Hurricanes

Since Jim Cantori of the WeatherChannel is in Biloxi, I need to prepare for Hurricane Katrina. It's a kind of joke for us that live in the danger zone for hurricanes to see where the WeatherChannel crew goes. Of course, they keep shifting it further west, which is good for Mississippi but bad for Louisiana and Texas. Anyways, need to get the house cleaned for expected family members and their pets if they have to evacuate. Ya'll have a good weekend!!

UPDATE: 11:15AM Just got called into work to pack up the office and I mean pack up. Everything is packed up and taken off-site. Started all computer backups last night. Planning ahead.

Jack from Dive Desk left a comment saying Entergy is gearing up. After being hit by a hurricane my heroes are the utility guys who come from all over the South to restore power. They always get a clap and horns honking when they come rolling in. Those guys are awesome!!

UPDATE: 8:45PM - Casinos ordered closed at 2:00am 8/28/05, employees should be out by noon.

UPDATE: 2:00AM 8/28/05 Katrina now a category 4. Low lying areas of Hancock County Mississippi under mandatory evacuation since 7:00pm last night. Say a prayer for those in New Orleans.

Update: 7:00am I am waiting word from the Harrison County Defense officials to start issuing mandatory evacuation orders for Harrison County. They should be coming soon. To Royal in New Orleans, Louisiana, if you are reading this, stop, get out of there now! Yesterday, one of my bosses requested I take pictures of the buildings. Which I did and had already had pictures of all the equipment in the factory which couldn't be moved. I also took other pictures.


Boats seeking safe harbor and heading to the Biloxi River, the Tchoutacabouffa River, and the Intercoastal Water way. The boat in the foreground actually anchored and started fishing!


I do love brown pelicans. Some of them become tame when still young and will let you feed them by hand.

Katrina now a 5. To see what a Category 5 did to the Mississippi Gulf Coast read my Camille, 36 Years Later. Still waiting for the civil defense officials to order mandatory evacuation orders. They need to get off their a@@es.

UPDATE: 9:30am Finally, mandatory evacuation ordered for Zones A & B in Harrison County Mississippi. This order includes mobile homes and any structurally unsafe buildings. Shelters will open at noon. A list of shelters can be found at WLOX.

UPDATE: 8/28/05 1:00pm I'm heading for the hills. God bless Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

UPDATE: 8/28/05 9:45PM I am at my sister and my brother-in-law's house along with the rest of my family. So, I am in the arms of my family about 20 miles north of Gulfport. Had a few minor squalls come through but nothing major so far. No major rain as of yet. Me and Debbie took a trip to Gulfport beach about 2:00pm. The water was already up 3-4 feet and the waves were breaking over the piers. Will post pictures sometime later this week, hopefully.

Fusileers for Project Valour IT

Recent posts by Donovan's Fighting Fusileers who are spreading the word about Project Valour IT

The Gunn Nutt has been busy. Check out his pictures from last night when the Free Republicans out cornered the Code Pink wackos who for some sick reason decided to target the wounded at Walter Reed Hospital. Update: Cyber Cast News has video!

Da Goddess had yesterday's Fusileer's post.

Soaring

After having a very blonde day combined with a bad hair day, I decided to leave work early and see if I could manage some picture taking. I went to the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor and was rewarded by the sight of brown pelicans swooping and diving to catch the Biloxi bacon (mullett) that was in the water. The mullett will come to the surface and the water sparkles and the pelicans dive, dive, dive.



Skimming

Soaring

Enjoying the catch after the dive

Thanks to Chris

A big thank you to Chris Muir of Day by Day for helping to spread the word about Project Valour IT.

Soldier's Angels and the inspiration for Project Valour IT, Captian Ziegenfuss were featured this past Sunday in the Washington Post .

Thanks to Captain Ed at the Captain's Quarters for posting about Project Valour IT!

Qatari Cleric Speaks Out Against Suicide Bombers

I have stated and read many times that Islam must reform itself in order to stop the insane homicide bombings that are on going throughout the world. There are almost daily reports of insane acts of terror and murders going on in places such as Thailand, Iraq, Turkey, Israel, and Checnya. Today, Israel had three Kassam rockets and a rocket from Lebanon lobbed at it. Who can forget the horrific scenes from New York, Bali, Beslan, Madrid, Egypt, and London? One group of people alone are responsible for these reprehensible acts of murder and terror, Islamists. Today, Middle East Media Research had an excerpt from a courageous cleric, Dr. Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari who condemns the homicide bombers including the ones who commit their acts of murder in Israel.

Leading Progressive Qatari Cleric: By Permitting Suicide Operations, Al-Qaradhawi and His Ilk Have Caused a Moral Crisis in Islam


Our Religious Curricula Have Failed to Plant the Humane Values of Love in Our Sons' Hearts

"We are dealing with a new Islam, an angry Islam that is hostile to the world through its sons, whom we have not educated or taught well, and in whom we have not inculcated culture. [They] bear a hatred of life and of the living.

"Our religious curricula have not succeeded in planting in their hearts the humane values of love, and they have fallen into the bosom of extremism and violence, becoming a pawn in the game that carries out the fatwa s and instructions of the imams of hatred and aggression.

"[These imams] have told them: 'The world hates you and your Islam. The culture of the West wants to eliminate your identity, your religion, and your Shari'a. Therefore, you must wage a Jihad war in support of your religion.'
...
"We have condemned terror, [but] it would have been better if we hadn't. [Our] condemnation has been accompanied by a miserable 'but,' and would have been better without it because that gives free service to the propagandists of terrorism, and creates a cultural atmosphere for the growth of extremism.
...
"The Sharia rulings that forbid harming civilians remained valid [for centuries] until Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi and a group of ulama created a dangerous breach with regard to Jihad. This was when, out of support for Hamas, he ruled that suicide operations among civilians were legitimate. He said: This is one of the glorious types of Jihad, and it is a kind of terror that is legitimate according to Shari'a. He claimed that [in Israel] there is no difference between a civilian and a soldier because the children of today are the fighters of tomorrow, and they are all occupiers.

We have heard many Muslim clerics state that there is no such thing as a civilian. There is only dar al-Harb, The House of War and dar al-Islam, The House of Islam. The jihadis consider most of the world not currently under The House of Islam to be under The House of War and justify their murderous and cowardly actions from the Quran. In fact, some state they have no choice but to commit their acts of terror because the Quran leaves them no choice.

More Muslim clerics such as Dr. Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari need to speak out. For it is hard to tell that Islam is "The Religion of Peace" when so many murder in it's name and there are only a handful of Muslim clerics that explicitly condemn suicide bombers without the extraneous but. As Al-Ansari stated, it is at the point where there is a hatred of life and of the living, in other words, a death cult.

Keesler Air Force Base Medical Center Saved

ARLINGTON, VA. - After a summer of worrying and waiting, Keesler Medical Center was rescued from the Pentagon's base closure and realignment list Thursday afternoon.

The Base Realignment and Closure commission voted 7-2 to adopt an amendment by commissioner Samuel Skinner to strike Keesler and Fort Knox from the portion of the BRAC bill that aimed to close inpatient services at nine bases around the country.

Skinner's amendment leaves the option on the table of making Keesler a community hospital. He said it was important to be able to handle patient overnight stays at both Keesler and Fort Knox.

The commissioners discussed Keesler and Fort Knox at length, expressing concern that the surrounding communities might not be able to handle patient overflow as a result of realignment.

BRAC chairman Anthony Principi said that if the Department of Defense could not certify TRICARE's acceptance at local hospitals, supporting the motion would not be smart.

"I'm disappointed the Department of Defense did not collaborate with my former department, the Department of Veterans Affairs," he said.

Commissioner Sue Turner said turning Keesler into an ambulatory center "is a bit of a stretch for me."

"It astounds me we would take an Air Force medical center down to an ambulatory center," she said.SunHerald

I attribute this to the efforts of Representative Gene Taylor who has worked steadfastly and appeared at the BRAC meetings in New Orleans to plead the case for the Keesler Medical Center. Staff member Brian Martin was the one who discovered a mistake in how the index calculations were made. Good work guys!!

The Mad Potter

There must be sonething in the air of the Gulf Coast or maybe it's the iodine from the salty breezes. Whatever the cause, the Mississippi Gulf Coast has some notably eccentric famous artists. George Ohr, known as the 'Mad Potter', is one of them.

George Ohr


His picture will give you some idea of the type of pottery he is known for. I have been to the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum many times and enjoy every minute of it. Not only is there a fine collection of Ohr's creations but the museum also showcases local painters and photographers.

The following pictures are from the Smithsonian. The collection that the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum has many more.

Some 85 years after his death, Ohr is no longer dismissed as mad. Hailed as a "clay prophet" and "the Picasso of art pottery," the self-styled eccentric is being praised and honored as he predicted. In January 2006, his startling ceramics will be showcased in a new $25 million Biloxi arts center designed by celebrated architect Frank O. Gehry, whose swirling silver Guggenheim Museum put Bilbao, Spain, on the cultural map. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is named in honor of former Biloxi mayor Jeremiah O'Keefe and his late wife, Annette.Smithsonian

I like that. Ohr "the Picasso of art pottery". His work is fun to look at and the pictures really don't do justice to the colors. The shapes of his creations reflect the light in unusual ways and enhance the charm. It's fun meanedering through the museum and learning interesting tid-bits. He used to ride his bike throughout Biloxi. Can you imagine what it must have been like for Biloxians in the early part of the 20th century to see Ohr with that huge mustache and crossed eyes riding his bike?

Cool Blue Says Tally Ho

In the Donovan's Fighting Fuslileers continuing efforts to spread the word about Project Valour IT , Cool Blue is posting today. Check out his post Tally Ho . Trying to make a difference one computer and one soldier at a time. Help us make a difference.

A Note to Sheehan

Scrappleface is well known for his humorous take on news in the headlines. Today, however, he takes a serious tone as he writes what President Bush's response to Cindy Sheehan should be. It is well worth reading Leak: Draft of Bush Answer to Cindy Sheehan.

Naval Station Pascagoula to be Closed

With 9 nine hands raised in unison, the BRAC commission wiped away 1,700 jobs and voted to close Naval Station Pascagoula which is located in Mississippi. Just a couple of years ago, new housing was built in the area to accommodate Naval personnel and their families. I am not surprised by the decision though. There were only three ships homeported there.

"This comes closest to a no-brainer we'll face in the next couple of days," said commissioner Harold Gehman, who was the only member of the panel to speak about the station.

Gehman called it "a wonderful, essentially brand new naval station" but said "this is in excess of what the Navy needs."

The action will relocate Naval Station Pascagoula's ships, personnel and support to Naval Station Mayport in Florida. Intermediate repair function would move as well.SunHerald

It was a lost cause trying to keep it. Even the commander of the station said it needed to be closed when the BRAC recommendations first came out. What I cannot understand, is why it was built in the first place if the Navy doesn't consider it to have any strategic value?

My deepest concern has always been for Keesler Medical Center and the recommendation that it be turned into an outpatient clinic. A previous post highlighted a flaw that had been made in calculations concerning the medical center and raised it's standing considerably. Brian Martin, a staff member for Representative Gene Taylor, discovered it.

Keep On Rolling

We are committed to spreading the word about Project Valour IT and are continuing the efforts to make more people aware of this worthy cause.

Check out Dean's World from yesterday What's Valour IT?

And today's post at Righty in a Lefty State Modern Technology

And a special thank you to my mates Down Under, especially Patrick at It's A Matter of Opinion who posted today in Nice Stuff and Rachel at Legless in Perpatuum for spreading the word.

Israel To PA - Terror Groups Must Be Disarmed

I have found it difficult to write about Israel this week. The images of the settlers being evicted from their homes is too heart wrenching for words. It is a testament to the IDF forces, the police, and the settlers themselves that except for a few scuffles here and there, the evictions went off smoothly and faster than planned. There was so much compassion and sorrow reflected in both the evictors and the evictees faces, that it made me weep. The prayers that were said together and the strength that was shown by all have dispelled my fears that the disengagement would tear Israel apart.

There is only one remaining fear, the security of Israel itself. In the news reports leading up to the disengagement, groups such as Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the PLO appeared to be jockeying for position. The news from this weekend that PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei stated while in Syria that neither Hamas nor Islamic jihad would be disarmed does not bode well for the 'peace map'. For if the PA will not disarm those groups that have stated over and over that they are committed to the total destruction of Israel and it's people, what hope is there of peace?

The only redeeming thing to come out of this statement is that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon insists that the groups must be disarmed before there can be any political dialogue with the PA.

Also, last week, it was reported that Secretary of State Rice stated that Israel must do more and that was all of her statement that was reported. Her message to the PA was not widely reported.

You cannot simply let a terrorist organization sit forever," she said. "There is an obligation in the road map to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism, not just coexist with it."

She said that dealing with a terrorist infrastructure, "is one of the most important next elements. I know that the Palestinians have been concerned and so are the Israelis, to have calm in this period of time. It has been a good thing that thus far the Palestinian factions have more or less respected that calm, but that isn't a substitute for the dismantling of the terrorist organizations, because as Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas] himself has said, 'you can only have one authority and one gun.'"
...
"I'm not talking about a sequencing here because the road map is assiduously not sequencing one step after another," she said. "It gives, in parallel, certain obligations to both sides. And the obligation of the Palestinians has to do with the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and organizations and they're going to have to do it."

While the road map calls for Israel to dismantle the unauthorized settlement outposts and freeze all settlement activity, the road map obligations that Rice mentioned were the ones dealing with the, "continued freeing of Palestinian movement and conditions in the West Bank."Jerusalem Post

This is a strong message to Abbas, the terrorist groups must be dismantled. The onus is on them and Israel should not be expected to take any further steps until those vile, hateful, murdering terrorist groups are dismantled. All eyes should be on the PA and Gaza to see if the road will lead to peace or to continued terror attacks against Israel.

An Artist

The following artist has always fascinated me. Not only because of the vibrant colors used in his paintings and murals but because of the life he spent in near seclusion.

Walter Inglis Anderson was born in 1903 in New Orleans LA. He traveled throughout Europe and was particularly impressed with the cave art he saw at Les Eyzies in France.

He, his wife, and children moved to Gautier MS someitme in the 1930's.

In 1947, with the understanding of his family, Anderson left his wife and children and embarked on a private and very solitary existence. He lived alone in a cottage on the Shearwater compound, and increased his visits to Horn Island, one of a group of barrier islands along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He would row the 12 miles in a small skiff, carrying minimal necessities and his art supplies. Anderson spent long periods of time on this uninhabited island over the last 18 years of his life. There he lived primitively, working in the open and sleeping under his boat, sometimes for weeks at a time.Walter Anderson Museum

Horn Island Smithsonian Institute

I don't really appreciate the his art as much as I do Impressionism but none the less, his paintings are compelling. His life style was eccentric to say the least and he suffered from severe depression. Today, he would more than likely have benefitted from the new drugs available to combat this dis-ease. But I wonder, if he did have treatment for it, would his paintings be the same?

Mississippi Needs a New Senator

Senator Trent Lott needs to go. He has become a liability to the State of Mississippi. His remarks at Strom Thrumond's birthday party were not acceptable nor was his apology. I first I thought maybe he was just humoring an old man for his birthday but from his association with a group called the Council of Conservative Citizens, I no longer hold that opinion.

Jeff Jacoby's article Lott is a Slow Learner made me realize that not only is his political actions in Washington harmful to Mississippi, but some of his views on racism are harmful as well.

It was in December 2002 that Lott uttered the words that led to his fall. ''I want to say this about my state," he told the guests at a 100th birthday party for Thurmond, the 1948 Dixiecrat candidate for president and longtime senator from South Carolina. ''When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either."

This statement is bad enough, but his association with the Council of Conservative citizens is worse.

Lott has always insisted he is no bigot, and ''Herding Cats," according to Roll Call, ''includes examples of his personal and professional life that counter the allegation that he is racist." (Presumably those examples do not include Lott's ties to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a white-supremacist organization that has denounced ''miscegenation" and ''race-mixing" and highlighted ''the struggle for the survival of white people on this continent." )

What Lott really believes none of us can know for sure. But anyone who proclaims that ''all these problems over all these years" could have been averted if a segregationist had been elected president that America would be better off, in other words, if Mississippi's bathrooms were still marked ''white" and ''colored" and its black citizens barred from voting has obviously got a problem of his own. And if after all this time Lott still sees his words as ''innocent but thoughtless," his party was right to demote him.

Not being one to take things at face value, in other words do Jacoby's words have merit? I looked up to see Senator Lott's connection to the Coucil of Conservative Citizens. Frankly, I was shocked.

Founded: 1985
Headquarters: St. Louis
Leader: Gordon Lee Baum
Publication: The Citizens Informer (circulation of 20,000)
Background: Established by former activists in the segregationist White Citizens' Councils
Ideology: White supremacy, white separatism
Outreach: Mass mailings, prison newsletter
Approach: Advances its ideology by inflaming fears and resentments, among Southern whites particularly, with regard to black-on-white crime, non-white immigration, attacks on the public display of the Confederate flag, and other issues related to "traditional" Southern culture.
Connections: Several mainstream figures have spoken at or attended CCC meetings, including Senator Trent Lott; Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour; Mississippi state senators Gary Jackson and Dean Kirby; and several Mississippi state representatives. Former governors Guy Hunt of Alabama and Kirk Fordice of Mississippi also spoke at CCC meetings.
Extremist associations: David Duke, Mark Cotterill, Chris Temple, Jared Taylor, Paul Fromm
...
However, the ante was upped a few days later when Post reporter Thomas Edsall revealed that Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott had appeared as the keynote speaker at a 1992 meeting of the CCC in Greenwood, Mississippi. In the article, Edsall cited an issue of The Citizens Informer that featured a large photograph of Senator Lott at a CCC conference and quoted him as telling attendees that "we need more meetings like this." According to the Informer, Lott asserted that "the people in this room stand for the right principles and the right philosophy. Let's take it in the right direction and our children will be the beneficiaries." Lott's involvement was more complicated than Barr's, because Lott originally denied firsthand knowledge of the CCC (later having to backtrack on this statement) and because, as opposed to Barr, there was evidence of an ongoing relationship. CCC leaders revealed that Lott had spoken to them on more than one occasion; that his syndicated column regularly ran in The Citizens Informer, and that his uncle, a member of the Council's Executive Board, called him an "honorary member." Lott later criticized the CCC's use of his name in their publications, denied membership and claimed ignorance as to the racist nature of the group's rhetoric. Unlike Barr, however, he never condemned the group's racist ideology explicitly and unequivocally. ADL

The last sentence is very troubling. He appears to have distanced himself from this group but still has not condemned it's stance on racist ideology explicitly and unequivocally.

I do not want Mississippi to be the poster child of racism any longer. We must get rid of those politicians who associate with groups like the Council of Conservative Cititzens. That includes Governor Haley Barbour. It's easy to see why the state referendumum to change the state flag failed, Kirk Fordice was the chairman responsible for designing and promoting the new flag. His name is counted among those who spoke at CCC meetings. I debated with everyone I could that we needed to change the flag, to no avail.

New voices are needed to free us from the hateful racism that Mississippi is associated with.

Monday's Valour IT Link

Monday's post by the Donovan's Fighting Fusileers for Project Valour IT can be found at Technography. Blog burst, full steam ahead!!

Arrgh! has further updates Supporting the Military, Part II

Crawford Texas Will Be Crowded

Crawford Texas is going to be very crowded on August 27. Protest Warriors and Free Republic both are both joining up with Move America Forward to counter the anti-war protesters.

Carl Morgan and some PWarriors showed up at Crawford, TX to counter-protest Sheehan's gang. Here is his report, printed as an editorial in the Dallas
Morning News

Politics of protest - War protesters say they want debate and dissent, but only if it's their debate and dissent

07:34 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 16, 2005

CRAWFORD - I guess we made a wrong turn.

This became obvious when a Secret Service agent approached the car and asked what we wanted. We were too close to President Bush's ranch.

According to radio station KLIF-AM (570), we were to park at Bubba's house (no joke) and meet with other Bush supporters to counter Cindy Sheehan's cooperation with increasingly distasteful anti-war groups. I was with six Protest Warriors, a conservative group that "protests the protesters."

When we explained this to the Secret Service agent, she became amicable - smiled even - and was extremely helpful. This was emblematic of every law-enforcement officer we encountered.

We passed through a carnival of anti-war tents and tables, protesters strutting fearlessly in front of us, before we could find parking and I could start doing what I'd set out to do: talk to people.

I asked a supporter of Cindy Sheehan whether I could talk to him. He refused - unless I could show him a press pass.

Unfortunately, student journalists don't get press passes, and he wouldn't accept my college ID.

In fact, no Sheehan supporter would give his or her name, let alone talk. I had arrived with the Protest Warriors, but I carried no sign and wasn't acting obnoxiously conservative, unless an unmarked shirt and jeans scream conservatism. I had wanted to hear both sides. Instead, I was faced with considerable hostility.

Finally, a girl started talking to me - and she made a lot of sense. "Everybody has a right to be here," she said.

But before she could go any further, a man whispered to her: "They're Freepers. You don't need to be talking to them." A "Freeper" is a member of the online conservative news site Free Republic (edited to provide link).

Then I met Gary Qualls, whose son was killed in the battle for Fallujah. He wore his son's boot tags and handed out information regarding his death. He received little media attention and was visibly upset when relating his son's story.

He also had to bear witness to his son's name on a cross set out by war protesters along the road.

Ms. Sheehan and her supporters are asking the media and the country to probe Mr. Bush with challenging and adversarial questions. But how can they expect Mr. Bush to answer, when they will not?

Every one in this country has the right to state their views and protest or in the case of Protest Warrior, Free Republic, and Move America Forward, protest the protestors.

Project Valour IT - Beginnings

This post will remain at the top all day.

The concept behind Project Valour IT started simply. Captain Charles Ziegenfuss was badly injured in Iraq by an IED and while at Walter Reed Hospital requested a laptop computer with voice activated software. He received both requests. He thought it would be a good idea for other soldiers to be able to do the same.

Project Valour IT began and is dedicated in memory to his father, SFC William Ziegenfuss. This project is part of Soldier's Angels who does so many things for our soldiers from sending care packages to a program called Armor Up.

Both are featured in today's Washington Post .

Capt. Charles Ziegenfuss had arrived. He was on a stretcher in intensive care. An explosion in Iraq had blown him open three days before. Great masses of flesh were missing from his arms, his legs. His face was pockmarked from the blast of shrapnel and grit. They pulled a three-inch nail out of him. She sat beside him for hours. When he could open his eyes, she told him his family was on the way. Then she sat down again, waiting.
...
"It doesn't have to be a lot," says Bair, who is 44, the daughter of a man who served in the Army, and a volunteer for Soldiers' Angels, a California-based nonprofit. "Sometimes it's just holding their hands and when they say, 'It hurts,' you just squeeze and say, 'I know.' "
...
Bair, coming down after work or on weekends, brought the two women everything from toothbrushes to sandwiches. She got Soldiers' Angels to arrange for domestic help for Carren's sister while Chuck and Carren's kids were staying with her. When Ziegenfuss emerged from the fog of pain medication, Soldiers' Angels got him a computer -- and, because of his heavily bandaged left hand, where he lost a pinky, added voice-activated software. He got back online with his popular blog, From My Position.. On the Way (edited:inserted name of blog). It's gotten 90,000 hits in the past three months.

Captain Ziegenfuss was able to go home on August 18. He wants to return to Iraq and his command.

"Libraries" of laptops equipped with the voice-controlled software are being formed for wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines at each major military medical center to check-out for a few hours at a time. Bethesda Naval Hospital is the start.

The next phase includes the following military hospitals:

Brooke Army Medical Center (TX)

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (Germany)

Madigan Regional Medical Center (WA)

The National Naval Medical Center

Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton (CA)

Walter Reed Army Medical Center (DC)

It is such a simple concept, provide those whose injuries prohibit them from writing a means of communicating with loved ones. Let's help out our military men and women.

Read his post famous, almost to see his take on the Washington Post article. And then read the rest of his blog. He and his wife Carren have faced this with a great deal of courage and humor.

Linked with The Indepundit's open Liberty Call

Thanks to Argghhh! who has a blogroll of those who are dedicated to a blog burst for Project Valour IT in Taking Care of Business

Linked to Beth at My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Open Trackbacks(plus more)

Unique Solution

40 Muslim women in a small town in India have decided to build a women's mosque and have already formed a jamat consisting only of women. A jamat is a community of elders.

Daud Sharifa is the head of Steps, a women's development organization and is behind the push for an all women's mosque.

"A mosque is not just for prayer, it's also a community centre," she says.

"A Muslim woman has no space, she's confined to the kitchen, the bedroom and the delivery room. And if a woman petitions the jamat, she's not allowed to appear before it.

"The jamat calls her husband to put across his point of view, but a woman has to be represented by her father and her brother. The jamat announces its decision without even hearing her. That is not justice."

There is opposition of course.

Mohammad Hidayatullah Zawahirullah is the president of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, a socio-political organisation, and believes an all-women jamat is not required.

"The jamats have only male members at the moment, but that's been a tradition. You cannot change things overnight.

"And it's wrong to think that the members of the jamat are all male chauvinists - these men also have daughters, nieces and granddaughters who may also be facing these problems," he says.

Of course they have had over 1,400 years to change things so that women in Islam would no longer be second class citizens.

The women's jamat is already making a difference.

Rajita Karikudi is one of those who looked to the all-women jamat when her husband of 21 years sent her a divorce notice through the traditional men's jamat.

"He wanted to marry another woman. I refused to accept it. Then they came to my house and tried to force me to take it. I refused again.

"It was only after the women's jamat sent them a letter, they retracted."

Ms Sharifa has received several death threats.

"It's Allah who knows when I'm going to die. So I don't bother about it. I don't bother about this life. I'll do this till the end of my life."

A women's rights group that is seeking equality in of all places, a small Muslim town in India.

I wish the BBC News article would have provided a link to help these courageous women out. Do you suppose NOW will help?

Appeals Court Makes Correct Decision

When I first heard about this case I was dismayed. Back in May 2005, Judge Bradford of Marion County Indiana made the decision to leave in a couple's divorce decree a provision that prohibits him and his ex-wife from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals." The parents are Wiccan. This was a blatant stab at the couples 1st Amendment rights.

However, the Indiana Court of Appeals has voided the judges decision.

The Indiana Court of Appeals has voided a judge's ruling that two Wiccan believers must shield their son from their "non-mainstream" faith.

The appeals court said state law gives a custodial parent authority to determine a child's religious training, although a judge could intervene to prevent physical or emotional harm.WDSU

Most of the time the court system works the way it's supposed too and it is good to see that it gave back these parents their freedom of religion.

Good Intelligence

Scotland Yard had thwarted an attack against Parliment by Al-Qaeda. They were able to break some of the codes Al-Qaeda uses. This information possibly saved the House of Commons from a sarin gas attack on July 7.

Police and MI5 then identified an Al-Qaeda cell that had carried out extensive research and video-recorded reconnaissance missions in preparation for the attack.

The encrypted e-mails are said to have been decoded with the help of an Al-Qaeda “supergrass”. By revealing the terrorists’ code he was also able to help MI5 and GCHQ, the government’s eavesdropping centre at Cheltenham, to crack several more plots.

The discovery of the suspected Commons nerve gas plot was behind the decision to increase security around parliament this summer.
...
This weekend a senior officer disclosed that the thwarted plot mentioned in the document involved a gas or chemical “dirty bomb” attack against parliament. “The House of Commons was one of their targets as well as the Tube,” he said.

“They were planning to use chemicals, a dirty bomb and sarin gas. They looked at all sorts of ways of delivering it.” London Times

Good intelligence saved a lot more lives that awful July 7 day. It makes sense that extra security measures must be put in place. Those in the US that keep objecting to basic security measures such as having bags and backpacks checked should bear in mind that at this point, it is needed. There are those extreme elements in Islam that seek nothing less than the destruction of our way of life. They justify their horrible acts of murder on their book, the Quran.

A Woman's Courage

Larissa Kudziyeva is a very courageous woman. She and her two children were taken hostage in Beslan last year. Almost a year later she is able to leave the hospital after having 11 operations. She is weak and disfigured but her story is one of courage and determination to save her children.

Perhaps it was because of her striking looks that the hostage-takers singled her out as she tried to protect Zaurbek, then 7, and Medina, her 20-year-old daughter. Perhaps it was because she was wearing black to mourn the death of her husband a few months before.

She cannot explain exactly why one of the hostage-takers, calling himself Abdullah, took her aside on September 2, the second day of the siege, and made his spine-chilling offer. He said that Zaurbek, Medina and any other relatives could walk free. All she had to do was to strap on a belt of explosives and become a shakhidka, or suicide bomber, in support of their demands that Russia withdraw from neighbouring Chechnya.

Dumbfounded, Mrs Kudziyeva asked if she could have time to think. Go and sit. You all have time, she remembers Abdullah saying.

Could you do this?

In hindsight, Mrs Kudziyeva says, she knows that she could not trust her captors. Yet her relationship with them may have helped to save her and several children. On the sieges third day, she persuaded Ibrahim to let her move a dozen children into an exercise room next to the sports hall, which was cooler and had a small bathroom attached.

After the first explosion of the attempted rescue started a fire in the sports hall, Ibrahim led her with Medina, Zaurbek and several other children into the schools canteen.

It was then that she saw two special forces soldiers coming through the window. Ibrahim was close to her, but fired only at the soldiers. He then threw two hand grenades, one of which landed a metre from her.

She threw herself on Zaurbek and Medina, absorbing the force of the blast in her right arm and cheek. When she came round on September 8, a doctor told her that she should consider it her new birthday.

Everything is a miracle that I can see and that I managed to shield my children, she said. I was halfway in the grave and I pulled myself out. London Times

I would like to think I would because as a mother, when my child is threatened, my first instinct is to do anything and everything to protect him. It's a natural instinct for any person to want to protect children. It is what made the attack against the school so horrendous.

People who target children are despicable, base creatures and no amount of thinking based onreligious religous beliefs can justify such a barbaric act. Respect for life, all life, is the cornerstone of Judeo-Christian beliefs and it is those beliefs that will ultimately help us defeat those jihadis who target women, children, and those just going about their daily lives.

Postal Worker Bitten By ....

a human. A postal worker was making his rounds in Houma LA and made sure the house he was delivering too had it's dog tied up. But he still ended up being bitten, by a human.

The family dog was tied up in the front yard. The coast looked clear, or so the mail carrier thought.

As the man boldly made his way towards the mailbox, little did he know that a much bigger animal was watching and waiting.

Police in Houma, La., say the mail carrier was caught off-guard on August 10 when Mark Plumb, 20, ran barking from a house across the street and bit him on the shoulder. Plumb then ran back into the house.

"[The postal worker] was very shaken up by [Plumb's] attack," Lt. Todd Duplantis said. "Initially, he didn't think he was in any danger because the dog was chained up."

The mail carrier reportedly suffered minor injuries.

When police questioned Plumb, a Butler, Mo., resident who was visiting a friend in the area, he told them that he bit the carrier as a prank. Yahoo News

Do you suppose Plumb's friend will chain him up on future visits?

An Editorial to Agree With

At times, I disagree with the Washington Post. But I have to agree with today's editorial on Edgar Killen. Mississippi finally prosecuted and convicted Killen of mansluaghter for the brutal murders of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, civil rights activists murdered in Mississippi in 1964. However, Judge Gordon has released Killen on bail pending an appeal.

Judge Gordon justified the release on the grounds that granting such an appeals bond is generally required by law in manslaughter cases in which the convict is not a danger. But Mississippi law is not as flip as all that. The judge has discretion, and in any event, the burden is on the convict to show "by clear and convincing evidence that [he] would not constitute a special danger to any other person or to the community." And as prosecutors argued Monday in an emergency petition to the state Supreme Court, Mr. Killen simply cannot show this. This is somebody, after all, who orchestrated the deaths of three people. In 1975 he was convicted of felony telephone harassment for threatening to kill someone. On the date of his much-belated arraignment in the civil rights killings, a bomb threat caused the evacuation of the courthouse, and the state attorney general alleges that a relative of Mr. Killen's threatened to kill the trial judge. After his conviction, Mr. Killen made threatening comments to one of his jailers. This simply isn't a man who ought to be on the streets while he challenges his conviction. Washington Post

No, this isn't a man who should be released on bail. He is a terrorist who organized a hateful group of people to kill three innocent men. He is still attempting to intimidate people through threats of violence. He makes a mockery out of the word preacher. I do not understand Judge Gordon's reasoning. Killen already has had 41 years of freedom. That is too many. He should remain in jail during the appeals process.

Caravans to Answer Sheehan in Crawford

Salute to Patrick at Clarity & Resolve

Move America Forward is a group of Marine Moms who are set to go Crawford Texas in support of their children who are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Move America Forward will be conducting the “You Don’t Speak for Me, Cindy” caravan beginning next week. It will feature military family members who have loved ones serving in the war against terrorism in Iraq or Afghanistan. The delegation will be led by Deborah Johns of Marine Moms. (Her son has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom).

The caravans are set to meet in Crawford Saturday for a rally. News 10 has a script from the interview with Ms. Johns and also a video of the interview.

Way to go Moms! You know what your children are fighting for and you believe in them as do I.

Technicolor

Last night I had a dream in color. That may not seem like a lot to some, but for someone like me who suffers from the dis-ease of clinical depression, it means I'm on the road to recovery. I had previously suffered from three episodes of depression and began sliding into the current one about a month and half ago. The nights of only getting 2 to 3 hours of sleep will soon be gone. The disinterest in things that I love to do will soon be gone. The inability to concentrate and think will soon be gone. The other changes I, my family, and friends have noticed will soon be gone.

The first time around I didn't want to admit what I had but when you start thinking about doing yourself in on a daily basis and are so withdrawn you cannot talk to anyone, it's time to seek help. I recieved the help I needed and with a combination of anti-depressants and therapy after about two years was able to stop taking them. I was fortunate that the first anti-depressant tried was sucessful.

The second and third times I just needed to go on the anti-depressants again as is the case this time.

I do not consider my depression to be a mental illness for when it hits I have nothing to be depressed about. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain and the anti-depressants correct it. I call it the 'darkness' for when it hits me the hardest, everything is gray. It saps my energy and makes me feel like a non-entity.

The worse thing about it for me, it takes away my natural optimism and enthusiasm. But as in the past, when confronted by obstacles placed in my life, God is there helping as are family and friends.

Israel Weeps and Prays Together

The heart wrenching scenes of people being forced from their homes continues and the toll shows on the faces of the settlers, the police officers, and the IDF. Settler has a negative meaning to some but it just means to take up residence.










Even through all the pain, those about to be evicted and those charged with horrendous task of evicting, still find a connection and weep and pray together.

Photos are from the Yahoo Gallery

Hurricane Camille - 36 Years Later

On August 17, 1969, the Mississippi Gulf Coast experienced one of the worst storms to make landfall in the 20th century. My Dad was on the Coast when it hit and the rest of us were still in Jackson waiting to move down. The winds were still strong enough even 161 miles inland to cause a 12 inch limb on our magnolia tree in the backyard to fall. I remember Mom making all of us kids stay under the table when tornado warnings were issued. When we were finally reunited with Dad, he said the shelter he was in at the SeaBee base lost it's roof. The Sea Bees had the gruesome task of recovering bodies, those that were killed in the storm and those whose graves had been destroyed.

What I remember most when we finally moved from Jackson six weeks later, starting 20 miles from the Coast, the trees were flattened. Only a few pine trees escaped the wrath and none of the trees that were standing had any leaves on them. Most of the major debris had been dealt with, thanks again to the Sea Bees and the people of the Coast who were determined to rebuild. The Sea Bees, my dad included recieved a special unit commendation for their service.

Some forecasters refer to Hurricane Camille as a tornicane(tornado/hurricane) From the meteorological data below, you can see why.

Due to Camille's extreme intensity at landfall, meteorological conditions (winds, tides, pressure...etc.), were impossible to obtain. The National Hurricane Center estimates Camille had sustained winds of 190 mph with gusts in the 210 - 220 mph range. A Transworld oil rig platform tower that was abandoned as the hurricane approached, recorded gusts to 172 mph until failure. It has been estimated that from Biloxi to Gulfport, wind gusts were in excess of 180 mph, while from Long Beach to Waveland, winds likely exceeded 200 mph.

The lowest barometric pressure recorded on land in Camille was 909 mb (26.85) at Bay St. Louis. This is the second lowest barometric pressure ever measured in the United States. Only the 1935 Hurricane produced a lower pressure in the middle Keys of 892 Mb (26.35). Several reports of pressure under 915 Mb (27.00), were reported by survivors near the eye.

Hurricane Camille produced the highest hurricane tidal surge ever recorded in the United States. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Mobile District 1970), a still-water, high water mark, of 22.6 feet above mean tide, was measured inside the VFW Clubhouse building in Pass Christian, Mississippi. Additionally, debris drift was found 25 feet above mean sea level in the vicinity of East Beach Blvd. Other locations more than 22 feet above sea level recorded high water marks. This included the Avalon Theater building in Pass Christian, a high water mark inside the building was measured to be 22.2 feet above sea level.Geocities

The storm surge is water that is pushed in front of the storm. On top of the storm surge you have wave action. In my office, across from my desk is a watermark from Hurricane Camille. It is at about six foot. The office itself is 12 feet above sea level. The factory, which is across the street, was built in 1970. There was nothing but slab left of the original factory after Camille. This was 26 miles on from the landfall of Camille on the Back Bay of Biloxi.

The Coast lost 131 lives during Hurricane Camille and 41 are still unaccounted for. Three remain unidentified and have been named Faith, Hope and Charity. It is a custom that after funerals, flower sprays that are left are placed on their graves. The Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi was totally destroyed except for its bell tower. When it was rebuilt, a memorial was made to honor the dead and missing. Church of the Redeemer

The Harrison County Library has pictures after the onslaught of Camille.

The people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast do not take hurricanes lightly. Still being gun shy after Camille, when there is one out in the Atlantic heading toward the Caribbean, a lot of people, me included start checking what supplies are needed. When it heads into the Gulf and looks like it's going to head north before passing the Yucatan Peninsula, the preparations kick into high gear.

Mississippi has been hit by eight major hurricanes. We've only experienced a total of 15, so over half of the ones that have hit have been major ones. There has only been one storm stronger than Camille to hit the US, an unnamed storm that hit the Florida Keys in 1935.

We remember and have not forgotten. It took the Coast almost 20 years to fully recover from Camille, but it has been rebuilt and is growing and thriving.

French Get Tough

French President Jacques Chirac has threatened to cut off all financial and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian Authority unless French journalist Muhammad Ouathi is freed.

It's not just foreign journalists being targeted by terrorists in Gaza.

In a related development, three Palestinian journalists were attacked on Monday night by unidentified assailants north of Khan Yunis.

According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the three suffered moderate stab wounds. It identified the three as Shams Odeh and his brother, Muhammad, who work for Reuters, and Fayez Abu Halaweh, a TV technician from east Jerusalem. Jerusalem Post

Since the press seems largely more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause than to the Israeli cause, it would stand to reason that the terrorists would have enough sense not to kidnap or stab journalists. But when did the acts of these terrorist thugs ever make sense.

Bete Noir - Blog Noir

John at WuzzaDem has good one: By Power Possessed (A Blog Noir Tale). Warning: if you read this at work, make sure your cubicle is sound proofed!!

Good News Update From Iraq

Chrenkoff has the latest good news from Iraq in his Good news from Iraq, part 33 . This one includes good news about electricity, water, Iraq Security forces, and rebuilding the infrastructure. Some of this you will never read or hear about in other news sources. Go and read his good news but set aside some time. There is a lot of good news!!

Clint Black is Too Political

The Washington Post has decided not to provide public service advertising for the Freedom Walk in Washington DC scheduled on 9-11. They based their decision on the fact that Clint black had recorded I Raq and Roll.

"As it appears that this event could become politicized, The Post has decided to honor the Washington area victims of 9/11 by making a contribution directly to the Pentagon Memorial Fund," said Eric Grant, a Post spokesman. "It is The Post's practice to avoid activities that might lead readers to question the objectivity of The Post's news coverage."Washington Post

The Washington Post does not want it's objectivity questioned!! That's a laugh. They are dropping promotion for an event to remember the victims of the 9-11 attacks because a singer sang one song in support of the Iraq war. The article doesn't even state if Clint Black is going to sing the song in question.

They need to remember this when The Rolling Stones or other rock bands who have very political songs appear at events similar to the Freedom Walk. Their decision shows which way the political winds blow at the Washington Post.

Some Very Happy Cows

The Russians are in a dilemma. What do you do when you when a mow down a field full of marijuana and sunflowers? Why, give it to the cows of course!!

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's long winter will just fly by for a herd of Russian cows which, a newspaper reported on Tuesday, will be fed confiscated marijuana over the cold months.

Drug workers said they adopted the unusual form of animal husbandry after they were forced to destroy the sunflowers and maize crops that the 40 tonnes of marijuana had been planted among, Novye Izvestia daily reported.

"There is simply no other way out. You see, the fields are planted with feed crops and if we remove it all the cows will have nothing to eat," a Federal Drugs Control Service spokeswoman for the Urals region of Sverdlovsk told the paper.

"I don't know what the milk will be like after this. Yahoo News

Spread the Word

This post will remain at the top for today.

Soldier's Angels has many programs that help our soldiers. Today, your help is needed to spread the word about one of them. A media blitz is being attempted to get the word out. If you can post about it at your site or contact your local media, please do.

The program, Project Valour IT is seeking to supply wounded soldiers with voice activated computers while they are in the hospital.

Please spread the word about this great program.

A brief description:

Every cent raised for Project Valour IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops, software and equipment for the wounded servicemembers.

Currently we are forming "libraries" of laptops equipped with the voice-controlled software for wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines at each major military medical center to check-out for a few hours at a time.

If you would like to help out our wounded brave, go to Project Valour IT to make a donation.

Please post about this. Thank you.

John at WuzzaDem is on board.

Stop the ACLU has a list of those already participating.

UPDATE:

Esther at Outside the Blogway

Patrickafir at Clarity & Resolve

Patrick at It's A Matter of Opinion in Australia!!

Rachel at Legless In Perpetuum had this to say:

Seawitch, that is an absolutely amazing and bloody important cause that you are supporting. As I have a high-level spinal cord injury I also use a voice-activated computer. I have my little microphone that I speak into, and because I can move my arms I have a trackball mouse. Everyone’s injuries are different thus I think it is a brilliant idea to raise funds for individual computer setups. I know what it is like to be stuck in hospital for a long time with nothing to do and no access to the outside world, at my rehab centre there was one general access computer for 20 patients which didn’t even have voice recognition on it. And the other computer they had which had voice recognition did not have access to the Internet, and you could only use that computer by appointment between 12 and 5 p.m.

This project will make a massive difference to the lives of wounded soldiers. Giving them access to the outside world, as well as the independence that voice-activated computers will bring, is such an honourable way to thank them for the sacrifices they have made for our well-being.

She is also posting about this project from Australia.

Disengagement

Jeremiah 14.2

Judah is in mourning,
Her settlements languish,
Men are bowed to the ground,
And the outcry of Jerusalem rises

The above verse is in reference to a drought that Israel was suffering from. The word drought not only means lack of rain but also a shortage. The drought Israel faces is lack of peace.

In a bid for peace, has the Israeli government endangered her people more? There are daily reports of new terrorists armies being formed in Gaza, weapons being moved to the West Bank, and now, terrorists from Lebanon moving into Gaza. When the Palestinian Authorities own Fatah movement is responsible for terrorist attacks against Israel, will moving the settlers out accomplish anything more than having less room for Israel to move defensively?

I fear that disengagement will not improve the drought of peace Israel has faced for the past 57 years. I see the anguish in the settler and IDF faces. The settlers made what was considered unworkable land into a land that produced a bountiful harvest.

God bless Israel.

Just Having a Little Fun

Gene Weingarten at the Jewish World Review makes a habit of calling the toll free numbers of corporations and then making what he terms stupid, immature, harassing calls to customer service reps. From his batch this week when he tries to get a refund:

The Gillette Co.

Me: I am calling about Gillette Foamy shaving cream with "comfort glide." I am very dissatisfied with this product.

Kelly: Okay.

Me: I am a political activist, and I express my displeasure about corporate greed through concussive acts of civil disobedience for the purpose of strategic humiliation. And I have found your product to be insufficient for the purpose.

Kelly: I'm sorry, you kind of lost me.

Me: I am a pie-face assassin. I hit people in the face with pies. Traditionally, we use graham cracker crusts filled with shaving cream. That is the accepted industry norm. But your shaving cream does not have sufficient adhesion.

Kelly: So, the problem is it doesn't stick to the face?

Me: Right. And I'd like a refund.

Kelly: I don't know that there's a whole lot I can do for you.

Me: But I have 150 cans!

Michael Yon - Broadcast Live Tonight

Michael Yon brings us weekly dispatches from Iraq that tell it like it is. His photos are a journal of what the men of the Deuce Four face. If you get a chance, read his dispatch from this week entitled Jungle Law . It's about IED's found in Mosul.

Tonight, he will be on Boston's WRKO radio station at 8:00 pm CST.

Pundit Review has more information.

CAIR - Lodi Connection

Apparently, CAIR's Sacramento Chapter director Dr. Hamza El-Nakhal has ties with Adil Khan. Adil Khan was arrested for immigration violations and is awaiting to be deported in the next couple of weeks.

Naheem "Nick" Qayyum, a mosque board member, said he and other mosque members had heard about Ahmed's earlier condemnation of the United States and praise for the Taliban well before the FBI's investigation went public.

Qayyum said he approached CAIR for some help with the mosque's imam situation. He said he believed CAIR leaders had some influence with Adil Khan, who in turn had a close relationship with Ahmed.

"I asked CAIR to help out in the community because he (Adil Khan) was causing a lot of problems," Qayyum said. "At that time, CAIR pretty much told me to go away."

It wasn't as if CAIR wasn't familiar with Adil Khan.

The president of the CAIR's Sacramento chapter, Dr. Hamza El-Nakhal, had actually worked with Adil Khan for several years prior to the FBI's investigation. In late June, about two weeks after the arrests in Lodi, El-Nakhal told the Davis City Council to consider the arrests in Lodi as a reason to reaffirm the city's opposition to the Patriot Act.

During a meeting reported on by the Davis Enterprise newspaper, El-Nakhal said he had known Adil Khan for more than 20 years and believed him to be a respected leader. The CAIR president also said that Lodi's Muslim community was under siege.

El-Nakhal was also quoted as saying if he learned of someone who wanted to harm the country, he would be the first to report that person to the authorities.

And at a reception in May 2004 to welcome Elkarra as the CAIR's executive director, Mohammed Adil Khan read a recitation from the Quran. Elkarra said Adil Khan is well-known in the Sacramento-area for his spiritual and community work, and that El-Nakhal got to know him through interfaith projects.

"No one's going to know their past back in Pakistan," he said.Lodi News

It has come to light that the other man arrested for immigration violations, Shabbir Ahmed, had closer ties to the Hayat's who have been arrested on terror related charges.

On Tuesday, the lead FBI agent on the investigation into Ahmed and Khan testified that the two were working to set up a school in Lodi to further spread extremist Islamic thought. The agent, Gary Schaaf, also said the agency believes Khan and Ahmed had been part of an al-Qaida chain of command and had received information that Ahmed may have been planning a terrorist attack.

Khan, who has connections to CAIR, is suspected of being in the Al-Qaeda chain of command.

On the allegations that Daniel Pipes and Andrew Whitehead made about CAIR's ties to terrorists, Elkarra had this to say:

Elkarra said a few members of CAIR may have been convicted for terrorist connections, but with more than 100,000 members, it's hardly fair or accurate to try and create terror links for the whole group based on just a few people.

"We can't take account for every single member," he said.

Of course, Elkarra fails to point out that those five who were convicted and/or named as co-conspirators were also some of the founding directors and a spokeperson, not exactly rank and file members.

Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum. He is a frequent commentator on the Muslim world and the author of 12 books, four of which examine radical Islamic thought. He's written more than three dozen articles on CAIR and said studying the organization is one of his top priorities.

He contends two of CAIR's founders had connections to the group Hamas through the Islamic Association of Palestine, a Muslim charity reportedly founded by a member of Hamas.

"The grandchild of Hamas, a terrorist organization, CAIR by its nature and charter apologizes for Islamist terrorism," he said. "One striking result of this soft spot is that no less than five persons associated with CAIR have been convicted, listed as an unindicted co-conspirator, or deported on terrorism-related charges."

Read the full Lodi News article.

CAIR is increasingly under fire for it's lack of an outright denunciation of terror and as more details emerge, for its ties to terror groups.

For further information about CAIR see: Daniel Pipes and Anti-CAIR. The Anti-CAIR has a very good who's who in regards to the founding members and those who have been arrested, indicted, or deported.

Reflections

Yesterday I saw a sign for my high school's 25th reunion. 25 years! The years have seemed to go by so fast. But it made me think about that last year of high school. All the friends and people I had meet. The relief to finally be out of school and the quest to find a job. The job market was very tough back then. If I remember correctly, unemployment on the Coast was at 25%.

But it is the people I am remembering: Lynette, Monkey, Bear, Michelle, David, Rick, and Kim. Michelle and I used to be thrown out of stores because for some strange reason we thought it was fun to try on the high priced hats at department stores and laugh hysterically at one another. We were thrown out of a Piggly Wiggly store but I cannot remember the reason.

Lynette was my best friend. It was devastating when she moved back to New Jersey. We used to double date all the time and talk about the deep things that only teenage girls can seem to understand.

Bear was my beau until I met David who was at KAFB. We were engaged to be married but alas things did not work out. Monkey was an irritation. He used to think it was funny to push us into the pool and dunk us(of course I loved it, just had to make a stink about it). Rick and Kim were the couple that let me hang out with them. She used to organize themed cookouts by the swimming pool at the apartments we lived in. We would have Greek nights, Italian nights, etc. She was Korean and introduced me to kim chee, that very, very spicy pickled cabbage.

It also made me think of the Saudi families that lived in the apartments. The men were receiving training at KAFB. I used to babysit for one family. It was interesting to say the least. The kids could not speak English and I could not speak Arabic. I did learn a few words but have since lost them. They would ask me to go everywhere with them, to the store, to the amusement parks, the doctors office, I mean everywhere. They invited me to a dinner after Ramadan had ended. The goat head in the kitchen gave me misgivings but the food was delicious. I wasn't used to sitting on the floor and eating with my fingers.

Some of the other families asked me to teach their wives how to swim and English. I told them it would not be a good idea to try teach English as I didn't know Arabic but did teach swimming. The men seemed to work hard to let their wives enjoy freedoms that so many women in the West take for granted.

It was strange during Ramadan seeing all those men in white supplicating on their prayer mats by the poolside.

Before they left, the family who I babysat for asked me to go to Saudi Arabia with them. I never even seriously considered it for I knew enough at that time that women did not have any freedom and could not drive. If I ran into problems, how would I be able to get back home if I needed a man to accompany me everywhere while in Saudi Arabia and his permission to leave?

There were many other people the reunion sign made me think of, the physics teacher who hated my guts, the trig teacher who went out of her way to help me because for some reason I never took geometry, the English teacher who was so, so picky on the final research paper, and the theme song that my friends and I used to sing while walking down the school hallways, We Don't Need No Education by Pink Floyd.

Freedom Is The Justification

Blackfive's post Do Not Waste Your Son's Blood links to a post by Iraq the Model who writes to Cindy Sheehan very compassionately and eloquently the reasons why the war in Iraq is justified and that those American sons and daughters who have died did so to set the Iraqi people free after decades of tyranny and terror. That their comrades-in-arms who continue the fight in Iraq are battling the same breed of terrorists who flew the planes on 9-11 and are protecting the US.


Go and read A Message to Cindy Sheehan

Welcome Mat Officially Withdrawn

Home Secretary Charles Clarke, using existing powers, has officially barred Omar Bakri Mohammed, and commenting in a understatement, Mr. Bakri's presence was "not conducive to the public good". In addition to calling the 7/7 bombers the "fantastic 4", he has also called the 9-11 bombers the "magnificent 19".

Mr. Bakri is currently being detained in Lebanon at the request of the Syrian government. He was seized after a television interview. Syria wants him for crimes he committed during the 1980's and are not terror related.

Mr. Bakri is not the only one to have the welcome mat jerked out from under him. Ten clerics, who are Muslim extremists are to be sent packing. One, Abu Qatada is expected to be deported to Jordan where he had been convicted in absentia to life imprisonment for a series of explosions. Article at BBC News

I believe that the conditions of Syrian and Jordanian jails will not be on par with Gitmo. No libraries to check out Harry Potter books you know.


UPDATE: 8/12/05 8:16 AM
Lebanon has freed Bakri. He is still barred from returning to England.

Temptation

The smell wafted throughout the office, making stomachs growl all around. It was the alluring odor of food being prepared and cooked by expert hands. Each week, either on Wednesdays or Thursdays, these smells premeate the office. You can hear the sounds of the meal being prepared. The chopping, pans being filled, the popping as the grease becomes hot, and in the midst of the noise, the tantalizing smells of the weekly feast that lunch becomes.

Usually I pass on these feasts because they consist of the meat from the deer my bosses have shot during the last hunting season. However, today I succumbed to the temptation. I, who affectionately call my bosses "deer murderers", ate deer meat!! And it was delicious and more than likely will partake again.

Now, if they would only catch some wahoo the next time they go fishing off the Chandeluer Islands. For those who have never experienced wahoo, I pity you. It has caused me to stop eating fish such as lemon jack, bluefin tuna, grouper, and even my favored white trout, for the heavenly taste of waho cannot be equaled.

Plus, all the hunting and fishing gets them out of the office. Yippee!!

Bakri Arrested in Lebanon

Poor, poor, Bakri. Nobody wants him. No place to rest his head. Until now. The Lebanese police have arrested Bakri.

Lebanese police have arrested Omar Bakri, the Islamic cleric who is being investigated in Britain for his remarks on the London bombings, security officials said Thursday.

The officials refused to say when and where Bakri was arrested. But the local Future TV channel reported that he was arrested Thursday as he left after giving an interview at its building in western Beirut.

The station said Bakri was told that the General Security department wants to question him about "information regarding his entry into Lebanon." Read the rest at Yahoo News

So, Mr. Bakri will be resting his head in a nice jail. I wonder if Lebanese jails adher to the same standard as Western jails. You know, the ones that are based on the ideals of the West that Mr. Bakri hates so much and has been trying to bring down.

Help Our Wounded

Blackfive had this post about a great program at Soldier's Angels called Project Valour IT.

A brief description:

Every cent raised for Project Valour IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops, software and equipment for the wounded servicemembers.

Currently we are forming "libraries" of laptops equipped with the voice-controlled software for wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines at each major military medical center to check-out for a few hours at a time.

If you would like to help out our wounded brave, go to Project Valour IT to make a donation.

Dreaming

Today being one of those days when I don't want to be at work, I started thinking about what I would like to be doing. I thought about my trip to Chicago in either 1983 or 1984 when visiting with my grandfather. My aunt took me to the Art Institute of Chicago. I was in heaven. I was able to see Monet, Manet, and many many others. But the one painting that had the biggest effect on me was Paris Street; Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte



I still remember even after all these years walking into the room were the painting hung. It was across the room from the door you entered through. As I walked toward it, I got the sense that I was walking toward the people on that Paris street.

It's funny how art can affect you. But as I sit here at work, I can still remember this one painting with such clarity. So, while I'm here bemoaning the fact that I would rather be elsewhere, I can dream of the day when I can go back to Chicago and visit the Art Institute once again. That would be my dream vacation. Then on to New York, London, and Paris to visit the art museums there. One can always dream.

Help Chris Muir's Sister

Hat tip: Bob at crosSwords

Chris Muir who publishes the Day by Day cartoons is asking the blogosphere for help. His sister is undergoing treatment for cancer at a clinic in Mobile AL. CNN is airing a special on cancer in the next couple of weeks and by clicking on the banner below, it is hoped that the clinic will have received enough hits so that it can be included the ad it is running during the show and that the number of hits will increase the clinics visibility.



For a copy of the Clik for Cathy button on my sidebar, go to Conservative Cat


UPDATE: 8/10/05 10:22pm
The efforts of the blogoshpere are paying off. When I just did a google search, the American Cancer Ablation Center is NUMBER 1!!!

Keep on clicking.

UPDATE: 8/12/05 5:00am
Chris Muir says the blogosphere has accomplished the goal in just TWO days, not the eight he thought would be needed. Let's give our selves a big hand! I am going to leave the Clik for Cathy button up until the show airs on 8/20/05. So, click on it every once and while.

Britain to Bakri - No Welcome Mat for You

Sheikh Omar Mohammed Bakri who had fled to Lebanon over the weekend said in an earlier news report that he would be back in Britain in 4-6 weeks. The British response, hell no!!

IMMIGRATION rules will be changed within days to ensure that the extremist Muslim cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed will never be allowed back into Britain. The new “exclusion order” will allow Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, to prevent any attempt by the leader of the al-Muhajiroun group to re-enter Britain after he fled to Lebanon at the weekend.

John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, admitted yesterday that he had no power to deal with the cleric, who reportedly described the July 7 bombers as “the fantastic four”. Mr Prescott said: “At the moment he has the right to come in and out. That is the circumstances at present and we have to change situations in this country by law. It’s a democracy, not a dictatorship, for God’s sake.”
He made clear his dislike of Sheikh Bakri Mohammed, who claims to have gone to Beirut on a family visit, saying: “I just say, enjoy your holiday — make it a long one.”
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The Syrian-born cleric...“If someone is accusing me of committing a crime I will come back to clear my name,” he told The Times. “I have done nothing wrong. No one can stop me returning to London.”

Whitehall officials believe that they can. Revised immigration rules could be introduced within nine days and do not need parliamentary approval. Mr Clarke will be given new powers to exclude extremists on the grounds that they foster hatred that may lead to intra-community violence and express views conflicting with Britain’s culture of tolerance.London Times

No welcome mat for you Bakri. Take the hint and don't come back.

No Get Out of Jail Card

Immigration Judge Anthony Murry declined to offer Muslim cleric Shabbir Ahmed bail saying that he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. As of now Ahmed has only been charged with visa violations. However, during Ahmed's immigration hearing, an FBI agent testified that Ahmed was involved in planning to set up a terrorist camp in Lodi to train followers to kill Americans.

"Do I believe he is planning a terror attack?" FBI agent Gary Schaaf said. "That's some of the information that has been provided to us."

He testified that Ahmed and others were in the fledgling stages of opening a terrorism training camp in Lodi, a town of 62,000 about 30 miles south of Sacramento.

Schaaf did not say what type of terrorist attacks were planned, but he said Ahmed was acting as an intermediary for Osama bin Laden and other terrorists. The agent refused to say whether Ahmed was a member of a terror group, saying that information was classified.
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Ahmed was one of five men connected to the mosque arrested in June. The testimony was the first time federal agents have linked the five Lodi detainees.

Hamid Hayat, 22, who faces terrorism-related criminal charges in Sacramento federal court, told interrogators he was to receive orders from Ahmed, Schaaf testified.

Hayat is charged with lying to the FBI about attending a terrorism camp in Pakistan in 2003 and 2004. His father is charged with lying when he denied his son had attended such a camp.Yahoo News

Seems like Ahmed made a big mistake when he chose to fight deportation. His mistake, our benefit if he is eventually convicted and jailed.

Red Cross Leaves Gaza

Amid chaos between different factions fighting amongst themselves, the International Red Cross has closed operations in Gaza. The decision came in the wake of the kidnapping of three UN workers by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group.

The Geneva-based organization's field work includes patrols near conflict areas adjacent to Jewish settlements and attendance at public events.

About 25 foreigners work for the Red Cross throughout the Gaza Strip, and many more Palestinians. The kidnapping on Monday was the result of a dispute between different branches of the Palestinian security forces in Gaza.Ynet

Where will the future lead? Toward statehood for the Palestinians or toward a civil war?

Tree Hugger or Not?

Tran Sient had this post ! about tree huggers which had me giggling when I read it:

Hugging trees has a calming effect on me. I'm talking about enormous trees that will be there when we are all dead and gone. I've hugged trees in every part of this little island. -- Gerry Adams

I have been called a 'tree hugger' by just about everybody at work. I don't actually go around hugging trees but have been known to do the following:

* Rescue stray cats from at the factory

* Volunteer at the Humane Shelter

* Stop in the middle of traffic, then stop the other lane from proceeding to rescue a turtle (People were understanding and no one honked their horns at me)

* BreakBrake for birds and even on one occasion a butterfly, making sure it was safe to do so first

* Call my bosses, who are avid hunters, deer murderers (I believe hunters actually do more good for conserving natural habitat than say, the Sierra Club)

However, I have not done any of the following:

* Stop developments

* Write petitions to stop the proposed drilling off the Mississippi Gulf Coast (We need to drill as much as we can so as not to be dependent on outside oil sources)

So, based on the above information, are my bosses and co-workers justified in calling me a 'tree hugger'?

A Beautiful Sight

The Discovery has landed at Edwards Air Force. It's a beautiful sight. Welcome home crew of the Discovery!!

Bakri Sure Gets Around - Wants to Go Back to London

Sheik Omar Bakri, founder and spiritual leader of Al-Muhajiroun, fled Britain for Lebanon and now is stating he will return to London in about 4 to 6 weeks unless the British government says he is unwelcome. He had been in Britain since 1985 after being kicked out of Saudi Arabia. He faces possible treason charges for praising acts of terror. Al-Muhajiroun's successor organizations are to be banned in Britain under new anti-terror laws unveiled last week.

After Al-Muhajiroun was disbanded, Bakri kept busy forming the Saviour Sect and Al Ghurabaa.

Bakri also supports targeting children:

Omar Bakri Mohammed, the spiritual leader of the extremist sect al-Muhajiroun, said that holding women and children hostage would be a reasonable course of action for a Muslim who has suffered under British rule.
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Mr Mohammed, 44, who lives in Edmonton, north London, but is originally from Syria, also claimed that the Chechen rebels were not responsible for the deaths of more than 350 people - at least half of them children - who are so far known to have died in Beslan.The Telegraph

As spiritual leader of his groups, he also arranged celebrations in 2003 and 2004 for the 9-11 attacks.

Why would he want to go back to London? More importantly, why would Britain want him to return except to arrest him? He left like a thief in the darkness. Trying to save face now?

CAIR Exposed

More and more people are becoming aware of a poisonous viper in our midst. CAIR has once again come under the spotlight for being what it is: a front supporting terrorists. Thanks to Patrick for his post CAIR Meets the Truth in the MSM.

CAIR has come out strongly against police profiling of young Muslim men behaving suspiciously at train stations. Perhaps CAIR could teach us a few things about what a Muslim terrorist looks like. Three CAIR officials have recently been convicted of terrorism charges. One of the three had been convicted for conspiring to kill Americans and had worked for CAIR's national spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper.

CAIR makes many claims. Among these is that it receives no support from overseas groups or governments.

Hooper is also on record claiming CAIR receives no "support from any overseas group or government." But land records revealed in the book "Infiltration: How Muslim Spies and Subversives Have Penetrated Washington" put the lie to that claim.

It turns out that an anti-Israeli foundation run by the crown prince of Dubai owns the very deed to CAIR's headquarters located almost in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. The foundation has held telethons to support families of Palestinian suicide bombers.

Against these facts, it's hard to trust anything CAIR says regarding the fight against terror.

It's plain the group has ulterior motives.

Politicians from Washington to New York should ignore its aggressive lobbying against targeted profiling, a move that could save thousands of constituents' lives.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News.

Slowly but surely, CAIR is being exposed for what it is and what it isn't. It is not a civil rights group. It is a front for supporting terrorism. For more information about CAIR visit Anti-CAIR

No Breaks for Beslan School

A new school has been built to replace the one that was scene last year of the horrific hostage taking by murdering, cowardly, degenerate terrorists. The new school is set to open in about three weeks. However, some miscreants have broken into the school and ransacked it. They also made off with TV's, computers, and printers worth about $6,200.00.

It has also came to light, that murdering, cowardly, degenerate terrorists had also been storing weapons and explosives at the school. The weapons and explosives were discovered during refurbishments this past summer. As a result, all state schools in the region will be swept for explosives by dogs and sappers. BBC News

It is sad that this school cannot seem to get a break. It is chilling to think that the "unholy warriors" have been planning to target a school once again. These "unholy warriors" have no scruples. They bring dishonor to their families.
These terrorists in Russia and around the world think nothing of killing children or anybody for that matter. They are cowards who hide behind women and children when true men fight them.

All they accomplish is death and destruction.

Shuttle Landing Delayed

The shuttle Discovery landing has been delayed due to weather concerns in Florida. It is to be rescheduled for tomorrow.

"We've been working this pretty hard as I'm sure you can imagine from our silence down here," Mission Control radioed Discovery commander Eileen Collins. "We just can't get comfortable with the stability of the situation for this particular opportunity so we are going to officially wave you off for 24 hours." Yahoo News

I'll be relieved when it lands safely.

Netanyahu Resigns

In a move that is surprising to me, Netanyahu resigned this morning. It affected the Israeli stock market causing it to drop 3%. He had previously voted on supporting the Gaza and West Bank pullouts.

Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resigned from his post Sunday to protest next week's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, a ministry spokesman said.

Netanyahu, seen as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's biggest political rival within the Likud Party, submitted a letter of resignation during the weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday, said the Finance Ministry spokesman, Eli Yosef. The resignation will take effect within 48 hours.
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Netanyahu is expected to challenge Sharon for party leadership ahead of the next election.Yahoo News

Is this merely a political move on his part? Or is he troubled that the pullout may make it harder for Israel to defend herself?

Wish Me Luck

My local newspaper, the Sunherald has a contest for amateur photographers. I was torn between submitting one of the following:

Bayou Bernard


Biloxi Beach

I chose the Bayou Bernard one. Wish me luck!!

Reporter Goes Into the Lions Den - London

A London Times reporter infiltrated an extreme Muslim group called the Saviour Sect. He spent two months as recruit for the group and learned just how extreme and dangerous such groups can be. The reporter found that this group promotes hatred of non-believers and encourages its followers to commit acts of violence including suicide bombings. The London Times said the transcripts and tapes provided by the reporter gives weight to the actions proposed by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

This is bloody charming:

The reporter witnessed one of the sects leading figures, Sheikh Omar Brooks, telling a young audience, including children, that it was the duty of Muslims to be terrorists and boasting, just days before the July 7 attacks, that he wanted to die as a suicide bomber.London Times

And it gets worse:

After the attacks that claimed 52 lives, another key figure, Zachariah, justified them by saying that the victims were not innocent people because they did not abide by strict Islamic laws. In the immediate aftermath the sects leader, Omar Bakri Mohammed, said: "For the past 48 hours, I'm very happy.” Two weeks later he referred to the bombers as the "fantastic four"”.London Times

The reporter was warned against getting a job because it would be contributing to the kuffar (non-Muslim) system. In fact, members were encouraged not to make any economic contributions and to draw benefits instead. He also learned this:

The reporter became a member of the sect three weeks before the July 7 bombings. From the start he was taught that it was his duty to destroy the kuffar. Moderate Muslims who did not believe in the overthrow of the British government and its replacement by an Islamic state were held in equal disdain.London Times

And to dispell any doubt as to what this group is about, Omar Brooks had this to say:

Speaking to a group of teenagers and families, he declared it was imperative for Muslims to “instil terror into the hearts of the kuffar and added: I am a terrorist. As a Muslim of course I am a terrorist. The 30-year-old, who claims to have had military training in Pakistan, said he did not want to go to Allah while sleeping in his bed like an old woman. Instead: I want to be blown into pieces with my hands in one place and my feet in another.London Times

So all those who yell and scream about these lovely denizens of humanity having their rights upsurped in Britain or the US, just remember these people want to kill us kuffar. Time to wake up to the threat that is in our very midst. Don't keep putting your head in the sand. I can keep warning and warning. You get the picture. It's us or them.