Final Protective Fire

Sunday, September 29, 2002

 

Due to a family emergency, since Friday I've been out of town, a circumstance that may continue for this week. So I apologize for the lack of posts. Just close your eyes and imagine my screaming insults at the television with images of the treasonous Reps. McDermott ( the same crook who escaped punishment for his violation of wiretapping laws a few years back ) and Bonior. These are the true faces of Democrats - people who claim that Saddam Hussein is more trustworthy than President Bush. In other words despicable slime like .... well, I promised no more references to him.

Robin 11:37 PM

Thursday, September 26, 2002

 

Glenn Reynolds posts an excerpt of The New Republic's opinion piece on Al Gore's speech. The editorial writer seems to have had a similar response to everyone else, i.e., what the hell is Al Gore saying. Glenn Reynolds comments briefly as well. With luck, Al Gore has destroyed his credibility among Democrats for the final time..

Robin 4:09 PM

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

 

Democrat Tom Harken channels Richard Nixon in campaign dirty tricks.

Robin 4:54 PM

Monday, September 23, 2002

 

Al Gore wheezed his way to a podium and delivered this speech. While some are slamming it for its attacks on President Bush, I find the speech disgusting not for those attacks but for its weaseling. Read it yourself, if you have the stomach for it, it was tough for me to get through it. But when I did, I found that once again Al Gore has demonstrated two things. The first is that he can deliver the most shallow speeches of any politician per word - his reputation for being an intellectual is one of the biggest PR coups in history. The second is that Al Gore is a coward. In his speech, he makes sure that each time he even begins to clearly articulate a policy position, he hedges his way out of it. As an example, read this:

But Congress should also urge the President to make every effort to obtain a fresh demand from the Security Council for prompt, unconditional compliance by Iraq within a definite period of time. If the Council will not provide such language, then other choices remain open, but in any event the President should be urged to take the time to assemble the broadest possible international support for his course of action. Anticipating that the President will still move toward unilateral action, the Congress should establish now what the administration’s thinking is regarding the aftermath of a US attack for the purpose of regime change.

After calling for the Bush administration to try to get a UN resolution, Gore then implies the acceptance of unilateral action. Al Gore straddles so many fences in this speech that I'm sure he's got a mess of splinters in tender regions.
Thanks to Susanna Corbett (her fine comments are here) for the link.
UPDATE: Donald Sensing flays the flesh from Al Gore bones.
Charles Johnson has links to bloggers who have found earlier speeches by Al Gore that seem to conflict with his recent comments.
UPDATE: In that speech, Al Gore claims that he felt "betrayed" that George H. Bush ended the first Gulf War too soon. But that wasn't his position at the time, January of 1991, Al Gore stated: "We are not seeking the surrender of Iraq. That has been made clear. No one in a position of responsibility is talking about the conquest of Iraq." And: "Let me be clear then about what we want. The removal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait is enough to warrant a suspension of combat operations."
Being Al Gore means never remembering what you've said before.

Michael Kelly does another great flaying of Al Gore. My favorite part:
"Gore's speech was one no minimally decent politician could have delivered. It was entirely dishonest, cheap, low. It was utterly hollow. It was bereft of policy, of solutions, of constructive ideas, very nearly of facts--bereft of anything other than taunts and jibes and embarrassingly obvious lies. It was breathtakingly hypocritical, a naked political assault delivered in smarmy tones of moral condescension from a man pretending to be superior to mere politics. It was wretched. It was vile. It was contemptible. But I understate. "

Henry Hanks has more - showing Al Gore to again be a contemptible liar with his nonsense of feeling "betrayed" by the end of the first Gulf War short of regime change. Al Gore is the perfect role model Democrat, no lie is too brazen.

Robin 11:03 PM

 

Steven Den Beste has a great commentary on the fallout from the German election with its America-bashing. And a follow-up here. Someone on LGF had a great line, appropriated from the Simpsons if memory serves, "Oh, the Germans don't like me ... I'm soooo scared."..

Robin 5:07 PM

 

I wish hunting got this kind of support in the United States. Support? Did I say support? Those ladies obviously have no need of artificial means of support..

Robin 4:13 PM

 

Andrew Sullivan is doing a great job of showing the incompetence and outright bias of NPR here and here. Each link is to a collection of comments, look for the ones about Loren Jenkins..

Robin 3:51 PM

 

The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler takes on Arafat's whining.

Robin 1:40 PM

 

In case you are curious, here on Little Green Footballs is yet another story about the despicable thugs that are the Palestinian Authority. While the PA pumps out lies about the "Occupation" by Israel, the reality is that allowing Arafat and his mafia to control the West Bank and Gaza was itself the worst thing Israel could do to Palestinians. Arafat's arrival ended the far more benevolent rule of the IDF over those territories and replaced it with government by mafioso.

Robin 10:05 AM

Sunday, September 22, 2002

 

A continuing refrain that we hear, most recently from Senator Joe Biden, is that Israel cannot respond to any attacks that Iraq aims at it as this will unravel any Arab support for a war against Iraq. I'm astonished each time I hear this that, whether or not true, anyone would actually speak such an offensive statement. It basically means that the arab nations are so immoral and hate-filled that if Iraq immorally involves Israel in any war, that the arab nations will abandon the attack on Iraq no matter how well justified. Any sane nation would deny that they were so immoral as to so act. But not only do the arab nations not deny it, they reinforce this perception.

Robin 5:22 PM

Friday, September 20, 2002

 

Caught once again trying to shake down people, California Gov. Gray Davis cancelled a fund raising event where he was going to squeeze public transportation lobbyists, link here. I found this comment completely hilarious given what an obvious lie it is:
"'We have a very strict policy of keeping politics separate from the campaign. Under the circumstances, the governor didn't think it was appropriate' Davis campaign Press Secretary Roger Salazar said less than two hours before the fund-raiser was supposed to begin."

Wow, that's brazen.

Robin 3:48 PM

 

Slate has been running a rather slimy column they call "Bushism of the Day" by Jacob Weisberg. No direct link to this silly dreck but here is where Eugene Volokh demonstrates that their column only discredits Slate. Many thanks to Eugene for posting these rebuttals of what are cheap shots by Slate.

Robin 3:28 PM

 

Wouldn't this commentary from an associate of Ariel Sharon on the fate the Israelis intend for Arafat be hilarious if true? I have my fingers crossed.

Robin 3:20 PM

 

Andrew Sullivan has an interesting piece on how the AIDS activists have shot themselves and AIDS patients in the foot - discouraging the drug industry from spending R&D on AIDS drugs. Its infuriating to see people who so blindly ignore economic reality.

There is a good discussion of this on Bill Quick's blog.

Robin 10:36 AM

 

I can't find a link to it, but a few months back a story circulated about Larry Miller talking to Israeli doctors at a trauma center treating Israelis and Palistinians alike. What is the reward? Why, the Palestinians attempt to poison a hospital's entire staff and patients. And people doubt that this culture must be replaced?

Robin 10:20 AM

Thursday, September 19, 2002

 

Read this detailed report of the problems with voting in Broward and Miami-Dade counties in Florida. Now find the part that Governor Jeb Bush was in charge of .... not there. And yet the Democrats continue to slander Jeb Bush.

Robin 9:29 PM

 

Bill O'Reilly demonstrates that he is as stupid as .... . Nope, I said I would not refer to him again.

Anyway, Bill O'Reilly is now attacking David Westerfield's attorneys for ... *gasp* ... putting up a defense of David Westerfield. Gee, Bill, you know that First Amendment you use to smear decent people? Look down a couple more lines in the Bill of Rights.

There is simply no evidence that Westerfield's counsel violated any ethical rule. Westerfield was entitled to present a defense to the charges. Bill O'Reilly has crossed the line into dangerous rabble-rousing - attempting to undermine basic rights in a cheap and shoddy attempt to bolster his ratings. Boo and shame.

Robin 8:11 PM

 

Here's another story with more details about the incident where a pair of Air Marshals held a passenger cabin under gunpoint. It only reinforces what many of us have been saying about the ineptitude of TSA, airport security and the Air Marshal program. The incompetence, abuse and hassle of air travel will drive at least two more major air carriers into bankruptcy in the next six months.

Robin 4:41 PM

 

Lynn Kiesling blogs an analysis of the California PUC report on power generation. Much of the excuses offered by Governor Gray Davis for his inept handling of California's electricity deregulation and the subsequent meltdown of the California electricity business have misrepresented the reality of the deregulation effort and California state government's mishandling of it. Ms. Kiesling refers to some of that reality in her critique.

Robin 3:53 PM

 

Finally, one of the psychological polls that really works:

What Farscape Character are you?

Robin 1:54 PM

Wednesday, September 18, 2002

 

OK, this is the last time I link to or comment on Hesiod. Why? Because the slanderer here calls Steven Den Beste a Nazi. I quote:

ACHTUNG BABY! Steven Den Beste issues his Protocols of the Elders of Mohammed.
Read about his "final solution" to the Islamic question.

And with that, Hesiod drops to a level of despicable slanderer of absolute zero credibility that I won't bother wasting your time or mine refuting anymore.

Robin 8:49 PM

 

As mentioned below, among the things I'm interested in are topics such as how the Internet is dealt with by intellectual property law and other civil law. An issue with immense implications on the Internet that is off most people's radar screen is an area of law called personal jurisdiction. This area of law is the question of whether or not a court in one state has the power to hear a case against a defendant that may not be a resident of the court's jurisdiction. Here is a very interesting article by Denise M. Howell that discusses a current case being heard in the California Supreme Court on this issue. If the California Supreme Court adopts an expansive view of jurisdiction, and if they don't get overturned at the U.S. Supreme Court level, it would mean an immense problem for people with websites who would then be unintentionally creating the possibility of being hauled into a state where they do not live to face lawsuits. Watch this one as it is very important.

Robin 8:24 PM

 

This lady delivers a wonderful Fisk'ing of the lies of the Brady Campaign. These people are desperate to regain relevance in a country that has realized that they are frauds. Link courtesy of Glenn Reynolds.

Robin 7:40 PM

 

Steven Den Beste writes a detailed analysis of the case for war with Iraq and the context of the war - Hesiod embarrasses himself in public again.

Robin 7:31 PM

 

A US A Today poll shows that the American public sees through Tom Daschle.

#16 - Just your best guess, why do you think President Bush is asking Congress at this time to support military action against Iraq — mainly because he believes prompt military action is necessary to protect the U.S. from terrorism or mainly because it might help the Republicans in this year's Congressional elections? Necessary to protect US - 68%

#17 - Just your best guess, why do you think some Democrats in Congress are reluctant to have a vote on military action against Iraq before the November elections — mainly because they want more evidence from the Bush administration that prompt military action is necessary or mainly because a vote before this year's Congressional election might hurt the Democrats? Vote might hurt the Democrats - 59%.

Robin 7:24 PM

 

The Vodkapundit points us to this hilarious transcript of a future Iraq inspection.

Robin 1:08 AM

Tuesday, September 17, 2002

 

Norm Mineta and John Magaw had a few really stupid reasons to oppose allowing airline pilots to be armed. Misha slaughters those arguments as regurgitated in an idiotic NYT piece.

Robin 11:50 PM

 

Eugene Volokh posts on an NRA lawsuit over a student forbidden by a school from wearing a t-shirt with the logo of the NRA Youth Sports Shooting Camp. As I've said before, our education system is run by blithering morons ... but at least now we know where to recruit airport screeners.

UPDATE: Eugene Volokh updates here.

Robin 3:37 PM

 

It is amusing to see Hesiod sputter and foam but the only effect is to show him to be completely clueless. Stephen Den Beste wrote this piece upon seeing the news of Iraq's supposed acquiesence to inspections "unconditionally". In the piece, Den Beste described his belief that the letter contained weasel words to allow Iraq to delay inspections while purporting to discuss the conditions of inspections. Hesiod, with his usual flurry of non sequitors, name calling, and general ineptitude, implies that Den Beste was either stupid or dishonest for reading such into the letter. Guess what, now we see that an Arab League official implies the same. Hesiod's response is once again a non sequitur as he argues that it doesn't matter what others besides Iraq say - ignoring that it was in fact the Arab League that brokered Iraq's supposed agreement to allow inspections "unconditionally". Sure, Hesiod, everyone is lying but you. It doesn't occur to Hesiod that an official involved in negotiating Iraq's agreement might have more of an idea what is going on than Hesiod does. Once again, Hesiod's stupid name calling recoils back upon himself. When every post has to be an attack on Republicans and George Bush, the result is inevitably nothing but ad hominem and shallow if not hilariously ludicrous. He is rapidly becoming the laughing stock of the blogosphere.

Of course, the most hilarious part of this episode was when Hesiod announced in the comments here that he has "Fisk'ed" Stephen Den Beste. One is reminded of the joke about the ant proceeding to make love to an elephant and begins by assuring the elephant that he'd be gentle.

Robin 2:57 PM

 

I am finding quite amusing the fact that not only are the "warbloggers" making the case for war with Iraq as well as for the war against terrorism but that the Left has been so pathetic in its "opposition" that the warbloggers have to actually fill in the argument for them. I linked earlier to a Nation piece that made the point that the Democrats were cowering in the corners rather than actually presenting their argument ( assuming they had one ) against administration policy.

Here are some more people making that point. First, Eric Raymond comments on the vapidness of the Left's opposition; and secondly, Morton Kondracke observes the ineptness of the Democrats and their failure to lead, follow or get out of the way.

Robin 10:15 AM

Monday, September 16, 2002

 

Dave Kopel discusses attacks on Joyce Malcolm's book on firearms regulation in England titled "Guns and Violence: The English Experience". The usual suspects show up, including Michael Bellesiles.

Robin 10:07 PM

 

I promised elsewhere that I'd do some more Canada-bashing, but why lift a finger when Mark Steyn does such a great job on Chretien's ludicrous opinions about the "root causes" of Sept 11. Good job Mark.

Robin 3:49 PM

Sunday, September 15, 2002

 

The TruthLaid Bear posts a hilarious and devastating "primer" for Leftist opponents of acting against Iraq. Especially amusing was Hesiod's pathetic attempt to respond. Its a wonderful example of Hesiod's tendency to throw non sequitors around like candy.

Robin 10:45 PM

 

Cynthia McKinney claims she should have won the Democrat primary for her district. I can't figure out how to deal with this wonderful "analysis". There are obvious statistical flaws in her claim that makes the factual assertion that the votes for Majette were really "Republican" votes little more than speculation. However, I'm tempted to agree with her claim that Democrats voted by a majority for McKinney. Why dispute her claim that Democrats in Georgia are returning to their traditional anti-semitic roots?

Or is she just doing her best Al Gore impression?

UPDATE: In perusing whackjob McKinney's website, I found this howler:

Cynthia McKinney has been a stalwart champion of the environment, from the National Forests to local water and air quality. The Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club is proud to have Cynthia as one of our Representatives to Congress. —Bryan Hager, Acting Director of the Sierra Club

Good job Bryan, you found probably the only way to lower my already low opinion of the Sierra Club. What next? A Zionist Conspiracy to deforest the Earth?

Robin 10:27 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds discusses a blog entry by another blogger Whigged out discussing the fact that the Al Queda members picked up in Buffalo New York area were all Democrats. The point was not that there actually was a Democrat-Al Queda connection. The point was to put into relief the outrageous comments that had been made by Democrats and the Clinton administration after the Oklahoma City bombing purporting to link Republicans, Conservatives and McVeigh. Slanderous comments that were repeated by Democrat-leaning media of the time.

Robin 9:26 PM

Friday, September 13, 2002

 

Recently, a California jury found against the family company that California gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon was involved with in a complicated case involving a partnership to purchase a small telephone company. The campaign of Governor Gray Davis - despite the beam in his eye - attempted to use this case to smear Bill Simon. Recently, a court overturned that verdict and the case can be found here. I've been reading over this memorandum of the court's decision, having heard no details of the case before, and I'm struck by how dishonest it was to attack Bill Simon on this case. The core of the case is about how Bill Simon's family and its partners were defrauded themselves.

Reading the memorandum, one finds that the judgement against the Simon family company was overturned by the judge for insufficiency of evidence to support the verdict. This is a rather difficult standard to meet and gives a strong indication that the jury was out of control. Hopefully, this reversal will get as much attention from the media as the initial judgement and Simon's campaign can get back on track on the real issues for California - that of Gray Davis' corruption and ineptness.

Robin 7:43 PM

 

There are a myriad of reasons not to vote Democrat in the upcoming mid-term elections. However, the most important is that control of the Senate must be returned to the Republicans to end the dangerous obstructionism of Tom Daschle. This week we see that the Democrats are playing partisan politics with the War On Terrorism. The President has asked Congress to pass a resolution approving the attack on Iraq. There is clearly enough support in Congress to pass such but Daschle wants to delay consideration until after the election.

Partisanship and cowardice - those are the Democrat watchwords. Because if they do not support an attack on Iraq, then they should say so and put themselves on the record as to why. But they fear - for some reason - letting the American people see and hear for themselves what Democrats are made of.

And rightly so for what the Democrats stand for is obstruction, partisanship, cowardice, and slander. The Democrats are hoping to push away the most serious issue our nation has faced in many decades, push it off without doing more than evade comment on it. For the Democrats hope is that by offering more free shit to old folks, they can win another election. Democrats' Free Shit vs. Republican Adult Issues. That's the choice.

And the idea that the Democrats are showing the more despicable absence of character isn't solely the idea of those of us on the Right. See for yourself what a Democrat mouthpiece has to say about the Democrats' cowardice in the face of this serious issue. Thanks to Dailypundit for the New Republic link.

Robin 2:20 PM

Thursday, September 12, 2002

 

If I was Canadian, this would send me into a complete apoplectic fit. The Canadian Defense Minister completely ignorant of the most famous actions in Canadian military history. Unbelievable.

Link courtesy of my Canadian buddy, Scott.

Robin 10:51 PM

 

The Group Captain inspired me to copy this here:
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

I hope you heard them, because I did. Take up their quarrel with the foe - Let's Roll.

Robin 10:37 PM

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

 

This is personal. That's the message that Glenn Reynolds posts from an email he received. Well said.

Robin 4:03 PM

 

I've added Clayton Cramer's blog to my links at left. Clayton Cramer was among the first to identify the fictional nature of Michael Bellesiles book. Clayton has been a significant researcher on the subject of Second Amendment rights, firearms laws and the history of same for quite awhile. I recall his contributions to the old firearms mailing list and rec.firearms going back probably a decade and a half.

Robin 2:47 PM

 

I wanted to do something memorable for today but the emotional content just isn't translating for me today. If I were more articulate, and more creative, my postings today might be half as good as Charles Johnson's.

Robin 1:08 PM

Tuesday, September 10, 2002

 

Another example of the fact that Hesiod is nothing but a pile of frothing hatred comes from his postings on the Florida primary. Responding to news that new voting machines were delaying the opening of precincts in several Florida counties and consideration was being made to extending polling hours to compensate, here is a posting of his where he froths that "The decision has to be made via Jeb Bush, who may decide to play fast and loose with the election again, and keep the polls open longer to give Janet Reno's supporters more of a chnace to vote."[sic] He continues "Given that both Jones and Reno are threatening to SUE if the voting deadline is not extended, it practically guarantees that Jeb Bush will intervene in their favor. He will pull any trick he can to prevent Bill McBride from becoming the Democratic nominee." But just a few lines down the posting, Hesiod notes that both Reno and McBride seemed to support extending the polling hours "From my friends at the "Presidential Election 2000" Yahoo! message board comes this link to a Miami TV station discussing the utter chaos at the polls. It says Reno may seek an injunction to keep them open, and that Bill McBride would join her."

We see the pattern of mindless hatred. Regardless of the merits, Jeb Bush's actions are condemned in advance as manipulation. Notice that the pattern of slander continues, Bush's action would be playing "fast and loose ... again" even though Jeb Bush undertook no action during the 2000 Presidential election day polling as Hesiod falsely implies. And notice that Hesiod ignores the fact that most of the counties having trouble setting up the new equipment are run by Democrat elections officials.

Let no fact interfere with Hesiod's slanders.

Robin 5:22 PM

 

Iain Murray points out that the European Union is actually implementing what the Ashcroft-haters are accusing Ashcroft of doing. In actuality, the Patriot Act didn't go as far as the EU has. Remind me again of how bad the Bush administration is for not being "multilateral" ?

Robin 10:27 AM

Monday, September 09, 2002

 

Right Wing News points us to this article about British idiotarians that are going to Iraq to serve as "human shields". In response to the "chickenhawk" blather, Dr. Weevil still has his hilarious fund going to send our own batch of idiotarians at the Shropshire Challenge. Donate now, the plane should leave soon. Of course, if Shropshire, Hesiod, and the rest of the leftist slanderers had the courage of the convictions they'd be fronting the airfare already - wouldn't they?

Robin 9:06 PM

 

Helen Thomas, among the most partisan of Washington's press corps as well as a long-time hater of Israel, writes this vapid screed. It is amusing for several reasons. One, it continues to misrepresent so many long debunked claims - she has the misrepresentation of Kirsanow's remarks, she misrepresents things like the monitoring of attorney-client conversations in prisons that was occurring long before September 11 and she repeats that outright lie about suppressed dissent. Another amusing incoherence in this column has been pointed out by others, and in found in this passage:

This policy of preemption -- might is right -- is antithetical to what America has always stood for -- "magnanimity in victory," as Winston Churchill once put it, helping our former enemies and rejecting policies dictated by vengeance.

As has been pointed out, this passage is completely incoherent. The doctrine of preemption is not "might makes right" but rather that we have the right to strike against those who would do us harm - something almost all Americans do believe. If there is some actual thought behind the "might makes right" slur, she spends no time justifying it. And Thomas is misusing the Churchill quote as Churchill is discussing what he sees as a great character of Americans; our magnamity toward defeated enemies. An idea that has nothing to do with whether or not preemption is a good policy. Incoherent sputtering is all she has to offer.

Robin 4:38 PM

 

Professor Volokh points us to this Weekly Standard piece that shows President Clinton making the case for attacking Iraq. Of course, Clinton never followed through.

Robin 4:10 PM

 

Jim Cramer of TheStreet.com and the CNBC program Kudlow and Cramer gives us an essay on his thoughts as September 11 approaches.

Robin 3:56 PM

 

Pejman gives us a fine Fisk'ing of Chomsky.

Robin 3:54 PM

Sunday, September 08, 2002

 

Steve Verdon shows what an oppressive little fascist Hesiod is. Evidently, Hesiod is ready to set up the camps for his enemies - in this case anyone who dares to criticize evolution science. Or at least, that's how Hesiod would interpret his rhetoric if a Republican wrote it. In this case, Hesiod evidently can't stand having to actually justify his beliefs but wants to suppress those who disagree with him. Steve, come over to Dr. Weevil's site and ante up for sending Hesiod to Iraq.

More of Hesiod's hypocrisy of course since he labels his blog "An unofficial FIRST AMENDMENT ZONE". As I've said before, Hesiod is unable to write two thoughts in a row without contradicting himself.

Steve Verdon points out that the real creation science people, ( who Steve and I have invested real time and effort into rebutting - unlike CounterSlanderer Hesiod ), are far smarter and far more educated than Hesiod appears to be. These people are working at a level far above what Hesiod can attain with his cheap slurs and bon mots swiped from Democrats Underground.

Robin 8:38 PM

 

It was amusing today to compare Secretary of State Colin Powell's appearance with Tony Snow on Fox News with the myriad of stories about his alleged disagreements with other Bush administration officials. He was sharp, professional, and played the administration tunes very well. Could it be that the supposed infighting is not at the cabinet level but is the invention of lower level State department hacks with the connivance of Bush-hating media?

Robin 8:00 PM

 

Evidently, the Clinton Pardon scandal investigation isn't completely moribund. Clinton's pardon of Marc Rich was indicative of the fact that there was nothing about the Presidency that the Clintons didn't attempt to turn into cash.

Robin 6:50 PM

Friday, September 06, 2002

 

This is a great piece on the Owens nomination by David Wagner. It is difficult to add to this well written article but I want to emphasize the fact that the Democrats are preventing a full Senate vote because they know that she would in fact be confirmed. This is the most blatant of despicable partisan moves by the Democrats and its the second-most important reason to vote against Democrats in the mid-term elections. The primary reason being their despicable work undermining the War Against Terrorism.

Don't miss the part in Wagner's piece where he uses the Washington Post coverage to show that Daschle is a brazen liar.

Robin 9:35 PM

 

Dr. Weevil has a great Challenge for a good cause. I've put up a pledge, you should too.

Robin 9:29 PM

Thursday, September 05, 2002

 

Tim Blair points out a case that I think illustrates the pathetic manner in which the muslim lobbyists in America have been trying to invent an anti-muslim hate crime that just doesn't really exist. Organizations like CAIR have been apologizing for terrorist sympathizers and sheltering fundraising activities for terrorists. It is CAIR that is supporting "hate crimes" while whining about nonexistant backlash.

Robin 11:53 PM

 

Some law geeking now.

Many years ago, while clerking at a major Los Angeles area law firm, I wrote a memorandum about jurisdiction and the Internet. Howard Bashman's excellant blog has a link to an article about what is called "Long Arm" jurisdiction in a case being argued before the California Supreme Court. This has long been an area of interest for me. What is being argued is a branch of jurisdiction law where the US Supreme Court has created an exception to the requirement of a defendant having contacts with the jurisdiction asserting personal jurisdiction over a civil matter where the defendant is not a resident of the state. In this branch of personal jurisdiction law, the allegation of an intentional tort "aimed" at the jurisdiction substitutes for the contacts the plaintiff would otherwise have to show.

Here, the question is whether or not posting infringing material on a website is "aiming" tortious conduct at a state. This is an extremely important issue with respect to the Internet. Basically if the lower court opinion is upheld, California will be asserting a jurisdiction so broad that basically anyone can sue anyone whereever living and claim jurisdiction in California's courts for just about any civil litigation about a website's content. Hopefully such an opinion by the California Supreme Court would be appealed to the US Supreme Court. ( This is a constitutional law issue because the reach of personal jurisdiction of state courts to out-of-state defendants is considered a "due process" issue ).

Appellateblog also points us to some comments by Denise Howell. Ms. Howell has some links to the Court of Appeals' opinion.

Robin 11:25 PM

 

The War on home schooling continues. The teachers' unions are dominated by some of the most statist elements of the new Left and their hatred of vouchers is cloaked in the false camoflage of the myth of "protecting" education from religion but they have no camoflage for their war on home schooling. So the theme there is to paint home schooling parents as nuts, extremists etc.

Robin 11:09 PM

 

The Senate passed an amendment to current Homeland Security legislation allowing airline pilots to carry firearms. The amendment, offered by Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire, overturns the Bush administration's bizarre regulations banning such just as the Bush administration is signaling its retreat on the issue. This is such an obvious policy that in the past both I and others like Bill Quick have noted that it shows the lack of seriousness in real airline security.

Robin 9:45 PM

 

As I mentioned below, LGF as well as others are running a series of photos to commemorate September 11. There is also - for those with longer memories - a series of postings about the Black September terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

While the adults discuss weighty matters, Hesiod is still obsessed with the failure of the Democrats' attempt to steal an election.

Robin 9:31 PM

 

Little Green Footballs is running a series of photos this week to commemorate the upcoming September 11 date. These have been very moving to me. I considered doing something similar but frankly, I just don't have the style of Charles and so I urge you to go there.

Robin 9:27 PM

 

I sure love a good Fisk-ing of Paul Krugman, and that's what we get here from John Weidner. Krugman only reinforces the fact that the New York Times is a laughing stock. The problem with Krugman is not merely that he is a mouthpiece for the Democrat party but that he'll happily use what credibility he has an economist ( long since pissed away among those who bother to keep up in the field ) to steamroller right over economic reality to slander Republicans in general and President Bush in particular.

After showing several overt whoppers from Krugman, including a point where Krugman deliberately misrepresents the economics of logging, Weidner finishes with this:
By the way, we haven't heard much from Krugman about CitiGroup lately, have we?

Nope, not a word.

Robin 9:08 PM

 

Christina Hoff Summers has a great article in today's Front Page magazine where she once again nails academic political correctness, whacky college courses and more of her best themes.

Robin 5:07 PM

 

Little Green Footballs shows us that Reuters has taken a photo of Ground Zero and added an offensively stupid caption. This is the kind of "dissent" we are getting from the Idiotarian Left. Whining about civil rights or human rights violations without any examples at all. Here they attach their vapid editorial, sans examples, to an almost unrelated photo.

Robin 5:03 PM

 

Patricia Owens' nomination to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has now been rejected by the Democrat's partisan Judiciary Committee. This offensive rejection of a qualified nominee "based" on gross distortions of her record and outright lies should confirm to all the partisan dishonesty of Senate Democrats. At this point, I hope that President Bush asks for a vote on attacking Iraq in early October so that the Democrats are confronted with the consequences of their obstructionist tactics in November.

Robin 1:57 PM

 

Whacko environmentalist terrorists commit another arson.

Robin 1:53 PM

Wednesday, September 04, 2002

 

Any bets on whether or not, Hesiod of Counter Slander celebrates the blacklisting of Steven Hatfill?

UPDATE: Hesiod whines in a ridiculously internally contradictory screed that he isn't celebrating Hatfill's blacklisting but he hasn't the guts to condemn it. Hesiod demonstrates several things at once. The first is that he can't think up two even shallow thoughts in a row that don't contradict each other. The second is that he condones blacklisting and harassment of those whom he disagrees with - and thereby demonstrates the hatefilled demeanor so typical of Democrats. And the last is that he is unable to demonstrate any creativity in insults. Evidently he couldn't find any to swipe from Democrats Underground in time. His blog remains "Counter Slander".

If you want to read some real thoughts on the issue, something unobtainable from DU, try Glenn Reynolds' column.

Robin 5:03 PM

 

In case you doubted that the "World Earth Summit" in Johannesburg was a convention of genocidal tyrants and equally genocidal greens, Secretary of State Colin Powell was jeered when he attacked Zimbabwe's corrupt mass murderer Mugabe for his famine-creating policies. Good one guys, attack the United States and applaud the mass murderers. Of course, Monbiot's grossly offensive comments about the "dignity" of poverty should have been a clue. Socialism has already murdered more than 100 million people, now in its disguise as "environmentalism", its going for its second 100 million.

Robin 3:58 PM

 

Just when you think Hesiod of CounterSlanderer can't say anything more stupid, we get this jewel where Hesiod takes a news report of shipments of tanks as a cause for impeachment of the President. You just can't parody Hesiod, he exceeds our best efforts at ridicule with this nonsense.

Robin 11:07 AM

Tuesday, September 03, 2002

 

As noted by Glenn Reynolds, a supposed journal of early american history has published a vapid piece on the Second Amendment by Michael Bellesiles. The editor of the journal, Jill Lapore, gave me a non-response when I queried why should would publish a piece from Bellesiles given the fraudulent character of his work and invited me to comment on their forum.

I asked:
"Dear Ms. Lepore,
Is your use of Michael Bellesiles' piece on the Constitution supposed to be a joke? Bellesiles has been shown to be a fraud. Using a piece by him says much about your credibility."

The response I got was that they "welcome thoughtful comments" at their discussion forum. So I gave them one here.

Robin 7:00 PM