Is London Bridge Falling Down? No, it's being bombed!

From Al-Jazeera --

Britain has raised its security level to "critical", its highest level, after a burning car was crashed into Glasgow airport in Scotland.

The police have arrested two men in connection with Saturday's events and linked the attack with two car bombs discovered and defused in London a day earlier.

"I can confirm that we believe the incident at Glasgow airport is linked to the events in London yesterday," Willie Rae, Strathclyde Police Chief Constable, told reporters.

"There are clearly similarities and we can confirm that this is being treated as a terrorist incident." More....

Terrorists were also busy in London yesterday --

British police say they have defused a "potentially viable explosive device" in an abandoned car in central London.

Nazanine Moshiri, Al Jazeera's correspondent said police confirmed that nails and 200 litres of fuel were found inside a Mercedes Benz outside a nightclub near Piccadilly Circus.

Peter Clarke, Britain's anti-terror police chief, said the explosives were powerful enough to have caused "significant injury or loss of life," possibly killing hundreds.

Jacqui Smith, the UK's new interior minister, called an emergency meeting of officials, calling the attempted attack "international terrorism."

"We are currently facing the most serious and sustained threat to our security from international terrorism," she said. More....

After the first bomb, British police then found a second bomb in the same area.....

Peter Clarke, Britain's head of counter terrorism, said the second car found on Friday contained nails and canisters of petrol - the same materials found in the first
one.

"These vehicles are clearly linked," Clarke told reporters at a press conference.

He called the discovery "obviously troubling" and said that both had been set to explode in London's entertainment district.

The second "bomb" was discovered in a Mercedes that had been parked illegally in London's West End and towed to an impound lot near Hyde Park. More....

More on Iran's fuel ration's

With recent rioting over the fuel rations and the economy plummetting, NOW is the time to turn the heat up on Iran.

This does not mean sabre rattling! This means to allow the unrest and sanctions take their course. It is quite possible that this may be one time that sanctions do work.

From Iran Focus --

..... analysts said the fuel rationing imposed this week may be an attempt by Iran to reduce its dependence on foreign oil imports that other governments could eventually use to pressure Tehran to halt its nuclear program.

A month after raising gasoline prices by 25 percent, the government began fuel rationing Wednesday that sparked violence in Tehran.

Earlier this month, some 60 economists wrote to Ahmadinejad blaming rising prices on his mismanagement and flawed economic policies. Many experts blame the worsening economy on two sets of U.N. sanctions imposed on Iran since December.....

"We will greatly suffer if they (foreign countries) suddenly decide not to sell us fuel,'' said Iranian political analyst Saeed Leylaz. "Fuel rationing is a security-economic decision to reduce fuel consumption.''

Seeking to pressure Iran, leaders of a bipartisan panel in the U.S. House of Representatives proposed legislation Thursday designed to reduce Iran's access to imported gasoline. Under the proposal, any company that provided Iran with gasoline or helped it import gasoline after the end of the year could lose its access to American customers through sanctions. More...

Bald Eagle Soars Off Endangered Species List

The American Bald Eagle has officially been removed from the Endangered Species List.

When I first posted about this on Jan. 1, 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated this would be done in a couple weeks. Better late than never!

From U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service --

After nearly disappearing from most of the U.S., the bald eagle is now flourishing and no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act. The nation’s symbol has recovered from an all-time low of 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to an estimated high of 9,789 breeding pairs today, and will be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species.

To ensure that eagles continue to thrive, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will work with state wildlife agencies to monitor eagles for at least five years. If it appears that bald eagles again need the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the Service can propose to relist the species. More...

Will they ban coffee next?

In another case of of "We know what's best for you," Rep. Courtney Combs, a Hamilton Republican has introduced a bill that would ban tanning beds for children under the age of 18, unless prescribed by a physician.

Combs, feels parents should know better than to allow their children to use tanning beds. Whereas being a republican, Combs should know better than to force more government intrusion and regulation on the citizens.

Will coffee be next?

From the Akron Beacon Journal --

Teenagers would be banned from using commercial tanning beds without a doctor's permission under an Ohio legislative proposal that resembles others simmering across the country.

At least 25 other states and four counties now similarly regulate the use of tanning facilities by minors, according to the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Ohio bill would prohibit anyone younger than 18 from using a commercial tanning bed without a doctor's prescription for ultraviolet radiation treatments.

"I don't believe parents are educated to the fact of how dangerous these tanning rays can be to a young child," said Rep. Courtney Combs, a Hamilton Republican who sponsored the proposal. "Surely to God, if you knew that, you wouldn't allow your child to go into a tanning bed." More....

If only someone could sponsor legislation banning idiots, maybe we would be OK!

Black bear may be roaming southern Summit County

Not that anyone would be interested..... though unconfirmed, there has been another Black Bear sighting in Ohio. This time it is Summit County, a couple of weeks ago there wa a sighting in Stark & Wayne counties.

Being a sportsman, one cannot be more proud of the work Ohio is doing to improve our wildlife after years of ignoring it.

From the ABJ --

A possible black bear has been spotted roaming southern Summit County over the last week, but the Ohio Division of Wildlife has been unable to confirm the sightings, a spokeswoman said today.

The latest of two reports occurred Thursday in New Franklin. A biologist attempted to locate the bear but didn't see it and could find no tracks, spokeswoman Jamey Graham said.

The animal could have been a large dog, as black bears are small and dogs are sometimes mistaken for a bear at a distance, she said. More....

While there is a possibility it could have been a big dog, or though bigger and more hairy than a bear, it may have been Rosie O'Donnell looking for porrage. But most likely, there is a better than average chance it was a lost male black bear.

After the mommy bear pushes them away, it is common for adolescent male bears to go wandering to look for new territory. The bear probably wandered in from western PA and most likely will return.

Nancy Benoit's Death Reported on Web at Least 13 Hours Before Police Found Bodies

This an update from earlier posts on the Murder/Suicide of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit.

The death of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit is getting stranger and stranger as days go by....

From Fox News --

An anonymous user operating a computer traced to Stamford, Conn. — home to World Wrestling Entertainment — posted an entry to pro wrestler Chris Benoit's biography on Wikipedia.org announcing the death of his wife Nancy at least 13 hours before police in suburban Atlanta said they found her body along with her husband's and that of their 7-year-old son, FOXNews.com has learned.

WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said that to his knowledge, no one at the WWE knew Nancy Benoit was dead before her body was found Monday afternoon. Text messages released by officials show that messages from Chris Benoit's cell phone were being sent to co-workers a few hours after the Wikipedia posting. More....

If that's not strange enough, then how's this.....

A week to the day before pro wrestling wife Nancy Benoit was found murdered in her suburban Atlanta home, the body of former pro wrestler and manager Sherri Martel was discovered in her mother's Alabama home, the cause of death unknown.

Linking Martel to the deaths of Nancy and husband Chris Benoit and their son Daniel is former pro wrestler Kevin Sullivan, a man once married to Nancy Benoit and who also was Martel's friend and booker. More....

I wonder if the truth will ever come out or will these death's be turned into a publicity stunt for the WWE?

Believe it or not! Curious George does something 'Right'

Still trying to figure out what party he is from, what he stands for and where he came from, Voinovich is still trying to understand the Fairness Doctrine. Next he will learn how to keep the phone in his hand.

Not having a good week, Curious George, may have actually done something good! Yeah, who da thunk it!

From the PD --

The bill, which passed the House this winter, would have allowed unions to be established at workplaces without a secret-ballot election once a majority of workers sign cards supporting a union. Under current law, employers can demand a secret-ballot election before a union is certified.

The 51-48 vote Tuesday in favor of proceeding with the bill broke down along party lines, with only one Republican, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, joining the Senate's Democrats. Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio supported it and Republican Sen. George Voinovich opposed it.

Voinovich said he opposed the bill because he fears workers might feel pressured to sign union cards to avoid alienating colleagues who disagree with them.

He said he also disliked a part of the bill that would have required binding arbitration when new unions are formed and employees and employers can't agree on a ontract. More...

Poll: Should We Bomb Iran?

I found this in my email --

Crisis Time:Should We Bomb Iran?
Vote in This Urgent Poll
Scroll down to vote.

NewsMax.com, one of America's leading online news services, is conducting an urgent national online poll.

"America's Senator" Joe Lieberman says the U.S. must be prepared to use military strikes against Iran if it does not comply with international demands to stop its nuclear weapons program.

NewsMax wants to know if you agree with Joe Lieberman. Please vote below.

NewsMax will provide the results of this poll to major media and every member of Congress. Additionally, NewsMax's results will be shared with every major radio talk show host in America.

NewsMax reports have been cited by national major media, including Fox News, CNN and MSNBC.

Don't miss this opportunity to let your voice be heard! Many media outlets and national leaders are interested in your opinion. Hundreds of media outlets have reported on NewsMax's online polls. Your vote does count!

We want to know what you really think about this controversy. Key media sources and others want to know your opinion. Vote today! Click here to vote!

Voinovich - The GOP's own Kucinich?

iHas Voinovich been playing with Kucinich to much? Did Kookcinich let Voinovich use his aluminum foil hat? Is little man Voinovich, turning into the GOP's local version of Kucinich?

He must be, first he supports the shamnesty program and now he wants to pull out of Iraq, but not abandon our mission! Pull out and not abandon our mission???

With his head still in his ass and standing on phone books while speaking to the media, Little George, emulating his new idol Kookcinich, tried explaining his betrayal.

From the PD --

Washington - Sen. George Voinovich on Tuesday joined the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in calling for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

In a letter to President Bush, the Republican from Ohio called for "gradually and responsibly reducing our forces" and requiring the Iraqi government and its neighbors to play a larger role in stabilizing Iraq.

"A policy of responsible military disengagement with a corresponding increase in nonmilitary support is the best way to advance our nation's interests in Iraq and to achieve our primary goals: to help Iraqis stabilize their country and improve the security of the United States," Voinovich said in the letter. More....

The Columbus Dispatch reports --

In his letter, Voinovich told Bush he didn't come by his new stance easily.

“Though it may seem contradictory, I believe we can accomplish more in Iraq by gradually and responsibly reducing our forces and focusing on a robust strategy of international cooperation and coordinated foreign aid,” Voinovich writes. “We must not abandon our mission, but we must begin a transition where the Iraqi government and its neighbors play a larger role in stabilizing Iraq.

“As you know, I have been concerned about the situation in Iraq for some time. Nonetheless, I was steadfast in voting against any legislation that would limit or cut off spending for the war,” Voinovich said in the letter, released this afternoon by his office. “I have consistently opposed attempts to limit your powers as our commander-in-chief, and I have openly opposed any form of precipitous withdrawal that would threaten our men and women in uniform, endanger American interests, or abandon the commitment we have made to the people of Iraq who do want our help.”

But now, “It's in their (the Iraqis') best interest to become part of the solution instead of sitting on the sidelines,” Voinovich told the Associated Press. More....

To bad Voinovichs' dad did not pull out!

MSM Entrance Exam

Iranians Riot Over Petrol Rationing

This is sure to send Ahmadinejad's ratings through the roof.

From Iran-Va-Jahan (IRAVAJ) --

Angry Iranians have torched petrol stations in protests against the sudden imposition of fuel rationing in one of the world’s most oil rich nations.

In the capital, youths set a car and petrol pumps ablaze at a station in the residential Pounak area of northwestern Tehran, throwing stones and shouting angry slogans denouncing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who came to power in an election based largely on his promises to improve the Islamic republic’s faltering economy.

Iran has to import more than 50 percent of its petrol needs because of its low refining capability, despite being the second biggest exporter in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Under the new rationing system, owners of private cars can buy only 100 litres (26 gallons) per month at the subsidised price of 1,000 Rials per litre (£0.19) while taxi-owners can purchase 800 litres (211 gallons) a month. More...

President Ahmadinejad predecessor's knew better than rationing petrol. Some feel this may be the last straw for President Ahmadinejad and is the begining of the end.

Earlier this month, a group of 57 Iranian economists, including academics and former officials, wrote an open letter saying his government’s policies had hurt growth and stoked inflation while his foreign policy “had not been constructive”, drawing UN sanctions in a row with the West over Iran’s nuclear programme.

It echoed a missive issued by economists at the same time last year which also criticised Ahmadinejad’s government of economic mismanagement. Since then inflation has surged to more than 17 per cent, growth has continued to fall short of long-term planning targets and foreign firms have voiced increasing concern about investing in Opec’s number two producer.

Petrol consumption in Iran far outstrips the capacity of Iranian refineries, forcing Iran to spend billions of dollars on importing about 40 per cent of its petrol needs at international prices.

Last year the Iranian parliament slotted $2.5 billion for petrol imports but spent $5 billion on imports to sell at subsidised prices. Much is smuggled to Iran’s neighbours
where petrol prices are higher.

Demand for petrol in Iran is growing by 11 per cent a year, compounded by a huge boom in car sales. Iran’s 8.5 million cars ..... consume around the same amount of petrol as the 35 million cars on British roads. More...

We should see if they want to buy some corn?

Judge rules NEA Nazis cannot force teachers to join union

Consistent with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Washington vs. Washington Education Association and Davenport vs. WEA cases, another judge stops the nazi-like tactics of the NEA and teachers unions.

From Ohio News Now --

A Roman Catholic teacher who refused to pay dues to the National Education Association, claiming its views on abortion conflict with her own, sued the State Employment Relations Board after the panel ruled against her claim for a religious exemption.

Carol Katter, a teacher in St. Marys in western Ohio, said the union supports abortion rights and she does not. "I was not going to give 1 cent to those causes," she told The Columbus Dispatch for a story Tuesday.

The National Right to Work Foundation, which opposes mandatory union membership, funded Katter's legal fight.

In his ruling Thursday, Frost struck down the Ohio law that held only members of religions that "historically held conscientious objections" to union membership could opt out. The judge said anyone with demonstrated religious beliefs should be exempt from paying dues to unions whose positions they find objectionable. More...

While I am glad the National Right to Work Foundation funded this teacher's defense, I am totally against any "Right to Work" movement or legislation.

I am sort of confused.... The unions are supposed to protect, not subject, workers to heavy handed tactics. I was of the belief the unions are to stand up for workers rights, not trample on them.

One could only hope these rulings will cause more educators to stand up against the NEA & the teachers unions that are responsible for the fleecing America in the name of education, "dumbing down" of the masses, indoctrinazation of the homosexual agenda in our children and are hell bent on eroding the very fabric on which our country was founded.

Some of these unions should be ashamed of what they have allowed themselves to become!

Update: WWE wrestler kills family in steroid rage

Here is an update on the alleged murder/suicide of WWE wrestler, Chris Benoit. All signs are suggesting that these deaths maybe related to rage caused by Benoit's possible steroid use.

Wanting to keep a clean image, the WWE catagorically denies any steroid use. But deaths of other wresters have been directly linked to steroid use.

From Ohio News Now --

Benoit's 43-year-old wife was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, and her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle. Daniel was probably killed late Saturday or early Sunday, and his body was found in his bed, the district attorney said.

Benoit, 40, apparently hanged himself hours later, Ballard said. His body was found in a downstairs weight room hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment.

The prosecutor said it appeared the wrestler remained in the house for up to a day with the bodies.

The boy had old needle marks in his arms, Ballard said. He said he had been told the parents considered him undersized and had given him growth hormones.

The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., issued a statement Tuesday saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death." More....

Wrestling Superstar Chris Benoit and Family Found Dead

I ended getting informed about this story through the most unlikely source, Little King. LIttle king called last night and asked, "Daddy, did you hear what happened to Chris Benoit?"

Listening to the radio last night, authorities have said the deaths may have been a murder/suicide...

From Conservative Voice --

by Jim Kouri - World Wrestling Entertainment was informed today by the police in Fayette County, Ga., that WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, his wife, Nancy, and his son were found dead in their home. Authorities are investigating, but no other details are available at this time. More....

Palestinian Officials Stole Almost $1 Billion in Foreign Aid

The Palestinian Authority is responsible for allowing nearly $1 Billion dollars in foreign aid to be stolen or mishandled. I don't know about other people, but I know this is enough for me to say, "OK Abbas, no more money until you get rid of the crooks!"

As I have previously posted, much of this stolen money gets funneled to terrorists in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Iraq and elsewhere throughout the middle east. All foreign aid should be ceased immediately. Once measures are out in place to minimize the chance of this money going to terror groups, then countries should reconsider resuming their aid.

From The Conservative Voice --

by Jim Kouri - Over $700 million in financial aid -- much of it from the United States -- was wasted or pocketed by Palestinian Authority officials, the Israel press reported. This multi-million dollar scandal is credited with aiding the terrorist group Hamas to achieve a surprise victory in recent parliamentary elections. Many Palestinians believed that there was widespread corruption in the rival Fatah movement.

Ahmed al-Moghani, the Palestinian attorney-general, told a press conference in Gaza City the final total could be in the "billions of dollars". He said many previous and current officials have been arrested so far and that 10 suspected thieves are fugitives who escaped to other countries.

Palestin's top law enforcement officer claims he is investigating a fictitious water-pipe company, funded by about $4 million from the Palestinian Authority (PA), and $2 million in Italian aid money. His corruption investigation includes the Palestinian oil, tobacco and broadcasting corporations.

Catholics Beware; Here come the democrats

Being Italian & Catholic, everything I was ever taught to believe as being good, is the opposite of what most democrats stand for. What is ironic is that I am sure there are some members in our family that are democrats.

Almost everything they stand for is the opposite of what I was raised to believe as to what is the meaning of being a good person....

The dems seeing an opportunity to exploit will tailor their message in a way to trick Catholic voters to believe they share the same values.

From U.S. News & World Report --

.....Democrats are now waging a multifront offensive to shore up what was once a bedrock constituency. The Democratic National Committee has hired its first director of Catholic outreach. The DNC is also slated to soon unveil an organizing hub for Catholics on its website, and it's planning to supply state parties with Catholic voter lists before the 2008 election. Catholic Democrats in Congress are introducing legislation to reduce demand for abortion, a top issue for the Roman Catholic Church. And some Democratic presidential candidates are already devising Catholic outreach plans.

"Catholics are ideal targets" for Democrats courting religious voters, says University of Akron political scientist John Green.

Many Catholics are political centrists, unlike overwhelmingly conservative evangelical Christians. Catholics also tend to be less observant than evangelicals and so are less likely to tow the church line politically.

What's more, the Catholic Church's promotion of social welfare programs and its opposition to war (including Iraq) dovetails with the Democratic Party platform. More....

Federal wages at least twice the private sector

So much for the "low paying government jobs keeps good people away."

Should the federal wages be brought in line with the private sector wages? I say Yes!

From USA Today --

Sometimes the easiest way to find a job that pays well is to ask a wealthy relative to hire you. For many, that relative is Uncle Sam.

Federal workers, on average, are paid almost 50% more than employees in the private sector, an Asbury Park Press analysis of salary data shows.

The average federal worker made $59,864 in 2005, compared with the average salary of $40,505 in the private sector, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

And that pay gap appears to have widened in the first nine months of 2006. More...

U.S. making allies in Iraq

When I read this in the Plain Dealer I almost fell over. I cannot recall ever reading a "good story" or "positive story" about Iraq and our troops ever in the local rag.

It appears that as in other locations, local Iraqi groups and clans are willing to support the U.S. troops against the bloodthirsty killers of Al-Qaeda.

From the PD --

Baqouba, Iraq- Two months ago, a dozen Sunni insurgents - haggard, hungry and in handcuffs - stepped tentatively into a U.S.-Iraqi combat outpost near Baqouba and asked to speak to the commander: "We're out of ammunition, but we want to help you fight al- Qaida."

Now, hundreds of fighters from the 1920s Revolution Brigades, an erstwhile Sunni insurgent group, work as scouts and gather intelligence for the 10,000-strong American force during its current mission to remove al-Qaida gunmen and bomb makers from the Diyala provincial capital.

Little so well illustrates the Middle Eastern dictum: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." More...

Jessie Davis' body found; Cutts arrested

From PD Breaking News --

CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Authorities on Saturday arrested the boyfriend of a missing nine-month pregnant woman on murder charges and said they recovered a body believed to be hers.

Jessie Davis has been missing for a week from her home, where her 2-year-old son was found alone, his diaper dirty, bedroom furniture toppled and bleach spilled on the floor.

The Stark County Sheriff's Department said a body was recovered in Summit County at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Authorities did not give a location but said they believed it to be Davis.

The PD also profiles Bobby Cutts here.

Anybody want to compare cruel and unusual punishment of this pregnant girl being killed and wrapped in a blanket in front of her kid then dumped and the death penalty now?

I hope this guys gets put in with general population when he goes to jail. Let the lifers give him a big huge welcome. They will love his "Freshness"

But being a policemen, he will get protective custody, unlike the protection Jesse and her baby got.

Judge bans use of word 'rape' at rape trial as "unfair to defendant"

Liberal judges, you gotta love 'em! Where and when will this stop?!?

From World Net Daily --

The new order comes from Jeffre Cheuvront, a district judge in Lancaster County, who granted a defense motion to ban such words. A defense lawyer, Clarence Mock, told the Lincoln Star-Journal those references should be restricted to keep the trial fair.

"Rape" is not even a legal term, he noted. And while "sexual assault" is, that references something only the jury can determine, he said.

"Under the rules of evidence, witnesses can't reach legal conclusions," he told the newspaper

But the judge also rejected a motion from prosecutors to ban the words "sex" and "intercourse," because they imply consent, and the woman who brought the complaint, Tory Bowen, said that leaves her being forced by the judge to commit perjury.

"The word 'sex' implies consent," she said. "I never once would describe (what happened) as sex. He's making me commit perjury." More.....

This bottom feeding defense attorney claims use of the word "rape" would unfairly prejudice the jury against his client.

Sort of makes you wonder if this will be used by defense attorney's everywhere.

Update: Bedford PD Shooting

From the Bedford Times Register --

A Bedford man is dead after Bedford police say they returned fire after he shot at them June 20. No one else was injured.

Three officers are on administrative leave while an investigation is pending, according to a detective with Bedford police.

Police stopped Joseph Picciano, 21, on Lincoln Avenue after receiving a call from his mother about 5:15 p.m. that he had left his house on Johnson Avenue with a shotgun.

Police say Picciano got out of his car and allegedly fired at officers.

Police said the crisis intervention team arrived to try to talk to Picciano, but at 6:45 p.m.

Picciano allegedly fired shots at officers again. Officers returned fire, striking Picciano, who was later pronounced dead at UHHS Bedford Medical Center. Three officers are on administrative leave while an investigation is pending.

I heard on the radio this morning that Picciano was hit with three shots. One in the stomach, chest and head.

Glad to see our state of the art gun range in city hall is coming in handy and being put to good use. Nice shot guys, I am glad all the good guys went home safely!

Team Kucinich New Campaign Manager - "Dennis is not a tool"

Hillary & Obama stand aside! Boy Blunder has a new campaign manager and they are making a push to raise big bucks!

Oops, shhh it's a secret.

From Openers --

Dennis Kucinich's presidential campaign has retained a new campaign manager and new national finance director in recent months, but the Democratic congressman from Cleveland says he's not yet prepared to discuss them.

Over the past month, new campaign manager Mike Klein has sent several e-mails to Kucinich supporters, including one today that announced a new "Patriots for Peace" campaign.

"Our goal is to have more than 50,000 supporters contribute $150,000 by June 30th, for our end of quarter deadline," said Klein's e-mail, which mentioned the campaign had raised $41,300 towards that goal as of 3 p.m. on Wednesday. "I know you believe that Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate running who has peace as a conviction and not as a political tool."

You do the math: That's $3 a person.

The campaign has said Monopoly money & Yugi-Oh trading cards will also be welcome.....

Dann swears at reporter after story about daughter

I guess reporters are only allowed to write about a politicians daughter if they are a lesbian, as in Cheney's daughter.

Klassy guy this Dann is.....

From Dayton Daily News --

COLUMBUS — When Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann stepped out of his black Chevrolet Suburban for a Barack Obama fundraiser in Boardman, he spotted a local reporter who had just published a story Dann didn't like.

"Hey Steve, write this down: Go (expletive) yourself!" he hollered on the street of an upper middle class neighborhood Wednesday morning.

The day before the Warren Tribune Chronicle ran a story of how a woman Dann helped raise, Mavilya Chubarova, 22, landed a $37,000-a-year job with Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Brunner and Dann are both Democrats, and Chubarova worked on Dann's campaign. Dann acted as Chubarova's guardian and calls her his daughter. More....

The reporter should have replied, "You and Rev. Ted already are!"

Looks like in Ohio, if you get elected that means all your friends and relatives get a job.

Scamnesty bill to allow easier access for terrorists

I am sort of at a loss..... Was it not the democraps who complained not enough was being done about securing our country and national security? Now they want open borders.

Oh wait our idiot President and Sen. Voinobitch (who not by choice, will be serving his last term) also want open borders. This is hypocrisy at its' best from both parties!

I guess Voinobitch must have felt sorry for those illegal's he had serving us hot dogs at his $85 fund raiser.

From World Net Daily --

The recasting of the Senate's immigration reform bill as national security legislation is a farce, contends a former chief adviser to the U.S. attorney general, arguing the plan offers alien terrorists easier ways to obtain legal status and carry out attacks on Americans.

"The top priority in this bill is extending amnesty as quickly and easily as possible to as many illegal aliens as possible," writes Kris W. Kobach, professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a visiting fellow at the Heritage
Foundation. "The cost of doing so is to jeopardize national security."

He points out that in fiscal 2005, the Border Patrol apprehended 3,722 aliens from nations designated as state sponsors of terrorism or places in which al-Qaida has operated.

For every alien the Border Patrol apprehended, there likely were three aliens who were not caught, he reasons.

"If so, it is probable that more than 10,000 aliens from high-risk, terrorist-associated countries illegally entered the United States in fiscal year 2005 alone," Kobach writes on the Heritage Foundation website. "Assuming conservatively that only one in 100 was an actual terrorist, that is still over 100 terrorists who snuck across the border in a single year."

Bill co-sponsor Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., claims the legislation will compel all illegal aliens to come forward, and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez repeatedly has called it a "national security bill," declaring, "We are fixing a national security problem." More....

Fixing a national security problem? Only an idiot would think this!

Maybe the next step in this "fix" would be to mail Osama the keys to the White House!

Update: Hillary "Smoking Gun" video released

Oh boy, this is going to be fun! Here is an update on previous posts I have made about Hillrod and her soon to be big headaches!

From World Net Daily --

The full, five-minute videotape touted as "smoking gun evidence" of two felonies committed by Sen. Hillary Clinton has been released to WND.

As WND reported

, the tape was submitted as evidence to a California appeals court yesterday in a civil fraud suit against the New York Democrat and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

WND reported in April the tape indicates Clinton – despite denials throughout six years of investigation – was directly involved with business mogul Peter Franklin Paul in producing a lavish Hollywood fundraiser in August 2000 that eventually cost Paul nearly $2 million. Click here to view the video

Lawsuit will be filed to stop ballast discharge in Great Lakes

Here is an update from an earlier post about exotic species invading the Great Lakes...

From Ohio News Now --

Environmentalists notified shipping companies Thursday of a lawsuit accusing them of violating the federal Clean Water Act by releasing invasive species into the Great Lakes.

It will seek an order barring the ships from discharging ballast water into the lakes unless they get federal or state permits and install sterilization equipment.

Invasive species "are killing the Great Lakes," Andy Buchsbaum, director of the wildlife federation's Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor, told reporters during a conference call.

Scientists have documented at least 183 aquatic exotic species and another 124 terrestrial exotics within the basin, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported this month. More...

Invasive exotic species, such as Zebra Mussels, Spiny Water Flea, Round Goby, Lamprey, etc... have already had a detrimental effect on Lake Erie as a whole.

The Zebra Mussel and Gobies have affected the Walleye & Smallmouth Bass populations. Gobies eat Smallmouth eggs and the Zebra Mussels have altered the clarity of lake water to the point it has changed Schooling Walleye patterns. The encrusting nature of the Zebra Mussel has also wreaked havoc in waste water treatment plants.

Ballast discharge is the main culprit for infecting Lake Erie with the deadly virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). Harmless to people, this virus can wipe out an already weak Walleye and Perch population and our growing Steelhead population.

Now here is a case where I hope there is an activist judge!

Man killed in standoff with Bedford police

I just seen this on the PD's Breaking News --

A two-hour standoff on Lincoln Boulevard in Bedford ended with a man shot dead by police. Police said the man, whose identity has not been released, fired several shots at officers but missed. He shot the windshield of a police cruiser, they said.

The man did not live on the street, neighbors said. Officers chased his vehicle there after they responded to a call from his family saying he was distraught and wanted to commit suicide, according to police.

Police blocked off Lincoln, and the man could be seen pacing in the street with a shotgun. He appeared to try to shoot at the ground and a white propane tank he had taken from the Blazer, witnesses said. Witnesses said he also fired at police.

He fired a round at police about 6:45 p.m. and officers returned fire. An ambulance quickly moved in to treat him but he died about 7 p.m.

Knowing many of the Bedford Police officers, I will be confident in stating this will be ruled a justifiable shooting. Having seen them in action on several occasions, it can be said they proceed with extreme caution and are very disciplined in their use of any type of force.

My heart goes out the BPD and especially this officer.

To all at the BPD - Thank You for keeping us safe!

Hamas outlines seized American weapons

From World Net Daily --

Hamas members today provided WND a preliminary list of what they claimed were hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. weaponry and equipment seized during last week's coup against the U.S.-backed Fatah security organizations of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The list of claimed seized U.S. material included:

• "Dozens" of mounted machine guns

• Approximately 7,400 American M-16 assault rifles

• About 800,000 rounds of bullets.

• Eighteen armored personnel carriers

• Seven armored military jeeps

• "Tens" of armored civilian cars, including pickup trucks and magnums.

• Eight massive trucks equipped with water cannons for dispersing protests

• Fourteen military-sized bulldozers

The Hamas list of purportedly seized American weapons comes as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced this week the U.S. will resume "full assistance to the Palestinian government," lifting an economic and political embargo against the Palestinian government enacted after Hamas came to power in March 2006. More....

WND continues to report in another article that this money will got to the famous "Force 17", which is more or less a police force for Fatah. Problem is many are open members the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade which is a terror group with ties to Hamas.

Hamas has stated they will also get their hands on any emergency funding the U. S. sends to Abbas and his Fatah group.

"Like the American weapons in Gaza we told you will come to Hamas, also the weapons and aid the Americans are giving to Abu Mazen (Abbas) as part of their conspiracy against us in the West Bank will find its way to the Palestinian resistance and Hamas," said Abu Abdullah, a senior operational member in Gaza of Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Martyrs Brigades, Hamas' so-called "military wing."

The terror leader, speaking from the Gaza Strip, said Hamas was "swimming" in American weapons it seized last week when it gained control of Fatah bases, including Fatah's major Ansar complex – where American-provided weapons were delivered and stored – and Abbas' presidential guard complex.

More....

Geritol & Gun Toting Grannies

The PD writes how more seniors are applying to get their CCW license. The pro gun crowd claims gun toting grannies are more safe when they are carrying guns as they are easy victims to street thugs.

Before the interview, the reporter must have had to wait for the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's & Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence's' spokesmen to pull their heads out of their ass to offer up this line of thinking..... seniors are not picked as easy victims. (????)

Why am I not surprised at this ass backwards way of thinking in Cuyahoga County where they feel criminals have a code of conduct AGAINST attacking women, seniors and children.

From the PD --

About 12 percent of all concealed-carry licenses issued since 2005 by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office have been to people 60 and older.

In April, 18 out of 127 concealed-carry permits -- 14 percent -- issued by the Cuyahoga Sheriff's Office were to the elderly. It was the highest monthly total of permits given to that age group since August 2004, when the law was four months old.

Seniors make up 40 percent to 50 percent of students at concealed-carry license certification classes at the Phoenix Center in Painesville, said Mike McKenney, who runs the 12-hour courses.

Jeff Garvas, president of Ohioans for Concealed Carry, said seniors should consider carrying a gun because criminals can interpret their physical weakness as an opportunity.

Senior citizens are no more at risk of being attacked than any other demographic group, said Toby Hoover, executive director of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence.

Also, despite the vulnerability older people might feel, there is a "code" among criminals against attacking women, children and the elderly, said Lt. Reginald Eakins, who's in charge of the division of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office that issues concealed-carry licenses. More...

With Cleveland's violent crime rate over 50% higher than the national average, the thugs in this area must not be aware of the "Criminal Code of Conduct."

Maybe instead of trying to promote gay tourism in the area, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland can print a "Criminal Code of Conduct" handbook to be passed out among our area thugs!

Ooops, anybody got some water?

From Fox News --

SAN ANGELO, Texas — A man who doused himself with gasoline then caught on fire after police fired a Taser stun gun at him died from his injuries Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Juan Flores Lopez, 47, was hospitalized after the confrontation with officers in his yard Monday.

Police said they used pepper spray while trying to take Lopez into custody, but that he was never handcuffed. Lopez had a can of gas and a small lighter in his hand at one point, police Lt. Curtis Milbourn said.

He tossed gas at officers, but no one was injured, police said.

The attorney's will love this one....

Iran says won't rule out using oil as a weapon

Another reason we should be drilling in ANWR right now......

From Iran Focus --

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will not rule out using oil as a weapon if the United States resorts to military action against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program, an Iranian oil official said in remarks published on Tuesday.

"When the Americans say that military action in regard to the nuclear issue has not been put aside, Iran can also say that it will not put aside oil as a tool," Iran's OPEC governor, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, told Iran's Sharq newspaper.

Asked what would be the impact if Iran stopped its oil exports, Kazempour Ardebili said: "Definitely the market will be faced with a new shock and oil prices will increase strongly."He added that prices would climb above $100 a barrel. More....

Cleveland's "Missing Mayor" finally keeps promise!

Wll look at that! Cleveland Mayor, Frank "Who?"Jackson, will finally make good on a promise.

Too bad it is not to City of Cleveland residents......

From the PD --

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson has made good on his bet with San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger on the outcome of the NBA Finals.

Today, Jackson will send Hardberger "a taste of Cleveland" -- a case of Ohio City pasta, ribs and special sauce from Hot Sauce Williams and a case of Great Lakes Brewing Company's "Burning River" ale.

Had the Cavs won, Jackson would have got a case of tamales and a case of Alamo Golden ale from Hardberger. But Hardberger was a good sport -- he said last night in a news release that he's still going to send a case of ale.

Venezuela to buy Russian weapons to protect against U. S. invasion

Hey, isn't the Cold War over?

Russia, or better yet, Putin continues to be a thorn in the side for the United States.

Russia, who is trying their hardest to become a major world player again, is continuing its' armament of terror groups in the Middle East, building nuclear plants for Iran, and now they will be selling planes, submarines, air defense systems, and tanks to Venezuela. Chavez also supports Iran's quest to be a nuclear player.

This is being done as part of an overall build up of Venezuela's military forces. Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's nut case leader, claims this is needed to thwart any invasion plans of the United States.

From Global Security --

(RIA Novosti) - Venezuela is planning to procure up to 10 modern diesel submarines and several Tor-M1 air defense missile complexes from Russia, a source at a Russian think tank said Monday.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez could finalize a deal to purchase Russian diesel submarines for the Venezuelan Navy. The contract reportedly is for the supply of five Project 636 Kilo-class diesel submarines and four state-of-the-art Project 677 Amur submarines.

"Most likely, [Venezuela] will buy five Project 636 submarines with missile systems..., but it could end up buying nine [submarines]," said Konstantin Makiyenko, Deputy Director of the Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST).

The expert said the multi-billion dollar contract could be split into two or three parts, and include construction of submarine bases and training of submarine crews.

In 2005-2006, Venezuela ordered weaponry from Russia worth $3.4 billion, including 24 Su-30MK2V Flanker fighters, Tor-M1 air defense missile systems, Mi-17B multi-role helicopters, Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopters and Mi-26 Halo heavy transport helicopters. More....

Maybe Chavez could have his buddy, ex Congressman Joe Kennedy, to smooth things over for him....

More illegal immigrant protests in Painesville

Why do people illegally here in our country, THINK they are entitled to the rights afforded to U. S. citizens?

Once again the illegals and their relatives were marching against the illegal immigrant crack down by INS in the Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula county areas.

From the PD --

Marchers protesting recent immigration raids walked through the hot, silent streets of Painesville this afternoon waving American flags and carrying signs aserting their right to be in the United States.

About 300 people left the city's Recreation Park at 3 p.m. making for Veteran's Memorial Park about six blocks away. It was the region's largest pro-immigration rally yet, but the turnout was less than expected.

"We know a lot of people from Painesville are afraid to march because they (federal agents) are still taking people," said Veronica Dahlberg, a march organizer. More.....

The agents should have been waiting at Veteran's Memorial Park checking documentation on every marcher/protestor.

Iran; Back to the 1979 Revolution

Reminiscent of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ahmadinejad is following in the foot steps of previous hard line Iranian rulers

From Iran-Va-Jahan --

Iran is in the midst of a sweeping crackdown that both Iranians and U.S. analysts compare to a cultural revolution in its attempt to steer the oil-rich theocracy back to the rigid strictures of the 1979 revolution.

The widespread purges and arrests are expected to have an impact on parliamentary elections next year and the presidential contest in 2009....

"Ahmadinejad has repeatedly stated his goal of purging Iranian society of secular thought. This is taking shape as a cultural revolution, particularly on university campuses, where persecution and prosecution of students and faculty are itensifying with each passing day," said Hadi Ghaemi, the Iran analyst for Human Rights Watch.

In recent weeks, the government has also tried to dissolve student unions and replace them with allies from the Basij -- a young, volunteer paramilitary body, human rights groups say. Between April 30 and June 6, eight student leaders involved in the elections at Amirkabir University -- where Ahmadinejad was reportedly jeered as students set his pictures on fire -- have been jailed in Evin Prison. More....

Iran blasts Britian / Raises reward for Sir Rushdie's death

Salman Rushdie, author of the 1989 book "Satanic Verses", which put Iran & the muslim world in a tizzy, was recently awarded knighthood by the British government for his services to literature. The Ayatollah of Iran issued a death sentence on Rushdie for his supposed blasphemous writings.

As you might have guessed, the Iranians and other muslims have their panties in a bunch over this....

"This move will certainly place the British officials and statesmen against the Islamic societies," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters during his weekly press conference here in Tehran today.

"This action displays that insults to Islamic sanctities is not a haphazard move and that it is a pre-planned movement guided and supported by certain western countries," he continued.

Never one to miss taking a shot at the United States, the country that throws people off a cliff in burlap sacks as a death sentence, claims they will be releasing a report on human rights violations of the United States and other western countries....

....the foreign ministry spokesman said that his ministry has established a human rights center to register the cases of the violation of human rights in western countries and present well-documented reports on such cases.

"As a first step, this center has embarked on releasing two books on violation of human rights in the US and it has also compiled a report about the human rights condition in Canada, which will be released in the near future," he added.

Apparently in Iran, the renewal of death sentences is not considered a human rights violation....

Secretary General of the Headquarters for Honoring the Martyrs of Islam World Movement Forouz Raja'ee-Far told FNA here on Sunday that his headquarters had announced in 2004 that it would pay $100,000 to anyone who could put into effect Imam Khomeini's verdict and that after 3 years it has now raised the prize to $150,000.

The NGO secretary general also added, "According to Imam Khomeini's verdict, it is an obligation for all Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie even if he repents from the bottom of his heart and becomes the pious man of the time."

Happy Father's Day

A little something from the mind of John. Lots going on over at his blog: John Cox Art. Be sure to check it out regularly.

Cheney & Rice disagree on Iran

It looks like lines are starting to be drawn in the sand as for how we will deal with the ever growing pain in the ass country of Iran.

The options are pretty cut and dry - continue trying for diplomatic solutions or bomb them! Condoleeza Rice wants to continue her failed negotiations in EU style and Cheney wants to bomb them.

A hard line needs to be drawn, and I believe this line lies somewhere in the middle. Because of partisanship, due to failure of the democrats to understand the threat Iran poses and the doves with the current administration, this line will be continually blurred. Military strikes alone are certainly out of the question.

Rice has gotten a little foggy as she continues to feel Russia, China, the IAEA and the EU will be the key to solving this crisis. To date everything has failed an has allowed Iran to continue their pursuit for nuclear weapons.

Be it overtly or covertly, Russia has been meddling and encouraging Iran. This ranges from economic and technological support in Iran's quest for nuclear weapons to supplying arms through Syria. (Maybe Ninny Pelosi should go talk to Syria again, they're still laughing from her first trip)

From Iran Focus --

In the year since Ms. Rice announced the new strategy for the United States to join forces with Europe, Russia and China to press Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities, Iran has installed more than a thousand centrifuges to enrich uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency predicts that 8,000 or so could be spinning by the end of the year......

Those hard numbers are at the core of the debate within the administration over whether Mr. Bush should warn Iran’s leaders that he will not allow them to get beyond some yet-undefined milestones, leaving the implication that a military strike on the country’s facilities is still an option.

Even beyond its nuclear program, Iran is emerging as an increasing source of trouble for the Bush administration by inflaming the insurgencies in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and in Gaza, where it has provided military and financial support to the militant Islamic group Hamas, which now controls the Gaza Strip.

The issue was raised at a closed-door White House meeting recently when the departing deputy national security adviser, J. D. Crouch, told senior officials that President Bush needed an assessment of how the stalemate over Iran’s nuclear program was likely to play out over the next 18 months, said officials briefed on the meeting.

.......officials from the Treasury Department have been trying to use the mounting conservative calls for a military strike to press Europe and Russia to expand economic sanctions against Iran.

In the year since the United States made its last offer to Iran, the Iranians have gone from having a few dozen centrifuges in operation to building a facility that at last count, a month ago, had more than 1,300. More.....

The worldwide threat posed by Iran, will need cooperation from a coalition of countries. An air, land & sea blockade, along with economic sanctions adhered to by ALL countries needs to be the first step.

The second step would be a military buildup using combined forces from this coalition of countries. And NO, the useless U. N. would not oversee the troops!

Third and most importantly, Arab countries would need band together against Iran. This in itself maybe the biggest hurdle. If Saudi Arabia would stop playing both sides, they would be a perfect unifier of the Arab/Muslim countries.

These measures along with more support for Iranian opposition groups would hopefully avert any actual military operations.

Failure to quell Iran's nuclear weapon ambition and Middle East meddling, be it by diplomacy, military action or a combination of both, will possibly lead to Israel taking on a larger role. This will do nothing but complicate things more.

Reconstruction Advisory Team working with Iraqis in Baghdad

From United States Central Command --

Thursday, 14 June 2007

By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Timmons

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

BAGHDAD — When President George W. Bush ordered troops to “surge” into Baghdad he was not just sending Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, he was also sending little-known teams of reconstruction experts as well.

One of those teams operates out of Forward Operating Base Falcon with the 4th “Dragon” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, in the southwestern Rashid District of the Iraqi capital.

These small teams, known as Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Teams, are made up of workers from the U.S. military, State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Timothy Zuniga-Brown, who heads the EPRT in the Dragon Brigade, said his team serves as advisors to the Iraqis.

“We are a small team that works at the brigade and regimental levels,” said the Carson City, Nev., native. “This gives us better visibility and better understanding of what the Iraqi government can do to bring peace and stability to their own country.”

The team, comprised of seven people with technical expertise in various areas such as governance, security and economics, has been on the ground for almost two months.

“It is premature to see noticeable changes,” Zuniga-Brown said. “But we have seen changes for the better.” He said the district council holding its own meetings and the Doura Market revival are two examples of Iraqi growth in the area.

In December 2006 there were three shops open in the Doura Market, while today there are more than 250. More than $100 million has spent so far on rebuilding projects throughout the Rashid District, which the team is responsible for.

While the work was started by the military, Zuniga-Brown said the civilian teams would eventually help the Iraqi government stand on its own.

“Brigades have lots of knowledge and understanding at this level, but their main task is to fight and help the Iraqis win this war on the military side,” he said. “But, it’s clear in this conflict, especially when dealing with counterinsurgency, a lot of components are civilian – the Iraqis sending supplies to their own people, listening to their own people and putting together the requirements for a civil society to be stitched back together.”

The military was there to help address the security problems, but they needed help addressing their other problems, as well, Zuniga-Brown added.

“We are in an advisory role, a helping role,” he said. “Bottom line – the Iraqis need to do it themselves and they understand it.”

Photo - Lt. Col. Joeseph Birchmeier (standing) commander 4-1 Brigade Special Troops Battalion, gives a briefing on the ongoing service projects in the Rashid District of Baghdad.

Porkers of the Week: Ohio Senate

From Eye on the Statehouse by Eye on the Statehouse

This week’s Porkers are members of the Ohio Senate for their $40 million handout to Ohio’s powerful nursing home industry. As a result of their successful lobbying efforts, senators allocated scarce state resources to these costly institutional care providers.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

With passage of the Ohio Senate’s version of the budget on Wednesday, the nursing home industry hit its mark. The Senate matched the $40 million (worth $100 million with the federal money) that the Ohio House inserted into Strickland’s budget last month.

There are better and more cost effective options.

From a taxpayer’s perspective, home and community-based care is cheaper than institutional care (nursing homes) for most long-term care needs. Many individuals would also prefer to be taken care of in a home or community setting rather than in an institution. Thus, it doesn’t make sense to increase money for expensive nursing home care when it is possible that a more cost-effective (and more patient-friendly) alternative exists.

Just look at the numbers: the state has a program called PASSPORT that covers home and community-based care. Most individuals in the program have similar levels of disability to nursing home residents. It costs taxpayers, on average, $164 per day for an individual in nursing home care. For an individual in PASSPORT, it costs taxpayers around $48 a day.

Long-term care needs to be provided by the state based on a determination of what is appropriate for an individual’s needs as well as what is cost-effective for taxpayers.

Senators, like their colleagues in the Ohio House, knew these facts and yet still opted to increase nursing home funding at the expense of other suitable health care options. As a result, members of the Ohio Senate are the Porkers of the Week.