. Teams have figured out how to attack the Ravens, and I think this means an 8-8 season and missing the playoffs in Baltimore. So long as the line keeps out the blitzes, washed-up former Titan CB Samari Rolle can be picked on, as can the flavor of the week safety playing opposite perennial Pro Bowler Ed Reed. The Saints have Reggie Bush, Joe Horn, and rookie standout Marques Colston...that's one too many playmakers for Baltimore to cover, and until the Saints lose one at home, I'm not picking against them (fate, karma, etc.), Saints win, 20-10.

Denver at Indianapolis- The battle of perhaps the first half of the NFL season to determine who is the class of the AFC, and it also could be a preview of the AFC Championship game. The Colts have a definite QB advantage (Manning over Plummer by several lengths), and the running game is coming along nicely with rookie RB Joseph Addai coming into his own. Denver has the far superior defense, and CB Champ Bailey vs. Colts' WR Marvin Harrison is a great individual matchup to watch. Special teams are basically a wash, as is the run game with Denver RB Tatum Bell taking charge as a feature back. It's been cold and snowy in Colorado all week, and the Colts are an indoor team. If the game was at Indy, I'd take the Colts in a squeaker, but at Denver, give it to the Broncos in an equally tight game, 27-24.

Arizona D.A. Uses Creative Lawyering to Fight Illegal Immigrant Invasion

Maricopa County, AZ Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio have become the first law enforcement officers in the nation to prosecute illegal immigrants for conspiring with coyotes (people smugglers) to smuggle themselves into the country. This is a felony conviction and will prohibit illegal entrants convicted of it from ever becoming citizens. For far too long, authorities have simply caught and released illegals on their own recognizance for hearings at which they never appear. They are released from custody only to walk back across the border in no time. Hopefully, the word will get out and the prospect of hard time in jail will deter some of the invading hordes. They deserve a medal for their tenacity, strength, and creativity, described in this story and hopefully others in Arizona and throughout the country will follow suit.

"An Arizona jury returned a guilty verdict against an illegal immigrant for conspiracy with a coyote to smuggle himself into the country, a felony under Arizona law. Adolfo Guzman-Garcia will be sentenced for a class 4 felony, punishable by up to 3.75 years in prison, on December 5, 2006. Almost 336 illegal immigrants have been arrested and 161 have already accepted guilty pleas offered by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.

Thomas noted that it was the first time in U.S. history that an anti-smuggling law has been used to successfully prosecute illegal immigrants, by plea offers and now a jury verdict, describing the landmark decision, "The glacier of illegal immigration is starting to drip away. In Maricopa County, we will continue to keep the heat on until both smugglers and conspirators get the message." (Apparently global warming is occurring in Arizona?)

Since Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio began enforcing the law against illegal immigrants in March of this year, the numbers of illegal immigrants attempting to cross the Mexico-Arizona border has decreased. Arpaio declared, "The word is out, don't come through Arizona. Instead they are heading for California or Nevada's border."

So far, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office has achieved a 90% conviction rate of those arrested. Detractors have criticized the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for a legal opinion it provided Arpaio with that confirmed the anti-smuggling law could be applied not just to coyotes, but to illegal immigrants through Arizona's conspiracy statute. Unless specifically exempted by the legislature, conspiracy laws apply to all felonies. One coyote has been convicted by a jury.

"So far we have won every substantive battle," Thomas said. Although a few left wing defense attorneys, including ones selected by the Mexican government, have challenged application of the law in court, it has withheld judicial scrutiny and has been upheld. Maricopa County Judge Thomas O'Toole presided over the trial of Guzman-Garcia. Both Judge O'Toole and Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Cole denied motions by defense attorneys to dismiss the complaints, ruling that the application of the smuggling law was not preempted by federal law nor conflict with state law. O'Toole had dismissed one complaint earlier this year against an illegal immigrant when it got to a jury, stating that all of the elements of the crime ("corpus delicti") hadn't been satisfied, but in this second case, held an evidentiary hearing where he found there was enough of a basis to send it to a jury."

R.I.P. Michael Mansoor...Navy SEAL KIA 9/29/06

As Emperor Misha says, "Where do we find such men as these?" From Leatherneck M31 and Emperor Misha, and Yahoo! News respectively, we get the sad news of one of our heroic soldiers killed in action. This young man sacrificed his life for his country, his mission, and his friends in his unit...he gave his life so that others might live. He would have told you he was just doing his job, but even so, it takes a mighty special individual to make this kind of sacrifice.

The Bible says, "Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for his friends." Read the links to the stories...good luck soldier, and godspeed...rest now, and we will finish the job. There aren't words to express the gratitude due this young man for his service and sacrifice...please remember him and his family in your prayers, and may God comfort them.

The Islamic Takeover Of France Proceeds Apace and Without Consequence

I have said for some time now that, by 2020 or so, we would be dealing with a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic of France. The hordes of unassimilated Muslim immigrants in the ghettoes of France grow ever bolder in their confrontations with police and security forces, and still, nothing is done about it. Appeasement, more welfare, etc., are not solutions. Simply put, and as Captain Ed at Captain's Quarters points out, these people have to be integrated into French society or expelled from the country should France have any hope of survival. France has neither the desire to see these people integrated nor the stones to deport them, and so that country as we now know it (absent some massive political change of willpower) is unlikely to survive as we know it for more than another decade or two, and I fear its national death will be a bloody one for the natives. So, as the guy from the "Saw" movies says, "Suffering? You haven't seen anything yet."...so it shall be for the French. Oh, and by the way, if America wants to know what will happen if America doesn't do something about the unassimilated Latin American masses in our midst and growing by the day, here's a preview of coming attractions (even if it's 50 years down the road yet in our case).

"On a routine call, three unwitting police officers fell into a trap. A car darted out to block their path, and dozens of hooded youths surged out of the darkness to attack them with stones, bats and tear gas before fleeing. One officer was hospitalized, and no arrests made.

The recent ambush was emblematic of what some officers say has become a near-perpetual and increasingly violent conflict between police and gangs in tough, largely immigrant French neighborhoods that were the scene of a three-week paroxysm of rioting last year. ...

This shows the limitations of multiculturalism. No one has a problem when people engage in their own cultural rituals and speak their own language; it becomes a problem when they force native populations to adopt them for themselves. Immigration should exist where people want to assimilate into the culture of the nation they adopt, and not where people arrive to set up enclaves of the Old Country and then demand that their hosts recognize their authority to do so. America's success with immigration came from the impulse of its immigrants to join in the American culture and the American dream, not because we started printing ballots in eighteen different languages to accommodate people who didn't want to learn English.

Separation breeds resentment, from both sides. Separatism creates borders, and borders presage wars when only one side recognizes them. The French banlieus may not have reached the warfare stage yet, but they keep coming closer and closer to it. The French will either have to find a way to break up the Muslim ghettoes, either by working harder for assimilation or by kicking a lot of people out of France."

Rooms

"Rooms"
By Audrey Carter

A moment of silence
Only candles light the room.
I find a blank canvas in the dark -
Space for my mind to roam.
How do you capture this butterfly
Trapped inside -
Disguised as the emotions trying to hide?
Revealing them to me
There's no one here to see
What memories I may find
Hidden inside the rooms of my mind.

I discover a room in my mind
Where I have set my dreams aside -
An actress, a singer, a movie star -
A college degree and a new sports car.
Little girl's big dreams, still within reach.
All I had to do was believe.
I remember leaving it all behind.
Those dreams are fading as time goes by...

Oh, but here is where I spend so much time -
In this other room in my mind.
The dreams that have come true -
The dreams that once I never knew.
A beautiful daughter with eyes that shine -
Her dreams so similar to those once mine.
And my baby boy with a contagious laugh -
His love for life will guide his path.
In this room I became a mother
And fell in love with my son and daughter.

Around the corner I'm afraid to step.
I see the room in which I've wept.
The room that stores my broken hearts
The times that I've felt torn apart.
But in this room I feel God's grace -
In this room I sought His face.
He wrapped me in His arms of mercy,
Gave me strength and simply loved me.
The room that holds my healed wounds,
And the memories of my sufferings
Is where I began to learn the Truth
And experience God's blessings.

I have time to visit just one more -
The room in which my future lies -
The future I hope for in my mind.
As I walk inside, my mind goes blank -
Carefully each step I take.
Knowing all the decisions I make
Will affect the woman I am today.
As I walk, He takes my hand.
Alone I know I'll never stand.
Every turn He knows my need.
He promised me He'd never leave.
I give Him my heart, my future, my life.
I lay it all down at His feet.
Because in this room
I sacrifice.

A Great Song for My Questions

Although I thought it could be a bit cheesy since it's being overplayed to death and beyond by Top 40 Radio and Grey's Anatomy, the song, "How to Save a Life", by The Fray, speaks deeply to me re: the many more questions in life I seem to have than answers. I can't tell you how many times I've had thoughts like this, trying to figure out: How the hell did I/we get here? Can it be fixed? Should it be fixed? What would happen/have happened if things did work out? The lyrics are great and there is a beautiful acoustic version of the song that I like even better...this is likely one of the few CDs I'll actually buy.

The Fray, "How to Save a Life"

"Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came

(Chorus)

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life"

Enablers of EUrabia Should Cut Them Off

Our nation has had significant debate over the domestic welfare issue dating back to its inception in the 1960s. The article linked below, aside from the excerpted portions, provides an excellent backgrounder and summary of this debate. The basic premise, which I believe was borne out by the Clinton Administration cutting welfare roles in the 1990s, is that when people are forced to take responsibility for themselves, the vast majority of them stand up and do it. By the same token, if people know that there is a check coming for them every month for which they have to do nothing, there are just as many who will elect to be lazy and live in squalor.

As the author from the New Sisyphus blog articulates here, it's high time for some international welfare reform. Many countries, especially in Europe, have lived under the umbrella of U.S. military protection for decades. This made sense perhaps even as recently as the Cold War, but it doesn't any longer. Knowing they don't have to invest in their own defensive military capabilities, these nations have allowed their militaries to atrophy by sinking that money into socialist nanny-state programs which are financially unsustainable. Moreover, as socialism has crept in, so has an invasion of Muslim illegal immigrants that parallels our own invasion of illegals from Latin America.

It is well past time for the U.S. to cut off the allowance of these nations and make them stand (or fall) on their own. For countries like France, it may be too late for them to stop the implementation of Islamic sharia law, but there is still hope for others such as Italy, Britain, etc. This is a hard thing to do, but it must be done. We need full allies if we are to fight the threat of Isalamic fascism because we can't do it alone, and I believe, as does the author, that this would be a great place to start making it happen.

International Welfare Reform

"The answer to solving the problem is to re-introduce our erstwhile allies to reality. Remove the American buffer, the American umbrella, the American security guarantee, and the nations of the E.U will have to grow up rather quickly. And like the welfare moms of yore, those nations will by-and-large begin to again make rational choices, and, more importantly, will begin again to re-acquaint themselves with the hard choices those in power must make.

Responsibility makes grown-ups. And in order for us to live once again in a world with grown-up allies, with grown-up political elites, we will have to reintroduce responsibility to the mix. This comes, of course, with a cost. By encouraging allies, building up their strength and (hardest of all) passing responsibility in certain areas to other nations we also necessarily lose direct control over those areas. To a nation accustomed to handling vital missions as disparate as ensuring the sea lanes near Singapore to keeping the peace in Kosovo, it may even prove nigh-impossible.

However, it must be done. At the end of the day, the US has neither the stomach nor the appetite to police the world (despite the catchy theme song). If we are to have allies, they will have to be full allies in the greatest sense of the term. As before, there will be those who will argue that the old system is the only way. As before, they will be wrong. If the U.S. were to pursue an aggressive policy of handing responsibility over concrete areas of present-day tasks to other nations, the fact of the U.S. unilateral withdrawal of the vastly over-rated "superpower" status will have a profound impact on the decision-making in the E.U.

It seemed counter-intuitive to many people in the early 90's that by cutting off income support you could make people richer. And I suppose it seems similarly counter-intuitive that by stepping away from zones of responsibility the U.S. could increase its national security and standing in the world. But, as history teaches us, men are fundamentally rational; get the incentives right and the outcome is almost always what you'd expect. And right now it's time for the E.U. to grow up."

My 10/21 Pick...Tennessee Beats Alabama

Sorry guys, been away at the Public Defender's conference all week getting my Continuing Legal Education credits to keep my law license. I've had little to no internet access, and I wasn't about to pay 1-(900)-esque rates for the privilege at the hotel. The conference was, as it is usually, mostly boring, interrupted by flashes of occasional interesting and useful information. It's the 3rd weekend in October, which means it's the UT/Alabama game, and it's the only one I'll be picking this weekend.

On the Alabama side, John Parker Wilson is coming into his own as a QB, and he has 2 pretty good receivers to throw to. Also, the running game, led by senior Ken Darby looks like he is starting to get back on track, and the defense, though young, plays the run well and hits hard.

For UT, Erik Ainge is playing out of his mind, much better than anyone thought he could when the season began. Freshman tailback LaMarcus Coker and a now healthy Arian Foster are becoming a dynamite 1-2 punch at tailback, while WRs Robert Meachem and Jayson Swain form one of the top receiving tandems in the nation. The D is playing much better this year than usual, save the tackiling lapses in the Florida game, with the strength being the DBs. Punter Britton Colquitt is continuing the family punting tradition very well, and senior PK James Wilhoit is an All-SEC candidate.

There's no area on the field where the Tide is better than UT this year, and that's not always been the case. Absent a huge rushing game by Darby and some game-changing turnovers by the Alabama defense, I can't see the Tide beating a rested UT team coming off a bye in Knoxville. Finally, Alabama has had a terribly shaky kicking and special teams game this year, and that makes all the difference in games like this. It'll be a good, hard-hitting game, but UT wins it late at home, 30-17.

Border Patrol Agents Get More than a Decade in Prison for Doing Their Jobs

This is beyond sad and ridiculous. I blogged about this a while back, where two U.S. Border Patrol agents were convicted of federal "crimes" against an admitted illegal alien drug smuggler upon the testimony of that smuggler. The guilty verdicts in this case are both a travesty and a disgrace...these two agents should be given award medals, not jail time. Instead, they go to prison for over a decade each, torn away from their families in what looked to be a trial rife with monkey business in a kangaroo court. It is a sad day indeed for this country and for these men. Read their story via the Washington Times, and pray for them...they are going to need it.

"Two U.S. Border Patrol agents who shot a drug smuggling suspect in the buttocks last year as he fled across the U.S.-Mexico border were sentenced to lengthy prison terms yesterday despite a plea by their attorney for a new trial after three jurors said they were coerced into voting guilty in the case.

U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Cardone in El Paso, Texas, sentenced Jose Alonso Compean to 12 years in prison and Ignacio Ramos to 11 years and one day in their convictions on charges of causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and a civil rights violation.

A federal jury convicted Compean, 28, and Ramos, 37, in March after a two-week trial. The judge ordered them to report to prison Jan. 17. The Border Patrol fired both men after their convictions.

'Federal agents who protect our border deserve our respect, gratitude and trust. It is a difficult and dangerous job,' said U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, whose office prosecuted the case. 'But when law-enforcement officers use their badge as a shield for carrying out crimes and then engage in a cover-up, we cannot look the other way.

'Agents Compean and Ramos shot an unarmed, fleeing suspect in the back and lied about it,' he said.

Defense attorney Mary Stillinger argued unsuccessfully in a motion this week for the convictions to be set aside and a new trial ordered after three jurors -- Robert Gourley, Claudia Torres and Edine Woods -- signed sworn affidavits saying they were pressured to return guilty verdicts after being told by the jury foreman that the judge would not accept a hung jury.

'Essentially ... they conceded their votes, believing that they did not have the option to stick to their guns and prevent an unanimous verdict,' Ms. Stillinger said in the motion.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanof, who prosecuted the case, told the court that the motion was not timely and lacked merit because 'it does not constitute newly discovered evidence.' She said the affidavits were obtained six months after the defense said it had done what it could to obtain juror affidavits and after the court had denied an extension of time for filing new motions.

The judge denied the motion yesterday before passing sentence.

Neither man spoke in the courtroom.

Federal prosecutors brought the charges after Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, a Mexican national, was given immunity and agreed to testify for the government following an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General.

Aldrete-Davila was shot after he illegally entered the United States near Fabens, Texas, and refused efforts by the agents to stop his vehicle. Court records show he jumped from his van and ran south to Rio Grande, where he was confronted by Compean, who was knocked to the ground. Aldrete-Davila managed to cross the border and escape in an awaiting van.

The immunity agreement protected Aldrete-Davila from being charged in the United States as a drug smuggler. Ramos and Compean found 743 pounds of marijuana in the van he abandoned near the Rio Grande." (All emphasis mine --Ed.)

Substantially More Questions Than Answers

Even though every word I am about to write is true, I still believe deep down that things will be well with me in the end. That's because every time I have felt on the brink of a life-changing, irreversible disaster(s), something has happened, someone has stepped in, and/or God has intervened to prevent it, and for that, I remain eternally and immeasurably grateful.

The above notwithstanding, it seems like the longer I live, I get another 50 questions for everything I think I figure out as something along the lines of even a quasi-answer, and it's an exponential and occasionally draining process because my mind never seems to shut down. The best analogy I can make is from The Terminator, where the computer "learns at a geometric rate", which sounds all fine and dandy because that helps humanity for a while, right up until the moment the machines turn on the humans and launch the nukes that almost wipe out our entire species.

Also, I can't help but notice that right about the time I have made peace with the way a situation has turned out, more often than not, something about that situation gets tweaked in a way that the peace I thought I just found is gone because the script has been flipped and the entire equation changed...warrants mentioning.

My vision of life seems as an experience roughly equivalent to watching a TV show on a television inside an aquarium or a toilet. I know there's something I am supposed to be seeing there, that there's something going on, complete with a plot, a storyline, and best of all, a resolution...only, it's blurry. Things are a little off, and appear as they do when I try to read something without my glasses. Even with my best efforts to focus, the unclarity remains.

Then, I further survey my life and experiences in general, and I feel like the Gatorade commercial I saw on TV this week. In the commercial, the narrator says something along the lines of sports being a game of inches and seconds, and that being even a fraction of a moment off can change everything. Then it proceeds to show Montana to Clark in the Super Bowl, where the pass sails just high and the 49ers lose (instead of winning, as they actually did, thereby triggering a dynasty spanning the 80s and 90s), and another scene where Michael Jordan clangs his jump shot off the iron, handing the Cavaliers a win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals one year, stopping one of his six championship runs in its tracks (rather than swishing the shot as he did, winning the series, jumpstarting the Bulls dynasty, and sending the Cavs into a basketball funk that would last more than a decade).

I literally feel like I am and have been just that close to greatness, and not just once, but several times, and in several different areas of my life...like I'm the one who has clanged the iron or overthrown the pass by the slimmest of margins. What makes it more frustrating is that it doesn't even appear that I am so much a square peg attempting entry to a round hole, but rather that I'm a square peg...only that I'm not the right size square or that my attempted insertion takes place while the board which contains the perfect fitting hole is being pulled away.

I can't begin to describe how frustrating this is, not only because of the near misses themselves, but also because it seems to have become a pattern, which leads back to the ultimate chicken and the egg question..."Is it really (insert person, situation, etc. here), or is it me?" I pray every day that it isn't me, that I am learning something from all this going forward. I like to think I am just learning my share of difficult lessons the hard way, but I've not yet been able to shake that feeling that somehow this might not be the case.

One of my dear friends, after listening to my ramblings, said of all this, "The sooner we figure out that this is, by and large, a life of suffering, the farther down the road we will be to achieving and appreciating whatever happiness we can find in our lives, no matter how small." That may not be the ultimate right answer, but it's a fine point and a decent place to start.

There Are No "Good Cops" in Islam

I think this one falls under the philosophy category as well as religion...religion just happens to be the subject of the example here. I am unashamed to say this, and it bears repeating...the things that America and Western civilization have done abd accomplished over the last couple of centuries is amazing. It's an experiment in freedom that has succeeded beyond anyone's wildest imaginations, and it's worth fighting for and preserving. To quote Captain Picard from Star Trek: TNG, there must be a point at which we as a nation and a civilization say to the barbarians at the gate (most of them of the Islamofascist persuasion), "No more! This far and no further! It ends here!" Continued appeasement and capitulation only puts us at the end of the line to be eaten by the alligators...it will not save us.

This junk about censoring cartoons and plays b/c Muslims might get upset and start rioting (thereby showing what a "peaceful" bunch they are), about shooting nuns in the back b/c the Pope quotes a six centuries old speech (accurately describing the violent spread of Islam by the sword), and about beheading Christians in the "moderate" Islamic country of Indonesia just because they are Christians...well, if we expect to survive, all that has stop, like yesterday. Allowing this type of behavior to proceed without response is no less enabling than someone who refuses to cut off a drug addict financially...the problem will never get fixed without some tough decisions, concrete actions to follow up, and sometimes dealing with unpleasant consequences following from these decisions.

I'm not encouraged by the behavior of our so-called leaders, and I fear that by the time they wake up and smell what the jihadists are shoveling, if we aren't already defeated, it will lead to a clash of civilization versus the Dark Ages the likes of which no one has even contemplated...not because it's impossible, but because it's too horrible to think it might actually happen (something like "Ghostbusters" where if the proton plasma streams getting crossed, everyone's molecules implode and the world ends, only slower and bloodier). I hope it doesn't come to that, but I'm not encouraged. Read Rusty from My Pet Jawa blog and his great example of what I mean here.

"The "moderate" Muslim activists in the West are the most distasteful of the lot, IMHO. At each stage, the game is: "accept this accomodation, or else we'll be replaced by crazies." At each round, the "this" is a little larger piece of flesh than last round. "Censor the Mohammed cartoons, or else." "Get rid of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, or else." "Make the Pope apologize, or else." "Institute Shari'a law, or else." At each step, accomodation is the short-term rational choice.

I wonder: is there a point at which we (the West) are no longer willing to play along with the "Good Cop, Bad Cop" game anymore? Is there a point at which we're willing, in the short term, to be irrational? In other words, is there a point at which we're no longer willing to negotiate over our fundamental principles, even if there is a significant price to pay? Is there a point at which we make our own demands? Is there a point at which we're no longer willing to accept half measures and lukewarm gestures from our supposed "allies?" Is there a point at which we will draw a line beyond which we are unwilling to go, to throw down the gauntlet and invite them to join us as we all descend together into the Hell and chaos that supposedly awaits us?

If there is such a point, where does it lie?

If we can never figure out when we've crossed that point, isn't our subjugation just a question of "when" rather than "if?"

Good Girls for Nice Guys

Well, I figured since I posted the tribute to nice guys a while back, I figured a tribute to good girls out there would be only fair...now if only the nice guys and good girls could meet and hit it off, a lot more people would live happily ever after. This is a bit long, but it's good, so enjoy!

"This is my tribute to the nice girls. To the nice girls who are overlooked, who become friends and nothing more, who spend hours fixating upon their looks and their personalities and their actions because it must be they that are doing something wrong. This is for the girls who don't give it up on the first date, who don't want to play mind games, who provide a comforting hug and a supportive audience for a story they've heard a thousand times. This is for the girls who understand that they aren't perfect and that the guys they're interested in aren't either, for the girls who flirt and laugh and worry and obsess over the slightest glance, whisper, touch, because somehow they are able to keep alive that hope that maybe... maybe this time he'll have understood. This is homage to the girls who laugh loud and often, who are comfortable in skirts and sweats and combat boots, who care more than they should for guys who don't deserve their attention.

This is for those girls who have been in the trenches, who have watched other girls time and time again fake up and make up and fuck up the guys in their lives without saying a word. This is for the girls who have been there from the beginning and have heard the trite words of advice, from "there are plenty of fish in the sea," to "time heals all wounds." This is to honor those girls who know that guys are just as scared as they are, who know that they deserve better, who are seeking to find it.

This is for the girls who have never been in love, but know that it's an experience that they don't want to miss out on. For the girls who have sought a night with friends and been greeted by a night of catcalling, rude comments and explicit invitations that they'd rather not have experienced. This is for the girls who have spent their weekends sitting on the sidelines of a beer pong tournament or a case race, or playing Florence Nightingale for a vomiting guy friend or a comatose crush, who have received a drunk phone call just before dawn from someone who doesn't care enough to invite them over but is still willing to pass out in their bed.

This is for the girls who have left sad song lyrics in their away messages, who have tried to make someone understand through a subliminally appealing profile, who have time and time again dropped their male friend hint after hint after hint only to watch him chase after the first blonde girl in a skirt. This is for the girls who have been told that they're too good or too smart or too pretty, who have been given compliments as a way of breaking off a relationship, who have ever been told they are only wanted as a friend.

This one's for the girls who you can take home to mom, but won't because it's easier to sleep with a whore than foster a relationship; this is for the girls who have been led on by words and kisses and touches, all of which were either only true for the moment, or never real to begin with. This is for the girls who have allowed a guy into their head and heart and bed, only to discover that he's just not ready, he's just not over her, he's just not looking to be tied down; this is for the girls who believe the excuses because it's easier to believe that it's not that they don't want you, it's that they don't want anyone.

This is for the girls who have had their hearts broken and their hopes dashed by someone too cavalier to have cared in the first place; this is for the nights spent dissecting every word and syllable and inflection in his speech, for the nights when you've returned home alone, for the nights when you've seen from across the room him leaning a little too close, or standing a little too near, or talking a little too softly for the girl he's with to be a random hookup. This is for the girls who have endured party after party in his presence, finally having realized that it wasn't that he didn't want a relationship: it was that he didn't want you. I honor you for the night his dog died or his grandmother died or his little brother crashed his car and you held him, thinking that if you only comforted him just right, or said the right words, or rubbed his back in the right way then perhaps he'd realize what it was that he already had. This is for the night you realized that it would never happen, and the sunrise you saw the next morning after failing to sleep.

This is for the "I really like you, so let's still be friends" comment after you read more into a situation than he ever intended; this is for never realizing that when you choose friends, you seldom choose those which make you cry yourself to sleep. This is for the hugs you've received from your female friends, for the nights they've reassured you that you are beautiful and intelligent and amazing and loyal and truly worthy of a great guy; this is for the despair you all felt as you sat in the aftermath of your tears, knowing that that night the only companionship you'd have was with a pillow and your teddy bear.

This is for the girls who have been used and abused, who have endured what he was giving because at least he was giving something; this is for the stupidity of the nights we've believed that something was better than nothing, though his something was nothing we'd have ever wanted. This is for the girls who have been satisfied with too little and who have learned never to expect anything more: for the girls who don't think that they deserve more, because they've been conditioned for so long to accept the scraps thrown to them by guys.

This is what I don't understand. Men sit and question and whine that girls are only attracted to the mean guys, the guys who berate them and belittle them and don't appreciate them and don't want them; who use them for sex and think of little else than where their next conquest will be made. Men complain that they never meet nice girls, girls who are genuinely interested and compelling, who are intelligent and sweet and smart and beautiful; men despair that no good women want to share in their lives, that girls play mind games, that girls love to keep them hanging. Yet, men, I ask you: were you to meet one of these genuinely interested, thrillingly compelling, interesting and intelligent and sweet and beautiful and smart girls, were you to give her your number and wait for her to call... and if you were to receive a call from her the next day and she, in her truthful, loyal, intelligent and straightforward nice girl fashion, were to tell you that she finds you intriguing and attractive and interesting and worth her time and perhaps material from which she could fashion a boyfriend, would you or would you not immediately call your friends to tell them of the "stalker chick" you'd met the night prior, who called you and wore her heart on her sleeve and told the truth? And would you, or would you not, refuse to make plans with her, speak with her, see her again, and once again return to the bar or club or party scene and search once more for this "nice girl" who you just cannot seem to find?

Because therein lies the truth, guys: we nice girls are everywhere. But you're not looking for a nice girl. You're not looking for someone genuinely interested in your intramural basketball game, or your anatomy midterm grade, or that argument you keep having with your father; you're looking for a quick fix, a night when you can pretend to have a connection with another human being which is just as disposable as the condom you were using during it.

So don't say you're on the lookout for nice girls, guys, when you pass us up on every step you take. Sometimes we go undercover; sometimes we go in disguise: sometimes when that girl in the low cut shirt or the too tight miniskirt won't answer your catcalls, sometimes you're looking at a nice girl in whore's clothing - - we might say we like the attention, we might blush and giggle and turn back to our friends, but we're all thinking the same thing: "This isn't me. Tomorrow morning, I'll be wearing a tee-shirt and flannel shorts, I'll have slept alone and I'll be making my hangover best friend breakfast. See through the disguise. See me." You never do. Why? Because you only see the exterior, you only see the slutty girl who welcomes those advances. You don't want the nice girl.. so don't say you're looking for a relationship: relationships take time and energy and intent, three things we're willing to extend - - but in return, we're looking for compassion and loyalty and trust, three things you never seem willing to express.

Maybe nice guys finish last, but in the race they're running they're chasing after the whores and the sluts and the easy-targets... the nice girls are waiting at the finish line with water and towels and a congratulatory hug (and yes, if she's a nice girl and she likes you, the sweatiness probably won't matter), hoping against hope that maybe you'll realize that they're the ones that you want at the end of that silly race.

So maybe it won't last forever. Maybe some of those guys in that race will turn in their running shoes and make their way to the concession stand where we're waiting; however, until that happens, we still have each other, that silly race to watch, and all the chocolate we can eat (because what's a concession stand at a race without some chocolate?)"

Speaking Truth to Inaction

This is a post from a strictly internet buddy of mine, nicknamed Chickpea. She lives up close to the DC area and we're unlikely to ever meet in person. We actually got to know each other as a result of a mutual headcase we both knew a few years back (her as a friend, me as someone I thought I might be interested in romantically). We stay in touch sometimes, but mostly we keep up with one another by reading each other's blogs. Hers is much more personal and detailed than mine, but I know brutal honesty and good writing when I see them...and I appreciate both.

Her post sums up well some of the inherent difficulties with, and maybe some solid, mandatory ground rules for internet dating. Different things work for different people and all, but these are valid points here...talking only gets you so far, period, end of sentence, end of conversation. I think you can start the process of something real developing online, but it can't be completed or consumated there. As Kevin Spacey astutely pointed out in "The Negotiator", "There is a time limit on these negotiations."

I think the amount of allowance for time, etc. necessarily varies from situation to situation, but it eventually comes down to whether the person on the other end decides you are enough of a priority to make the time for you (even if they are busy)...if they are, perfect, and if they aren't, well, then that tells you everything you need to know right there. It isn't a matter of meanness or lack of understanding of someone's situation, it's a matter of taking a detached, rational look at the situation as it really is and not as you wished it would be.

In closing, I will illustrate my point using the last season of "The Bachelor". Dr. Travis chose Sarah at the end of the show's taping, but there was 4 MONTHS of separation in between him choosing her and them getting to hang out again due to the show's air dates. By the time the "After the Final Rose" special rolled around, they weren't together anymore, and they both said that it was because whatever they had together on the show died on the vine due to all that time not seeing and being able to communicate properly with one another. This being reality TV, who the heck knows if they would have made it without the delay? That said, they did prove that too much of a delay/time apart can kill even the most promising and wonderful of things. The real world doesn't have television delays, so the moral of the story, children, is: if you think someone is a worthy candidate, give them their chance or give them their freedom...it really is that simple.

"Another area where my standards are higher? My limits on time.

Actions speak volumes louder than words.

You can start with talk, you can flatter, you can get to know each other, but until you make the movement and meet face to face and interact on a human level, it's simply that. It's all talk. It's not real until you hear the voice, touch the skin, breathe the same air, and share the same field of energy.

It takes more than words to be with me and I have a time limit on the talk.

I will not sit around pining away for you if you won't make an ounce of effort. I will give you a certain amount of time that is proportional to the distance we live apart, the current situations we are in, our work schedules, etc. But if after that reasonable amount of time nothing has changed, then I say sayonara. Adios. Peace out. Hasta luego, etc."

Congressman Mark Foley Headed to the Big House...?

It's all over the news now about Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) resigning in disgrace over inappropriate sexually-tinged contact with male pages who worked in D.C. while in high school. I gotta preface this by saying that no matter his party affiliation, he is entitled to his day in court and a presumption of innocence. Is he acting in a completely wrong and inappropriate manner, especially for a Congressman? Absolutely. It still has to be proven that he broke some law(s) before he goes to jail, gets strung up, etc. as the media is demanding.

Read some of the stuff from the MSNBC story below, and the whole story, but it's enough to make my skin crawl. Although the hypocrisy of this man is stunning, given that he's one of the main authors of stronger laws to punish child sex predators, there may be some justice here too. If he is criminally prosecuted and has his day in court, he may be sentenced under the very laws he helped to write should he be found guilty. That would be the textbook definition of justice, and my guess is that a soft Congress-critter of slight build concvicted of sex crimes wouldn't fare very well at all in prison.

"ABC News reported Friday that Foley also engaged in a series of sexually explicit instant messages with current and former teenage male pages. In one message, ABC said, Foley wrote to one page: "Do I make you a little horny?" In another message, Foley wrote, "You in your boxers, too? ... Well, strip down and get naked."

"Culture of Corruption" for GOP But Not For Me

Ed from Captain's Quarters reports on Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and the shady land deal he worked on behind the scenes for years in Congress...one in which his family profited to the tune of almost a million dollars in exchange for campaign contributions for his partners in the deal...so much for that "Culture of Corruption" the Dems were going to use as a campaign theme this election season.

When questioned about this deal by the AP, he hung up the phone on them. I'm sure Senator Frist or any other Republican would get similar deference and MSM coverage blackouts a month out from the election...and if you believe that, then there's is some prime ocean-front property in Kansas I would love to talk about selling to you. This doesn't sound like a "technical error" to me...I just wish all my technical errors resulted in six or seven figure profits for me and my family.

"In 2001, the timeline showed, ownership of the land was transferred to a holding company, Patrick Lane LLC, named for a street near the properties, as part of effort to rezone the area for development of a shopping center. Mr. Reid became a partner in the holding company. After the rezoning was approved, the land was sold for $1.6 million, with $1.1 million directed to Mr. Reid as his share, a return of about $700,000 on the investment. The senator's financial disclosure statements during the period show that he never reported that the land had been transferred to the holding company, leaving the impression that he continued to own the land directly instead of through a partnership with Mr. Brown and others. Congressional ethics specialists said the omission was at least a technical violation of the disclosure rules, which are intended to identify a lawmaker's business partners and potential conflicts of interest. Spokesmen for the Senate ethics committee did not return phone calls Wednesday night.

Reid's avoidance of disclosure hid two aspects of his business relationships. The first was his association with Jay Brown, who has a history of being involved in scandal. The NY Times describes him as "a prominent Las Vegas lawyer," but they never get around to mentioning his involvement in a federal bribery case in Las Vegas. Nor do they mention Brown's work as a lobbyist, as the AP did, nor do they follow up on the AP's report of connections between Brown and organized crime.

The other part Reid wanted to keep secret was the financial ties between himself and Harvey Whittemore. The AP story reported that Reid bought the parcel from "a developer who was benefiting from a government land swap that Reid supported," a perfect description of Whittemore in 1998 when Reid purchased the land. For the next seven years, Reid would work to ease Whittemore's difficulties in developing the Coyote Springs project by forcing the government to swap its right-of-way for less valuable land owned by Whittemore; he tried to get the government to literally give away more of its land to Whittemore, although he would not succeed; and in the end, he pressed federal regulators to lift a endangered-species restriction on Whittemore's Coyote Springs real estate. All of this helped give Whittemore an opportunity to make tens of millions on residential and commercial development in the former test range site.

Disclosing those partnerships, the latter of which the NYT doesn't even bother to mention from the AP report, would have exposed Reid's machinations for Coyote Springs as financially beneficial to himself through his partnership with Whittemore and Brown. Reid has no choice but to amend the disclosures, but by now it's far too late; Congress agreed to almost everything Whittemore needed already, pushed by Reid in a blatantly corrupt manner. And now we know the payoff: a real-estate "investment" that garnered a 175% return in six years.

Disclosures now are pointless. The Ethics panel needs to order a full investigation not just into the $700,000 profit, but all of Reid's business partners and any legislation or intervention with federal regulators Reid pushed on their behalf."

10/14-15 Weekend Football Picks

There are few things better than good football on crisp fall afternoons...with the sweltering heat of summer gone but the frost not yet on the tundra, it's good times indeed. The Vols can sure use the bye week banged up and tired with the Tide coming to town in a big revenge game, so...on with this weekend's NCAA and NFL picks.

NCAA

Florida at Auburn- Auburn got spanked by the Hogs at home last week...I mean, they got seriously pantsed and taken to the woodshed like I have never seen with them. They won't play that badly again at home with this much on the line, but I think Florida's offense is a little better and the defenses are basically a wash. If the Gators run the ball at all, they win a close defensive slugfest. I've picked against the Gators two big games in a row and have been wrong, no shame on me the third time...Gators win in a mild road upset, 17-13.

Vandy at Georgia- The Dawgs will rebound this week, getting better against a sub-par Vandy offense in a hurry. Georgia still has no answers at QB, but their special teams and defense are two grades better than Vandy, and that plus 3 good tailbacks will grind out a 24-7, closer than it looks win for UGA.

Rutgers vs. Navy- Two pretty good teams with great rushing attacks face off in a feel good game...Rutgers' RB Ray Rice and Navy's option attack are good enough to generate some points, but Rutgers has the slightly better defense and more momentum, and will punch its first bowl ticket in a long time...Scarlet Knights 34, Midshipmen 28.

NFL

Carolina vs. Baltimore- Carolina is a team on the rebound, finding its identity again now that WR Steve Smith is back. I think Baltimore was exposed Monday night at Denver. A great D might have won them a Super Bowl a few years ago, but the AFC is stacked and that isn't good enough in 2006. Steve McNair won't outright lose any games for the Ravens, but he won't win them either, and Panthers' QB Jake Delhomme is better than him anyway. The Panthers will stack the box and contain Jamal Lewis, and Steve Smith and clutch kicking by John Kasay give the Panthers a close win, Carolina takes it, 19-13.

Steelers vs. Chiefs- Pittsburgh is in serious trouble and the Chiefs are playing well. Chiefs QB Damon Huard is filling in well for Trent Green and Big Ben hasn't looked right for the Steelers all year. The Chiefs have more playmakers on offense and better QB play, and should beat Pittsburgh in a low scoring game, 17-13.

Philly vs. New Orleans- Two better than everyone thought in the preseason teams do battle here. I love what Sean Payton is doing with the Saints, and Reggie Bush is every bit the multi-purpose threat we knew he was. Both defenses are soft up the middle and can be scored on, but Philly is just a little better than the Saints right now, but not by much. This could be a playoff preview if both teams keep it up, but this week, the Eagles win a shootout, 44-35.

The Tyson Zone

This Bill Simmons column is absolutely equal parts hysterical and true...a rare combination indeed. It talks about the rule for dealing with an athlete who has some talent and might help your team win, but could just as easily pull a Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction on your team and tank an entire season or more. I think these rules apply equally to the celebrity world, and the best example I can think of is Tom Cruise. He still has some gas left in the tank and can produce some box office mojo, but after the Oprah couch-jumping incident and his Scientology babble, there is NO ceiling whatsoever. Just about any headline involving Cruise would be believable to me...punched out Brooke Shields on live TV, sure...break a camera over someone's head over a scene he didn't like involving Katie Holmes, yep...replacing the Keebler elf as a cookie spokesman, why not? I'm glad to be living in such entertaining times, but also sad to think that these are real people whose lives have deteriorated to this point...just color me conflicted. :)

"This has been a crazy year in pro sports. I mean that, literally crazy. Call it the Year of the Loon. We spend inordinate amounts of time debating the mental health of players and nonplayers, well-known loons (T.O., Ron Artest, John Daly, Randy Moss, Stephen Jackson), recovering loons (Terry Glenn, Jason Williams, Rasheed Wallace), benevolent loons (Clinton Portis, Chad Johnson) and up-and-coming loons (Albert Haynesworth, Zack Randolph, Bonzi Wells, A-Rod). Everywhere you look, someone is acting crazy or something crazy just happened -- it's all crazy, all the time.

... For the past two years, I've had a running joke in my columns about the Tyson Zone, reached when someone has achieved such a degree of looniness that no story told about him would be unbelievable. He punched out an owner? Peed on a referee? Wrestled a polar bear? Of course he did. With these guys, the craziness ceiling has been removed.

For sports fans, the question is: How has this ongoing insanity changed the way teams operate? It's clear the current abundance of Tysonia (look, it can be a noun, too!) always has decisionmakers thinking: "Should we take a chance on this guy?" After all, you can't land an elite rookie without a high draft pick, and you can't sign an elite veteran without cap space or payroll room, but you can always pick up an "eccentric" talent and hope for the best. As I see it, some rules of engagement have emerged:

Rule 1: Consider the situation.
Rule 2: Always try to buy low and sell high.
Rule 3: Once things self-destruct, there's no going back. (T.O. in Philly, 'nuff said --Ed.)
Rule 4: One crazy guy is fine, but don't give him other crazy guys to run with.
Rule 5: Don't offer financial security.
Rule 6: When it's time to dump a crazy guy, target a GM who was a former star." (This also works for directors who either used to be actors or who have lost their fastball but haven't quite entered the unemployable line yet. --Ed.)

Called and Sent

What follows is a piece written by John Fischer, an author associated with author Rick Warren and his "Purpose Driven Life" book, ministry, and website. I re-posted the whole article below because I sometimes struggle with this. I think everyone, myself included, wonders if they really matter, if what they do for a living and who they are as a person count for anything, if it has any impact on others. As this article demonstrates, the answer to those questions is definitely yes. I believe that God has a plan for us, and that we are where we are doing what we are doing for a reason(s), even if we don't understand them.

The issue of respect for my clients as people and human beings pops up as a struggle on occasion (note that here I speak of respect in the Christian/Biblical sense, not the worldly sense, wherein respect must be earned over time through actions). As a criminal defense lawyer, I can not, would not, and do not allow my personal feelings or judgment about a case or a situation impact my ability or willingness to represent my clients as best I can. Sometimes, however, it is very hard to look past the crime committed and the situation at hand, especially when the client tells you they have (more or less) done precisely what they are charged with. It gets harder to see the defendant as someone worthy of respect, etc. the worse the crime (child rape, murder, aggravated assault, etc.). My personal feelings and ability (or lack of same) to cope with such things in this job may mean I don't make a career of this kind of work, but my faith compels me to show them respect as God does to me regardless.

Finally, as this piece and someone dear to me both reminded me, our walk as exemplified by our everyday life must have as its ultimate goal emulating God and his ways. I'm not perfect, I mess up, focus my mind on things I shouldn't, etc., and for those things, I don't make excuses...rather, I take responsibility for them and try to fix them. But on the whole, if people can't look at the big picture of my life and see God, and that I care about my witness, then changes are required. As Mr. Fischer points out, this everyday walk is an important mission, and I'm honored to be chosen for it.

"Called and Sent"
by John Fischer

"You are where you are for a reason. Your vocation, your neighbors, your community, and your many associations are a world you inhabit to which you were sent. Every one of us has a sphere of influence that touches many lives and that involvement makes our relationships eternally significant.

If you ever heard about God sending people to the mission field and assumed that if you didn't go you are somehow without a mission, this is simply not true. There is absolutely no difference between you and me and a missionary heading out to some dark corner of the world. We are all sent. (Besides, dark corners are everywhere.)

Wherever you go you represent Christ because you know him, and your mission is to introduce him to people who haven't met him yet. The opportunity to do this is generated by respect. As we walk through our communities and workplaces, we can generate an interest in Christ by extending the same respect for others that Christ has extended to us. We do this regardless of whether we like someone or not, or whether they have been mean or unfair to us. Respect is something every human being deserves, regardless, because everyone is made in the image of God and as such reflects something of the Creator's likeness. Peter wrote to us about always being ready to explain our hope, but to do it "with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:16 NIV)

And if it is hard to respect someone, remember Christ initiated a relationship with us while we were dead set against him and still in our sin (Romans 5:6-8). None of us started off this relationship very well, in other words, and yet someone reached out to us through Christ's love; we can do the same. And we do this – each of us – in the context of the particular cluster of people we know and operate in. No one else has your exact circle of influence. That is an influence all your own – like your own entire mission field.

So never think lightly, or negatively, of your position or your place in life. We've all been called and we've all been placed right where we are for a reason, and the people around us are that reason. May God open our eyes to the importance of our place in the world and the importance and great value of everyone we encounter today."

Hopefully This Traitor of a "Lawyer" Does the Max

As an attorney myself, this woman particularly galls me. In violation of her oath to the state(s) in which she was licensed to practice law and her duty of loyalty to the United States. Anyone charged with a crime is, of course, entitled to representation. They are NOT, however, allowed to abuse the legal system by using their attorney and her assistants to continue fomenting jihad and breaking the law. Simply put, Lynne Stewart is a traitor and a terrorist enabler of the worst kind...she's no different or better than any traitors dating even back to ancient Roman times.

Italian author Cicero once said that even the strongest nation at repelling external security threats could not survive with constant sabotage by traitors on the inside. It's been reported down at Guantanamo that the detainees are using legal envelopes and/or their lawyers to communicate with one another and with the outside world in ways which would otherwise never be allowed. A message needs to be sent here just in case any of the moonbat lawyers at Gitmo get any similar ideas or are already acting this way. Michelle Malkin has all the details, so check it out. This woman deserves no leniency, and I hope she gets none.

"Stewart and her co-conspirators flouted their agreement with the Justice Department and helped the sheikh circumvent the communications ban. According to government recordings of their prison visits, Yousry, who also served as an adjunct lecturer in Middle East studies at York College of the City University of New York, conveyed messages to and from the sheikh while Stewart created what the prosecution called "covering noises." On some surveillance videos, Stewart could be seen shaking a water jar or tapping on the table while Yousry and the sheikh exchanged communications that were then later disseminated to the sheikh's followers via the former paralegal. The prosecutor argued, citing a letter written by the U.S. attorney's office to Stewart after she delivered the message to Reuters, that it was not in the sheikh's legal rights "to pass messages which, simply put, can get people killed and buildings blown up." They argued that the case was equivalent to a "jail break," in which the defendants extracted Abdel Rahman from prison, "not literally, of course, [but] figuratively, in order to make him available to other terrorists."

Mexico Only Has as Much Say as GWB and the RINOs Give Them

Dan Stein, of the Center for Immigration Studies, reports on the latest attempted meddling by Mexico in America's internal affairs. Never mind the fact that the Mexican government actively aids and abets the illegal immigrant invasion into the U.S., that they refuse to extradite criminals who committed crimes in the U.S. for which they could receive the death penalty, etc. ad nauseam...now their crackpot, reconquista-minded Foreign Minister threatens our country by taking the issue of the 700 mile border wall, passed by Congress and signed by the President, up with the U.N.?! First off, I don't know if Mr. Luis has noticed, but the U.N. is about as potent as your average 80 year old...and second, who in the HELL does he (and his government) think he is? America is a sovereign country and Mexico has no respect for our laws, policies, or borders...these jerks are unbelievable. All I can say is, screw these jokers, hard, and if they think they can stop the wall from being built, let them try, or as Pres. Bush would say, "Bring it on!"...that is all.


MEXICO CITY: Mexico says it may go to the United Nations to challenge US plans to build hundreds of kilometres of fences on its southern border.

The Foreign Secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez, said the plan was offensive.

Asked if he would take up the issue with the UN, a step some Mexican politicians have called for, Mr Derbez replied: "Without a doubt, we are examining, with the foreign relations legal team, what options are open at an international level and we will take them."

Vols Beat Georgia in Athens, 51-33!

I can't believe what I just saw. I've been a Vol fan ever since I was little, and have endured many more heartbreaking defeats, etc. than I care to remember. Tennessee beat Georgia 51-33 just now in one of the most fun and entertaining games I've seen in quite a while, and I'm just about speechless, and yet full of questions at the same time. Georgia does have a QB coach and an O-Coordinator with a pulse...right? When do the pod people who took over the Vols tonight have to report back to their home planet? Does anyone even remember, much less miss, Randy Sanders?

I have to write about this...UT was down 24-7 in the second quarter when I left the house in disgust to go get some dinner, when one of my friends who is a huge UGA fan sent me a text message saying "Tennessee sucks!", to which I responded, "I know." In the back of my head though, I was thinking, "The football gods might not like this kind of taunting." Then UT scores a TD right before the half, then scores FIVE touchdowns and a FG on their six second half offensive possessions, not counting the blocked punt they recovered in the end zone for a TD.

The BAD: special teams gets a D- for the night...a missed PAT, an 86 yard punt return for a TD, and a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD will get you killed against better competition. The run defense got gashed repeatedly, 5, 8, ten yards a carry the way they allowed in the first half won't get it done.

The GOOD: the Vols showed great poise and kept their cool down three scores in a hostile road environment. When they saw the run game was getting clogged up, they weren't afraid to rely more on the passing game (which was working) instead. More than that, instead of playing not to lose they played to WIN...going for it and scoring on 4th and goal in the first half, passing on running downs and keeping the Dawgs off balance, and going for the kill immediately after the turnovers produced by their D and special teams.

Great win for the Big Orange, but they still have a tough game at LSU, another at Arkansas, and a grudge match coming up against Alabama where they're looking for revenge. Even with a loss at LSU, a BCS at-large bid isn't out of reach if they run the table otherwise. This is a very good Vols team, they just need to keep working and improving, and 2006 is a much better season to be a Vol fan than was 2005.

10/7-8 Weekend Football Picks

Good weekend of pro and college football ahead, here are my picks below, enjoy!

NCAA

Louisville vs. MTSU- My boys from the 'boro are better than people think, and they get their props for demolishing their nemesis North Texas last week. That said, Louisville is one of the better teams in America, even without Michael Bush and Brian Brohm, and MTSU is still a Sun Belt team. In Nashville, the Blue Raiders will play them tough, but Louisville will get their points, yards, and big wins in the end, 49-20 Cards.

Florida vs. LSU- Huge game in the Swamp, could put Florida in the Top 3 if they win and could keep/get LSU back in the SEC and national title hunts if they can pull it out. JaMarcus Russell is a stud playmaker, but Chris Leak has the experience and isn't making many mistakes. With super freshman QB Tim Tebow spelling Leak and the defenses being about a wash on speed and hitting ability, whoever makes the game changing, back breaking mistake loses here...I think it will be the Gators...their kicking game is just terrible and LSU is hungry, the Tigers get the upset in The Swamp,19-17.

Tennessee vs. Georgia- Two years ago, Erik Ainge led the Vols to a big upset of then No.3 Georgia in Athens...this year, it won't be such an upset. Ainge is leaps and bounds better this year thanks to David Cutcliffe, and the 'Dawgs are unsettled at QB this year. Add to that Tennessee's speed, especially at receiver, Georgia's kicker missing this game with an injury, and UGA's inability to score or pass the ball against five of the worst defenses in America, I give this one big to the Vols on the road, and not as close as the pundits think...Vols win, 30-13.

NFL

Jets vs. Jaguars- Should be a close game with the Jets a much improved team and the Jags looking to rebound from being outscored by the Redskins. The very good young coaches are a wash, but give a slight edge to QB Chad Pennington over fellow Marshall alum Byron Leftwich, especially with several key injuries on for the Jags. The Jaguars should rebound here because they have slightly more talent and speed on both sides of the ball, but take the Jets in a squeaker of a quasi-upset on the road, 20-17.

Dallas vs. Philly- The game pundits have been drooling over for a year, the return of Terrell Owens to Philadelphia, whose fans one booed Santa Claus and once threw batteries during a game. I'm giddy about this, nothing might happen and then again, T.O. might get gunned down like JFK...there's no ceiling and I wouldn't be surprised either way. The Eagles looked good the other night against the Packers, but it was the Packers. The Cowboys are the better team here, and if they cand protect Drew Bedsoe, they should win by two scores, Dallas 27, Eagles 14.

Chargers vs. Steelers- If there's a such thing as a must win game in Week 5, the Steelers are in one. They are 1-2, down 3 games in their own division, and haven't looked much like the defending champs since Week 1. If Ben Roethlisberger doesn't wake up soon, even five wins in a row this year might not get them to the playoffs. Both defenses are good, the Chargers are the younger and faster of the two teams, and LT is better than Willie Parker, so I'm taking the Chargers here, Bolts win, 16-10.

Baltimore vs. Denver- This might be a preview of the AFC Championship game...the Broncos finally have a consistent RB in Tatum Bell, Javon Walker looks great, Jake Plummer isn't killing them with picks for the time being (Cutler still starts at QB in 2007 unless Denver wins a title this year), and the defense is very good as usual. The Ravens D is back in a big way, and is probably second only to the Bears in talent and production. They have a better QB in Steve McNair (who is old and plays like it, but who also doesn't take anything off the table or lose the games like Kyle Boller did), and their confidence is back. A real defensive slugfest is in the works on Monday night in Denver, and I'm taking the Broncos b/c Baltimore didn't look that good barely beating a mediocre Browns team last week, Denver takes it, 22-12.

A Gitmo Guard Paints a Dark and Scary Picture of Our Enemies

This is definitely a wake up call here folks. Blogger Patterico (of Patterico's Pontifications) is doing a five-part series of interviews with an Army man who worked in the mental health section of Guantanamo Bay. Below is the link to part two, but I plan to read the other three parts as they are published, and I'd recommend anyone who cares about who and what we are fighting do the same. Absolutely bone-chilling stuff here folks, I don't have anything else to add, so here's Patterico.

"I asked him that very question: what are the detainees like? Stashiu said:

For many of them, think Ted Bundy. Educated, charming, and without conscience for those they consider infidels. ...

But, as someone who is familiar with the backgrounds of many of the detainees, does Stashiu think the majority are really terrorists, or just folks who have been scooped up by accident? He said:

I believe that the majority of the guys there are true terrorists, and they follow the Manchester Document to the letter.

If you're unfamiliar with the Manchester Document, it is an official Al Qaeda training manual that was discovered by British police in Manchester, England while searching the computer of a known Al Qaeda terrorist. You can read it here. An article posted on the Defense Department's web site explains that, according to the manual:

If you're a Muslim extremist captured while fighting your holy war against "infidels," avoid revealing information at all costs, don't give your real name, and claim that you were mistreated or tortured during your detention. (Emphasis mine --Ed.)...

Can the detainees be reasoned with? I asked. Or is their indoctrination so complete that there's just no reaching them? Are there any of them who are reasonable enough that Stashiu would feel safe if we were to let them go free?

I don't know that anyone is beyond reason, but I also don't know more than a couple who I think might be OK to release. "Might" being the operative word there, I wouldn't give the go-ahead on my own for any of them. There I are couple I could understand and would not go out of my way to protest their release. I can tell you that if I ever saw a detainee face-to-face here in the States, I would immediately assume that I was targeted and do my best to kill them without further warning. If I turned out to be wrong about their intent, I could live with that. (Emphasis Mine --Ed.) ...

I'll end this part of the interview with a question I consider critical. Does the enemy think they are going to win this war?

Stashiu gave me a detailed answer, but made it clear that it is his opinion — not a statement of the beliefs of the detainees with whom he has spoken. Still, since he has talked to the detainees for hours, it is probably worth paying attention to his opinion. Stashiu's view is this:

In my opinion, most of them are sincere in their belief they will win for the following reasons:

a. They are told they are assured of victory by their religion. They are raised with the belief that Islam is destined to become the dominant way of life for this planet. No matter how long it takes, it is inevitable. Once Islam is supreme, there will be no war, crime, poverty, or need. These are frequent talking points every Friday in the mosques.

b. Their leaders consistently stress that jihad is working and our culture is a hollow shell. They point to VietNam, Somalia, 9/11, Madrid (both the bombings and the elections immediately following), and the anti-war propagandists here in the United States. . . . The jihadists are constantly told that America is weak-willed and will turn and run if they can be inflicted with enough damage and peace can be delayed long enough.

c. They believe they are more committed to victory at any cost because it is all in God's name and is the Will of God. They point to our efforts at minimizing both our own casualties and those of civilians. You never see them worry about collateral damage and destroying infrastructure. They see our compassion as weakness and our integrity as blindness to reality. " (Emphasis Mine --Ed.)

The Leaders of London Have Forsaken the People

From Tigwerhawk, here is a truly frightening story...even after the Islamists bombed their subways and attempted terrorism using their airplanes, British police have now agreed to consult with Muslim leaders before carrying out raids on places where terror is being plotted, fomented, and/or carried out. It's pretty long, but is a worthwhile read. I will keep the people of London in my prayers, as I am truly frightened for them (as I would be for the U.S. if such lunacy took hold here), because their leaders have just thrown them to the wolves.

Police have agreed to consult a panel of Muslim leaders before mounting counter-terrorist raids or arrests. Members of the panel will offer their assessment of whether information police have on a suspect is too flimsy and will also consider the consequences on community relations of a raid.

"This is, of course, the single worst idea in law enforcement since Prohibition. For starters, why wouldn't the principle behind it, if it can be said there is a principle, extend to all groups? Did the British meet with the Irish before raiding the IRA so as to avoid offending Irish sensibilities? If this concept is valid in the country that gave us our legal system, it is hard to see why American police shouldn't meet with Italians and Russians before raiding the Mafia, Columbians before busting cocaine dealers, and a panel of CEOs before pursuing Sarbanes-Oxley violations. Otherwise there might be consequences for "community relations." Of course, it would never cross the mind of the police to consult a panel of ordinary Londoners, the past and future victims of successful terrorist attacks, to see if they think the evidence in hand before a raid is too "flimsy."

Now reductio ad absurdum arguments are easy to make, especially when political correctness influences the decisions of bureaucrats. There are also numerous obvious practical problems with this idea, including that it runs huge security risks (notwithstanding promises that the panel members will be vetted) and that it gives a particular ethnic group a quasi-veto over police operations designed to interdict crimes that -- like it or not -- are almost always organized within that ethnicity. There are, however, two specific philosophical problems with these consultations that should be extremely troubling to anybody concerned with prosecution of terrorism.

First, we have people who are supposed to determine whether evidence is too "flimsy." They are called judges, and they are expert in applying the law consistently. The British police have obviously decided that judges are not nearly smart or independent enough to declare evidence "flimsy" -- they need a panel of amateurs to do that. Well, if judges are not competent to judge the worthiness of evidence before the issuance of a warrant to raid suspected terrorists, why are they competent to do so in other contexts? By agreeing to a second level of "ethnic" review, have not the British police destroyed the credibility of judges in weighing evidence in any situation? If I am wrong, please explain why in the comments.

Second, the British police are destroying their own credibility with non-Muslims. ... If Islam and terrorism have nothing to do with each other, why seek the approval of Muslim leaders? The only thread that ties together the "multiculturalist" position of the police with today's decision to consult with Muslims is the political requirement to appease a minority group. The British police have done so, on bended knee."

Thank Goodness This Halfwit is Retiring in November

OK, that's it, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has officially left the reservation, and I am thanking my creator that this otherwise very book-smart man is going back to practicing medicine again soon...I just hope for his patients' sake he is more competent at performing surgery than leading a political party. I also hope he has no delusions of adequacy in running for President, because he is so wooden as a public speaker, he's the Republican version of the Gore-bot (Al Gore). If this is the best leadership we have to offer, then our country ought to be embarrassed. There hasn't been a consistently tough and good leader since Ronald Reagan, and I don't see any on the horizon.

On the one hand, kudos are in order for two outstanding Supreme Court justices, a border fence (assuming no amnesty follows right behind it), gun manufacturer liability, seemingly pretty good tribunal legislation, and tax cuts on Frist's watch...but on the other, where do I begin? Here's a stab at it, spinelessness of the first order when it comes to getting judges confirmed, passage of the prescription drug boondoggle, doing little to nothing on immigration issues, and perhaps most importantly, failure to understand the nature of the enemy we face.

This last issue trumps all others, by a wide margin, and if you as a politician don't get that, then you should be retired by the people and go back to whatever you did before coming to D.C. Sen. Frist actually said we should bring the Taliban into the Afghan government...what a massive, crippling demonstration of idiocy. That same junk worked out real well in Iraq with al-Sadr, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and with the Palestinian terror masters now having a "democracy", didn't it?!

Convincing tribal leaders to accept and work with a democratically elected government is one thing, but let's face it, Osama bin Laden pegged the average Muslim very well when he said they "follow the strong horse". So long as the Taliban and the drug lords continue to remain in power (elected or otherwise), no one is going to meaningfully follow the Karzai government. Senator Frist is dead wrong here talking about bringing these people into the fold...he should be talking about sending another couple of divisions of troops in there to exterminate the rest of these terrorists. Rusty at My Pet Jawa takes a cluebat to the soon-to-be retired Senator's wooden head much better than I, read the whole thing. (All Emphasis below is mine, and some R-rated language appears below) --Ed.)

"The only difference between a moderate Islamist and a radical one is that moderates are convinced that they need to participate in the democratic process to come to power. Once in power, though, they make no bones about using their new found legitimacy by democratically enacting sharia law.

You know, cause it's so much better having a democratically elected government cut your f***ing head off for blaspheming Mohammed than one that eschews elections as harim. (harim- incompatible with Islam. --Ed.) ...

The only thing that kept me supporting the Republicans, and still does, is that if Bush and Rumsfeld don't know how to fight a war at least they are willing to fight. The only sure way to lose a war is not to fight it when attacked. So, supporting the Republicans was a longshot gamble, but supporting the Democrats was a sure bet to lose. ...

The argument that supporting dicatatorships has not helped reduce terrorism in the world seems like it has some merit to it, so the thought of democratizing the world as a strategy for self-defense seemed plausible. But it becomes increasingly apparent that Muslims cannot be trusted with democracy outside of a framework in which secularism is imposed through force (such as in Turkey where the military is always standing by in the wings to crush democracy if Islamists ever get too uppity). ...

If democracy in the Middle East is a grand experiment, then the null hypothesis has been disproven. No, the majority of Muslim nations are not yet ready for democracy. Give them another hundred years and we'll run this experiment again. ...

I had been willing to let the neocons do their experimenting of bringing a Muslim nation into the fold of civilization. All the while in the back of my head--and many times in writing--asking what the hell we were doing not giving the secular Kurds a state? These guys are not just allies with mutual interests, but friends who shed blood and would willingly give us places for forward bases. Or why were we not giving Fallujah the Carthage treatment? You know, carpet bombing followed by salting the earth. Or why were we letting freedom of speech enter into a war zone?

And even if this grand experiment in remaking the Muslim world in our image had a modicum of a chance to succeed, then you have to start from the beginning. The beginning is to beat them. Badly. So badly, in fact, that they know they have no chance of ever winning. ...

It was only after millions of civilian casualties and the total wasting of all centers of production that the Germans and the Japanese could be rebuilt in our image. To quote Gladiator, 'A people should know when they are conquered.' Only after this can we even begin to think of changing their ways.

I have always been skeptical of the notion that we can 'win the hearts and minds of moderates'. What we need to do is win the fear of realists. People like Musharraf who understands that if he does not play ball, we destroy him. And if Musharraf is a dictator, better a dictator on our side than a democratically elected nutjob--like in Iran--ready to start WWIII. Okay, enough said. I'm pissed. You should be too. The State Department-ing of the world has not only begun, it has succeeded. God help us all. ...

I also believe in the Truman doctrine that total victory means total victory. Our main goal in bombing Japan was not in making Japan our ally, rather, it was to make it incapable of ever doing us harm again. Truman:

"We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. We shall destroy their docks, their factories, and their communications. Let there be no mistake; we shall completely destroy Japan's power to make war."