Hezbollah Condemns PR Stunt

Terrorism 1 Comment

As reported by Hezbollah’s European Bureau :
Hizbollah Slams Beheading of American as Un-Islamic

“Hizbollah condemns this horrible act that has done very great harm to Islam and Muslims by this group that claims affiliation to the religion of mercy, compassion and humane principles,” the Shi’ite Muslim group said in a statement.
…
“The timing of this act that overshadowed the scandal over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in occupation forces prisons is suspect timing that aims to serve the American administration
and occupation forces in Iraq and present excuses and pretexts for their inhumane practices against Iraqi detainees.”
The Syrian-backed group which the United States deems “terrorist” said the executors’ behavior was closer to “the Pentagon school — the school of killing and occupation and crimes and torture and immoral practices that were exposed by the great scandal in occupation prisons.”

Those headline jokers at Reuters – had you going for a second, didn’t they?

Say What?

May 12, 2004

Blogging 4 Comments

My top referrer for the month so far is The International Atomic Energy Agency?

We Wait

May 12, 2004

Terrorism 19 Comments

Last week George Bush apologized for what had been done at Abu Ghairb in the name of the United States Of America. Donald Rumsfeld apologized for what had been done in the name of the US military.
Today, as we witness the double standard of our major media in all its blazing glory, endlessly repeating the photographs from Abu Ghairb while “protecting” us from the “upsetting” scenes of a screaming Nick Berg having his head sawed off… we wait.
We wait for the clamour in the press.
We wait for the outraged editorials.
We wait for prominant politicians’ and pundits’ calls for resignations.
We wait for the pledge to help hunt down the perpetrators and set right past wrongs.
But most of all, we wait for the apology.
From the leaders of Islam, the religion of peace.
For what has been done in their name.

911 Commission to Interview Al Queda

Media 1 Comment

Oh, that’s still on?

With just 11 weeks to complete a full account of the worst terrorist attack in American history, the leaders of the 9/11 commission say they have had unprecedented access to classified documents – and are planning to question suspected members of Al Qaeda being held by the US government.
“We have had access to documents that nobody has ever had access to before in the Congress or investigatory committees,” said Thomas Kean, chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, at a Monitor breakfast Tuesday. “We have gotten in the end every document we have requested…. We have also been able to interview every single person we requested.”

I wonder where the press is on this. Why, just a few weeks ago we were being blanketed with wall to wall criticism of the Bush administration “stonewalling” over Condi Rice’s testimony. Followed of course, by the endless replays of 7 second sound bites from her appearance.

The commission has won access to several copies of the Presidential Daily Brief (PDB), the top secret intelligence report that the president and a few top officials receive each weekday morning. One such report to President Bush was declassified and released to the public.
At the breakfast, commissioner Kean said the panel has asked the White House to release a Clinton-era PDB concerning Al Qaeda for its report. The public may be surprised when the document is released, Mr. Hamilton noted. “The product of intelligence, which I think many people expect to be very precise and very accurate and very unambiguous, is anything but,” he said. “The product of intelligence raises as many questions as it answers.”

An ambiguous intelligence report about Al Queda from the Clinton era?
I can see the headline now.
On page 17.
Under the Toyota Sales Event ad.
via Drudge

Schwarzenegger Comes Calling On Klein

Not Quite News 1 Comment

Toronto Star;

EDMONTON – The Terminator came calling and Alberta Premier Ralph Klein was up for the challenge.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger phoned Klein yesterday to place a wager on the Calgary-San Jose National Hockey League playoff series and the duo agreed to put up $1,000 each on the outcome of the best-of-seven semi-final.
“Each person will decide what charity to support once the winner is decided,” said Klein’s press secretary, Marisa Etmanski.
Klein is leaning toward helping the Special Olympics, she said.
Etmanski added that the two leaders did not clarify during their five-minute telephone chat if the loser will have to pay in American greenbacks or Canadian loonies.
“I imagine if it’s Arnold giving it to us, it’d be in American,” she said.
Etmanski said Klein thought talking to Schwarzenegger, an actor best known for his roles in the Terminator movies before he became governor, was “cool.”
The leaders also discussed other things such as Alberta’s energy role in California, the Edmonton Sun reported in a story today.
“(Schwarzenegger) was quite receptive and hoped that they could meet face to face some day,” Etmanski said.
As to whether the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger is a hockey fan, Etmanski said he “indicated he definitely wanted San Jose to win.”
Calgary won the first game 4-3 in overtime Sunday. The second game will be played tonight.

*cough*
Except it wasn’t “Ahnold” calling. It was an Edmonton radio station, pulling a prank.
Don’t anybody tell the Star. It looks good on them.

“I volunteered “

What He Said No Comments

Iraq the Model describes the new life of an Iraq soldier.

Not Alone

Not Quite News No Comments

Hypertasking?

BIGresearch claims 70 percent of media users consume more than one medium at a time. Of those who listen to radio, 53.7 percent are online, 46.9 percent are reading a newspaper and 17.7 percent are watching TV. Of those watching TV, 66.2 percent are online and 74.2 percent are reading a newspaper.

And I just assumed I had Attention Deficit Disorder.
(Hypertasking this post at the Beltway Traffic Jam )

The Left’s Perfect Storm

Political Animal No Comments

The Canada Health Act meets Indian Self Government.
Toronto Star editorial:

“In this latest attempt to do an end run on medicare rules, the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation plans to build the clinic on land it owns in Saskatoon. The band has teamed with European investors to build the clinic, which will offer magnetic resonance imaging to paying customers. The Saskatchewan government objects because it sees this scheme for what it is: An attempt to breach the Canada Health Act by introducing two-tier medicine in the province. But the province fears it is powerless to stop it. First Nations, such as the Muskeg Lake Cree, are exempt from provincial rules. Aboriginal-run medical facilities do not have to live by the health act, which forbids queue-jumping for those who can afford to pay for medical service. So, it’s over to Ottawa. Health Minister Pierre Pettigrew and the rest of the federal cabinet should put a stop to this immediately.”

Get the popcorn.

The Suicide Of David Reimer

Roadkill 3 Comments

Damien Penny;

David Reimer’s life was sacrificed to a politically correct theory. What a disgusting waste.

Jimmy Carter’s War

Imagine a different Nov. 4, 1979, in Tehran. Shortly after Iranian terrorists storm the American Embassy and take some 90 American hostages, President Carter announces that Islamic fundamentalism is not a legitimate response to the excess of the shah but a new and dangerous fascism that threatens all that liberal society holds dear. And then he issues an ultimatum to Tehran’s leaders: Release the captives or face a devastating military response.
When that demand is not met, instead of freezing Iran’s assets, stopping the importation of its oil, or seeking support at the U.N., Mr. Carter orders an immediate blockade of the country, followed by promises to bomb, first, all of its major military assets, and then its main government buildings and residences of its ruling mullocracy. The Ayatollah Khomeini might well have called his bluff; we may well have tragically lost the hostages (151 fewer American lives than the Iranian-backed Hezbollah would take four years later in a single day in Lebanon). And there might well have been the sort of chaos in Tehran that we now witness in Baghdad. But we would have seen it all in 1979- -and not in 2001, after almost a quarter-century of continuous Middle East terrorism, culminating in the mass murder of 3,000 Americans and the leveling of the World Trade Center.

Required reading.

Free Ride

What’s that? You need 5 bucks for a taxi?

Roadkill No Comments

Den Beste: The Next Generation

Blogging 6 Comments

An interesting discussion going on in Mrs. Du Toit’s comments section.
I’m rather inclined towards genetic engineering for this one. We could cross Den Beste with Jeff Goldstein.
Then, run like hell.

ADSCAM – The Planets Align

Political Animal No Comments

Mark Cameron neatly ties together the developments in Adscam today.

Chuck Guit� and Jean Brault, President of Groupaction, have been arrested on fraud charges related to $2 million worth of communications contracts for the firearms registry. Two grassy knoll-ish thoughts cross my mind. First, it’s interesting how the Liberal scandals seem to be coming together. You half expect it to come out in discovery that Guit� and Brault planned their fraud over a round of golf on Jean Chr�tien’s Shawinigan golf course followed by drinks at the Auberge Grand-M�re. Second, and more seriously, it’s interesting how the RCMP investigation seemed to proceed at exactly the speed necessary for Liberal election timing. This allows the government to quietly bury the Public Accounts Committee inquiry, say that arrests have been made and action is being taken, and refuse to answer further questions for fear of interfering in a police investigation.
If one had confidence that the RCMP were an entirely impartial, non-political police force, these kinds of unworthy thoughts would not cross our mind. But given the fact that Giuliano Zaccardelli has shown himself to be a political initimate of the current government, and that the RCMP itself has been implicated in Adscam, you can’t help but wonder whether the RCMP and the government colluded on timing (or if the RCMP just decided to speed things up as a pre-election gift for Martin). Remember that Liberal Quebec lieutenant asked for arrests to be made in advance of the election only a few weeks ago

Not an unworthy thought at all. News story here.

John Gormley Liveblogging

Blogging 2 Comments

John Gormley of 650 CKOM’s “John Gormley Live” just mentioned he’s having a local blogger as a guest coming up after the news break. (John, you need a blog. Hell, you need a website).
I’ll be live blogging, without his knowledge, to give listeners (who he had better send here if he knows what’s good for him) a demonstration as to how fast this medium can cover an event. [ after the show started I emailed him the link.]
(I hereby pledge to be fair and balanced, despite the fact that the ~~SOB~~ esteemed radio host didn’t ask ME to be his guest.)
First off, he’s announcing the RCMP have charged Chuck Guite and Jean Brault as a result of investigation into ADSCAM. Among the details, they allege bogus contracts involving Group Action regarding the Gun Registry, of all things.
He’s spelling “blog” for the listeners… and describing what they are. He’s mentioning that …. ME!!!!! “Very interesting, very political”
John’s guest is Theresa Zolmer of Heart Of Canada from Saskatoon. (Theresa is much nicer than I am. Probably a safe choice.) He’s covering her posts – describing her varied format, and asks her if this is typical…. discussing the fact that readers can leave comments.
Some recommendations: Small Dead Animals… heh. Grrrrrl Meets World” (I’ll update the links later)… Blogs Canada and their current spat with the Treasury Board over the parody of the Gov’t of Canada logo. and how others are coming to his defense… not a good idea to tick off the blogosphere…. [ask the New York Times about that…] PaulMartinTimes and their parody of Paul Martin’s site gets an honourable mention.
They’re taking calls. (I’m going to resist…. ) Theyr’e talking about Belinda Stronich’s blog – “boring”. The importance of good writing, and being concise…. the phenomenon of linkage and blog communities of like-minded people. Personal safety? Oh dear. “You don’t know other bloggers”… I suppose if you’re hitting the personal sites. Most of the prominant bloggers have been pretty straightforward about who they are.
Good stuff about the role of the “wild card” in democracy and how they can make “politicans cringe”. Missed an opportunity to get in the role the blogosphere played in keeping the Trent Lott story alive. Oh well, that’s forgivable… time is tight. Going on to celebrity blogs…. academic blogs, other special interests.
Calls are up next. (OK, John, you’re forgiven. I think that’s 4 free plugs… )
… No calls at the moment. Mention of the right – left nature of the blogosphere, Colby Cosh comes up – good choice … photoblogs, political satire … Andrew Sullivan. Maybe bloggers are “people with too much time on their hands.” (Yup.)
ok. I can’t take it anymore….
JOHN… INSTAPUNDIT!!!
No mention of the blogosphere is complete without a mention of Glenn Reynolds.
….
OK. So I broke down and phoned in. Filled in the gaps, admitted that we’re all about the traffic, and that we’re just attention seekers… and how half the fun is drawing the tin foil crowd into the comments section.
Got the plugs in for Instapundit, Outside The Beltway, Scrappleface and Best Of The Web. That should pretty much get anyone hooked and onto to the rest of the good ones. (Shoot – forgot Lileks). Mentioned the fact checking aspect of the blogosphere… Gave a lame answer about the blog title, which really doesn’t have much of a story behind it.. admitted that the gopher is one of my personal kills.
And I forgave John. On air. The whole segment ended up being a Small Dead Animals infomercial.

US Gas Prices

Roadkill 2 Comments

$1.93 a gallon?
I wish.

That’s for a litre, kiddies.

Don’t Leave Luggage Unattended

Officials hope to explain today how explosives mistakenly wound up in a passenger’s bag during a security exercise at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

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