Thinking Out Loud - Ms. Green

Commentaries from a female, conservative Christian worldview. Intermittent observations on human behavior and current events. Occasional bursts of personal tirades,confessions, and discoveries. Frequent discussions about my "Narrow-Minded Faith".

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Sunday, December 30, 2007

The Texan of the Year is a...Criminal???

The Dallas Morning News has chosen their “Texan of the Year” for 2007.

Who is it?

The Illegal Immigrant



This piece is rather long, and mostly full of liberal propaganda. Surely, in all the great state of Texas, which has produced famous writers, athletes, philanthropists, presidents, etc., they could have come up with someone more noteworthy than the “Unknown Illegal”.

The last paragraph sums up the true purpose of their choice:

“We end 2007 no closer to compromise on the issue than when the year began. People waging a culture war – and that's what the struggle over illegal immigration is – don't give up easily. What you think of the illegal immigrant says a lot about what you think of America, and what vision of her you are willing to defend. How we deal with the stranger among us says not only who we Americans are today but determines who we will become tomorrow. “


There are so many things to address in this paragraph that I don’t have time for them all. So I’ll point out some of the more obvious ones.

Since when do we compromise on the law?

America is a land full of differing cultures. The fight against illegal aliens is not a culture war.

So if I’m against illegal aliens, what does that say about me? A better question would be, if you are for illegal aliens, what does that say about YOU?

An illegal is only a “stranger”? Give me a break.

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Saturday, December 29, 2007

Visions of Universal Health Care Dance in their Heads

If the dems who want Universal Health Care (Hillary, for one) need some food for thought, try this one.

Japan has a Universal Health Care System.

This week in Japan, an 89 year old woman died after an ambulance spent several hours trying to find a hospital that would take her. The reasons ranged from “being full” to “having a shortage of doctors”

The woman had been vomiting and having diarrhea since the night before, and her family had finally called an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

By the time the ambulance crew found a hospital (30 hospitals denied her) that would take her, her heart had stopped. She was resuscitated temporarily, but died a short time later.

The latest case underscores Japan's health-care woes, in part created by a shortage of doctors in the country's rapidly aging society. Critics say long working hours and a government policy change several years ago to keep the number of doctors down are to blame. Behind the recurrence of such problems in various parts of Japan is the chronic shortage of doctors, as well as the fact that regional networks among medical institutions are not functioning," Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe told a news conference Friday.”


Full story here.

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Friday, December 28, 2007

Joel Olsteen - Another False Teacher/Preacher

I've never been a fan of Joel Olsteen. I believe he is a false teacher with a false Gospel. He just reaffirmed this to me in his recent interview with Chris Wallace when he had these things to say about Mitt Romney and Mormonism:

"Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his Savior, and that's what I believe. I'm not the one to judge the little details of [Romney's religion], so I believe [Mormons are Christians]..."

Then shortly after, when asked another question about Mormonism, Osteen said he did not know enough about the religion's beliefs to comment.


A man who professes to be a preacher of God's Word, who accepts Mormonism as Christian, and then in the next breath says he doesn't know enough about the religion to comment, is a false teacher and shouldn't be preaching.


Full story here.

And in case the reader questions whether Mormonism is equal to Christianity, I suggest reading Are Mormons Christians?

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" II Timothy 4:3

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Three Guesses

Someone murdered Former PM Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, then blew himself up. Three guesses on what religion was represented by the murderer and what religious group is claiming responsibility for this latest atrocity.

Islam. The religion of peace.

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Monday, December 24, 2007

Merry CHRISTmas



"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11


Without Christmas, all would be lost and we would all be headed for an eternity in hell.

His death at Calvary would not have happened if not for the birth in Bethlehem.

If not for Christmas, there would be no hope.

The God of the Universe, the Creator of all things, chose to humble Himself and become a man, so that we could be saved, glorified and become like His Son.

What greater day could there be than the day that our salvation saw it’s beginning? Regardless of the actual day of His birth, we should celebrate that birth.

Thank you, Jesus, for your gift to me. I didn’t deserve it. I didn’t earn it.

I don’t fully comprehend the love behind it, but I do thank You.

I praise You.

I worship You.

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Sunday, December 23, 2007

A Jew at Christmas

When in my early twenties, I worked for an upper class women’s clothing store chain which was owned by a local Jewish family Mr. “B”, as he was affectionately called, was a rather flamboyant man, very friendly, kind to his employees, and loved chit-chatting with his wealthy clientele, especially when they were in the market for a new fur coat.

Mr. “B” was a devout Jew. He was not ashamed of his faith, and was an active member of the local synagogue.

There was something else about Mr. “B” that’s worth mentioning.

Mr. “B” loved Christmas.

He made sure all his stores were decked out for the Christmas holidays. Employees wore Santa caps, Christmas trees were everywhere. Decorations galore. He came whisking into the stores several times a day. “Merry Christmas, everyone. How’s your family, dear? What are you doing for Christmas this year?”

He would never have considered having his employees wish anyone “Happy Holidays”. He’d have been appalled if someone had said they were offended by “Merry Christmas”. After all, as a Jew, he certainly wasn’t offended. Regardless of his views on who Jesus was, he loved the festive atmosphere, the smiles, the well wishes, and the happy faces of shoppers and children out making last minute purchases.

We need more Mr. “B”s.

I’ll bet when the stores closed on Christmas Eve, and he counted up all that money he made on clothes, jewelry, shoes, fur coats, purses, etc., that he and his family were at least tempted to join hands and sing “What a friend we have in Jesus.”.

Yeah. We need more Mr. “B”s.

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Global What?

Global Warming? Really?

Here are some articles from around the net for the year 2007.

Snow in Buenos Aires

Snow in Johannesburg

Five Day Freeze in California

Record Cold April in Iowa

Record Cold Temps in Queensland

South Africans Die from Cold

Record Lows Wipe out Missouri Crops

New York Chilly Day Ties Record for Coldest

Record Cold Snap in Fairbanks

The Year of Global Cooling

Hundreds of Scientist Reject Global Warming Consensus

The list goes on, but you get the idea. Don't you?

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Thursday, December 20, 2007

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Muslim extremists love their children to death.

For those of you who won't read the complete article, here's a brief synopsis:

In the United Kingdom, a DVD has surfaced that is obviously designed to encourage young children to fight the cause of Allah and go blow themselves up while they kill infidels.

Islam. The religion of peace.

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Homeschooling - A Crime!

Christianity is not under attack.

Christians are the haters.

Christians are trying to force their beliefs on others.

Christians are intolerant.

Christians are Nazis.


Right…and judicial tyranny does not exist in the USA. Except, maybe in Utah?

excerpt:

"A recent case has gotten no media attention, has to do with a homeschooling mother in Utah, Denise Mafi. She has been homeschooling her children for many years. She has abided by the state rules of registering her children with the local school board. For the 2006-07 year, her paperwork was lost at the board office. She was unaware of any problem, especially when she received approval after submitting her 2007-08 paperwork.

She was unaware, this is, until she received a notice from the court that there was a problem. Enter Judge Scott Johansen. Upon her appearance in his court, he informed her she must enroll her children in public school or face prison and have her children removed from her custody."


Full article here

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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Summary of the Presidential Candidates

I found an article from a summer issue of New Man Magazine, a decidedly Christian worldview mag online that had already at that time come out in support of Mike Huckabee for president, and in the article is a summary of each of the candidates on both the Republican and Democratic side of the race. I found it interesting and a great "quick facts" reference when discussing the candidates, though I was disappointed that Tom Tancredo was not included.

Here are the summaries below, but if you want to read the entire article, you can find it here.

Our View on the Other Candidates

We know you haven't had time to research all the candidates. So instead of just presenting Mike Huckabee, we evaluated the main ones using three simple criteria:

1. Must be a social conservative committed to pro-life, pro-family, pro-marriage issues.
2. Must have strong moral character and good judgment exhibited by executive experience.
3. Must have excellent communication skills and ability to cast a vision.

In the past 30 years only one president had all three qualifications�Ronald Reagan. This year, of all the candidates only Mike Huckabee meets all three criteria.

Sam Brownback (R)

Sam Brownback, 50, is strongly pro-life and the most avid supporter of the Federal Marriage Amendment in the Senate. When he arrived in Washington in 1995 he was one of several freshman members of the House of Representatives who fought hard for tax cuts and a smaller government. In 1996 he won a special election to enter the Senate. As a senator, he has defended the right to life, monitored bioengineering research for the danger it poses to the unborn, worked to combat religious persecution abroad and sought to preserve human rights internationally. Brownback is a conservative and an outspoken Christian who embraces political issues that transcend partisan differences. He is known for partnering successfully with Democrats such as Edward Kennedy and Barbara Boxer to pass legislation related to immigration, women's rights and sex trafficking. He is an average communicator and not viewed as a candidate with charisma.

Fred Thompson (R)

Fred Thompson, 64, a lawyer and actor, was an assistant U.S. attorney before serving as a U.S. senator from 1994-2003, representing Tennessee. He has been compared to Ronald Reagan for his folksy tone and actor's ease before an audience. Thompson's career as a film and TV actor began in 1985, and he recently resigned his role as a Manhattan district attorney on NBC's Law & Order. He sides with current public cynicism toward the president and the Democrat-controlled Congress. He has voted consistently in the Senate against abortion. His campaign themes are tighter borders, smaller government and lower taxes. He argues that Republicans lost control of Congress because of out-of-�control spending and heavy-handed partisanship. In April, Thompson revealed he has a slow-growing form of lymphoma but said his doctors believe he could well live a normal lifespan.

Duncan Hunter (R)

Duncan Hunter, 59, is a lawyer and has been a member of the U.S. House since 1981, representing California. He is a two-year veteran of the Vietnam War and the current chair of the House Committee on Armed Services, a post he has held for the last four years. He is married with two adult sons, one of whom is a U.S. Marine who has served two tours in Iraq. He is pro-life, supports the Federal Marriage Amendment and a balanced federal budget, and favors peace through strength. He recognizes Israel as America's most important ally in the Middle East and strongly supports Israel's right to exist and defend itself.

John McCain (R)

John McCain, 70, served in Vietnam and was a prisoner of war there from 1967-1973. He opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, saying gay marriage is a states-rights issue. Though he supported the Arizona marriage amendment, he has shown indifference toward socially conservative Christian leaders. He has a pro-life voting record despite previous pro-choice statements he made while running for president in 2004. He is not known for supporting the role of government to restrain immorality, unless evidence of direct harm to citizenry can be shown. His odds are good for beating a Democratic candidate.

Newt Gingrich (R)

Newt Gingrich, 64, is a former Speaker of the House and congressman from Georgia. He is perhaps best known as the architect of The Contract With America, which supported issues with broad popular appeal that ranged from welfare reform, term limits, tougher crime laws and a balanced budget law to more specialized legislation such as restrictions on American military participation in U.N. missions. He is the smartest and brightest policy mind in the race. Gingrich is very strong on national security issues and espouses a strong conservative philosophy, for the most part. However, he has the highest negative ratings of any candidate in either race and is considered a polarizing figure and personality. He has exhibited a history of poor judgment in personal matters, having been married three times. His third wife is 23 years his junior. Current polling suggests that Gingrich is the candidate most likely to lose in the general election.

Mitt Romney (R)

A Mormon who advocated pro-choice and pro-gay values for nearly a decade, Romney, 60, now espouses the opposite. The former Republican governor of Massachusetts is polished, but the critical issue of trust currently eludes him. Romney's religious views could hinder his chances. In a recent poll, more Americans said they would vote for another candidate before they would vote for the first Mormon president. Similarly, Christian leaders who support Romney for his ability to articulate the conservative message have been criticized by fellow believers for endorsing a Mormon.

Rudy Giuliani (R)

Rudy Giuliani, 63, an ex-U.S. attorney and mayor, showed confident leadership as mayor of New York after September 11. He has made personal donations to Planned Parenthood, the leading performer of abortions in the U.S., and has abandoned his party's policies on social issues. He is the only Republican candidate who openly supports abortion, gay marriage and gun control. He decided not to run against Hillary Clinton for U.S. senator in New York several years ago, citing serious health issues. He has been critical of conservative Christians and has made little effort to reach out to social conservatives, though early on he did attempt to meet with pastors. It is believed that Giuliani could silence the voice of many Christians on key moral issues if elected. Recent Gallup polls show two-thirds of GOP voters and even evangelical Christians erroneously think Giuliani is pro-life and pro-marriage.

Barack Obama (D)

The well-spoken Democrat from Illinois has only two years' service in the U.S. Senate. Adding to his lack of experience is the question of how Obama, 45, would handle the U.S. policy on terrorists. He was stumped in a recent debate on what he would do in the event of another attack. Obama vigorously supports the teaching of the church he attends in Chicago, Trinity United Church of Christ, that homosexuals should be able to marry and have special privileges.

Hillary Clinton (D)

Sen. Clinton, 59, is currently co-sponsoring S. 1173, legislation that would undermine the latest U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlaws partial-birth abortion. The bill not only would overturn the ban but also would prohibit any future congressional attempts to protect the life of the unborn. Clinton also consistently supports homosexual special interests. Her husband signed the Defense of Marriage Act while president, but she isn't expected to exhibit the same kind of moderation.

John Edwards (D)

The former U.S. senator and Democratic vice presidential hopeful has, like Barack Obama, two years of Senate service. He promises to eliminate poverty, but he is a closet tax-and-spend politician whose plans for universal health care are similar to Sen. Clinton's same goal almost 15 years ago. Edwards, 54, talks often of reform but has yet to reveal plans for stemming frivolous litigation, holding government responsible for spending and stopping special-interest politics.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Follow up on Beating

I frequent a blog called "Fred on Everything". He is a journalist and former reporter living in Mexico, and writes about his observations of the US, especially in the areas of culture, politics, and the depravity of human beings in general. He has an interesting take on the story of the woman that was beaten up by nine black middle-school students recently. ( see "Where's the Outcry" on my blog from three days ago)

Fred tends to say things that others don't dare say. And doesn't care if it offends you.

Here are his comments.

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Monday, December 10, 2007

Is it Ok to Ask God "Why"?

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them." Psalm 22:1-4

In reading another Christian’s blog the other day, I was hit with the realization that all of us do doubt sometimes. All of us sometimes ask “why?” Or if we don’t ask, we do, all of us, wonder why – and maybe just don’t verbalize it.

God’s Word is His revelation of Himself to us. All the answers we seek are there – albeit some are hidden, and we have to dig to find them.

Is it wrong to ask why? I’ve heard people say that we should never question God. But is that scriptural?

Job was a “righteous” man. Perfect, no, but righteous. God allowed Job to be made an example of how we are to react in overwhelmingly painful circumstances.

Job repeatedly asked “why” and was never rebuked by God for doing so. However, when God chose not to tell Job why, Job demanded an answer and decided that God was unjust if He did not give Job an answer. For THIS, Job was rebuked.


In spite of all that Job experienced, he was victorious in his suffering because
1. He recognized that is it God that gives us all we have, thus God has the right to take these things from us – and we should be thankful for the times we did have these things.
2. Job was grounded in the Word of God before the suffering came.
3. Job turned TO God in his suffering instead of FROM God.

Job’s wife never got it. “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die” Job 2:9

Suffering hurts, but bitterness destroys.

Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life. Yet, He asked why. On the cross as He felt the weight of the sin of all the world on His very soul, God turned His back on Him. In His humanity, Jesus, through the physical pain of the scourging, the beatings, the nails piercing his body, and through the spiritual pain of the guilt of all mankind on Him, cried out My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

Did Jesus not know? Of course He did. This was written in Scripture for our benefit. If Christ Himself can suffer and ask why, then we can also ask why, but we must accept that God will not always give us an answer.

Our sovereign God has the right to choose to answer or not answer our “why”. God is beyond our comprehension, and sometimes we cannot understand suffering.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. “ Isaiah 55:8

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.” Proverbs 25:2

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God.” Deuteronomy 29:29


If we truly trust God for our salvation, then we should truly trust Him in all of our lives – including in our suffering.

Three young men of the Old Testament understood this.

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Daniel 3:17-18

And we should all strive to be willing to say, if necessary…

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him…” Job 13:15

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Muslims a priority in Great Britain Hospitals

Picture yourself in a hospital bed in England. You suddenly feel faint and your breath becomes labored. There’s a tightness in your chest. A numbness is shooting up your arm. You push the button for the nurses’ station.

“May we help you?”

“Yes, nurse, I think I may be having a heart attack.”

“Sir, we’ll get to you as soon as we can. But right now, we have all our nurses busy helping our Muslim patients with their prayer time. We have to turn their beds toward Mecca and supply fresh running water to them for their ceremonial handwashing at the moment. But we’ll get to you as soon as we can. Priorities, you know.”

Idiocy? Could never happen?

Think again. Nurses told to turn Muslims’ beds toward Mecca

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Sunday, December 9, 2007

UN inflates AIDS figures

This article and this one, both expose the fact that the UN has (most likely deliberately) inflated the numbers on AIDS victims for the purpose of raising money for AIDS related “causes”.

Not suprising. The UN has exaggerated on everything from world hunger, poverty, global warming, and refugees.

“As for the exaggeration of the AIDS "pandemic," especially in Africa, AIDS author Helen Epstein told the Washington Post that the UN's "tendency towards alarmism fit a certain fundraising agenda."

The US should get out of the UN. Just one more reason to add to the already lengthy list.
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Saturday, December 8, 2007

Where's the Outcry?

Nine black students, ages 14 & 15 viciously attacked a 26-year old white woman on a city bus after she evidently sat down where they didn't want her to.

Where's the public outcry? Where is Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton on this one? Don't they fight injustice wherever it rears its ugly head? Why weren't these punk kids expelled from school?

The three female and six male students have had their bus privileges revoked. Wonder when someone will say that is cruel and unusual punishment? After all, these are probably underprivileged children whose families can't afford automobiles. It's unreasonable to keep them from riding a bus to school. And it was probably the woman's fault anyway. She probably provoked them by saying something mean-spirited to them.

News flash: it is now being said that the woman did indeed start the confrontation.

This is being labeled at hate crime by the authorities, but it'll never hold up in court. Only whites can commit hate crimes.

Think the parents are appalled at what their children did? Think again.

"MTA police said evidence has not been found to support claims by the students' parents that Kreager or Ellis provoked the attack by spitting or displaying a knife. Green said no child reported any spitting or a knife at the time reports were taken."


This has giant holes in it. Two people are not going to provoke nine people to the point of violence unless they are idiots or have a death wish. And if a knife was flashed at the kids, why wasn't it used?



The woman has been placed into the Witness Protection Program.

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What Mitt Romney's Faith Speech Didn't Tell You

I didn’t hear it, but I read the transcript.

He said a lot of good sounding things, as well as some not so good ones.
___________________________________________

Sounds good:

"There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders…”

"I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind."


"No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion."

"We should acknowledge the Creator as did the Founders - in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places. … I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty."

"Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government."


Doesn’t sound good:

"A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith."

"Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance."

"For if he becomes president he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."

"I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God."

What he did not say is more significant than what he did say.

He did not say:

That his religion teaches that God was not always God –that He was once merely a man.

That his religion teaches that Jesus is not God, but only God’s Son.

That his religion teaches that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers.

That his religion teaches that God is not the only God – there are an infinite number of gods.

That his religion teaches that God is flesh and bone.

That his religion teaches that he, Mitt Romney, can one day obtain Godhood and rule his own planet.


We don’t need a man in the Whitehouse who thinks he’s going to be a god someday. Too much power. Who’s to say that he might not decide to start practicing to be a god while he’s running the most powerful country on earth?

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Al Sharpton teams up with Homosexual Activists

The list of liberal left wing organizations is rather lengthy.
Al Sharpton’s National Action Network
Arizona Transgender Alliance
Equality Arizona
Human Rights Campaign
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
American Civic Liberties Union of Arizona
Planned Parenthood
National Organization of Women

All these groups are working together to push for an Employment Non-Discrimination Act in Scottsdale Arizona.
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Everything I’ve read indicates that most blacks don’t like homosexuals comparing their fight for rights with the black’s fight for rights. So what’s the "Reverend" Sharpton doing in the middle of this one? After all, he's been recorded using the word "homo" in a derogatory manner on numerous occasions and has indicated he does not approve of the lifestyle. So which is it, Rev?

Al’s on the wrong side. (Actually, he’s on his own side, which happens to be aligned with whatever side suits his agenda at the moment.)

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Thursday, December 6, 2007

ISP down

This is a quick post from my office.

I won't be posting for a few days. My blankety-blank Internet service is down until Monday. Unless, of course, a miracle happens and AT&T gets to me more quickly.

....like I said...it'll be Monday.


grumblegrumblegrumblegrumble

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Monday, December 3, 2007

New Orleans - The Stench Lingers

Another story coming out of the hellhole called New Orleans.


Drugs, prostitution, strip clubs, alcoholism, sexual perversion, poverty, crime, all of these are the norm in the city of Nagin.

When Katrina hit several years ago, and New Orleans residents left for higher ground, our city here in the northern part of the state, taking in thousands of the refugees, saw a huge increase in crime. One officer said that each day in court saw the first several hours of just New Orleans transplants being tried for everything from car-jacking to rape.

When you flush something, it normally goes down. Katrina flushed and caused an overflow – and the stench is still lingering.

Evidently most of the overflow subsided and is still concentrated around the bowl.

This from the AP:

NEW ORLEANS — As New Orleans tries to market its post-Hurricane Katrina self to tourists and businesses — both vital to economic revival from the August 2005 hurricane — the city is walking a tightrope with twin crises of violent crime and public corruption. The vexing realities pop up often enough to leave the city with a lot of uncomfortable explaining to do.

In the latest corruption development, Oliver Thomas, a once highly regarded member of the City Council, likely will be emerging from federal prison about the time many thought he would be sworn in as New Orleans' next mayor in 2010. A conviction for taking a $15,000 bribe did him in.

Meanwhile, more than 190 people have been murder victims this year in the city.

Which is worse? Gun-toting killers or sticky-fingered public officials?

Rafael Goyeneche, head of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a private watchdog group, suggests the two can't be separated — and it's ludicrous to argue the point.
"They are different sides of the same coin," Goyeneche said. "One absolutely impacts the other."

Decades of corruption have siphoned money from properly funding the police department and district attorney's office, and largely reduced New Orleans' public school system to ruin. So, many young people have turned to crime — and there hasn't been an adequate criminal justice system to deal with them, Goyeneche said.
It's a vicious circle as businesses, many of which dealt directly with the "corruption tax," and residents give up and leave.
"Crime is driving away the tax base of this city, making less money available to fight crime," Goyeneche said. Solving the problems remains a daunting task. But there is movement in a positive direction, if it can be maintained.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten — one of the leaders of a crusade against New Orleans corruption — recently said someone he would identify only as "loosely involved in a governmental entity" suggested he shift his attention from corruption to fighting violence. Letten's basic response: No way.

Letten isn't getting much help on the corruption front from other government entities — and it's unclear how much he should expect in the near future.
The Orleans Parish district attorney's office, never known for prosecuting corruption, is trying to get back on its feet after the resignation of District Attorney Eddie Jordan in the wake of a racial discrimination stink. State Attorney General Charles Foti lost his job at the polls after the collapse of two criminal prosecutions stemming from Katrina-related deaths — both labeled by critics as great re-election gimmicks had he succeeded.

Last week, the City Council moved to fund New Orleans' new inspector general, Robert Cerasoli, who has been working out of a cubbyhole at Loyola University. He said the proposed budget would fund hiring of 24 to 25 staffers who would look for waste and corruption in city government.

That is, if the $2.9 million needed to do so can be found. In the meantime, Mayor Ray Nagin thinks Cerasoli should do with less than half of that amount.
Nagin, of course, said earlier this year that the violence "helps keep the New Orleans brand out there" by focusing attention on the city's needs, which sent many residents and tourism interests into conniptions.

With the city's reduced population, the murder rate now exceeds the pre-Katrina figure, putting the tourism industry in a hard-sell position.
At last week's City Council meeting, Sandra Shilstone, president of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp., said New Orleans needs both business and leisure travel. She said leisure travel, which made up 75 percent of tourist numbers before Katrina, accounts for just 60 percent now.

Fear of crime has been a concern consistently raised by focus groups around the country, Shilstone said. Tourism pushes the message that the killings are happening in known trouble spots where drug dealers fight for turf — not in the French Quarter or the convention district. But only one-high profile visitor murder — and they've happened before — would put a real dent in the visitor-safety argument.

Goyeneche and Letten say the high-profile corruption prosecutions show the business community that the "corruption tax" is being repealed and that citizens — judging by the number of tips coming in about chicanery — have had enough of it.
Success, of course, depends on whether officialdom gets the message and keeps up the pressure.

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Sunday, December 2, 2007

Muslims against infidels (i.e.: everybody else)

I read a commentary by an Indian writer suggesting that all infidels unite. Here are a few excerpts:

Islam’s message is limited to its believers. Islam has no universal message. Literal Islam is the eternal aggressor that pretends to be the perennial victim. The only choice that non-believers have, according to Islamic doctrine, is to convert, or submit and become dhimmis — subjugated under Islamic restrictions — or be annihilated.

Terrorists are products of militant ideologies, and not vice-versa. Unless we confront the ideology logically and persistently, our efforts are futile. However, in the land of the brave and the home of the free, we choke on the truth. Our culture is drowning in the growing cesspool of political correctness. The liberal left in the United States and Europe have become apologists for militant Islamic radicalism. They say that the terrorist attacks are the consequence of America’s foreign policy in the Middle East and its unconditional support for Israel, rather than the continuation of 1,400 years of jihad. The left fails to understand the fact that there are few Americans or Jews in India, Thailand, the Philippines, Bali, Nigeria, Sudan, Russia and host of other countries where Islamic radicalism has been waging a relentless campaign of terror.

The left, by its silence on the issue of radical Islam, has betrayed its own ideals. The fight against political Islam should have been led by the liberal intellectuals in our universities, but instead they unwittingly support a 7th century totalitarian ideology that negates all forms of rational thinking, intellectual pursuit and pluralism — the very ideals which are central to the philosophy of the left. Liberals have become the lackeys of Islamic imperialism in their words and deeds. They fail to mention the 1,400 years of jihadists’ terror in this world. How can we cry for the genocide in Darfur and ignore the cause?


We are no longer Jews or Gentiles; Hindus or Buddhists; Americans or Australians; Saxons or Slavs; Armenians or Greeks; Nigerians or Sudanese Animists; Catholics or Protestant; Orthodox or Evangelicals; atheists or agnostics; white or black or brown. We are all victims of jihad and Islamic imperialism. We must refuse to be divided. We must refuse to be conquered by Islamic hegemony, terrorism and aggression. Infidels of the world, unite!

There’s more, and it’s all worth reading.



And as a side note:

France Stunned by Rioters’ Savagery

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Saturday, December 1, 2007

Another Reason to Stay Away from Porn

Poetic Justice

Besides the obvious reasons for not visiting porn web sites, here’s a new one.

I find this extremely amusing. May make some people think twice about viewing such sites – and it could be especially embarrassing if they happen to be cruising such sites while at work, or on the family computer, etc.

How would you explain this one to your boss? Or your wife? Or your Mom?

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:3

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