Qur'an Project

Allah points to this sotry that give more details on the 16-year-old girl that was executed August 15th. Heart rending and sad, truly the "Axis of Evil".

While I hate to admit it, Oliver Willis actually has a point. I disagree that the RNC has anything to do with it, but the GOP delegates should not be taking such a cheap shot. They should just leave the fracas to the Swifties.

This does not change the fact that he is an asshat. Even a blind pig finds a truffle once in a while.

The Jihadis have been very active today, they must be plum tuckered out with all the activity. In addition to the dual bus blast in Israel noted below, there are these example of Islamic nutjobs doing the work of Allah.

Yahoo! News - Iraqi Militants Kill 12 Nepali Hostages - Web Site
Moscow car blast kills at least 8
Jihadi found in Chicago has ties to Saddam

Fifth Column activities:

Inside the asshat plans
Of course, the Frenchies are included in the fifth column (Via Instapundit).
Dean Esmay:Old media softens the "protesters"
Via LGF:Indymedia's problems
Air Amerika's lack of class

UPDATE: From LGF:Palestinians Celebrate Mass Murder

I think it is terrible that this continue to happen, but the good news is that it has not happened in 6 months. Why 6 months? certainly not for lack of effort by the terrorists. Here is the likely explaination:

The barrier, about one-quarter complete, has not reached the area near Hebron, the closest Palestinian city to Beersheba.

Build the wall!

UPDATE: The Jerusalem Post is running a piece that asks "where is the southern part of the wall?" A must read!

Jeff Goldstein makes a point about the difference between Islamist and Jewish struggles in less than 20 words. (under "related").

In the same post, he notes that the French can't figure out why they are being targeted by Islamic nutjobs. Maybe because it works?

Frenchies...[feh!]

If you miss INDC Bill (Who we hope is having success dealing with the family emergency), Ken Wheaton has moonbat pictures and commentary from New York.

This article in the Detroit News is titled "Bush fails to get deserved credit for tax cut benefits" and has a nifty chart (in the USA Today style) showing the effects of the Bush tax cuts on the amount of the tax burden on each income class. It clearly shows that EVERYONE'S taxes have been reduced and that the burden has been shifted UPWARD.

From the article:

A report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry claiming it proves that "Over the last four years, the burden of taxes has shifted from the wealthy to the middle class."
Those are politically motivated lies that distort the findings of the report. Here's the truth.

John Kerry lied? nooooooooooooo.... really? can't be...

This will send our liberal friends into apoplexy:

The report also shows that Bush's tax cuts have been "progressive" — that is, they have shifted the share of the overall federal income tax burden toward the wealthy and away from lower-income earners. Without the Bush tax cuts, the highest-earning 20 percent of households this year would have paid 78.4 percent of all federal income taxes. Now, after the Bush tax cutes, their share of the burden has risen to 82.1 percent. Every other group now pays a smaller share of the total income tax burden.

The Bush tax cuts are progressive! Not only do they not "favor the rich", they actually favor the little guy.

One more time to the well

The report also shows that Bush managed to craft a tax reduction package that even benefits the lowest-earning taxpayers who already pay what amount to negative income taxes. That's right, thanks to various refundable tax credits, before the Bush tax cuts the lowest-earning 20 percent of income earners not only paid no income taxes — on average they received money from the Internal Revenue Service. Now that’s compassionate.

What is that I hear? ... The sound of the John Kerry campaign wishing that The Swifties would run another ad?


In case you think that this is a GOP Shill newspaper, the "related articles" box on the story links these stories:

"Bush's military story still has holes - 08/26/04"
and
"Bush campaign lawyer resigns - 08/26/04".



How long before Ollie mentions this (or any other data showing this effect)?

If he actually does mention it...

How will he be able to contort the numbers to vilify President Bush?
How will he insert race into the issue?

Flordia Cracker has the same thought that Mrs. Qur'an Pundit and I had while watching Bob Dole (status: still En Fuego) the other night on Scarborough Country. I didn't have to ask my father about Vietnam (he served in Korea), but the feelings are the same...

Florida Cracker: The Homage Vice Pays To Virtue

(Hat tip: Ace)

QandO has a post that relates to my LGF Watch Watch Post The hypocrisy of hate (also here)

Well I would agree that there's much to be said for many cultures and I wouldn't doubt we can learn from other cultures as well, but does that mean I must consider a culture which holds its women in virtual slavery, to be equal to a culture that demands the same right for its women as it does its men?

I hope QandO is ready for the "army of anti-hate" that is comming its way...

(Crossposted to: LGF Watch Watch)

There seems to be a lot of criticism going around the Blogsphere lately for LGF and other sites devoted to exposing the evil that Islamic Extremists are doing in the world. The criticism spans the spectrum from the LGF Watch kids to the reasonable Bjørn Stærk.

Here are some of the posts I am talking about, starting with the Instalanched post by Bjørn Stærk.

Bjørn Stærk
Winds of Change
Volokh
Crooked Timber

The list goes on...

The core of the argument seems to rely on 2 points. The straw man of "Ban Islam" or "Nuke Mecca" is invoked and insinuated that this is the opinion of the entire readership. Then it is suggested that those leaving comments do not do enough to squelch free speech of the fringe element on the site. Usually a few comments (from the thousands of comments entered daily) are held up as proof that every reader is an Islamaphobe and racist. This is usually followed by a call to moderation and to tolerate Muslims in the US. A similar call for "moderate Muslims" to speak out against their extremists is only mentioned as a token, throwaway remark, if at all. Here are some examples from the above posts:

Bjørn Stærk:

This is the kind of writing that is produced when ignorance meets paranoia and anger. I've written before about how belief in an Islamic essence that supercedes the behavior of actual Muslims leads people to making sloppy generalizations about Islam.

Bjørn needs to look no further than his comments for the sloppiest of generalities of the critics of Islam. Commenter "Salahudin" has a habit of calling anyone that disagrees with him a "Jew". I don't hold Bjørn accountable for his comments section (as he does Charles, indirectly), but it is very instructive to read this person's posts to this follow up article.

More Bjørn:

Conspiracy theories are a subset of bad history. The list above is the religious equivalent of a conspiracy theory.

If Bjørn wants to talk about conspiracy theories, he need look no further than the Qur'an and the claim that Jesus Christ was spared by Allah from the cross and another look-alike was placed there to die in his place. The point being that he is barking up the wrong tree.

Gary Farber of Winds of Change says that Bjørn's original post is "immensely important" and "I didn't rewrite what Bjørn Stærk wrote because I didn't have to. So go read it, please.". He then goes on to cherry pick some comments to prove his point.

What is unsaid about this topic is that Islamic Extremists are not to be held up to the same standards that we in the west hold ourselves. While I believe that we (westerners) should always hold ourselves up to high standards of conduct and morality, I cannot stand idle while an entire movement grows in the shadows cast by our "moral blind spot". It may look ugly to criticize a religion or racial group, it is my opinion that we need to face the facts and confront those willing to destroy our civilization. (Yes, I feel it is THAT important)

Where does this leave a reasonable and concerned person in the debate? Where do I go to find out unfiltered information on Islam, their extremists, or their culture? I decided to get a translation of the Qur'an and read it myself. The Qur'an Project started as my diary of reading and a place to post my thoughts as I progressed. The response has been both interesting and scary at times. I feel I have a better understanding of Islam, by no means am I an expert. I have expressed my opinions there, you are welcome to come on over and follow my journey. Even though I am nearing the end of the Qur'an, I plan to continue reading Islamic texts and study the culture for my own education. Of course, the blog will continue during this time.

I get called many things (My personal favorite is "jew loving nazi/zionist pig bastard") via email on Qur'an Project. This is one of the many reasons I do not have open comments. It seems that I am a racist and bigot for even reading the Qur'an and commenting on what I find there. On the other side, I am constantly bombarded by the Christian nutjobs for advocating conversion to Islam. My day is not complete unless I get at least one email from a helpful Muslim offering to guide me to the right path or from a Christian nutjob warning me of the torture that I have in store for me unless I confess my sins and accept Jesus Christ into my heart.


All of this post to this point has been trying to say what Charles Johnson said to Bjørn and is part of his second post (much to his credit).

It's foolish to talk about a ban on Islam, for the primary reason that it's simply impossible. Trying to ban an ideological religion such as Islam would only drive it underground.

But when you see a large number of "ordinary" folks brought to the point of saying, "Yeah! Ban it!" you have to ask why. All of these people are not bigots, although it's possible some may be; I don't claim to be able to see into people's hearts.

The fact is that across the Islamic world, you find the very highest spiritual leaders expressing virulent hatred of the West, support for jihad and suicide bombing, and Nazi-like antisemitism. I've come to believe, with reams and gigabytes of evidence, that these views do not represent a minority, as we're always told; but rather, that by any measure they have to be considered mainstream. Does this mean that every Muslim is a terrorist? Of course not! Like people everywhere, the majority simply want to get through the day.

But what you're seeing at LGF is that more people are beginning to question the entire basis of Islam, and whether there is something about the religion that encourages extremism and jihad violence. This is a vitally important question that shouldn't be ignored or covered up. If there truly are endemic problems in Islam (and I don't consider myself expert enough to make such a categorical pronouncement), then only by criticizing and discussing -- and sometimes expressing outrage -- can this ever be changed.

People like Charles Johnson do a valuable service to mankind by highlighting the activities of those that would bring us down. We need to get this information out to the masses and have our voices heard. It is true that some of those on "my side" are nut cases; some on the "other side" are whackjobs. Painting the whole of one side or another as "evil" does not advance our knowledge or hope of survival.

The "Christmas in Cambodia" story has been all over the blogsphere for weeks and the newest Swiftie Ad is a very straightforward telling of the story by someone on John Kerry's boat.

On a whim I went over to The Kool-Aid Stand to see if Ollie has mentioned the story.

Guess what? It DOES show up! Twice even!

Both "nodes" are dated 8/25 and they are releated in that they both are about John O'Neil's recorded converstaion with President Nixon where he stated he was in Cambodia, but then corrected himself saying he was near the border.

The most interesting thing is that since he never mentioned the "seared" memory of Senator Kerry, he casually referers to it. He then goes on to ask

"Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

I reply...

Have you now sense of shame Mr. Willis? How about a sense of fairness or proportion?

"We have implemented God's judgment on him and the accompanying pictures show his beheading. We call on those living off the blood of the mujahideen to repent to God and stop what they are doing ... or else the mujahideen's and God's hands will reach their necks one by one,"

Yahoo News

Now that's what I call "Religon of Peace". I feel more peaceful already...

(link via LGF).

You want to see the hate? Maybe just a little? Well, HERE IT IS. Small hint, it isn't from the right or Islamophobes...

(Via Dean)

The Swifties are getting a whole bunch of attention in the blogsphere today... Here is a roundup

INDC
Dean and Joe Gandelman
Captain Ed
Instapundit
Belmont Club
Ace of Spades HQ and again
Flordia Cracker
LGF
Spoons
The Truth Laid Bear
Patriot Paradox (Multiple)
Michelle Malkin


Bob Dole is also in the sights of bloggers today, here is his roundup...

Ace
Allah
Flordia Cracker


Ace has the funniest line in the blogsphere today, maybe ever (under the pic of Bob).

Here is something that you will NEVER see linked on Oliver Willis.

Captian Ed has caught a "Kerry Spokesperson" admitting that the Swifties were right about the first purple heart.

Captain Ed hits on the meaning:

Now that the Kerry campaign seems to have retreated from Kerry's citation, the fact that Kerry pushed this award weeks later up a different chain of command takes on a great deal more significance.

The linked video is a good roundup of the story so far, hitting on Cambodia and showing that both sides really have do documentation. This could be a big thing, but I really doubt the old media will allow it to grow.

(link via Instapundit)

As I sit down to read a bit, I pick up the book and read the following:

"Say: Do you see what it is you invoke besides Allah? Show me what it is they have created on earth, or have they a share in the heavens? Bring me a Book (revealed) before this, or any remnant of knowledge (you mat have), if you are telling the truth!" Qur'an [46:4]

This sort of passage is littered throughout the Qur'an. It is clearly a challenge to the detractors of the prophet, but it is built on a fallacy (appeal to ignorance). The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

I guess critical thinking is not taught at the madrassas.

pot...kettle...

(Hat tip: Allah)

I have seen others comment on the data from Open Secrets but this is by far the best. Maybe because it uses the USA Today "graphics for morons" approach.

Sen. Kerry is crying about how the Swifties are big bullies and President Bush should "make them stop". Why haven't we heard this kind of whining from Mr. Bush? The Soros driven "Move On PAC" ran ads comparing him to Hitler and questioning his TANG service (which is not a centerpiece of his campaign ala Kerry and Vietnam).

The answer is that Mr. Bush has class, grace under fire and a thick skin regarding foolish attacks. All qualities I find attractive in a potential POTUS.

Meanwhile, Sen. Kerry whines to the media and unleashes his trial lawyer buddies to threaten lawsuits; definitely NOT attractive qualities in a potential POTUS.

I have a few things to say about the recent post at the Bjørn Stærk Blog.

First, let me correct a mistake I made in original post. I make the mistake of assuming (without checking) that Bjørn was left-leaning and America hating. Had I looked a bit closer in the heat of the moment, I would have seen that he is not and seems to be a reasonable and thoughtful person. I retract and apologize for my comment that he rightly busts me on.

Second, my poorly worded point on the quotes culled from LGF must have been misread because Bjørn left out the entire point by editing out the following:

I really hope that these people are never judged by their inaction or lack of denunciation of evil among them.

I am a regular reader and sometime commenter on LGF and do not think it right to paint me (and many others) with the words of a few, just like Bjørn thinks it is unfair to paint all Muslims with the words and actions of a few.

Finally, Charles Johnson succeeds in making my point much better than I could have on my best days.

The fact is that across the Islamic world, you find the very highest spiritual leaders expressing virulent hatred of the West, support for jihad and suicide bombing, and Nazi-like antisemitism. I've come to believe, with reams and gigabytes of evidence, that these views do not represent a minority, as we're always told; but rather, that by any measure they have to be considered mainstream. Does this mean that every Muslim is a terrorist? Of course not! Like people everywhere, the majority simply want to get through the day.

But what you're seeing at LGF is that more people are beginning to question the entire basis of Islam, and whether there is something about the religion that encourages extremism and jihad violence. This is a vitally important question that shouldn't be ignored or covered up. If there truly are endemic problems in Islam (and I don't consider myself expert enough to make such a categorical pronouncement), then only by criticizing and discussing -- and sometimes expressing outrage -- can this ever be changed.

Charles makes the point and shows yet again why I am a fan of his site.

My current blog reading obsession topic is the dustup over the Switfies ads and the attacks on the messengers by the media and John Kerry (like there is a difference...).

A recurring theme here is Michael Moore and his propaganda piece.

Nick Queen over at Patriot Paradox finds a connection between these two bundles of fun.

Will it looks like I wasted my 100th post on a kool-aid joke.

It was worth it...

No sooner do I publicly declare that Oliver Willis is not worth my (or your) time, ACE proves me wrong.

Hardcore funny! I laughed, I cried, I spit Coke out my nose!

News from the Religion of Peace in Iran.

A 16-year-old girl was executed in Iran on August 15th by public hanging. She was not executed for her "crimes" (moral corruption), but for her "sharp tongue".

(Via Allah)


Tell me again why we should not be fearful and critical of Islam and Shari'a, Bjørn?

Nick Queen at the Patriot Paradox has the transcript of the new Swifties ad.
Patriot Paradox: POWs Join Swifties in Offense on Kerry:

John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and many of my comrades in North Vietnam in the prison camps took torture to avoid saying. It demoralized us.

Point taken.

As I have come to expect, Dean has excellent commentary on the Swifties and their detractors. It is filled with media-bashing goodness, but the part that is REALLY interesting is this:

What's been most stunning about the Vets' story, however, is not their allegations, but the fact that this group has been able to completely bypass the mainstream media.

The age of the blog is here, indeed. Long live blogs!

Really busy today and didn't have much time to read and blog. I just popped in to throw out a few half-formed thoughts:

If the swifties are pawns of the Bush Administration and are all liars, why not just come out with proof of Sen. Kerry's Veitnam heroism and trip to Cambodia? Shopuld be easy enough to prove, right? That would shut them up...

Just because a person gives to President Bush's campaign AND to the swifties does not mean Bush controls them...

Why does this keep getting reported without mentioning this.

Oliver Willis is no longer worth my time as he is soiled forever with Soros money and has taken the kool-aid more often than Michael Moore takes donughts.

I can't wait for the Olympics... only 2 more years.

A Military wife has some QUESTIONS for other Military wives that support Sen. Kerry.

You don't have to be a Military wife to have these questions make you think...

Here is a quick tutorial on some some useful Arabic phrases like:

Thank you for showing me your marvelous gun.

and

I am delighted to accept your kind invitation to lie down on the floor with my arms above my head and my legs apart.

Nice job again LGF Watch Watch

From Instapundit comes this posting from Bjørn Stærk Blog where he would like to (nicely) paint all critics of Islam as racists and fools (or worse). I agree with his straw man premise that Islam should not be banned; of course I do because it is a straw man despite his claim otherwise.

Then you go looking for those words. Quotes from the Koran, statements by Islamic thinkers. The research bears fruit, proof is found: Islam is war - or peace, depending on who's looking.

I went looking and found a lot of verses on both sides. It is my opinion that the Qur'an is the rantings of a power-mad leader using God (or Allah) as a means to control his troops/followers/people. Others have found different meanings. Do I think this proves anything? No, of course not. I am not looking to prove anything to anyone, just to learn and understand.

The problem is that you can prove anything this way, and you'll still be no closer to describing the faith of actual Muslims.

I agree. I don't understand the actual faith of Muslims; I don't even claim to understand my own faith. Should I stop trying? What is the alternative? I refuse to let someone dictate my thought process, even more so when my life and my civilization is at stake.

We have to build our moral judgments on a solid foundation. You can't say if terrorism is good or evil without knowing what terrorism is. You can't say if Islam is good or evil without knowing what Islam is. And unfortunately, unlike a political method used by a small number of people, it is very difficult to know what a 1400 year old religion with 1.3 billion believers really "is".

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and quacks like a duck... 100% of the 9/11 bombers were Muslims; al Qeada is a Muslim organization using Islamic doctrine to justify killing thousands (and by their hopes Millions) of my countrymen. I wonder how I came to be suspicious of Muslims? Should I just "shut up" and hide my shame of possessing a life preserving emotion because it upsets the sensibilities of people who whould love to kill me? I think not.

You certainly won't find the answer in a few quotes from the Koran, or in the statements of a few Muslims. To describe something big and complex, you need a big and complex description, supported by a huge number of carefully assembled facts.

I agree. I started this adventure because I could not find this "big and complex description" that was not filtered by the spin-doctors for and against Islam or the PC major media. Where is it? I would LOVE to know. So would the Bush Administration and the Kerry campaign to name just a few.

"Real religions" supposedly don't do a lot of things Christians have done for a long time: "become governments, cause invasions, insurrections". And granted that they've mostly stopped doing it, why should whatever Christians do be the definition of "real religion"?

Long time readers of this blog will know that I have been critical of Christians and tend to lump the extremist Christians in the same category as al Qeada sympathizers. "Become governments" is something that I would agree that "real religions" shouldn't do. This is what the 1st Amendment's "establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" is all about. Not only are religions free from government interference, but government should be free from domination of religion.

I came over a disturbing thread on Little Green Footballs about the same story. I'm not saying these are the views of Charles Johnson, or of a majority of his readers

Here we come to the real reason of this posting. Unlike many LGF critics, at least he makes the disclaimer. The disclaimer doesn't stop him from vilifying the site.

Many replies were of the respectful "this is going a bit far but it's good somebody speaks up against Islam" variety. Only a very few came out firmly against the idea of a European country banning an entire religion.

Without using "hot words" or calling anyone names, he manages to paint the commenters at LGF as intolerant based on 8 out of context quotes.

Let's step back a bit here. The majority of LGF readers are probably Americans, vote Republican, and support the war on terror. These are people who - rightfully - admire the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Like many on the left, they probably believe that they're the ones who stand between their political enemies and the Constitution.

I am guessing here, but I suspect that this is a list of everything that he feels is wrong with America. Repuplican voters who support the war on terror? Ask around at LGF and you will find lifelong Democrats that will be casting their first Republican vote this year and other that will still be voting with the donkeys, very few of the latter but they are there. Of course, Charles does not need me to defend him, his blog or his vast readership.

Again, I'm not saying these views are shared by the owners of these websites, or the majority of their readers. But neither do I see many strong, principled objections.

and

And so it's time to stand up for the basic values of our democracies and confront those in our own ranks who want to abandon those values. Because if we don't, outsiders will be justified in interpreting this as silent approval or apologism.

LGF gets enough of this kind of criticism. While not using the same language as LGF Watch (I refuse to link there), it is the same argument. Since Charles or other readers don't actively denounce the fringe, we are all racists and bigots. I really hope that these people are never judged by their inaction or lack of denunciation of evil among them. The term GAZE works on both ends of the troll spectrum...


In conclusion, I agree that banning a religion is not the answer. I categorically denounce any attempt to do so in the US or anywhere else in the world. The answer is not, however, to make believe that religion does not play a part in terror or that religious sensitivity should be a part of the war on terror. I refuse to hand my safety and the saftey of my family over to the "more sensitive" terror warriors.

Ace of Spades HQ asks:

Why do we have to quote these people admitting the obvious? Why don't they just forthrightly admit where there partisan biases lie and then we can all move on?

I have a few simple answers for that...

If the big media admitted the obvious and clearly stated that they will do and say anything to help the Kerry campaign, McCain Fiengold "Campaign Finance Reform" would shut them down and they would all lose their jobs. If they registered as 527's (in order to keep their jobs), then they could not critize the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

How many people in the US would trust "news" from a souces that had John Kerry's signature at the bottom of every story or John Kerry saying "I am John Kerry and I approve this message" after every TV spot?

Rightwatch at LGF Watch Watch posts this piece with the following editorially bolded:

Khatami left no doubt about his feelings, saying Miresmaeili's action should be "recorded in the history of Iranian glories".

My question is who publishes this book and wouldn't it be a pamphlet? Most likely indexed right next to the gigantic tome "Arab Military Victories of the 20th Century" and "Jewish Sports Legends".

I saw a TV news story the other day that mentioned that Italy had been "warned" by al Qaeda to recall its troops in Iraq or else... The news story mentioned that the deadline for the threat had passed and the Italian government never responded.

I decided right then to throw an Italian party. Italian food, wine, music, flags... the whole works. All to celebrate the friends we have in Italy. Of course, its not hard to make a great party on this theme, the food and wines are yummy and the rest is easy.

Now it looks like I will have to expand the party (or have another! hmmm) for the Dutch based on this story.

Decided to play around with the blog template after seeing the base template at Blogger Templates Blog. I moved some stuff around and added some of my own touches, but the majority of the template is from the original.

Let me know what you think!

Also, thanks to the artist and original scripter!

I also went ahead and added the Haloscan trackback function. I really like the idea of trackback and I am very glad to have found a way to support it from Blogger.

Thanks to LGF Watch Watch for posting this page of very interesting eMails from OBL and other al Qaeda assholes.

Very creepy...

Starts out innocent enough:

So I was having a conversation with a friend the other night, and I mentioned how much I like Cheney and Rumsfeld, mostly because they just don't take a lot of crap from reporters.

Then Mike earns his tagline (harshing your mellow)

Ridge: "Christ almighty, what is it with you people?...

Best that you see this for yourself.

Dean is on a roll! This post is gold!

This is why I have such utter contempt for so many people on the left today: their partisanship quite clearly exceeds their patriotism. Did I just question their patriotism? YOU BET I DID.

Go read the whole thing (tm) Instapundit

From QandO comes This Article about The President's plan to reduce troops in Europe.

They confirmed a report in the Financial Times of a total shift of at least 70,000 troops from overseas to home bases. The British newspaper, citing people briefed on the plan, said two-thirds of the reductions would be made in Europe, mostly in Germany.

It is about time the Germans started paying for the defense of their sorry pacifist hides. I am sure that the locals near the effected bases will be hurt, but they can thank their own government for keeping the US at arms length and actively opposing the WoT. It is better for our own people to have that economic stimulus right here in our own country.

The Bush administration will be very careful to say that the "cold war is over" and that we will "make up for it with weapons and technology", but make no mistake, this is about Terror and the lack of support from the German Government. I wholeheartedly agree.

This is one of the reasons I will be voting BUSH in 2004.

Now, if only we had some way to express our displeasure to the French...

You know... It seems funny to me how different candidates get different treatment in the press... I know, I am very naive, but I want to believe in a fair press. The latest example of the press being nothing but an outlet for John Kerry's campaign is this nice piece.

John Kerry's stated tax policies reduce government revenue by over $400B in 10 years. His stated spending promises would cost an additional $2T over that same period. Sen. Kerry gets a 2.4 Trillion dollar pass from the media when he claims that he would lower the deficit.

This is in stark contrast to the story put forth by Mr. Hassett regarding John McCain's 2000 campaign.

My most vivid memory of the campaign was an elevator ride in New Hampshire that I took with the McCains the night before the plan was released. A very serious Cindy McCain paused on her way to their room, looked me in the eye and said, "Kevin, the numbers better add up." They did, but if they had not, the McCain team was convinced, the media would have had a field day with it.

And remember, John McCain is the one Republican the press likes. What would they do to President Bush?

Dean's World is one of my favorite blogs. An example of why is this post.

Not only did he find an Egyptian that (while still hating him) has something good to say about GWB's policies, but can tie it in with GWB's hugely popularity in Israel.

You know, I really like Israel. The more I learn about the people, the more there is to like.

Choke on that you beheading, wife beating, terrorist assholes!

To Moqtada al Sadr:

As a Imam of the faith, I am sure I do not need to reminded of the following verse. Your recent actions that threaten the Imam Ali mosque require me to do so.

And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. [Qur'an 2:191]

Far be it from me, a lowly kufr to instruct you on your duty to Allah, but again your recent actions have given me pause. I am sure Allah did not mean for his mosques to be used as places of military interest and hiding places of cowards.

If you want jihad, listen to John Kerry when he says "BRING.IT.ON"

LGF has further coverage of current events in Najaf.

I can't help myself... I just have to mention beheading. Maybe my already high Google rank on the word "Beheading" will increase... Maybe this post will drive more traffic from Middle East countries to the site...

Backcountry Conservative: Report: CIA Agent beheaded on video


Here is some more Google fodder...

Behead Beheading Nick Berg Paul Johnson Video See it here! Uncut and real free unedited Americans killed

OK, you Islamic Nutjobs... Now hear this...

Cut it out


Assholes...

INDC Bill asks Why Blog?

He has some good points, but I thought I would chime in...

I started this blog because I never felt like I was getting the straight story from the news media (or the blogsphere in some cases) about Islam and why there was a clash of American Cluture and Islamic Culture. I was (am) a fan of many blogs and thought that my experiences would be of interest to some in the e-world. That is one of the cool things about blogging, no matter how narrow your topic, there is readship out there. I never even took the time to find any information on Islam or the Qur'an. 9/11 changed everything and this was no exception.

I am one of the overflowing punditry type. My family and friends are sick and tired of hearing about the Qur'an and Islam. They are also sick and tired of hearing about how screwed up BOTH parties are screwed up, especially regarding Islamic Terrorism.

I also blog because I need to vent on political issues. Lately, I have been more about US Politics than the Qur'an, but in my world these topics go hand in hand post 9/11.

I don't expect to make a living at blogging or writing professionally (like THAT could happen). I really don't have the talent and the work is too hard. I sometimes struggle putting the simplest ideas into written form. I am gaining some skills in writing and HTML which cannot help making be more valuable as an employee, but not a professional webmaster or writer.

Bill states:

I'll be honest: some days, that kind of weirds me out. Look around; did you ever imagine that there were this many smart people, with this much talent, that have families and/or work full-time jobs, yet are willing to put on a daily dog and pony show for millions of readers? For free?

Yes, it does weirds me out that so many people have so much talent and display it with such grace and style for free. The blogsphere is a wonderful place and my world is better for it. Because I have such respect and love for the medium, I want to add to it and hopefully enhance its value to others.

That's my answer... I hope to see others out there answer this.

I have always wondered who was responsible for "Carrot Top"... Now, thanks to National Lampoon's MoveOnPlease.org I know...

Hat Tip: Ace

What America needs is a simple plan for the future, a plan that every registered Democrat can understand...

That plan is here and John Kerry is just the man to propose it!

Here is a nice bit of high level brain function you only find in the blogshpere.

So: Who walked away from that Grand Original Understanding we all forged after 9-11?

We did not come to an understanding that was more liberal. Nor even somewhat liberal. We came to an understanding that was decidedly conservative -- even arguably authoritatrian and belligerent in some respects

Go read the whole thing.

Now, for something completely different... A comment on the Qur'an, on Qur'an Project? ... nah... no really!

At first glance, this looks like a reasonable and forceful story.

A believer, a man from among the people of Pharaoh, who had concealed his faith, said: "Will you slay a man because he says, 'My Lord is God (Allah)'? - when he has indeed come to you with Clear (Signs) from your Lord? And if he be a liar, on him is (the sin of) his lie; but; if he is telling the Truth, then will fall on you something of the (calamity) of which he warns you: truly Allah does not guide one who transgresses and lies! [Qur'an 40:28]

But, I remember a number of places where "Clear Signs" were described and it got a little fuzzy. Look at these descriptions.

Don't you see that Allah sends down rain from the sky? With it We then bring out produce of various colors. And in the mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of color, and blank intense hue. And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, they are of various colors. Those truly fear Allah, among His servants, who have knowledge: for Allah is exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving. [Qur'an 35:27-28]

And among His Signs are the ships, smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. [Qur'an 42:32]

So, anyone pointing out the wonders of nature can be called Allah's Messenger and must be obeyed. Maybe we should all be following Steve Irwin...

I sometimes hate Internet surfing...


I was reading the very fine LGF Watch Watch and decided to pop over to the very foolish LGF Watch to slum around. Of course, this ruined my mood as well as aided me in my dieting. Being a glutton for punishment, I followed some links the the LGF Watch "kids" have on their blogroll. A ran across This piece of moonbattery as my punishment.

I don't intend on this decending into a warblog, but there are some things that really tempt me. Quotes like this push me over the edge:

I might note that this is the most evil administration that I've ever lived under.

Yes, I do believe that Team Chimpy is likely to exploit any possibility of postponing our elections in one way or another.

Right this very minute, it's an uphill fight to make sure the voting machines themselves aren't simply hijacked. And you know perfectly well which side Chimpy is on.

f you truly imagine there's a line they won't cross if they can, you're not paying attention. This is not about democracy for them. It never has been.

Anyone out there taking a quick look at leftist blogs would see the same stuipdity over and over. Does the left have anything else? ... Buler? ... anyone? ... Buler?

Currently, there is a great uproar over a gun t-shirt that Glenn Renyolds is shown wearing that is somehow "racist", the poorly worded statement by Mr. Bush on "harming our country", a story that states John Kerry is somehow better than the "lesser of two evils" and (thanks to Michael Moore), this excuse for reasoned discourse.


The moonbat-left has no argument other than "Bush is stupid/evil/controlled". You never hear anything concrete from the left on any topic. They really seem to have only one issue, that being that they hate Mr. Bush.

I am not a partisan hack (I did not vote for Bush or Gore in 2000), but I am voting BUSH in 2004 based on the WoT, Mr. Bush's performance and my distain for the tatics of the left.

For those that still insist that pre-war Iraq harbored no terrorists and was no threat to the US, there is this from LGF:
lgf: Albany Mosque Imam: "The Commander"

Any chance there will be a retraction or even a lessening for meme that Iraq was not a threat to the US? naahhh... I thought not.

Sic'em!

Chief Wiggles: Operation Give DESPERATELY needs your help!

More about the Presbyterians and Israel.

The jist of the piece is that divestment does not work and only serves to hurt the captive investors in the fund.

The money quote:

Managers of pension plans are fiduciaries of the beneficiaries of those plans. When they pursue a social agenda nearly certain to result in poorer performance, they are disserving their beneficiaries. The activists at the PC(USA) may have gotten a warm and fuzzy feeling from taking a slap at Israel, but in doing so they injured Jewish-Christian relations, besmirched the one functioning democracy in the Middle East, and stabbed their own people in the back. All for the sake of a gesture that experience teaches will be fruitless.

lgf: Holy Warriors Murder Hostage

Charles Johnson:

Murder in the name of Allah, brought to you by the Religion of Peace

I have nothing to add...