Peakah's Provocations...

This is the time of year where you reflect and project...

Check out CNN's Year in Review Flash movie.
...and Yahoo! News has one as well.

Over 300,000 people died from worldwide natural disasters in the past year... (check out this amazing Tsunami multimedia presentation by the NYT here)

Elections were held in one of the most unlikely of nations while their former leader is being tried for crimes against humanity.

The Space Shuttle Discovery returns to space and despite the falling debris that ultimately destroyed the Space Shuttle Columbia upon reentry into the atmosphere, Discovery returns safely...

We reflected on the life of Pope John Paul II...

...and got to know Terry Schiavo...

Michael Jackson busts out the 'Jesus Juice'...

The Gaza Strip was evacuated...

I see London, I see France...
...bureaucrats crap their underpants...

...anyway, we've all been there- done that-
and have the tee-shirt from DPT's store...

Don't you just love the blog-o-sphere??

2005 was a year of change for our family. I finally shed the "9-5" job that was actually a 6a-6p nightmare, for a job out of the house... sacrificing only my wife's sanity as she has to see my silly mug all day long now...

2006 may see just as much change as we open a corporate office here in Las Vegas in the near future and expand the divisions of the business to new horizons. The possibilities are infinite. Which may translate to less frequent blogging in '06, but we'll see...

My family and I wish you all a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve. We're going to lay low tonight after having done The Strip thang the first couple of years we lived here. Hey, you cannot beat 5 hours of open bar at Nine Fine Irishmen for 99 bucks!! ...MMMmmmm Jameson...

Instead I'm taking my lovely wife out to eat and we're going to go see Narnia... CS Lewis is one of my all time favorite writers so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Happy New Year to you all! It has been a really exciting year and there's no slowing down now!

(linked with: Stray Dog, Bloggin' Outloud, Samantha Burns, Conservative Cat, Point Five, NIF, MacStansbury, Right Wing Nation, The Uncooperative Blogger, Stuck on Stupid, Adam's Blog, bRight & Early, third world county, Jo's Cafe, Choose Life, The Political Teen, TMH's Bacon Bits, Wizbang, Basil's Blog)

Another year draws to a close and I thought I'd indulge myself and list my favorite posts of 2005...

I started off the year with a bang with this post that absolutely no one read:
So much for Tolerance

When there's a billion to one chance that a random genetic mutation will lead to advancement of a life form, isn't it obvious that there was "Intelligent Design"?

The New Paul Revere:
The Bloggers are Coming!

One think I love about blogging is the opportunity to be just a little spark in a vast neural network of instantaneous information gathering and sharing. Even if I pop off a wayward jolt or two.

Ted Kennedy is always good for a rant or two:
Is there a More Insignificant Representative?

I wonder if this whiskey embalmed imbecile has the guts to stand in front of our troops and make his case rather than venting the frustrations of his party's insignificances in front of a bunch of tired old bureaucrats.

Reflections of the luckiest husband this side of the Vegas Strip:
Meal fit for a King

I hope she has a spatula in that awesome kitchen big enough to scoop me off of this office chair!

Jim Gibbons Tells It Like It Is:

Jim Gibbons represents us Red Blooded Americans who are sick of the filthy hollywood mindset being relentlessly pumped into young skulls full o'mush.

My first comment section debate occured with this post:
One Nation Under Your Belief System

Hmmm, anyone see a bit o'irony in the joining of the adjacent phrases of, "one nation", "under your belief system" and "indivisible"?

You know it's the 'End Times' when France claims to define masculinity:
Macho, Macho, Maaaaaannn

I guess you can say that a country's downfall begins when the men no longer want to be the 'family super-hero' but instead elects to 'put on a pink-flowered shirt and try out a partner-swapping club'!

Ya gotta love trying to 'ruin the natural balance of forces in the universe':
Dude, Where's my Horoscope?

I think it is quite triumphant in fact that we have the ability to create a spacecraft adept enough to pimp slap a flying iceball that's moving a gazillion miles an hour.

Hey, even Pagans need to be loved:
Partying with Pagans

Look at the bright side, you may get a glimpse of a merry Carrie the green grass fairy giving thanks for the green stuff!

Nothing like a little Cannon Fodder provided by the MSM!

I have a feeling that if I've been in Iraq for the last couple years and have seen friends blown up by those who claim to be good citizens, those who drop IED's along the side of the road to detach my brother's limbs from his body and we had some detainees who may have some knowledge of something... consider that Iraqi's ass kicked.

This interaction with a Black Widow in my garage was interesting...

But she had to go just so I can avoid the moment when my 3 year old boy finds it and comes in from the garage to tell me, "Daaaaad, I wuv dis p'idah fo-evah", right before it sinks it's venom into his hand.

Why Blog? Blog This!

I'm determined to bring up and raise the next generation of patriots of a country that has an inspired destiny even when being run by uninspired partisans.

Now... on to a new year of blogging madness! Bring it on '06!!

May we Always Remember Him...



Hope you have a safe and sweet Christmas Holiday...

As another year will shortly be a memory, my heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me "forwards" over the past 12 months.

Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy. Extra thanks for the ones that I have to open 15 times to get to the message.

Special thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat crap in the glue on envelopes 'cause I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope. Also, I scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer drink Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper, since the people who make these products are atheists who won't put "Under God" on their cans.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from, nor send packages by UPS or FedEx, since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer answer the phone, because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer eat KFC, because their "chickens" are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my Free replacement pair from Nike.

I no longer have to buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus, since I now have their recipe.

I no longer worry about my soul, because at last count I have 363,214 angels looking out for me.

Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

I no longer have any savings, because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time).

I no longer have any money at all - but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special email program.

Yes, I want to thank you so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes, a large pigeon with a wicked case of diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM (CST) this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of mine's next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.

Have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR


...Thanks Peggy!!!

Mr. Richardson, I know Bill Clinton and you're no Bill Clinton!

From FreeNewMexican.com:

"He pokes me," Denish said when confronted about photos taken of Richardson and her at an appearance in Bernalillo in late October. "He pinches my neck. He touches my hip, my thigh, sort of the side of my leg."

Denish told The Journal, "I try not to put myself in that situation, trying not to stand or sit next to him."

Denish and Richardson sat by each other Monday at a meeting of the state Board of Finance in the governor's Cabinet Room.

Dealing with Richardson's touching and poking "is one of the challenges of this governor," Denish told The Journal... "He has a lot of good qualities and this is one of the challenges."

The article said, "When he's doing it in these public environments, I have chosen not to embarrass him by not doing anything blatant about it publicly... I don't think I should embarrass him."

That's right Diane or else feel the wrath of the Big Richard- son.


Hey you, in the front row... you see dis hand?

This should propel him to the top of the list of potential Democratic front-runners for President in '08...

...as seen at the Carnival of Comedy hosted by the man, the myth, the legend, FrankJ at IMAO... A huge Congrats out to FrankJ and SarahK for their recent nuptials!! Yo, the bail money is in the mail...

So I've been told that my profile picture makes me look like Ted Nugent.

Well JJ (one of the writers at The Churning) had this link to share...

You upload a photo with your face in it, it gets scanned, then you find out what celebrities you supposedly 'look like'.

I gotta tell ya, we had a blast uploading photos and laughing at who it said we look like. It doesn't seem to be too accurate but who cares about accuracy when you get these type of results!

With this photo... I received these results:

I look like (with percentage ratings based on who knows what):
61% Dennis Quaid (I wish)
40% George Gershwin (gee, thanks I think)
40% Nicolas Cage (my wife always told me I had the same eyes)
40% Omar Sharif (!?!?)
39% George Clooney (in my dreams)

My wife's results:
71% Julia Roberts (Yeah baby!)
69% Benita Ferrero-Waldner (who?)
68% Kim Basinger (Yummy!)
66% Julianne Moore (bow-chicky-bowwww-boww)
65% Katie Holmes (sweet!)
63% Hillary Duff (not too shabby)
61% Drew Barrymore (groovy)
61% Kate Winslett (mmmmmmmm)
60% Jennifer Connelly (sweet!)

If I were female I'd look most like Nancy Sinatra and somehow I look 36% like Annette Benning although they don't explain in what universe that makes any sense...

I think I'll stick with the Ted Nugent references...

This morning my dad sent me a link to an amazing and patriotic site that you want to take a few minutes and check out... click on picture to go there:

It's another beautiful winter day here in southern Nevada! On that note I thought I would empathize with my Upstate NY brethren and present Jeff Foxworthy on Upstate NY:

"If you consider it a sport to gather your food by
drilling through 36 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping
that the food will swim by, you might live in Upstate New York.

If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Saranac Lake is the coldest spot in the nation, and Syracuse gets more snow than any other major city in the US, you might live in Upstate New York.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from October through May, you might live in Upstate New York.

If you instinctively walk like a penguin for six months out of the year, you might live in Upstate New York.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Upstate New York.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Upstate New York.

If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in Upstate New York.

If your town has more bars than churches, you might live in Upstate New York.

If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Upstate New York.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TRUE UPSTATE NEW YORKER WHEN:

"Vacation" means going South past Syracuse for the weekend.

You measure distance in hours.

You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.

You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.

You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

Carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend/wife knows how to use them.

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction.

You can identify a southern or eastern accent.

Down South to you means Corning.

A brat is something you eat.

Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new shed.

You go out for a fish fry every Friday.

Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.

You find 10 degrees "a little chilly."

(click on graphics to learn more...)


Yeah, I know it's Saturday, sue me... I've got some work to catch up on so I'm posting my Sunday Open Post a day early.

... but first some linky-love...

If you haven't seen it yet, check out McDonald's new promotion of Bareback... err, Brokeback Mountain presented by the geniuses at Point Five.

Samantha Burns has more McDonald's shenanigans...

Dr. Phat Tony gets all sentimental on us with an excellent Christmas Poem.

Wyatt has his 'twig and berries' checked out... Whether they're still there or not is protected under Doctor/Patient confidentiality...

CUG loads up on the ammo...

David at third world county pimps a book trashing the 'There were no WMD's in Iraq' crap...

Check out the Jihad du Jour at TheReligionOfPeace...

thebaldchick at FreedomFolks has her eyes on the border...

Brian Bonner at The Uncooperative Blogger has some suggestions on how to handle our border problem...

Dr. Hapworth contends that the concept of 'Retirement' is outmoded in today's world...

Diane prepares to launch "Blogger's Without Butts Week"

Stop by Basil's Blog Interviews and leave a question or two for me... my interview is approaching!

...and finally, if you've yet to put your butt on my map... get there!
There's only 25 of you to stalk so far...

The rest is up to you guys... Leave a link to this post and ping me a trackback...
(Harvey explains it all... hint hint D Maria!)

trackback for this post is:
http://haloscan.com/tb/peakah1/113485689824874421

Don't be shy y'all... Other Open Posts:
The Right Nation
Adam's Blog
TMH's Bacon Bits
Basil's Blog
Big Dog's Weblog
bRight & Early
Choose Life
Colbert Report
Common Folk Using Common Sense
Digger's Realm
Don Surber
Jo's Cafe
MacStansbury
NIF
Oblogatory Ancedotes
Otimaster
Point Five
Right Wing Nation
Robinik
Stop the ACLU
Stuck on Stupid
Samantha Burns
The Real Ugly American
The Uncooperative Blogger
third world county
Wizbang

Who's linking here:

The Right Nation with: Sleepy Weekend Open Trackback

TMH's Bacon Bits with: Wasps Used for Homeland Security? Buzz Off, PETA!

Of course, this won't past muster with our animal rights folks at all. PETA just will not tolerate our abusing other biologically equal animal species for something insignificant like saving human lives.

Otimaster with: One Republic founded on the mediocrity - Open Trackback Post

The Truckin' Blog with: Florence, KY

It doesn't seem like I have made a lot of progress since my last post. I'm only a couple of miles away from Walton, where I last posted but I have been running.

third world county with: Confessions of a Tightwad

Recently a new "dollar store" opened in America's Third World County. Man! Is it ever busy with Christmas shoppers! Just about every tightwad in America's Third World County can be found there completing their Christmas shopping.

Don Surber with: Person of the Year

This should have been the cover of Time magazine. She was the most important person in 2005, not the three baby boomers it used.

...and also: Bullying A Sick Kid

The antiwar jobs are spooked by those purple fingers. They fear, ohmigod, that there really will be a democracy in Iraq. So they are reduced to jumping on anything military, even little kids.

...and also with: Hoisted on Their Own Petard

Yes, poor Donnie tried to publicize his blog without kissing up to the "big" blogs. But that pissed people off so they changed their rules.

Freedom Folks with both: Christmas Parody Songs

Get 'em while they're hot, folks!

and... Who Voted Mexico into Congress?

The Mexican government slammed the U.S. Congress for approving an immigration bill that would tighten border controls and make it harder for undocumented immigrants to get jobs.

The Business of America is Business with: War Journalist Action Figures

Linda Foley, President of The Newspaper Guild, a union representing media workers, made the following remarks during a speech to the National Conference For Media Reform on May 13, 2005:

Dateline NBC followed up on a story on internet predators and how the private group Perverted Justice spends time roping in perverts who stalk the internet for sex with the young.

When Perverted Justice did a local sting on internet predators here in Las Vegas, I posted about it in November.

Thanks go Google, I've received more hits in one hour than I usually get in a whole day when Dateline ran their story nationally.

This tells me that the message is spreading. Thank GOD!

Dateline followed up by doing another sting in Virginia and the results were unsettling.

Please take the time to explore the links above and make yourself aware of the dangers present to children who surf online. The threat is real and it is dangerous.

Do Not Underestimate The Clear and Present Danger To Your Children!

Linked by D Maria's Hot Spot

(linked with: Lost In Lima Ohio, Oblogatory Anecdotes, The Uncooperative Blogger, Stuck on Stupid, Big Dog's Weblog, Stop the ACLU, NIF, Basil's Blog, MacStansbury, TMH's Bacon Bits, Conservative Cat, Point Five, Cao's Blog, Is It Just Me?, Right Wing Nation, third world county, Wizbang)

"MMmmm, get that thar finger over here gurl... I love Grape!"

I'm tempted to do a prizeless Caption Contest... but this is too easy!

Aww what the heck... fire away!

Here's some follow up stories about the Iraqi Elections today:

Strong Turnout For Iraq Vote

(CBS/AP) Millions of Iraqis, from tribal sheiks to entire families with children in tow, turned out Thursday to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful election among the freest ever in the Arab world.

Downer 'delighted' at Iraqi elections turnout

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says voting in the Iraqi parliamentary election went better than he expected.

Alright y'all... have at it with the captions...

Ssssteve: "Hey, where did you get this grape icing? Can I have a lick?"

Dr. Phat Tony: "Is that oil on your finger? You know I'll invade you for it."
^^^^^^^^^^^Winning Caption

Kira: "Finger painting? Fun! Can Dick and Condi play too?"

Daniel: "So THAT'S how my plum pie got that hole in it!"

This is what I get for searching my last name on Google Video...

Not that I would admit it if there were, but there is
NO RELATION!

The hat thing is just a coincidence!! I swear!
...who names their boy Vivian? ...no wonder

linked by the Bonfire of the Vanities at Red Guy in a Blue State

Continuous Updates on Iraqi Elections,
keep checking back for new stories...

***POLLS OPEN***
Large Blast Heard in Iraq As Polls Open

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Polling stations opened around Iraq Thursday to allow Iraqis to vote for a new parliament. A large explosion was head in downtown Baghdad within minutes of the polls opening and sirens could be heard inside the heavily fortified Green Zone where the Iraqi government and the U.S. and British embassies are located.

Quote of the day (<--see video):

"Anybody who doesn't appreciate what America has done and President Bush, let them go to hell"

-Iraqi Citizen, voter Betty Dawisha

---------
As of 12pm PST Wednesday:

An Iraqi election primer by the Christian Science Monitor

Thursday, 15 million Iraqi voters have the chance to participate in their first free parliamentary election. They'll select a new assembly, called the Council of Representatives, that over the next four years will set the course of the new Iraq.

Further Developments in run-up to Dec. 15 Iraqi election

* BABIL - Police said they detained a militant group with a range of weapons that was planning to attack polling centres in Babil province, south of Baghdad, at Thursday's election.

Coalitions compete for Iraqi voters

(CNN) -- The United Iraqi Alliance and Kurdish alliance -- the Shiite-led and Kurdish coalitions that prevailed in the January 30 elections -- are considered front-runners in Thursday's parliamentary elections.

Iraq insurgents urged to vote

IRAQ'S Sunni Muslim politicians have pleaded with insurgents to put down their arms and vote in today's national assembly elections.

----------
As of 8am PST Wednesday morning:
(Check in with Uber for updates as well!)


Excellent photos at Don't Get Stuck on Stupid...

President's remarks on the War made today:

I've come to discuss an issue of vital importance to the American people, and that is: Victory in the war on terror.

Meanwhile the American press is in full frenzy...

Apparently the NY Times story posted below about the forged ballots from Iran may have been bogus... Yet more reputable reporting from the NYTimes... See Stop the ACLU for updates.

News-Busters explains:

there is one problem with the Times article... the single-sourced story appears to be totally false

Kewl, NYT vs Reuters... the once great alliance seems to be butting heads. The execs better find a way to get their stories straight!

Confederate Yankee concludes: 'The NY Times, bastion of the liberal press in America, appears to have pulled a Mary Mapes, wishing a story to be true instead of verifying it to be true.'

'All the News that's fit to fake'

Michelle Malkin questions the NYTimes loyalties... C'mon Michelle, we know where NYT's loyalties lie! ...the bottom line!

Now that phantom trucks are no longer rolling through Iraq with forged ballots:

Streets Quiet On Eve Of Iraqi Election

Police were enforcing a strict traffic ban Wednesday in Baghdad, where the streets were generally quiet on the eve of Iraq's historic parliamentary election.

Borders and airports are closed and a nighttime curfew was extended as election day approached.

----------
Al-Jazeerah reports:
Masque of Democracy: Iraqi Election System Still Disfavors Sunni Arabs, Favors Kurds

...just following the NYT lead

The Al-Jazeerah of the west, CNN, concludes differently:

Elections will alter political landscape:

Sunnis and other minorities should make gains in parliament...

Nothing a quick phone call from the head of Al-Jazeerah to the head of CNN can't take care of...
----------

As of 8pm PST Tuesday evening:

Police Seize Forged Ballots Headed to Iraq From Iran

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 13 - Less than two days before nationwide elections, the Iraqi border police seized a tanker on Tuesday that had just crossed from Iran filled with thousands of forged ballots, an official at the Interior Ministry said.

Thanks to John Stephenson at Stop the ACLU
(this story updated above)

Developments in run-up to Iraqi election

4,000 in Bay Area to Vote in Iraqi Election

PLEASANTON (KRON) -- People came all the way from Oregon and Washington to cast their votes for the Iraqi election at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.

Iraqi election begins today

Iraq's government announced it will close its borders, extend the nighttime curfew and restrict domestic travel starting tomorrow - two days before the main election day - to prevent insurgents from disrupting the vote.

4 U.S. soldiers, Iraqi candidate killed on final day of campaigning in Iraq

BAGHDAD (AP) - On the last day of campaigning, a roadside bomb killed four American soldiers Tuesday and gunmen assassinated a candidate for parliament in this week's election. A Shiite politician escaped injury in a bombing south of Baghdad.

US expectations at stake in Iraqi poll

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - After losing more than 2,300 troops dead and spending over $250 billion in Iraq, the United States and its allies have an awful lot invested in Thursday's parliamentary election.

US Officials Hope for Large Iraqi Election Turnout

The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq says he is optimistic a large number of Iraq's 15 million registered voters will cast ballots in this Thursday's parliamentary election. The turnout is expected to include the Sunnis, who had boycotted elections in January.

linked with: Don Surber, Basil's Blog, bRight & Early, Cao's Blog, Jo's Cafe, Adam's Blog, TMH's Bacon Bits, Conservative Cat, Those Bastards!, The Business of America is Business, third world county, Diane's Stuff, NIF, Right Wing Nation)

We all heard about that french chick who had her face transplanted...

Well, frenchie's got nothing on Shayna Richardson from Arkansas!

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Shayna Richardson was making her first solo skydiving jump when she had trouble with her parachutes and, while falling at about 50 mph, hit face first in a parking lot.

Did you hear that?
...50 mph- Face First- PARKING LOT!?!

"I heard a snap and I started spinning and I didn't know why. I didn't know what to do to fix it. I didn't know how to make it stop," Richardson told Fort Smith, Ark., television station KFSM.

She cut away her primary chute so her reserve could deploy, but it didn't open all the way. She spun out of control, heading straight for the asphalt below.

"At the end I said, 'I'm going to die. I'm going to hit the ground. I'm going to die,'" she said. "I don't remember it. I don't remember hitting the ground. I don't remember the impact or anything that came with it."

How could you possibly remember hitting the pavement face-first at 50 mph?? Uhh, how in the world did she live?? If ever there was an excuse for cloning...

Rescuers got her to a hospital in Fayetteville, where Richardson underwent surgery. She broke her pelvis in two places, broke her leg, lost six teeth and now has 15 steel plates.

"I went into the first surgery where they cut me from ear to ear and they cut my face down and they took out all the fractured egg-shelled bones and put in steel plates," Richardson said.

During treatment, doctors found that Richardson was pregnant, which was a surprise to her. She said she would not have jumped had she known.

"To hit the ground belly first - that's dangerous. I mean at any stage of pregnancy that's dangerous. That's not something you want to do let alone at 50 miles per hour," Richardson said.

Sounds like a plan...

Wizbang even had Shayna as their caption contest photo back in Nov!

Remember this?


Her baby may have survived the skydive face-plant...

Just don't let Dr. William F. Harrison of Fayetteville Arkansas near your baby, I don't know if it would survive that meeting...

Today's Horoscope:

Your synapses are crackling, and the sharing of information and ideas is flowing in an almost unprecedented way. It's as if the cosmos is coordinating it all in exactly the way that suits you. Take advantage of this opportunity to discuss lots of new things- anything that occurs to you is fair game- and to communicate on a level that's distinctly deeper than usual. You'll find an audience in an unexpected place.

Interesting in light of the fact that a post I wrote was linked on Pajamas Media and the Columbia Journalist Review Daily. That is definitely an audience in an unexpected place!

It didn't seem to generate anymore hits than I usually receive however... as my ego was quick to determine.

I wasn't going to say anything until I read that horoscope a few minutes ago... it just seemed uncanny... which makes for good posting material...

I think my synapses quit crackling...

(Headline snagged from The Enge Files header)

Since being invited to contribute to the Battle Born News I've become better acquainted with some Nevada conservatives who have dedicated their energies toward bettering the state of affairs of the local political scene.

I've also become acquainted with a Fullbright Scholar and Carson City High School History teacher, Mr. Joe Enge.

Joe is an award-winning, 15-year veteran history teacher in Carson City who has, among other things, written two history textbooks and served on the 1997 task force which drew up Nevada's history standards. But according to school district administrators, he's a "bad" teacher.

You see, Joe has this crazy idea that American history should include our colonial period, as well as the Revolutionary War period. You know, where the Founding Fathers fought for independence from England and wrote the greatest governing document the world has ever known- the United States Constitution. You know, that period of time which gave us patriot heroes such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Tom Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, John Paul Jones, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Hancock.

And Joe has REALLY ticked off the local school district bureaucrats and the education establishment.

You see, unbeknownst to most parents in Carson City, the school district believes that high school American history should start with the Civil War era, not the days of America's Founding. Indeed, the curriculum forced on history teachers at Carson High School ignores pre-Civil War history completely- other than a little optional "refresher" at the beginning of the school year or if you're in an Advanced Placement class.

Joe Enge has fought the district's History-Lite curriculum for the past three years by teaching ALL of his students ALL of America's history, starting with the colonial period (remember the Pilgrims?).

In addition, Joe believes... get this... that the teacher should teach and the students should learn. He embraces and practices the "traditional" teacher-centered method of education, as opposed to the fashionable student-centered "discovery learning" method currently all the rage in San Francisco and Portland. What a trouble-maker.

So the school district wants to get rid of him.

Mr. Chuck Muth of Citizen Outreach has taken on the task of providing any necessary legal support Mr. Enge needs to battle the recent allegations leveled against him by what looks like jealous Teacher Union thugs.

You see, Mr. Enge refuses to be a part of the Teachers Union for he feels that he has the wherewith all to care for his own self-interests.

Here are the brilliant conclusions made in the "investigation" Mr. Enge requested to battle those recent allegations...

Pathetic...

I've long desired to be a history/biology/math Professor or High School teacher but the current culture and mindset of said group is absolutely horrifying. Today's climate is in direct opposition to conservative minded individuals who desire to teach our nation's youth. Those who have been commissioned to teach America's rich history have to now teach with the Sword of Damocles dangling over their head.

The local press is not a whole lot of help.

Terresa Monroe-Hamilton puts it in perspective when she writes:

I guess if you can make our young people ignorant of how our country was formed it will be much easier to implement the socialization or fall of the greatest country on the planet. Forget teaching them about the Founding Fathers- men of great courage and foresight.

For this sin, they want to fire Joe Enge.

Each paper did one article- both biased to the left. Did even one television station in Nevada pick it up? No... Did talk radio pick it up? No...

But you know who did? Fox News, who did a national piece on it and took the time to come to Carson City to interview the concerned parties and then ran it coast to coast. The Washington Post's columnist Jay Mathews wrote an article as did Neal Boortz (an Internet legend in the blogosphere). Chuck Muth, a renowned columnist, has spearheaded the fight utilizing The Enge Files (www.theengefiles.com), COPAC and Citizen Outreach.

Gee, imagine notable authors penning columns and articles concerning a legitimate cause here in Nevada for no pay- just for the sake of standing up for what is right and what is best for our children.

God forbid that become the focus of our educational system!

(linked with: Basil's Blog, Bloggin' Outloud, The Land of Ozz, Committees of Correspondence, Pirate-King, Cao's Blog, Is it Just Me?, NIF, Third World County)

Much along the lines of the post I wrote a couple days ago, Michelle Malkin exposes the blatant attack on Conservative Blogs that the NYT has ignorantly waged.

I happen to believe that the good bloggers who pay attention and scrutinize multiple mainstream media outlets, and who are not afraid to comment and provide depth into their stories, have won the hearts and minds of the introspective and educated American.

No longer are mainstream media journalists considered the Elite. They have been put into check by the Pajama media brigade of websites that are checked daily for alternative debate.

Michelle Malkin writes:

Based on a single "expert" source--"liberal activist Matt Stoller"--Crowley makes sweeping assertions about the content, nature, effectiveness, and media penetration of partisan blogs. Liberal blogs criticize Democrats more, while conservatives march in lockstep with the GOP leadership to "to provide maximum benefit for their issues and candidates," the piece asserts.

How high do you goose-step in your jack-boots?

She continues...

Anyone who swallows the idea that conservative bloggers are an organized arm of the Republican machine who are easily mobilized at the command of Karl Rove does not read conservative blogs--and should not be paid by the NYTimes or anyone else to write about them.

But hey, since when did the NYTimes let ignorance get in the way of its "journalism."

OOhhhhh, that's going to leave a mark!
...a mark that has been self-inflicted!

Some of the most high-impact blogging by conservatives this year got little, if any, buzz in the conservative "media infrastructure." Case in point: Ed Morrissey's ground-breaking work on the Canadian Adscam scandal.

And when conservative bloggers did organize for a single cause this year, it wasn't to advance GOP interests! It was to raise money- more than 1,800 blogs raised more than $1.3 million- for Hurricane Katrina victims.

This is because the definition of community and neighborhood has evolved...

The NYT is a part of the temporary mutation that tends to be shed by the process of evolution.

Survival of the fittest baby... the NYT is no longer 'all the news that's fit to print'!

(linked by Columbia Journalism Review and the Pajamas Media,

crossposted at Battle Born News and linked with Don Surber)

A meme seems to be floating through the ranks of my blogroll and has landed upon my desktop. I first saw it at Dr. Phat Tony's who passed it on to Wyatt Earp, who tagged me with it next.

Tyler has a nice list of those meme'ed thus far... (go ahead and add me to that list bud)

Ok, so apparently upon orders from the newly promoted Philly Detective Wyatt Earp, I've been given an assignment. I'm not one to tick off authority (unless it's a college professor) so to keep from being shot by said sharpshooter, it's my turn to...

Name 5 Weird Habits.

The first one is easy:
Talking to myself out loud...

I tend to regularly speak out loud to myself... although I hardly ever even realize it. My hearing isn't all that good, the roar of the turbines of fighter jets tend to drop ear cilia by the dozen. Yeah I wore ear protection... most of the time. Duh. Now I'm cursed with the insane attribute of wandering around mumbling to myself... much like the schizoids in the NYC bus depot.

I've noticed that I'll actually use different voice inflections to represent the 'other side' of the conversation with whatever imaginary figure I happen to be arguing with. Now that I think about it... I actually have some great conversations with myself. But no matter how many times I rehearse a conversation I plan on having with someone, what I thought they were going to say and what they actually do say tend to never coincide rendering my habit completely useless and maddening!

What's that I say? People are going to think I'm losing my mind? Like I care...

Numero Dos
Singing the wrong words to songs...
There nothing better than jammin the stereo in my pimped out Excursion (pimped out as defined by all the car seats strapped in the back) with the windows down and singing tunes I don't know the words to at the top of my horse lungs.

One reason I love my wife is her angelic voice. She used to sing in country bars in California and she knows how to belt out tunes that gives me goosebumps. I however have the vocal capabilities of Donald Duck. My voice is nasal, horse, with absolutely no range... any attempts at pushing that range tends to lead to a window shattering voice crack.

Nevertheless I will sing and I will sing loud if I'm in the jammin kind of mood. Unfortunately I don't know the words to most songs and just make them up as I go if I know the relative sounds of the words being sung.

For example... it took about 15 years for me to realize that the 'Warm smell of Fajitas rising up through the air' near Hotel California is actually the warm smell of colitas! What's a colita anyway? Isn't it a fruity tropical drink? (Pina Colita?) Mmmmm nothing beats the warm smell of a fajita... colitas sounds like a foot ailment.

Third:
Lack of healthy OCD qualities...

Apparently I'm amongst a bunch of OCD patients! (Yeah you Doc and Wyatt) I on the other hand, and perhaps to my detriment, am completely unconcerned with clutter, especially on my desk. Even with the insane pile of papers, kids homework, newspapers, camera equipment, mail, unaddressed Christmas Cards, tools, video game cartridges, books, hats, cups, change jars, etc... I know EXACTLY where everything is. ...uhh most of the time.

I could definitely use some help in the organization realm... I get stressed when my wife cleans my desk up, putting everything away in a tidy and neat manner where everything is supposedly accessible. All that happens is the consolidated clutter gets buried by new clutter material and renders the old clutter material dead and buried until the next move. God that's pathetic...

Fourth:
Indiscriminate Nose Picking...

I tend to have the ability to pick my nose free of boogers while having a deep and meaningful conversation without being distracted in the slightest. Unfortunately the person I am speaking with tends to be thrown off by the nostril finger sweep and sometimes look at me like I'm nuts... or just plain rude. *shrug* Nevertheless I can still blow people's minds with my cold hard logic and rational, historical contexts and get people to agree with me... all while diggin for gold.

I blame it on the dry desert climate here in Vegas... Gotta keep the pipes clean right?

Yeah, I'm wondering what my wife saw in me too...

and Finally!:
Complete inability to coordinate clothes...

I'm really questioning my wife's sanity now...
When my wife met me I wore the Air Force uniform... good ole BDU's. Can't mismatch those! But when she would see me on my days off, she noticed my total lack of fashion sense. I have no ability, check that, desire to match up clothes to look like a normal human being. If I sneak out of the house to run errands without a good look over by my incredibly well dressed and classy wife, I usually get greeted with the "I can't believe you wore that!!" upon reentry to the house. However, I find that dressing like a nincompoop is like having a force field around me in public that wards off those weird strangers who feel compelled to bore strangers with small talk.

My wife gets really ticked off when I dress the kids for school and I'm surprised that child protective services' fashion police division has yet to stop by our home... yet.

Well, that does it for me... I'm now off of the hook.

Perhaps this meme can be consolidated into a new book:
The 7 Habits of Highly Insane Bloggers.

My tagged list of five schmucks for this dopey meme:
Diane (completed, see here)
Daniel Levesque (completed, see here)
Mensa Barbie
Cathy
and Katey (completed see here, scroll down a bit)

Tag... now you are IT... good luck!

I promise to never do this again to any of you!

The future of the blog-o-sphere is potentially infinite... that is until particular bureaucrats get their feathers ruffled.

There is one extremely practical future for a good portion of us who explore this realm, and who love the United States of America with all our hearts.

I think of the networks that can be set up for the purposes of monitoring the security of our communities and how that allows for the setting up of a whole new form of neighborhood watches.

Is it just me or does it seem that the modern day American neighborhood has undergone a sort of isolationist evolution? Perhaps I think that because I have always been on the move and have only recently had the opportunity to plant some roots.

I've now found a great home in Nevada and plan on staying... for now... and will be getting involved in a new venture of Conservative Nevadan bloggers called Battle Born News Blog after the new year.

I see an emergence of a new type of American militia.
The information gatherers.

Anyone who paid attention to the Able Danger story realizes that there is an infinite amount of Open Source information that needs to be utilized and organized for the reweaving of neighborhoods all across the fruited plain...

The fact that those tasked to skim this information for the security of the United States, by the United States, were PUNISHED because of some sad bureaucratic egos, is extremely disturbing!

(meanwhile Sandy Berger's bruise for the slap on his wrist has long been healed)

Thankfully, I do not work for the Government (anymore).

Anyone who blogs probably realizes by now that the Mainstream Media is nothing but a packaged product produced for the pushing of particular political points of view as decided by only a handful of media moguls. Phew... don't say that three times in a row!

I was emailed this today by someone whose writing has captured my imagination. It was prefaced with: 'you might find this interesting'

I Sure do!

The Politics of CP sent me a link to a post he wrote, here is some of it:

As I began posting information related to Jamaat ul-Fuqra, I posted a disclaimer noting that my information was being gathered from open sources. I said that not only did bloggers have power to inform as citizen journalists, but to become a better informed citizenry themselves. In addition to that, I said that bloggers who post information, including investigative research, in an open source venue could serve as "virtual tipsters" or informants because the government- while its investigative abilities are vast- is not omnipresent and all-knowing.

I wanted to write this post to further discuss the value, uses, opinions, history, future and sources related to open source intelligence.

OSINT actually accounts for a large majority of the information that is collected (some say 80-90%), but it receives a minuscule amount of the funding (as little as 1% according to one source).

The 9/11 Commission recommended in its report that the CIA should create a new division or "Open Source Agency" that would report to the Director for National Intelligence.

On November 8, 2005, they announced just that, and the birth of The DNI Open Source Center took place. Pajamas Media covered the story here. The Department of Defense is also stepping up its domestic surveillance activities, which does make sense when you consider that there are foreign supported organizations (like JF) operating here.

It is imperative that the value of open source information be properly recognized.

China has recognized this and even published a book on how to exploit available scientific and technical information. A review of the document by the (U.S.) National Counterintelligence Executive had this to say,

"One of the most startling revelations in Sources and Techniques is the extent to which the Chinese military and defense industries rely on open-source information, particularly US and British, for weapons modernization."

We also know from daily news reports that that terrorist groups use the internet to communicate in chat rooms and message boards, and to post information about their activities, etc. This is open source information that can be exploited.

The GWOT is changing the way intelligence agencies do business. Many of the traditional sources and covert collection methods still work, but they must be accompanied and complimented by new sources and methods.

Consider newspapers. The average citizen can sit in their living room and read online newspapers from Singapore to Zimbabwe. That would have been impossible 20 years ago.

Also, the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is becoming more common. People are using openly available mapping and imagery to display information. Some software that has been around for years requires a little more technical skill to fully utilize. Google Earth is among one of the most recent and more simple to use programs. With its features download placemark and datalink files created by other users, you can find everything from historical stormtracks of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico to live traffic cams in Germany.

Now, with the emergence of bloggers, a new component is added to the mix. A distributed network of observers, citizens, researchers, professionals, academics, dissidents, soldiers, engineers, photographers, and so on can openly report information from anywhere in the world. This can only be advantageous to the intelligence community.

Any advantage that our intelligence agencies can gain to put a buffer between those who want to do us harm, and those who just want to live their lives, is one that needs to be taken advantage of. For far too long intelligence agents have been handcuffed and their budgets cut... hopefully no longer!

When (not if) another attack does occur, I fear that we are going to find out that there were people all over the case... but were ignored...

CP provides more reading material if this is something that interests you... (and it should!)

NATO Open Source Intelligence Handbook (PDF via OSS.net)
NATO Open Source Intelligence Reader (PDF via OSS.net)
NATO Intelligence Exploitation of the Internet (PDF via OSS.net)


linked with... Stray Dog, Third World County, Bloggin' Outloud, Stop the ACLU, NIF (here too), Basil's Blog, Cao's Blog, Jo's Cafe, Wizbang, Point Five, Choose Life, Adam's Blog, Mudville Gazette, 10ft2ft, TMH Bacon Bits, MacStansbury, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The Uncooperative Blogger

Been slacking on the posting lately. I guess with all the new visits I've been receiving, I'm feeling a bit guilty...

naaaa...

I've been busy with all the birthdays and holiday season festivities as of late... This time of year gets more and more hectic with each passing year. Each passing year with its own magic of new discoveries, new traditions, and the warm reintroduction of traditions passed on.

One thing that hasn't changed, the weasel is still easily amused.

So... I'm off to make some crafty things, cuz they're cheap and the family is huge!

Thankfully I don't live in Katey's neck of the woods, I can still golf in case of an emergency.

linked by Uber, GO VOTE FOR INSOLUBLOG RIGHT NOW OR I'LL HURT YOU!

I found this at Don Surber's... From the Telegraph UK:

A poem in a school textbook has been removed by embarrassed education officials in Pakistan after it was found that the first letters of each line spelt out "President George W Bush."

The 20-line anonymous poem, The Leader, lists the qualities of "a man who will do what he must" and bears a passing resemblance to Rudyard Kipling's If.

Rudyard rules!
God forbid you publish something inspirational and motivating in a school textbook however...

The acrostic is highly embarrassing for President Pervez Musharraf, who is already under fire at home for being allegedly pro-American and supporting the US war against terrorism.

It's probably safe to say that the background graphic of Bush was not part of the textbook insert. The story seems to imply that it was by providing the graphic above.

Senior Surber writes a new poem with an acrostic of whom the left would rather see as Prez:

Pretty and haughty- he was in Vietnam
Ready to ask: Do you know who I am?
Easy to woo some widow millionaire,
Strong in his faith that he's debonair,
Is not afraid to be speaking for it,
Dearie, before he votes against it!
Even in Ketchum, Idaho, to ski
Not afraid to jump the line is he!
Tells it all long and in monotone:
Just to hear his voice drone and drone.
Oh and he has the right to be pompous
Having served under Mike Dukakis!
Now he is a junior senator
Kennedy's toadie and paramour.
Even has ties to the French nation:
Relatives in many generations.
Rare is the leader that nobody trusts.
Yet there is Kerry, the oh-four bust!

Rudyard's got nuttin on ya Don!

Insolublog is back with a great post called the The Incredible Morphing Party. He lines up the leaders of the left and the right, visually even, with their own words... who represents you and your ideals?

Oh, and in passing... A Huge Congrats to Wyatt on his promotion to Detective! Lookout you Philly criminals! Detective Earp is gonna hunt you down...

I usually do an Open Post on Sunday but this weekend is full of fun and activities.

My wife's birthday is today, we have a National Career Fairs Christmas Party tonight which will be a ton of fun...

not to mention the Hopkins vs Taylor II fight tonight at Mandalay Bay which we will be watching.

Although the Bills and Dolphins season is pretty much over, they do play tomorrow and my boss is a die-hard Dolphins fan. We reserve those two games a season to go out and beat on each other during the game.

Boys will be boys...

Leave a link to this post, trackback ping me, I'll post them below as I get the chance throughout the weekend.

Hey, while your here, hit up my Frappr Map!


See the sites listed on these Open Post blogrolls...




Trackback for this post is:
http://haloscan.com/tb/peakah1/113363528777395217

Other Open Posts to hit up:

Point Five
10ft2ft.com
basil's blog
Choose Life
Iowa Voice
Jo's Cafe
MacStansbury.org
NIF
Oblogatory Anecdotes
Stop The ACLU
Stuck On Stupid
The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns
The Political Teen
The Uncooperative Blogger
Third World County
Random Yak
Right Wing Nation
Conservative Cat
Wizbang

And now for the Pimpage...

Ferdinando the Cat Commando links with: Artists - Not Just Another Pretty Snowflake
From a distance, it looks like just another pretty snowflake, but if you take a closer look, it's actually six angels rising from the center.

George at Stuck on Stupid links with: 2005 White House Christmas Card
The 2005 Whitehouse Christmas Card just arrived. Unfortunately it doesn't wish a Merry Christmas, but has Psalm 28:7

Choose Life submits: Merry Christmas, ACLU Open Post
Kevin McCullough of radio station WMCA out of New York has a very good idea...

The Uncooperative Blogger links with: Thank a Soldier Week
Leading up to Thank a Soldier Week (December 19-25), Townhall.com is encouraging Americans to stop for a moment and give thanks to the men and women risking everything for us.

Brian at IOWAVoice links with: Open Trackback Weekend
I'm so absent-minded. I went through this ENTIRE day thinking it was Thursday! I just happened to look at my computer, and saw it was, in fact, Friday. Jeesh.

third world county submits: Finally blogging Saturday: playing catchup
Well, I didn't advertise it as a "free linkpost" as I did with the "real" Open Post on Friday, but there were some interesting links pinged in anyway, so I’ll cut some slack for folks who have trouble with directions.

Adam Graham at Adam's Blog (a GREAT read) submits: ACLU Names New Chairman
Washington-The ACLU named a new chairman today as it enter into its annual "war on small towns with limited budgets" season.

Committees of Correspondence submits: The Rape of the Body Politic
I hate Gerrymandering. The artificial allocation of voting district demographics to fulfill a predetermined political outcome, in my opinion, is nothing more nor something less than the Rape of the Body Politic.

Those Bastards, the meanest weblog on the world wide web submits: Sunday Sermon: Road to Hell is paved with politically correct intentions
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, SO NICE TO SEE SO MANY SMILING FACES!

Cardinal Martini links with: Don't know much about history: II
Rosa Parks is getting a statue in the Capitol Building. This is a terrible idea. ... The system Rosa Parks fought against was racist, discriminatory, evil.

Tel-Chai Nation submits: Suicide bomber attacks Netanya mall
In another blow to Ariel Sharon's credibility, a sucide bomber attacked a shopping mall in Netanya today.

Kevin McCullough has started a Wish the ACLU a Merry Christmas Campaign that sounds way too much fun to pass up!

Go get as "Christmas" a Christmas card as you can find... something that says.. "Joy To The World", "For Unto Us A Child Is Born", but at least "Merry Christmas", put some of your own thoughts into it, sign it respectfully and zip it off in the mail to

ACLU
"Wishing You Merry Christmas"
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Can you imagine the conniption fits those ACLU geeks are going to have when they see the word Christmas? Try to find cards with little baby Jesuses on them to make them sick to their stomachs.

Merry Christmas ACLU!!!

linked with Stop the ACLU, The Political Teen, Michelle Malkin