A Very Interesting Weekend South of the Border...

.....in México and Venezuela.

Let's start with México. Tomorrow is the official swear in day for México's new President Felipe Calderón, the loser and Al Gore wanna-be Andrés Manuel López Obrador is getting the PRD (his party) ready take over the dais in the Mexican House of Deputies where Calderón is to be sworn in tomorrow Dec. 1st. Calederón's party, the PAN, caught wind of this, they got there early (today) to prevent them from taking over and little tussle ensued, here's a video, and Mark in México has nice post on the happenings. Tomorrow should be interesting!



For Venezuela, Sunday's election looks to be a barn burner, Thugo Chavez' opponent Manuel Rosales is totally bringing it on, finishing his campaign with an incredible turnout........(click to enlarge)


Make no mistake about it, this will be close and it will be very interesting to see how Chavez reacts should he lose.....I'm sure we'll see the lamest of all Presidents, Jimmuh Carter running to Chavez' rescue should that occur.

I've been trying to keep close tabs on this election because I think this is a very important election, I'm thinking Chavez will fix it one way or another and remain, but there's been such an upsurge for Rosales that this is hard to predict. As I have said earlier, an assassination attempt or success on either candidate is not out of the question, it's pretty heated down there. Chávez promised to purge corruption, but it has dominated his government more than any other in Venezuela's history. If the votes don't add up in his favor on Sunday, odds are he'll keep adding them until they do.

Some items that are in Chavez' favor:

• Voting machines are controlled by a company, Smartmatic, with a murky history.

• The Board of Directors of the Electoral Council is made up of Chávez's followers.

• The electoral registry is highly unreliable; 39,000 voters are more than 100 years old -- one woman appears to be 175 -- and 62 persons share the same name and birth date: José Gregorio Rodríguez González, born April 8, 1962.

Thanks to a combination of record oil income and minimal government transparency, Venezuelan corruption is at an all-time high. By incurring significant new national debt, Chávez obtained some $25 billion in fresh money to spend at his whim. That and oil sales have put more than $200 billion into government coffers, but there is very little to show for it in the way of public works or effective social programs. The bulk of the money remains unaccounted for, largely wasted or pocketed by bureaucrats and "private buccaneers".

Should Chavez remain in power, will "his" Venezuela continue its downhill spiral? Venezuela stands today at the bottom of the development ladder in Latin America. Rankings of international organizations such as Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index, the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World report, the U.N. Human Development Index and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization show the country in a declining trend.

Check this out......

Transparency International, a well-known NGO. They have rankings on transparency, which rate “more than 150 countries in terms of perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys” (TI’s words). Venezuela’s rankings (which show Venezuela’s position out of the total number of countries) and scores (high scores are good):

2006, tied for 138 of 163 (2.3)
2005, tied for 130 of 159 (2.3)
2004, tied for 114 of 145 (2.3)
2003, tied for 100 of 133 (2.4)
2002, tied for 81 of 102 (2.5)
2001, tied for 69 of 91 (2.8)
2000, tied for 71 of 90 (2.7)
1999, tied for 75 of 99 (2.6)
1998, tied for 77 of 85 (2.3)
1997, 44 of 52 (2.77)
1996, 48 of 54 (2.50)
1995, 38 of 41, (2.66)

Note that scores improved under Chavez for a few years, before turning around after 2001.

Daniel Duquenal has a very impressive list of rankings (I can't get the link to work) showing Venezuela's steady decline each year in the areas of:

Freedom of the Press, Political Rights and Civil Liberties, World Economic Growth Competitiveness, Index of Economic Freedom, Business and Investment Risk, Total Competitiveness Rankings (ranked last in 2004, 2005 and 2006), Loss of Economic Freedom...here ranked only ahead of those powerhouse countries of Zimbabwe, Myanmar and the Republic of Congo.

You can see here, Hugo Chavez is very bad for Venezuela and very bad for the rest of the world. The only thing Hugo Chavez is good for........is Hugo Chavez.

See you Monday with some sort of results!

Today in History....November 30

On this day in …

1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris, ending the Revolutionary War

1803, Spain completed the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States
1866, work on the first underwater highway tunnel in the United States began in Chicago

1954, the first modern instance of a meteorite striking a human being occurs at Sylacauga, Alabama, when a meteorite crashes through the roof of a house and into a living room, bounces off a radio, and strikes Elizabeth Hodges on the hip

1972, Defense Department sources said that there would not be a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam until a final truce agreement was signed, and that such an agreement would not affect the 54,000 U.S. servicemen in Thailand or the 60,000 aboard 7th Fleet ships off the Vietnamese coast

1981, the United States and the Soviet Union opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe

1993, President Clinton signed the Brady bill, which requires a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers

1994, the Achille Lauro cruise ship catches fire and sinks to the bottom of the sea near Somalia. The large luxury liner had a checkered history that included deaths and, in 1985, terrorism, when it was hijacked by practitioners of that "religion of peace" who shot and murdered a wheelchair-bound American passenger, Leon Klinghoffer

1996, some 150,000 people filled the streets of Belgrade to protest Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic

2001, Robert Tools, the first person in the world to receive a fully self-contained artificial heart, died in Louisville, Ky., of complications after severe abdominal bleeding; he had lived with the device for 151 days

2005, Shimon Peres quit Israel's Labor Party, his political home of six decades, to campaign for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new organization, Kadima

AN INCONVENIENT BRRR

Global coldening continues. Its real name is global warmening.

We are all doomed. Well, most of us.

h/t Tim Blair

If Tiger Woods Were a Classicist, Author, Professor and Syndicated Columnist..

... he'd be Victor Davis Hanson. VDH is the man, in my opinion, he has just penned his best article.

Mr. Hanson writes about the rise and fall of western civilation, one with lost confidence and the inablitiy to confront Islam and terrorists. He paints a dark picture of our current time in history, a once great and mighty civilation now living in the most properous of times, never more powerful militaristically, yet we are being done in by no one other than ourselves...... and secular liberalism.

The elites "great" Europe, that thinkers paradise of artistic and intellectual expression have succumbed to the grips of Islam, where European movie makers (Van Gogh) are brutally murdered for expressing their artistic ideas, or sketch some cartoons and have to go into hiding fearing for their life, yah, there's real artistic and intellectual freedom. It's sad that the very ones who spout the hate and vitriole at GW Bush, Oriana Fallaci, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay can't seem to muster up the same hate for Zawahri, radical mullahs and terrorists.

But all is not so dark and dreary, VDH believes that it's time to strap on the boots and adds a great touch with a quote from Winston Churchill........

"These are not dark days: these are great days--the greatest days our country has ever lived."

Never more true than today.

Here's his excellent article.......

Russian Tequila?

Actually it's tequila in Russia. Looks like Patrón Tequila is making the move into Russia. The Patrón Spirits Company, best known for its namesake premium Tequila, looks set to move into the wider white spirits category with the acquisition of a vodka and a gin brand.

Patron Spirits believes Russia is set to become a key export market for Tequila producers, according to the company leading the booming super-premium Tequila segment in the US. These stories are developing. .

Wow, you know them Russkies and their white (clear) liquor, time to get a line of tequila!

The Pot Calling The Kettle "the N Wo--"....Err Black

Jesse Jacka$$ Jackson is at it again. While he does make a good point... "We want to give our ancestors a present," Jackson said at a news conference. "Dignity over degradation.", however this is one guy that just needs to go away.

The self proclaimed “Reverend” who can say “Hymietown” with impunity, because heck, that only offends Jews. And you know Jews, they never car swarm or riot now do they?

See a great rant on this subject here!

H/T NeoCon Command Center

Today in History....November 29

On this day in …

1775, the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, establishes a Committee of Secret Correspondence. The committee’s goal was to provide European nations with a Patriot interpretation of events in Britain’s North American colonies, in the hope of soliciting aid for the American war effort

1929, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd radioed that he and co-pilot Bernt Balchen had made the first airplane flight over the South Pole
1947, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the partitioning of Palestine between Arabs and Jews. The Jews agreed, the Arabs -- there was no such thing then as a "Palestinian" -- adamantly refused, saying "everything or nothing". Instead, the Arabs would go on to wage war against the eventual Jewish state and fail miserably

1948, children's show Kukla, Fran and Ollie premieres on prime time network TV. The show featured beloved puppets Kukla, Ollie (a dragon), and others, with live actress Fran Allison as host. The show began as a local Chicago program before debuting on NBC

1952, making good on his most dramatic presidential campaign promise, newly elected Dwight D. Eisenhower goes to Korea to see whether he can find the key to ending the bitter and frustrating Korean War

1961, Enos the chimp was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited earth twice before returning

1963, one week after President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas, President Lyndon Johnson establishes a special commission, headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, to investigate the assassination

1967, Robert S. McNamara announces that he will resign as Secretary of Defense and will become president of the World Bank

1991, a dust storm causes massive car and truck collision in Coalinga, California, kills 17 people. More than 100 vehicles were involved in the accident on Interstate 5

If You Or Anyone You Know Has A Metal Implant...

You need to watch this, I guarantee it will freak you out! There's a condition that is increasing in regularity, it is called Metallosis Maligna. Watch the first minute and then move the dial to about the 2:55 mark if you want.

In The Words of Hugo Chavez Hero Joseph Stalin........

"It's not who votes that matters but who it is that counts the votes".

The fix is already in, count on it.

Caracas, Venezuela is a city of close to 6 million people, yet Thugo Chavez thought that blocking access to the city was going to affect Manuel Rosales' event. It was estimated that nearly 1 Million Venezuelans turned out to support Rosales (photo below), yet the day before Chavez' rally tallied around 250,000.......which included his administration using 2500 buses to bus in people for his rally.

(click photo to enlarge)

Two things.... first, the Chavez propaganda wheels are running at full steam.....

CNN's Spanish network channel reported the Rosales rally with impressive television shots showing the huge mass of people, spoke of hundreds of thousands of people, only to finish ascertaining that Chavez was ahead by thirty points in the surveys.

The foreign press has practically declared Chavez a victor, citing the AP-Ipsos poll as definite proof. In a questionable paragraph, Brian Ellsworth writes for Reuters:

"But most polls still give Chavez a wide lead, with one AP-Ipsos poll showing Chavez sweeping 59 percent of likely voters compared to only 27 for Rosales, who points to opposition linked polls that show the race much tighter." Is Ellsworth aware that several polls are government linked through PDVSA financing, and that all polls in which respondents were openly questioned gave Chavez a thirty point lead, whereas all polls which guaranteed secrecy resulted in a technical tie between the candidates?

Secondly.....probably the best blogger around covering the events in Venezuela, Aleksander Boyd (this guy is nails), has a warning and posts an open letter to foreign letter journalists covering Venezuela.

John Salas and Thor Halverssen write what's really going on and have polls showing the fast fading Chavez and fast rising Manuel Rosales here.

Excerpt:

And, CE.CA., another respected Venezuelan pollster, reported last week that their polls show Rosales ahead for the first time, at 45.8%, with Chavez trailing at 35.3%. Once again, as in all of the previous polls, fear has been found to be a major factor hindering the freedom of expression by Venezuelans.

And the article ends up with this:

Along with Fidel Castro's undying friendship and strategic might, Hugo Chavez inherited a potent and well-greased Cuban PR and lobbying apparatus well experienced in denying the undeniable and defending the indefensible. This apparatus is now working at full steam, because Hugo Chavez has come to realize that eight years of government with few results at great cost not only have wasted away the passion the poor had for him for so long, but have turned a majority of them adamantly against him.

He's scared. He controls the electoral council. What does he do? For now, he's pouring the coal onto the international PR machine, trying to convince the world that he can't lose.

Today in History....November 28

On this day in …

1520, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reached the Pacific Ocean after passing through the South American strait that now bears his name
1895, America's first race featuring gasoline-powered automobiles was held in Chicago, Illinois, with six vehicles competing: two electric cars, three German Benz automobiles, and one American-made Duryea automobile, the USA's first working gasoline-powered car. After 10 1/2 hours, despite an accidental two-mile detour, the Duryea crossed the finish line with no other car in sight, having achieved an average speed of 7.5mph during the race

1943, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began conferring in Tehran, Iran, during World War II

1964, the United States launched the space probe Mariner 4 on a course to Mars

1987, Tawana Brawley is found covered with feces and wrapped in garbage bags outside the Pavilion Condominiums in Wappingers Falls, New York. Brawley appeared to have undergone an extremely traumatic experience: parts of her hair were cut off, her pants were slightly burned, and there was a racial slur scrawled on her body. Brawley told authorities that for four days she had been held against her will and repeatedly r ap ed by a gang of white men, one of whom she claimed had a police badge. Despite being proved a hoax, one of the key race hustlers in the case, Rev. Al Sharpton, is now a cable TV darling

1990, Margaret Thatcher resigned as prime minister of Britain during an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, who conferred the premiership on John Major

1994, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, serving 15 consecutive life sentences for the brutal murders of 15 men, is beaten to death by a fellow inmate while performing cleaning duty in a bathroom at the Columbia Correctional Institute gymnasium in Portage, Wisconsin

2001, Enron Corp., once the world's largest energy trader, collapsed after would-be rescuer Dynegy Inc. backed out of an $8.4 billion deal to take it over

Rosie O'DunceA$$ Quotes

.....just a few quickies today, the 'ol bod got hit by Joe Jr.'s stomach flu yesterday, recovery time is slow.

Man I can't stand this bag....

"A View's" (not "The View" in my book) queen of dumb from SoCal Pundit:

"Rosie O: Don’t fear terrorists, they’re just moms and dads

"TV host Rosie O’Donnell says there’s no reason for Americans to fear terrorists because they are just moms and dads like us.

"On her ABC show “The View” last Thursday, the shoot-from-the-lip actress-comedienne explained in less-than Rooseveltian fashion that Americans have nothing to fear but fear itself.

“Faith or fear, that’s your choice,” she told co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck and panelists including Barbara Walters and Beverly Sills.

“You can walk through life believing in the goodness of the world, or walk through life afraid of anyone who thinks different than you and trying to convert them to your way of thinking. And I think that this country … .”

To which Hasselbeck interjected: “Well, I’m a person of faith, so I, but I also believe … .”

“Well then, get away from the fear,” interrupted O’Donnell. “Don’t fear the terrorists. They’re mothers and fathers.”

-------------
Maybe Rosie should meet An-Najar, the 64 year old grandmother (with 41 grandkids) who just had a "livelier Thanksgiving" despite Rosie's view. Of course the whole family is so proud of her sucide effort which failed to achieve even one dead Israeli soldier.

This About Sums It Up!

Today in History....November 27

On this day in …

1901, the U.S. Army War College was established in Washington
1910, the Pennsylvania Railroad began service at New York's Pennsylvania Station

1911, Elizabeth Jaffray, a White House housekeeper, writes in her diary about a conversation she’d had with President William Howard Taft and his wife about the commander in chief’s ever-expanding waistline. According to the White House Historical Association, Jaffray was also quoted regarding Taft’s growing girth in a 1926 book called Secrets of the White House. In it, she detailed a typical breakfast consumed by the 332-pound president: "two oranges, a twelve-ounce beefsteak, several pieces of toast and butter and a vast quantity of coffee with cream and sugar."

1924, New York City's Macy's department store held its first Thanksgiving Day parade down a two-mile stretch of Broadway from Central Park West to Herald Square. The parade featured large performing platforms that, because they were attached to specially outfitted automobiles concealed beneath them, seemed to float down Broadway. Felix the Cat was Macy's first parade balloon

1942, during World War II, the French navy at Toulon scuttled its ships and submarines to keep them out of the hands of the Nazis, ym"sh

1945, Gen. George C. Marshall was named special U.S. envoy to China to try to end hostilities between the Nationalists and the Communists

1965, in Washington, nearly 35,000 war protesters circle the White House for two hours before moving on to the Washington Monument. Dr. Benjamin Spock, Coretta Scott King, and activist Norman Thomas were among those who gave speeches

1973, the Senate voted 92-3 to confirm Gerald R. Ford as vice president, succeeding Spiro T. Agnew, who'd resigned

2005, doctors in France performed the world's first partial face transplant on a woman disfigured by a dog bite; Isabelle Dinoire received the lips, nose and chin of a brain-dead woman in a 15-hour operation

Before I leave for the weekend, here's a very nice timeline on Islamic Imperialism from Democracy Frontline titled History Lesson on Islamic Imperialism.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, my bro's spicy sausage stuffing, rutabaga, cream corn, olives & onions, cranberries, pumpkin pie, fresh rolls and everything else I missed........you have no idea how much I love food, can't wait!

Here's the family pulling up to my crib for the Big Day:












The guest of honor:


















A very important part of the day:












Another important part of the day:

















......and then off to Las Sendas to play with the boys on friday:

Time.com Links Joe Gringo Post!

Not a big deal, but I bet my mom thinks so....Pretty cool accidental find! Of course there were about 500 other ones linked as well, but......who cares. It was my post from last friday where I continue to bash Hugo Chavez:

http://joegringo.blogspot.com/2006/11/economics-of-hugo-chavez-and-ficha.html

I found it here

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1562009,00.html

and then went to this:

Related Blogs: Click here for blog postings from around the web that are related to the topic of this article.

Shades of Al Gore

Two days ago, failed Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador inaugurated himself “president” in a bid to be seen as Mexico’s legitimate elected president. He lost, of course, and this grandiose gesture is nothing more than his own personal fantasy.

Check out Mark in México's photo gallery of this ridiculous little self-coronation up close here!

Should Thuggo Chavez win the Presidential election in Venezuela this December 3rd, wanna bet he recognizes AMLO as the legitimate President?

Today in History....November 22

On this day in …

1718, English pirate Edward Teach — better known as Blackbeard — was killed during a battle off the Virginia coast

1935, a flying boat, the China Clipper, took off from Alameda, Calif., carrying more than 100,000 pieces of mail on the first trans-Pacific airmail flight

1942, a Soviet counteroffensive against the German armies pays off as the Red Army traps about a quarter-million German soldiers south of Kalach, on the Don River, within Stalingrad. As the Soviets' circle tightened, German General Friedrich Paulus requested permission from Berlin to withdraw

1943, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek met in Cairo to discuss measures for defeating Japan

1963, President Kennedy was shot to death while riding in a motorcade in Dallas. Texas Gov. John B. Connally, in the same limousine as Kennedy, was seriously wounded. Suspect Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested

1988, in the presence of members of Congress and the media, the Northrop B-2 "stealth" bomber is shown publicly for the first time at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The aircraft, which was developed in great secrecy for nearly a decade, was designed with stealth characteristics that would allow it to penetrate an enemy's most sophisticated defenses unnoticed

1990, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, having failed to win re-election of the Conservative Party leadership on the first ballot, announced her resignation

1996, O.J. Simpson took the stand as a hostile witness in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against him, saying it was "absolutely not true" that he'd killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman

2005,


An Arab-American college student, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, a practitioner of that "religion of peace", was convicted of joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President Bush

Angela Merkel took power as Germany's first female chancellor

Ted Koppel hosted his final edition of ABC News' "Nightline"

Inspirational People

You never know where they're going to come from. I happen to work with one.

Last March 26, co-worker and friend Abby Simpkins and husband Bill lost their 6 year old daughter Emma in a tragic accident at their home, a truly tragic accident. In situations such as these, you never know how the family life is going to turn out.....

Now Abby is a mother of 4 kids, a totally devoted family mom, working about 30 hours a week in our international finance sector, drives a Ford Excursion with "DL Jr 8" on her license plate...yep she's a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan and a NASCAR fan. Since that time, Abby has gotten herself involved in daily Boot Camp classes that commence at the break of dawn everyday, this involves running, physical exercises, the whole she-bang. She progressed from running 1-2 miles every couple of days, then everyday, that turned into 5 miles, then 8 miles, up to 12, then 15, now it's 18and 20 miles at a time about once a week. Throw in a few 5-8 miles a day in between ......"I really don't bother with anything under 5 miles......unless I'm being timed", she says.

Wow. Pretty dang good I have to say in just a couple of months. She is going to run in P.F. Chang's Rock ' n Roll Marathon in Phoenix this January.

Some people would crumble under situations such as these, but not Abby. She's taking life by the horns, kicking ass and taking names.

This coming March 31, 2007, Abby and Bill will be holding a 5K Run in Anthem, AZ, this will co-incide with the community's "Anthem Days". This run will be called "Emma's Run", in memory of their daughter Emma. I will have details in the coming weeks. Basically it will be something around $18 for entry fee that will benefit the "We Care" foundation that was set up in Anthem to assist with grieving families in need and one that came to the Simpkins family. This is a phenomenal organization.

Abby is a real inspiration, whenever you think you have it hard or life isn't treating you fair, think of her, Bill and their 3 boys.

PS- Not that she needs it, but she's even got the Mrs. rising at 4:50am 4 times a week to hit the gym.

KKKramer........

I know, that's a little bold. IMO, this guy got crucified for trying a shock act that spun out of control. This whole PC bullsh*t is so out of control, someone wake me up and let me know when it is NOT okay for black people to call each other the ........"N" word.

Never knew there were rules for racial slurs.

Antone from Seattle is a frequent reader/poster here, he's black, his wife even calls him the "Black Gringo"......what 's your take Antone?

For the record, an adult should have the class and smarts to not shout out racial slurs, Kramer did wrong, he apologized, let him go, time to move on.

Today in History....November 21

On this day in …

1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis names Judah Benjamin the secretary of war. A Sephardic Jew from South Carolina, Judah Benjamin was an exception to the rule in the Protestant South
1877, Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph. Edison set aside this invention in 1878 to work on the incandescent light bulb, and other inventors moved forward to improve on the phonograph. In 1887, Edison resumed work on the device, using the wax-cylinder technique developed by Charles Tainter. Although initially used as a dictating machine, the phonograph proved to be a popular tool for entertainment, and in 1906 Edison unveiled a series of musical and theatrical selections to the public through his National Phonograph Company. Continuing to improve on models and cylinders over the years, the Edison Disc Phonograph debuted in 1912 with the aim of competing in the popular record market. Edison's discs offered superior sound quality but were not compatible with other popular disc players.

1942, the Alaska highway across Canada was formally opened

1964, the upper level of New York's Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which connected Brooklyn and Staten Island, was opened

1973, President Nixon's attorney, J. Fred Buzhardt, revealed the existence of an 18 1/2-minute gap in one of the White House tape recordings related to Watergate

1980, 350 million people around the world tune in to television's popular primetime drama "Dallas" to find out who shot J.R. Ewing, the character fans loved to hate. J.R. had been shot on the season-ending episode the previous March 21, which now stands as one of television's most famous cliffhangers

1995, the Dow Jones industrial average closed above the 5,000 mark for the first time

2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon broke away from the more conservative Likud with the intention of forming a new party

The Position Finding The Man, Or The Man Finding The Position

"Nice people," Newt Gingrich says of his GOP competitors John McCain and Rudy Guliani. "But we're not in the same business. They're running for president. I'm running to change the country."

That's the stuff you like to hear.

"I'm going to tell you something, and whether or not it's plausible given the world you come out of is your problem," he tells Fortune. "I am not 'running' for president. I am seeking to create a movement to win the future by offering a series of solutions so compelling that if the American people say I have to be president, it will happen." So he's running, only without yet formally saying so.

Fortune magazine looks at Newt Gingrich's strategy to win in 2008:

Chalk Another One Up For The U.N. And That Freedom Loving Iran

"We drink and bathe from the toilets" - Iranian Dissident Trapped 73 Days in Moscow Airport

Ms Kamalfar is guilty of being an Iranian who wants to live in a free country. That is a felony in Ali Khamenei’s Iran, and a matter of considerable indifference to the “international community,” which neither helps people like her once they escape, nor the tens of millions of Iranians inside the country, even though their demands for freedom should be embraced and supported by all civilized countries and their peoples.

Sources close to Iranian dissident Zahra Kamalfar state she has been living with her children under unspeakable conditions in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for 73 days (now more). A one-time demonstrator against the extremist theocracy, she escaped from an Iranian prison when on a two-day furlough to visit her children. She ended up being buffeted from country to country, then spent months in a Moscow deportation motel before being ejected and left to float in the transit area of the airport. Now in imminent danger (possibly Monday, if the Russians cooperate) of being taken back to the Islamic Republic for the Mullahs’ version of justice, Ms. Kamalfar speaks out in this dramatic video smuggled out of the airport to Pajamas Media.

Read Iran expert Michael Ledeen’s account of Kamalfar’s background here. More on Kamalfar and her children at the blog of Iranian human rights activist Ardeshir Dolat. Sign a petition for Kamalfar’s freedom with the UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) and Russian immigration authorities here.

UPDATE AND SOME CLARIFICATION: Pajamas Media has been told that Kamalfar will not be returned to Iran until at least Tuesday. She has a brother in Canada, where she is seeking asylum. Her husband is either in an Iranian prison or dead. No one seems to know. We have also been told that Islamic regime intelligence has been actively spreading rumors about her in order to discredit her with the press. This is unconfirmed at this point.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS: Pajamas Media has been informed that two US attorneys (one Iranian- American) are now en route to Moscow to meet with US Embassy officials. They are attempting to obtain asylum for Kamalfar and her children in the US before she is returned to Iran. The same sources tell us the UNHCR has been obstructing these attempts by delaying in turning over necessary documents. The sources speculate that the UN Agency is embarrassed by its previous treatment of Kamalfar who could have left Russia months ago with their help.

ANOTHER UPDATE: The following news appeared Monday morning on the Hambastegi International Federation of Iranian Refugees website. The reports have not yet been confirmed. The latest news is at the top.

UPDATE ON THIS NEWS (15.30-20-11-2006): IFIR has been informed by Ms. Kamalfar from Airport that she may be departure from Moscow to capital of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan by Aeroflot at 23.10 tonight. If this happened to her, Ms. Kamalfar will apply asylum in Kyrgyzstan.
UPDATE ON THIS NEWS (14.50-20-11-2006): IFIR has been informed by Ms. Kamalfar from Airport that she has received a message (SMS) and told her she would be deported tonight at 10 pm in Russian times.

UPDATE ON THIS NEWS (14.50- 20-11-2006): IFIR has been informed that possibility of forcible return of Ms.Kamalfar now is in higher risk. Some thing unusual is happened to her. She has been forbidden to have any visit in airport hall. The danger of capture her and her two children would be happened in every minute. This is unconfirmed at this point.

Today in History....November 20

On this day in …

1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights

1888, William Bundy patents timecard clock

1910, revolution broke out in Mexico, led by Francisco I. Madero

1914, the State Department starts requiring photographs for passports

1929, the radio program "The Rise of the Goldbergs" debuted on the NBC Blue Network

1943, during World War II, U.S. Marines began landing on Tarawa and Makin atolls in the Gilbert Islands, encountering fierce resistance from Japanese forces but emerging victorious three days later

1945, a series of trials of accused Nazi war criminals, ym"sh, conducted by a U.S., French, and Soviet military tribunal based in Nuremberg, Germany, began. Twenty-four former Nazi officials were tried, and when it was all over, one year later, half would be sentenced to death by hanging

1947, "Meet the Press" makes network TV debut on NBC

1959, the United Nations issued its "Declaration of the Rights of the Child

1962, President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 11063, which mandates an end to discrimination in housing. The order, which came during the burgeoning Civil Rights movement, prohibited federally funded housing agencies from denying housing or funding for housing to anyone based on their race, color, creed or national origin

1967, the Census Clock at the Commerce Department ticked past 200 million

1975, after nearly four decades of absolute rule, Spain's General Francisco Franco died, two weeks before his 83rd birthday

2005, Israel's dovish Labor Party voted to pull out of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government in the opening salvo of an election campaign

The Economics of Hugo Chavez and FICHA Coupons......Yep, FICHA, As In FIdel and CHAvez

Before I start, I'll go ahead and say it........Hugo Chavez is a thug and a real dumbass. The election in December is going to be close, but if Manuel Rosales gets this video out, Chavez is going down.

A pretty damn interesting one from Daniel Duquenal in Venezuela......

I have just received the link for a video that I was tracking down. And it coincides with the passing of Milton Friedman. There are some times karmic coincidences that send shivers through one's spine. Not that I am any devout of Mr. Friedman, but his ideas have helped the West prosperity, be it in Wall Street or Santiago, whereas the ideas of Chavez are definitely a one way ticket to pauperization and abject state dependence.

The video next comes from a previous Alo Presidente show where Chavez exposed his economic ideas to bring Venezuela country side to prosperity. If you cannot understand or read Spanish read the rest of this post before watching the video. I understand that the show has been made into an “instructional DVD” by some ministry, and that whomever posted it added its comments. But the Chavez part is authentic and has been extensively shown on TV.

The summary of the video. Chavez proposals are such:

1) Part of the production of anyone should be given to a community center. That is right, given, so as to satisfy the needs of others. How those need are evaluated and met is of course not explained (Milton et al. call this “taxes” and others even called this “taxation without representation”)

2) The rest of the production must be bartered [Trueque]. That is, you go to your local market and you do not get money but coupons that are worth only in your area. Chavez is very explicit here, he even describes the area where he is when he says that the coupons will be only valid “in this mountain, up to such river”.

3) These coupons not only are only valid in your area, but they lose their value over time, with what he calls “oxidation” which is nothing less than negative interest. That is, if you decided to accumulate your coupons (Milton et al. call this savings) they would lose their value and you would lose everything. In other words you are forced to consume on the spot: when you reach the local market with your crop of XYZ you MUST go back home with a load of UVW.

In other words, we are seeing a president of a 21st century country propose to go back to an economical system which had been even overcome long ago, even by the Incas: they might not have had real currency or writing but they had the quipus and efficient central planning with extensive intra regional trading.

The astounding words of Chavez, negating trade between even valleys (each valley has its own coupon only valid in the given valley), negating savings, negating even private property of the labor of you hands are simply astounding. And they astounded the normally devout audience who was looking at Chavez with a total bemused expression that even the VTV cameras could not hide!

The editor of the video is dead on when s/he remarks that it is exactly the same system as the colonial plantation system: workers were paid with tokens that were only valid at the central store of the plantation. Is Chavez trying to tell us that he will eventually become the owner of “Venezuela’s plantation” and Mercal the plantation store where we will go with out tokens? Is he getting people used to a ration card system like in Cuba? You draw your own conclusion.

BTW, the coupons are going to be named 'ficha' (FIdel and CHAvez)

......here's a comment from the article:

Long time ago, I met a cuban family that came to Venezuela. They were fortunate people in Cuba. I mean, they had nice jobs with the cuban, regime and lived in a decent house etc. Nevertheless, looking for freedom, they migrated to Venezuela. I learned so many things about Cuba with them, but what startled me most was their stories on how did they buy their refrigerator, TV, car etc. -

First, they had to 'earn' the right to buy it. How? you know.. going to the meetings, being part of the neighborhood watch and so on.

- Second, they entered in some kind of sweepstakes or lotto (it takes months)- Finally they 'won' the good.. and still had to pay for it.

Swarming Bionic Hornets

How cool does that sound, check out what them dang Jews have up their sleeve, imagine what the United States could do with something like this:

"Israel is using nanotechnology to try to create a robot no bigger than a hornet that would be able to chase, photograph and kill its targets, an Israeli newspaper reported on Friday.
The flying robot, nicknamed the "bionic hornet", would be able to navigate its way down narrow alleyways to target otherwise unreachable enemies such as rocket launchers, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth said.

Prototypes for the new weapons are expected within three years, he said"

Ace of Spades adds this......... I'm a little worried about Hezbollah's crack scientific research team stumbling upon the ultimate counterweapon, though.

Funny.

Trailer Trash Divorce......Hollywood Style

This is getting good.

Glenn Beck on Rush

Just caught a smidge of Glenn Beck on Rush, make sure you check out his program tonight on CNN Headline News at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm EST titled Exposed: The Extremist Agenda.

For thosen who don't think the Islamofacsists aren't hellbent on Armegeddon, tune in.....and we're not talking in a generation or two, we're talking now.

These bast*rds are already infiltrating our government.....FIRST MUSLIM CONGRESSMAN SNUBS PRESIDENT...

Here's a promo.

Oops, try this, view "Video Promo 1" and "Video Promo 2" on the middle right of his page:
http://www.glennbeck.com/home/index.shtml

Today in History....November 15

On this day in …

1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation, a precursor to the Constitution of the United States

1867, the first stock ticker is unveiled in New York City. The advent of the ticker ultimately revolutionized the stock market by making up-to-the-minute prices available to investors around the country. Prior to this development, information from the New York Stock Exchange, which has been around since 1792, traveled by mail or messenger

1889, after a 49-year reign, Pedro II, the second and last emperor of Brazil, is deposed in a military coup

1939, President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington

1969, a quarter of a million protesters staged a peaceful demonstration in Washington against the Vietnam War

1977, President Jimmy Carter welcomes Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran, and his wife, Empress (or "Shahbanou") Farrah, to Washington. Over the next two days, Carter and Pahlavi discussed improving relations between the two countries. Two years later, the two leaders' political fates would be further entwined when Islamic fundamentalists overthrew the shah and took Americans hostage in Tehran

1984, "Baby Fae," a month-old infant who had received a baboon-heart transplant, dies at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, California

1985, Britain and Ireland signed an accord giving Dublin an official consultative role in governing Northern Ireland

2001, President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to resolve their dispute over U.S. missile shield plans but pledged to fight terrorism and deepen U.S.-Russian ties as their summit, which began at the White House before shifting to Bush's Texas ranch, came to a close

2005, Israel and the Palestinians, under strong U.S. pressure, reached an agreement to open Gaza's borders

It's Really Not the Content, But the Presentation

Ace always has a nice take on things.

Im-A-Nut-Job, err....Ahmadinejad Announces Plans for 60,000 New Centrifuges!

Tick, Tick ,Tick......

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad announced that Iran would start installing thousands of uranium-enriching centrifuges by early next year:

Despite the threat of UN sanctions over Tehran's refusal to hold back its nuclear programme, Ahmadinejad said that the long-term target of Iran should be to install 60,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium.

Iran has said it is looking to install 3,000 centrifuges by March 2007, in itself a massive step from the two cascades of 164 centrifuges apiece it has currently at its Natanz plant to enrich uranium on a research scale.

"We want to produce nuclear fuel and eventually we should go for 60,000 centrifuges. We should continue along this path. We are at the beginning of the wave," Ahmadinejad told a news conference Tuesday.

Experts say that 50,000 centrifuges would normally be sufficient to produce 20 kilos (44 pounds) of weapons grade uranium in under a month, but Iran vehemently denies it wants the bomb.

Also, today International Atomic Energy Officials announced that they found traces of unexplained plutonium and highly enriched uranium at a nuclear waste facility in Iran. The IAEA also said it could not confirm Iranian claims that its nuclear activities were exclusively nonmilitary unless Tehran increased its openness.(Via LGF)

Ahmadinejad also said that Iran is ready to talk with the US once it changes it's attitudes.

h/t GatewayPundit

Blogging for Bolton

The Democrats want John Bolton's scalp. This is a moment for conservatives to stand up to the Left's empty, vindictive obstructionism and support a strong voice for America's interests at the corrupted, soft-on-jihad offices of Turtle Bay.

Call Congress and make your voice heard here.

I cannot stomach the idea of Beltway GOP elites cutting and running from Bolton. Make sure to make a call today.

h/t Michelle Malkin

A Few Photo's From Puerto Lobos

The following 3 photos are taken from a few feet from our beach house in Puerto Lobos, Sonora México last weekend, notice the sheared hill/mountainsides, I thought that developers came in and blasted out them out for development but actually it was some sort of tsunami or equivalent that sheared off the mountainside many many years ago that go for a few miles down the cost as you can see.







A look to the right near sundown. fishing boat and a tiny island to the left of the boat.

The obligatory sunset photo.

Joe Jr. Jr. and Daniella with her broken leg.

The Mrs. and the gang.

Joe Jr. Jr. grimacing as he lifts his favorite rock.
Since Daniella couldn't do much walking with her leg, we sat her by a place with a buch of sea shells so could "clean them to make them pretty.

Joe Jr. and Joe Jr. Jr.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Returned late Sunday night from a sleepy, remote fishing village in Puerto Lobos, Sonora, México. Was without any telephone, television, cell phone, basically no communication for 3 days. Great place for fishing, boating and for quads.

The Good - the trip was a blast, beautiful remote beach. The company was great.
-Beer, not good, but excellent.
-Tequila - El Tequileño, excellent.
-Seafood - Manta Ray and Shrimp stew/soup- phenonmenal, not to mention the carne asada and ceviche.
-Maneuvering out of 2 near certain fatal car accidents.
-Witnessing at least 5 sharks taking some big poor fish down, pretty violent, pretty cool.
-The night time sky was full of stars from horizon to horizon, bunches of shooting stars.

The Bad - The Mrs. getting gorged by a Sting Ray in the foot, taking her out of commission for awhile, bloody and painful. Our little four year old gringa who broke her leg 2 weeks ago was in a full leg cast, so both the Mrs. and Daniella were down, but not out, the little one had a ball.

The Ugly - Seeing corruption in México first hand. To get to Puerto Lobos, you must take a dirt road for 40 miles between two mountain ranges, the previous party in power, the PRI, had it in the books in México City that this 40+ mile stretch was paved/asphalted. When the PAN party came to power in 2000, they found this to be untrue. Somebody pocketed millions of dollars.

Photo's later.

Being out of commission for a few days, I'm prepared to see what Nancy Pelosi, et al, have been up to......sounds like she's starting to make some noise........time to catch up.

Today in History....November 13

On this day in …

1775, during the American Revolution, U.S. forces captured Montreal

1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to a friend, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

1927, the Holland Tunnel opened to the public, providing access between New York City and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River

1942, the minimum draft age in the United States was lowered from 21 to 18

1956, the Supreme Court struck down laws calling for racial segregation on public city and state buses

1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington

1985, 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a gigantic mudslide buried the city

2001,


Afghan opposition fighters rolled into Kabul after Taliban troops slipped away under cover of darkness

Eight foreign aid workers -- two Americans, two Australians and four Germans -- held captive in Afghanistan by practitioners of that "religion of peace" for three months were freed by anti-Taliban fighters

President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the White House


2005,

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in Jerusalem, strongly rebuked Iran's leadership, saying "no civilized nation" can call for the annihilation of another --- a reference to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remark that Israel should be "wiped off the map."

An Iraqi woman arrested by Jordanian authorities confessed on television to trying to blow herself up with her husband, both practitioners of that "religion of peace", in one of the three Nov. 9 suicide attacks in Amman

Sentence of the Year?

The sentence of the year?

Over in Tim Blair's comment section, a guy named Dave S. said this:

"The Republicans lost and the Democrats won for the same reason -- they distanced themselves from their base. "

And Hugh Hewitt points the finger at John McCain:

"The post-mortems are accumulating, but I think the obvious has to be stated: John McCain and his colleagues in the Gang of 14 cost the GOP its Senate majority while the conduct of a handful of corrupt House members gave that body's leadership the Democrats. "

The first two paragraphs of my book Painting the Map Red --published in March of this year, read:

"If you are a conservative Republican, as I am, you have a right to be worried. An overconfident and complacent Republican Party could be facing electoral disaster. Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, and a host of others could be looming in our future and undoing all the good we've tried to do."

Here's Hughe's The Road Not Taken: Forfeiting a Majority.

Heading On Out To Puerto Lobos, México

Thurs night-Fri-Sat-Sun

About an hour and half or two south of Rocky Point, Sonora side.

Taking the Mrs., 3 kids and meeting her Aunt & Uncle at this secluded beach town for a summit meeting to discuss the importance of beer, tequila, fresh seafood and perfect something that I never get the chance to do.......the art of the afternoon nap.

Just purchased Mark Steyn's America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It., looking forward to reading it.

Today in History....November 9

On this day in …

1872, fire destroyed nearly 1,000 buildings in Boston

1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicated. He then fled to the Netherlands

1938, Nazi-inspired anti-Jewish riots took place across Germany after the murder of a German official in Paris. Jewish businesses were ransacked, synagogues torched and many Jews sent to concentration camps. The night became known as "Kristallnacht" (Night of Broken Glass)

1965, a huge power failure blacked out New York City, parts of eight northeastern states and parts of Canada, affecting 30 million people

1967, the first Saturn V rocket carrying the unmanned Apollo 4 spacecraft was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center

1989, communist East Germany threw open its borders, allowing citizens to travel freely to the West; joyous Germans danced atop the Berlin Wall

1990, King Birendra of Nepal proclaimed a new constitution that restored multi-party democracy to the Himalayan kingdom and stripped him of his absolute power

1995, PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, ym"sh, made his first visit to Israel and paid a surprise condolence call at the Tel Aviv home of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's widow, Leah

1996, President Clinton used his weekly radio address to condemn the decision of the nation's distillers to end their voluntary ban on airing hard-liquor ads, calling it "simply irresponsible"

1999, Cuba said it would file a lawsuit against the United States for more than $100 billion for the damages resulting from Washington's 40-year economic embargo against Havana

2002, Iyad Sawalha, ym"sh, head of Islamic Jihad's military wing and the top of an Israeli wanted list, was shot dead in the West Bank city of Jenin by Israeli forces

2005, three suicide bombers, practitioners of that "religion of peace", blew themselves up at three international hotels in Jordan's capital Amman, killing 60 and wounding many others

Why We Got Spanked

Arizona Congressman Jeff Flake weighs in:

"This disastrous election we just had wasn't a result of the war or the Foley scandal, it was because we as a party need a course correction. Earmarking really came back to bite us. I think we Republicans simply lost our brand name. We are no longer considered to be the party of limited government and that came back to hurt us badly. "

Bingo. Time to shake the sh*t out of the tree and let the real leaders w/in the Republican party rise to the top.

Saddam Breaks Down in Court, Begs For Mercy From Judge

Saddam collapses and ask for leniency and mercy from Judge.

The Iraqi government said that Saddam could be executed by the end of the year before his second trial is decided.

It seems that Saddam is using a new approach in dealing with the court. It reflects his desire for forgiveness for his crimes. This new approach only started after he was sentenced to hang for his crimes in Dujail. Sources in the high criminal court handling Saddam’s cases said that the dictator did not anticipate this verdict or the seriousness of the court.

Aahhh.....too bad, I say throw him in a shredder just he and his sons did to his own countrymen.......but hanging works just as well anyway, here's the rest.

And The Good News......

With the Democrats taking over the House and Likely the Senate, this will make it quite a bit more difficult for Hillary to win the nod in 2008, with Democratic leader Harry Reid at the helm, Hillary will be stymied. A hard lefty will likely get the nomination, put that up against McCain (ouch), Guliani (ouch), Mitt Romney....or a George Allen, and the Republicans should retain the White House in 2008

And.....now we get to go on the offense, instead of defending our guys in Washington DC the last few years, now it's our turn to go on the offensive.

The next 2 years will be a blog-fest.

A Little Humor To Lighten Up The Day

Sad story, the delivery is what is funny......Shep Smith to the rescue....watch it all, it's only 1 minute.

The GOP Lost. Conservatism Prevailed.

And when 2008 rolls around, the people of the USA will not want to be led by Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Howard Dean, et al.

From Michelle Malkin, The GOP lost. Conservatism prevailed. "San Francisco values" may control the gavels in Congress, but they do not control America. Property rights initiatives limiting eminent domain won big. MCRI, the anti-racial preference measure, passed resoundingly. Congressman Tom Tancredo, the GOP's leading warrior against illegal immigration--opposed by both the open-borders Left and the open-borders White House--won a fifth term handily. Gay marriage bans won approval in 3 states. And as of this writing, the oil tax initiative, Prop. 87--backed by deep-pocketed Hollywood libs, is trailing badly in California.

John Kerry's late-campaign troop smear galvanized bloggers and talk radio hosts, but it was not strong enough to overcome wider bipartisan voter doubts about Iraq.

Today in History....November 8

On this day in …

1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen (1845-1923) becomes the first person to observe X-rays, a significant scientific advancement that would ultimately benefit a variety of fields, most of all medicine, by making the invisible visible

1917, one day after an armed uprising led by his radical socialist Bolsheviks toppled the provisional Russian government, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin rises before the newly formed All-Russian Congress of Soviets to call for an immediate armistice with the Central Powers in World War I

1923, Adolf Hitler, ym"sh, launched his first attempt at seizing power with a failed coup in Munich, Germany, the "Beer-Hall Putsch"

1933, President Roosevelt created the Civil Works Administration, designed to create jobs for more than 4 million unemployed

1939, on the 16th anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler, ym"sh, survives assassination attempt when a bomb explodes just after he has finished giving a speech. He was unharmed.

1942, Operation Torch began during World War II as U.S. and British forces landed in French North Africa

1945, in the wake of World War II, America needed to convert its economy back to peacetime conditions. The passage of the Revenue Act of 1945 on November 8 was a key step in rolling back the heavy taxes which had been implemented to help wage the war. Along with cutting $6 billion in taxes, the Revenue Act initiated an extensive post-war revision of the nation's entire tax system

1986, former Soviet official Vyacheslav M. Molotov, whose name became attached to the incendiary bottle bomb known as a "Molotov Cocktail," died at age 96

2001, in a prime-time address, President Bush called on Americans to defy acts of terror by strengthening their communities, comforting their neighbors and remaining vigilant in the face of further threats

2005, Practitioners of that "religion of peace" go berserk in France, burning cars and buildings, looting and physically attacking "infidels". French President Jacques Chirac declared a 12-day state of emergency

Uno). Not surprised I guess.

Dos). It's an area I am somewhat familiar with, you wouldn't believe the amount of execs now from India and China.

Tres). A pay-per-view show I would pay to see.

Cuatro). Awful news, then real good news.

I'm about to shut 'er down for the day......here's hoping the GOOD GUYS win today/tonight!!

Final Poll Summaries

Kinda fun to look at:

Election 2006

Final Senate Summary

Final House Summary

Final Governor Summary

Final House & Sen Rankings

Ooops!

Faith Hill's true colors come out on last nights Country Music Awards show, typical whiny liberal.

from Drudge

Today in History....November 7

On this day in …

1874, the Republican Party was symbolized as an elephant in a cartoon drawn by Thomas Nast in "Harper's Weekly."
1916, Republican Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman elected to Congress

1917, Russian Bolsheviks under Vladimir Lenin overthrew the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky in Petrograd

1944, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected for a record fourth term

1985, troops stormed Colombia's Palace of Justice in Bogota to end a 24-hour siege by gunmen of the M-19 guerrilla movement; 95 people were killed.

1987, Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba, in office since independence in 1956, was overthrown in a bloodless coup

1989, East Germany's communist government resigned after pro-democracy protests

1996, the U.S. liquor industry voted to drop its decades-old voluntary ban on broadcast advertising

1998, John Glenn returned to Earth aboard the space shuttle Discovery, visibly weak but elated after a nine-day mission

2001,


The Bush administration targeted Osama bin Laden's multimillion-dollar financial networks, closing businesses in four states, detaining U.S. suspects and urging allies to help choke off money supplies in 40 nations

At the White House, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, allies in the war on terrorism, confidently offered back-to-back pledges of victory, no matter how long it took

The Belgian national airline Sabena filed for bankruptcy -- the first European flag carrier to do so in the upheaval to the industry caused by the 9/11 attacks on the United States

(D) Stands For Defeat

Here is video dedicated to John Murtha, Teddy, Howard Dean, John F. Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Dick Durbin, Bill Clinton and especially Jim Webb...



h/t the man from St. Louis.....GatewayPundit

Manuel Rosales vs Thuggo Chavez, It' Getting Tight

Pro-Rosales crowds gathering in Venezuela..........
(click photo's to enlarge)

Did You Know......

- No American has died of old age since 1951.

That was the year the government eliminated that classification on death certificates.

- It is estimated that 100 billion people have died since humans began.

Read 20 things that I bet you didn't know about.......death.

Don't Forget That........

(click photo to enlarge)














Race updates.....

and a reminder.........

THE ARIZONA PROPOSITIONS

100 -- bail; undocumented immigrants: YES
101 -- local government levy limits; rebase: YES
102 -- standing; federal violation; damages: YES
103 – English as the official language: YES
104 -- Municipal Debt: NO
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow incorporated cities and towns to exceed their debt limit by up to 20 percent for public safety, law enforcement, fire and emergency service facilities, streets and transportation facilities. This proposition plain and simple opens the door for municipalities to potentially increase taxes. It would allow cities to incur additional debt to pay for certain services. This debt will have to be passed on and paid for by its citizens through increased tax rates.

105 -- State Trust Land Reform: YES
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow urban state trust land to be conveyed to a county, city or town for permanent conservation, and up to 400,000 acres of rural state trust land to be conveyed for permanent conservation to the county in which the land is located. All provisions are dependant on Arizona voter approval in November 2006 and the US Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act by Dec. 31, 2008. This proposition streamlines the process for selling and leasing State Trust Land, without creating any unneeded bureaucracy. The money created from these transactions exist for the sole purpose of benefiting Arizona’s schools.

106 -- Conserving Arizona’s Future: NO
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to permanently conserve and protect 690,000 acres of land and provide a classroom funding stream though improved planning and management of trust land. All provisions are dependant on Arizona voter approval in November 2006 and the U.S. Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act by Dec. 31, 2008. This is a proposition that might as well have been written by the Sierra Club. The measure creates a new bureaucracy designed to grant environmentalists an enormous amount of trust land as low cost. The more land that is granted to the environmentalists will directly correlate with a decrease in funds for the education community.

107 -- Protect Marriage Arizona: YES
This amendment to the state constitution will prevent judicial activists from re-defining Arizona's marriage laws. The definition of such law firmly belongs in the hands of the citizens.

200 – Arizona voter reward act: NO
201 – Smoke free Arizona act: NO

202 – Arizona minimum wage coalition: NO
Small business is the backbone of Arizona’s economy, and a raise in the minimum wage hurts small businesses. Liberals incessantly try to raise the minimum wage. By doing so, they actually reduce the number of part-time jobs available to teens and others seeking only part-time work. Government should not interfere with the personal finances of individual businesses and dictate their wage rates.

203 -- First Things First for Arizona's Children: NO
204 -- Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act: NO
205 -- Your Right to Vote: NO

206 -- Arizona Non-Smoker Protection Committee: YES
This smoking ban proposition is less costly for business owners and tobacco consumers than Prop. 201, because it would allow smoking in bars and does not include a tax increase. It recognizes private property rights. Signs must notify patrons and employees where smoking is permitted. Still prohibits minors in smoking areas.

207 -- Private Property Rights Protection Act: YES
300 -- public programs; citizens: YES
301 -- methamphetamine; probation ineligibility: YES

302 -- State legislators' salaries: YES
Generally opposed to adding government costs, but the current $24,000 salary is way too low, and a higher salary will allow more qualified candidates to run.

ARIZONA SUPREME COURT
Hurwitz, Andrew NO
McGregor, Ruth NO
Kessler, Donn NO
Norris, Patricia NO
Portley, Maurice YES


COURT OF APPEALS
Brammer, William NO
Eckerstrom, Peter NO
Espinosa, Philip YES

MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
Barton, Janet NO
Burke, Edward YES
Fenzel, Alfred YES
Ishikawa, Brian YES
Jones, Michael YES
Mundell, Barbara Rodriguez NO

Today in History....November 6

On this day in …

1860, former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the presidency
1861, Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term as president of the Confederacy

1888, Benjamin Harrison won the presidential election, defeating incumbent Grover Cleveland with enough electoral votes, even though Cleveland led in the popular vote

1906, President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt embarks on a 17-day trip to Panama and Puerto Rico, becoming the first president to make an official diplomatic tour outside of the continental United States

1917, led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin, leftist revolutionaries launch a nearly bloodless coup d'etat against Russia's ineffectual Provisional Government. The Bolsheviks and their allies occupied government buildings and other strategic locations in the Russian capital of Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) and within two days had formed a new government with Lenin as its head. Bolshevik Russia, later renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was the world's first Marxist state

1928, in a first, the results of Herbert Hoover's election victory over Alfred E. Smith were flashed onto an electric sign outside the New York Times building

1982, Shirley Allen is arrested for poisoning her husband, Lloyd Allen, with ethyl glycol, commonly known as anti-freeze. After witnessing her mother spike Lloyd's drinks with the deadly substance, Shirley's own daughter turned her in to the authorities

1988, Soviet scientist and well-known human rights activist Andrei Sakharov begins a two-week visit to the United States. During his visit, he pleaded with the American government and people to support Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of glasnost (political openness) and perestroika (economic reforms), and so ensure the success of a new, more democratic, and friendlier Soviet system

Oaxaca, México, What is Happening There?

Next to the Milbloggers, 2 of the bravest bloggers out there are Mark in México who is living, reporting the events as they happen in Oaxaca and Aleksander Boyd who is in Venezuela reporting on the goings on in Venezuela. Both of these guys are literally risking their lives with what they are doing. Here is an account from Mark..........in México:

I have delayed this post for some time until I could walk around and see for myself what I began hearing about 4:00 this afternoon. The PFP was attacked from all sides by superior numbers and superior firepower. They have been forced to retreat to a position about 1.5 km from the university. The PFP commanders are claiming tonight that it was never their intention to enter the university. Their intention, according to PFP officials, was to simply clear the 1 km of Avenida Universidad from the intersection with Periferico at Cinco Señores south to Plaza del Valle.

This could be true but I don't think too many people believe it. I walked around for about 2 miles to see what had happened to all the barricades. What I see is not so depressing at first glance. The PFP managed to remove all of the burned out trucks and buses from the main thoroughfare. These vehicles are now either hauled away or sitting on the side of the road. What is depressing is that the PFP is nowhere in sight and all of the barricades will be replaced.

What happened is this: The PFP are riot policemen. The vast majority of them are not armed with anything more than a baton. For protection they carry a shield and wear protective padding and helmets. Many also wear gas masks. The few PFP officers and commanders who carry weapons are not allowed to use them until they begin receiving fire from firearms - that is, from guns that are shooting bullets.

What the PFP is facing in Oaxaca are large mobs armed with rocks, slingshots, Molotov cocktails and homemade rocket launchers. The PFP officers, unless allowed to protect themselves with gunfire, are no match for the mobs. In the city's center, where the streets are narrow and there is an intersection every 75 or 100 meters, the PFP has the advantage. Even in yesterday's clearing of Brenamiel, once the PFP had removed the barricades from the main highway and entered into the narrower side streets, they held the advantage.


Firing a rocket towards belt buckles. The police are not allowed to respond.


A thug chases a bleeding policeman, hammering him with the officer's own baton.

This pretty much sums up the day.

A Fictional Dialogue Involving John Kerry That Sounds Quite Real

Let’s go to the transcript:

JOHN KERRY: Only an uneducated idiot would interpret my remarks as referring to the troops.
THE TROOPS: That’s how we took it.
JOHN KERRY: As I was saying . .

h/t Patterico

A Gringo Guide For Arizona's Tuesday's Elections

THE PROPOSITIONS - revised,Courts added

100 -- bail; undocumented immigrants: YES
101 -- local government levy limits; rebase: YES
102 -- standing; federal violation; damages: YES
103 – English as the official language: YES
104 -- Municipal Debt: NO
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow incorporated cities and towns to exceed their debt limit by up to 20 percent for public safety, law enforcement, fire and emergency service facilities, streets and transportation facilities. This proposition plain and simple opens the door for municipalities to potentially increase taxes. It would allow cities to incur additional debt to pay for certain services. This debt will have to be passed on and paid for by its citizens through increased tax rates.

105 -- State Trust Land Reform: YES
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow urban state trust land to be conveyed to a county, city or town for permanent conservation, and up to 400,000 acres of rural state trust land to be conveyed for permanent conservation to the county in which the land is located. All provisions are dependant on Arizona voter approval in November 2006 and the US Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act by Dec. 31, 2008. This proposition streamlines the process for selling and leasing State Trust Land, without creating any unneeded bureaucracy. The money created from these transactions exist for the sole purpose of benefiting Arizona’s schools.

106 -- Conserving Arizona’s Future: NO
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to permanently conserve and protect 690,000 acres of land and provide a classroom funding stream though improved planning and management of trust land. All provisions are dependant on Arizona voter approval in November 2006 and the U.S. Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act by Dec. 31, 2008. This is a proposition that might as well have been written by the Sierra Club. The measure creates a new bureaucracy designed to grant environmentalists an enormous amount of trust land as low cost. The more land that is granted to the environmentalists will directly correlate with a decrease in funds for the education community.

107 -- Protect Marriage Arizona: YES
This amendment to the state constitution will prevent judicial activists from re-defining Arizona's marriage laws. The definition of such law firmly belongs in the hands of the citizens.

200 – Arizona voter reward act: NO
201 – Smoke free Arizona act: NO

202 – Arizona minimum wage coalition: NO
Small business is the backbone of Arizona’s economy, and a raise in the minimum wage hurts small businesses. Liberals incessantly try to raise the minimum wage. By doing so, they actually reduce the number of part-time jobs available to teens and others seeking only part-time work. Government should not interfere with the personal finances of individual businesses and dictate their wage rates.

203 -- First Things First for Arizona's Children: NO
204 -- Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act: NO
205 -- Your Right to Vote: NO

206 -- Arizona Non-Smoker Protection Committee: YES
This smoking ban proposition is less costly for business owners and tobacco consumers than Prop. 201, because it would allow smoking in bars and does not include a tax increase. It recognizes private property rights. Signs must notify patrons and employees where smoking is permitted. Still prohibits minors in smoking areas.

207 -- Private Property Rights Protection Act: YES
300 -- public programs; citizens: YES
301 -- methamphetamine; probation ineligibility: YES

302 -- State legislators' salaries: YES
Generally opposed to adding government costs, but the current $24,000 salary is way too low, and a higher salary will allow more qualified candidates to run.

ARIZONA SUPREME COURT
Hurwitz, Andrew NO
McGregor, Ruth NO
Kessler, Donn NO
Norris, Patricia NO
Portley, Maurice YES

COURT OF APPEALS
Brammer, William NO
Eckerstrom, Peter NO
Espinosa, Philip YES

MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
Barton, Janet NO
Burke, Edward YES
Fenzel, Alfred YES
Ishikawa, Brian YES
Jones, Michael YES
Mundell, Barbara Rodriguez NO

Today in History....November 3

On this day in …

1777, General George Washington is informed that a conspiracy is afoot to discredit him with Congress and have him replaced by General Horatio Gates. Thomas Conway, who would be made inspector general of the United States less than two months later on December 14, led the effort
1839, the first Opium War between China and Britain broke out

1900, the first significant car show in the United States began in New York City. The week-long event, held in Madison Square Garden, was organized by the Automobile Club of America. Fifty-one exhibitors displayed 31 automobiles along with various accessories. Among the fathers of the automobile present at the "Horseless Carriage Show" was automaker James Ward Packard, who had completed his first car the year before, and brought three of his Packards to exhibit to the public. The event also featured automotive demonstrations, such as braking and starting contests, and a specially built ramp to measure the hill-climbing ability of the various automobiles. Spectators paid 50¢ each to attend the event

1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, the second manmade satellite, into orbit; on board was a dog named "Laika" who was sacrificed in the experiment

1979, five radicals were killed when gunfire erupted during an anti-Ku Klux Klan demonstration in Greensboro, N.C., after a caravan of Klansmen and neo-Nazis had driven into the area

1996, American entrepreneur Paul Tatum was shot to death on the steps of a Moscow subway station in what his relatives suspected was a contract slaying by the Russian mafia; the case remains unsolved

2001, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow to discuss nuclear arsenal cuts, American plans for a missile defense system, and U.S.-Russian cooperation in the campaign against terror

2005, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, pleaded not guilty to a five-count felony indictment in the CIA leak case. (Turns out that he wasn't)

Our New Terror Interrogator

After becoming completely bored by another Arizona Cardinal football game last sunday, I started to flip through the channels and came across a show on A&E called Criss Angel's Mindfreak.

This guy is a magician unlike I have ever seen before. I've seen this guy vanish/disappear, fly through the air, get run over by a car. This guy is damn good, too bad he's one those goth freaks though.

That Magnetic Kerrysma

Translated into English:

“I’m sorry that I insulted the troops. I meant to insult their commander in chief.”

Part of the Pack

The Mid-Term Elections

Check on your favorite race(s) here.

Today in History....November 2

On this day in …

1738, Gen. George Washington issued his Farewell Address to the Continental Army near Princeton, N.J.
1777, the USS Ranger, with a crew of 140 men under the command of John Paul Jones, leaves Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for the naval port at Brest, France, where it will stop before heading toward the Irish Sea to begin raids on British warships. This was the first mission of its kind during the Revolutionary War

1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour submits a declaration of intent to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The Balfour Declaration was included in the British mandate over Palestine, which was approved by the League of Nations in 1922

1948, President Truman surprised experts by being re-elected in a narrow upset over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey

1959, game show contestant Charles Van Doren admitted to a House subcommittee that he'd been given questions and answers in advance when he appeared on the NBC TV program ''Twenty-One''

1976, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter became the first candidate from the Deep South since the Civil War to be elected president as he defeated incumbent Gerald R. Ford

1986, kidnappers in Lebanon, practitioners of that "religion of peace", released American hospital administrator David Jacobsen after holding him for 17 months

1996, a tentative labor contract was reached between General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers, averting a national strike

2001, President Bush, saying the war in Afghanistan was unraveling Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, chided critics for clamoring for more action and said the U.S. military campaign would not pause for the Muslim holiday of Ramadan

That was a fun JF Kerry bash posting session, probably about the last, 'cause many think it's over for him.

Switching gears for a bit.....

Gay Men Warm Up to Dixie Chicks

Boy....... now I really want to go see them.

Wait.......

He was against apologizing before he was for it.

h/t Hugh Hewitt