CatHouse Chat

Test - will TPad do this?

I love marquees - I'm wondering if Tpad (heck, does RocketPost?) supports them... Well, let's try:

Marquees are FUN!!!

W00t! It works!

Fun stuff for a Friday

I am so deathly sick of the incredible stupidity of anti-anti-illegal immigration people that I'm going to post some fun things to remind myself that there is still some good left in this world. Perhaps I'll get around to posting about a serious topic later...

Here's an adorable cat and his (her?) unusual buddy. Warning: sickeningly cuuuuuute! Awwwww....

How about how the Lord of the Rings ought to have ended? Warning: just a wee bit rude (.wmv download) Here's the homepage, which looks like it has a lot of fun stuff.

And what Friday is ever complete without some cat-blogging (although I suppose that my first link might qualify...)?

Kitty in a quilt!

Kitty in fabric!

If these were MY kids...

... I'd give them a serious whipping when they got home! No, I don't mean that in an abusive way, but in the sense of an outraged parent and citizen forcefully applying some dedicated discipline to the backside of an ungreatful, malicious, and terminally stupid child.

What am I blathering about? Take a look at what the Redheaded Infidel found:

Just some students having fun, right? Nope - take a closer look at the upper left hand corner.

Still can't see it? Well, the next picture is a close up...

Yes, that is OUR flag, UPSIDE DOWN, flying UNDERNEATH the Mexican flag!

Shame on these kids! Shame on their parents, shame on their schools, and shame on their willful ignorance!These morons are supporting lawbreakers. They are aligning themselves with the destruction of their future, and they are encouraging the eventual downfall of their own country.

If I were in charge of these *gag* future voters *gag* they'd be studying the laws which have been broken, they'd be required to memorize proper flag etiquette, they'd be visiting VA hospitals to meet the veterans they've just sh*t on, they'd be interviewing naturalized citizens who came here legally, and then they'd be writing a thirty page essay about the blessings and privileges of American Citizenship which I would require them to end with a sincere apology for their ignorance and stupidity.

Oh, and car? Telephone? Computer? Heck, stepping out of the house on a weekend? Surely you must be joking! As a matter of fact, I daresay that - if I were the parents of these slugs - military boarding schools and reform schools would see a tremendous upsurge in enrollment.

Yeah, yeah, "free speech" and all that. Uh-huh. Nevertheless, they'll get firsthand knowledge of the consequences of free speech, won't they?

Technorati tags: immigration, free speech, student protests, morons

Condolances to the Blog Father

Glenn Reynolds' grandmother passed away yesterday at noon. He's posted some pictures of her, and from them and his occasional posts about her, I can tell that she was a classy and fun lady. Please join with me in sending your condolences to pundit@instapundit.com.

Aw, this is cute...

A friend from the Cotillion pointed me to this fan video for Harry Potter. Very well done (and, yes, I've seen a LOT of fanvids)!

Childish stupidity

From - gee, what a surprise - the *spit* fwench *spit* surrender monkeys - Chirac flees summit in a fury over the use of English:

PRESIDENT CHIRAC stormed out of the first session of a European Union summit dominated by a row over French nationalism because a fellow Frenchman insisted on speaking English.

President Chirac and three of his ministers walked out of the room when Ernest-Antoine Seillière, the leader of the European business lobby UNICE, punctured Gallic pride by insisting on speaking the language of Shakespeare rather than that of Molière.

*snerk* *giggle*

When M Seillière, who is an English-educated steel baron, started a presentation to all 25 EU leaders, President Chirac interrupted to ask why he was speaking in English. M Seillière explained: "I'm going to speak in English because that is the language of business."

Without saying another word, President Chirac, who lived in the US as a student and speaks fluent English, walked out, followed by his Foreign, Finance and Europe ministers, leaving the 24 other European leaders stunned. They returned only after M Seilière had finished speaking.

The meeting was furnished with full interpretation services, and anyone in the room could speak or listen in any of the 20 official EU languages. Embarrassed French diplomats tried to explain away the walk-out, saying that their ministers all needed a toilet break at the same time.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh, it's no wonder that the *spit* fwench *spit* are becoming more and more irrelevant...

Why do I keep hearing that old song, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to..."? Beloved Husband comments, "Their economy is tanking, and they're whining about the language used at a summit?!"

Got this from Chicago Boyz, via the Blog Father.

Too appropriate NOT to post!

Romeocat will have to write:

I will not grab cookie sheets out of the oven without sufficient gloves

'What will you have to write on the chalk board?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I cannot BELIEVE how right this is for me!!!! I am always cutting myself, burning myself... hurting myself in the kitchen somehow... Trust me, I have the scars to prove it, LOL!

(HT Beth at Yeah, Right, Whatever - thanks, friend!)

Rye and Bean Salad

Well, I've been missing the Carnival of Recipes recently (hey, let's face it: my participation *has* been pretty spotty!), but today I encountered a recipe that I simply MUST post.

I just got my order from Bob's Red Mill yesterday - 25 pounds of organic wheat berries, a packet of yeast, and one small pouch of organic rye berries. The rye has a recipe on the back, and since I am pretty inexperienced with rye - particularly the whole grain - I thought I'd cook it up. I want to be clear that this is NOT my recipe!

I'd also like to make clear that I'm going to be making this again tomorrow... because the frelling bowl slipped just 30 minutes ago, and went all over my Pergo floor! *sigh* Well, what I'd tasted just before I put it in the fridge was veryveryvery good, and it only could have improved with age!

I'm going to give the ingredients as written, but I'll add a couple of the adjustments that I made afterwards.

Bob's Red Mill's Rye Berry and White Bean Salad

• 1 cup cooked rye (or wheat) berries*
• 1 cup cooked White or Navy beans**
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced
• 1/2 cup tomato, diced

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil
• 2 TB lemon or lime juice (fresh)
• 2 TB white wine vinegar
• 2 TB fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 TB honey mustard
• 2 TB shallot, minced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp FRESHLY GROUND black pepper

All right: I had no shallots, so I skipped them. I dislike celery, so I skipped that. I didn't have honey mustard, so I used some stone ground deli mustard; just, for the love of all that's holy, do NOT use that yellow mustard junk, Ok?

Also, I'm very much a "wing it" kind of cook. I add, I adjust, I swap.... So ALL amounts of ingredients can be adjusted to your taste. For instance, you'll notice that I used a lot more beans (I used a lot more rye, too). I also used about 1 full cup of minced parsley. So, make it according to your own tastes. Hmmm, maybe when I re-make this, I'll use some minced garlic, too.... Ooooooo!

*To cook the wheat/rye berries, put ½ cup of the rinsed berries in a smallish saucepan with 1¾ cup water, and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Yes, I like the sea salt because somehow it gives a very full, salty flavor that's not harsh. It's very well rounded, and although you get a big flavor, it seems very balanced.  Anyway - bring this all to a full boil, then reduce heat to very low, cover, and let simmer for an hour. The berries ought to be tender, but they will still have a "chew" to them. Drain them and let cool, preparing  to mix them in the salad.

**I used some dried Great Northern beans that I had in the pantry. To cook them, I first washed them and picked out any bad beans or dirt clumps. I used, oh, I dunno, 1½ cups dried beans? Something like that. Then I dumped them into boiling water - enough to cover them generously - turned off the heat, coverd the pot and let them sit for an hour. This is what's known as a "quick soak." Many people swear it removes a lot of the enzymes that make beans so... musical in your intestines. After they've soaked, drain them and cover them with fresh water. Add 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and generous dashes of ground oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat to a simmer and let cook for, mmmm, 45-60 minutes. When the beans are done, you can take one out, blow gently on it, and the skin will tenderly peel back from the flesh of the bean. Oh! And don't worry about adding salt at the beginning of cooking. I have NEVER had a problem with tough beans when I add salt at the start, and I like the way all the seasonings' flavors cook into the beans. Anyway, drain the beans when they're done, and now they're ready to mix into the salad.

I added the beans, rye, tomato, green onions, and parsley into a medium bowl and mixed them lightly.

Then, I whisked the vinaigrette ingredients together (minus the parsley, of course, since it was already in there), poured them over the rye and beans, and gently tossed the whole mixture.

I tasted it at this point and it was YUMMY!!!! Then I transferred it to the 'fridge, and it had been there about an hour when I had my little mishap. The recipe says "overnight or several hours to let the flavors blend."

Very simple - it only take a bit of planning and preparation, and OH! it's gonna be goooooooood!

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Salad, Recipes, Beans, vegetarian

International Goof-Off Day

... is today!

Well, a least according to the Random Yak, who asks "... why are you still sitting there reading?"

Um, I *AM* goofing off! I'm supposed to be painting!

THIS is "Liberty"?? Part Two

Well, Doug at Below the Beltway is continuing to keep up-to-date on the plight of Abdul Rahman.

The new defense seems to be "not guilty by reason of insanity...." Oh, wait! No, that's the prosecution's veiw of the whole matter:

But prosecutor Sarinwal Zamari said questions have been raised about his mental fitness.

"We think he could be mad. He is not a normal person. He doesn't talk like a normal person," he told The Associated Press.

Moayuddin Baluch, a religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, said Rahman would undergo a psychological examination.

"Doctors must examine him," he said. "If he is mentally unfit, definitely Islam has no claim to punish him. He must be forgiven. The case must be dropped."

Oh, well, then if he's insane, then let's just forget about this whole kerfuffle. After all, anyone who disavows Islam - the gay-hating, mysoginistic, violent, intolerant, and murderous religion it is - certainly must be a few ribs short of a whole rack! (Sorry, I just *had* to get that pork reference in there...)

Michelle Malkin has posted a link to a video of Mr. Rahman, as well as a partial transcript. Mr. Rahman asserts his belief in the New Testament and his love for Jesus Christ... Hey, *I* believe in the New Testament, and *I* love Jesus, too!!! Wow, I guess I'm insane, as well. Cool!

Today's Afghan Times has a whole list of related items on their front page, including the video (translated into Dutch, I think), but I don't see a permalink to the video OR an English translation yet. I'll have to see if perhaps MEMRI has one...

One "good" thing to happen is that the MSM is finally starting to follow this story: well, WaPo and CNN (which has this quote from Mr. Rahman: "They want to sentence me to death, and I accept it," Rahman told reporters last week, "but I am not a deserter and not an infidel." What a courageous man!), anyway.

Apparently, our government has "expressed its concern," but I think this response is pretty lame (didn't I see the US response characterized as "subdued"? Oh, yeah, that first link, to the Yahoo! story...).

Mark Tapscott, I think, asks the most pertinant question:

And where are the Evangelical and Fundamentalist leaders challenging their flocks to candlelight vigils, protests and prayers on behalf of Rahman? Will America's Christians stand by like Saul of Tarsus to hold the coats of those slaughtering this brave man of Afghanistan?

Indeed. ALL Christians should be in prayer for this, their brother in the Faith. He is the current, public face of the persecution of our brothers and sisters all over the world.

UPDATE: (22Mar06, 1058 ET) Oh, wow, will miracles never cease? SeeBS "News" is also carrying the AP report... Nothing new to add, but they're carrying it.

(22Mar06, 1103 ET) Captain Ed weighs in with this -

All due respect to Karzai's delicate position, allowing a Taliban appointee to murder a man simply for his profession of faith is simply unacceptable, and the US should register that message at a pay grade higher than that of Nicholas Burns. Karzai should hear this directly from George Bush, and he should understand that Karzai will suffer direct consequences if Rahman's persecution continues. The American people will not support efforts to prop up the Afghanistan democracy if it results in the execution of Christians for just being Christian; we will rightly ask whether we achieved anything in replacing the Taliban with Karzai's government. The new Afghan constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and if the Afghans do not adhere to this clause, then the whole document is unreliable. (emph. mine)

Yup.

(22Mar06, 1329 ET) Robert at Hyscience also has an excellent post about Abdul Rahman (except he's spelling it "Abdur" - is this an alternate spelling?).

John's [of Powerline Blog, referring to this post] point of there being no logical basis upon which our government can continue to request the ultimate sacrifice from our men and women if a man can still be executed for simply being a Christian or a Jew, serves well as our line in the sand.

If after spilling American blood in Afghanistan to not only remove it as a safe haven for Al-Qaeda but to also free it's people from the repressive Taliban regime, a man can still be executed for converting from Islam to Christianity, then we have completely wasted precious American lives, and the Islamists of Afghanistan are too deeply locked into the barbarism of the middle ages and too backward, to be brought into the modern world.

Simply put, neither of these two scenarios are acceptable for America or the Afghans. The world needs to let it be known that killing a man because of his religious belief is unacceptable in the eyes of the world, it crosses a line of reason, tolerance and humanity that has powerful political, financial, and religious implications. It labels Islam as a backward and barbaric religion in the eyes of the non-Muslim world, and unfairly reflects negatively upon moderate Muslims throughout the world. (emph. mine)

But that's just the thing: this sort of barbaric behavior is the active face of Islam!

(22Mar06, 1400 ET) The Big Pharoh has gone over to Al Arabiyah and translated some of the comments from their story on Abdul Rahman. He chose "...a few of these comments. I included the good, the bad, the ugly, and the very ugly." And, indeed, some of them are VERY ugly. Go read!

Technorati Tags: Abdul Rahman, Afghanistan, persecution, Islam

Paint-blogging

With the photographic assistance of the Darling Munchkin (which is why we have some very blurry photos, LOL)....

Yeah, this is what I've been ssssllllllooooooowwwwwwlllllyyyyy doing over the past, oh, ten days or so. I painted our little entryway as well (pictures not included), so I'm not a complete dead beat. One thing I *am* trying to do is build up lots and lots and LOTS of layers on the corners of high-traffic areas, if only for a little extra durability.

Yeah, yeah - anyone who's a professional/really good painter will tell me I'm doing it all wrong. So what? I'm doing it how *I* want to, and... *I'm* doing it! So there! ***pffft!*** LOL

(Pics below the fold, of course)

THIS is "Liberty"??

UPDATE: First and foremost... GO SIGN THE PETITION!!!! Thank you!

I'm sure my readers are already well aware of the news out of Afghanistan about a man, Abdul Rahman, who is on trial for his life for converting to Christianity. My ODBA blog-brother, Doug from Below the Beltway, asks "And these are the people we helped liberate?" and quotes a VOA News article:

On Thursday the prosecution told the court Rahman has rejected numerous offers to embrace Islam.

Prosecuting attorney Abdul Wasi told the judge that the punishment should fit the crime.

He says Rahman is a traitor to Islam and is like a cancer inside Afghanistan. Under Islamic law and under the Afghan constitution, he says, the defendant should be executed.

Excuse me, but how is this substantially different from the restrictions and tyranny of the Taliban?

ABC News (on page two) quotes the judge who is apparently presiding over this case -

The post-Taliban constitution recognizes Islam as Afghanistan's religion, and decrees that Islam's Sharia law applies when a case is not covered by specific legislation. The prosecutor says under Sharia law, Abdul Rahman must die.

The judge, however, holds hopes for a solution.

"We will ask him if he has changed his mind about being a Christian," Mawlazezadah says. "If he has, we will forgive him, because Islam is a religion of tolerance."

This is not tolerance, this is INTOLERANCE. So much for the so-called "Religion of Peace"! I can just imagine the outcry and rage of everyone if we swapped religions: if this man were on trial for his life because he converted to Islam from Christianity, and if the judge then called Christianity a "religion of tolerance." Pfft! Hypocrites!

Over the weekend, Michelle Malkin noted that this story is not getting much media attention, even from our Christian President, and posted the charges Rahman is facing:

"Yes that's true, a man has converted to Christianity. He's being tried in one of our courts," Supreme Court judge Ansarullah Mawlavizada said, adding that his trial began early last week.

He said the man could face the death penalty if he refused to revert to Islam as Sharia law proposes capital punishment for any Muslim who converts to another religion. Afghanistan's constitution states: "No law can be contrary to the sacred religion of Islam."

Barbaric. Absolutely barbaric! This is not freedom, this is not liberty, this is not tolerance!

Michelle followed up yesterday, giving ABC due credit for reporting on the story, and also posting the addresses for the Embassy of Afghanistan and the State Department. I would strongly urge that we all follow her suggestion and write, politely but passionately, to express our deep concern and revulsion for this perversion of "justice":

Write the embassy of Afghanistan:

Ambassador Said T. Jawad
Embassy of Afghanistan
2341 Wyoming Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
info@embassyofafghanistan.org

Contact the State Department:

U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard:
202-647-4000

Following those addresses, she adds much more information, so you ought to go over and read what she has posted.

(Crossposted at Kender's Musings, Third World County, and the Cotillion)

Got this at Ogre's place...

... so it's all his fault!

But I thought this was rather amusing -

> WARNING

Romeocat is radioactive. Wear protective clothing at all times.

Username:

From Go-Quiz.com

Kilo sparks it up...

With the latest Virginia Blog Carnival!

My blog brother has done a wonderful job (not that I expected anything less) of rounding up the Virginia blogosphere this week - and it's thanks to his gentle reminder that I've got a post submitted for the second week in a row. I really like the VBC, because it helps me take a look at what's going on in my state - the guys are a wonderful help in keeping me current.

So, now that I'm back from running my errands today, I'm going to go over for some excellent Virginian reading!

Not smart... UPDATED!!!

... not smart at all!

Note to pirates: when you go up against the big dogs, make sure you've got the muscle to back it up.

Go NAVY!!!

UPDATE: Yesterday, the Virginian-Pilot published an article interviewing the Captain of the USS Cape St. George:

When suspected Somalian pirates opened fire on two small Navy boats just after dawn Saturday, the captain of the cruiser Cape St. George, waiting a few hundred yards away, had his gunners lay down covering fire long enough to allow the Navy crews to escape.

"From there, it evolved into a surface action, where the suspected pirates started shooting back at us, raking down our side," Capt. James Russell Yohe said by telephone Sunday from the Indian Ocean near the Somalian coast. That was where the attack on the Norfolk-based Cape St. George and destroyer Gonzalez, along with two small boats the Gonzalez had sent out to investigate the suspected pirates, took place.

...

"I was simply amazed they were firing at us, to be so bold as to actually continue the engagement," Yohe said as he discussed the open-sea battle that left one suspected pirate dead and 12 under arrest. Five of those arrested were wounded.

Of the injured, two are in critical condition, two are in serious condition, and one is in good condition, said Chief Petty Officer Patrick Modglin, one of two hospital corpsmen aboard the Cape St. George who initially treated the injured.

The 12 suspects have since been transferred to the Norfolk-based amphibious assault ship Nassau, which has a full medical staff.

No one on the Navy vessels was injured.

Oh, and check this out from the same article:

Saleban Aadan Barqad, a spokesman for the Somalian militiamen involved in the incident, on Sunday told The Associated Press that the U.S. Navy opened fire first.

Twenty-seven militiamen, had been "in an operation to protect the country's sea resources from illicit exploitation by foreign vessels " before the battle, Barqad said on two-way radio from the central Somalian town of Harardhere.

Geraad Mohamud, of the same militia group, said the militiamen would kill any hostage they capture and attack any ship unlawfully plying Somalian waters unless their men were released. (Emphasis mine - ed.)

*snicker*

lol...

hehehehehe...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh my gosh - do you think they might take that comedy routine on the road???

Hey, LOOK at the damage that the pirates inflicted [googly-anime eyes]:

It wasn't until the inflatable boats returned to the Cape St. George that Yohe learned some rounds had hit his ship.

"One of the crews said, 'Hey, there are bullet holes on the hull,'" Yohe said.

"You could see the paint chipped off and little dimples in the steel." (Emph. mine, again)

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! *gasp, gasp* ROTFLMFAO!!!!

Oh, man, I looooove the US Navy!!

Sunday Thoughts

Earlier this week, I heard a few snippets of a sermon on Ephesians 2, and it's really been sticking in my mind. Story of my life, of course: I can't remember who it was who was preaching. My local station is WRVL-FM - Victory FM, broadcast by Liberty University. However, since I also have XM in the car (and that's where I listen to the radio the most), it could also have been their Family Talk Radio station.

No biggie.

But what the pastor was talking about regarding Ephesians 2 was the huge and transformational difference between who we were before salvation, and who we are now after salvation. It's been going around and around in my mind, and showing me, yet again, how wonderful, gracious and awe-inspiring God's love is!

Friday Round-up

Well, I'm sore from taking a small tumble yesterday while painting the living room. Everybody can calm down it's just a little owie, and I'm fine... just sore, LOL Ah ain't eighteen anymore; I don't bounce back quite as quickly as I used to!

At any rate, I've seen quite a bit of good stuff, but I don't actually feel like blogging about it, so I'm just gonna link. I'll be updating throughout the day, so make sure you swing on by later on, OK?

• Darleen and Beth both talk about a ... creature... who has posted about how to do a DIY abortion. Obscenity, thy name is Molly.
• Zendo Deb talks about a series I haven't seen before... Looks good, I'll have to read one and find out if I like it, too!
• This pisses me off! "A circuit judge later ruled that prosecutors had failed to show Hinson would likely offend again." And now he's attempted it again. Thank God the two girls got away!
• Below the Beltway talks about the Moussaoui case - has the government blown it?
• Via LauraW at Ace of Spades... this is funny! (NSFW)
• Gribbit has some thoughts on moments of silence and the *spit* ACLU *spit*
• Dr. Helen - who I've only recently blogrolled [smacks head] - asks if forgiveness is always necessary. Check out the comments, too: lots of good discussion goes on at her place.
• The Red Queen is home!
• Dr. Rusty is conflicted. I'm not - I vote for all three!
• SC&A has some great pshrink jokes - and points to a very interesting interview...
• The Anchoress excerpts another interview - BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good one!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

And the Beloved Husband forwarded these fun quotes, so I decided to pass them along. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel shamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver." ~ Jack Handy

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. " ~Frank Sinatra

"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." ~ Henny Youngman

"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not." ~ Stephen Wrigh

"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. Sooooo, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!" ~ Brian O'Rourke

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." ~ Dave Barry

BEER: HELPING UGLY PEOPLE HAVE SEX SINCE 3000 B.C.!!! ~ "Unknown"

Remember "I" before "E", except in Budweiser.

To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a safe and fun St. Patrick's Day!

Did I forget to tell you?

This old thing?

It's gone. Sold. Off of our backs. BUH-bye!! The ink is dry, the moolah is in the bank - no refunds, no return!

That mortgage is OFF our backs, and for the first time in the-Good-Lord-God-Almighty-only-knows, we have only... (wait for it... )....

ONE MORTGAGE!!!!!!!

W00t!

I hope and pray the family who bought that house enjoy it for many years, and make many happy memories in it... But *I'm* glad it's

Gone like a freight-train, gone like yesterday
Gone like a soldier in the civil war, bang bang
Gone like a '59 Cadillac
Like all the good things that ain't never coming back
She's gone (gone) gone (gone) gone (gone) gone
She's gone

God is truly wonderful, gracious, beneficient, and generous. Thanks, Lord! You are generous beyond anything I could ever think of deserving!

It's a good news kind of day!

Thanks to Emperor Misha I, I know know about this little news item. Yes, I know it's a month old - but then, it isn't something I'd expect the MSM to report:

More than 1,000 Muslims staged a surprising pro-US rally Saturday in Jolo, where thousands of American and Filipino soldiers are to start a month-long joint military drills and humanitarian mission in the impoverished island, about 950 kilometers south of Manila.

...

"I call on every Muslims in Sulu to support the government and the Balikatan program because this will bring us more humanitarian aid. Let us show the world that we are peaceful citizens. I appeal to every Muslims to welcome our American visitors and support their peaceful cause," the 50-year old leader [ed. - the Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun], who is a staunch supporter of President Gloria Arroyo, said.

Pulalun appealed to Washington to send more humanitarian aid to poor Muslims in Jolo.

The huge crowd gathered in downtown Jolo where many people were spotted waving hundreds of small US and Philippine flags and placards welcoming the Americans.

"We Love You America, Welcome!," one placard reads. "This is why we really want, we need the Americans to help us fight terrorism and so we may live peacefully here," said Abdulgafur Omar, a 29-year old trader.

As His Dread Lordship states,

Now THAT'S the kind of attitude we should support, and I hope we get to see more of it.

You said it, Misha! I am in complete agreement!

UPDATE - (Via Ace) Go read this article!! Verrrrry interesting.....

Moreover, whenever imams accuse non-Muslims of being heretics, curse them, and portray Jews as descendents of monkeys and pigs, they create in the Western mind an image of Islam as an intolerant religion that rejects religious diversity.

Consequently, Muslims themselves are responsible for disfiguring Islam's image in the Western mind. They have failed to present a positive image of Islam, and therefore are responsible for all the trouble that has descended on Muslims today.

World of good

A new blog-friend of mine, K T Cat of the Scratching Post, has a wonderful tribute up for our guys and gals in the military. This time, he's focussing on our valiant Navy.

Did you know that our Navy doesn't simply go to war with ships, planes and missles? They also go to war against hurt and pain and devestation. Our Navy was the first responder to the terrible destruction of the tidal wave in December, 2004. Our men and women all over the world are the first to hold out a helping hand, because that's the kind of people they are.

Like the United States herself, our military forces are "No better friend, no worse enemy."

God bless our men and women warriors who hold out their hands in peace, even in the midst of war!

Thanks, KT!

Buzz ParTAY!!!

Well, we're having a little buzz party over at Flightpundit's place tonight. Raven and I are thinking that the South Park Republicans need to do something silly like this once or twice a week, rotating hosts.

Possible "rules" (which certainly could be bent, twisted, and/or thrown out, so long as we were having fun and being silly) might be:

• Host/ess finds something ridiculous/outrageous/wierd to post on and then
• Ya gotta have had at least ONE drink to comment
• Ya gotta have fun/be absurd
• Teasing and chatter welcomed
• but no grossgross stuff (excessive swearing fer instance)
• frivolity is the rule of the thread, hehehehehe

For those of us who might be "hard core," we might suggest that every time you comment, you've gotta drain the glass, dude (hey! sparkling water counts - I can get very silly on sparkling water, with the right provocation, LOL)

(Well, Raven can get very silly, too, but she prefers tequila *snicker*)

Bush's approval ratings low

OK. I have two words for you: So. What.

Seriously. So what? Half the time you find out those polls used faulty screening or twisted the interpretation of the answers. The other half of the time - well, 100% of the time - there are never any suggestions to make necessary changes or propose solutions. And, this is, what?, the fourth or fifth poll with these "results" in the past couple of months. People, BUSH will not be running for re-election!

In the words of a great song, "My Give-A-Damn's Busted."

C'mon, let's move on to more interesting topics, OK?

What is it with "feminists"?

This past weekend, the Cotillion Ladies were buzzing about a general topic to post on this week, and the general consensus was the insanity and hypocracy running rampant through the moonbat legions of die-hard *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp*.

Now, I am all for equal job/equal pay, I believe that men and women should be given respect and courtesy in equal amounts, and I don't believe discrimination based on gender is acceptable. Therefore, I suppose you could call me a "feminist" of sorts, and I'm sure a lot of other women would sign on to that definition. However, we're not discussing "feminists," we're talking about *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp*.

It is my considered opinion that these females are no credit to womenkind at all. Frankly, when you get absolute insanity like the Vagina Monologues from these moonbats, how can you really take any of them seriously? C'mon... talking vaginas? On Valentine's Day? As a symbol of female empowerment? Good grief, how can it be empowering when you reduce a woman to her sexual organs?

It makes me wonder whether these *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp* have seen the progress women have made in the last decades. It is no longer assumed that women will stay home, barefoot and pregnant - most women are encouraged to go out and have fulfilling careers, and it's only the very un-PC and clueless guy that derides the career woman's choice.

However, on the other hand, for a long while mothers were scorned and marginalized because they weren't going out and striking a blow for the *gasp* FEMINISTS' *gasp* issues. There is still a little frisson of shame when, in reply to an inquiry about my job, I say, "I'm a wife and a mother."

Why? I am the one who keeps the house running - providing a clean, healthy, warm and loving place for my husband and daughter. I am the one who is Chief Advisor to my husband, offering advice and counsel, support and comfort. I am the one who teaches our daughter that she can do anything she wants if she's willing to work hard and use her head. I am the one who educates and guides and feeds and nurtures and cherishes my famiy. I am the heart of my family, when it comes down to it, and I am proud to be so.

If *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp* are all about empowering women, why are women getting breast implants (hey, I'd prefer a reduction - I'd be happy to donate! [rolls eyes]) and vagina-lifts?? How crazy is that?! How does encouraging women to have sex with each and any reatively acceptable guy she comes across help empower her? How does pornography, and bearing your breasts in public to protest something help advance the cause of women? It simply goes back to that archaic stereotype - that women are simply sexual objects, and that if they want to get something, they must use their SEX to get it.

That seems very backward to me.

What about the other side of the coin? How about how the *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp* and their agenda dismisses men? In their wordview, men are either total incompetants, unworthy of being husbands and fathers and leaders, or men are opressive, totalitarian monsters dedicated to supressing women and crushing their potential. Hey, there are some men like that... and they're mostly Muslim! Why haven't the *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp* been loudly outraged about the barbaric treatment of women in Islam? Why won't the *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp* stand with their (supposed) sistren in Islam to decry the cruel and unfair treatment like clitorectomies, honor killings, forced marriages, denied schooling and work, required chaperonage, inability to drive or vote, forced submission... I don't see any push against this sort of treatment by any of the Looney Moonbats who call themselves *gasp* FEMINISTS *gasp*, do you?

Anyway, which is it, women? Are men imbeciles or monsters? Realistically, men are just like women: some are good and smart and kind, others are bad and dumb and cruel, and others are somewhere in between... And, believe me, men and women each have their own faults - why don't we women take the log out of our own eye before we go trying to pick out the speck in the men's eye, hmmmm?

When it comes down to it, men and women are each individual persons (ik, I hate that useage, but you know what I mean). Let's try to treat each other like the unique individuals we are, stop with the passive "Oh, poor little me" syndrome, and buckle down and get some work done. 'Cause believe me, honey, if you aren't willing to stiffen the upper lip, stop playing the sex card, and be self-reliant, you're just going to reduce yourself to being a little toy on someone's arm, and that gets no one anywhere.

(Crossposted to Third World County)

Monday is the day for it!

... and Doug at Below the Beltway has this week's Virginia Blog Carnival posted! Alton hosted last week, and Doug does a superb job himself. I'm especially interested in reading Will Evans' post about mens rights (IIRC, I scanned it in my RSS feedreader, but didn't mark it -- Arrrgghhh!). I also want to check out Doug's post on the topic. Ah, heck, they ALL look interesting!

Well, after I get home from running errands, I'll have some good stuff to read!

Fantastic round-up

... for this week's Carnival of the Cats. Justin, at Random Thoughts, has done a wonderful job linking each and every one of these adorable and talented and snuggly and cute and... Well, he's done a great job introducing all the furr-purrs!

So, make sure you go on over and feed your cat-addiction! (C'mon, don't lie - you know you love the furry li'l critturs!)

Carnival of Recipes

This week's Carnival of Recipes is up, hosted at Dubious Wonder. Go check out all the yummy goodness, including *my* nummy, easy recipe, found right here.

AMAZING!

You've GOT to go see these pictures! This guy is an Artist!

Personal DNA

I got this from Beth at MVRWC, and it was pretty interesting.Actually, a lot of things on the write-up really clicked - "Yeah, that's me" popped into my head more than a few times.

Go on over and check it out!

Awwwwww!

This is just TOO CUTE!!!

(HT to Wittingshire)

Say WHAT?!

From Conservative Voice News: Pink Floyd Leader Urged by Palestinians to Boycott Israel

Representatives from a Palestinian group are pressuring Roger Waters, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, to cancel a scheduled rock concert in Tel Aviv in June as a protest against Israeli policy towards the Palestinians.

A coalition of activists, cultural organizations and other Palestinian supporters have sent a letter to Mr. Waters asking him to remove the Israeli city from his summer concert tour. Waters has been vocal about his strong opposition to the 450-mile security wall being built by Israel to protect them from terrorist attacks.

Fortunately (well, so far - he may cave), in spite of being against the security wall, Roger Waters isn't planning to cancel:

But Waters responded to the letter when he was interviewed by the British media. He stated: "I am happy to play to anybody who believes in peace. I don't discriminate between any of my fans, wherever they live. Being an Israeli does not disbar from being a human being."

Good for him. But, geeze, if he caves, I know someone who is gonna be really pissed, 'cause she loves Pink Floyd!

Hey, if the Paleo-swinians are so concerned about Israel's "atrocities" against them, perhaps they ought to take some advice from another "rock star" and take a long, hard look at the "Man in the Mirror."

Brainless Chicken Stir-fry Stew

Rather odd, don't you think, that a lot of my recipes are "brainless," for "morons", or "easy" and so on? Probably because a) I like to cook with a glass of wine in my hand, and b) I'm often just winging it - "What's in the pantry? Geeze, I've gotta get THAT out of the freezer...."

So, for this contribution to the Carnival of the Recipes, the first ever "Stir-fry Stew."

OK, OK, there may be more out there, but *I've* never seen one!

Ingredients:

• About 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed.
• Two tablespoons, give or take, of McCormick's Carribean Jerk Seasoning. Yes, you'll be able to find it. If *I* can get it at the Food Lion in my teeny tiny little town, YOU'll be able to get it at your supermarket!
• One can of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis. I used the regular, but if you want to use the extra hot, you go right ahead!
• Oil for cooking
• Cooked rice - about 6 cups. I used brown rice, but white is OK.

Method:

Mix the chicken and the Jerk Seasoning together and let marinate for a while. Have a glass of wine. Maybe a beer. Have another. When your vision is just a bit fuzzy, then you can heat up the skillet.

I tease - you are not required to drink alcohol to prepare this! But, you ought to let the chicken marinate for about an hour. Let it go longer if you like, but try for that hour, at minimum.

All right. Heat up that non-stick skillet. I hope it's fairly large so you can fit all this in. After the skillet is hot, add a little oil... Just a LITTLE, because this is a non-stick skillet, right? When the oil is hot, add the chicken (in batches, if you like - I just dumped the whole shebang in) and stirfry it over medium-high heat.

When everything is browned - although in the case of chicken, it's really "whited" - or no longer pink, dump in the Ro*Tel, lower the heat to, um, LOW, and cover. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Serve over rice and enjoy. This is another one that the Beloved Husband really enjoyed. I guess he likes it when I go into Mad Scientist-mode...

If you want to make things more complicated, you could certainly add onions and garlic and green bell peppers (not me - I hate green bell peppers!). But recipes like this really ought to encourage you to experiment with what's in stock in your own kitchen, and have some fun, besides. Who knows? You might discover something which becomes a family favorite!

Preparing the Smudge-beam Spot

Smudgie makes sure her sunbeam spot is just right, curling and washing and stretching in the warmth.

Please don't forget to go by the Modulator's for the Friday Ark. On Sunday, you'll be able to enjoy the Carnival of the Cats, hosted this week by Justin's Random Thoughts.

(Links - and more pictures - to follow, if Audioblog doesn't let me do the HTML for the links) (Yay! Audioblog did the HTML! W00t!)

Welcome!

The little Phinlet has made his appearance! Go by Phin's blog and offer your congratulations and praise - the phinlet is a very handsome young man!

Where the heck are my Birkenstocks?!

Not only did I do the Mom-thing (sort of) with the daughter's homework tonight, but today I cleaned the kitchen and milled some whole wheat flour.

Now why, you ask, would I need fresh whole-what (EDIT: Um, y'all knew I meant "whEat," right?) flour?!

Well, to bake these, of course! Mmmm, fresh bread - there's nothing like it!

Next thing you know, I'll be subscribing to Mother Earth News, wearing beads and a "peace" sign, and voting Dhimmicrat... Oh, Lord - somebody SAVE me!!!

UPDATE: See? I TOLD you it was yummy!

Working on a school project

The Darling Munchkin, who is in Fourth Grade, is working on a project for her class, which requires her to gather facts about the State of Virginia.

I swear, it's been like pulling impacted wisdom teeth!

Thus, I am writng this post to show her how it ought to be done, so feel free to completely ignore this post - but if you do, I request that you send up a few prayers on my behalf so I don't go mad with frustration!

The first of the six sections of her "scrapbook" project is basic Virginia facts - state flag, state bird etc., etc. - and it's all below the fold. (And, yes, I'm going to TRY to modify my style to something more like a 4th grader...)

Awesome interview!

Jonahan Witt, at ID the Future, posts a wonderful and witty interview with David Belinski (also Google here).

Oh, my gosh - Mr. Berlinski is an incredible interviewee!

Re: Richard Dawkins:

An interesting case, very louche - fascinating and repellant. Fascinating because like Noam Chomsky he has the strange power effortlessly to command attention. Just possibly both men are descended from a line of simian carnival barkers, great apes who adventitiously found employment at a circus. I really should look at this more closely. Repellent because Dawkins is that depressingly familiar figure - the intellectual fanatic. What is it that he has said? "It is absolutely safe to say that, if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I'd rather not consider that)". Substitute 'Allah' for 'evolution,' and these words might have been uttered by some fanatical Mullah just itching to get busy with a little head-chopping. If he ever gets tired of Oxford, Dawkins could probably find a home at Finsbury Park.

On Darwinism and ideological systems:

Marxism is an ideological system, or was, and Darwinism is like Marxism. Darwinism, I must stress, the sibilant distinguishing the man from his message. By itself, Darwin's theory of random variation and natural selection would simply be a hopelessly premature 19th century thought experiment, vastly less important than Clerk Maxwell's theory of the electromagnetic field, which was completed at roughly the same time.

On literary evolution (??!! -- I know, I know):

Why must literature be understood in any terms beyond the literary? Just recently someone named David Barash - an evolutionary psychologist, it goes without saying - published a book together with his wife called Madame Bovary's Ovaries. Her ovaries? Look, set aside the appalling vulgarity of the book and its title, its almost unfathomable literary and intellectual crudeness. To talk about Madame Bovary's ovaries is a little like looking at one of Rembrandt's late self-portraits of his face and wondering whether the man suffered from bunions. What we know of the man is right there on the canvass. Nothing else. To imagine that somehow there is a real woman to be found in Flaubert's nacreous masterpiece is to regard art the way an infant or a primitive regards art.

Of course, these are just tiny snippets - please do yourself a favor and go read the whole thing. It's very rare that an interview is as educational and entertaining as this one! (And, it's only the first part - can't wait for the second!)

Leave it to Kender...

... to start my day with a laugh! Thanks, bro'!

The Virginia Blog Carnival is up!

Over at I'm Not Emeril... And he does a stupendous job! Twenty two entries, and he leads you through them beautifully - I'm only about halfway through, and I've already got five or six waiting in new tabs for me to read.

*sigh*

I have GOT to have something ready for the VA Carnival next week! (And the Carnival of Recipes, and the Carnival of the Cats.. yeah, yeah, I've been a baaaaaad blogger!)

God is watching over us

A very dear friend sent this image to me in an e-mail, and added that this is apparently an unretouched photo. I'd love to track that down to verify, but it is a beautiful picture, nonetheless.

I am very grateful to God for His grace, mercy, and tremendous blessing over this country - we do not deserve it, and yet His kindness abounds to us all. It reminds me of Psalm 33:12 -

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

That's a very familiar verse to many Christians, but don't forget the whole of this incredible Psalm

Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth. [that's "ALL His work" Not just part - everything!]

He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Everything on the earth, and in the heavens, and in the universe belongs to the Lord God Almighty. He created it all, and it is by His will and His power that everything continues to exist. It is God Who giudes the counsel of men, it is God Who renews our hearts, and those nations and people who follow His commands are the nations and people He blesses.

All we have, all American has, we owe to Him, and we should never forget that debt.

The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.

No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.

Indeed, Father - let Your mercy be upon us, let Your hand rest on this nation and her people to turn our hearts wholly back to You! Let us live in Your love and in Your law in humbleness and compassion, and let us never shirk the duty You put before us. Let Your righteousness blossome in our spirits, that we may long to show Your loving, merciful face to all the world.

Reach down, I pray, to this sad, violent and dark world and give us Your Light that we may walk in Your will in peace and joy for all people. Sent Your Holy Spirit to revive those dead souls who do not know You - give them abundant life in Your beloved Son that they may have a joyful eternity and not be cast into the fires of Hell.

Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us! Lord, have mercy, for we have cast all our hopes on You! Let the richness of Your mercies be proclaimed throughout the land, and may Your Name be glorified forever and ever!

Amen!

(Crossposted over at the Cotillion)

Don't miss these two...

... brilliant posts from David at Third World County - "Synergistic Exegesis"

Now, stretch your mind artound this analogy: YOU are the coin. You owe your very existance to your Creator. What would He say your two sides and middle should be comprised of? What sort of metal and composition would He best stamp (or re-stamp) His image onto?

Consider Micah 6:8 for a possible answer:

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Would it not be fitting to consider those "metals" as proper for impressing the imago dei?

Justice. Mercy. Humility.

Go read the whole thing - go on! - and then come back and look at the Random Yak's post on Psalm 57:

Emotions cannot be trusted and must not be permitted to give direction to anyone's life. Guidance and action must come from the spirit, from the inner person who is open and responsive to God. Often, very often, emotions will follow God's spiritual intervention, and songs may ring out. But emotions also can be influenced from the outside, from the world, and from the influences of the enemy on tired minds and bodies, and then emotions are deceptive and destructive. Following times of greatest spiritual intensity, emotions become susceptible to being turned back against us, against our bodies and our minds and against our spirits, causing us momentarily to doubt or stumble. Take care. Listen to your spirit, not to your circumstances or your passing doubts. As you live in the spirit, your emotions will realign themselves with the truth and reality of God, and you will again sing praise to God in truth and faith.

Oh, God is definitely talking to me today!

Oh, yes!

The Delftsman posted this last week, and I just saw it today - perfect, perfect!!!

Please also swing by his blog to wish him well: he's in the hospital with some serious issues, and he needs prayer, too!

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need.I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

When you read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world. Pass this request to all who might pray. Do not let it stop with you, please - of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best!!!

Thank you.

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence" (2 Samuel 22: 2, 3, NKJV)

"Amen," indeed! Pass it on!

Fight On!

My beloved blog-brother, GM Roper, is fighting cancer. He was diagnosed just a couple weeks ago, went through surgery this past Monday, and is currently in recovery. He's a tough, determined, and optimistic man, he has a very loving and supportive family, and he's going to look this tumor in the eye and fight it to his victory.

I am blessed to be associated with him, both in the Wide Awakes, and in the South Park Republicans. He is an encouragement to me, a reasoned voice in the blogosphere, and a beloved brother.

I've been in the process of making a quilt for him and his Lady Wife, in part because my finances are a bit strained right now, but mostly because it's a way I can send real, physical hugs to a gentleman of honor, grace and intelligence who I admire greatly.

And so, to my friends and readers, I'd like to make a very rare - but earnest - bleg. GM has some very substantial medical bills, and any assistance you could give would be very much appreciated. Would you do me the favor of going to his site and clicking on his PayPal button and making a donation? It's on his right margin, just a little bit down from the top, with a Visa/MasterCard button displayed on it.

GM is an honorable man, honest and forthright, and encourages civil and reasoned discussion. I love him dearly, even though I've never met him face to face. He is fighting this cancer with determination and optimism, and it would be a blessing to him for us all to show our support in some way. Financial support right now might be the most practical method, but if you can't, please stop by and let him know your best wishes and prayers are with him and his family.

NSFW - But totally hilarious!

The latest (I assume) YAAFM* is up. VERY much NSFW, and I don't agree with all the attitudes, of course, but oooooo! Go watch!

I'm a city?

Thanks to blog bother, Doug, over at Below the Beltway:

You Are Miami

Sexy and beautiful, you turn heads wherever you go. A little spicy and a little exotic, you're fully aware of your unique appeal. Totally high energy, you keep the party going early into the morning. Famous Miami residents: Anna Kournikova, OJ Simpson, Enrique Iglesias

What American City Are You?

Cool.

I forgot to post this the other day

I'm down in Florida this week, visiting my parents, and for the first couple of days, their former pastor was here, too. He found this interesting editorial in USA Today and read it aloud: Power, maturity steer Christian movement.

I thought it was very interesting, and fortunately was able to find it online.

Instead of reacting with outraged calls for censorship or condemnation, the much-reviled minions of the so-called religious right have mostly ignored the movie, allowing it to collect every sort of honor with shockingly scant controversy. While derided by prominent liberals as "the Taliban wing of the Republican Party," conservative Christian leaders have displayed a new sense of security and confidence, in dramatic contrast to the paranoid Muslim mobs that riot across the globe over a dozen disrespectful Danish cartoons.

The whole article is well worth the read, but I think our favorite quote was

This new confidence on the part of conservative Christians highlights the vast gulf between this nation's religious conservatives and the vulnerability and hysteria of Islamist militants in the rest of the world. Widespread rhetorical and real-world violence in response to rude caricatures in an obscure Danish newspaper doesn't express religious strength or zeal but reflects, rather, an underlying sense of powerlessness and desperation.

With the spread of democracy even in unlikely Middle Eastern locales, Muslim fanatics sense they are losing the struggle; on the other hand, religious conservatives in the USA who take a cleareyed look at their own position of influence see themselves as part of the nation's most dynamic social and cultural force.

How cool is that?