Staying home on New Year's Eve

Mrs. Marathon Pundit is working tonight, and I'm home with Little Marathon Pundit and one of her friends. So I'm staying home on New Year's Eve.

That's not a problem--I'm watching the Bears Packers game, and I'm missing the aggravation I dealt with last year on New Year's Eve.

LMP and I went to First Night Evanston. As you'll read on this New Year's Day post, I was greeted by North Shore anti-war protesters ensconced on a table adjacent to the spot where I purchased tickets to the event. As we left with our tickets, we were "serenaded" by those World Can't Wait Drive Out the Bush Regime idiots. (Couldn't they let it rest one day?)

The happenings for First Night were sprawled across downtown Evanston, so shuttle buses were provided to ticket holders. Little Marathon Pundit and I got on one, but we had to quickly disembark--because a woman in a wheelchair blocked the because the vehicle didn't have handicapped accessibility.

It's good to be home.

Technorati tags: Evanston New Year's Eve World Can't Wait Anti War Leftists

Worst piece of MSM writing in 2006

My award for the worst journalistic prose of 2006--at least that I've come across--goes to columnist Carol Marin of the Chicago Sun-Times.

And wouldn't you know it involves Illinois' junior senator, Barack Obama.

From her December 17 column:

Now, it seems, time has chosen Obama as his clock ticks toward a January date with destiny. And no group of people is more excited than those of us who will cover the election. We like the fact that we knew him when. Long before folks in Iowa or New Hampshire stuck out their hands to press his flesh, we actually rubbed shoulders. He's our homey and we are his. As hometown press, we're wild about this story. A politician from Chicago tearing down a barrier of race. One of our own ready to make history.

Fair and balanced.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Congress 2008 elections Chicago Illinois

Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review with Claudia Rosett

Austin Bay interviews Pajamas Media's Claudia Rosett for the 29th Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review.

Rosett discusses the one organization in the world that is more corrupt than Cook County government: The United Nations. Kofi Annan, who leaves office today, is given a fitting send off. Russia, China, and North Korea are also discussed.

Ed Driscoll produces the podcast, which is sponsored by Volvo Cars US.

Listen or download here. Free subcriptions to Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review are available from iTunes.

Technorati tags: Current Affairs Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Volvo politics China United Nations North Korea Russia Российская

Sen. Boxer pulls award given to CAIR activist

Today's a bad end of the year for CAIR, whose Capitol Hill headquarters is pictured on the left.

A Joe Kaufman article from a couple of weeks ago on FrontPage Magazine caught the eye of Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

Here's an excerpt:

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) likes to give out what her staff calls "Certificates of Accomplishment." These are presented to community leaders who have exhibited qualities worthy of receiving such praise as comes from this recognition. Unfortunately, this month, one of these – an "Outstanding Service" award – was granted to none other than the Executive Director of CAIR-Sacramento, Basim Elkarra.

As stated previously, CAIR is connected to Islamic extremism. Four officials from CAIR have been charged with terrorist activity, two convicted and two deported. CAIR is currently the defendant in a lawsuit put forward by the family of FBI Agent John O'Neill for the group’s role in the 9/11 attacks. CAIR solicited funds for two "charities" whose accounts were frozen by the Department of Treasury for financing Hamas and Al-Qaeda. And CAIR’s parent organization, the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), was shut down, shortly after it was found liable for the Hamas murder of an American teenager.

There is evidence to suggest that Elkarra, himself, is a radical, apart from his connection to CAIR. Elkarra has described Israel as an "apartheid" and a "racist" state. He has defended someone that trained for jihad in a Pakistani terrorist camp; he has defended an imam that urged a Pakistani crowd to wage attacks on America; and he has defended an imam that was attempting to build an Islamic school for the purpose of teaching children how to commit violent acts against Americans. As well, he has moderated a pro-terror, anti-Israel event that featured a Hamas operative who spent five years in an Israeli prison.

And Boxer did the decent thing: She rescinded the award to CAIR's Elkarra.

Newsweek's Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball of Newsweek write:

In a highly unusual move, Sen. Barbara Boxer of California has rescinded an award to an Islamic activist in her home state because of the man’s connections to a major American Muslim organization that recently has been courted by leading political figures and even the FBI.

Boxer’s office confirmed to NEWSWEEK that she has withdrawn a "certificate of accomplishment" to Sacramento activist Basim Elkarra after learning that he serves as an official with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). After directing her staff to look into CAIR, Boxer "expressed concern" about some past statements and actions by the group, as well as assertions by some law enforcement officials that it "gives aid to international terrorist groups," according to Natalie Ravitz, the senator’s press spokeswoman.

FrontPage Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, David Horowitz, adds the final words to the Newsweek article:

I'm pleased that Boxer listened to us. The fact that Democrats are finally waking up is good.

Related posts: CAIR-Chicago recommended that DePaul fire Klocek

David Horowitz and Thomas Klocek to speak at DePaul on academic freedom in January

Technorati tags: CAIR Barbara Boxer David Horowitz Israel מדינת Islam California Terrorism Sacramento

The execution of Saddam: "Now, he is in the garbage of history"

This is the best observation I've come found regarding Saddam Hussein's execution:

"Now, he is in the garbage of history," said Jawad Abdul-Aziz, who lost his father, three brothers and 22 cousins in the reprisal killings that followed a botched 1982 assassination attempt against Saddam in the Shiite town of Dujail.

Technorati tags: Saddam iraq middle east العراق breaking news

Al Arabiya: Saddam is dead by hanging

According to an on air Fox News' reporter, Al-Arabiya is telling its viewers that Saddam Hussein has been executed by hanging.

Technorati tags: Saddam iraq middle east العراق breaking news

Saddam execution Q & A

The Times of London has a collection of good questions--and answers--about tonight's execution of Saddam Hussein.

Here are a couple:

What will happen to Saddam’s body?

Initially, it is likely to be buried in secret at an undisclosed location. One possibility is that it will be placed next to the corpse of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda terrorist killed by US troops this year. It is rumoured that he is buried in the green zone. Saddam’s family may eventually be given possession of his body. Saddam could then join his sons Uday and Qusay in the family cemetery near their former stronghold of Tikrit.

What about his final hours?

A special "waiting room" is set aside for condemned men to prepare for death. They can pray, drink water and smoke cigarettes. Guards bring a final meal, which the prisoner can order to his choice. They are led to the gallows wearing an orange uniform, their head covered by a cone-shaped black hood.

As for the final resting spot for Saddam's body, Reeuters is reporting that a daughter of Hussein is requesting that her dad's corpse be buried in Yemen, until Iraq is "liberated."

Technorati tags: Saddam iraq death penalty capital punishment middle east yemen العراق

Buh-bye Saddam...

Well, there's not much time left for Saddam Hussein. And the quick hanging spares us the scenes such as this one of the candlelight vigil crowd bemoaning another execution.

Technorati tags: Saddam iraq death penalty capital punishment middle east

Saddam: One more day?

Time is running out for the "Butcher of Baghdad." It looks like he'll be the last entry in for the "Notable Deaths of 2006" section of the world's newspapers.

According to AP, Saturday may be Saddam's last day on Earth.

Technorati tags: Saddam iraq law news current affairs

Obama presidential announcement on Oprah Show?

Obama mania has taken hold in the senator's native Hawaii. Yesterday a group of Hawaiians held a press conference urging the Illinois Democrat to run for president.

Among those who took part was Congressman Neil Abercrombie.

From the Honolulu Advertiser:

If Hawaii-born Sen. Barack Obama decides to seek the Democratic Party nomination for president, he will likely make the announcement soon on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," according to U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii.

He said Obama had indicated during an earlier appearance with Winfrey that he would be announce his candidacy on the program if he decides to run in 2008.

"If that takes place, it will be the most-watched daytime television show in American history," said Abercrombie, who held a press conference yesterday with a small group of other Hawaii-based Obama supporters to urge that he join the race.

More...

Abercrombie said he had spoken with Obama during his visit here but was not in daily contact with him, and that Obama's supporters had made it a point not to pester him.

Well, there's a precedent. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his political intentions on the Tonight Show a few years ago.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama television Senate 2008 elections Oprah Illinois Hawaii politics

Tony Blair's Miami Beach stay at Robin Gibb's house not free says Gibb's bisexual-Druid wife

If you can't trust the bisexual wife of a pop has-been who also happens to be a bisexual Druid priestess, then there is no one you can believe in.

From London's Times newspaper:

The riddle over Tony Blair’s controversial winter vacation deepened yesterday as Downing Street tried to fight off accusations that the Prime Minister had accepted a free holiday at the palatial Miami home of the pop star Robin Gibb.

The latest Blair family holiday rumpus descended into near-farce as Downing Street and the former Bee Gees star’s wife, Dwina, gave very different accounts of who was paying for the holiday.

Downing Street insisted that the Blairs were paying their way, while Mrs Gibb, a bisexual Druid priestess from Northern Ireland, undermined their defence by insisting that no money was changing hands. "It’s a friendly arrangement," she told one newspaper.

The mystery intensified further as Downing Street hinted that Mrs Gibb didn't know what she was talking about, and that a "private commercial agreement" had in fact been made with Mr Gibb’s manager, John Campbell.

I'm backing the priestess' account.

The last words belong to Robin Gibb, who says his marriage is "totally open. We like to cruise and we like to watch."

Technorati tags: bisexual Florida Miami UK Tony Blair Bee Gees news

Saddam won't be hanging around long

Well, it looks like the "Butcher of Baghdad" won't be around to see 2007, as NBC News is reporting the Saddam Hussein will be hanged for his crimes by Sunday at the latest.

His executioners will be more merciful than he was with his victims.

Yesterday former US Attorney General turned whacko Ramsey Clark, a member of Saddams's defense team, urged President Bush to spare the former Iraqi dictator's life.

That won't be happening.

Besides, there is a jurisdictional issue here. Saddam was convicted by an Iraqi court.

Technorati tags: Saddam iraq law Ramsey Clark Bush

Reinstate Prof. Thomas Klocek at DePaul petition gets a bunch of new signatures

Thanks to Third Wave Dave and The Radio Patriots, we've got a bunch of new signatures on the Reinstate Thomas Klocek at DePaul petition.

Don't forget to add your name and right this wrong.

Technorati tags: DePaul Free Speech Academic freedom Thomas Klocek Chicago Illinois law

Bob Woodward interview with Ford: Late president against Iraq invasion

From Bob Woodward and the Washington Post:

Former president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. "I don't think I would have gone to war," he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration.

Hey, Ford at least had the class not to be a Jimmy Carter about things. Via Pajamas Media, Blue Crab Boulevard adds some insight:

Could we at least pay our respects and give a decent man a decent burial before we start again with the endless attacks?

Yes, I am talking to you, Bob Woodward. And to a number of left wing bloggers as well.

Technorati tags: Gerald Ford Iraq Bush Jimmy Carter news

Pope pulls into lead at Islam Online's Person of the Year poll

Thanks once again to Cliff May of National Review's Corner blog for drawing attention to the Islam Online Person of the Year Internet poll.

When I posted last night about the early tally of the balloting. At that time, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had a commanding lead over the other nominees with 69 percent of the vote, with Hamas leader Ismael Haniya (15 percent) and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (7 percent).

Things look much better tonight. My choice, Pope Benedict XVI has pulled into the lead with 32 percent of the vote. Trailing closely behind the Holy Father is Hezbollah's Nasrallah with 30 percent. Haniya has just 18 percent now, and Ahmadinejad is holding steady with 7 percent.

As they say in Chicago, vote early and vote often.

Related post: Bad guys dominate voting in Islam Online's Person of the Year tally

Technorati tags: Islam terrorism 2006 Nasrallah Haniya Hamas Hezbollah news خبر iran فارسی Ahmadinejad catholic pope

Bush signs bill banning protests at military funerals

I heard about this story on the O'Reilly Factor--guest hosted by John Kasich--that President Bush signed legislation into law a bill that effectively bans the type of funeral protests used by Fred Phelps' vile Westboro Baptist Church.

The deluded Phelps and his followers have somehow convinced themselves that God is punishing America for it's acceptance of gays.

One of the co-sponsors of the bill is someone I'm usually pretty rough on: Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL).

I blogged about Westboro and Phelps a lot last year, but as state after state--including my own, enacted similar legislation, I viewed that battle as maybe not won, but close to it, hence my drop-off in posts on Phelps. Additionally, the mainstream media began to blow the whistle on their "church." But again, bloggers beat them to it.

Technorati tags: Bush Westboro Baptist Church Fred Phelps gay news Durbin military

Internet error moves Edwards announcement up one day

It seems to me that John Edwards has trouble hiring quality staff. Last month, an apparently errant staffer tried to pull some strings with a North Carolina Wal-Mart to cut-in-line and get a just-released PlayStation3 for Edwards kids--on the same day the former senator along with Barack Obama participated in a conference call with the anti Wal-Mart group Wake Up Wal-Mart.

Too-early uploading of news is a common problem among bloggers and mainstream media sites. To date haven't made that error, but it's bound to happen to me one day. I receive quarantined press releases, and I've been quite diligent about posting them at the agreed-upon-time. Just last week I had one of those, and a big-deal Chicago paper had in on their site hours beforehand.

Back to Edwards and his webmaster. Making a mistake like this one--posting a day early a summary of Edwards announcement that he'll be running for president--that is, the announcement--is an inexcusable mess-up.

What the webmaster can fall back on is this fact: Everyone already knew Edwards was running.

Related posts: John Edwards wakes up to Wal-Mart nightmare

Edwards, Clark, still have unpaid 2004 debt

John Edwards' odd choice to run his campaign: David Bonior

Technorati tags: John Edwards politics 2008 Obama Wal Mart

Welcome National Review Online Corner Readers!

Thank you Cliff May of National Review Online for linking to my earlier post about the Islam Online poll.

Technorati tags: National Review blog blogging

A check on Obama mania

Syndicated columnist Froma Harrop has a good critique of presumed presidential candidate Barack Obama and Obama mania.

From that column:

What was Obama saying that other centrists would not have? Absolutely nothing.

Obama talked about ending the nastiness in Washington and taking personal responsibility, and that government can't solve all problems — platitudes emptied of all controversy. If anything, his colleagues from Indiana would surely have offered more exciting commentary.

Obama's appeal comes not from the things he says, but from who is saying them. He scores as an exotic who talks of barbershops and church socials in the flat tones you'd expect from any son of the prairie.

Had (Indiana Senator Evan) Bayh been half-Kenyan and raised in Hawaii by white grandparents from Kansas, he too would have become a political star, at least for the month of December. But he is a conventional white man. When Bayh speaks in the quiet Midwestern way, he gets tarred as lackluster.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Congress Senate 2008 elections Chicago Illinois Iowa

Little known facts about Gerald Ford

The late Gerald Ford was the only president born in Nebraska. Because of a couple of well-publicized falls, Ford gained a reputation as a klutz. In fact, he was probably the best athlete ever to serve as president. He started at center for the University of Michigan football team and was offered an NFL contract after he graduated.

Just as the Gingrich "Class of '94" was viewed as an beginning-of-an-era Congress, so was the post-war "Class of '46." Three presidents were alumni from that group: Ford, Richard Nixon, and John F. Kennedy. Unlike Ford, Nixon and Kennedy quickly moved on to the Senate.

CORRECTION 7:10PM: Although Nixon and Ford worked closely together while both were in the House, Ford was first elected to the House in 1948.

Gerald Ford History Nebraska News Congress

Gerald Ford passes away

Just as Harry Truman died in 1972, former President Gerald R. Ford passed away on the day after Christmas.

A Midwesterner as well, Ford died in his adopted hometown of Rancho Mirage, California last night.

Ford inherited the presidency at a miserable time: the Nixon Watergate Scandal put our nation through it's worse crisis since the Civil War. The Vietnam war--sans US troops--hadn't ended yet, and Nixon left Ford with a bad economy as well

Ford did a great job as president during a very tough time. Rest in peace.

Technorati tags: Gerald Ford news Harry Truman history

Bad guys dominate voting in Islam Online's Person of the Year tally

In a list dominated by villains, brigands, and cut-throats, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is leading early voting in Islam Online's Person of the Year Internet poll.

Nasrallah has collected an astonishing 69 percent of the votes so far. In a very distant second is Hamas leader Ismael Haniya with 15 percent. In third is the world's most prominent Holocaust denier, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with a paltry 7 percent.

Yes, I'm aware there could be some Freeping going on here organized by the more strident followers of Islam.

Here are the other Islam Online Person of the Year candidates: Hugo Chavez, Donald Rumsfeld, (Malaysian President) Abdullah Ahmed Badawi, (Lebanese Prime Minister) Fuad el Siniora, Pope Benedict XVI, (Bangladeshi financier) Muhammad Yunus, Ayatollah Sistani, Saddam Hussein, and Kim Jong Il.

I voted for the Pope--he's at 1.5 percent.

Technorati tags: Islam terrorism 2006 Nasrallah Haniya Hamas Hezbollah news خبر iran فارسی Ahmadinejad

Judicial Watch cites Obama and Hillary on its "Corrupt Politicians" list

Two Democratic presidential hopefuls, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, were cited by the watchdog group Judicial Watch in its annual list of corrupt politicians. Hillary Rodham Clinton made JW's list of "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" of 2006.

Here is HRC's entry:

January 2006, Hillary Clinton’s fundraising operation was fined $35,000 by the Federal Election Commission for failing to accurately report more than $700,000 in contributions to Clinton’s Senate 2000 campaign. New information also surfaced in 2006 raising more questions about Hillary and her brother Anthony Rodham’s connection to the Clinton Pardongate scandal, where presidential pardons were allegedly traded in exchange for cash and other favors.

And Barack Obama made the list of "Dishonorable Mentions."

News reports surfaced in 2006 that Illinois Senator Barak Obama entered into an unusual land deal with a now-indicted political fundraiser, Tony Rezko. The complicated real estate transaction occurred when it was widely known that Rezko was under federal investigation in a political corruption scandal.

For those of you who view Judicial Watch as a "right-wing attack" dog, several Republicans were "honored" by JW this year.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Richard Lugar Congress Senate 2008 elections Hillary Clinton

Biden's presidential hopes may not extend beyond his dreams

A relic from the Democrats' 1988 presidential race debacle, Delaware Senator Joe Biden, let's anyone who's listening know why he thinks he should be the nation's next chief executive.

Gary Hart has yet to be heard from regarding his 2008 plans.

Technorati tags: Biden politics 2008 Delaware Democrats

Slow news day: Obama may put '08 HQ in Chicago

Likely Democratic candidate for president, Sen. Barack Obama, may place his presidential campaign headquarters in his hometown of Chicago, according to Lynn Sweet's Christmas Day column.

Sweet's reasoning is that this will place at Obama's disposal plenty of locals that can be quickly dispatched to Iowa for the first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Listen to me: Barring an implosion of his campaign, Obama's people will able to marshall up plenty of Obama mania-struck Illinoisans to hop on Interstate 80 for a quick trip to the Hawkeye State to drum up support for St. Barack.

Perhaps Obama is looking to separate himself from Washington by placing his campaign headquarters in Chicago, making one of those symbolic moves so popular with liberals. I can't remember if it was in 1999 or early 2000, but the Gore campaign made a big deal when they moved their 2000 headquarters from DC to Nashville--in his home state of Tennessee. But not only did Gore lose the election, he lost the Volunteer State too.

If he makes it that far, Obama is in no danger of losing Illinois in the 2008 general election. But a couple of Novembers from now, few voters will care where his campaign headquarters is.

The best choice for Obama's presidential campaign headquarters in my opinion? Washington. Then he'll be on Capitol Hill more often, so he can work on adding to his lean legislative record--which currently consists of one co-sponsored bill that's been enacted into law. But he's got another bill that may soon become law, co-sponsored by Indiana Republican Richard Lugar--this one seeks to prevent weapons from getting into the hands of terrorists.

Still, Obama works much faster than John Kerry.

Oh, yes I know Obama has been a low-seniority member in the minority party in the senate and is not expected to have a plethora of bills attached to his name. But since he's almost certainly running for president, the bar has to be set high.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Richard Lugar Congress Senate 2008 elections Chicago Illinois Iowa

White Christmas celebrated by troops in Afghanistan

It may not be peaceful in Afghanistan, but our troops our celebrating a White Christmas there today.

Technorati tags: Christmas holidays holidays military

15 Christmases ago: The Soviet Union ends

On December 25, 1991, the Soviet Union officially died when Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as president of the USSR.

Two Christmases prior, after a less-than-fair trial, brutal communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu of Romania, along with his Elena, were executed by a firing squad after being tried by a military tribunal.

Technorati tags: Christmas on this day history Romania
Russia Российская

First record of Christmas trees comes from Latvia

Most historical sources attribute the Christmas tree tradition to the Germans, although the first record of such a tree was in Riga, Latvia in 1510. What are now the nations of Estonia and Latvia were ruled by the German Teutonic Knights.

Pictured above is Riga at Christmas time.

Related post: News you probably missed: Latvian president addressed joint session of Congress

Technorati tags: Latvia Latvija Christmas Merry Christmas Ziemassvetkus Germany Weinachten Deutschland

Merry Christmas!

To all the readers, visitors, and lurkers of Marathon Pundit: Merry Christmas!!!!

Technorati tags: Christmas holidays merry christmas

Mark Steyn on the collapse of humanity

The declining birth rate among most of the world's nations is the somber subject of the latest column by Mark Steyn.

Technorati tags: Steyn current affairs politics

Funeral for great leader of Turkmenistan set for Sunday

Most of the mainstream media have no respect for the legacy of Serdar Turkmenbashi. His name translates roughly into "Great Leader of the Turkmen," and this inspirational man led Turkmenistan for 21 years.

Rather than properly preserving the memory of the late president of Tukemenistan, the MSM insists on referring to the fallen leader by his birth name, Saparmurat Niyazov.

Turkmenabashi died of a heart attack last week at the too-young age of 66.

But consider this man's greatness:

He renamed the month of January after himself. April is named for his mother. Turkmenbashi wrote a spiritual book about himself, Ruhnama. All children read it.

Pictures of Turkmenbashi are on every street corner in the central Asian nation.

Who can deny the greatness of this man? Besides, just name one other person you've heard of from Turkmenistan?

So long, Turkmenbashi, We'll miss you.

Technorati tags: Turkmenistan central asia Niyazov Turkmenbashi news politics current events

UPDATED! More problems for Obama: Senator hired intern with ties to Tony Rezko

Most of the analyses of the controversial Rezko-Obama deal focus on one conclusion: Obama's reputation hasn't taken a major hit from the disclosure of the complicated real estate transactions. However, further revelations of shady deals with Rezko, the pundits agrees, could damage Obama's presidential hopes.

This Chicago Tribune story may not crack the Barack Obama aura, but it's bad news for the Illinois Democrat, who is currently six time zones away from Chicago visiting family in Hawaii.

From the Chicago "free registration required" Tribune:

Rezko recommended a 20-year-old student from Glenview for one of the coveted summer internships in Obama's Capitol Hill office.

The student got the job and spent five weeks in Washington, answering Obama's front office phone and logging constituent mail. The student was paid an $804 stipend--about $160 a week--for a position valued mostly for the experience it provides.

More...

As the internship drew to a close in August 2005, the intern's father was cited in court records as an unnamed, unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged state government bribery scheme linked to Rezko. A news report about the court records identified him by name.

Obama's spokesman said Obama would not comment on the internship because he is spending the holidays with his family. But spokesman Robert Gibbs said the internship in no way contradicts Obama's previous statements that he has never done any favors for Rezko, given jobs to Rezko associates or been involved with Rezko "in any government activities of any sort."

The father of the intern is Joseph Aramanda, who, according to the Chicago Sun-Times in October, was implicated as an individual "D" in Rezko's indictment.

From the October 12 Chicago Sun-Times:

C. Sheldon Pekin: Consultant who allegedly agreed to kick back $250,000 in fees in return for getting TRS business.

D. Joseph Aramanda: Rezko associate who allegedly got $250,000 from Pekin "in substantial part for the benefit of Rezko."

UPDATE 5:30PM CST: The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Aramanda has contributed $11,500 to Obama's campaigns since 2000. Also, in the same article, the Sun-Times notes that since 1990, indicted fundraiser Tony Rezko has raised as much as $60,000 for various Obama campaigns. Rezko wrote checks for $11,500 to Obama's senate campaign, that money was donated to charity.

Related posts: More Obama and Rezko

Obama watch: More Tony Rezko

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Tony Rezko Democrats corruption 2008

Another burning man political protest

I'm wondering if we have a disturbing trend on our hands. Last month I blogged about the fiery suicide of Chicagoan Malachi Ritscher, an anti war activist.

In a story largely ignored by even the local media, Ritscher set fire on himself to draw attention to the anti-war cause. Ritscher's suicide has been a hot topic on the blogs, however.

Yesterday, a central California man set himself on fire--he survived after a police officer put out the flames with a fire extinguisher.

His reason? To protest the renaming of winter and spring vacation to Christmas and Easter breaks.

Just as with the Chicago incident, mental illness of the self-immolater has to figure in as a contributing cause for the California man's suicide attempt.

Related post: Glenn & Helen Show podcast: Suicide is painful

Technorati tags: Christmas CaliforniaMental Health Current Affairs Suicide News left

CNN Headline: "Romney's likeliest backers think his religion is a cult"

Certainly there has been a lot of discussion of Gov. Mitt Romney's faith--he's a Mormon--and that many evangelical Christians, particularly in the South, currently don't feel comfortable with the religion formally known as the Church of Latter Day Saints.

However, I think the CNN headline that accompanies the story, Romney's likeliest backers think his religion is a cult goes a little too far.

Technorati tags: Mormonism mormon 2008 republicans politics elections religion CNN MSM Christianity Romney

Glenn & Helen Show podcast: A Martha Stewart and Sarbanes Oxely Christmas

Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit and his wife, Dr. Helen Smith, interview Joan Hemingway, editor of the book Martha Stewart's Legal Troubles. Calling in is an author of one of the chapters in the book, Ellen Podgor.

The four talk about the uniqueness and possible unfairness of the prosecution of the home-perfection diva. They also openly question the soundness of the Sarbanes-Oxely bill, a law that is generally despised in the business world--auditors excluded--and how the tone of Sarbox and similar laws is that it seems to criminalize everything.

At the end of the podcast there is a great, politically correct, but tongue in cheek holiday song by Audra and the Antidote.

The podcast is sponsored by Volvo Cars US.

Free subscriptions to the Glenn & Helen Show are available at the iTunes web site.

Technorati tags: podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Current Affairs sarbanes-oxley Martha Stewart books

Reinstate Prof. Thomas Klocek at DePaul petition reaches 1800 signatures

Marathon Pundit has been covering the unhappy saga of fired DePaul Professor Thomas Klocek since early last year.

Since I've noticed my blog hit count is up of late--thank you Senator Obama--there are a lot of new visitors to Marathon Pundit. So I'm reposting the Scholars for Peace in the Middle East petition to get Klocek's job back at Chicago's DePaul University.

Recently, the benchmark of 1,800 signatures was reached. The goal for this petition is for 2,000 people to sign it.

So we've got some work to do. Here's the petition, the link to it is at the bottom of this post.

Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., Ed.D., President and Susanne M. Dumbleton, Ph.D., Dean of the School for New Learning, DePaul University

We, the undersigned faculty members from around the world, stand solidly with Professor Thomas Klocek, a Roman Catholic, who was dismissed by DePaul University for allegedly offending Muslim students when discussing Christian interests in Israel, disputing that Israeli treatment of Palestinians was akin to the Nazi treatment of the Jews and then terminating the discussion when it appeared that the students were more interested in Israel-bashing than discussing the issues.

We believe this case sheds serious questions on the commitment to academic freedom and civility in academic discussion with this egregious termination. We further believe that this action by administration has separated DePaul from the academic community.

It is our understanding that Prof. Klocek alleges:

1) He was never allowed to meet with his accusers.

2) He was never presented with a written list of the complaints or charges against him.

3) He was suspended by the Dean of the School for New Learning in clear violation of the University's own stated Faculty Handbook procedures.

4) He was never given a hearing.

5) A vote by the DePaul Faculty Council affirmed that the same rules that apply for a formal academic hearing apply to all professors, full-time and adjuncts alike.

As a result, we believe that Professor Klocek, a faculty member with a 15-year history of excellent evaluations and no prior complaints, was dismissed without due process and should be reinstated without penalty or prejudice and with back pay, restitution of benefits and compensation for his legal and other expenses incurred as a result of his being improperly terminated.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Click here to sign.

Technorati tags: DePaul Free Speech Academic freedom Thomas Klocek Chicago Illinois law middle east israel catholic

John Kass on Obama mania and the Daleys

The Chicago Tribune's excellent columnist John Kass has his latest take on Obama mania, tying it in to the fortunes of the Daley family. Mayor Richard M. Daley has already endorsed a Barack Obama presidential run, and his brother and former Al Gore campaign chairman, William Daley, has signed on to Team Obama as a senior advisor.

Kass wonders if the Daley brothers will rename the senator "O'Bama."

In my opinion, that would serve two purposes. First, a lot of people in Chicago pronounce "Obama" in a way the that rhymes with "Alabama." Secondly, even in the 21st century--after wave upon wave of newer immigrants have arrived here--Irish or Irish sounding names tend to do well on Cook County ballots.

Kass and other members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board met with Illinois' junior senator last week. Kass asked if Obama--if he's elected president--would reappoint US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald?

Now outside of the state, Fitzgerald is best known for his role in the "Plamegate" investigation. Here, Fitzgerald's name is associated with prosecutions that touch near the nerve center of the Daley political machine, as well as the administration of his fellow Democrat, Governor Rod Blagojevich. Fitzgerald goes after Republicans too, his office, pending appeals, successfully prosecuted former Governor George Ryan.

And what about Obama's property neighbor Tony Rezko? Fitzgerald's office is handling that case too.

Kass reports that Obama hedged on whether he'd re-appoint Fitzgerald. Of course, Mayor Daley, whose administration has been pummelled by Fitzgerald, wants Fitzgerald out yesterday.

The Kass column is available here. Free registration may be required.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Democrats 2008 Daley Illinois Tony Rezko Patrick Fitzgerald

Pam of Blogmeister USA has an exchange with the San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle

Friend of the blog Pam of Blogmeister USA has a little bit of interactation with Mick LaSalle of SFGate.com, the online version of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Here is Pam's entry. And you'll find Mick's here.

Technorati tags: san francisco blog blogging

New Sanity Squad podcast on Obama mania and Palestinian civil war

Who better than four mental health professional to investigate the phenomenon known as Obama mania? This week's edition has a cold-stricken Neo-Neo Con joined by Siggy, ShrinkWrapped, and Dr. Sanity.

Shrinkwrapped compares Obama to a backup quarterback on a losing football team, since he's always the most popular player on that team--until he gets in a game.

Citing a recent Clarence Page column, Dr. Sanity views Illinois' junior senator as a flesh-and-blood Rorschach ink-blot test. Democrats see in Obama what they want to see in a presidential contender.

Siggy as always is the most outspoken, he compares Barack to "a good looking girl sitting at the end of the bar with a low-cut dress," when all around are "faded whores"--retread candidates. But Siggy adds, "The Republicans have the same problem."

Although, I have one complaint with Siggy. He thinks the politics in Chicago are corrupt. Where did he get that idea?

Oh, not by name, but the Rezko deal is briefly referred to in the podcast.

The four also discuss the mess of what can only loosely be called Palestinian government, and the possibility of civil war among the Palestinians.

Listen or download here. Free subscriptions are available at the iTunes web site.

Technorati tags: Obama barack obama illinois palestine middle east palestinian Current Affairs Mental Health Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Politics Central

Free podcasts from Roger McGuinn

I ran into a relative of former Byrd Roger McGuinn at work--McGuinn is a Chicago native--who informed me that Roger has free podcast performances available at the iTunes web site.

I'm a huge Byrds fan, by the way.

Subcribe to the Roger McGuinn's Folk Den here.

Technorati tags: Roger McGuinn Byrds music podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod

Bloggers paid to write about products must 'fess up

Sadly, I am not one of these bloggers who gets paid to write about products or companies, despite my plethora of Treo posts.

From AP:

A company that helps advertisers connect with bloggers willing to write about their products for payment will now require disclosures amid criticism and a regulatory threat.

Before this week, advertisers were barred by PayPerPost Inc. from telling bloggers they can't disclose the sponsorship, but bloggers were able to decide on their own whether or not to do so. Under the new policy, bloggers must disclose that they are accepting payment, either in the write-up or in a general disclosure policy on the blogger's Web journal.

"Ever since we launched, there's been a lot of controversy about disclosure," said Ted Murphy, PayPerPost's chief executive.

Besides other bloggers questioning the ethics of receiving payments without disclosure, the Federal Trade Commission said in a Dec. 7 staff opinion that failure to disclose could, in some cases, violate consumer-protection laws on deception. The FTC did not single out PayPerPost or say whether it would launch any investigation.

Technorati tags: blogging blog business law ethics PayPerPost

Obama: Not black enough? Or free from the legacy of slavery?

There are reasons, in my opinion, to support--or not support-- Illinois Senator Barack Obama in his presumed run for the presidency.

His race--or races--or his "cultural legacy" shouldn't matter. But to some, maybe just a few African-Americans, it does.

From AFP:

In contrast to the effusive reception Obama has received from white Americans, many US blacks so far have been cool, saying that while they may share skin color with Obama, they do not have a common culture or history.

"Obama did not -- does not -- share a heritage with the majority of black Americans, who are descendants of plantation slaves," wrote African-American newspaper columnist Stanley Crouch last month in an article entitled "Barack Obama -- Not Black Like Me."

On the flipside, African-American author and NPR commentator Steven Barnes presents a different view point:

(He) argues that one of the reasons Sen. Barack Obama could be such an appealing candidate is that he doesn't carry the cultural baggage of slavery,since his father was an immigrant to the United States.

Technorati tags: Obama 2008 politics barack obama black african-american politics elections illinois

Foie gras rebellion in Chicago

Earlier this year, Chicago Alderman Joe Moore gained national attention for his drive to impose "living wages" on big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Lowes. Moore's bill passed Chicago's City Council. That led some of these retailers to put their Chicago expansion drives on hold, until Mayor Richard Daley vetoed the ordinance.

In a lesser way, Moore got some national press for his bill--this one passed and wasn't vetoed--that banned the duck liver delicacy foie gras. Moore and others view the treatment of ducks being prepared for later foie gras treats as being cruel to the birds.

In today's Chicago "free registration required" Tribune, the paper reports that many restaurants are openly serving foie gras--ignoring the new law.

Chicago's City Council needs to focus on "nuts and bolts" issues, like streets and keeping taxes low. However, the city is now considering a trans fat ban.

Technorati tags: foie gras chicago metroblogging joe moore wal-mart big box business restaurants food trans fat

I could have told them that for free

From News.com Australia:

The Australian weightlifting community has been linked to the organised distribution and supply of prohibited drugs including steroids and human growth hormone, a report has found.

The report by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) was commissioned earlier this year.

Technorati tags: Australia weighlifting steroids sports

George S. Patton died on Dec. 21, 1945

Third Wave Dave has a terrific post up honoring the 61st anniversary of the death of General George S. Patton, Jr. Visit his site here. And another friend of the blog, The Radio Patriots, has also created a great online tribute to the greatest American general of World War II.

Technorati tags: Patton wwii history on this day

Mayor Daley will endorse Obama for president in '08

For only the second time in Mayor Richard M. Daley's long tenure as Chicago's chief executive, he will make an early endorsement of a Democratic hopeful for president.

In 1998, Daley was quick to endorse Al Gore in his run for the top job. Now Daley says he'll back Obama in his presumed quest for the White House.

There is a common thread between these endorsements: Daley's brother Bill, the former commerce secretary. Bill Daley later became the campaign chairman for Gore's ill-fated 2000 campaign. And earlier this week, brother Bill signed on as a senior adviser for the unofficial Obama campaign.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Here you have not only an Illinoisan, but a Chicagoan who is a major contender for the highest office in the land. . . . When in our history have we ever had a favorite son this close to [the White House]? Why not get on board early?" said a Daley confidant, who asked to remain unnamed. "Hillary Clinton has been a great senator, a wonderful civic leader. But logic dictates that a Chicago mayor would be behind the Chicagoan who has taken the world by storm. Beyond that, this man has tremendous potential. The world sees that. It stands to reason that the mayor sees it."

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Politics Democrats Daley 2008 Chicago

A headline Barack Obama doesn't want to see....

Iraqi with ties to Rezko escapes Baghdad jail

Now of course, Sen. Barack Obama probably hasn't even heard of Aiham Alsammarae, the escapee who is the former Iraqi electricity minister. Alsammarae was being held in an Iraqi jail on corruption charges.

Here's the problem for Barack Obama. Tony Rezko, an indicted Democratic fundraiser and real estate developer, has tentacles seemingly everywhere. So there won't be any shortage of new Tony Rezko material.

Here's a rough run-down of Obama's controversial land deal with Tony Rezko.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Tony Rezko Democrats real estate

"The Nativity Story" preview now playing in Chicago

As I noted on Marathon Pundit a couple of times this month, a German-American group organized its annual Christkindlmarket, a Christmas celebration, in downtown Chicago.

One of the sponsors of this year's event is the film "The Nativity Story."
A trailer of the film was being shown at Christkindlmarket, until the City of Chicago Department of Special Events told the festival organizers to stop playing it. First, the department said the trailer was "insensitive to the many people of different faiths." Its explanation shifted to this retort: the film is "too commercial." The latter stand didn't prevent the McDonalds Thanksgiving Parade from taking place in Chicago last month.

But at today 11:00 am Chicago time, the trailer will return.

From a TC Public Relations press release.

City Reverses Position on Showing of Religious Movie Trailer at Annual Christmas Market

(Chicago...Media reports around the world have covered statements by Jim Law, Chicago’s executive director of special events, where he said that a trailer for the movie The Nativity Story could not be shown at a Christmas festival in downtown Chicago. Law stated that the trailer would be "insensitive to the many people of different faiths." Now to show that the cinematic version of Jesus’ birth is welcomed in Chicago, a group of Christians that see the trailer as religious expression have convinced the City of Chicago to allow them to show the trailer. The Christian supporters are Jim Finnegan, one of the sponsors of the manger on Daley Plaza , and Civil Liberties for Urban Believers (CLUB) an association of Chicago churches. The trailer will run from 11 am Wednesday, December 20 through Christmas Day on Daley Plaza located at 50 West Washington Street in Chicago. Press conference at 11 am on Wednesday, December 20th.

"For years I’ve had the privilege of being involved in presentation of Chicago nativity scene that displayed at Daley Plaza. Showing The Nativity Story trailer after Chicago officials had first declared that there was no room at "Daley Plaza Inn" represents a victory for all civil liberties and a welcomed accommodation that brings the message of the Messiah’s birth to life," said Jim Finnegan.

"While the City of Chicago certainly should not endorse religious speech, the Constitution and a number of Supreme Court decisions make clear that citizens and private organizations have a right to religious expression in the public square," said John Mauck with Mauck & Baker, whose firm worked with Finnegan, CLUB, and the Chicago-based Thomas More Society to file for the permits to show the trailer, "Ironically, this past summer, despite many people being offended by the governmental endorsement of the Gay Games, the City of Chicago promoted that event enthusiastically. In contrast we had to work hard and threaten litigation to overcome the City's initial prohibition against a private group showing people the Savior of the world in a public place. Hopefully Chicago will stop discriminating against religious speech."

The right to show this trailer was settled in 1989 when Jennifer Neubauer, then a private lawyer and now chairman of Thomas More Society, filed a federal lawsuit and won a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction from Chief Judge James B. Parsons of the U.S.District Court in Chicago, prohibiting any discrimination against private religious expression on Daley Center Plaza, a traditional public forum. The court granted permission to erect religious displays on public property without discrimination against expression on account of religious content. "The reason we can now see a manger with Jesus, an Islamic Crescent and a Jewish Menorah is because of that court case back in the 1980's. Freedom of religious expression in the public square is protected as one of our most fundamental rights under the First Amendment," said Tom Brejcha, Chief Counsel, Thomas More Society of Chicago.

Earlier posts: City of Chicago statement on Christkindlmarket and The Nativity Story film

Christmas Scrooges in Chicago

Technorati tags: Christmas holidays religion Chicago The Nativity Story law

Only in Chicago: Four convicted felons seek to regain their aldermanic seats

In most places, politicians run for office and then get convicted on corruption charges, never to be heard from, politically at least, ever again.

(Yes, I'm aware of Marion Barry's achievement.)

Four former Chicago alderman, Percy Giles, Ambrosio Medrano, Wallace Davis, and Virgil Jones, have filed petitions to reclaim their council seats. As former felons, Illinois law is unclear if they have forfeited the right to run for public office.

However, as part of their platform, the four men can tell voters, "I've served my time already."

Technorati tags: Chicago crime corruption politics

2008: Gilmore set to explore

I was thinking the cupboard of Republican candidates for president, especially on the conservative end of the table, was getting a bit empty. But out of the Old Dominion, former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore is forming a presidential exploratory committee.

The November mid-term elections sank the presidential prospects of Gilmore's fellow Virginian George Allen and his Senate colleague Bill Frist. Both men were viewed as strong contenders to win the 2008 Republican nomination for president and could both boast of strong conservative credentials.

They're out, but Gilmore may be in.

From AP:

"There is not a committed conservative in the field who can put together a national campaign. I am and I can. I have people on the ground right now in Iowa and in South Carolina," Gilmore, 57, said in a telephone interview from New York.

His comments were directed not only at others preparing for a GOP presidential run, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and departing Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. It's also yet another of his many slaps at lavish federal spending by the current Republican administration and Congress.

"I am not someone who has to evolve as a conservative. I don't have to evolve my position," he said.

Just like that other self-described "true-conservative" Sam Brownback, Gilmore has little name recognition outside of the population of political junkies.

Technorati tags: Jim Gilmore Brownback 2008 republicans Politics

"Jewish cabal" comment from O.J. publisher draws ire

O.J. Simpson, not Jewish.... Adam Sandler, The Hanukkah Song.

Judith Regan, became the former publisher at HarperCollins after she claimed that a "Jewish cabal" was out to get her.

Regan was the "brainchild" behind the almost-publication of the book, "written" by the semi-literate O.J. Simpson, "If I Did It."

"It" of course being the murders of his former wife Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.

From AP:

If Ms. Regan did make the charge that a Jewish cabal was conspiring against her, she clearly stepped over the line by employing the age-old anti-Semitic canard that Jews conspire against non-Jews," ADL (Anti-Defamation League) National Director Abraham H. Foxman said. "She also gives credence to the conspiracy theory that Jews control the media.

Technorati tags: O.J. Simpson Jewish anti-semitism books news entertainment Hanukkah

More Obama and Rezko

Friend of the blog, Republican strategist, and former newspaper reporter Dan Curry of Reverse Spin has a take on Obama-Rezko controversy.

From his blog, Reverse Spin:

First, it's a bit silly to suggest that he didn't know Tony Rezko was in the crosshairs of newspapers and investigators. Rezko was front page news throughout 2005, even in the early months. It is part of a larger pattern of Obama not speaking out about corruption in his own party. He endorsed the ethically challenged Alexi Giannoulias for state treasurer and stuck by him after it was revealed he was responsible for bank loans to mobsters. Then he stood silently by at the Illinois State Fair in August, refusing to say a word about nine state and federal corruption investigations of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Then, a few weeks later, he had the Audacity to lecture Kenya about corruption.

I'm getting really local here, but I think it's important to bring up Obama's endorsement of Democrat Todd Stroger for President of the Cook County Board. (Cook has a population larger than most states.)

From Eric Zorn's Chicago Tribune blog:

Obama's staff released a profoundly disheartening letter to voters this week in which Obama, joined by Sen. Dick Durbin, endorsed Cook County Board presidential candidate Todd Stroger.

The letter, which puffs lots of hot air into the saggy balloon of Stroger's legislative resume, refers to him as "a good progressive Democrat" who will "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."

Todd Stroger was a "strong voice" in Springfield, the letter says. He has "worked assiduously" for the poor as an alderman. Yet, of course, the record reveals that Stroger is an unimaginative legislative drone whose reform credentials are wholly imaginary--an unlikely trailblazer to a new era.

In a back room deal that shocked even Illinois residents, Stroger was foisted on Cook County voters after his father, who created the mess that is known as Cook County government, suffered a stroke shortly before the senior Stroger's primary victory.

Sadly, Todd Stroger was victorious in November.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Tony Rezko Democrats corruption 2008

Jesse Jackson Jr's wife running for alderman in Chicago

The nepotism practices of the Rev. Jesse Jackson are well documented. Now his son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., is helping out the family. His wife is running for alderman in Chicago.

Technorati tags: Jesse Jackson Jr. Chicago Democrats Politics Jesse Jackson

Persian Gulf may get a little more crowded

The mullahs and Holocaust-deniers in Iran may have some new folks prowling their neighborhood.

From The Australian:

The US will position an aircraft carrier group in the Gulf after the new year as a warning to Iran, CBS news has reported.

The US TV network said the Pentagon was deploying "a major buildup of naval forces in and around the Persian Gulf" in response to what the US considered "increasingly provocative acts".

CBS noted Iranian naval exercises, support of Shiite militias in Iraq and its enrichment of nuclear fuel as reasons for US concern.

The network stressed, however, that the US does not intend to attack Iran but rather, "discourage its leaders from spreading their Shiite revolution."

Quick, send David Duke back to Tehran!

Technorati tags: Iran Islamic Republic خبر ايران Iranian آذربايجان military navy news

Tehran Times interviews madman and Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson

One of the vilest people on the planet is Robert Faurisson, a French Holocaust denier. He was one of the speakers at last week's shameless "Holocaust Conference."

Here are is an excerpt of some recent spewings, courtesy of the Tehran Times:

This conference is a big and nice surprise. I had never thought that there could be such a thing. I was really pessimistic. When for the first time I heard that President Ahmadinejad said that the Holocaust was a myth, I was so surprised. I wondered if Iran would exist anymore. I thought that the U.S. or Western countries would try to destroy this country because the belief in the Holocaust is the central pillar of the West and the world. To say that it is a myth is something extremely dangerous. I, as a researcher, might say that it is a myth, but for the head of a state it is extremely dangerous. But he did it.

Can I say something more?

I think that the year 2006 will be counted in history as a very important year because a country called Iran said no to Bush and yes to revisionists. It is marvelous.

He goes on to say...

President Ahmadinejad has used the right word. The alleged Holocaust of the Jews is a myth. That is a belief maintained by credulity or ignorance. It does not mean that the people who believe it are liars. They are not liars, but they are believers.

Prior to 9/11, Noam Chomsky's involvement in defending Faurisson was helpful in achieving the almost-happy ending of marginalizing Chomsky into a 1960s relic. (Chomsky's rosy views on post-Vietnam War Indo-China were admittedly a bigger factor in the linguist's temporary fall from grace.) But Faurisson is still vomiting nonsense, and Chomsky's relevance is once again a burden upon humanity.

What a sick world we live in.

Technorati tags: Chomsky Noam Chomsky Academia Robert Faurisson Iran Faurisson holocaust holocaust denial France Ahmadinejad

Hillary and Obama like each other

The two Democratic candidates with Illinois connections--one grew up here, the other lives here, have come out and declared they like each other--at least publicly.

This is what Sen. Hillary Clinton said today about Sen. Barack Obama on NBC's today show, according to AP:

She sidestepped an opinion on whether Obama would make a good president. But the former first lady praised him as an exciting personality with "a lot to contribute to the national dialogue."

And from Newsweek, here's Obama:

I have tremendous respect for Hillary Clinton. She's an outstanding leader in the Democratic Party. She's earned her stripes.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Hillary Democrats 2008 Hillary Clinton

McCain visits families of two missing Israeli soldiers

Remember Israeli Defense Force reserve soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser? The kidnapping of these two men was the catalyst for the start of this summer's Israeli-Hezbollah war. At least outside of Israeli, sadly, the two men have largely been forgotten.

From AP:

Sen. John McCain, who spent five grueling years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, met with the families of two captured Israeli soldiers Sunday, sharing his own harrowing story of survival and promising to work for their release.

Reserve soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were captured July 12 by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas in a cross-border raid that ignited a 34-day war. Hezbollah hasn't provided any evidence they are still alive.

''I don't know if I was able to bring comfort, but we certainly said we would do everything in our power to bring attention to the situation and see that Geneva Conventions are observed,'' McCain said after meeting with the soldiers' relatives.

Omri Avni, Goldwasser's father-in-law, said McCain's experience gave his family a shred of optimism. ''This is a very good hope for us, because even after five years there is new life," he said.

Technorati tags: 2008 politics Elections Republicans Israel McCain

Pizza man Monaghan to deliver for Brownback campaign

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, a recent convert to the Catholic faith, has the backing of former Domino's Pizza head Tom Monaghan. A staunch supporter of traditional Catholicism, Monaghan's presence on the Brownback team can bring a lot money to the Republican's fledgling presidential campaign--but baggage as well. Not all Catholics agree with Monaghan's view of the Church.

As for Brownback, I've noticed in blog-searches that his strong opposition to gay marriage has made him the least favorite Republican among the gay community, or at least gay bloggers. Some derisively refer to the senator as "Brownback Mountain." Assuming he officially announces a run for the presidency, the Kansan risks being unofficially tagged as the anti-gay candidate.

Technorati tags: Brownback Kansas Republicans Politics 2008 gay gay marriage Catholic

John Edwards: Just one America this time

Yesterday, word "leaked out" that former North Carolina Senator John Edwards will soon officially announce that he's running for president in 2008. It appears to be an "accidental" leak to get Edwards some press and take some of the spotlight off of Barack Obama for a little while.

The 2004 John Edwards campaign focused on "two Americas." The "haves" (ex-trial lawyer Edwards is in that group) and the "have-nots" (Dennis Kucinich belongs in this one). That got him some attention during the Democratic caucuses and primaries two years ago, but it became a liability for the Democrats after Edwards joined the Kerry team as the Frenchman's running mate.

All the Bush-Cheney campaign had to say is that they only saw one America.

Now Edwards is talking about "One America" too.

Edwards has a big image problem. He picked up the nickname "The Breck Girl" for his all-too-perfect looks in 2004. Brainster over here calls him the Silky Pony. Good looks don't automatically make someone a lightweight, but that's one of the stumbling blocks Edwards faces the second time around.

Technorati tags: John Edwards politics 2008 Kucinich Obama

Chicago columnist succumbs to Obama mania

For the most part, the Chicago media has been immune to that bug known as "Obama mania."

But not Carol Marin of the Chicago Sun-Times:

Now, it seems, time has chosen Obama as his clock ticks toward a January date with destiny. And no group of people is more excited than those of us who will cover the election. We like the fact that we knew him when. Long before folks in Iowa or New Hampshire stuck out their hands to press his flesh, we actually rubbed shoulders. He's our homey and we are his. As hometown press, we're wild about this story. A politician from Chicago tearing down a barrier of race. One of our own ready to make history.

For those unfamiliar with Marin, she has a reputation, undeserved in my opinion, for journalistic integrity. She's the anchorwoman who quit her NBC 5 Chicago position in protest after loudmouth Jerry Springer was hired to do commentary segments for the station's 10:00pm news.

Her style is much different than Springer's, but her work is detestable all the same.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois Democrats 2008 msm media

60 Minutes tonight: Revisiting the Holocaust

A perfect antidote to that farce of a Holocaust conference in Iran in being offered by CBS' "60 Minutes" tonight.

Correspondent Scott Pelley and three Holocaust survivors recently traveled to Germany to view extensive files on that evil scar on humanity.

From CBS' web site:

Seized when Germany fell to the Allies in 1945, the documents were deposited in an archive in the German city of Bad Arolsen and have been tightly controlled for privacy reasons ever since. Sitting on 16 miles of shelving, they number 50 million pages covering 17.5 million victims, not only Jews but also millions of slave laborers, political prisoners, homosexuals and Roma. They reveal the horrible: For 90 minutes on Hitler's birthday, a prisoner was shot every two minutes as a gift to the Fuerhrer. They tell the mundane: Lice on prisoners were counted and classified as small, medium and large.

Here's a comment from one of the Holocaust survivors who made the trip:

Those people who said the Holocaust didn't happen, like the president of Iran, if they have any questions about it, please come to Bad Arolsen and check it out for themselves.

Thanks to Richard Baehr of the American Thinker for the heads-up on this story.

Technorati tags: holocaust television news jewish iran shoah 60 Minutes

Obama watch: More Tony Rezko

Washington Post writer Peter Slevin does a sort-of follow-up story on Howard Kurtz' piece that appeared in the Post earlier this week.

Slevin does a pretty good job summing up the Rezko (and Stuart Levine, a Republican) pay-to-play schemes that eventually got both men indicted for fraud.

Levine later pleaded guilty, and he is now cooperating with federal authorities, causing many sleepless nights for Illinois political insiders.

What both Kurtz and Slevin miss in their stories is that shortly after Democrat Rod Blagojevich was sworn in as governor in 2003--but probably before--it was common knowledge in Springfield that Rezko was the "go-to" guy for access to "Blago." Especially if you donated money to Blagojevich's political fund.

I like this paragraph from Andy Shaw of ABC 7 Chicago, from October, 2006:

Rezko is one of few private Illinois citizens who can walk past the governor's security detail and whisper in Blagojevich's ear. Rezko had access to Blagojevich and donated at least $49,000 to his campaign fund through personal and corporate names since 2004. Having money and having access to politicians goes hand-in-hand in Illinois, according to Paul Green, Roosevelt University political science professor.

What does this have to do with Obama? Well, until late 2004 Barack Obama was an Illinois state senator. Could someone so brilliant as Obama been oblivious to Rezko's prominence in the eyes of the governor? I'm not claiming that Obama knew, or would be expected to know of Rezko's alleged illegal activities, but an odor has surrounded Rezko since Governor Blagojevich was sworn in almost four years ago.

The initial Obama-Rezko (actually Rita Rezko, Tony's wife) real estate deal took place in the summer of 2005.

As for the Tony Rezko intrigues that got him indicted, US Attorney Patrick "Fitzmas" Fitzgerald called it "a pay to play scheme on steroids."

Steroids, both real and metaphorical, will get you noticed. But did Obama miss something?

From Slevin's Washington Post article:

Obama said that he was unaware of Rezko's brewing troubles in 2005 and that Rezko sought no favors. He described himself, after eight years in the Illinois Senate and two on Capitol Hill, as careful to live within strict ethical boundaries -- refusing to allow lobbyists to pay for meals, for example, and reimbursing people for golf outings.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Tony Rezko Democrats real estate corruption 2008 blagojevich

Tommy Thompson still thinking it over

Former Wisconsin Governor and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson is still considering a run for president. As I noted last month, Thompson's time may have passed him by. He was a hot Republican in the 1990s, and was supposedly on Bob Dole's "short-list" of vice-presidential nominees in 1996.

Welfare reform in Wisconsin was his biggest achievement, but that issue hasn't remained on most voters' front-burners.

Technorati tags: Tommy Thompson Republicans Politics News Wisconsin

Days after gun raid on his home, Chicago Bears' Tank Johnson's bodyguard shot to death

Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson has had his problems with the law. In his latest run-in with authorities--which occurred just a few days ago--police raided his north suburban home and found six unregistered guns.

And just a few hours ago, Johnson's bodyguard, Willie B. Posey, was shot to death outside a Chicago night club. Posey's home address was listed as the Johnson residence.

Technorati tags: NFL Chicago Bears sports crime breaking news chicago illinois

Bayh says bye to 2008

I didn't think Democratic Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana had much of a chance of winning the Democratic nomination in 2008, and apparently he figured that out too.

On a side note, last Sunday's Chicago Tribune had an article about the failure of Midwestern candidates--since Harry Truman--to win the presidency. Plenty have tried, including Bayh's father in 1976, as well as a whole bunch of people from Minnesota.

But Evan Bayh won't be the latest Heartland failure.

Technorati tags: Indiana Politics Evan Bayh Democrats 2008 Elections

Pajamas Media Blog Week with Powerline

Blog Week in Review moderator Austin Bay interviews John Hinderaker and Scott W. Johnson of the popular Powerine blog.

The two Minnesotans discuss local politics, mainly the Keith Ellison congressional race, as well as their role in the breaking the Rathergate scandal.

The disusssion also includes their opinion of the Iraq Study Group report.

Listen or download here. Free subscriptions to Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review are available at the iTunes web site.

Ed Driscoll, as always, runs the control board.

The podcast is sponsored by Volvo Cars.

Technorati tags: Current Affairs Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Volvo politics Iraq Minnesota Rathergate

Jimmy Carter won't debate Dershowitz over Mideast

Jimmy Carter has stirred up a firestorm with his controversial new book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.

First, a member of Carter Center, Kenneth Stein, resigned in protest over the book because of what he called errors in the text. Secondly, author Dennis Ross is claiming the former president, without attribution, copied maps from one of his books.

Today, Carter turned down a Brandeis University request that he debate author and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

From Associated Press:

"I don't want to have a conversation even indirectly with Dershowitz," Carter said in Friday's Boston Globe. "There is no need ... to debate somebody who, in my opinion, knows nothing about the situation in Palestine."

Dershowitz has written at least a half-dozen books about the contemporary Middle East.

Technorati tags: college Dershowitz israel jimmycarter books middleeast palestine news politics

Glenn & Helen Show podcast: Suicide is painful

Often during the holiday season, issues of mental health are brought to the forefront by the media. And in the latest Glenn & Helen Show podcast, Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds and psychologist Helen Smith discuss the uncomfortable topic of suicide with Dr. Eric Caine, head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester.

Caine smashes one suicide myth. Springtime--not the Christmas holiday season--is the peak time for suicides.

And here's something I didn't know. Every year in the United States, there are more suicides than homicides.

Dr. Caine recommends visiting the Suicide Prevention Action Network to learn more. This book, Night Falls Fast by Kay Redfield Jamison, is recommended by Dr. Smith.

Listen or download here. Free Politics Central subscriptions are available from the iTunes web site.

The podcast is sponsored by Volvo.

Related post: The suicide of a peace activist

Technorati tags: podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Mental Health Current Affairs Suicide

First Obama for president ad available for viewing

The group Draft Obama.org has produced the first 2008 presidential ad. It will air in New Hampshire this weekend. Watch it here.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama News Tony Rezko Democrats

Obama on Tony Rezko

The Chicago Tribune's political reporter, Rick Pearson, interviewed Sen. Barack Obama for this news story. About the Tony Rezko real estate deal, Obama told Pearson that "There was no sense of betrayal of the public trust here."

From the Chicago "free registration required" Tribune:

Obama acknowledged "it was stupid" of him to get involved in the purchase almost one year ago of a strip of property adjoining his $1.65 million home from Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who owned a vacant lot next door. Rezko, a political insider and fundraiser, was indicted in October on charges of trying to extort campaign donations and kickbacks from firms seeking state business. Rezko has pleaded not guilty.

"I am the first one to acknowledge that it was a boneheaded move for me to purchase this 10-foot strip from Rezko, given that he was already under a cloud of concern," Obama said. "I will also acknowledge that from his perspective, he no doubt believed that by buying the piece of property next to me that he would, if not be doing me a favor, it would help strengthen our relationship."

On the same day that Obama and his wife closed on their home, Rezko's wife, Rita, closed on the $625,000 vacant lot next door. Both lots had been part of the same estate, but the owner listed them as separate parcels.

Obama said he has known Rezko for 20 years and "he had never asked me for anything. I've never done any favors for him."

However, the Rezko involvement made the future Obama home more affordable to senator's family.

This is not the last time we'll hear about this story.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Tony Rezko Democrats real estate

David Duke and DePaul's Norman Finkelstein

Andrea Shea-King of the Radio Patriots sent me an e-mail alerting me that ex-Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was on Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor tonight. I missed the first airing because I was at work, but caught it the second time around.

John Kasich was subbing for O'Reilly, and Kasich ran a February 2005 O'Reilly interview with David Puke (no, that's not a typo), that was conducted in the shadow of the initial Ward "Little Eichmanns" Churchill blow-up.

Puke danced around the holocaust-denial issue with O'Reilly, but did say some Jews, including "Dr. Finkelstein," have raised questions about the holocaust.

Dr. Finkelstein is of course Professor Norman G. Finkelstein of DePaul University, who is employed as a political science professor there. Yes, the same DePaul that fired a pro-Israel professor, Thomas Klocek, after a he engaged in a spirited discussion with some DePaul Muslim students.

Here is some more on Finkelstein, direct from David Duke's web site.

Related post: David Duke makes me want to puke

Technorati tags: Chicago DePaul norman finkelstein college Illinois crime news Academic freedom Free Speech Ward Churchill

City of Chicago statement on Christkindlmarket and The Nativity Story film

The banning of previews and the apparent pulling of a sponsorship by the film "The Nativity Story" has been much discussed on the blogs, as well as an on-air topic on Hugh Hewitt's radio show.

From a City of Chicago Department of Special Events web site.

The City of Chicago has acknowledged the celebration and the birth of Christ with a nativity display on Daley Plaza for many years. Similarly, there has been an Islamic Crescent and a Menorah to celebrate the Jewish Chanukah.

This particular incident is about a movie studio aggressively marketing a movie and trying to sell tickets to that movie. New Line Cinema's marketing plan involved continuous play of the film's commercials within the confines of the Christkindlmarket, which sits in Daley Plaza.

The German American Chamber of Commerce expressly asked the city for guidance regarding this potential advertising sponsorship of the Christkindlmarket, which was seeking to overtly publicize one of their latest features, "The Nativity Story," reflecting the birth of Jesus Christ.

The City of Chicago did recommend that a very prominently placed advertisement may be insensitive to the many people of different faiths who come to enjoy the market, and it would be contrary to acceptable advertising standards suggested to the many festivals hosting events on Daley Plaza throughout the year. Our guidelines are to refuse or reduce any blatant commercial message.

At no time did the city threaten to pull support of this market.

Mayor Daley and the City of Chicago have not handled this situation well.

Howard Kurtz on Obama and Tony Rezko

Well, finally it's not just me and some conservative bloggers (or Chicago reporters) who have taken notice that Sen. Barack Obama isn't perfect.

From Howard Kurtz' Washington Post column:

If critics have their way, when you hear the name Barack Obama, you'll start hearing the name Tony Rezko.

I mention this because my blog-reading, and sense of political dynamics, tells me that the senator's relationship with an indicted fundraiser is about to break out of the Chicago media and go national.

This may not be a big deal in the larger scheme of things. It's not clear that Obama did anything wrong. But it's a taste of what lies ahead if the Illinois lawmaker indeed decides to jump into the presidential sweepstakes.

If Monday was a day for media swooning over Obama's New Hampshire foray--and that was before he did his little Bear cap-wearing shtick at the start of "Monday Night Football"--yesterday featured the conservative counterattack. Not so fast, these critics on the right are saying. Who is this guy? What does he stand for? Isn't he a garden-variety liberal? This is the sort of debate that usually takes place in the run-up to the first primaries, but with everything on a speeded-up timetable, it's already under way.

Kurtz goes on to explain the Obama-Rezko real estate deal. Obama's ties to Rezko--he donated money to his state senate campaign--go back years. What made the last year's real estate deal unusual is that Obama had to have known that Tony Rezko was under federal investigation for his role in various "pay to play" schemes on behalf of Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Related posts: Daily Herald's Eric Krol writes a script for a 2008 attack ad on Obama

More on Obama and Rezko: UPDATED

Cong. Gutierrez got special real estate deal from Tony Rezko

Obama: Dealings with Rezko "a mistake"

Obama on Rezko real estate deal details: "I don't recall"

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Barack Obama Illinois News Tony Rezko Democrats real estate

Latest Sanity Squad podcast: Iranian Holocaust conference and Kofi's departure

The new Sanity Squad podcast is out. In this week's edition, Siggy, Neo-Neo Con, Shrinkwrapped, and Dr. Sanity talk about the recently concluded disgrace of a conference in Iran about the holocaust.

Kofi Annan's exit from the stage of the United Nations is the second topic. None of the four panelists will miss him.

Listen or download here. Free Pajamas Media Politics Central podcast subscriptions are available here.

Free subscriptions are available from the iTunes web site.

Technorati tags: United Nations Current Affairs Mental Health Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Politics Central Politics

DePaul's Norman Finkelstein may testify in Chicago Hamas trial

Suburban Chicago resident Mohammed Salah is on trial for allegedly serving as a fundraiser for the terrorist group Hamas.

Salah is a member of the notorious Bridgeview Mosque. His attorneys are requesting that DePaul Assistant Political Science Professor Norman G. Finkelstein testify on his behalf. The trial's judge has yet to rule if Finkelstein will be allowed to do that.

From the Daily Southtown:

Finkelstein said it's impossible to study events in the Middle East over the past four decades without also analyzing the relationship between Israel and the United States. He described a powerful and complex "system" of U.S.-based Israeli interests working to influence American foreign policy.

"I'm not prepared to simplify matters by trying to conjure a conspiracy theory," Finkelstein said of the Israelis. "They have a lobby, and it's very effective, and it's been working very well since 1967."

When pushed for proof that Israeli interests greatly influence American policy, he pointed to past instances in United Nations debates when Israel and the United States have been lone allies on controversial issues.

"The record is: The whole world on one side, and the U.S. and Israel on the other side," Finkelstein said. "How do you explain that?"

Later in the article, "Abnormal Norman" refers to author and Harvard Professor Alan M. Dershowitz as "a fraudster."

Salah's financial dealings with Hamas in the Middle East caught the attention of the Israeli government, which sentenced him to a five-year prison term in 1993. Once released, Salah moved to the Chicago area.

Scroll down for more posts on Norman Finkelstein.

Hat tip to Richard Baehr of the American Thinker for this story.

Technorati tags: Chicago DePaul Catholic norman finkelstein college Dershowitz Illinois war on terror crime news

Obama watch: Our newest millionaire?

Well, Ill. Senator Barack Obama could be our newest millionaire, according to Pajamas Media.

OBAMA "HOPE" STAYS TOP OF BOOK SALES IN HOLIDAY RUSH… DEM WONDER SCANS 62,821 FOR WEEK — 401,841 SINCE RELEASE, SOURCES TELL DRUDGE..." (Drudge Report)

Let's do the math. The royalty would be 15% of the cover price of each book sold. That's $3.75 each to the author. Multiply by 401,000 and Obama's earned, to date, $1,503,750.00 for The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. With more to come. That’s your reclaimed American dream right there.

Elsewhere on the Obama front, blogger Gun'n'butter discovered that a New Hampshire woman recently died of Obama fever. It's probably contagious, so I'm going to have to stay away from Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood, where Barack lives.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Politics Democrats

Was DePaul's Norman Finkelstein invited to the Tehran Holocaust conference?

Noted holocaust minimizer Prof. Norman G. Finkelstein of DePaul may--or may not have been--invited to the recently concluded Tehran Holocaust conference.

From an Alan Dershowitz Huffington Post article:

A neo-Nazi website has published the schedule of speakers at the Iranian Holocaust denial conference. (His name was mysteriously removed from the schedule Tuesday morning.) Prominent among the speakers in the schedule was assistant professor Norman Finkelstein of DePaul University. His name appeared along with Professor David Duke of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management in Ukraine and other assorted nuts, neo-Nazis, Islamo-fascists, and America- and Israel-bashers.

It is unclear whether Finkelstein actually attended the conference, since the identify of many of the attendees has been kept secret, and the media office at DePaul says it doesn't know. But Finkelstein certainly fits comfortably into the hate club, since he has allied himself closely with the Holocaust denial movement by trivializing the suffering of its victims and denying that many of them were victims at all. It would be natural for the rulers of Iran to have invited this Jew-hater to their hatefest. I don't know if they did, or if Finkelstein accepted any such invitation. But the burden is now on him to explain why his name appears in the schedule and to produce all correspondence with the sponsors of the conference. It should make interesting reading.

Of course the listing by that group might've been a mistake. No matter what, Finkelstein needs to speak up on this situation.

A Muslim viewpoint on the flying imams controversy

Although I haven't blogged about it yet, I've been thinking about that "flying imams" flap since their story first hit the media.

A Marathon Pundit reader tipped me off to this op-ed, by a Muslim, from the Arizona Republic.

An excerpt:

(The imams) rushed toward the media never looking back. They have taken their story of victimization to every soft media they could find. They then stoked the same tired Muslim flames of victimization through their own political pulpits in mosques around the Valley.

Organizations like CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) and the Muslim American Society also immediately jumped on board, even before the imams' flight reached Phoenix the next day, and began whipping up the drums of victimization. Their handlers flew in from across the country staging rallies and pray-ins so they could teach the American people about this supposed tragedy of injustice.

As a devout Muslim, I have watched this painfully protracted saga unravel, fearing what comes next. The media, especially print media, have bent over backward to hear minorities' fears. Yet public opinion has not seemed to budge in favor of the imams. The lesson here lies in why. It has to do with credibility.

We are all creatures of passion. This fiasco has stirred the passionate cry of victimization from the Muslim activist community and imam community. But where were the news conferences, the rallies to protest the endless litany of atrocities performed by people who act supposedly in my religion's name? Where are the denunciations, not against terrorism in the abstract, but clear denunciations of al-Qaida or Hamas, of Wahhabism or militant Islamism, of Darfurian genocide or misogyny and honor killings, to name a few? There is no cry, there is no rage. At best, there is the most tepid of disclaimers. In short, there is no passion. But for victimization, always.

Another Marathon Pundit reader, David, tipped me off to this UPI story about the imams:

After the Nov. 28 incident, the airline offered to meet with the group of clerics Dec. 4, but the men declined and instead sought legal help from the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington.

"With the hopes of reaching an amicable resolution to this matter, we would like to take this opportunity to ask for a formal meeting with US Airways executives and legal counsel," Arsalan Iftikhar, CAIR's national legal director, wrote to the airline.

There are conflicting reports of what happened after security agents escorted the men off the plane based on other passengers' complaints of suspicious activity, the Washington Times said Monday.

CAIR claims the men were handcuffed for several hours, but one of the imams told the Times he was only handcuffed for "10 or 15 minutes" and that the imams were not led off the plane in handcuffs.

Look out when CAIR gets involved.

Ward Churchill running loose

I'm watching Hannity & Colmes now, and they're talking about the latest idiocy spewed by F-Troop Indian Ward Churchill.

From Brainster's blog:

In a two-hour speech at the New School titled "Sterilizing History: The Fabrication of Innocent Americans," delivered without notes, Mr. Churchill traced what he called a pattern of mass murder as American foreign policy from the time of the country's inception to the events of September 11, 2001, which he said the country was essentially asking for.

Mr. Churchill also called the president of the New School, Robert Kerrey, a former senator of Nebraska, a "mass murder and serial killer to boot" for having served in Thanh Phong, Vietnam. Mr. Churchill also served in Vietnam, an act for which he said he has spent the rest of his life apologizing.

Mr. Churchill received cheers from the audience for comparing Mr. Kerrey to the serial killer Charles Manson. "That's who you've got moral equivalency in the president's chair at this institution," Mr. Churchill said. "How about a cage rather than a president's suite?"
In addition to Hannity & Colmes, an author Robert Dreyfus (who I haven't heard of) and soon-to-be guest at DePaul David Horowitz are talking about the that loon from Colorado.

Obama mania in Chicago's suburbs

Today's chapter of Obama-mania brings us to Naperville, Illinois, to give a speech to the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health. Obama is working for federal compensation for workers who've become ill from their careers working at nuclear weapons plants.

Like the pied-piper, there was a huge trail of media following the Illinois senator.

David Duke makes me want to puke

A perfect place for a military surgical strike today is Tehran. Racist moron David Duke spoke there today.

From Fox News:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's conference questioning the Holocaust came to an end Tuesday, but not before hearing former KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke say that gas chambers were not used to kill Jews.

"The Zionists have used the Holocaust as a weapon to deny the rights of the Palestinians and cover up the crimes of Israel," Duke told a gathering of nearly 70 "researchers" in Tehran at Ahmadinejad's invitation.

"This conference has an incredible impact on Holocaust studies all over the world," said Duke, a former state representative in Louisiana who twice ran for president.

"The Holocaust is the device used as the pillar of Zionist imperialism, Zionist aggression, Zionist terror and Zionist murder," Duke told The Associated Press.

My question is this? Who paid for Duke's airfare?

Dershowitz confronts DePaul's Finkelstein

Chicago's DePaul University is of course that college that fired longtime professor Thomas Klocek---scroll down for more on that--in 2004. It's the same DePaul that employs holocaust-minimizer Norman Finkelstein as an assistant professor of political science.

Noted attorney and author Alan M. Dershowitz, in today's FrontPage Magazine, goes on the attack--again--on Finkelstein:

From FrontPage Magazine:

You have written to me claiming an interest in free speech and urging me to make full disclosure of the correspondence between me and the University of California Press and the Board of Regents, including Governor Schwarzenegger. I am certainly interested in the full truth coming out, because I never tried to censor anything that Finkelstein wrote, as you have already seen and will see again. As I repeatedly wrote, "I have no desire to prevent publication of anything, but I do insist that anything published about me be factually correct."

But you may or may not be aware of the fact that Norman Finkelstein is refusing to disclose something far more significant. Finkelstein is currently up for tenure at Depaul University, and several faculty members are interested in determining whether he had anything to do with an offensive cartoon, drawn by a prominent neo-Nazi who was willing to enter his cartoons (and won second prize) in Iran's Holocaust denial cartoon contest. The cartoon -- which showed me masturbating to dead Lebanese civilians -- accompanied a recent Finkelstein article at its first publication site, and it corresponded perfectly with Finkelstein's own language in the article ("moral pervert," "climactic scene," "little peep show"). The DePaul professors are especially concerned because Finkelstein's was identified in the byline of his article as "Professor" Norman Finklestein, as if the article were part of Finkelstein's academic corpus, and he was using the imprimatur of DePaul to add credibility to an article about whether I should be subject to targetted assassination because I am a "war criminal" and a "moral pervert."

When I first pointed out the obscenity of the cartoon and Finkelstein's own words (comparing me several times to Nazis, and offering arguments for my assassination), Finkelstein lashed out at me for being too sensitive, but never denied my claim that he had commissioned the article.

I've seen the offensive cartoon, and believe me, it's quite graphic and NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Technorati tags: Illinois Chicago DePaul Thomas Klocek Catholic norman finkelstein college Dershowitz

Is America ready for a vegan president?

Forget the Mormon issue and Mitt Romney. Is America ready for a vegan president? Well, it wasn't ready four years ago when one-time Cleveland boy-mayor Dennis Kucinich ran for the nation's top office, exciting dozens, including Willie Nelson.

But America has a second chance to warm up to Congressman Dennis Kucinich, because he's announcing his 2008 bid for president on the steps of Cleveland's city hall on Tuesday.

Cleveland's reputation has never quite recovered from the disastrous single-term of Kucinich in the 1970s, when it became the first city since the Great Depression to default on bond payments.

I wasn't aware of this, but according to Brainster, Kucinich has a nickname: Frodo.

Technorati tags: Kucinich vegan Cleveland Ohio 2008 Democrats politics

Obama-mania on ESPN tonight

The latest outbreak of Obama-mania will rear its head on ESPN tonight. Fox News is reporting that the junior senator from Illinois will appear in the opening segment prior to kickoff of this evening's football game between the Chicago Bears and the St. Louis Rams. Illinois' senior senator, fellow Democrat Dick Durbin, must not have been available.

For more on Barack Obama, just scroll down.

UPDATE 7:40pm CST: Obama declared his intentions just now. He's a Chicago Bears fan. The world can relax now.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Politics NFL Chicago Bears St. Louis Rams sports ESPN Democrats

Marathon Pundit exclusive: David Horowitz and Thomas Klocek to speak at DePaul on academic freedom in January

The DePaul Conservative Alliance is sponsoring an event that will take place on DePaul's Lincoln Park campus that is bringing well-known author and conservative thinker David Horowitz, fired DePaul professor and victim of DePaul political correctness run-amok Thomas Klocek, and DePaul math professor Jonathan Cohen to speak about academic freedom on campus. Or perhaps the topic should be the lack of academic freedom on campus.

I plan to be there, but I'll be sitting in the back somewhere.

The discussion will take place on Wednesday, Januaury 24 at 7pm at DePaul's 2324 N. Fremont Street on Chicago's North Side.

Horowitz will be discussing his latest book, The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America. Ironically, two DePaul professors made Horowitz' "elite" group, Norman G. Finkelstein and Aminah McCloud.

As regular readers of Marathon Pundit know, Thomas Klocek was a longtime adjunct professor at the Chicago Catholic university; he was fired after participating in spirited discussion on Middle Eastern politics with some Muslim DePaul students two years ago.

The professor is a talkative gentleman, and he'll have a lot to say about "academic freedom."

I know Professor Cohen well, and he'll add a great deal of insight to the discussion.

If you are interested in attending the event, please e-mail Nicholas Hahn III at nhahn3@msn.com.

Related posts: Sept 15: Second anniversary of the beginning of the Thomas Klocek affair

DePaul DeTritus

CAIR-Chicago recommended that DePaul fire Klocek

Technorati tags: Illinois Chicago DePaul Academic freedom Free Speech Thomas Klocek Catholic norman finkelstein David Horowitz Conservative college

Glenn & Helen Show podcast: Reader and listener mail

Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds and his wife, Dr. Helen Smith, go through their online mailbag in their latest Glenn & Helen Show podcast.

They discuss the technical equipment that they use to podcast--helpful to someone like myself who's intrigued by the concept. And the pair gives advice to bloggers and the importance of blogging on location, such as Iraq. Don't get discouraged if you can't make the trip: Glenn touts local blogging, saying if you're in Duluth, there is plenty to blog about the local media might miss.

With that in mind, a good blogger who does just that is the Peoria Pundit.

Listen to or download the podcast here. Free subscriptions to the Glenn & Helen Show are available here. As far as subscribing, Glenn says "We like that."

Technorati tags: Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media

Chicago's Mayor Daley announces run for sixth term

This news is not a big surprise, but earlier this morning, Richard M. Daley announced that he will seek re-election for a sixth term as Chicago's mayor. Chicago has non-partisan elections and uses a run-off system--the first round will take place in February.

Despite various scandals that are plaguing his current term, because of weak opposition, Daley is a heavy favorite for re-election.

The city electoral action will be for the seats of Chicago's 50 alderman. During the run-up to the vote and subsequent Daley veto of the "big box living ordinance," labor leaders threatened to finance opponents of that bill.

Technorati tags: Daley Politics news Chicago elections business retail big box

More Obama: Wife serves on board of company whose biggest customer is Wal-Mart

More trouble today for St. Barack Obama. Remember that Wake Up Wal-Mart conference call last month? It proved to be an embarrassment for John Edwards, who had a lot of explaining to do when later that same day one of his staffers tried to, metaphorically speaking, jump ahead in the line to purchase a Playstation3 from Wal-Mart.

Now it's Obama's turn, or at least his wife's, to look hypocritical.

From Greg Hinz' Crain's Chicago Business column:

The Chicagoan who would be president — maybe — told members of a union-backed coalition that they have "a moral responsibility to stand up and fight" the big retailer. "The battle to engage Wal-Mart and force them to examine their own corporate values and what their policies and approaches are to their workers . . . is absolutely vital," the Associated Press quoted the U.S. senator as saying.

I share the sentiment. Companies that pay top execs tens of millions a year while squeezing the little guys on the production line or in the back office are destroying middle-class America.

Which raises a question — not about corporate values but about Mr. Obama's values. Specifically, while Mr. Obama bashes Wal-Mart, why does his wife, Michelle, make $45,000 a year serving on the board of a Chicago-area company that pays its executives a very hefty amount of money while laying off mostly minority workers in an economically deprived area, a company whose No. 1 customer is — you guessed it — Wal-Mart?

I wonder if the national media will pick up on this story? Probably not.

UPDATE 2:10 PM CST: Also from the Crain's Chicago Business article, as there is a bit of confusion on which board Ms. Obama serves on:

In early 2005, Texas-based Dean Foods Co. spun off its processed-food subsidiary into an independent company, TreeHouse Foods Inc. Stock in Westchester-based TreeHouse began trading on June 15, 2005. Elected to its board of directors on June 6 of that year was Michelle Obama, who receives $30,000 a year plus $1,500 per board or committee meeting she attends. That totaled $45,000 in 2005, according to Mr. Obama's Senate ethics disclosure. Ms. Obama got 7,500 stock options this year, company filings show. At the current price of TreeHouse stock, she has a paper profit of about $60,000 on the options.

Technorati tags: Obama Wal-Mart business Obama Barack Obama Wake Up Wal Mart politics News Democrats Illinois Chicago

Obama ouch: Barack skewered on his lack of experience

While much of the nation succumbs to Obama-mania, there are a few voices of sanity out there.

Former Bill Clinton advisor Dick Morris--who is no fan of Hillary--co-wrote an article that appears in today's FrontPage Magazine with Eileen McGann.

From that article:

In reading Senator Barack Obama’s #1 bestseller, The Audacity of Hope, one begins to wonder whether he is another cynical politician or just a helplessly naïve neophyte.

After a few chapters, one actually has the audacity to hope that it is his inexperience — and nothing sinister — that accounts for his sometimes silly and often misleading narrative. Anyone who is that naive should not be a U.S. Senator, much less the president.

Obama is a uniquely charismatic candidate who has catapulted into second place among Democratic primary voters, forcing Hillary Clinton to hastily abandon her coy pretense that she hasn’t made a decision about whether to run. He inspires people by his story, his demeanor and his message.

But if his book offers a window into the real Barack Obama, one thing is certain: He has a long way to go before he is ready for the presidency. He's only been in the U.S. Senate for two years and before that, he was a state senator and a professor of constitutional law. He's never been an administrator, met a payroll, developed a budget, or solved a crisis. It's not only his greenness that sends out warnings; at times, he doesn’t seem to grasp the implications of all that he writes. At other times, his words have a distinct disconnect with his actions and legislative record.

In short, Obama's never really run anything. He can do something about it--but it means postponing his presidential plans for a while. He can run for governor of Illinois in 2010. Obama's only 45, he's got a lot of time left.

UPDATE 10:00 AM Blogger Jack Lewis has more on the Obama-lack-of-experience issue here.

Technorati tags: Obama Illinois Politics 2008 Democrats In The News

Palestinian lawyer who founded Nazareth holocaust museum denied visa for Tehran conference

Monday an Iranian conference on the holocaust, or what could be called a holocaust-denial hootenanny, will kick off in Tehran.

The Iranians are denying it's a holocaust-denial affair, but if you can't believe the mad mulluhs, then you can't you believe?

However, Iranian authorities, according to the London Times, denied a visa to Khaled Kasab Mahameed, a Nazareth Palestinian who opened the Arab world's first-holocaust museum. Mahameed had hoped to speak at the holocaust conference. Needless to say, Mahameed believes the holocaust happened.

Technorati tags: Israel Holocaust Holocaust-denial news خبر Iran middle east palestine

Obama-mania in New Hampshire

Well, Senator Barack Obama made his New Hampshire appearance today. The Granite State, according to mulitiple media reports, is experiencing "Obama-mania."

AP interviewed one Obama-maniac:

History teacher and Democrat Mark Bingham of Alton, N.H., met Obama and said that despite his inexperience, he could rank among presidents named Lincoln and Kennedy. "It's good to see politics going in another direction," Bingham told the senator.

As one of Obama's constituents, up to a point I understand the hoopla, but let me remind you, Mark, your hero is just two years removed from being an Illinois state senator and he's gotten one bill--co-sponsored by a Republican--enacted into law.

Related post: Daily Herald's Eric Krol writes a script for a 2008 attack ad on Obama

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama New Hampshire Politics Current Affairs Democrats

Air America suffocating?

Pajamas Media blogger Marc Cooper lives in Los Angeles, and the Air America affiliate there, just like the one here in the Chicago area, has a weak signal that doesn't cover the entire metro region.

In addition to slipping down the ratings charts, the bankrupt network is still suffering from financial problems.

From Marc's blog:

To almost no notice by the press, or anyone else, the liberal talk radio network Air America may be on the verge of going dark after first declaring a Chapter 11 bankruptcy two months ago.

Today, Friday, was the deadline (already twice-extended) for the failing network to come up with a buyer who will discharge its millions of dollars worth of debt. No word anywhere that I can find on how this panned out. Or didn't.

Meanwhile, there's a new report that AA heavyweight Al Franken might only have a few days more left on the air.

Another sign of the network's implosion is the loss of its affiliate in just about the most liberal city in America (after Berkeley), Madison, Wisconsin.

Air America also lost its outlet in Cincinnati. That city's former Mayor, panderer-in-chief, and former host of an Air America prime time show, Jerry Springer, has also abandoned his spot on the dial.

Well, the AA listeners can always tune in to NPR.

Technorati tags: Air America Liberal radio politics media

Sen. Brownback goes to prison

Okay, I got your attention. No, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), a likely candidate for president in 2008, did not get sentenced to prison. However, he did spend Friday night among inmates, and he admits he didn't sleep well, in a cell at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in town of Angola.

That prison is best known for the scenes filmed there for the film Dead Man Walking.

From AP:

Brownback, who also has stayed overnight at a Kansas prison and at a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C., said his night at Angola was a "little rough." One of the inmates on his cell block was a hit man for a drug cartel. Another was a serial rapist serving 19 life sentences.

Pretty gutsy stuff. The man from tiny Parker, Kansas has some backbone in him.

Technorati tags: Brownback Republicans Kansas Louisiana 2008 Politics

Rockford terror suspect's mother speaks out

The Daily Herald newspaper tracked down the mother of the suspect in the Rockford shopping mall bombing plot, Derrick Shareef, also known as Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef.

Marie Dunn lives in rural Genoa, Illinois, and she told the paper that she was uncomfortable with the tradtional Muslim clothing he recently started wearing.

More from the Daily Herald:

Dunn learned of Shareef's arrest from reporters after coming home from work Friday. She last spoke with him Saturday and last saw him two weeks ago when he returned from visiting his father in Arizona.

Before moving to Rockford two months ago, Shareef lived "on and off" at the Genoa duplex Dunn shares with her husband and two other children. His mother had not yet visited his new apartment.

And some more...

Shareef converted to Islam seven years ago, a move that did not surprise his mother. Shareef's father was a member of Nation of Islam, led by minister Louis Farrakhan, and several paternal relatives practiced the faith.

"He comes from a Muslim background," she said.

Ms. Dunn told the Daily Herald that she is a Christian.

Curiously, the FBI affadivit on Shareef portrays him as a someone with a pathological hatred of DeKalb County law enforcement. However, again according to the Herald, Shareef's run-ins with area authorities involve only minor traffic violations.

Shareef is one messed up character.

Technorati tags: Rockford Islam Terrorism Illinois Nation of Islam crime

Romney now accused of flip-flopping on gays

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is positioning himself as a strong conservative in his quest to win the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. He's already been accused of being a flip-flopper on the abortion issue, now he's being exposed in the same vein on gays and gay marriage.

From the Boston Globe:

Governor Mitt Romney's views on homosexuality have come under increased scrutiny and created a buzz on political blogs after a series of articles indicating that the potential conservative GOP presidential candidate had expressed gay-friendly positions while running for the US Senate in 1994.

The latest report came in today's editions of The New York Times, which details a 1994 letter Romney sent to the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts, a GOP-leaning gay rights group, in which he wrote that he would be a stronger advocate for gays than his opponent at the time, US Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a long-time gay rights supporter.

"If we are to achieve the goals we share, we must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern," Romney wrote, according to the Times report. "My opponent cannot do this. I can and will."

This can hurt Romney. Rudy Giuliani, for instance, has had pretty consistent views on abortion and gays, even if the social conservatives don't agree with him on those issues. They'll give him respect for sticking to his guns.

As for Mitt--well, no one likes a flip-flopper.

Technorati tags: Romney gays 2008 elections politics Republicans

Chicago Tribune buries story on mall bombing plot on page 17

Granted, it was a very busy news day in Chicago and Illinois yesterday. But Chicago's most-read newspaper has some explaining to do, in my opinion, over its burying of a story that's dominating the national news.

The Chicago Tribune's headline story was the downtown Chicago office tower shootings--three people died. Below the fold, there is a second story about the incident. Also below the fold was another big story with a local angle, the House ethics committee scolding of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Plano Republican, over the Foley scandal, accompanied by an article about a recently discovered rare photograph of Abraham Lincoln

Up on top of the paper is a story about a tragic car accident--which unlike the Hastert and office shootings got little national attention.

But another local story that's getting massive national notice is the news that a Muslim convert, Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef, allegedly plotted to set off bombs at Rockford's CherryVale Mall. Shareef was arraigned in federal court yesterday afternoon--that's when the story broke.

It was huge news yesterday and still is today. But the Tribune chose to dump it deep inside its print edition, on page 17, in the Metro and State section.

To me, that's very odd. Could it be that the Tribune is afraid of charges of spreading "Islamophobia" by groups such as the Council on American Islamic Relations?

Technorati tags: Rockford Media MSM Mainstream Media Muslims Chicago Tribune Chicago Illinois

Excerpts from the federal affidavit on the Rockford terror suspect

Huge, huge hat tip to Cal Skinner of the McHenry County Blog, who spent a lot of time retyping the FBI affidavit in the case of the United States vs. Derrick Shareef, aka Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef.

No one is able to get a verifiable home address for Mr. Shareef, this Rockford Register-Star report places him in Genoa, Illinois, a rural community located about 70 miles west of Chicago, twenty miles southeast of Rockford.

From Cal's blog:

Wannabe terrorist Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef, a black 22-year old Rockford male, discussed

· stabbing Jews at the synagogue down the street from his mosque,

· attacking the DeKalb County Courthouse & smoking a judge and

· detonating hand grenades in Rockford's CherryVale Mall.

All in the name of Allah, was recorded by the man he thought was his co-conspirator.

A statement from FBI Agent Jared Ruddy, with the Counter Joint Terrorism Task Force, was presented in court used against Derrick Shareef, the name used in the paperwork

I thought you might find it of interest to get a bit inside the mind of this homegrown terrorist.

Ruddy says in his affidavit that during September Shareef got to know an unnamed individual known as a "Cooperating Source" (CS) and told him he "wanted to commit acts of violent jihad against targets in the United States as well as commit other crimes in order to obtain funds to further Shareef's goals of violent jihad."

Asked what Shareef wanted to do, he replied,

I'm talking about stuff that's like...'cause man the courthouse in DeKalb where I be going every month them n*ggers do weak as hell. You go in there and you clock the first three n*ggers at the door that they got, and you up in there, you know what I'm saying? And everything else is gonna have to be tactical. But see when you dealing with stuff like that, the courthouse, there's always a PD [police department] right down the block. Know what I'm saying? I just want to smoke a judge.

All of this was recorded on November 29th.

Asked about a time frame, Shareef replied, "What do you think? I like the holiday season."

Later Shareef said, "You gotta do stuff, hell we ain't gotta hit nobody, just blow the place up. You gotta do stuff under severe weather conditions. That helps, too. Doing stuff in the snow, rain because you see less pigs out that. That's tactical."

"So, you serious?" asked CS.

"I'm serious" was the reply.

The next day, November 30th, discussed CherryVale Mall.

CS asked if Shareef thought it was a better idea to "hit the mall."

"Oh, hell yeah, the mall is where it's at," Shareef replied.

CS then asked if grenades would be needed. Shareef agreed.

"You go in there and toss a grenade, and no one's gonna know who did it," CS said.

"The last thing anybody gonna be thinking about at the mall is a damn grenade.

CS later asked, "What targets you wanna hit, the mall's good?"

Shareef's response: "Any place that's crowded, like a mall is good, anything, any government facility is good."

Later Shareef said, "I swear by Allah man, I'm down for it too, I'm down for the cause, I'm down to live for the cause, man."

On November 15th they cased CherryVale Male.

Shareef is quoted as telling CS, "I think, ah, if we do, do something like this, we gotta do, we gotta do it simultaneously, like you would have to hit one spot and I'll do another."

CS replied, "That's fine."

Shareef: "Just meet back up, so it would create more pandemonium, and nobody will really be looking at, you know, nobody will be looking for anyone suspicious 'cause it'l be 80 million people running."

Later in the mall, CS asked, "But if you ever wanna back out, 'cause you gotta let me know before I make the phone call, "cause I'm checking your heart now...'Cause I have to call my boy, man."

Shareef's response: "I'm down"

CS: "We ain't gonna get caught, don't worry."

Shareef agreed: "I'm not worried about getting caught, not alive."

CS: "If we die, then we die."

Shareef then said, "I'm gonna fast for like three days before."

On December 1st, they visited the mall again. They discussed the number of grenades and the delay time.

After this discussion, they got in the CS' car and discussed "shaving their body hair and mediating to prepare."

Shareef then said, "I'm ready, man, these Kafirs [a term translated as ["infidel"] don't give a damn about us, n*ggers don't care what happens to Umma [an Arabic word meaning community or nation that is commonly used to mean the collective nation of Islamic states], about sisters getting raped, about brothers losing their [unintelligible]. They don't care man. All they care about is (unintelligible)"

"I probably would have eventually ended up just stabbing the shit outta some Jews or something. Just stabbing them n*ggers with a steak knife.

"Dude, I ain't gonna lie. Because during that war with Hezbollah, man, I had already started to look at synagogues, I was doing Mapquest...One of them was down the block from the Masjid [mosque], I knew that they do their thing on Saturdays, right. I was like, I'm gonna lay low out here, I'm gonna camp out overnight, be out there on Friday night after Jumma" [Friday prayer] or Saturday morning about 12 or 1 O'clock, I be there. And as soon as I see them fools going in the building, I had planned on trying to grab one, depending on how it was, niggers trying to run in the building all at once and open up shop, I was going to go over there and shank one or two of them."

A bit later, Shareef said, "They definitely gonna know that this shit ain't over, and they not as safe as they thought."

As they arrived at the mall, CS observed, "This place gonna be tore up in about two weeks."

Shareef replied, "Damn, dude, n*ggers gonna be gloomy as hell out here, I don't know how the nationwide effect gonna be, but..."

CS then asked, "You don't think it's gonna be gloomy nationwide?"

Shareef's response: "I don't As they walked around the mall, being observed by FBI, the CS said, "I'm glad you came up with the idea, though, the garbage can. That's sweet," to which Shareef replied, "That's pandemonium. The garbage going to be shrapnel."

After discussing paying for the grenades at $50 each, Shareef said, "If Allah wills a lot of people around that garbage can, that place is crowed."

Saturday, December 2nd, the two were seen by FBI driving around Rockford in CS's vehicle. They discussed trading stereo speakers for 4 hand grenades and 2 handguns.

Last Saturday, the two videotaped each other making statements, according to Agent Ruddy. In the video Shareef says,

This is my last will and testament, the last words that I have spoken to those who know me, to those who do not know me.

My names is Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef. I am 22 years of age.

I am from America, and this tape is to let you guys know, who disbelieve in Allah, to let the enemies of Islam know, and to let the Muslims alike know that the time for jihad is now...

Be strong, oh Mujahideen. Be strong, on brothers who want to fight for jihad...This is a warning to those who disbelieve, that we are here for you, and I am ready to give my life.

May Allah protect me on this mission we conduct...So do not cry, do not mourn for me.

Do not believe what the kafir [infidel] will say about me when you read in the newspapers and when you see the television articles about me. Do not believe this.

Understand that your son is a strong manÂ…who believes and fears his Lord to the degree that he will give his life.

The source of the grenades talked to Shareef on Monday, December 4th, discussing the trade of the stereo speakers for "four of them pineapples, and then I got that 9..."

On Wednesday, December 6th, just before noon, they discussed by phone meeting at a grocery store parking lot on Walton Road, where they made the exchange.

He was then arrested.

Thanks, again, Cal.

For all the use of the "N" word by Shareef, the both DeKalb and Winnebago counties (Rockford) have relatively small African-American populations.

Technorati tags: Illinois Rockford Terrorism Muslims law crime

Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review on the ISG and why Sarbanes Oxely sucks

The 27th edition of Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review is up and this time moderator Austin Bay is joined by Intapundit's Glenn Reynolds and blogger/radio host Tammy Bruce. The first topic of discussion is the recently-released Iraq Study Group report. Neither panelist is pleased by what's in it.

The second topic the group tackles is the increasing unattractiveness of New York, meaning of course America, as a place for initial public stock offerings. They cite this December 4 Wall Street Journal OpinionJournal article by John Fund.

From that story:

Increasingly, Hong Kong and London are the places where companies are finding it easier and cheaper to list their shares and raise capital. Last year, of the 25 largest initial public offerings in the world, only one took place in America. This year, Hong Kong is likely to end up as the No. 1 market for stock offerings world-wide.

Perhaps the top culprit in New York's relative decline as a trading center is the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate accountability rules that were put in place in 2002 in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals. Henry Tang, Hong Kong's financial secretary, couldn't be more blunt on the good fortune Sarbanes-Oxley has brought his city. "Our success is giving [Treasury Secretary] Hank Paulson a few raised eyebrows," he told a delegation from the Fraser Institute, a Canadian free-market think tank, last week. "Thank you, Mr. Sarbanes and Mr. Oxley," he said, referring to Democratic Sen. Paul Sarbanes and GOP Rep. Mike Oxley, the law's chief sponsors.

While some of Sarbox's rules make sense, its Section 404 has had unintended and damaging consequences. Section 404 requires corporate executives to certify their financial statements and internal controls personally. Audit fees for Fortune 1000 companies have more than doubled on average. Worse, the rigid and cumbersome rules are driving away business without significantly improving corporate governance. "Managers are increasingly losing their appetite for risk and innovation," says Hank Greenberg, former chairman of the insurance giant AIG.

As with the Iraq Study Group report, Tammy and Glenn dislike "Sarbox." And I agree with them.

The podcast is sponsored by Volvo Cars US, and is produced by fellow Pajamas blogger Ed Driscoll.

Free Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review subscriptions are available at the iTunes web site.

Technorati tags: Current Affairs Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Volvo politics Iraq NYC Sarbanes Oxley business Hong Kong London

Elsewhere in Illinois, CAIR Chicago and FBI will have a town hall meeting in Peoria

There should be plenty to talk about in Peoria, Illinois tomorrow at the CAIR Chicago-FBI town hall meeting.

Two days ago in Rockford, north of Peoria, Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef was arrested by FBI agents for allegedly plotting to explode grenades at a mall there, as I blogged about in the below post. This afternoon, Shareef was arraigned in Chicago federal courtroom.

From the CAIR Chicago web site:

The Springfield Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with the endorsement of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) – Illinois is holding a "Town Hall" Meeting in Peoria, Illinois, for the IL Muslim Community on Saturday, December 9, 2006.

The Springfield Division of the FBI is hosting this meeting to provide a forum for the frank exchange of ideas and concerns so that the FBI may better serve the Muslim communities in Central and Southern Illinois. The FBI will provide presentations about its current counterterrorism efforts, its civil rights responsibilities, and its current recruiting initiatives and hiring needs.

Springfield is where Sen. Richard Durbin lives.

From FrontPage Magazine in 2003:

Even Senator Richard Durbin, who has made common cause with some of America’s Wahhabi-backed groups, came down hard on CAIR. In his final comments he conceded that CAIR is "unusual in its extreme rhetoric and its associations with groups that are suspect," and requested that the committee seek the testimony of mainstream Muslim groups in its place in the future.

Related post: CAIR-Chicago recommended that DePaul fire Klocek

Technorati tags: Illinois Peoria CAIR War on Terror crime FBI

Rockford terror-plot thwarted

Media reports are everywhere about a thwarted terror-plot in Rockford, Illinois, the state's second largest city.

The national media is saying the suspect, Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef, also known as Derrick Shareef, is a Chicagoan, but this CBS 2 Chicago story lists his hometown as Rockford, which makes more sense. Why travel 90 miles to Rockford to blow off grenades at a mall when there are dozens of shopping centers in and near Chicago?

The only explanation I can come up with, if Shareef is a Chicagoan, is that Rockford's CherryVale Shopping Mall, which I've seen from Interstate 90, allows a very quick getaway.

UPDATE 3:15 PM: From ABC 7 Chicago:

A man who authorities said wanted to commit acts of "violent jihad" against civilians was charged Friday in a plot to set off hand grenades in garbage cans at a shopping mall, authorities said.

"He fixed on a day of December 22nd on Friday ... because it was the Friday before Christmas and thought that would be the highest concentration of shoppers that he could kill and injure," said Robert Grant, special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI office.

The Chicago "free registration required" is describing Shareef as a Muslim convert.

Technorati tags: Illinois war on terror crime Rockford news

Daily Herald's Eric Krol writes a script for a 2008 attack ad on Obama

Obama mania is becoming a world wide phenomenon. Back in Illinois, a few people haven't been infected by this craze. One of them is Eric Krol of the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago daily.

From Krol's column:

Potential script for a new TV campaign ad, probably viewable only in January 2008 in Iowa, New Hampshire and on YouTube:

Cue bouncy music, something along the lines of 1950s advertisements or the "Leave it To Beaver" theme. Voice-over from a paternal-sounding announcer ... "Meet Barack Obama. He bought a $1.65 million mansion. Meet his neighbor, Tony Rezko, indicted on major federal corruption charges that he traded his influence with a politician for kickbacks." (Note: don’t mention that the politician is actually Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, not Obama. This is a campaign ad, after all.)

"Senator Obama couldn’t quite afford both that house and the well-groomed vacant lot next door, so he persuaded the seller to give him a $300,000 discount on the house. But his savvy and sleazy real estate developer friend, Rezko, cheerily offered to pay full price for that empty lot. Now they’re neighbors."

Music turns dramatic, as does announcer’s tone. "Indicted pals. Insider real estate deals. Is this the type of politician you want to elect president?"

For those unfamiliar with Illinois politics, Gov. Blagojevich is a Democrat too.

As for Antoin "Tony" Rezko, the feds had been investigating the real estate developer for at least a couple of years, and definitely at the time of the Rezko-Obama South Side Chicago real estate deal. Senator Obama had to have known this about Rezko.

Related posts: Cong. Gutierrez got special real estate deal from Tony Rezko

Latest Rezko revelation: Gov. Blagojevich's wife profited from Rezko real estate deal

Technorati tags: Politics News Obama Barack Obama 2008 Illinois corruption Tony Rezko Blagojevich

Happy Birthday, Norman Finkelstein

DePaul's infamous holocaust-minimizing professor Norman Finkelstein, is celebrating his birthday today. Coincidentally, it's also the birthday of a semi-famous Morton Grove, Illinois blogger.

Related post: Press Release: DePaul professor defames Catholic education; Donohue defends Dershowitz

Technorati tags: Norman Finkelstein DePaul Jewish Illinois Chicago

Running marathons: Bad for the heart?

Maybe I should stay home on the couch and eat potato chips.

From the New York Times:

But some physicians, including Dr. Siegel, an author of more than two dozen studies of racers at the Boston Marathon, wonder if there is more to the deaths than mathematical inevitability: Does racing 26.2 miles put a heart at risk?

A new study by Dr. Siegel and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital and other institutions is at least suggestive. Sixty entrants from the 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathon were tested before and after the race. Each was given an echocardiogram to find abnormalities in heart rhythm and was checked for blood markers of cardiac problems — in particular for troponin, a protein found in cardiac muscle cells. If the heart is traumatized, troponin can show up in the blood. Its presence can determine whether there has been damage from a heart attack.

The runners (41 men, 19 women) had normal cardiac function before the marathon, with no signs of troponin in their blood. Twenty minutes after finishing, 60 percent of the group had elevated troponin levels, and 40 percent had levels high enough to indicate the destruction of heart muscle cells. Most also had noticeable changes in heart rhythms. Those who had run less than 35 miles a week leading up to the race had the highest troponin levels and the most pronounced changes in heart rhythm.

I've run 28 marathons and haven't died yet. But then again, there are smokers out there who say "I've been smoking all my adult life..."

Related post: Marathon runners face higher skin cancer risk--especially this one

Technorati tags: running marathons marathon health heart heart attack

Bill Richardson is in for 2008

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson told Fox News today that he plans to run for president in 2008. The Democrat has an impressive résumé, a former senator, ambassador to the United Nations, and of course, a current governor.

But Richardson's not the most exciting man on the planet. Richardson's Hispanicic, which will attract support, and in my opinion he is a good VP match for Hillary Clinton.

Technorati tags: New Mexico Bill Richardson 2008 Democrats politics Hispanic

Iowa Caucuses: Will the real Dem prize be for second place?

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton had breakfast yesterday with her Iowa Democratic counterpart, Tom Harkin. I'm sure it was a friendly encounter, but Harkin told Hillary that he'll be backing Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack in his presidential run.

Harkin ran for president in 1992 and won his home state caucuses, but got absolutely no bounce in the succeeding electoral contests that year.

I suppose Vilsack could do better than Harkin, after all, a lot can happen in thirteen months, but it's my guess he'll win his home state, and the media will look at the second place finisher in Iowa to be the "real winner." And Vilsack will fade probably fade away.

Technorati tags: Iowa Democrats Hillary Vilsack Politics 2008

The Sanity Squad podcast on Bolton and Jamil Hussein

The four mental health professionals and bloggers that make up the Sanity Squad: Siggy, Neo-Neocon, Shrinkwrapped, and Dr. Sanity, try to find some sanity in the United Nations, and, not that they phrased it as such, pretty much agree the last bit of saneness left Turtle Bay with John Bolton's resignation earlier this week.

They also discuss the shameful AP scandal uncovered by blogger Flopping Aces. Despite their advanced degrees, the sages of the Sanity Squad can't locate Jamil Hussein either.

Listen or download the podcast here. Free subscriptions are available on the iTunes web site.

Technorati tags: John Bolton United Nations Jamil Hussein Current Affairs Mental Health Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Politics Central Politics Iraq

December 7, 2006

Until September 11, 2001, I never really fully appreciated the significance of December 7, 1941. Oh, sure...my parents told me about that dastardly sneak-attack by the Japanese on Hawaii and their recollections of that day, but with hindsight and being the recipient of over-simplified history lessons in high school, I saw the attack as an inevitability--Japan (and Germany) was going to drag America into it the war.

Americans in 1941 didn't think that way, and just as our perception of the world was shattered on 9/11, so was their view of it.

Today in Hawaii, probably for the last time in large numbers, survivors of the Pearl Harbor attacks are gathering to remember what they--and the fallen--suffered.

Technorati tags: Pearl Harbor Hawaii 9/11 military history World War II

Democracy at work in Chicago: Send gifts (cash) to Mayor Daley

There are many reasons why the Democrats have a lock on Chicago. Here's one. From the Chicago "free registration required" Tribune:

A memorandum sent out last month on city stationery asks department heads and senior staffers to give a "$35 voluntary donation (no checks please)" toward a gift for the mayor and his wife, Maggie.

The offering will be presented at the Daleys' annual holiday party for staffers to be held Friday at Kendall College.

In past years, employees have given the Daleys gifts such as a saltwater aquarium and a piece of artwork from China. This year's gift will be different.

When the Tribune asked what the present would be, mayoral spokeswoman Jodi Kawada revealed Wednesday that a $2,300 charitable donation will be made in the Daleys' names. The money will go to After School Matters, a program overseen by Maggie Daley that offers activities for city teenagers.

True, it's not going to Daley's political fund. But if city department heads can be shaken down in such a fashion, they can be financially abused in other ways.

Technorati tags: Daley Chicago politics corruption

Moron David Bonior

Our old pals at Ankle Biting Pundits came up with some more on John Edwards' choice to run his upcoming 2008 campaign, David "Baghdad" Bonior. In late 2002, former Bonior was "Baghdad" Jim McDermott's traveling companion to the Iraqi capital in late 2002. The two House Democrats were, as George Will paraphrased Lenin, "useful idiots" for Saddam Hussein.

In this 2001 article, columnist Debbie Schlussel alluded that Bonior, along with Georgia nutjob Cynthia McKinney, were among the terrorists' favorite members of Congress.

Related post: John Edwards' odd choice to run his campaign: David Bonior

Technorati tags: John Edwards David Bonior politics 2008 Muslims

Chicago Tribune: Run Obama Run

Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax blog points out that the Chicago Tribune hasn't endorsed a Republican for president since 1872. Democrat Horace Greeley was the lucky recipient of the Tribune's nod, but the excitement must have killed him, he died three weeks after election day--but before the Electoral College had met. Ulysses S. Grant was the winner.

However, the Trib is encouraging the Illinois Democrat to run for president in 2008. Free registration is required for the link.

Technorati tags: Obama Politics Democrats Illinois 2008

Iraq Study Group report given to Bush

There are no real surprises in this AP report about the release of the Iraq Study Group's to President Bush today. Much of the gist of the review of our Iraq policy was leaked over the weekend, so there are no bombshells.

From AP:

It warned that if the situation continues to deteriorate, there is a risk of a "slide toward chaos (that) could trigger the collapse of Iraq's government and a humanitarian catastrophe."

"Neighboring countries could intervene. .... The global standing of the United States could be diminished. Americans could become more polarized," commissioners said.

The report called for the administration to try to engage Syria and Iran in diplomacy as part of an effort to bring stability to Iraq - even though Bush has said previously he would not negotiate with either country.

With diplomacy under way, the report said, the U.S. should increase the number of combat and other troops that are embedded with and supporting Iraqi Army units.

Technorati tags: Iraq Military War on Terror Bush

John Edwards' odd choice to run his campaign: David Bonior

David Bonior was a longtime Democratic congressman from suburban Detroit where he first established a reputation for his pro-labor stance. Later in his congressional career, he also became known for his pro-Arab and Muslim, or if you prefer, anti-Israeli views.

Since leaving Congress in 2003 after an failed run for Michigan governor, Bonior, who looks a little bit like Steven Spielberg, has been a labor studies professor at Wayne State University. Now Bonior has a new job, running the nascent 2008 John Edwards presidential campaign.

In the past few decades the Detroit-area has seen exponential growth among its Arab-American and Muslim population, and Bonior legislated in ways to please this important, numbers-wise, constituency. His fellow Michigan Democrats, John Dingell and John Conyers, still operate that way.

From an April 2002 Mark Krikorian NRO article:

Most notable among Michigan Democrats championing Muslim causes is David Bonior, former Democratic whip and current candidate for governor. He has enthusiastically embraced the Muslim political agenda, especially the effort to force the disclosure of classified evidence used in deportation proceedings -- the power to keep such evidence secret has been used by the Justice Department in a handful of cases where the alien being deported has ties to terrorism. Another sign of growing Muslim political power is the fact that Bonior's Secret Evidence Repeal Act of 2001 (H.R. 1266) had 101 sponsors as of Sept. 10, and only one (Alcee Hastings) had the decency to withdraw his name after the attacks.

Perhaps even more disturbing is Bonior's assessment that accepting money from supporters of anti-Israel terrorist groups is no longer politically damaging. Bonior has proudly refused to return contributions from two high-profile apologists for anti-Israel terror groups: Abdurahman Alamoudi, a founder of the American Muslim Council who has publicly declared support for Hamas and Hezbollah; and Sami al-Arian, a University of South Florida professor who was fired following revelations about his connections with Islamic Jihad.

So is Bonior the best person Edwards can come up with to lead his expected 2008 presidential run? Edwards, who's been cozying up to labor in recent months, likely picked Bonior to shore up his support among union members. Last month Edwards took part in a conference call--along with Barack Obama--with the anti-Wal-Mart group Wake Up Wal-Mart. Of course that put Edwards in an embarrassing situation later that day.

With his pick of Bonior to run his campaign, it looks like Edwards will find himself embarrassed again.

And when it's time for the Iowa caucuses, don't expect Edwards to do very well in the town of Postville.

Technorati tags: John Edwards Michigan Detroit David Bonior Labor Wal-Mart Israel Iowa politics 2008 Muslims

Kerry having problems staffing 2008 bench

John Kerry, the Democratic Party's 2004 nominee for president, never really stopped running for the office. Unfortunately for Lurch, he was run over by his own train in October by his now infamous "botched joke" about our troops in Iraq.

Although only one Democrat, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, has officially announced joining the presidential race, Hillary Rodham Clinton has been the presumed Democratic 2008 frontrunner ever since Kerry gave his 2004 concession speech in Faneuil Hall. Now Billboard Hot 100 star Barack Obama has muddied the waters a bit.

And that brings us back to Kerry. Hidden in the Fox News article is the news that Phil Singer, a member of Kerry's '04 rapid response team--will join HRC's team "if" she runs.

As the story states:

Singer's leap to Clinton's campaign indicates trouble for Kerry. Prominent Democratic activists in Iowa and New Hampshire told Fox News that the Massachusetts senator is having difficulty re-enlisting many of the supporters who backed his 2004 candidacy.

Kerry had originally intended to make a decision on running again for president and announce it as early as January, but aides say he will hold off on making that decision until late spring.

It looks like John Kerry's 2008 bench is thin. Then again, there may not be a Kerry bench at all next time around.

Technorati tags: Kerry Obama Politics Iowa New Hampshire Hillary

Fiji coup complete

Well, as predicted by a Fiji newspaper a few days ago--see previous posts--a military group has overthrown the government of Fiji.

And it may not be the last one...

From AP:

The takeover, like the previous three coups, has its roots in the ethnic divide between the descendants of ancient Melanesian warrior tribes and those of Indian laborers brought by former colonial power Britain to work in sugar plantations.

Mixed societies tend to be unstable. Do you hear that, Europe?
Technorati tags: news fiji events coup

Obama and that middle name

The mainstream media has taken note that many (but not this one) bloggers have made note of Sen. Barack Obama's middle name: It's Hussein. Free Republic posters make mention of it regularly.

From Lynn Sweet's Chicago Sun-Times column:

Barack Hussein Obama. The blogosphere and talk radio, even C-Span, has chatter about the middle name of the Illinois Democrat.

Obama never hid the name. Never highlighted it, either. People are just starting to pay closer attention as Obama mulls a 2008 White House run. He is the son of Barack Hussein Obama Sr.

Hussein is a family name. His grandmother is Sara Hussein Obama.

At one point he was Barack H. Obama. That's how he is listed in the Harvard Law Review when he was the president of the publication. He dropped the H and dumped his nickname of Barry along the way.

And no, Obama is not a Muslim. He's a member of the United Church of Christ.

Technorati tags: Obama National politics Politics Religion Democrats

A Republican longshot of longshots: John Cox

Chicago Republican John Cox is an announced candidate for president in 2008. He hasn't won, but he's been as a candidate in several Illinois races. But he's running for president all the same.

He does have one distinction over all the other announced or presumed presidential candidates. He's the only one I've met.

Technorati tags: 2008 Republicans Politics Illinois elections

Pam Meister makes the American Thinker with Hillary article

Friend of the blog Pam Meister of Blogmeister USA wrote article about Hillary's 2008 prospects that the American Thinker chose to run.

Pam's other writings can be found on her blog.

Technorati tags: Hillary HILLARY CLINTON Democrats In The News politics 2008

Obama mania in NYC: Barack meets with Soros, other donors

Illinois Senator Barack Obama was in New York on Sunday, and the New York Times is reporting tonight that the Chicago Democrat met with George Soros and other top New York donors to the Democratic Party.

It's not believed that recently indicted Chicago North Shore fundraiser Tony Rezko was in attendance.

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Politics 2008 Democrats Soros George Soros corruption New York

Fiji prime minister: Coup under way

A couple of days ago I posted that a Fiji newspaper reported that there'd be a military coup there Monday. Well, it's Tuesday there now, and apparently the coup d'état is underway. They're a day late.

From AP:

Fiji's elected leader said Tuesday a military takeover was under way in the South Pacific country as armed troops surrounded his house and other government buildings in a lockdown of the capital.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he refused a request from Fiji's besieged prime minister Tuesday for "military intervention" to end the coup. New Zealand called the coup an "outrage" and said it was cutting military ties with Fiji, the first international sanctions.

Technorati tags: news fiji events coup Australia New Zealand

Pajamas Media Politics Central podcast on Venezuela

I just got done listening to a great podcast on the intricate, if not troubling, electoral process in Venezuela. Fausta of Fausta's blog interviews fellow blogger Daniel Duquenal of Venezuela News and Views.

The podcast is available for listening or downloading here. Free subscriptions to Pajamas Media Politics Central Podcasts are available at the iTunes web site.

Technorati tags: Current Affairs Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Politics Central Politics Venezuela

Brownback the latest 2008 explorer

Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas is the latest 2008 presidential hopeful to announce he's forming an exploratory committee. At this point, he's looking like the Great Conservative Hope for the GOP. The implosions of the George Allen and Bill Frist campaigns strengthens Brownback's position a bit, but having little name recognition is going to be Brownback's biggest stumbling block.

Technorati tags: Brownback Kansas Republicans Politics 2008

Australian professor may be eased out over his anti-terror stand

A big hat tip to The Radio Patriots for this story.

I'm unfamiliar how Australian higher education works, bit it appears that Dr. Merv Bendle, is being eased out by his university. The Doctor Bulldog blog describes Bendle as "a senior lecturer at James Cook University." I'm not sure if he has tenure now, or if Australian acaedemia has lower standards in stripping tenure.

From Doctor Bulldog's blog:

Merv Bendle, an expert on militant religion and a senior lecturer at James Cook University, has been at the centre of a debate over how terrorism, its origins and outcomes are taught on campuses since he attacked fellow academics for what he saw as their anti-West bias. In his writings, including several published in The Australian, Dr Bendle describes a crisis in history education and criticises academic elites for distorting teaching on fanaticism and avoiding "any facts that might disturb (their) comfort zone." He now suspects his outspoken views will lead to the loss of his position at the university he has worked for since the early 1990s. A proposal, part of a restructure by Colin Ryan as head of the new School of Arts and Social Sciences, would lead to the scrapping of six of the seven subjects Dr Bendle teaches at the Townsville university. "Why strip me of my teaching load? I’m not toeing the right political line. I’m not anti-American and I’m not anti-West" he said "The main reason for the antipathy against me is my stand on the teaching of history and my anti-terrorist stand."

"People should look at terrorists in the same way they look at pedophiles. How many lecturers do you see defending pedophiles? They don’t. But they defend terrorism. I have an intense antipathy to the romanticisation of terrorism. I don’t see anything romantic about blowing people to bits because of an ideology that a suicide bomber has become fanatical about."

Dr Bendle’s concerns over his tenure were dismissed yesterday by the faculty’s pro-vice chancellor, Janet Greeley, who said more than 150 subjects were being reviewed for possible deletion to reduce workload.

There are some differences between Bendle's case and that of fired DePaul University Professor Thomas Klocek. But the overriding theme is the same: attacking radical Islam could be hazardous to your academic career.

Related post: Thomas Klocek's free speech struggle with DePaul: A blog-ography

Technorati tags: Australia James Cook University Queensland Islam Terrorism Academia Merv Bendle

Bolton bows out

UN Ambassador John Bolton, a Bush recess appointment (Dems and RINO Lincoln Chafee kept his nomination locked in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee), gave in to the inevitable and submitted his resignation today. With the January takeover of Congress by the Democrats, Bolton had no chance of keeping his job at Turtle Bay.

Technorati tags: Bolton Bush politics Lincoln Chafee

Islam Online.net story: Afghanis long for peaceful Taliban days

You just can't make this stuff up. And the headline is what that great reservoir of journalistic integrity, Islam Online.net used.

Direct from the source:

"We want peace, whether it is with the Americans or the Taliban," Mohammed Shafik, a young carpet seller in the volatile southern city of Kandahar, told Agence France Presse (AFP) on Sunday, December 3.

"We didn't have problems with the Taliban."

Hadji Ramdullah, a shop owner in the Pashtun-majority city, agreed that the Taliban regime "knew how to keep order".

"In the time of the Taliban, Shari`ah was applied in line with our culture and our traditions," he said.

Technorati tags: Islam Terrorism Taliban Afghanistan news sharia

Obama-mania in the UK

London Independent reporter Andrew Gumbel has an article about Sen. Barack Obama's AIDS Day appearance at that California mega-church that is filed in the news section of his paper, but in reality it should've been placed in the op-ed page of the Independent, or listed with the sub-title "News Analysis."

Lots of gushing about "St. Barack" can be found in Gumbel's piece, but no mention of Tony Rezko, nor Obama's one-bill, a co-sponsored one, that he's gotten enacted into law since arriving in Washington almost two years ago.

Looking for samples of Gumbel's work. Try this Huffington Post article, where he calls Karl Rove a "turd blossom."

Technorati tags: Obama Barack Obama Politics 2008 Democrats UK mainstream-media

Hugo Chavez wins re-election

Well, this should shock no one. Hugo Chavez has been re-elected president in Venezuela.

Technorati tags: Hugo Chavez Venezuela politics Current Affairs

Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review on the information war in Iraq

After a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review is back. I struggled to listen to the podcast during my morning run, but temperatures in the teens put stress on the battery of my iPod, I had to wait to get home to listen to the second half of the show.

The elusive Jamil Hussein, a "source" for Associated Press in Iraq is the first topic of discussion. Friend of the blog Flopping Aces led the charge in not only questioning Hussein as reliable source for such "facts" as the six Sunni Iraqis burned alive in mosque a couple of weeks ago, but whether Hussein actually exists.

Gateway Pundit has been all over this story, or should I say "tale," as well.

It's another direct hit against the credibility of the mainstream media.

The second topic of Blog Week in Review is the unfortunate shooting of a New York groom by the NYPD on the night before his wedding.

Austin Bay as always moderates, and is joined by Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds and The Belmont Club's Richard Fernandez. The podcast is produced by Ed Driscoll and is sponsored by Volvo Cars.

Technorati tags: Current Affairs Politics podcasts Podcast Podcasting iPod blog Pajamas Media Volvo politics Iraq NYC MSM Media Jamil Hussein

Crazy Politico's ideas on fixing Illinois

Over 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson came up with the idea of dividing the largely undeveloped Northwest Territory, an area that later became the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota, into six-mile by six-mile parcels. Those parcels were further subdivided into affordable lots for future settlers.

In Illinois, the legacy of those 36 square-mile pieces of land is the joke known as township government. When Illinois was being settled, township government made sense. In 2006, township government in the state, particularly in areas such as Cook and DuPage Counties with few unincorporated areas, it makes no sense. This little-seen, little-heard-from unit of the public sector does virtually nothing other than stock local food pantries and provide sinecures for otherwise unemployable friends and relatives of various elected officials of both parties.

The food pantry obligation can easily be absorbed by another division of government.

The way to "fix" Illinois, according to Bob over at Crazy Politico's Rantings, is to eliminate or consolidate the multiple layers of government strangling the nation's fifth-most populous state.

From his blog:

There isn't an easy answer to making the state fiscally healthy, but there is an easy starting point; reduce the number of government taxing bodies. In this article I'll only concentrate on local bodies, not those run by the State, that's another bag of worms for someone with much more research time than I have.

Such a review is underway in Springfield, but I'm pretty sure that with the Democrats pretty well controlling everything in the capital, it will be ignored. The number of taxing and government bodies in the state is amazing, frustrating, and horribly redundant.

For instance, if you live in Gurnee, IL you have most the following taxing bodies showing up on your property tax bill, though only two of the school districts will (the High School) and either district 50 or 56 for (elementary and middle school):

Village of Gurnee, Lake County, Lake County Forest Preserve District, Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency, Warren Township, Warren Township Road and Bridge, Warren Gravel, School District 56, School District 50, High School District 121, Community College District 532, Gurnee Park District.

Where I live, in Morton Grove, the situation is the same. Only I have the misfortune of having to pay for that boondoggle known as Cook County Government, which in reality is a patronage army that legendary Boston Mayor James Curley would envy.

Technorati tags: Illinois Illinois Politics government politics Chicago history

Hillary getting ready to join in the 2008 run

Did you know that Sen. Hillary Clinton is considering a run for president? Well, of course she is. Actually, she's been making moves in that direction since she was a high school student in Park Ridge, IL. Hillary peaked early, she was a Republican then.

Because of Obama-mania, Hillary's people have probably altered their plans a bit, and speeded up their plans to get the Hillary '08 campaign up and running.

Hillary's maneuvers of course puts pressure on Obama to get his campaign past the tounge-wagging stage, should he choose to run for the Democratic nomination.

Technorati tags: Hillary Politics Obama Democrats 2008

Daschle ditches 2008 presidential run

Pat at Brainster came across the news that the former Democratic leader of the Senate, South Dakota's Tom Daschle, won't be running for president in 2008.

Daschle's chances of winning the nomination from his party were close to nil. Let's be thankful to Daschle that he fast-forwarded the inevitable by withdrawing from the race before even entering. At least there's no risk of his leaving a trail of unpaid bills. (Scroll down to a post from Saturday on that issue.)

Technorati tags: 2008 Democrats South Dakota
Daschle Politics News

Kerry's "botched joke" botches 2008 presidential announcement

Up until his infamous "botched joke" about uneducated troops getting "stuck in Iraq," it was widely expected the Sen. John Kerry would try again to win the presidency in 2008.

From the Boston Globe:

Senator John F. Kerry's election-eve "botched joke" about the war in Iraq -- and the fierce denunciations his comments drew from fellow Democrats -- has led him to reevaluate whether to mount a run for the presidency in 2008 and has led him to delay an announcement about his decision, according to Kerry associates.

The Massachusetts Democrat is now leaning toward waiting until late spring before declaring his intentions, even as other candidates jump into the race and begin building organizing and fund-raising teams in early-primary states. Before the joke derailed his comeback, Kerry had signaled that he would decide whether to run by the end of January.

Kerry -- who had methodically resurrected his political standing after a tough loss to President Bush in 2004 -- was stunned by the swift, angry reaction to his Oct. 30 statement that underachieving students would end up "stuck in Iraq." Aides and friends say the senator was particularly stung by the fact that so many Democrats had joined Republicans in rebuking him.

The incident laid bare to the senator the lingering skepticism and resentment of him two years after he failed to unseat Bush, according to Kerry advisers who spoke on condition of anonymity.

By late spring, many of the better campaign aides would have been hired by other candidates. But Bob Shrum should still be available.

Technorati tags: Kerry Politics News Democrats Massachusetts 2008

Fiji coup set for Monday

Aren't coup d'état attempts supposed to be surprises? Well, I guess they do things differently in the Fiji Islands.

From AFP:

Fiji's military chief is likely to carry out his threat to overthrow the government early Monday, a report quoted government and military sources as saying.

The Fiji Sunday Post quoted the sources as saying the capital Suva was expected to be sealed by military roadblocks at the start of the operation from 3:00 am Monday (1500 GMT Sunday).

Speculation about when military commander, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, would move has mounted since midday Friday when a deadline passed for the government to accede to a series of demands or face the country's fourth coup in two decades.

The Sunday Post said under the plan, the government would be dismissed, parliament dissolved and an interim administration installed.

Time, date, and place. I'm impressed by the coup plotters planning skills. I just hope the sitting government doesn't get wind of this scheme and ruin it.

Technorati tags: news fiji events coup

And so it begins....an attack on Romney over who cuts his lawn

Expect a lot more of these types of attacks on presidential candidates, particularly Republicans.

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.) has positioned himself has a hawk on illegal immigration.

And now comes a story that his lawn has been cut by a firm employing illegal immigrants.

The same firm does landscaping work for the town of Chelsea, as well as the Massachusetts Port Authority.

But expect this story to go nowhere. From the Boston Globe:

Manuel Macias, an East Boston attorney who specializes in immigration law, said that someone who hires a contractor to perform services on his property has no obligation to make sure the employer's workers are in the country legally.

"If you hire a contractor, it's their responsibility, if they have employees, to [abide] by state and city laws, from workman's comp to immigration requirements," he said.

Technorati tags: Romney immigration politics Massachusetts <