PatriotJournal's Xanga

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Wed, 23 Mar 2005 20:48:48 GMT

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I've been focusing on school and other important things.

I may have another update later this week, we'll see.

Hope everyone is doing well.

God bless,

-Justin

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 16:31:51 GMT

Good afternoon!

This is an early update because I'm leaving this afternoon and will be out of town for the remainder of the week so today's post will contain information from yesterday and early this morning.

So, let's begin...

An update...

Bills compete to save Schiavo...

TALLAHASSEE -- With less than three days to go before Terri Schiavo's feeding tube is removed, the Florida Senate on Tuesday significantly changed the legislation designed to forestall her death.

Earlier this week, key lawmakers in the House and Senate reached a tentative agreement on a bill to block the court-ordered removal of the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube at 1 p.m. Friday.

But that deal seemed to fall apart Tuesday, at least in the short term, when the final committees hearing the legislation in both the House and Senate approved competing versions. Members of both chambers planned to renew discussions today and said they were "optimistic" they could reach a new consensus before the deadline.

"We've got time to get it done . . . I'm hopeful to sign something Friday. That's the plan," Gov. Jeb Bush said.

In general, both versions seek to prevent Terri Schiavo's death by blocking a guardian from allowing someone in a persistent vegetative state to die by withholding food and water, unless that person made clear in writing that they did not want artificial sustenance.

Terri Schiavo, who collapsed 15 years ago, did not have a living will. But her husband, Michael Schiavo, maintains that his wife, before falling ill, had made clear in casual conversations that she did not want to be kept alive artificially.

Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, disagree and have been fighting Michael Schiavo's efforts to remove her feeding tube and allow her to die.

Michael Schiavo, making his first public comments Tuesday since late 2003 to ABC News Nightline, lashed out at Bush and the Legislature.

"It's really uncomprehensible . . . for a governor to come into this without any education on the subject and push his personal views into this and have his Republican [Legislature] pass laws so that this doesn't happen," Schiavo said, according to a transcript released by ABC. "Are they going to start pushing legislation for removing ventilators? Are they going to start forcing people to take chemo against their wishes? What they're doing is, they're making the decisions for us."

Added his attorney, George Felos: "Jeb Bush in Florida is determined to become the George Wallace of his generation, standing on the courthouse steps saying, 'We're not going to obey a court order that carries out a patient's constitutional rights.' "

(To learn more about this whole situation and my opinion on it, click here.)

Glenn Beck has been struggling to save the life of Terri Schiavo ever since I began listening to him about 5 years ago. This past week, Glenn has been hammering Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo.

He has begun a "How much is one life worth?" promotion, stating that if Michael gives up custody of his wife, he'll give him the money that his listeners have pledged - which is now over $1.5 million.

Michael will most likely not take Glenn up on his offer, or care. But what Glenn is trying to do here is show the apparent disregard Michael has for his wife. Michael has had a kid with another woman (not his wife, because he is still legally married to Terri) and another on the way.

More...

Glenn Beck is not one to stop at just a life-saving promotion. He's gone further, promoting the idea of "I Starved My Wife To Death" T-shirts, key chains, and coffee mugs (which are not for sale).

The T-shirt idea may be funny, but what Glenn and others, are really trying to do is show the irony of this whole situation to the American people, hoping they will take action.

And of course, the great thing about America is that the people can take action. If you'd like to help out in saving Terri's life, I encourage you to make a phone call or send an email to any of the following Florida state lawmakers contained within this link. The courts have had their say, now it's time for the American people to tell Michael Schiavo and the judge presiding over this case what they think.

Here are some various links on this issue...

Wikipedia: Terri Schiavo...

Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation...

Lying about Terri Schiavo...

Was Terri Schiavo Beaten in 1990?

Terri Schiavo denied Last Rites...

Schiavo suspects bulimia caused wife's collapse...

St. Pete Times: Understanding Terri Schiavo...

...provides arguments from her husband and her family.

News wire...

More links...

May God bless Terri, and her family as her fate draws near.

Since we're discussing the legal system...

Justice Scalia Delivers Denunciation of 'Living Constitution' Theory...

WASHINGTON - Speaking to an audience of about 50 people at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington Monday, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia denounced the idea that the Constitution is “a living document” in which judges can find new meanings that were not intended by those who wrote it.

“The Constitution is not a living organism, for Pete’s sake, it is legal document, and like all legal documents, it says some things and doesn’t say others,” he said.

In the past 30 years, in its abortion, homosexual sodomy and death penalty decisions, the Supreme Court has, Scalia, said, “essentially liberated itself from the text of the Constitution … and even from the traditions of the American people.”

What he sees as a trend of judges reading new meanings into the Constitution “will destroy the Constitution,” he predicted.

Scalia explained his dissent from the court’s decision on March 1 to ban the execution of those under age 18. The five-justice majority said such executions violated the Eighth Amendment.

“What was ‘cruel and unusual’ and unconstitutional in 1791 remains that today. Executing someone under 18 was not unconstitutional in 1791, so it is not unconstitutional today. Now, it may be very stupid, it may be a very bad idea, just as notching ears, which was a punishment in 1791, is a very bad idea. But the people can … eliminate those stupidities if and when they want. … All you need is a legislature and the ballot box.”

He said Americans also can create a right to abortion or can legitimize homosexual sodomy democratically, through their state legislatures and Congress, if they want to do so.

I think it's good to have a public forum and debate on the court system in this country because the courts have such a powerful impact on our lives. Issues such as these need to be heard and understood by the American people so that there can be a true "balance of powers".

More articles on court decisions and "life" issues...

Texas Baby to Be Taken Off Life Support - Against Mother's Wishes...

Planned Parenthood Sues Indiana in Tug-of-War Over Medical Records...

Michigan's Partial Birth Abortion Ban Delayed...

Other various news...

Newsmax: N.Y. Times: Iraq Had WMD 'Stockpiles' in 2003...

Telegraph (UK): Saddam's $2m offer to WMD inspector...

Rice Says U.S. Concerned by China Military Build-Up...

World Tribune: U.S. catches China transferring WMD tech to Iran...

Anthrax at Two Pentagon Mailrooms...

Senate Poised to Clear the Way for ANWR Drilling...

Members of Congress Face Their Own Mounting Credit Card Debts...

Rewritten Bible Banishes Saints...

Finally, Gizoogle...

Gizoogle parody Web site puts the sizzle into 'izzle'...

There are words and phrases that manipulate their way into the collective language of coolness -- making them so uncool.

"You da man!" is one such phrase. A few years ago, it had 50-year-old guys in office slacks pointing finger guns.

And who can forget "Wassup?!"

After this story, we can add all things "izzle."

Fo shizzle. Fo realizzle.

Because now, for the Internet gangsta inside us all, there is Gizoogle.

Reader be warned: This isn't a family-friendly Web site.

Gizoogle is the illegitimate, thugged-out cousin of Google that translates its search results into Snoop Dogg slang, or izzle-speak. Enter "Vice President Dick Cheney" in the search field and it turns up "Vizzy President Dizzle Cheney." It then supplies the same information on the subjects as Google does -- except it's izzle-filled and obscenity laden.

Apparently the site will also translate any site you want into the "izzle" language.

I don't know whether to laugh, sigh, or just be confused.

Fo shizzle.

-Justin

Monday, March 14, 2005

Mon, 14 Mar 2005 21:17:47 GMT

Ashley Smith: An ordinary woman with extraordinary courage...

ATLANTA - Ashley Smith, the woman held hostage in her apartment by the suspect in Atlanta’s courthouse slayings, said Monday she hopes Brian Nichols realizes he did the right thing by not killing her and instead surrendering without a fight.

“I hope that he’s sitting in jail right now, thinking that he did the right thing and that he knows he did the right thing," Smith said on NBC's "Today" show.

Smith, 26, added that Nichols "finally let me leave when I told him I needed to" go see her 5-year-old daughter, Paige, who was at a church function.

Nichols apparently was touched by that mother-daughter connection. "I just told him that she didn't have a daddy anymore and if he killed me she wouldn't have a mommy either. I saw her face in my head almost the entire time," she told NBC. Smith's husband was killed in a stabbing four years ago.

"It calmed him down a little," Smith added, noting that when she finally opened her door to leave, Nichols asked, "Will you tell Paige hello for me?"

Discussing God
Smith told a news conference on Sunday that when Nichols let her go he said he wanted to stay at her apartment for a few more days.

During the ordeal, Smith said she gently talked to Nichols, turning from hostage to confidant as they discussed God, family, pancakes and the massive manhunt going on outside her apartment.

“I believe God brought him to my door,” Smith said just hours after her 911 call ended a manhunt for Nichols, who is accused of killing four people and wounding a fifth.

Brian Nichols

He felt 'already dead'
Over the course of the night, Nichols untied Smith, and some of the fear lessened as they talked. Nichols told Smith he felt like “he was already dead,” but Smith urged him to consider the fact that he was still alive a “miracle.”

“You’re here in my apartment for some reason,” she told him, saying he might be destined to be caught and to spread the word of God to fellow prisoners. She told him his escape from authorities had been a “miracle.”

Smith later called 911 after she was freed, and police soon surrounded her suburban apartment complex. Nichols gave up peacefully, waving a white towel in surrender.

“I honestly think when I looked at him that he didn’t want to do it anymore,” Smith said. If he did not give up, she told him, “Lots more people are probably going get hurt and you’re probably going to die.”

'Best-case scenario'
Police said they were impressed by the way Smith handled herself.

“She acted very cool and levelheaded. We don’t normally see that in our profession,” said Gwinnett County Police Officer Darren Moloney. “It was an absolutely best-case scenario that happened, a complete opposite of what you expected to happen. We were prepared for the worst and got the best.”

The crime spree began when Nichols allegedly overpowered a courthouse deputy escorting him to his rape trial Friday and took the deputy’s gun, then killed the presiding judge and court reporter. He also is accused of killing a deputy who tried to stop him outside the courthouse and a federal agent during his flight from authorities.

Smith said her ordeal began around 2 a.m. Saturday morning with Nichols sticking a gun in her side in the parking lot of her apartment when she returned from a store.

He tied her up and told her to sit in the bathroom while he took a shower. “He said, ‘I’m not going to hurt you if you just do what I say,”’ she said. He told her: “I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt anybody else.”

He wanted 'normalness'
Choking back tears, she said she told Nichols that her husband died four years ago and if he hurt her, her little girl wouldn’t have a mother or father. Smith’s attorney, Josh Archer, said her husband died in her arms after being stabbed.

The two talked about the Bible and she handed him photos of her family. When morning came, Nichols was “overwhelmed” when Smith made him pancakes with real butter, she said. He told her he “just wanted some normalness to his life,” she said.

Nichols at one point called her "an angel sent from God," Smith said.

The two watched television news reports about the slayings and the manhunt. “I cannot believe that’s me on there,” Smith quoted Nichols as saying.

Escape 'was preventable'
Nichols could appear in federal court as early as Monday to face a charge of possession of a firearm by a person under indictment, the charge authorities are using to keep Nichols in custody while they sort out charging in the slayings, said U.S. Attorney David Nahmias.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office hopes to formally charge Nichols with the new crimes within 30 days, spokesman Erik Friedly said Sunday. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard still would like to resolve Nichols’ interrupted rape retrial.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday that a courthouse surveillance camera recorded Nichols’ initial surprise attack on Deputy Cynthia Hall but that no one in the control center noticed the assault.

“It’s not just horrible, it was preventable,” Senior Superior Court Judge Philip Etheridge told the newspaper.

Video captures attack
A video camera, which is supposed to be monitored by two guards in a command post, shows Nichols and the deputy arriving in the holding area between two courtrooms, according to a law enforcement official who saw the tape. The video shows Hall guiding Nichols, whose hands are still handcuffed behind his back, into one of two open cells.

Hall releases one cuff and turns Nichols around to unhook the remaining cuff. But the muscular, 33-year-old Nichols then lunges at Hall, knocking the petite, 51-year-old grandmother backward into another cell. Both disappear from camera view. Two to three minutes later, Nichols emerges from the cell, holding Hall’s gun belt and police radio. He picks up her keys from the floor and locks her in the cell.

A few minutes later, he emerges in civilian clothes. He locks the door behind him and calmly walks out of the holding area, carrying the gun belt, according to the official who saw the tape.

Judge Etheridge said Hall should not have been alone with Nichols, a former college linebacker who had been found with two sharpened door hinges in his socks earlier in the week.

Hall remained in critical condition Sunday, Grady Memorial Hospital officials said. Killed were Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, court reporter Julie Brandau, Sgt. Hoyt Teasley and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent David Wilhelm.

(Note: I highly encourage you to read the transcript of Smith's account of the whole ordeal. It's truly amazing.)

My commentary...

What amazing courage and faith this woman has.

I can not fathom what it must be like to witness your spouse being stabbed to death, then to see them die in your arms as Ashley did four years ago.

I furthermore can not understand what it must be like to have a known-murderer come into your apartment and threaten your life knowing that if you were to die your 5-year-old daughter would be an orphan.

Lastly, it's amazing that someone would have such strength and courage to talk their way out of danger and live to tell the world about it.

This story is captivating. It's all over the news here in America and around the world, and everyone wants to know, "how did she do it?"

Her aunt says it wasn't her, it was God working through her.

(From CNN): Smith said she asked Nichols if she could read. She retrieved a Bible and a copy of "The Purpose-Driven Life." She said he asked her to repeat a paragraph "about what you thought your purpose in life was -- what talents were you given."

You see, Ashley was given a choice in her life. When her husband died, she could have blamed herself and been depressed for years to come. However, she decided to press onward, against tragedy and put her faith into something greater than herself. She probably began reading the Bible for comfort and solace during that great time of fear and uncertainty - just like she did last week, while facing death.

Ashley looked fear right in the face and in the most direct, yet politest way possible said, "This is God's will, I will trust in Him, and I will be victorious". Sure enough, her faith paid off and she lived to tell about it.

Everyone wants to know why they are here and why they were created and Ashley was no different. She probably prayed night after night, asking God to show her a purpose, a reason for living.

Well this past week, in the most mysterious way possible, it appears that God has answered her prayer. Now the whole world knows who Ashley Smith is, her amazing story, and about her amazing faith in God, who kept His promise: "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

Just another example of triumph in the midst of a horrendous tragedy.

My prayers go out to the friends and families of the victims in last week's shootings. May God bring them strength during this time of great trial.

Related links...

March 11: Two Dead, Four Injured, In Shooting At Atlanta Courthouse...

March 12: US Customs Agent Found Dead in Atlanta...

March 12: Atlanta Courtroom Shooting Suspect Captured, Being Held by FBI...

March 14: Ga. Courthouse Reopens Amid Tight Security...

Other news...

"We're not leavin' until you are..."

Thousands March Against Syria in Beirut...

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators chanted "Freedom, sovereignty, independence," and waved a sea of Lebanese flags in Beirut on Monday, the biggest anti-Syrian protest yet in the opposition's duel of street rallies with supporters of the Damascus-backed government.

Crowds of Druse, Christians and Sunni Muslims flooded Martyrs' Square and spilled over into nearby streets — responding to an opposition call to turn out for the removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

"We are coming to liberate our country. We are coming to demand the truth," said Fatma Trad, a veiled Sunni Muslim woman who traveled from the remote region of Dinniyeh in northern Lebanon to take part.

The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri exactly one month ago sparked the series of protests against Syria, the dominant power in Lebanon.

The throngs fell silent at 12:55 p.m. — the exact time Hariri was killed four weeks ago by a huge bomb in Beirut. The silence was broken only by church bells tolling and the flutter of flags.

.....

Protesters chanted "Truth, freedom, national unity!" or "We want only the Lebanese army in Lebanon!"

"Syria out, no half measures," read a banner, borrowing from President Bush's description of Damascus' gradual withdrawal from this country of 3.5 million.

Study Shows U.S. Election Coverage Harder on Bush...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. media coverage of last year's election was three times more likely to be negative toward President Bush than Democratic challenger John Kerry, according to a study released Monday.

The annual report by a press watchdog that is affiliated with Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism said that 36 percent of stories about Bush were negative compared to 12 percent about Kerry, a Massachusetts senator.

Only 20 percent were positive toward Bush compared to 30 percent of stories about Kerry that were positive, according to the report by the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

The study looked at 16 newspapers of varying size across the country, four nightly newscasts, three network morning news shows, nine cable programs and nine Web sites through the course of 2004.

Examining the public perception that coverage of the war in Iraq was decidedly negative, it found evidence did not support that conclusion. The majority of stories had no decided tone, 25 percent were negative and 20 percent were positive, it said.

The three network nightly newscasts and public broadcaster PBS tended to be more negative than positive, while Fox News was twice as likely to be positive as negative. Read more...

Various other news...

China Authorizes Use of Force Against Taiwan...

WASH POST Editor to CHINA DAILY: 'I don't think U.S. should be the leader of the world'...

Former NAACP President Kweisi Mfume says he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2006...

Judge Says Calif. Can't Ban Gay Marriage...

Government Report on U.S. Aviation Warns of Security Holes...

London: 'Beheading' horror in street...

Finally, the picture of the day...

Fri Mar 11,12:06 AM ET

In the seats at right, Stratosphere spokesman Mike Gilmartin (L) and a reporter take a spin on 'Insanity,' a new thrill ride, over 900-feet above the Las Vegas Strip at the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 10, 2005. REUTERS/Sam Morris/Las Vegas Sun

Have a great day,

-Justin

Lyrics of the day...

Friday, March 11, 2005

Fri, 11 Mar 2005 01:04:56 GMT

(Note: Be sure to check out www.hundredpercenter.com, where my article on Dan Rather is currently being linked. Also, this is a long post, but there are some lighthearted items at the bottom, check it out!)

As a student at a four-day-week college, Thursdays are always good days. However, the best Thursdays are days like today (the official beginning of spring break) and final exam days (the official end of the semester).

So here's to a week of cruising around, soaking up the sun, and hanging out on the beach.

(Translation: "So here's to a week of work, driving to work, sitting inside at work, and hanging out at work.")

I'll begin today's post with some local stories (one which is now receiving national attention) about road rage...

The first incident occurred on Sunday (from the Tampa Tribune):

On Sunday, a Wesley Chapel man was shot and killed while driving on Interstate 75 just east of Tampa. Investigators think the bullet came from a large-caliber handgun fired from a moving vehicle.

Investigators are still trying to figure this one out. It happened along I-75 near the I-4 junction, a route I occasionally take to get to school.

The second incident occurred on Monday:

About 4:50 p.m. Monday, a 22- year-old Zephyrhills woman reported that one of her Ford Escape's windows was shattered as she drove south on Morris Bridge Road, passing a northbound white car. The woman said she saw the other driver holding a gun, but Pasco County sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin said there is ``no clear evidence of a bullet'' hitting the woman's window. ``There are some scratches on the side of her vehicle that indicate something was thrown.''

Investigators are trying to determine what motivated Sunday's and Monday's incidents. They do not think these incidents are related.

The final and perhaps most bizarre incident happened on Tuesday in downtown Tampa...(from the St. Pete Times):

Politics has always been divisive, splitting families and turning friend against friend.

This week, though, a Tampa woman learned that simple Bush-Cheney bumper sticker can bring trouble, if not danger, from a total stranger.

Police say Michelle Fernandez, 35, was chased for miles Tuesday by an irate 31-year-old Tampa man who cursed at her as he held up an anti-Bush sign and tried to run her off the road.

His sign, about the size of a business letter, read:

Never Forget Bush's Illegal Oil War Murdered Thousands in Iraq.

"I guess this was a disgruntled Democrat," Tampa Police spokesman Joe Durkin said. "Maybe he has that sign with him so he's prepared any time he comes up against a Republican." Read more here...

This story is also being reported nationwide.

Video of the story from Tampa Bay's 10 News...

I have to admit it's kind of crazy that all of these unexplainable acts of "rage" have all occurred within the last week. Yet I wouldn't go as far as to answer "yes" to the Tribune's question "are Tampa Bay area roads more dangerous than they used to be?"

I tend to agree with Hillsborough County sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter when she says ``I don't think it's any more dangerous than it has been''.

So don't worry all of you Florida-bound spring-breakers. Our roads are safe, our beaches are clean, and our theme parks are expensive. So spend a lot of money and drive up the economy, we need it.

Other Americans face an even greater road threat...in Iraq...

Caption (from estripes.com): Army Staff Sgt. Vernon Smith, left, of Tallahassee, Fla., an explosive ordnance disposal team member from the 766th Ordnance Company, is helped into a protective suit by Pfc. Wade Harrington, of Steinhatcher, Fla., after a roadside bomb was found in northern Baghdad on Monday.

Finding the bomb before it finds you...

A group of engineers and armor soldiers patrolling near Camp Taji, Iraq, on Monday proved how valuable a keen eye and healthy skepticism can be. Insurgents wanted the soldiers to find only one roadside bomb, but instead they found three planted in a deadly pattern.

Apparently, one of the devices was a decoy, designed to lure the 1st Armored Division soldiers into setting up a cordon of the area, which might have positioned them directly between the other two bombs, said Capt. Greg Spencer, 31, of Scottsville, Ky., commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 13th Armor Regiment.

.....

In the past week, the 1-13 Armor Regiment, boosted by members of the 70th Engineer Battalion, have uncovered six roadside bombs and been hit by two. No soldiers have been hurt. The group is responsible for securing the road outside Taji — a primary supply route between Baghdad and Mosul — and protecting the convoys that use it, Spencer said. They took over that chore about 10 days ago following the departure of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Task Force.

.....

Explosive ordnance disposal soldiers maneuvered a small, wheeled robot down to the palm log and blew it up at about 1:30 p.m. Thirty minutes later, the second roadside bomb went off.

Army officials speculated it was radio-controlled, targeting the EOD team approaching the first bomb. Immediately after the second blast, armored Humvees and tanks rolled into the area, searching for other logs and anyone who might have triggered the second blast. An Iraqi man, standing about 500 yards from the first explosion, suffered a minor cut to his leg from a piece of shrapnel. He was treated at the scene by an Army medic.

May God bless these brave soldiers and all of our troops facing danger everyday while we, back here at home, enjoy the freedom they provide.

Other news...

Bush stumps for oil drilling in Alaskan wildlife refuge...

President Bush said Wednesday that the answer to high gasoline and oil prices was a long-range energy plan that includes drilling in an Arctic wildlife refuge.

Bush gave his energy pitch in Ohio, where consumers have been battling high winter heating bills and gasoline prices exceeding $2 a gallon.

"Higher prices at the gas pump and rising home heating bills and the possibilities of blackouts are legitimate concerns for all Americans," Bush told a crowd of supporters inside the Franklin County Veterans Memorial here.

Ohio was at the center of a massive power blackout nearly two years ago, but broadly supported proposals to increase power grid reliability have been tangled up in the debate on wider energy legislation in Congress.

I know, I know, the idea of drilling in ANWR probably puts Bush into the "evil conservative" stereotype, but there are some interesting things to consider.

First of all, I don't totally like the idea of "drilling-up" or destroying the environment. Yet, with gas about to jump to over $2 a gallon and the ever increasing demand to "stop our dependence on foreign oil" we must consider our options here at home.

Some may argue that we should discover alternative energy sources, and I agree. However, in the meantime, we should consider other options such as the Gulf of Mexico or a place like ANWR.

Secondly, even if an alternate source of energy is found, we'll still need oil in our textile factories and for a number of other uses.

So in summary, I don't think we should destroy the environment, but I do think there has got to be some places that are rich in oil here at home that can allow us to end our dependence on foreign oil while we search for an alternative.

Hillary news...

Clinton Seeks Ratings on Children's Media...

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday sharply criticized the sex and violence in video games and other entertainment directed at children, calling the prevalence of such images an epidemic.

Mrs. Clinton, a Democrat from New York, also called on industry leaders to create a uniform ratings system that would warn parents about sex and violence in video games, television and other forms of entertainment that children might be exposed to. By contrast, parents now look to a patchwork of ratings systems that differ from one sector of the industry to another.

At a forum held by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Mrs. Clinton cited studies indicating that children who are exposed to graphic images of violence display more aggressive behavior.

Let's say Hillary is being genuine here, not trying to move to the center, and not trying to set herself up for an '08 run, OK I can give her that. But what about all those years of public attention? Why wait until now to be so outspoken on "moral issues"?

Just something interesting to think about.

Finally, ridiculousness...

Woman To Stage Topless Protest In Daytona -- Again...

A woman fighting the city of Daytona Beach over her right to protest topless plans to bare her breasts in public this weekend.

An attorney for Elizabeth Book and a city attorney signed an agreement last month allowing her to be topless at a rally on the last day of Bike Week. She must use a flatbed truck covered with a six-foot tarp to shield unwilling passers-by from seeing her and other topless female protesters.

"We consider it a tremendous victory for the First Amendment," said Larry Walters, Book's attorney.

.....

Book, who is in her early 40s, has said it is unfair that only men are allowed to go topless in public places and that women are fined for flashing their breasts at events like Bike Week, the annual gathering of hundreds of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts.

(My immediate reaction to this story...)

Umm...yeah, sorry to leave you on that note. Let me find something a bit more pleasant...here ya' go...

This should take your mind off the gross 40-year-old woman.

It's a lil' ole' puppy.

"I'm gon' be a quarterback!"

Til' next time, (Which reminds me...will, someone help me come up with a "cool" closing like Dan Rather had?)

-Justin

p.s. Here's a short essay by your's truly on baseball.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:59:40 GMT

"And that was part of our world..."

America says goodbye to Dan Rather, network news...

I was only 6 or 7-years-old during the first Gulf War. I remember seeing the images of tracer bullets flying through the night sky on one of the three major networks, wondering what the next day might hold for me and other Americans, only 11 to 12 years older, fighting for our freedom.

Rather, and other nightly news anchors, brought a little piece of mind during those tumultuous times and during other times of trial.

I may have been young, but I vividly remember such events as the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and the unforgettable attacks of 9/11.

During such times, I was unaware of such things as "bias" and Internet news. I looked to the networks for some assurance, and at the time, they delivered.

Dan Rather was a good journalist. He covered the JFK assassination, the memorable 1968 Democratic National Convention (where he was punched in the stomach), and a time where broadcasting was never more important - 9/11. I remember Rather's appearance on one of the late night shows shortly after 9/11. He teared up and seemed genuinely dismayed. He spoke in a solemn tone that was reflective of most of the country at that time. I have an appreciation of who Rather was during these times.

However, there are other parts of his "legacy", that are as equally memorable.

There were the harmless, light-hearted aspects of Rather, such as his trademark red suspenders and his witty comments, better known as "Ratherisms". (An example of a "Ratherism": "We said earlier in the evening at one point that Governor Bush would probably be as mad as a rained-on rooster.")

Then there were much more disconcerting times during Rather's career, shared by he and others in network news.

It was a time when talk radio, and conservatism as a whole, was on the rise. It was the 1980's and conservative talk radio pioneers such as Rush Limbaugh, were beginning to offer an alternative to the monopoly of outlets in network news media. Shows such as Limbaugh's allowed for competition and protest aimed at the "mainstream" media, with the hopes of keeping it in check.

The networks no longer could freely get away with incidents, such as "The Wall Within" (a report by Rather). Network news had met it's match, and at the same time, began it's decline.

Then came this new concept called "the Internet". For many years, network news stations neglected to embrace the idea of news on the web. While in the meantime, Matt Drudge, a self-described "loner", toyed with the idea of posting gossip online that he'd heard while working at a CBS gift shop. He worked his way up slowly but surely. First it was announcements about TV shows, then it turned into politics. Eventually, Drudge's idea caught on as his online following increased dramatically.

Drudge's big break came on January 17, 1998 when he reported that Newsweek was nixing a story about President Clinton having an affair. Overnight, Drudge became a household name and internet news was never the same.

Since that day, almost every news network has a website. News is now available at the click of a button, with fresh, off-the-wire reports. Americans and anyone else with a modem (or wireless card), no longer have to wait for the newspaper or the nightly news, they can receive their news anywhere within the reach of a phone jack (or wireless router), immediately.

The phenomenon of "blogging" has expedited the decline of network news. Today, there is a "blog" for just about anything. Watchdog groups keep networks, politicians, and others in power in check.

One major example of the power of "bloggers" came just last year during a story put on by CBS just weeks before the election. CBS reported that they had obtained documents indicating that President Bush did not complete his commitments while serving in the Texas Air National Guard. As the story unfolded, it appeared that the documents were fabricated and CBS indicated that they would launch an investigation.

It turned out in the investigation that producer Mary Mapes began speaking with a journalist in Texas who attempted to help her dig up dirt on Bush by seeking information that could "possibly change the momentum of an election".

Rather attempted to vindicate himself from the flap, yet it has become a controversy that follows him to this day.

Rather, like many of his peers, was a man who exhibited amazing journalistic talent in his early years. Yet he, and others like him, will most likely be remembered for inaccurate works such as "The Wall Within", the Bush Guard story, and for participating in the ever-increasing, increasingly-apparent media bias. Finally, he will be remembered for stepping down during a time when network news was practically out the door with him.

Yes, the era of dominance is all but over for the major news networks. Things have not and will never be the same since the inception of talk radio and "blogging". Yet all is not lost for network news. Now they are held accountable by a group that was intended to be in power all along - the people.

So, here's to a happy retirement for Dan Rather and the monopoly that once was, the "mainstream" media.

Courage.

-Justin

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 00:26:25 GMT

Washington Post latest to ask "is Bush right?"...

In countries where President George Bush and his policies are deeply unpopular, online commentators are starting to think the unthinkable.

"Could George W. Bush Be Right?" asked Claus Christian Malzahn in the German newsweekly Der Spiegel. Essayist Guy Sorman asked last month in the Paris daily Le Figaro (by subscription), "And If Bush Was Right?" In Canada, anti-war columnist Richard Gwyn of the Toronto Star answered: "It is time to set down in type the most difficult sentence in the English language. That sentence is short and simple. It is this: Bush was right."

The tipping point came last week when Lebanon's pro-Syrian government fell. The international online media, much of which had been critical of Bush during his first term, had to acknowledge democratic developments on the American president's watch. Many commentators also cited free elections in Afghanistan last fall, Palestinian elections in early January followed by the Jan. 30 Iraq elections. Then came local elections in Saudi Arabia and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's announcement of constitutional changes allowing his opposition to challenge him electorally.

Given Bush's insistence that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq would lead to a democratic political order in the Middle East, many Europeans are "somewhat embarrassed" by these developments, Sorman wrote in Le Figaro.

"Hadn't they promised, governments and media alike, that the Arab street would rise up [against U.S. military forces], that Islam would burn, that the American army would get bogged down, that the terrorist attacks would multiply, and that democracy would not result nor be exported?"

"These dramas did not occur," Sorman says. "Either Bush is lucky, or it is too early to judge or [Bush's] analysis was not false." Read more...

Bolton, no relation to Michael (the singer) or Michael (the character) , nominated as next U.N. ambassador...

President Bush's choice as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the outspoken John R. Bolton, likely will face a tough Senate confirmation hearing before Democrats who argue that he has disdained the world body and Republicans who are wary of him.

Now undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, Bolton was named Monday for the U.N. post.

Almost immediately, Democrats objected that Bush had chosen a vocal United Nations critic although they see a pressing need to repair international relations. Bolton has criticized the U.N.'s bureaucracy and some of its peacekeeping operations, among other objections he has raised over a decade. Read more...

John Bolton's Bio...

Cronkite: Rather's replacement "overdue"...

Cronkite Praises Rather's Replacement...

Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather's predecessor at the "CBS Evening News," said Monday that Rather's replacement by Bob Schieffer was overdue.

Rather, 73, ends his run as evening news anchor Wednesday, exactly 24 years after replacing Cronkite. Schieffer, the "Face the Nation" host, will be a temporary fill-in until CBS decides on a permanent replacement.

Cronkite called Schieffer "one of the great television journalists of our time."

"Although Dan did a fine job, I would have liked to have seen (Schieffer) there a long time ago," Cronkite said during an interview on CNN. "He would have given the others a real run for their money."

Cronkite said it was a tribute to Rather that he held on so long.

Group attempts to market "Fox-blocking"...

Attention, blue-state parents. Are you worried about what your children are seeing on TV? Have you caught them ogling Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity as they engage in explicit acts of love with Bush administration policies?

Now you can protect your little liberals from hard-core right-wing positions the same way you censor cable porn. For just $8.95, The FOXBlocker eliminates the risk of exposure to Fox News Channel.

Sam Kimery and Joshua Montgomery, who are marketing the device, say it employs the technology already used to filter adult content.

And every time someone orders one of the gizmos from Foxblocker.com, Fox advertisers receive E-mail telling them that another consumer has just said no to Rupert Murdoch's brand of "fair and balanced news."

"We hope that companies will see people actually paying to block channels that won't offer alternative views, and then rethink how they spend their advertising dollars," Montgomery tells Variety V Life magazine.

Is Fox worried about this new product?

"I mean, clearly, it's not working," a Fox News rep told us. "Our ratings continue to skyrocket." Link...

Have a great day!

-Justin

p.s. Just to throw something a little interesting in today's post, here's a funny music video I came upon a while back by Reggie in the Full Effect.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 22:01:43 GMT

News is slow today, let's talk baseball...

My view of the Braves vs. the Astros at Osceola County Stadium this past Saturday...

Click here for more photos...

A review of my visit to Osceola County Stadium (inspired by www.ballparkreviews.com...)

My visit to Osceola County Stadium was spring training baseball at it's finest.

The stadium itself is smaller than your typical minor league or spring training ballpark. It almost felt like I was watching a big league game in a little league ballpark, which in my opinion captures the true essence of spring training.

However, the park itself was far from little league as far as accommodation goes. All of the seating is on one level and consists of fold-down plastic chairs. There are some box seats, several rows up from the field, though the majority of the seats are reserved. I sat in the reserved section about 20-25 rows up from the field.

Besides feeling like you are right in the action, there are two good things about the seating at Osceola County Stadium. First of all, it is designed so that there is no seating in front of areas where people are constantly walking by. Secondly, there is a good amount of leg room for a 6'1'' guy like myself.

The sight lines are as expected in a smaller park of this caliber - almost impeccable. The seats reach all the way into the outfield, and from what I could tell, still provided an excellent view of the game.

The game I saw featured my favorite team (the Atlanta Braves) and the home team (the Houston Astros), in which the Braves won 4-3 in extra innings (making my experience that much more enjoyable).

The negatives are highly overshadowed by the positives at this park. Yet there are a few minor things that could use some improvement, such as the prerecorded organ music (which can be repetitive at times), the food (a little pricey: two hot dogs and two bottled waters cost me almost $11) , and the location of the park itself (which is a little difficult to find).

Nonetheless, my experience was excellent. In addition to other amenities, the fact that you are so close to the action is reason enough to visit this park. I highly recommend you check it out if you are in the area.

The Atlanta Braves...

I've been an Atlanta Braves fan since I was 7-years-old. My faintest memories go back to that of the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins. Even though the Braves lost the Series that year, the next year, and...the next year, I still supported them and believed that they'd win sooner or later. Finally, in 1995, the Atlanta Braves captured their first World Series victory, defeating the Cleveland Indians in six games.

I continued to follow the Braves closely in the years following their first Series victory. In 1996, they lost to the Yankees, then would not appear in the Series again until 1999, losing to the Yankees again, this time in just four games. The Braves haven't been back to the Series since, however, I've followed them faithfully in the playoffs every year, despite their shortcomings.

My all-time favorite Braves line-up...

(Note: The Braves are my favorite team in all of sports, yet oddly enough this past Saturday was (as far as I know) only the second-time that I've seen them play. The first time I ever saw them was classic. It was at Wrigley Field vs. the Cubs. )

2005...

This year looks promising for Atlanta. As for their bullpen, they've added pitcher Tim Hudson from Oakland and still have the likes of Mike Hampton, John Thomson, and now, back in the starting rotation, John Smoltz.

As for the rest of the team, Chipper Jones is looking to repeat his 1999 MVP season, Andruw Jones is still a major RBI threat at the plate as well as an excellent outfielder, and 46-year-old Julio Franco is showing no signs of slowing down.

Finally, the Braves have two promising prospects this season in Andy Marte and Ryan Langerhans.

So is this year is the year? Well, I guess we'll have to see how they do in the post-season. The Braves are in a tough division this year, so it'll be interesting to see if they can capture their 14th straight division title and advance in the playoffs - something they've struggled to do in recent years.

Today's post is a little diversion from the norm, but diversions aren't always bad.

-Justin

p.s. Be sure to stop by later this week as I'll probably have a short essay on baseball.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 23:43:22 GMT

Whatcha lookin' at Teddy?

Microsoft Showcases Robots to Watch Employees, Kids...

The teddy bear sitting in the corner of the child's room might look normal, until his head starts following the kid around using a face recognition program, perhaps also allowing a parent talk to the child through a special phone, or monitor the child via a camera and wireless Internet connection.

The plush prototype, on display at Microsoft Corp.'s annual gadget showcase Wednesday, is one of several ideas researchers have for robots. The idea is to create a virtual being that can visit the neighboring cubicle for a live telephone chat even as its owner is traveling thousands of miles away, or let the plumber into the house while its owner enjoys a pleasant afternoon in the sun.

Plenty of companies are already building robots for the work place, and toy companies have created plush dolls that know a child's name or can incorporate other personal information. But Steven Bathiche, a research and development program manager with Redmond-based Microsoft, said his company's projects go further.

"The vision behind this is to be two places at once," Bathiche said.

I knew I couldn't trust those dang stuffed animals. Just look at that bear, yeah, you'd think he's all innocent and cuddly and harmless, but he's a spy I tell ya! A spy!

S..s..sorry about that. Heh.

No, but seriously folks, (why do comedians always say that after a stupid joke? Hmm, anyway...) the whole idea of having Teddy keep an eye on your kids and employees may sound interesting at first, but for some reason I feel that small, libertarian voice saying "Maybe this isn't the greatest thing ever", inside my head (and I wish he'd shut up, he's driving me crazy) <--Umm, this has to be from the weather or something, I'm tellin' ya. You people who read this site everyday know I'm usually not this crazy .

I don't know, maybe I'm being a bit extreme or something; I guess I'm just a little wary of having cameras everywhere. I mean, I hate to bring this up, but you mention something like having a camera in a stuffed animal and the first thing that pops into my head is the idea of some child pornographer freak watching some kid. I don't know, I guess I'm just a little skeptical; but nonetheless, it's something to think about.

If I had a million dollars, (If I had a million dollars) I'd..

Millionaire Steve Fossett Breaks Nonstop Solo Flight Record...

First by balloon, now by plane, Steve Fossett is once again a 'round-the-world record holder.

The millionaire adventurer on Thursday became the first person to fly around the world alone without stopping or refueling, touching down in central Kansas after a 67-hour, 23,000-mile journey that appeared endangered at times by a troubled fuel system.

Fossett, who failed five times before successfully circumnavigating the globe solo in a balloon, needed just one try to make the trip in a plane. He holds many other records as a balloonist, pilot and sailor.

Fossett's GlobalFlyer, designed by the same engineer who came up with the Voyager aircraft that first completed the trip in 1986 with two pilots aboard, touched down on the center line at the Salina airport at 1:50 p.m. Thursday.

Photos...

I guess there's just something about being a millionaire that inspires you to go out and build the perfect, most powerful airplane; but...I mean, if I were a millionaire, I probably would too...just because I can.

"I don't believe it..."

Analysis: Atheism worldwide in decline...

There seems to be a growing consensus around the globe that godlessness is in trouble. "Atheism as a theoretical position is in decline worldwide," Munich theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg told United Press International Tuesday.

His Oxford colleague Alister McGrath agrees. Atheism's "future seems increasingly to lie in the private beliefs of individuals rather than in the great public domain it once regarded as its habitat," he wrote in the U.S. magazine, Christianity Today.

Two developments are plaguing atheism these days. One is that it appears to be losing its scientific underpinnings. The other is the historical experience of hundreds of millions of people worldwide that atheists are in no position to claim the moral high ground.

Here's my quick take on this. First of all, it is my fundamental belief that there is a God, He created me and everyone else, and is the most powerful being ever. I mean, just look at the intricacy of life itself...only something greater than ourselves could create all of this. And not to argue evolution, but I'd rather be in awe of a God that I believe has existed throughout all of time and works in people's lives, rather than some microbe that existed "billions" of years ago.

Secondly, I believe that everyone has the desire to know their creator and to know why they are here. Many search the world over, yet find nothing but emptiness while their Creator has been standing by all along. So with that being said, it's no surprise to me that many are "religious" and believe God exists.

Just to show a bit of open-mindedness, I think it's important for me to note that I believe that there is a basic good in the heart of every person, religious or not. I mean, God gives us all the desire to do good, it's just the decision of whether or not we choose to use that good to honor God and seek to know His purpose for our lives. I mean, it goes back to what I often say: if you want to know how to use something, why not just ask the person who made it?

So anyways, there's my quick sermon for the day - I hope you enjoyed it.

-Justin

P.S. For all you baseball fans: MLB.com will be broadcasting some spring training games for free, tonight and tomorrow. Check it out...

Quote of the day (well, technically yesterday...):

"So, like, what took you so long?".

-President Bush yesterday, congratulating the Red Sox on their 2004 World Series victory.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 00:00:07 GMT

The chairman of the Democratic Party on the South and "kids"...

Dean says Democrats 'not going to concede the South'...

"We're not going to concede the South," the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee told an overflow crowd of more than 900 people in a dining room that was set up for 800 in the Clarion hotel near downtown Jackson.

"The South will rise again, and when it does, it will have a D after its name," Dean said to applause from the diverse crowd of blacks and whites.

.....

Speaking at the $75-a-plate Mississippi Democratic Party dinner, Dean criticized the national debt and said: "You cannot trust Republicans with your taxpayer dollars."

He prayed for American troops, saying even those who had criticized the war in Iraq should support soldiers and their families. He also said the Democratic Party should reach out to evangelical Christians and the party has room for people with divergent views on abortion.

"I want to reach out to people who are worried about values," Dean said. "We are going to embrace pro-life Democrats because pro-life Democrats care about kids after they're born, not just before they're born."

Is Dean implying that fetuses and "uterine tissue" (as referred to by abortion advocates) should now be considered humans? It kind of sounds like it to me. I wonder what Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups would think of Howard's comments.

In all honesty, they probably don't think much of it. They probably just see it as the former governor doing his job and pandering to conservative Christians in the "bible-belt" with the hopes that they are too naive or uniformed on the governor's true political desires.

The fact of the matter is that the electorate is more informed than ever. Many see through the tactics of Dean and others in the party, looking for some voice of moderation.

It's going to take a little more than "sympathy" towards the views of southern democrats if the party wishes to have any success in upcoming elections.

On a related note...

Rolling Stone: No "concrete results" from MoveOn.org...

They signed up 500,000 supporters with an Internet petition -- but Bill Clinton still got impeached. They organized 6,000 candlelight vigils worldwide -- but the U.S. still invaded Iraq. They raised $60 million from 500,000 donors to air countless ads and get out the vote in the battle-ground states -- but George Bush still whupped John Kerry. A gambler with a string of bets this bad might call it a night. But MoveOn.org just keeps doubling down.

Now that Howard Dean has been named chair of the Democratic National Committee -- an ascension that MoveOn helped to engineer -- the Internet activist group is placing another high-stakes wager. It's betting that its 3 million grass-roots revolutionaries can seize the reins of the party and establish the group as a lasting political force. "It's our Party," MoveOn's twenty-four-year-old executive director, Eli Pariser, declared in an e-mail. "We bought it, we own it and we're going to take it back." The group's new goal is sweeping in its ambition: To make 2006 a watershed year for liberal Democrats in Congress, in the same way that Newt Gingrich led a Republican revolution in 1994.

.....

But many party insiders worry that an Internet insurgency working hand in hand with a former Vermont governor will only succeed in pushing the party so far to the left that it can't compete in the red states. "It's electoral suicide," says Dan Gerstein, a former strategist for Joe Lieberman's presidential campaign. More...

Moving along...

...Some quick, additional commentary on yesterday's Supreme Court decision, ending the death penalty for minors...

It's interesting how minors in this country are considered "mature" enough to do certain things. They are mature enough to drive, they are mature enough to sign up with the military (with parental consent), to get married, to see "R" rated movies, to receive abortions (without parental consent), yet the Supreme Court has decided that they are not "mature" enough or adult enough to murder.

It doesn't make sense to me. To operate a gun is a very adult thing to do and maybe that's why the law says you can not own a gun until you are 18. Yet, many minors make very "adult" decisions everyday. Many of these "minors" are involved in deadly organizations we like to call "gangs" and are responsible for some of the most brutal murders.

And to say that minors can not premeditate the way that adults do is asinine. Two examples of this can be seen in the famous Columbine shooting, and in a lesser-known event that occurred in 1993 (from www.missourinet.com):

In early September 1993, Simmons then 17, discussed with his friends, Charlie Benjamin (age 15) and John Tessmer (age 16), the possibility of committing a burglary and murdering someone. On several occasions, Simmons described the manner in which he planned to commit the crime: he would find someone to burglarize, tie the victim up, and ultimately push the victim off a bridge. Simmons assured his friends that their status as juveniles would allow them to "get away with it." Simmons apparently believed that a "voodoo man" who lived in a nearby trailer park would be the best victim. Rumor had it that the voodoo man owned hotels and motels and had lots of money despite his residence in a mobile home park.

(You can learn more about this case by clicking on the links below.)

Murders committed by the Columbine killers and Simmons both involved a great detail of premeditation. I could maybe see someone trying to make the case for a 14-year-old or 15-year-old, depending on certain circumstances, yet I disagree with a judicial proclamation, declaring that minors aren't "adult" enough when committing murders and we shouldn't punish them "cruelly and unusually".

And that's all I have to say about that...for now.

Other various news...

Report: Madrid Train Bombers Also Targeted New York...

MADRID (Reuters) - The Madrid train bombers had detailed plans of New York's Grand Central Station, indicating they also planned to attack there, a Spanish newspaper reported Wednesday.

Hand-made drawings and other "highly specialized technical information" about the station were found on a computer disk seized from the home of one of the suspects, El Mundo reported, citing sources close to the investigation.

The disk was confiscated within two weeks of the attacks on March 11, 2004, that killed 191 people in Madrid, but Spanish investigators did not warn the FBI and the CIA until December when the full scope of the technical information became clear, El Mundo said.

"Prosecutors at the High Court have informed the FBI and the CIA that the perpetrators of the March 11 attacks had in their possession plans to attack Grand Central Station in New York," it said.

No one was immediately available at the Interior Ministry to comment.

Harvard Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance: Jada Pinkett Smith’s comments “heteronormative”...

After some students were offended by Jada Pinkett Smith’s comments at Saturday’s Cultural Rhythms show, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) and the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations have begun working together to increase sensitivity toward issues of sexuality at Harvard.

Students said that some of Pinkett Smith’s remarks concerning appropriate gender roles were specific to heterosexual relationships.

.....

BGLTSA Co-Chair Jordan B. Woods ’06 said that, while many BGLTSA members thought Pinkett Smith’s speech was “motivational,” some were insulted because they thought she narrowly defined the roles of men and women in relationships.

“Some of the content was extremely heteronormative, and made BGLTSA members feel uncomfortable,” he said.

Calling the comments heteronormative, according to Woods, means they implied that standard sexual relationships are only between males and females.

“Our position is that the comments weren’t homophobic, but the content was specific to male-female relationships,” Woods said.

Margaret C. D. Barusch ’06, the other BGLTSA co-chair, said the comments might have seemed insensitive in effect, if not in intent.

“I think the comments had a very strong focus for an extended period of time on how to effectively be in a relationship—a heterosexual relationship,” Barusch said. “I don’t think she meant to be offensive but I just don’t think she was that thoughtful.”

Awaiting your comments ,

-Justin

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 22:36:27 GMT

The revolution continues...

I have to admit it. Yesterday's news out of Iraq bothered me. I think it's horrible when anyone loses their life like this. It's a terrible, horrific tragedy that everyone should take to heart.

Yet, at the same time, it's interesting to see the reaction of the Iraqi people to this incident...

2,000 Demonstrate at Iraqi Bombing Site...

Photo caption (AP): Iraqis demonstrate in condemnation of Monday's suicide bombing, in Hillah in Iraq on Tuesday, March 1, 2005. Hundreds of people visited the wounded and inspected corpses at the hospital in Hillah on Tuesday, trying to identify friends and family who died in a suicide bombing that killed at least 120 people, the single deadliest attack of its kind since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

So maybe 2,000 isn't huge, compared to other protests, but it's a start.

I think people in Iraq, and other parts of the Middle East, are catching on. They no longer feel as intimidated to speak out against their governments. Despite threats, they no longer fear their lives, or their families lives, as they did before, now that they've had a taste of freedom and are willing to fight for it.

Yesterday's bombing was atrocious, but at the same time, may have been a turning point in the resolve of the people of Iraq.

Now, on to national news...

High Court Ends Death Penalty for Youths...

A closely divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that it's unconstitutional to execute juvenile killers, ending a practice in 19 states that has been roundly condemned by many of America's closest allies.

The 5-4 decision throws out the death sentences of 72 murderers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes and bars states from seeking to execute minors for future crimes.

The executions, the court said, violate the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

.....

Juvenile offenders have been put to death in recent years in only a few other countries, including Iran, Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia. Kennedy cited international opposition to the practice.

"It is proper that we acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion against the juvenile death penalty, resting in large part on the understanding that the instability and emotional imbalance of young people may often be a factor in the crime," he wrote.

.....

Death penalty opponents quickly cheered the ruling.

"Today, the court repudiated the misguided idea that the United States can pledge to leave no child behind while simultaneously exiling children to the death chamber," said William F. Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA.

"Now the U.S. can proudly remove its name from the embarrassing list of human rights violators that includes China, Iran, and Pakistan that still execute juvenile offenders," he said.

.....Dianne Clements, president of the Houston-based Justice for All victims' advocacy group, criticized the decision and said she hopes that when there is a Supreme Court vacancy a strong death penalty supporter is nominated.

"The Supreme Court has opened the door for more innocent people to suffer by 16 and 17 year olds," she said. "I can't wait for the Supreme Court to have judges more concerned with American values, American statutes and American law than what the Europeans think."

Without jumping into a debate about the death penalty, or whether or not minors should receive it, let me agree with Dianne Clements on the issue of international law.

A couple questions on this:

1. Should judges be able to cite international law as means of justifying court rulings, even though the constitution was basically established to separate ourselves from international laws?

2. Is it the duty of the courts to determine "morality"?

Let me know what you think.

Speaking of "the courts"...

Federal judge: Charge Padilla or release him...

Calling the case a "law enforcement matter, not a military matter," a federal judge in South Carolina has ruled that the U.S. government cannot continue to hold "enemy combatant" Jose Padilla without charging him with a crime.

I wonder if the judge has considered the fact that the government maybe, just maybe, might be holding out on charging this guy so that they can interrogate him, thus leading to information as to the whereabouts of terrorists, thus saving more troop's lives.

These judges...well, I could go on all day, so I'll just leave it at that.

Before you read the next article, remember that Howard Dean is the new Democratic National Committee chairman, elected "by Democrats, for democrats"...

Lawrence Journal World (Kansas): Dean roars into town...

There were plenty of screams Friday afternoon at Liberty Hall, but none of them came from Howard Dean.

Instead, the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee was cheered enthusiastically by a sign-waving crowd gathered to hear Dean's message that the party must build its strength in traditionally Republican states such as Kansas.

"We need to go everywhere," he told the rally. "There is not one county in this state, I don't care how far west you go, that doesn't have Democrats. We have to be proud of who we are."

It was a message gladly received among the Democratic faithful.

.....

But the Hiebert crowd got a little more red meat than the Liberty Hall attendees.

On abortion specifically, he said, the party must commit to making abortions "safe, legal and rare" while maintaining women's rights to choose.

"The issue is not abortion," Dean told the closed-door fund-raiser. "The issue is whether women can make up their own mind instead of some right-wing pastor, some right-wing politician telling them what to do."

And Dean told the Hiebert fund-raiser that gay marriage was a Republican diversion from discussions of ballooning deficits and lost American jobs. That presents an opportunity to attract moderate Republicans, he said.

"Moderate Republicans can't stand these people (conservatives), because they're intolerant. They don't think tolerance is a virtue," Dean said, adding: "I'm not going to have these right-wingers throw away our right to be tolerant."

And concluding his backyard speech with a litany of Democratic values, he added: "This is a struggle of good and evil. And we're the good."

When told of Dean's remarks, Derrick Sontag -- executive director of the Kansas Republican Party -- said he was "shocked."

"My immediate reaction to that whole dialogue is, it's full of hatred," Sontag said. "The Democratic Party has elected a leader that's full of hatred."

Once again, I'd like to know what the more moderate/conservative democrats in this country think of Howard Dean and his comments today. Something tells me they're feeling a little queasy about their party's attempts to "move towards the center".

Finally, a new trend amongst Orlando teens...'Garage Jumping'...

Teenagers in Orlando, Fla., are leaping between 80-foot high public parking garages in a new trend called "garage jumping," according to a Local 6 News investigation.

Local 6 News reported that the thrill seekers are vaulting themselves between garages in downtown Orlando.

Tim Bargfrede told Local 6 News that he was following friends when he attempted to garage jump and did not make it to the other side. Bargfrede fell six stories and was knocked unconscious on impact.

"I just didn't make it," Bargfrede said. Read more...

Doing my best to provide interesting information and opinion,

-Justin