CatHouse Chat

Go. Now. Listen!

Scuba Naked has a great page of Patriotic Music. He also has a stupendous page all about the September 11th terrorist attack that cannot be missed.

Mega "bravos" to this great site!

Grilled Oriental Swordfish Steaks

UPDATE: the lovely and talented sarahk just let me know that she is hosting this week's Carnival of Recipes at Mountaineer Musings, so the link will be -here- when her post goes active link is now active! --- Thank you, sarahk!

On our recent RV trip, I encountered a wonderful recipe for grilled scallops. It worked great, but the scallops, as they so often do, shrank quite a bit on the grill. Beloved Husband is also not wild about shellfood, but really enjoys swordfish - as do I - so I made some adjustments and got this:

Grilled Oriental Swordfish Steaks

Serves four, unless they're swordfish lovers, in which case it will serve two...

• 1 pound fresh swordfish steaks, 3/4 to 1 inch thick (MUST be cut thickly!)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili oil (usually found in the oriental section of most supermarkets)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon McCormack's Caribbean Jerk Sesoning
• salt, to taste (go easy, this has lots of flavor, so you don't need too much)
• pepper, to taste, freshly ground (don't make me rant about *spit* pre-ground *spit* pepper!)
• 4 tablespoons green onions, sliced, for garnish

Combine the juice, oils, cilantro and spices, and pour into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag (hey, easy clean up!). Place the swordfish in the bag, coat well, and seal the bag. Try to press out as much air as possible: I think is helps marinate the meat more thoroughly. Let it marinate about 30 minutes.

On the grill, you want a fairly high heat, but not as hot as you'd need for searing beef steaks. Now, the timing gets a little tricky, because you want the swordfish cooked through - but only just. If you cook it for too long, you lose moisture and flavor, and end up with fishy shoe leather. Yuck.

So, think "Less is more" for cooking time (you can always throw it back on). I would suggest, to start, something of about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remember to have your grill well heated so you get those pretty criss-cross marks (and don't forget that you'll have to twist the steaks 60 to 90 degrees before flipping them to make those marks).

When the steaks are just barely cooked through (watch them carefully - overcooked fish gives properly cooked fish a bad name), yank them off and scatter the green onions over them. Let them rest for 5 minutes or so, and then serve them with a simple, fresh salad and a perhaps some lightly grilled fresh asparagus (well, you've got the grill running anyway, right?).

I like a nice, light (read: "somewhat inexpensive") Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris with this, since the fish is rich and flavorful. You'd want something crisp as a light palate cleanser to go along with it. Of course, I'm not a Master Somm... Sommeli... I'm not a Master Wine Taster, so I daresay there are other, better recommendations.

Enjoy!

Dick Cheney for President?

Well, I'd been immensely doubtful, but His Dreadful Evilness's loyal minion, LC & IB B.C., seems to think It's Time For Cheney To Announce His Candidacy... NOW!!!

The Imperial Dungeon Game Room™ already has the presses running, spitting out "Run Dick, Run!" bumper stickers as fast as we can.

Hell, he doesn't even have to make an actual run, just "lie" one more time, until the Suppurating Socialist Sow has offed herself and gone to meet Marx, Mao & Stalin in Hell and renew her fellatic relationship with every anti-US dicktater residing there.

He is referring to a Drudge Report flash that "Veteran wire reporter Helen Thomas is vowing to 'kill herself' if Dick Cheney announces he is running for president." (no permalink yet)

Aarons:cc has a slightly skeptical outlook on it, however:

Promises, promises… I’m still waiting for Altman, Baldwin, Cher, Lynn Redgrave, Salinger (yes, disinter him!) and Streisand, to move to France. Promises from actors are less reliable than those of Heaven’s Gate members.

I'm with Aaaon - but it would be wonderful if those looney moonbats would stop with this insane rhetoric. Unless, of course, they mean to actually do what they say.

FX Networks, redux

Well, it looks as if my suspicions about the FX Networks TV series, "Over There," have been proven correct. Via Hugh Hewitt, there's a good round up of the premiere over at Castle Argghhh! and Blackfive (the comments and trackbacks are pretty interesting).

The Boston Globe published a preview article by Matthew Gilbert on the 27th, and he appears to be reserving judgement. USAToday's article pretty much goes all googly-eyed over it, as does the Hollywood Reporter. Nothing really surprising, but it will be interesting to see what, if anything, the rest of the MSM say (particularly FoxNews).

S'okay, no prob - I really have enough shows I TiVo, anyway.

Interesting point...

Paul at Wizbang presents some interesting speculation:

Let's say Rove gets fired tomorrow. What does he do? Go fishing???? No, if Rove gets fired tomorrow he starts working the next day on the mid-term elections. Thereby guaranteeing the Dems lose even more power in the Senate. (and the House)

[...]

Have you noticed the Clinonistsas -the only Dems who know how to win elections- have been largely silent on this one? They want Rove Have you noticed the Clinonistsas -the only Dems who know how to win elections- have been largely silent on this one? They want Rove to stay where he is. The whole rest of the Democrat party is too blinded by hate to even think rationally. -- Not that this is news.to stay where he is. The whole rest of the Democrat party is too blinded by hate to even think rationally. -- Not that this is news.[emphasis mine]

IN-ter-es-ting... Verrrry interesting. Not an angle I'd considered, but... ooooooo!

[Spock] FAScinating...[/Spock]

... Oh, dang, I forgot! I supposed to be on vacation [ducks, hides]!

Well, about bloody time! Updated

Reuters AlertNet - U.S. Muslims issue anti-terrorism "fatwa". (Tip via my buddies over at the Wide Awakes)

Top U.S. Muslim scholars issued a "fatwa," or religious edict, against terrorism on Thursday and called on Muslims to help authorities fight the scourge of militant violence.

The fatwa was part of efforts by U.S. Muslims to counter perceived links between Islam and terrorism and avert any negative backlash after this month's bombings by suspected Islamic extremists in London and Egypt.

Well, thank you very much. Like I said, about bloody time! Now how about some of those mullahs in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, and "Palestine" follow suit? Of course, they can issue fatwahs against terrorism all they like, but until those countries break up and eliminate the people and schools which train and encourage the terrorist culture, I don't see that it will do any good...

::sigh::

We now return to our temporarily interrupted vacation blogging. This has been a reminder that I will be back to my normal (ha!) blog-style soon.

UPDATE: double-::sigh:: per lgf, it's bogus. Color me soooo surprised.

Of course...

Gotta stop for supplies!

Garden Maze

Outside Luray Caverns - very fun! Apparently the biggest garden maze on the east coast. I even did it, and got through. Not, however, without considerable backtracking, looping, dead ends and confusion as to where the heck I was, LOL!

Luray Caverns

Very beautiful! The cave organ sounded ethereal and played "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", a hymn which gives me awed shivers. Mmmm! (Luray's website is here.)

Good morning!

Leaving Pennsylvania to go to Luray Caverns in Virginia. A few more days, and our trip will be over.

Yup, really close!

Just another view of the Beloved Husband's parking job - eeeek! It's close!

Debris detected on Discovery launch

Let’s hope this turns out to be nothing:

Space Shuttle Discovery’s launch:

…Two chase planes and more than 100 cameras documented the ascent from every possible angle to capture any sign of flying debris of the sort that doomed the last flight.Some two hours later, after Discovery had settled into orbit, Discovery commander Eileen Collins radioed back: “We know that the folks back on the planet Earth are just feeling great right now, and our thanks to everybody for all the super work that’s been done over the past 2 1/2 years to get us flying again.”

Mission Control replied by promising to bring the astronauts home safely.

Video showed what appeared to be a large piece of debris flying off the external fuel tank two minutes into the flight. The object did not seem to hit the orbiter. Footage also showed what might have been at least two light-colored objects flying off Discovery as the shuttle cleared the launch pad.

Deputy shuttle program manager Wayne Hale raised the possibility that the light-colored objects were harmless pieces of paper that protect Discovery’s thrusters before launch. But he insisted it was too soon to say what the cameras may have picked up, and he gave assurances the multitude of images will be examined frame by frame in the coming hours and days… Yahoo News

Let’s hope Hale’s “harmless pieces of paper” were indeed all the “debris” was. No one wants another Columbia.

Crossposted at third world county and Balanced News Blog

Hunting crawdads

Beloved Husband shows the Darling Munchkin the stream HE used to play in...

He probably can't even spell "hypocrisy"

One song Jean Fraud sKerry (AKA John F Kerry) won't be singing...

Remember Blazing Saddles... Madeline Kahn singing "I'm Tired with that slightly off-key Sprechstimme style"? The lyrics include a refrain I wish Jean Fraud sKerry could learn to sing...

I'm tired, Tired of playing the game Ain't it a crying shame I'm so tired ...I'm exhausted

Tired, tired of playing the game
Ain't it a crying shame
I'm so tired

Well, lying through his teeth, stalling, backtracking, flip-flopping and playing the double- triple- quadruple-standards game is just not something this poltroon seems to tire of.

Where's the beef, Johnnie? You've still not released your records to the public, and you're asking for the White House to release ALL of Roberts' records? Just shut up, Jean. Until you're willing to keep your word and release the records you have promised to release, just crawl back into the hole you came from, pull the rock in over yourself and shut up!

MaryHunter's all over this at TMH's Bacon Bits, and see Cao's take at Cao's Blog, and these other fine blogs' notes about Jean Fraud sKerry's disgusting cowardice, lies and deceits:

Aaron's cc
And Rightly So!
Atlas Shrugs
Balance Sheet
Cao's Blog
Cathouse Chat
Christmas Ghost
Civil Issues
Conservative Friends
doubleplusgood infotainment
Doughnut Holes
Euphoric Reality
Flight Pundit
Fundamentally Right
Furry Press
GM's Corner
Gribbit's Word
House Of Wheels
i-imagery.com
Infinite Universe
International House of
Conservatism
Jackson's Junction
Jay Howard Smith
Kender's Musings
Lifetrek
Moonbattery.com
My Vast Rightwing Conspiracy
NIF
PBSWatcher
Pirate's Cove
Pooklekufr: The Kafir
Constitutionalist
Power and Control
Private Radio
Progressive
Conservatism
Ravings Of A Mad Tech
Republican Vet
Right in Philly
Rottweiler Puppy
Shades of Gray
Something...and Half of Something
Stop the ACLU
Tall Glass of Milk
The Babaganoosh
The Creative Conservative
The Dark Citadel
The Paragraph Farmer
The Pulpit Pounder
The Sunnyeside Of Life
Think About It
Third World County
TMH's Bacon Bits
Uncle Jack
Villainous Company
Web-Nuts
What Attitude Problem?
Where's Your Brain?
Word Park Blog





Crossposted at third world county

Cool!

Recumbent bikes for kids! Do I see Christmas gift?

(UPDATE: *sigh* We didn't last that long. Beloved Munchkin now has a new trike. She loves it. I am such an indulgent mommy - and Beloved Husband was no restraint, either!

More info on the bike here,  here and here.

Oh, and we got one of these for me. Beloved Husband will be getting his eventually, too.)

Impressive!

A wonderful example of adeptly shoehorning the RV in where it's not really supposed to go. We can't even open the pop-outs! Oh, well, it's just for two nights...

In Pennsylvania

En route to State College - yes, that's a town - to visit Beloved Husband's family. Beautiful scenery!

"Get back on your own side of the fence!"

Private property is a basic human right...

...and the SCOTUS (Supreme Communists of the United States) stirred a tiny (wee, bitsy, teen-eintsy) spark of the Founders fire in June when they said it was hunky-dory in their books for governments to take private property with just about any lame excuse they could dream up.

Alarmed by the prospect of local governments seizing homes and turning the property over to developers, lawmakers in at least half the states are rushing to blunt last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling expanding the power of eminent domain.

In Texas and California, legislators have proposed constitutional amendments to bar government from taking private property for economic development. Politicians in Alabama, South Dakota and Virginia likewise hope to curtail government's ability to condemn land.

Even in states like Illinois — one of at least eight that already forbid eminent domain for economic development unless the purpose is to eliminate blight — lawmakers are proposing to make it even tougher to use the procedure. (See story here)

And see The Open Source Amendment Project's Petition Restoring The Right To Ownership of Property.

Hit 'em high and low... and let your state legislators and congresscritters know you'll for for anyone else if they don't put a cork in the land grab schemes of their fellow politicians. Gripe longly, loudly and often to as many people as you can about the ____ (fill in your own descriptive) politicians grabbing private property with the lamest of excuses.

And let said pols know you're doing it.

crossposted from third world county

Edit: fixed the "untitled" state of this post. *sigh* I was so giddy (yes, giddy!) having broadband back that I strewed a flurry of posts around the 'sphere. I'll be more careful in the future. Really I will. Uh-huh.

Lance Armstrong - a hero

From FoxNews, a tale of a true American hero: Armstrong Wins His Last Tour de France.

Lance Armstrong, a fantastic example of determination, perseverance, and motivation. He's won his seventh consecutive Tour de France, something no one has ever done before. He's a cancer survivor, returning in triumph when he could have understandably retired.

Never give up, never surrender. As long as there is life, there is hope - so don't let the pessimists drag you down.

Live strong!

Congratulations, Mr. Armstrong - and God bless!

Yes, I've read it

... and it's good.

The plot twist we all expected happened, but I won't tell you who.

And I still have my suspicions...

I got the image from its Amazon.com listing, where you can buy it for $16.99 and - if you're an Amazon Prime member - can get it in two days with no shipping charges.

Future History? No, But Freedom IS At Risk

Listen my children and I will mention
The midnight crowning of Hillary Clinton.
On the 4th of November of twenty o’eight;
Hardly a man can forget that date.
The ascension of Hillary Clinton

She said to her hubby “if the repubs march
By vote or by stealth from the voting booths tonight
Use your cell phone to call me, all right?
Call me from home or ‘neath a street light,
One ring if by vote, two if by stealth
And I will take all George Soro’s wealth
And buy the votes that we democrats need
From every illegal or homeless person
And even the dead, indeed.

You know the rest, in books you have read
How democrat voters, illegals, homeless and dead
Voted for Hillary, voted for Hillary one and all
And over the nation hung a great pall.
Till the votes were all counted and lo and behold
The Democrats wealth had gone for the gold.
The tally was totaled while we all lay innocently abed
From stuffed ballot box and machine the votes were all counted
And the margin of victory for Hillary mounted
To the ceiling and higher the vote talley soared
And Bill turned to Hillary
“Hey babe, we’ve scored.”

The coronation came, Hillary got her crown
She made conservatives illegal, she put them all down.
She opened the borders to all that would come
And tripled the tax on all, from services and gum
To shoes and fast food, to movies and fun.
She outlawed our congress and took all our rights
And we lay down, with nary a fight.

This alternate future, is silly, and stupid at best
It cannot happen, put your mind at rest.
But listen my children, and be very afraid
That some day your freedoms will all be waylaid
If you don’t stand up now and be counted for sure
A loss of liberty you will endure.
For there are those around us, all filled with hate
They want our freedom, what makes our land great.
Protect your fellow, raise your voice in one shout
Freedom is what we are about

And Rest assured my kiddo’s, it will all be OK
For you live in Liberty in the U.S. of A

xposted at GM's Corner

Funniest thing I've seen this week

No one can spoof Loony Left Moonbats as well as they can unintentionally spoof themselves. No one.

Don't believe me? Just toodle on over to TMH's Bacon Bits and read the best lampoon of the Loony Left I've seen (see the link there for whole piece). The folks at IMAO, for example, are patzers at the game of ridiculing Loony Left Moonbats compared to... George Soros!

*ROFLKASTMHFO*

crossposted from third world county

I know, it's NOT Friday, but...

I actually have some broadband connectivity, and must post pictures of the purr-fect purrs!

(For those of you wondering why I'm having bband issues, look here, here, here, here, and here. And I've got another week of it, if you want to stop by and check in!)

Psalm 8

Indeed, Your works are altogether excellent!

(EDIT: And - if I get it to work right, I have a little 15 second, 20meg MPEG file of the American Falls rolling over the precipice...

One of the things we learned today was that, naturally, the rate of erosion cuts the edge of the Falls back somewhere between 3 and 6 feet a year. Now, however, with the power plants managing the flow - among other factors - the rate of erosion has slowed to about one inch per year...

And, more picture goodies below the fold!)

Oh LORD!

... how marvellous are Your works on the earth!

(EDIT: This photo - and the next - was taken on board one of the Maid of the Mist boats... Talk about "Up close and PERSONAL!!" Like I said: "WOW!")

Where in the world?

Guess where I am? Wow. I mean, just WOW!!!

Huh?

We're stopped. On the thruway! Um, WHY?! I really hope it's not a bad accident...

(EDIT: Well, after two hours - so much for making good time! - we detoured off at exit 43 up to the next exit. Apparently, there was some sort of "emergency road repair/construction," which shut the thruway down westbound. I'm not sure what happened, but there was a local bridge that was being repaired... Was it the same bridge? Enquiring minds want to know!)

100 miles to Buffalo

... and Niagara Falls. We left at 7:45 this morning, and are making exellent time!

The old covered bridge

This is where we used to swim on Rte. 313. It's not even a mile away from Twin Pines Farm, which my family owned many years ago.

(EDIT: I almost forgot! I have better pictures than this one, even though my cell phone does a fair job. Look below the fold!)

Oh... just AWESOME!

Today was perfect!

Swimming at the covered bridge, lazing at the brother's house, cooking at the RV camp for the family...

God is good!

Hopefully, when we get to Niagara tomorrow, *MY* laptop will stop sulking and connect properly. Then, I'll post my photos, and maybe a few that the Best Beloved Hsband has taken, too...

He DID get pics of the quilted moose...

And, I do have a few pics of my beloved nephew, Max... But any marriage proposals MUST be accompanied by a full family geneology, a faith statement, and other demonstrations of compatability...

Max is ... da BEST!!!

We won't settle for anything less! LOL

A little flustered and frustrated

We had a great day wandering around Bennington and Manchester. Lunch was at a brewpub in downtown (well, what passes for "downtown," anyway - all four streets of it) Bennington. I had a yummy Raspberry Ale and also a Scottish Ale with my California Turkey Club sandwich.

I even took pictures with my cell phone... But Verizon, while I can make and receive calls, won't upload to my blog. *grf*

I left my little digital camera at my brother's house last night (*smacks* head - D'OH!), so I couldn't take the pics *I* wanted to, either. Beloved Husband did permit me to take a few with his oh-my-gosh-WHAT-an-incredible-camera! digital Canon (professional quality... ooooo!), but it's not the same.

AND! This wireless network hates my laptop for some reason, and won't let me log on with it, so I have to use Beloved Husband's laptop. **GRF!**

Yes, I'm being a spoiled brat. BH is more than gracious, and kind, and patient. Ignore me.

OK, I'm going to stop whining, and go toast some marshmellows...

Jimmy Doohan, R.I.P.

Jimmy Doohan was one of my favorite characters on Star Trek. Now, he has died - and Star Trek fans will all miss him.

I think my favorite line of all was from the Trouble With Tribbles", written by David Gerrold, where he said (something like), "I gave them a good home, Captain... I beamed them over to the Klingon's, where they'll be no tribble a'tall."

::sigh::

DeForest Kelly several years ago, and now Jimmy. An era is passing...

Lunch time!

We're at the Madison Brewing Co. in Bennington, VT. Mmm! Raspberry ale...

(EDIT: and this was actually on Wednesday, but I couldn't send it through until much later. Readjusting date/time stamp to align with reality...)

Angels Among Us

(I kinda hate to intrude on shots of RV-ing, yum-yums and sleeping beauty, but R'Cat would probably want this story spread around... )

Thanks to Something and Half of Something for the link to this story by Michael Yon (whose title I borrowed for this post). Lots more info on "Walt" and "Plum" (who was killed in action) also here and here.

(Detail: notice the excellent weapon disciplne: trigger finger in safety position.)

Crossposted at third world county

It's a GREAT traveller!

Beloved, darling munchkin...

Mmmmm!

... Dinner! Well, AFTER I cook them...

First night on the road

Just a quick stop, and we'll be back on the road tomorrow.

On the road!

Going around DC on the way to VT. We will stay overnight in the Philadelphia area before continuing up to see my brother.

London bombers on CCTV

Surely you've seen it by now, but in case not, this BBC online article features "... a CCTV image of the four London bombers as they set out from Luton on their bombing mission."

Read the article. Come back. Let's talk.

Crossposted at third world county

Also posted at Balanced News Blog.

Glenn Reynolds and Steven den Beste Movie Debut

Really. Just go see it.

But don't have anything liquid in your hand.....

SciFi Friday! woohoo!

And tonight, on the SciFi channel:

Premiere of Stargate SG-1, season NINE (wow!)

I'm really going to miss having Richard Dean Anderson as Col. Jack O'Neill (OK, OK, he's a General, now) on the show regularly. He is one of my favorite characters, and brought a lot of humor and intensity to the show.

Ben Browder, however, will be really fun to watch as Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell. After his role in as Cdr. John Chrichton in Farscape, which I adored, he has a lot to contribute to the show.

And, of course, Claudia Black will be in Stargate SG-1 as well as Vala, a rather mysterious and feisty lady. As Aeryn Sun in Farscape, she and Browder had incredible chemistry together. In Stargate, however, it appears she'll be the foil for Michael Shanks, who plays Dr. Daniel Jackson. They've met already - it was a great episode!

So, this season should be riviting, with lots of new twists and turns.

Also up is the second season of Stargate: Atlantis! I was skeptical of this at first - I almost always prefer originals - but it's got a fantastic cast and well-written episodes. The season premiere will be the third part of the arc which left us hanging in, what, March?

I really hate the way that SciFi does that...

Anyway, I don't see the character of Lt. Aiden Ford, played by Rainbow Sun Francks. Apparently, he's been replaced by a new character, Ronan Dex, played by Jason Momoa. Dunno why, but I'm not sure what to think, since I didn't see all of the first season episodes (hey, I've got a life! Really!).

One very interesting addition to the Atlantis crew is Mitch Pileggi, of X-Files fame (Walter Skinner? Remember him? Mmmmm!), who comes aboard to bring life to Col. Stephen Caldwell.

Finally, we have the first episode of the second season of Battlestar Galactica.

I don't like Battlestar Galactica. (OK, I don't like it yet - I confess that I might change my mind). I told you that I prefer "originals," and for me, Richard Hatch is Apollo, and Dirk Benedict is "Starbuck." Edward James Olmos is a fine actor, and does well portraying Commander Adama, but - I'm sorry - he ain't no Lorne Greene (God rest his soul).

::sigh::

Well, I have my biases, and Beloved Husband and Darling Munchkin are really looking forward to BSG, so maybe they'll suck me in.

At any rate, that's what I'm doing with my Friday night - what about you?

COFFEE!!!! coffeecoffeecoffeecoffee

My dear friend, David at Third World County, pointed to this amusing Blogthings quiz:

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Yeah. Except that I have to limit myself to ONE espresso a day (in the morning), that sounds like me!

*ding, ding, DING!* Ricochet Romeocat on caffeine!

Trapped!

When we were in our RV while getting the Chesapeake house ready to sell, the kitties were well able to keep themselves occupied. Pixel and Smudge enjoyed the combination game of "King of the Mountain" and "Trapped!"

The character of the new recruits

Katherine Kersten has a wonderful article up at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Recruits are undaunted by danger, Mom and Dad.

But while the recruits at the Hopkins station seek to build character and become part of a team, something larger is at work. Dodge -- like the other recruits -- explains that he's joining the Army to defend America's freedom. "I'm here because I want to show my respect for all the people who served and are serving," he says. "I know what I owe them."

The recruits chatting at the Hopkins station are little different from their predecessors of centuries past. Since Valley Forge, those who have chosen to enter America's armed forces have understood the importance of vigilance in the defense of freedom and gratitude to those who have won it for us.

Like their predecessors, the new soldiers shipping out from Hopkins will live and breathe the Soldiers' Creed:

"I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat ...

Go read it, it's excellent!

I will never leave a fallen comrade ...

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American soldier."

Essenshul sooper sekret info

Calling all true believer "librules"! The sooper sekret arkive of the "Reality-Based Community™" is now open. All necessary information to combat the Eeeevil Republikkkans™ is now gathered together in one place.

Remember, don't let Sith Lord Karl Rove know!

Why re-enlist?

"Jarhead," over at Red State Rant, is now Green, again. He has re-enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve, and is glad he has done so.

For those who are mystified as to why someone would do this, he says:

Serving my country is not a 4 year contract. It is a life-long commitment. Nor is it a “due” to be paid like some cheap membership fee. It is a deeply personal obligation. And it is certainly not “time” that has to be “done” like some felony prison sentence. It is nothing short of an honor that I hold in the highest regard, an honor that I must prove worthy of, an honor that must be earned every single day.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we have the finest military in history, and why they should be honored and respected here at home.

Thank you, Jarhead. God bless you!

"Human beings do not do these things"

That is the title antimedia, of Media Lies, puts to his post. He quotes from Iraq the Model's entry on Wednesday about the car-bombing which killed 24 children:

The "patriotic resistance" struck another strategic target in Iraq today.
They attacked Iraqi's hope and Iraq's reserves and future; they murdered Iraqi children again.

Those pathetic terrorists are afraid of the future and of the children that are going to grow up to build, plant, serve and protect their country.
No words can describe the ugliness of the massacre, no words can wipe the tears of the mothers who lost their loved ones today and no words can describe the difference between those handing sweets to the children and those handing death and pain.

The insane murderous servants of the tyrants think they can defeat us and protect their evil masters this way but they're wrong, the hand of justice will reach them just like it pulled their master from the rat hole.
The blood that was spilled today shall not go in vain and terrorists will lose and that is not going to be far from now.

How... obscene... that children would be so callously and carelessly killed by such monsters! But then, "human beings do not do these things..." Oh, I am sorry - they do. What better example of the curse of sin on this world, than this sort of heartless murder?

And yet, there is some remnant of decency which is starting to raise its head in Islam. Austin Bay reports on the dissent which is beginning to break out (from an AP/USAToday article), although it is condemned by the leader of this atrocity:

The AP reports:

Al-Barqawi, known in militant circles as Abu Mohammed al-Maqdisi, said in an interview with Al-Jazeera from Jordan last week that militants in Iraq should revise their tactics, saying “the number of Iraqis killed in suicide operations has become a tragedy.”

To Zarqawi this means his spiritual adviser is listening “to Satan”:

Terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi criticized his spiritual mentor for urging militants in Iraq to rein in attacks on civilians and warned that the sheik’s comments could split Islamic fighters, according to a purported statement posted on an Islamic Web site Tuesday.
The statement, signed by al-Zarqawi, warned his sheik — Isam Mohammed al-Barqawi — “do not follow the path of Satan that leads to your destruction. Beware, our noble sheik, of the trick of God’s enemies to lure you to drive a wedge in the ranks of the mujahedeen.”

The Bible clearly states in Jeremiah 17:9, " The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" These murderers have their own agenda of power and control - a policy of insanity - and yet they rationalize it, and make it into a call from God Himself.

Well, the Bible has something to say about that, too:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
       Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
       Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
       Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
       And prudent in their own sight!
       Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
       Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
       Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
       And take away justice from the righteous man!
       Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble,
       And the flame consumes the chaff,
       So their root will be as rottenness,
       And their blossom will ascend like dust;
       Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts,
     And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 5:20-24)

Beware. Justice will prevail, and God will not ignore the blood of children crying out against their murderers.
      

Shuttle Discovery ready for launch... UPDATED

UPDATE: *sigh* Well, apparently, not today, it seems. There are some problems with sensors on the fuel tank, according to that FoxNews article. Hey, better to be safe than sorry! I'm glad they caught it and are correcting the problem.

And I hope and pray that within the next two hours, she has a safe and successful lift off!

(source for photo)

Fly, you beautiful ship - FLY!

Let's get serious...

One thing about Michelle Malkin: you always know where she stands. Todays column at TownHall.com, Curse of the language corrupters, points out some essential steps we must take if we are really serious about our country's safety. Go read!

(HT to Betsy's Page)

Evolution vs. Design: but from a different angle

Frederick Turner has an interesting article up at Tech Central Station: Darwin and Design: The Evolution of a Flawed Debate. He brings some brilliant accusations against the evolutionists (even though he appears to be one himself)-

The second sin is a profound moral failure -- the failure of gratitude. If one found out that one had a billion dollars free and clear in one's bank account, whose source was unknown, one should want to find out who put it there, or if the donor were not a person but a thing or a system, what it was that has so benefited us. And one would want to thank whoever or whatever put it in our account. Our lives and experiences are surely worth more than a billion dollars to us, and yet we did not earn them and we owe it to someone or something to give thanks. And to despise and ridicule those who rightly or wrongly do want to give thanks and identify their benefactor as "God" is to compound the sin. (emphasis mine).

I find this statement to be very truthful - but I wonder if Mr. Turner realizes he's walking a well known path:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Romans 1: 18-23, emphasis mine

One of the key charges brought against mankind is the sin of ingratitude. And it is very true: all of us have been given, at the minimum, the blessing of life. Yet how many of us - even those of us who are Christian - live in thankfulness?

To return to the topic, Mr. Turner seems to be quite aware of the "sin" (his word) on both sides. I would like to read more from him on this topic, even though I disagree with several of his statements. I highly recommend reading his thought-provoking article in full.