Must Reads

Benador assoc. has some great articles up by Victor Davis Hanson and Amir Taheri, three very enlightening ones, on the battle in Iraq in the greater GWOT and so does the OPJ with a fantastic article by Joe Lieberman.
Following are excerts:

"It is a war between 27 million and 10,000; 27 million Iraqis who want to live lives of freedom, opportunity and prosperity and roughly 10,000 terrorists who are either Saddam revanchists, Iraqi Islamic extremists or al Qaeda foreign fighters who know their wretched causes will be set back if Iraq becomes free and modern. The terrorists are intent on stopping this by instigating a civil war to produce the chaos that will allow Iraq to replace Afghanistan as the base for their fanatical war-making. We are fighting on the side of the 27 million because the outcome of this war is critically important to the security and freedom of America. If the terrorists win, they will be emboldened to strike us directly again and to further undermine the growing stability and progress in the Middle East, which has long been a major American national and economic security priority."--J.L.

November 29, 2005 -- "IN the circles opposed to the toppling of Saddam Hussein, one word is making the rounds these days: timetable. Having failed to stop the war that liberated Iraq, and with their hopes of an insurgent triumph dashed, they are now focusing on one issue: the withdrawal of the U.S.-led Coalition forces.
The truth, however, is that a timetable has been in place from the first day of the war that ended the Ba'athist tyranny in 2003. In that timetable, the Coalition's military presence in Iraq is linked, as it should be, to the program for the nation's political reconstruction.
In other words, the Coalition forces are in Iraq to accomplish a precise political task, and not to provide the United States or any other foreign power with a forward base in the Middle East.
The goal was to take power away from a small clique led by Saddam Hussein and hand it back to the people of Iraq. The idea was not to impose democracy on Iraq, as some anti-liberation circles claim. The idea was to remove impediments to democratization. "--A.T.

""The president misled us." "Still no WMDs." "If I had only known then what I do now…"
This is the intellectual level of Democratic wartime criticism about the Bush administration as we near the third Iraqi election — the one that will finally give faces to the first truly elected parliamentary government in the Arab world. So what is behind this crying game at home — when we are so close to achieving our goals abroad?
Bad polls and far-worse casualties. With over 2,000 American dead in Iraq, the politicians think their own brilliant three-week war was ruined by George Bush's 32-month failed reconstruction.
But the Democratic establishment's anger is even more complicated than that since it is not yet quite sure of the mood of the fickle American people."--V.D.H.

I recommend reading all three by Taheri, one is a duplicate, and definately Hanson's, they give pause for thought over what the MSM is telling us, a very good thing.

Oh and a bit of news I heard today from none other than the senate minority leader Harry Reid, he told a Nevada paper that OBL was killed in the Pakistan earthquake. I had figured he was probably dead because we had not heard from the 'media hog' for many months. I guarantee, if he was alive, he would be all over Al-Jazeera pushing the AQ agenda of world domination through terror and Sharia law.

Cathedral of The Blessed Sacrament

My friends will remember my original posts on this cathedral renovation my company was involved with, available in the earliest archives here in The Barnyard. It reopened last week and is absolutely stunning, an inspiring House of the Lord. It was an honor to be involved in such a project, for later readers ,we removed and reinstalled the stained glass panels after restoration of them. This is a real feather in an independant glazier's cap considering the value of the panels. It took months and that much time on your knees in church tends to wear off on a person. It was the cleanest best run site I have been on and the usually bawdy commentary of construction workers was absent, something I appreciated. Hopefully I can get some pictures up of the new look, or try googling, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Sacramento, Ca., it's been in the news.

I Need a Vacation

I hope everyone had a joyous Thanksgiving! It is always a great time to be at the cabin, from micromanaging a wood oven to produce a succulent turkey to blazing away with a musket.
Friends ask what we do when we are up there, well considering it takes about half a day to gather and chop the wood you burn in a day is a partial answer and the rest cooking what you eat, housekeeping is #1 and then you get to go play. If you are into fishing, rockclimbing, hiking, mountaineering or just keeping the fire stoked, it is all right there.
Shooting the musket was a life-long dream, I would survive, kept a nice group out to 75 yrds. I had some yardage problems but no windage troubles anyway it would have meant venison to eat, lots of fun. The loading process definately makes the 'make your shot count' maxim apparent as it would be tough under less than ideal conditions, simple but time consuming and a little delicate with cold fingers .
It was all of 7 degrees greeting our smiling faces this morning with no snow despite the front that blew through in a hurry making the morning call to the outhouse a reason for internal debate, muchless the midnight call to nature. This is hardly a Tahoe ski cabin, more a mountaineer's respite, beds and a stove. It is simple living at its finest.
It is about a quarter-mile in front of me as the picture shows, just nestled into the pines at the base of the first ridge on the left.

Cabin Incommunicado

I will be up in those mountains away from the machine for the long weekend, living as we did 150 years ago. Everybody have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember those that made it possible!!!!

Random Questions

If the liberal left is so reliable , why do they abandon their convictions so quickly? The same goes for senate GOP?
If man has caused global warming what happened to end the last iceage, mammoth farts?
Why do animal rights activist terrorist ALF and ELF let thousands of deer starve to death in order to prevent hunting them?
If guns are outlawed why do outlaws have guns?
Why does crime go down when the prison population goes up?
Why do Muslim nations suffer in poverty while Judeo-Christian nations prosper?
Why are suicide bombers always Muslims?
Why are most of their victims innocent civilians of their own "faith"?
Why does France and most of old Europe have a flat economy ?
Why are the former eastern Soviet bloc of nations prospering?
Why are Germany and Japan, nations we gave democracy at gun point, economic giants just 60 years hence their defeat?
Why does the liberal politician think the government can take better care me than myself, observe Katrina?
Why should a child be suspended from school for having aspirin, yet be able to have an underage abortion in private?
Why is the dad not brought up for rape charges?
Why is a litmus test on abortion OK and not one on Constitutional Federalism?
Why does the DNC want the black man to stay in the ghetto on welfare?
Why did the DNC filibuster the Civil Rights Act?
Why does the DNC start fights and expect the GOP to end them,Vietnam ,Iraq?
Why am I, a major nature nut, a member of the GOP?


I ask these in response to the Air America and Franken's questions they tried to frame me with over the weekend. I could go on for days asking questions. Even the Franken troll that asked them admitted on their site that I answered his questions truthfully. It's in the archives if you choose to look.

Animals and Natural Connections

I am watching a fascinating documentary on animals' abilty to predict natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanos, tsunami, and others. For many millinia man observed nature to predict the weather, watching birds and burrowing creatures. The Lord will give us clues if we are connected enough to His creation. The ancient Asians in particular were attuned to this, living on "The Ring of Fire" like the Japanese. I have no doubt in this abilty by animals as their senses are so far better attuned than ours. Do animals feel or hear these approaching maelstroms and know what they mean? An interesting question they pose . This is really interesting, it is on Public TV. They notice how in the recent tsunami very few native animals perished, and how many domestic creatures went crazy to get to higher ground, elephants are of particular focus . They had tagged elephants in a park in Sri Lanka that were being montored at the time and they moved to higher ground, elephants are remarkably intelligent. I like shows like this, educational.

More on the GWOT

I see that Zarqawi may have been killed as reported by two different Arab news papers when acting on a civilian tip to a senior AQ meeting in Mosul MNF and ISF forces surrounded the house and the residents of the house blew themselves up to avoid capture. Extremely good news if true.
Meanwhile Mark Levin and Victor Davis Hanson have great articles up at National Review debunking the latest disinformation coming from the loonbat left.

Mark Levin

Facts of War
Yes, there were connections between Saddam
Hussein and the 9/11 bad guys.

What is this baloney that there were no
connections between Iraq and Osama bin Laden? Even the 9/11 Commission Report,
which I believe is lacking in many respects, includes some useful findings all
but ignored today by the media and war critics. Consider the following excerpts:


Page 61:
Bin Ladin was also willing to explore possibilities for
cooperation with Iraq, even though Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein, had never
had an Islamist agenda — save for his opportunistic pose as a defender of the
faithful against 'Crusaders' during the Gulf War of 1991. Moreover, Bin Ladin
had in fact been sponsoring anti-Saddam Islamists in Iraqi Kurdistan, and sought
to attract them into his Islamic army.To protect his own ties with Iraq,
[Sudan's Islamic leader] Turabi, reportedly brokered an agreement that Bin Ladin
would stop supporting activities against Saddam. Bin Ladin apparently honored
this pledge, at least for a time, although he continued to aid a group of
Islamist extremist operating in part of Iraq (Kurdistan) outside of Baghdad's
control. In the late 1990s, these extremist groups suffered major defeats by
Kurdish forces. In 2001, with Bin Ladin's help they re-formed into an
organization called Ansar al Islam. There are indications that by then the Iraqi
regime tolerated and may even have helped Ansar al Islam against the common
Kurdish enemy.With the Sudanese regime acting as intermediary, Bin Ladin himself
met with a senior Iraqi intelligence officer in Khartoum in late 1994 or early
1995. Bin Ladin is said to have asked for space to establish training camps, as
well as assistance in procuring weapons, but there is no evidence that Iraq
responded to his request. ... [T]he ensuing years saw additional efforts to
establish common connections.

And from VDH

War & Reconstruction

For Bush’s critics, even hindsight is cloudy.
This is the mantra of the extreme Left: "Bush lied, thousands died." A
softer version from politicians now often follows: "If I knew then what I know
now, I would never have supported the war."


These sentiments are
intellectually dishonest and morally reprehensible for a variety of reasons
beyond the obvious consideration that you do not hang out to dry some 150,000
brave Americans on the field of battle while you in-fight over whether they
should have ever been sent there in the first place.
Consider the now
exasperating (and tired) argument that almost anyone who looked at the
intelligence data shared the same opinion about the threat of weapons of mass
destruction — former presidents, U.S. congressmen, foreign governments, Iraqi
exiles, and numerous intelligence organizations.
The prewar speeches of Jay
Rockefeller and Hillary Clinton sparked and sizzled with somber warnings about
biological and chemical arsenals — and, yes, nuclear threats growing on the
horizon. Politicians voted for war at a time of post-9/11 furor and fear, when
anthrax was thought to have been scattered in our major cities and the hysteria
over its traces evacuated government buildings. In response, the Democrats beat
their breasts to prove that they could out-macho the "smoke-em-out" and
"dead-or-alive" president in laying out the case against Saddam Hussein,
especially after the successful removal of the Taliban.

Michelle Malkin provides links to a great idea, highlight the heros, and weblink between fellow blogs to further the campaign, I'm in and would suggest our small coalition of bloggers take up the challenge. I know Pero has with his MOH sight , I frequently visit the official MOH site on a regular basis for inspiration.

I WANT TO PROTECT OUR LANDS FROM TERRORISTS..."By Michelle Malkin · November 20, 2005 11:42 AM
-->
By Michelle Malkin · November 20, 2005 11:42 AM
"...so I joined the Marines."
--The words of 26-year-old Donald Ryan McGlothlin McGlothlin, a Marine 2nd lieutenant assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., who was killed this week during a firefight in Ubaydi, Iraq during a campaign to crack down on the insurgency.
God bless, deepest thanks, and R.I.P.
***
Related: Make sure to read the latest "Someone You Should Know" installment from Matt at Blackfive highlighting the story of Marine Sergeant James "Eddie" Wright.
Related II: Thank this female soldier. She could use the support. (Hat tip: Anna at The Right Place)
Related III: McQ at Q&O has launched the Project Hero campaign,

"highlight the heroism of some of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen in both Iraq and Afghanistan." Today's post tells the story of honor a young Marine officer who won the nation's second highest honor for valor in action: the Navy Cross. Writes McQ:
The idea is to get a network of blogs to link and spread the word about the valor of our military which seems to simply go unreported by the MSM. I’m asking like minded folks if they wouldn’t consider linking to these posts or posting the citations or stories themselves. I’m also soliciting emails in which people can send me citations and stories of heroism they find about Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m going to do these once a week, probably on Friday or Saturday. Any help you can give in spreading the word would be great.
Pass it on.
Related IV: Austin Bay on how troops are fighting back through e-mail.

What a fabulous idea!!! as Michelle already has the links so I won't be redundant.

GOP Grew a Little Backbone, Finally

At least GOP House leadership in a quite brilliant poker move forced the Dims to play there cards, in a 403-3 vote in support of not pulling our troops from Iraq in a cowardly cut and run surrender to Al Quaida in Iraq. I bet the loonbat base is about to explode, Cindy Sheehan what have you to say about that? Is it so hard for those that want to find out what is going on in Iraq to simply look at the same government's own websites that the MSM does and distorts to their sick agenda. Sites like, this one at Defend America and the numerous bloggers from Iraq both military and civilian offer a very different picture than our mainstream media wishes to portray. I will also add that the freely elected Iragi gov't has formally requested our help for at least another year.
I watched on CSpan last night and it was raucus heated and often ugly as the Dims lied through their teeth, openly. I had to shift into 4lo and hit the air lockers to get through the mud. Kudos to JD Hayworth and Duncan Hunter and the rest of the GOP House leadership, I hope they teach their Senate counterparts some lessons.
The President has outlined his plan many times very clearly and only those that don't wish to hear or see can deny it. It is simple continue to train Iraqi Security Forces until they are able to protect the free and democratic Iraq from those that wish to return it to the stone age. He is finally calling the enemy by their name, islamo-fascist murderers bent on instilling a dictocratic theocracy through violence and dhimmitude. Noone should wish the violence that the jihadists murders would bring on the innocent Iraqis should we pull a Vietnam retreat as Bin Laden has continuously mentioned as well as Somalia and Lebanon. By the way, OBL, the media hog has been very silent for a long time now, makes a curious mind wonder, as Zarqawi continues to slaughter indiscriminately even at the rebuke of the AQ #2 man, Zarwahiri. The Jordanian and Palistinian streets rang with" Death to Zarqawi" chants and he blows up mosques yesterday.
The loony lefts support of this strategy is astounding, I fail to understand how abandoning innocent people and allies to mercenary thugs is redeeming of our image in the world? Redeeming in the murderer's eye as it allows him access to your children.
If you don't know and want to, just ask, someone will inform you of where to go to find out. I can see why the liberal writers of the lefty MSM are so snippy now as every word gets parsed through the active conservative new media. I am a basic simple citizen and I feel better informed than many of those claiming to speak for me in our elected bodies, stupid, narcissistic or just plain disinformation or a combination, I don't know. I just know the Howard Deaniacs turn my stomach and cause Torets like twitches and sporadic outbursts of language I would not otherwise use hurled at an inanimate radio, TV, or monitor screen.
I voted as a center-right independant untill last year when I registered with the GOP because of the pure idiocy coming from the DNC after the 2000 elections, in which, I did not place a presidential vote, could not stand either. George Bush earned my support through taxcuts and a strong response to 9/11 and the loony left's avid hatred for him , never liked those pinkos. I now stand back to back with fellow conservatives to defend the GOP against insidious RINOs.
Seriously, what would you like to know about the GWOT and the central front in Iraq? Hopefully my friends and I can help you, in fact, I am positive we can.
Update: Welcome, Al Franken and AirAmerica readers, I hope you find my site sufficiently irritating to draw out your pure hatred of the conservative agenda so your hatred can be exposed further for the bankrupt flytrap it is. Hey guys, Airamerica found me, yippee, maybe they will grant me the same honor they grant Michele Malkin with their xxx insults. I would love to post them on the front page so the world can view the banality and immaturity of their rants.
As I am honored to present my 15 seconds of fame at Al Franken's site.

The freely elected government of Iraq declares it is able to protect its citizens from islamo-fascism" will they achieve this ability before or after their civil war?and, are islamo-fascist any more malevolent than christo-fascists?
"they have formally requested we stay until then." that explains the insurgency....
"The ISF is taking a larger share of the burden everyday."and terrorist activity is on the increase.
"None of them though definate connections between Saddam's regime and AQ have been established" you consider non-definite connections a valid reason for a "pre-emptive" invasion?
"explain Zarqawi on the other hand, Coconut."all take a stab at it: we've successfully destabalized the nation/region for him.
"No, never claimed, only proven support of AQ. Direct involvement never claimed."great. what support/in-direct involvement can you claim? and how is support to be considered "indirect"?
"OBL has not been heard from in a long time, probably dead" based on what evidence?
"but his #2" which #2?
"and #3 have been heard from in Iraq, Zarwahiri and Zarqawi."
yes, iraq is where they can easily find us.
"I would like to see free enterprise rebuild the gulf coast not bloated corrupt beuracracies." who wouldn't?
"New Orleans was the veritable "outhouse" of socialist liberalism and corruption" very generous appraisal.
"and its failed policies." which policies are these?
"FEMA is not a first reponder group" this is a gop buzzword. fema is charged with managing emergencies, hence the acronym. "first" response or otherwise, piss-poor response is unacceptable.
"it is designed to help financially" "manage".
"not as a rooftop rescue organization" who suggested it is?
"which the Coast Guard was doing the second they could get there, doing their job, choppers were pulling folks of roofs as soon as winds let them."
well done, coast guard. "We should not pay for bridges rich states can easily afford" and if these "rich" states cnnot "easily" afford them? you understand, of course, that the construction of bridges creates construction jobs, which creates revenue, which creates tax revenue? and that bridges and highways promote the commerce which is so critical to our economy?
"and we should noy pay for leeches at the social level."your concern for, and generosity towards, your fellow americans is commendable. what is "the social level"?
KEvron
"I was jumped"Submitted by onthetroll on September 27, 2005 - 8:15pm.

War History

As Victor Davis Hanson explores the history of the Peloponesian War in this excerpt from his latest book " A War Like No Other" some interesting comparisons are made on how to fight and win a long war. The astute reader can also draw some comparisons between the left and the right in america. Originally in National Review I link it at Benador because she provides links to previous installments.

"True, Sparta could execute generals like Thorax and shun the returning prisoners from Pylos, but in comparison to Athens it gave latitude to commanders in a way unknown at Athens. If Thucydides was exiled for failing to save Amphipolis from Brasidas, later in the same theater Brasidas most surely was not recalled to Sparta after failing to reach Torone in time and thus losing the entire city to Cleon. That the Athenian assembly exiled, executed, or fined almost every notable general it ordered on campaign did not make commanders more accountable as much as timid and prone to second-guessing. Thus, after any setback, whether in the Delium campaign or at Arginusae, they would most likely not come back to Athens, in fear of a trial. So the city did not often learn from its mistakes but almost always scared generals into being too cautious or reckless, their decisions based on anticipating what the voters back home might approve on any particular day."

Sound familiar, our left wants to burn our Generals and the right wants them to fight for us and win the war. The politicos try to run the war and lose, the generals run the war and win. I pulled this particular paragraph for that reason, to point out the insanity going on in our own senate at this time. All this blabbery spittle about oversight, accountability and torture is for aesthetic posturing, photo ops and John McCain, Chuck Shumer and the rest screaming 'look at me, I am important to myself' while hamstringing our generals and troops. I will leave with a quote from a founder of our Freedom and Liberty.

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." —Patrick Henry

(The Federalist Patriot)

Howdy Y'all

The cabin, no water except the creek behind me and no electricity, a respite from the machine. We cook with the same abilities as those that built it and eat better there than we do at home.
Roast a turkey or bake some bread, this was the cook's cabin for the miners and shepherds at the turn of the century
The drive home takes me around lake Tahoe
The view from town, the "Sawteeth" in the background.
I have been in love before, my bride. The cabin is about a half mile away as the crow flys.
The harvest moon rises.
Dinner time, beef over almond wood!
Team Volcano, Shasta, left, and Lassen, Lassen has a lightening bolt on the back of his head.
Trout for breakfast
Part of our natural "jungle gym" for climbers

A view towards the cabin from the meadow.

I hope these pictures show my love for the sierra. The power of this place is incredible as Castaneda tought. I have spent weeks here and I find something new everytime on every walkabout. To spend time in a cabin with daylight showing through cracks in the walls during sub-zero temperatures is enlightening to what our pioneers dealt with. Yes, I am very wierd, I love the challenge as it also shows how people still live today. I can live by third world means and be OK, a source of comfort for me, most have no idea. My life goal, very Amish, is to be totally self reliant, free of the government, faced with the daily struggle our founders faced, survival. A dream, maybe, perhaps that is why I am conservative politically, I refuse to be a burden on any but myself. I am a survivalist and my order of business is God, Country and Family. I don't have a personal family so my strength can be dedicated to God and Country so my sister's family may reap the rewards.
If you want to feel the power of life filling you, take a walk with a pair of huskies and the Lord under a harvest moon in the mountains, I have and I am reinvigorated. I am ready for the coming and ensuing battle. Conservatives, mount up, the battle is just begun, now is not the time for weakness, it is time for war.

Cabin Bound

I will be off to my buddies cabin on the north-east corner of Yosemite NP this weekend. A respite from the angst of the modern world, so I will not be blogging or commenting. Sheepdog, hold the pasture.
The cabin is about 4 miles from here, looking in the general direction, if you made a crow's flight to the right of the last tree.

Update: I am back after an absolutely beautiful weekend in the mountains and have a picture or two to share. A midnight walk under a high sierra harvest moon with a pair of huskies as your companions brings back perspective. They are my buddy's dogs but they weren't ready for bed yet and neither was I. I speak 'huskyese', mine is with my sister in Al, so it is always a treat to join their pack in the mountains. I am a huge fan of the "working"class of dogs, shepherds and sleddogs especially. These dogs love to run and do their job whether herding sheep or dragging a sled. Before I am lamblasted by gundog owners, a good birddog is hard to beat. I will have one of them as well. I just love huskies and malemutes, they have a unique attitude, as do I.

American Youth

Much is written and said about our kids today, we see the faux-gangbangers and the real ones and we see those in Iraq and signing up in overwhelming numbers. We continue to see the growth of young Republican clubs grow on our campuses and the liberal elites effort to stifle it. I got an email from a young friend in college today that was heartening. He makes a powerful statement. I know Nicky, can do a high five and catch a cold one at the same time.

No doubt. I feel however that, the military would drive me crazy. I have a sneaking suspicion that i would not get the position that I wanted and that it would be merely a waste of time. I feel that I should instead become an upstanding educated citizen to provide a role model for America's Misled Youth. What speaks more to Americas children unfortunately is that of 50 cent an Tupac and a life that glorifies gang violence and drug deals. I feel that we have just as much a battle on our own soil as we do across seas. Interpret this as you will. I feel it my responsibility to prove myself through, not only education and an honest existence, but as a human being responsible for my own actions and to convey that to others. I expect to be treated with respect, therefore I will act with respect. Excuse me for being trite but, treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Stuck On Stupid

THE FOUNDATION
"If individuals be not influenced by moral principles; it is in vain to look for public virtue." —James Madison

Did anyone else here the loonbats on Hugh's Show today about 4:30 pst ? He called us stupid, and was so idiotic that he didn't realize Hugh was shredding his argument with his own answers. the "journalist" on before the caller was even worse. How dense can they be? I guess their hatred and anger are so blinding that even when the cold wet carp is sticking out their mouths they can't see it. I watch a little TV news, listen to conservative news/talk radio and check about 50 internet sources. I can get information off my miniscule blogroll before the AP or our regional rags can get to print. My first stop is James Taranto's "Best of the Web" and OPJ online then I move on to The Federalist Patriot, National Review, Townhall, American Spectator etc. and first blog stop is usually LGF, then Hugh and Michelle, then for more detailed analysis I follow the links. Captains Quarters and Powerline have detailed powerful analysis, yet we are stupid as that caller proclaimed and defended. I will say my toughest and and most intelligent arguments always come from the right, ad hominem attacks from the left, no ideas or debate. Oh and blog trolls, watch your ankles, the Sheepdog is back and reinvigorated it seems, great comments last post, Sass, it fits so well, "Sheepdog Sass" and as usual you left me nothing to say which is fine by me, less typing.

Happy Birthday! USMC , OOhRaah!

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

One of my favorite radio and print personalities is Dennis Prager, the guy makes sense and prefers clarity to conflict. He does what is probably the best hour of talk radio on his weekly "Happiness Hour". He has spoken and written extensively on the subject as his latest column also addresses. I agree, we have an obligation to our fellow man to be happy. If you disagree think about how it feels to be around a perpetually moody or angry person, it is demoralizing and often demeaning or violent. I know how far a smile and thank you goes, including getting out of traffic tickets with a " Hi, officer, thanks for doing your job, I was going a bit fast wasn't I ? Open road, pretty day and I was just enjoying it, sorry." , I was going 105 mph in my 240z . He said "slow it down" and let me go with a warning. This happened twenty odd years ago but the lesson stuck. I was happy an officer was there protecting the public from a crazy nut like me, I have covered 2100 miles in 25 hours between LA and B'ham and was getting passed by big rigs.
Happy people accomplish things, have intuitive ideas and are not cluttered with angry, loony victomhood conspiracy theories. Happy people make life better for all, including forcing yourself to be even when you don't want to, better than caffiene.

When you think about a Muslim suicide terrorist, is "happy" the first word you think of to describe him?
When you think about Nazis or Communists or Klansmen or child molesters, do you immediately think, "Now there are some happy people"?
Of course not.
It only takes a moment's thought to realize that while most unhappy people don't engage in evil, most evil is done by unhappy people. This is true on both the macro and the micro levels. We all know how much more likely we are to lash out at others when we are unhappy and how much we desire to make others feel good when we feel happy.

OOHRAA: Mike Yon's extraordinary work has made it to the floor of the Senate!!!

The Senate
Over the next few days, beginning November 8, 2005, my work will be used on the floor of the Senate to describe the actions of our soldiers in Iraq. Between 9:30 and 10:00 am, Senators will be reading my dispatches and showing some photographs I took in Iraq. I am honored that my work will be used to demonstrate the progress our soldiers are making in helping Iraq secure and maintain its freedom.I'll also soon complete a dispatch covering the "Deuce Four" redeployment Ball in Tacoma, where Bruce Willis gave an extraordinary speech.

And A Good Monday To Ya

What is up with our university system? Have the administrators gone PC nuts or what? I am pretty sure most of my readers recieve "Townhall" in their email boxes everyday and get to read Dr. Adams, Ben Shapiro, and tonight's article by Suzanne Fields . the story they tell is disturbing. The universities in very many well documented cases seek to stifle free speech if it is of a conservative voice and response to our demands to be heard, ie. Young Republicans, Campus Conservatives, the administrations at some are banning all thoughtfull dialogue in the fear part of it will offend somebody. I like Dr. Adams' approach, he files formal charges with his boss university system, UNC, when he is offended by emails or other that attack his conservative, gun owning ways. He gets called a gun toting homophobe he simply files a complaint then writes a column on it, as being insulted in a negative way with a negative stereotype. I have to wonder if our universities are left up to legislating manners in our increasingly crude teens! Manners should be tought from an early age at home not at the university level in the form of speech codes, anti-diversity of thought , and introduced to student porn and The Feminist Monologues instead? This is why I have chosen to go childless as I would not my want kid growing up in this social mess.

A Bottle of Wine

With all that is going on some positive, some negative sometimes it is just nice to sit back after a fat t-bone steak with a good cigar and an excellent cabernet franc from Venezio vinyards in the foothill gold country as good as anything from Napa. The number of vintners in Ca. have doubled in the last few years with some really good wines and a great atmosphere for tasting their products. I have visited quite extensively some of the viticultural centers and have been to a few major wine affairs. The foothill regions are growing very quickly with many boutique wineries in absolutely charming and beautiful settings, and tasting is for the most part free, charges for tasting their top vintages waived if you buy and you get to keep the glass. Though zinfadel is the main product and offered in many forms from lite roses to deep rich jammy late harvests and port. Petite syrah, syrah, both cabernets and many other classic French and Italian varietals do very well and are producing some outstanding wines with both Rhone and Bordeaux blends well represnted as well as some of the best domestic ports, classic and varietal. Right now the big-leaf maples, oaks and other hardwoods provide a colorful contrast to the ubiquitous evergreens and the temperatures are very pleasant and new releases are out. I missed the harvest festival this year but reports just weeks prior point to another outstanding year. I can buy very drinkable wine at the local grocery store for $2.00 a bottle, very good wine for $10-25 in the foothills with the top reserves going for $25-75 a bottle. In Napa an average wine will cost $5 to taste and cost $35 on average. Me, I will stick to the foothills and as I have extended before, the offer to show blogger buddies around if they make it here.
If you came here for a political rant tonight sorry, if you wish to learn, start at the top of the blogroll and go from there and don't miss the links they provide. I see no need for me to duplicate the efforts of those far more knowledgeble than I. Hugh, Michele, Charles, Ed and a raft of others have detailed analysis on everything from the GWOT to the Paris riots and the economy. I choose to celebrate continued good news from the front and the strong advance of conservative ideas here, even our lone Dem at the shop was speaking conservative talking points the other day on the importance of marriage and family. I play conservative talk radio in the shop and I guess he is listening, he really is the type the Dems need, a centrist with strong belief in family, a normal family.

Ugly Football

My Crimson Tide managed to make it to 8-0 against Miss. St. always a hard fought game. We lost our starting center to a broken leg in a game fraught with stupid penalties. Oue defense looks great, our offense is suffering after key injuries and it shows. With two possibly three very tough games coming they need to get out of their offensive funk, no touchdowns in two games is not good.

Wow , This is BIG

Hey fellow Patriot readers, have you read today's issue yet? I bet a Kennedy staffer is going to be fodder for a raging Teddy, Mary Jo Kopechne is not available for comment. I am sure the desk at the Federalist Patriot vetted it before printing as their reputation is for reporting the truth is exemplary and not ever known for Onion type parody. This is rich, my normal editorial ethic is to reprint just a paragraph or so but this needs to be seen first hand. Todays issue is another outstanding example of Mark Alexander and his staff 's adherrence to excellence and blind luck in this case.

TOP OF THE FOLD
Dear Mr. President—A letter from Teddy Kennedy...
On Tuesday morning, an urgent correspondence from Senator Edward M. Kennedy to President George W. Bush was inadvertently delivered to the publishing headquarters of The Patriot. It seems that one of Mr. Kennedy's aides mistakenly put the letter to President Bush in a Patriot donor-support envelope—which means that the White House instead received a priority message from Sen. Kennedy with a profane "cease and desist" note addressed to your humble editorial staff.
Our editors wrestled with the legal and ethical implications of reprinting this letter for at least 60 seconds before concluding that we should disclose its contents to you, our esteemed readers, verbatim.
Dear Mr. President:
On behalf of the American people, I must say that we are deeply disappointed, offended in fact, with your nomination of Judge Samuel Alito for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Clearly, you're pandering to the right-wing extremists on the fringe of your party.
Yes, Alito was unanimously approved by the Senate as U.S. Attorney in 1987 and for the Circuit Court in 1990.
Yes, when Ronald Reagan nominated Alito to be a U.S. attorney in 1987, he received unanimous consent from the Senate. Yes, when your old man nominated him for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in 1990, he again received unanimous consent from the Senate. Surely by now, some right-wing Internet rag has uncovered my praise for Justice, err, Judge Alito at his confirmation hearing back then: "You have obviously had a very distinguished record, and I certainly commend you for long service in the public interest. I think it is a very commendable career and I am sure you will have a successful one as a judge."
However, he was the lone conservative voice on the Third Circuit Court back then, so I didn't view his confirmation as a threat to our Constitution.
Besides, Mr. President, you know how these back-room wink-and-nod deals are cut. Remember when we agreed to give Reagan unanimous consent for that right-wing nut case Antonin Scalia in 1986, with the understanding that you guys would show us the same favor when it was our turn? Indeed, when my good friend Ms. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former general counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union, was nominated by my good friend Bill Clinton, she received overwhelming bipartisan support from Republicans.
More recently, knowing that your partisans would invoke the constitutional, err, nuclear option to change Senate rules and force a full-Senate vote on your right-wing appellate nominees, we agreed to release some of them for a floor vote. Then, when you finally got an opportunity to nominate a Supreme Court Justice, you sent up a guy named John Roberts, about whom precious little was known. That allowed us to save face with the American people. Even less was known, publicly, about Harriet Miers, which is why my colleague, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, was kind enough to recommend her for the High Court.


You've nominated a dinosaur, a constitutional constructionist, who can read what the Constitution actually says—and the American people are very upset.
But now you've nominated in her place a man about whom a great deal is known. After 15 years on the appellate court, we know Alito is a dinosaur, a constitutional constructionist, somebody who can read what the Constitution actually says—and this has the American people very upset.
You and your right-wingers seem to cling to the antiquated notion that the Constitution should be interpreted as written. Well, wake up and smell the whiskey! What the American people want is a Supreme Court that will do what we, as their elected representatives, bid it to do. That's the Democratic way.
As I said in my press conference today, "Rather than selecting a nominee for the good of the nation and the court, you have selected a nominee who conservatives think has views as extreme as their own. If confirmed, Alito will fundamentally alter the balance of the court and push it dangerously to the right, placing at risk decades of American progress in safeguarding our fundamental rights and freedoms."
Harry Reid told you to "find a consensus nominee," but you ignored him.
When Harry Reid told you to "find a consensus nominee," you not only ignored his sage advice—you also failed to seek his approval for this nominee prior to your announcement. That, Mr. President, is a disgraceful example of partisanship.
We are gravely concerned that, in the words of my senatorial colleague, Chuck Schumer, "Alito will use his seat to return the court to the injustice of the past." Well, Mr. President, we are not going to let that happen. Pat Leahy feels the same way. "This is a needlessly provocative nomination," he said. "Instead of uniting the country through your choice, you have chosen to reward one faction of your party, the virulent wing of the Republican Party, at the risk of dividing the country." My understudy, John Kerry, echoes these grave concerns: "The far right wing has now forced you to nominate a divisive justice in the mold of Antonin Scalia who does not hold mainstream American values, rather than a qualified woman or minority." Dick Durbin got it right when he called this nomination "an effort to appease the far right wing."
The same talking points have been distributed to my underlings down in the House. Nan Pelosi got them: "The radical conservative right is in charge of your administration."
Until now, Mr. President, we've worked extremely well together. As your far-right radical base has no doubt told you, you haven't yet vetoed a single spending or regulatory-expansion measure we've sent over your way. Heck, your dad's foundation even bestowed upon me its annual lifetime achievement award for public service. But everything hangs in the balance with this nominee, Mr. President—so all bets are off.
So what if Alito has great academic credentials and more judicial experience than 105 of 109 Justices confirmed to the court? So what if Alito is the son of poor Italian immigrants? He may think he's Catholic, but he lacks the integrity of an Irish Catholic like me. None of this matters. I got kicked out of Harvard for cheating on a Spanish exam—so what? I left a young gal to drown when I got sloshed and drove us off that bridge—so what? I am still a Senator.
Judge Alito has demonstrated that he's a strict constructionist who supports states' rights and thinks the First Amendment restricts only the Congress when it comes to our sacred wall of separation between church and state. He would, no doubt, return to states and local communities the decision to have prayer in their schools. He's even approved Christmas displays by local municipalities. Even worse, though, is his support of parents' rights—as if they know better how to raise their kids than the government does. Alito thinks the Second Amendment means what it says, and that, Mr. President, is really dangerous. As you know, far more conservatives own guns than liberals. But my greatest concern is that he's the sort of nut who believes that children in the womb deserve to live, and that husbands—and parents in the case of minors—should be notified before an abortion. Outrageous.

Your little "Scalito" claims that "Judges should be judges."
Your little "Scalito" claims, that "Judges should be judges. They shouldn't be legislators, they shouldn't be administrators." Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist seems to agree, insisting, "Judge Alito has displayed a judicial philosophy marked by judicial restraint and respect for the limited role of the judiciary to interpret the law and not legislate from the bench."
Well, maybe that was true back when the Constitution was ratified, but not today. What unmitigated arrogance. Frankly, we know that all this "constructionist" stuff is just a ruse to suggest the Constitution does not guarantee the right to kill children before they are born. As you know, that right is what holds our Party together, and we will not turn it back over to the states.
Mr. President, as Chuck Schumer said earlier today, Alito is "a controversial nominee for a pivotal swing vote on the High Court who could shift the balance of the court, and thus the laws of the nation, for decades to come." I'm well aware, Mr. President, that you made a campaign promise to appoint strict constructionist judges in the mold of Scalia and Thomas, but it was only a campaign promise after all. I mean, it's not like anyone would've held you to it.
Candidly speaking, you know as well as I do that the majority of Americans don't support our Democratic agenda—which is why we're so desperate to maintain control of the Supreme Court. If we can't pass legislation by legitimate means, we can still do it by judicial diktat, right?
We'll use the Alito nomination to rally our constituents.
Level with me, Mr. President: Did you use the Miers nomination as a decoy to rally your troops behind Alito? Either way, you can rest assured that we'll use this same nomination to rally our constituents—we will have them whipped into a frenzy and filling our Senate and House campaign coffers with their last pennies. In the end, your Party controls the Senate and can even invoke the "nuclear option." OK, but we will not take up this nomination until January, to give us as much time as possible to unite our base.
Prepare for battle, Mr. President. We are going to use everything in our arsenal, starting with our print and television media outlets, to force you into submission.
Sincerely,
Senator Edward Kennedy

Spread the word blogger buddies!!!! We have an arsenal too!!!! I called for mount up a few days back, Bugeler, sound the call !!!!

Words to Live By

" If someone tells you he is going to kill you, take him seriously" the words of a Holocaust survivor. Clifford May has an outstanding column comparing Hitler's "Mein Kampf" to the recent speeches by Ahmadinejad, Iran's president. This the must read so far of tonight.

Call it Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Mein Kampf moment.

Eighty years ago, Adolf Hitler published an autobiography-cum-manifesto. Its title translates as “My Struggle.” In it, Hitler talked of his desire for revenge against France, the German nation's need to control more land, and the means by which his National Socialist Party could gain power.
It also included, of course, a clear indication of his genocidal intentions against the Jews.
Last week, Iran's president echoed those themes. He talked about his “struggle” – the word translate into both Arabic and Persian as “jihad” -- his desire for revenge against America and the West, the Islamic nation's need to control more land, and the means by which his Militant Islamist movement could gain global power.
He also included his genocidal intention to wipe Israel “off the map.”

It is a shame that I learned of a true Hollywood good guy years later from a blogger in Iraq and not just any blogger from Mike Yon . The good guy is Bruce Willis who has been over there several times with his band on USO tours and is going to be performing at the "Deuce Four" ball, a good portion of those lost in Iraq were in the "Deuce Four" and there bravery and incredible discipline led to the securing of Mosul and the surounding areas intime for the election. If you have read Yon's dispatches, you know. They are back in the States and having a party to celebrate their heros fallen and alive. A Barnyard salute to them and Bruce Willis !

Why The Left is Losing

An interesting poll, a grinning Goat. (hattip: John McCaslin at Townhall)

Dana Blanton, director of public-opinion research for Fox News, takes a much-needed break from politics and turmoil to present some intriguing findings about America's spiritual beliefs.

Americans who believe in: God - 91 percent

Heaven - 87 percent

Miracles - 84 percent

Angels - 79 percent

Hell - 74 percent

The devil - 67 percent

Astrology - 37 percent

Ghosts - 34 percent

Reincarnation - 27 percent

Witches - 24 percent

Vampires - 4 percent

And we conservative Christians are out of the mainstream, yea right , in the secular socialist terrorist supporting dreams of Cindy Sheehan, maybe she should read our constitution while sucking on the purple finger of Iraqi freedom.

Welcome Home, Sheepdog Sass

For my newer readers and recent blogger buddies that don't know our Sheepdog here in the Barnyard, he has been down in the Gulf region with his church doing the Lord's work for the past couple of months. He is a good and true Sheepdog and has been missed as he helps keep the Goat from going astray. Welcome back buddy and Thank You for representing those of us unable to go help !

Now onto tonights must read from the OPJ , Richard Miniter in an excerpt from his new book "Disinformation;22 Media Myths" debunked the suitcase nuke scenario in a lift to this Goat's heart and very convincingly. This sounds like a must read book as well as this is a highly respected writer.

"It is the duty of Muslims to prepare as much force as possible to terrorize the enemies of God."
--Osama bin Laden, May 1998
"Bin Laden's final act could be a nuclear attack on America."
--Graham Allison, Washington Post
"One hundred suitcase-size nuclear bombs were lost by Russia."
--Gerald Celente, "professional futurist," Boston Globe

Like everyone else rushing off the Washington subway one rush-hour morning, Ibrahim carried a small leather briefcase. No one paid him or his case much mind, except for the intern in the new Brooks Brothers suit who pushed past him on the escalator and banged his shin. "What do you have in there? Rocks?"

However chemical,biolgical and radiological bombs are within their reach they do not have the laboratory access for the most part to create those either on any large scale. Iran knows that if it were implcated they would be wiped out. The mullahs are brash foolhardy murderers they are not complete idiots and they are in political thumbscrews. They know even tiny Israel can take them out quickly. If you never read another book, read Natan Sharanskey's "The Case for Democracy" and you will understand why America stands and fights for freedom.

On another note the conservative base is in a hearty joyful uproar over Sam Alito, a burgeoning economy, some relatively minor indictments and Tom Delay won a change of judge from the MoveOn supporting one origiganally slated. I would expect Bill Frist to be cleared as well, I smell DNC dreams evaporating in their own stewpot of blind ambition and fully expect them to make total fools of themselves in the coming weeks. Stay tuned into Powerline and Hugh Hewitt as they can cut these loonbats to shreds before their morning coffee. Hugh and Medved both completely dismantled liberal guests on their shows today.

Again I will give the last word to one of my favorite GOP beauties, Ann Coulter.

Since Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination to the Supreme Court, Democratic senators like Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin — i.e., all the people who had absolutely nothing to do with Miers' withdrawal — have been blanketing the airwaves demanding that Bush now accede to their demands. So it's good to see Democrats are still working on getting in touch with reality.

The Democrats didn't utter a note of disagreement with the Miers nomination. But now they say her withdrawal is their victory, which Bush must be forced to acknowledge by nominating a candidate to their liking. I believe that's what got Bush in trouble in the first place: listening to Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, who recommended Miers for the Supreme Court.

Although the circumstances were unfortunate — we prefer fighting liberals to fighting our president — the Miers withdrawal is an unparalleled victory for conservatives. Liberals were never able to do this to Clinton when he hosed them. It will be a long time before the White House thinks it can use and abuse conservatives again.