Keen Arrows

Easter, really?

Cliff — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:42:00 GMT

Very few souls approach the artistry of David Warren when he writes about the Christian faith. His Holy Wednesday message is an outstanding example, especially as he weighs how the world seems to have singled out his faith for attack.

He seems unshaken by any and all of it.

"Do you know how beautiful it is to run? You old, you lame, you fools, run! And tell it to the ends of the earth: He is risen! "

Read it, here.

Nearly-Minimum Wage: A Did-you-know?

Cliff — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 11:16:00 GMT

Did you know that American Samoa was exempt from the new minimum wage bill? Unrelated, I guess, is that Star-Kist employs nearly 75% of the workers there. Oh, yes, and Star Kist's headquarters are in San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi's district.

Check out this video. In it...

"The Republican arguing with power-hungry Barney Frank is Patrick McHenry. McHenry rose to offer an amendment that would exempt American Samoa from the stem-cell bill — a clear dig at the fact that Samoa, which is home to StarKist factories that employ nearly 75% of the island’s work force, was conspicuously exempt from the minimum-wage bill that had passed the day before. Why is that important? Because StarKist is a branch of Del Monte Foods Co., which has its headquarters in San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi’s district."

Thank goodness, since this has been noted, Democrats Pledge to Extend Minimum Wage.

"Fending off charges of favoritism, House Democrats say a just-passed minimum wage bill will be changed to cover all U.S. territories _ including American Samoa _ before it reaches President Bush's desk."

Sweet justrice! All's well that ends well.

Bush's 60 Miutes interview

Cliff — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:56:00 GMT

George W. spoke his piece, with candor and a certain eloquence, I think, On 60 minutes recently.

Video: "If we do not succeed in Iraq we will leave behind a Middle East which will endanger America in the future."

He has admitted making mistakes. Those who would like to pretend that mistakes are unprecedented in the conduct of war are going to have a hard time convincing thoughtful, literate people. Honest people may disagree upon what we should do, but dishonest and ambitious people are calling George W. Bush the devil.

Heads up to Hot Air.

A Christmas Message from David Warren

Cliff — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:59:00 GMT

"The mystery of Christmas is the mystery of incarnation: that, contrary to all rational instinct and appearance, man might indeed be created in the image of God. That he is born quick in the garment of creaturehood, but contains a divine spark. That he is capable not only of murders, but of sanctity. And although he may share in the sin of Adam, his redemption in the Spirit is always at hand."

Well said. We could use less murder and more sanctity. Read the whole thing, here.

It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Kwanzaa

Cliff — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:35:15 GMT

I know you've been waiting, so here's President Bush's Kwanzaa Message for 2006...

"I send greetings to those observing Kwanzaa.

During the seven days of Kwanzaa leading up to the New Year, friends and family come together in a spirit of love and joy to honor their rich African heritage, reflect on the Seven Principles and give thanks for the blessings of freedom and opportunity. Forty years after the first Kwanzaa, this hopeful occasion remains an opportunity to build the bonds of family, community and culture and move ever closer to the founding promise of liberty and justice for all. Our nation is a better place because of the contributions African-Americans have made to our strength and character over the generations. As you gather to celebrate your ancestry this Kwanzaa, I encourage you to take pride in your many achievements and look to the future with confidence in your abilities and faith in a brighter tomorrow. Laura and I send our best wishes for a joyous Kwanzaa and a blessed New Year." Link, here.

How nice. What's Kwanzaa? Ann Coulter seems to think...

"It is a fact that Kwanzaa was in vented in 1966 by a black radical FBI pawn, Ron Karenga. Karenga was a founder of United Slaves, a violent nationalist rival to the Black Panthers and a dupe of the FBI."

<snip>

"Kwanzaa itself is a lunatic blend of schmaltzy '60s rhetoric, black racism and Marxism. Indeed, the seven "principles" of Kwanzaa praise collectivism in ever possible arena of life.

<snip>

"When Karenga was asked to distinguish Kawaida, the philosophy underlying Kwanzaa, from 'classical Marxism,' he essentially explained that under Kawaida, we also hate whites."

Finally, a holiday with guts. Happy Kwanzaa (and up yours, Whitey)! And thank you too, Mr. President, for playing ALL the angles.

For much more about Kwanzaa and the seven principles: Kwanzaa: Holiday from the FBI

George Will is worth reading

Cliff — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:21:00 GMT

I have found George Will to be one of the most level-headed of the "pundits." Or even-handed. Whatever the quality may be, I am sure it is hyphenated. Commentators capable of dispassionate reason are in short supply these days.

Anyway, this column, Four reasons Obama should run for president in '08 seems to me a good example of Will's ability to step away from natural bias to provide solid analysis.

Obama is a true blue liberal, but Will deals with the facts as facts. Or so it seems to me...

"New Hampshire was recently brightened by the presence of Barack Obama, 45, who, calling the fuss about him ''baffling,'' made his first trip to that state, and not under duress. Because he is young, is just two years distant from a brief career as a state legislator and has negligible national security experience, an Obama presidential candidacy could have a porcelain brittleness.

But if he wants to be president -- it will not be a moral failing if he decides that he does not, at least not now -- this is the time for him to reach for the brass ring. There are four reasons.

First, one can only be an intriguing novelty once. If he waits to run, the last half-century suggests that the wait could be for eight years (see reason four, below). In 2016, he will be only 55, but there will be many fresher faces.

Second, if you get the girl up on her tiptoes, you should kiss her. The electorate is on its tiptoes because Obama has collaborated with the creation of a tsunami of excitement about him. He is nearing the point when a decision against running would brand him as a tease who ungallantly toyed with the electorate's affections.

Third, he has, in Hillary Clinton, the optimal opponent. The contrast is stark: He is soothing; she is not. Many Democrats who are desperate to win are queasy about depending on her. For a nation with jangled nerves, and repelled by political snarling, he offers a tone of sweet reasonableness."

You'll have to follow the link to read the fourth reason. My point is made. I do not think I would be able to treat the potential candidacy of such a misguided politician with such cool detachment.

Can we do that?

Cliff — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 22:21:00 GMT

Erk. David Warren seems to think the war in Iraq should be fought like a war.

"To put this plainly: the “strategy” in Fallujah should have been to make it into a parking lot, and build a Wal-Mart at one end. There would have been great loss of life, but the message to our enemies and their supporters everywhere would have been, “We will not be toyed with.” Civilians whose sympathies are with the enemy cannot be won over, and have not been, by the “candy to children” approach. They must be taught that sheltering the enemy -- even involuntarily -- means sharing the enemy’s fate. (The distinction between what is voluntary and involuntary soon changes under those conditions.) And this, in the longer run, is what saves millions of lives."

How thoroughly unmodern! Read the whole barbaric article, What to do in Iraq. The next thing you know, Warren will be spouting off about actually winning the war-- everyone knows we don't play that way.

Hire Education

Cliff — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 22:01:00 GMT

Knowledge is power. Recognizing this, it appears that presidential hopeful Ms. Hillary Clinton has hired a "faith guru." Can we guess why?

Michell Malkin has a story, here, pointing to an Alexander Bolten piece, here.

"Burns Strider, one of the Democratic Party’s leading strategists on winning over evangelicals and other values-driven voters, will join Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) as she prepares to launch her 2008 presidential campaign.
Strider now heads religious outreach for the House Democratic Caucus, and is the lead staffer for the Democrats’ Faith Working Group, headed by incoming Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.).
Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) created the working group in 2005 when Democratic strategists recognized that the party lost ground in the previous election because of trouble appealing to centrist and conservative voters in rural areas, who tend to be church-goers driven by moral issues. Strider was an aide to Pelosi when the group formed and joined Clyburn’s staff as policy director of the Democratic Caucus in 2006. "

<snip>

"Sen. John Kerry (Mass.), who is also contemplating running for the 2008 Democratic nomination, has been active, too. In September, he gave a speech on “service and faith” at the conservative Pepperdine University. He has tapped Shaun Casey, an associate professor of Christian Ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary, to advise him on religious outreach.
Kerry also recently held a dinner at his D.C. home with evangelical leaders and traveled out to California for a four-hour meeting with Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, who wrote the bestseller, “The Purpose-Driven Life.”

One can only hope that these good folks will also hire consultants in integrity, patriotism and other notions equally foreign as faith to them, as the appearance of possessing these outmoded qualities might fool more of us into approval. I'm reminded of the old Groucho Marx show: "Say the magic word and you'll win one hundred dollars."

Where there is hope there is fire.

Cliff — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 17:13:27 GMT

Wow. Just when you're convinced the whole world has gone insane (and united against reason), a ray of hope appears. It seems that Ahmadinejad has some opposition in Iran. Not that a handful of courageous (and probably doomed) student protesters are going to have a direct impact on near-term events, but their activism is refreshing given the universal, fashionable, and shallow hatred now focused on America. I almost forgot we're the good guys.

"Iranian students have disrupted a speech by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at a prestigious Tehran university, setting fire to his picture and heckling him."

<snip>

"The incident came after hundreds of Iranian students protested at Amir Kabir on Sunday to denounce a crackdown on a reformist-led university association, according to the ISNA news agency.

"Between 2,000 and 3,000 students also demonstrated at Tehran University on Wednesday to mark students' day, chanting slogans such as "for freedom and against despotism", ISNA reported at the time. "

Read the whole story here. Thanks to Michelle Malkin who pointed to it, here.

PC Style Justice

Cliff — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:06:21 GMT

Why haven't we hung the accused white rapists at Duke yet? While we are at it, why, as of November 21st, hasn't the District Attorney questioned either the accused or the accuser in this infamous show?

Don't get me wrong. I'm modern and sensitive enough to know that the well-off white boys have to pay. For whatever. But even though I'm willing to be part of the mob (as are the faculty and administration at Duke and the local media), it's taken forever to properly railroad these guys and feed the PC beast. What's the problem?

Thomas Sowell whines about justice, here, as if it were in our best interest to gather facts, consider them objectively and possibly base an outcome on them.

"It took centuries to establish the rule of law, at the cost of painful struggles, blood and tears. Nor did the blood and tears end when law was established, for maintaining the rule of law requires fighting those who wish to pervert the law for their own purposes and who will abuse their power to do so."

Yada yada.

The community doesn't need facts. Facts don't float the boat. The community needs the butts of these lacrosse whitebreads on a rail. They are guilty by association (with their race) and it's TIME to stick it to them!

If it hadn't been for OJ's acquittal, I might have moved to France.

Homeland "Security"?

Cliff — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:34:00 GMT

Public servant Bernie Thompson, D. Mississippi and incoming chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, is apparently a hog-wild champion of non-discrimination. So good, pure and high-minded is he, that differentiation itself seems to appall him, no matter the cause. How do I know?

From Captain's Quarters...

The incoming chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, Bernie Thompson, has sent a letter to a major industrial uniform provider warning it not to terminate hundreds of employees who gave invalid Social Security numbers when hired. Cintas received the list of "no-match" employees from the Social Security Administration as a part of President Bush's efforts to get employers to help identify illegal immigrants, but the chair of the committee responsible for immigration matters threatens legal action if they do so:

"A Mississippi Democrat in line to become chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee has warned the nation's largest uniform supplier it faces criminal charges if it follows a White House proposal to recheck workers with mismatched Social Security numbers and fire those who cannot resolve the discrepancy in 60 days.

"Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter to Cintas Corp. it could be charged with "illegal activities in violation of state and federal law" if any of its 32,000 employees are terminated because they gave incorrect Social Security numbers to be hired.

"I am deeply troubled by Cintas' recent policy change regarding the Social Security Administration's 'no match' letters," Mr. Thompson said in the Nov. 2 letter. "It is my understanding that hundreds of Cintas' immigrant workers have received these letters. I am extremely concerned about any potentially discriminatory actions targeting this community.

"In June, President Bush proposed new guidelines concerning "no-match" letters from the Social Security Administration, saying he wanted to make it easier for employers to verify workers' eligibility and continue to hold them accountable for those they hire." Read the whole thing, here.

Bravo! It is simply wrong to discriminate (and noble and vote-worthy to oppose discrimination). This same logic should be applied immediately to embezzlers, polygamists and tax-evaders (as long as they hold the vote)--any application of law is, after all, discriminatory.

Washington Times report, here. More, here, from Michelle Malkin.

Asians: The Non-Preferred Minority

Cliff — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:02:00 GMT

LaShawn Barber, a black, former liberal blogger, has many interesting things to say, here, about diversity, peace be unto it and all its manifestations.

A sample, but you won't be sorry if you read it all.

"Ten years ago this month, the people of California voted out government racial preferences. Since considering the race of applicants is now illegal, colleges have had to rely on race-neutral factors like grades and test scores. But once again we read about Asians excelling and blacks and hispanics getting left behind. The question asked is will Asian-Americans one day make up a majority of students at the University of California? Thanks to race-neutral admissions, YES. An excerpt:

Asian-Americans - 14.1 percent of California's 2005 high school graduating class - make up 41.8 percent of the freshman class at UC campuses, up from 36 percent a decade ago.

Meanwhile, blacks at 3 percent and whites at 32.2 percent make up smaller shares of UC's freshman class than they did previously. Latinos account for 16.3 percent of UC freshmen, up from 13 percent a decade ago, but still less than half their 36.5 percentage of state high school graduates.

_____

How do those Asians manage to do so well without an active subculture of vocal Asian advocates? Think what they could accomplish if only Jesse Jackson had been born in Beijing!

Powerline's new news forum

Cliff — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:53:00 GMT

If you haven't already, you really need to visit the powerline news forum. Lots of good stuff.

Insulting Turkishness - The Pope visits the dark side of the moon.

Cliff — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:47:13 GMT

The Pope's visit to Turkey has begun despite serious threats against his life. You have to wonder what he may accomplish (I am not faulting his effort, but the question remains) and whether there will be a serious attempt on his life.

Robert Spencer talks about the trip in Frontpagemag.com, here. "Pope Benedict XVI is set to arrive in Turkey on Tuesday, and tensions are running high. Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981, wrote to Benedict: "Your life is in danger. You absolutely must not come to Turkey." And several weeks ago, a Turk named Ibrahim Ak stood outside Italy's consulate in Istanbul and fired a gun while proclaiming his desire to strangle the pope. As he was arrested, Ak shouted: "I am happy to be a Muslim!" He said that he hoped the Pope would decide not to come to Turkey, and that his actions would inspire other Turks to violence: "God willing, this will be a spark, a starter for Muslims ... God willing, he will not come. If he comes, he will see what will happen to him."

Read the whole thing. Spencer points out that ... "Two converts from Islam to Christianity, Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal, are currently on trial on charges of "insulting 'Turkishness'" and inciting hatred of Islam. What seems to be behind the charges is that Tastan and Topal were proselytizing - which, while not officially illegal, is frowned upon and has sometimes resulted in beatings of Christians trying to hand out religious literature."

So it's a different kind of religious freedom, apparently, in Turkey, where one is free to worship as he or she may please but gets his butt beat for telling anyone. Spencer says...

"All this bespeaks a Turkish officialdom that is hostile - at best - to non-Muslim forms of religious expression, Turkey's guarantees of religious freedom be damned. "

Michelle Malkin has a story too, here. Looks like the Pope is in for some exciting times.

Where not to raise your daughter.

Cliff — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:21:00 GMT

A comment attached to yesterdays' entry, New laws needed to protect us from ourselves? by Iyssa (thanks)provided a fascinating link which furnishes a statistical analysis of recorded sex offenses in selected London boroughs, claiming...

"More Christians - fewer sex offenses.

More other religions - fewer sex offenses.

More Muslims - More sex offenses."

The racist pig! And yet, if you visit here and examine the author's (Sir Henry Morgan) assumptions and methodology in coming to the above conclusions, you will not be easily able to dismiss them. The author explains himself and his methods thoroughly and, no, I did not check his sources or accuracy, but anyone can easily do so. Everything is provided in the link.

New laws needed to protect us from ourselves?

Cliff — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:52:00 GMT

Watch out bigots, your time has passed. Thanks mainly to Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers, those of you who would allow Muslims to be searched at airports just because you think the Qur'an has pointed to non-believers as enemies of Allah (and may have noted the "make-up" of the perpetrators of the September 11th hijackings), may soon find your wishes deemed illegal. Laws are afoot to right egregious wrongs. Praise God. We'll all feel safer knowing Muslims can board planes in America without being hassled by security Nazis.

Robert Spencer explains all in a video at Hot Air, here. Michelle Malkin weighs in here. You may also enjoy (suffer through) reading John Conyers and The Muslim Caucus, an editorial in the Investors Business Daily.

"The likely new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he's just fighting bigotry in leading a Democratic jihad to deny law enforcement key terror-fighting tools. But he is in the pocket of Islamists. John Conyers, son of a leftist Detroit union activist, represents the largest Arab population in the country. His district includes Dearborn, Michigan, nicknamed "Dearbornistan" by locals fed up with cultural encroachment and terror fears from a steady influx of Mideast immigrants."

<snip>

"They want to kill the Patriot Act and prevent the FBI from filing Muslim suspects in terror organizations. They also want to end the use of undisclosed evidence against suspected Arab terrorists in deportation proceedings,

"And the 77 year old Conyers has vowed to deliver these changes for them.

<snip>

"He'll soon be in position to act on his promises."

Good. The best way to end terror in the US is make it illegal to suspect Muslims of terror. Everybody knows terror and terrorists cannot be compartmentalized. Statistics on perpetrators to date have been skewed because we just haven't had enough terror to prove statistically Muslims are no more likely to commit acts of terror than you or me. These laws should help us get a broader sample.

What's the fuss?

Cliff — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:32:29 GMT

The folks at stophernow.com seem worried that Hillary Clinton might not make a good, president. Who cares? Always remember, "It's time for a woman president" and "The men certainly haven't gotten it right so far." Gender issues and the right to abort pregnancies are the two most important topics going, brotha. If Hillary doesn't get the nomination I'll probably write in Madonna. She's female and, remember, it's time we had one as president. Q.E.D.

Keep Your Eye on Maryland's Michael Steele

Cliff — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 20:36:00 GMT

Hot Air has an interesting update on Lieutenant Governor and defeated US Senate candidate from Maryland, Republican Michael Steele. He's black, conservative, engaging, intelligent and Catholic, and he nearly turned the Maryland political landscape on its ear.

Check out the video, here. There seems to be a good chance of Steele becoming the next chair of the Repiblican National Committee. Story here. I'm for it. The guy exudes humility, confidence, intelligence and most of all, sincerity.

"Steele says he hasn't had any conversations with the white house yet about the job. He says he'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks."

Find out a litle bit more about this impressive guy from Michelle Malkin, here, in a blog entry written before the election.

The most powerful man? His role in our future.

Cliff — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 09:58:08 GMT

Joe Lieberman seems to be much more popular these days as an Independent in the senate. Cut loose by the Democrats for his support of the war, they seem to like him much more now. Republicans like him too. Everybody is going to want Joe's vote. See Letting The Bidding War For Joe Begin.

The next two years are going to be very interesting. Did the political tide turn to the Democrats mainly because of perceived corruption in the Republican party, because our economy has been consistently reported as being in bad shape, or because we the people are displeased with the concept and conduct of the war?

Joe's vote could be critical in deciding our futures.

It appears clear that the only war America is willing to fight is one without casualties. (43,000 plus died in traffic accidents in 2005; 3,000 plus volunteers have died in two years in Iraq. Every life is precious, but in a country that has been at war throughout its history--most of the time to preserve its freedom--we don't seem to be able to stomach self-defense anymore. Not if it involves fatalities. You may honorably disagree with W's motives and strategy, but how can one reasonably argue that the US, the world, or even Iraq benefits from a precipitous withdrawal of US troops?)

David Warren says, here... "So far as President Bush can be blamed, it should be for showing insufficient ruthlessness in a task that could not be accomplished by half-measures. Alternatively, for failing to grasp that America was psychologically unprepared for real war, not only by the memory of Vietnam, but by the grim advance of "liberal" decadence in domestic life over the generation since."

<snip>

[In the Vietnam era, as now] The 'alternative America', ruling from its ivory towers in academia, the media, and the entertainment industry, could not understand why anyone should die for any cause at all; could not distinguish between freedom and tyranny; and instinctively sided with any enemy of what they fancifully imagined to be 'American imperialism'".

I know, if given the power the Democrats will withdraw honorably, as we did in Vietnam. How did that Fram oil filter commercial go...? "Pay now, or pay later." And pay we will.

Thanks also to Michelle Malkin

Because She's Sooooooooo Special!

Cliff — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 07:46:54 GMT

Great News. Sweet "Mommy," a brown squirrel, undoubtedly from the northeastern United States, has ghosted a tell-all (with the aid of Jeremy Zilber and Yuliya Firsova) from which like-minded ~~nuts~~ nut-gatherers can add clarity to their lives' missions. Originally entitled, We're All Kinder and Smarter Than You, this ground-breaking training manual for gushing sentimentality, logic-free stereotyping, fatuous claims to moral superiority and 60's socialist myth is a must own!

Sorry, no, this is not a joke. Get a good whiff, here. And here's a review by A. Allison lifted from the same site...

"Should you happen to be a Democrat, you're going to like this book. I liked it a lot. Mommy is a tufted-ear squirrel who embodies and makes visual all the good things Democrats like to think they do, like playing by the rules, treating everyone fairly, and sharing their toys. The picture book starts out, "Some Mommies are called Democrats," and follows a "Democrats do such-and-such. "just as Mommy does" pattern. Little lovable animals inhabit the very finely done colored-pencil illustrations, exemplifying abstract beliefs like tolerance and accessible health care. They are all smiles and benevolence, and Mommy beams upon them.

"As a running contrast to the positive scenes in the foreground of the detailed 2-page drawings are background scenes juxtaposing the heartlessness of non-Mommy like people and the woe of the poor. The elite characters are never named "Republican" but they're identifiable. Items like the newspaper the headline of which reads: "Tax Refund," carried by the cigar-smoking escort of a snooty woman totting a poodle, are dead giveaways. So is the representative multicultural-looking down-and-out young man who is barred from an expensive school, sleeps under a tree in the park, or looks in trash cans for dinner. Every Democrats' heartstrings will vibrate with joy as Zilbert picks all the acupuncture points for our pain and pleasure-like the reference to the 2000 election.

A very smart, enjoyable collaboration and highly recommended."

Word is, this is just the first of an extended illustrated series. A partial list of future titles; Little Cherry Chipmunk's First Abortion, Foxes and Eagles all Cheat, Snakes Won't Hurt Us If We Do As They Say, Strong Animals Are Dumb and Mean, Why Daddy Ran from the Toad and Mommy's Misunderstood Adventure with a Female Gopher.

No need to debate, just mount the pedestal, Democrats, act superior and call names.