Monday, March 14, 2005

 

The Saga of My Migration to Wordpress

Hey everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm still here.

Let's just say my transition from Blogger to Wordpress hasn't been as smooth as I would have liked. No. Actually, it's been a royal pain in the you-know-what. It started when I manually tried to download Wordpress then did something wrong. I signed up with a hosting company that offered this installation tool called "Fantastico," so I figured I'd try again using Fantastico. It didn't work the first time, so I in a new sub-directory.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I think that having Wordpress in a sub directory is what got me into trouble. My first host didn't pick up on this, and couldn't figure out how to import from Blogger to Wordpress. He finally got the month of March, but nothing else. It also didn't help that their tech support wasn't available by phone, but only via instant messenger. At this point, you all may be wondering what the heck I was thinking. I guess I just got carried away, and it seemed like a good deal. But today, I decided to switch hosts. This company actually has people that answer the phone right away, and who know what they're talking about.

My new domain name will be www.theurbangrindblog.com. So if you could all please update your blogrolls accordingly, that would be great.

Thanks, and happy blogging!

Sunday, March 13, 2005

 

Upgrading From Blogger

Hey everyone,

This is just to let you all know that I've decided to upgrade from Blogger, since it can be a pain. I've decided to go with Wordpress.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how the transition is going.

Friday, March 11, 2005

 

Way Way Off Topic - Tonight's NYC Blogger Get Together

Originally, Karol decided to get some people together to visit Jessica and Lisa who were guest bartending at the Overlook Lounge. But it turned out to be a very fun blogger get together. It was nice seeing Karol, Dawn, F Train, Ace of Spades, Ari, Daily Lunch, Ivan Lenin, Ken, Mary, and Judith.

I also got to meet Dorian Davis, and Scott from Slantpoint for the first time, which was nice. It's good to be able to attach a live person to a blog.

The funniest part of the evening was when I was speaking with Ken about his rather graphic post on oral sex, and how women should return the favor -- every last step of the way. (Oy! I don't believe I'm evening writing this!) And by "every last step of the way" I mean -----------------------------------------------------sw------g.
Ken, Scott and F Train were all in strong agreement about the importance of this last step. And needless to say, they had quite a laugh at my shyness. Scott even asked me "just how much of a conservative are you?" Then they discussed how certain foods men eat fit into the equation. When I asked them how they knew this, they were quick to say that it wasn't from first hand experience, but rather from Playboy, Maxim and Glamour. Actually, I think it was Judith that mentioned Glamour.

It seems I also gave Ivan Lenin quite a laugh. We were talking about drinking. I told him I was done after not even a whole beer. So he asked me why. I said because I'm not much of a drinker, and when he asked why not, I told him that alcohol gives me a sore throat and cold the next day. He then said "ah, you just need to drink a beer and you'll be all better." Then he asked "what does excite you?" And I said "sushi." Then he asked if drink sake. So I told him flat out that I always drink the dumpling sauce. He laughed so hard he had to take off his glasses. But hey, dumpling sauce sometimes has sake in it! And I'm also a salt lover. Some people like sweets, I have a salty tooth! And you know what else? Salt is fine if you don't have a problem with high blood pressure. Mine is actually quite low, so there.
 

A Bit of Good News on Our Foreign Policy

In an effort to counterract international pressure over the death penalty, U.S. has withdrawn from the Vienna Convention Protocol. This happened as a result of the International Criminal Court of Justice ordering new hearings for fifty one Mexican death row inmates on the grounds that they weren't told they could contact Mexican diplomats for help.

I say, good!

So what if Mexico gets angry? Maybe then they'll think twice about encouraging their people to come here illegally to begin with.

In terms of the rest of the world as well, so what?

Being a Superpower has its privileges.

Now if only we could throw the U.N. out of our country and stop giving them money, that would be even better.
 

A Kinder Gentler Hezbollah???

No way!

Via Al-Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration would accept a political role for the Lebanese group Hizbollah if it disarmed, U.S. officials said on Thursday, a stance they said was not new but reflected recognition of the political clout of the militant Shi'ite Muslim organization.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice carefully avoided the stock U.S. phrase that Hizbollah is a terrorist organization in remarks to reporters, two days after Hizbollah showed its political power by drawing hundreds of thousands of people to central Beirut for a pro-Syria rally.

But she insisted that "the American view of Hizbollah has not changed" and other U.S. officials were quick to call the group a terrorist organization.


Yeah right. There's no way on G-d's earth they'll disarm. They might just pretend to do so. Either that, or they'll outsource it to some new group which they'll claim not to be involved with.

Koffi Annan is also going on about how the U.N. must accept Hezbollah.

Well what I'd like to know is, what the heck is there for the U.N. NOT to accept being that they're in bed with every rogue regime in the world.

Annan said the world needs to accept that in every society different groups may hold different views.


Yes, Koffi, there are different groups of people who hold different views. And there's always more than one side to a story. But so what? That still doesn't make one view, or one side of story as valid as the other. Intelligent, civilized people use their brains to determine what's valid, and what has no merit. In short, they, gasp, make value judgements.

But then again, I forgot, liberals aren't supposed to be judgemental. We're not supposed to view the killing of innocents as cruel and barbaric, but rather a valid political statement or a little quirk of a difference that makes us all unique, blah blah blah.
 

Our Porous Southern Border

Condoleeza Rice believes that Al Qaida will use our porous Southern border to try and sneak into the U.S.

In terms of her recent trip to Mexico, she said the following:

"We and the Mexicans have a robust dialogue about border security, and I believe we're going to continue to have that," she said. "This is not a matter of pointing fingers. This is a matter of really trying to get the best possible coordination and work that we can so that there's safety for citizens in both countries, on both sides of the border."


Well I for one, have no problem pointing the finger, or giving the finger to/at -- Mexico. First off for encouraging their citizens to break our laws. Secondly for dumping their poor and criminals on us. Why on earth we need to have a dialoge with Mexico about closing up our borders is beyond me (not that I'll ever live to see the day when such a thing happens). We should just do it. But instead, we're kissing Vicente Fox's tukhas (behind).

So obviously, Condi is opposed to the Minutemen who are set to patrol the Arizona/Mexico border:

She said Washington does not support vigilante groups that are recruiting volunteers to patrol the border for undocumented Mexican crossers.


"Undocumented crossers" my foot! She either can't or won't address the problem by its real name.

Anyway, Condi is not the only one opposed to the Minutemen. The ACLU is getting in on the action as well.

They're going to be on those poor Minutemen like static cling to make sure they don't violate the civil rights of the illegals. If they see anything they don't like, they'll be on hand, ready, willing and able to file civil suits.

And aside from harassing the Minutemen, they've filed suit to block the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from leasing to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a site where more than 100 Mormon handcart pioneers died.

Oy, the only civil liberties this group seems to care about is those of hoodlums, Nazi skinheads, pedophiles, terrorists, and lawbreakers. And they are just plain hostile to any religion.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

 

Bad News For Terri Schiavo

Judge George Greer (that paragon of impartiality) has ruled against Florida's Department of Children and Families, who wanted a 60-day delay to investigate allegations of Terri's abuse at the hands of her guardian, Michael Schiavo, on the grounds that

"it appears to be brought for the purpose of circumventing the court's final judgment ... in violation of the separation of powers doctrine."


This judge is just dying to see Terri dead!

Fortunately, a California businessman, Robert Herring Sr., the founder of electronics firm HERCO Technology and founder of WEALTHTV is offering Michael Schiavo one million dollars, if he will give up guardianship of Terri.

If Mike Schiavo agrees to transfer the legal right to decide all of Terri's current and future medical decisions to Terri's parents, then Mr. Herring will pay Mr. Schiavo the amount of $1 million (subject to court approval of Terri's parents as her conservators or guardians)."


I just hope Judge Greer doesn't overrule this as well.

Now I'm not a violent person, but if this was my daughter, I would take out a contract on that scumbag husband Michael Schiavo, and the judge. After all, the law in this case is completely failing Terri and her family.

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

 

Weekly Wictory Wednesday Post

Today we're helping Rick Santorum by donating here.

To view Polipundit's post, click here.
 

Saddam Hussein's Capture From a Rat Hole a Fabrication

That's according to this article.

Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army.

"I was among the 20-man unit, including eight of Arab descent, who searched for Saddam for three days in the area of Dour near Tikrit, and we found him in a modest home in a small village and not in a hole as announced," Abou Rabeh said.


I remember during that time hearing Saddam's relatives saying that the Americans must have drugged him...that he wouldn't have come out of that rat hole without a fight. I guess they were on to something:

He said Saddam himself fired at them with a gun from the window of a room on the second floor. Then they shouted at him in Arabic: "You have to surrender. ... There is no point in resisting."


Now I just wonder if Saddam really even looked that ratty, or if that was also for show.

On another note, Saddam's trial is due to take place some time before October, which is when Iraq is set to vote on a constitution.
 

For Those of You Who Hate Going to the Dentist

Doctors are now envisioning the possibility of growing new teeth, and coaxing existing teeth to repair themselves, through the use of stem cells and gene therapy.

Other techniques being explored involve using stem cells, which have the potential to become any type of cell or tissue. In one study being presented at the meeting, researchers successfully extracted stem cells from the pulp of adult teeth, Smith said. The next step is to examine whether it's possible to use these teeth to regenerate new dental tissue, he said.

Other research being unveiled describes tests of different approaches to select stem cells from pulp, and all shows "different degrees of success," Smith said.


But it looks like we have years to go.
 

Possible Hope For Terri Schiavo

Two Republican lawmakers, Senator Mel Martinez and Rep. David Weldon introduced the Incapacitated Person's Legal Protection Act, which would give Schiavo, and other disable people the same legal protections as death row inmates. This bill would give the Schindler family access to the federal court to argue for the life of their daughter Terri.

Let's hope this finally thwarts her scumbag husband's efforts to kill her.
 

The Ongoing Castration of Our Troops

Not to be overly dramatic, but that's what it seems like to me lately.

Italy is all in a huff over the death of their intelligence agent Nicola Calipari, and they want answers from the U.S. They are demanding we take responsibility, whatever that's supposed to mean.

So, I guess, to be nice about it, the U.S. is conducting an investigation into this whole affair. Granted, it's unfortunate that the Italian agent was killed, especially while defending the anti-American, anti-war communist Sgrena. I just hope this doesn't turn into another Ilario Pantano case with our soldiers being threatened with the death penalty.

On another note, Al Reuters is reporting that a British man was recently shot and killed in Afghanistan. No word yet on who killed him or why. The only point I could see for reporting this bit of news is so that the MSM can subtlely turn people against our troops, and our effort in Iraq.
 

John Bolton - A Nightmare For the Liberals

Looks like this former protegee of Jesse Helms has balls, which worries the New York Times

I just hope he manages to hold on to them and stick to his guns.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

 

New Blog of Interest

Lachrybits

This is another brand new blog that looks very interesting.

Enjoy!
 

Finally, A Political Candidate With Balls!

Hat Tip: Ron

It's Republican Walter Moore, who's running for the position of Mayor of Los Angeles. Part of his platform will be fighting illegal immigration from Mexico:

On one of his Web site ads, he says, "My name is Walter Moore and I'm running for mayor, and you know what? I don't speak Spanish, and I don't intend to learn."


Right on!

For a more detailed look at Moore's platform, click here.

Too bad there aren't more politicians like this man.
 

Guess Who Just Came Out of the Closet -- As a Republican

Playgirl editor-in-chief Michele Zipp!

As she puts it:

“The Democrats of the Sixties were all about making love and not war while a war-loving Republican is a man who would fight, bleed, sacrifice, and die for his country. Could you imagine what that very same man would do for his wife in the bedroom?” asks Zipp.

Monday, March 07, 2005

 

We're Gonna Have a Pow Wow! Pass the Peace Pipe

Spain is to host a conference which will coincide with anniversary of the Madrid train bombings.

Via MSNBC.com

The conference, which will include countries affected by terrorism, will cover the usual topics, such as what countries can do to cooperate with one another, stopping terrorist funding, and the role of the media. To top it all off, Kofi Annan will also make a policy statement. (Hmm...Let's see what he'll say... America is eeevil. If they would just drop all support of Israel, which is oppressing the poor dispossessed Palestinians, everything will be ok.)

Since this is Spain, there will be a soft approach to terrorism:

Spanish participants said last week that governments must address the causes of terrorism to defeat it, rather than lashing out as the United States did in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

-----
“The consensus ... is a ’soft’ power approach based on prevention — not like the United States has in mind, but (rather) with engagement with North African Muslim nations, economic development, assimilating and integrating immigrants into host nations,” said Charles Powell, a history professor at San Pablo-CEU University in Madrid.


Never mind that these people don't want to be assimilated or integrated into Western society. They want it the other way around. They make speak the language perfectly, but that doesn't stop things like honor killings.

The Arab-Israeli conflict will be a key topic, along with democracy-building in parts of the world with authoritarian regimes.


Oh, so they'll come up with more ways of pressuring tiny Israel to commit suicide.

“I believe (the conference) is going to support the European style and not put force first; rather, only as the last resort,” said Andres Ortega, director of the Spanish edition of Foreign Policy magazine.


What do you mean last resort? It's been a year since Spain was attacked by terrorists, and now they're having a touchy-feeley conference to explore root causes? If they haven't used any force now, I think it's safe to say they never will.
 

Amputees Going Back Into Battle

The next time any liberal whines about the toll the war in Iraq has taken, or how we won't have enough man power, just show them this.
 

The Ongoing Saga of Giuliana Sgrena

Vilmar does an excellent job of providing background on the situation. And I agree completely with his take on it.

Naturally, the MSM is all over this, like flies on dog turd. The New York Times today wrote about how the killing of Italian intelligence agent Nicola Calipari will intensify Italy's opposition to the war. To back up that assertion, they offered only the following:

Sergio Romano, a former Italian ambassador to NATO and columnist with the influential newspaper Corriere della Sera, said the episode might nonetheless harden the desire for Mr. Berlusconi to move slowly toward a concrete withdrawal plan, especially given that Italy holds general elections in the spring of 2006.

"I think Berlusconi would want to have begun the withdrawal, at least, if not completed it," by the elections, Mr. Romano said.


Al-Reuters is also jumping into the fray by writing about how "Bulgaria said they (the U.S.) had probably shot dead one of its soldiers."

Al-Reuters continues with this lovely tidbit:

The controversy raised questions over whether U.S. troops are over-zealous in their efforts to crack down on insurgents, who killed at least 25 people in fresh attacks on Monday.


I also wouldn't want to leave out The Washington Post, which wrote about how a disproportionate number of civilians (local police, women and children) are being mistakenly killed at checkpoints in Iraq.

Now, call me a right wing lunatic, but how on earth is the U.S. military being over-zealous when our soldiers and Iraqis are being killed every day? If anything, they are acting with too much restraint, thanks to our terrorist loving establishment press and Democrat politicians. These are people who, my view, would make sacrificial animals of our soldiers so that the rest of the world will like us.

Have we become so complacent as Americans that we somehow think that war will be a neat little affair? Well hate to break it to you, but it never is.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

 

Why We Hate Them

In response to Bill Maher's interview of Ward Churchill, Shining Full Plate and a Good Broadswoard has an excellent post.

Saturday, March 05, 2005

 

The World's Oldest Woman?

According to Rank Brasil (the equivalent of Guinness World Records) Maria Olivia da Silva, who recently celebrated her 125th birthday

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Da Silva, whom Cadari described as "mentally sound and rational," was married twice and has outlived all but three of her 14 children — four of them adopted.

"Her memory is impressive and she loves to talk," Cadari said, adding that Da Silva lives with her 58-year-old adopted son, Aparecido H. Silva.


Sounds like a good, happy life.

I wonder she does, or did, in the way of diet and exercise.
 

The Dow is Up!

Good news! The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poors 500 Index reached 3 1/2 year highs.

The Dow rose 107.52, or 0.99 percent, to 10,940.55, its best showing since closing at 10,948.38 on June 12, 2001.

Broader stock indicators also moved sharply higher. The S&P 500 was up 11.65, or 0.96 percent, at 1,222.12, the best closing level since the index finished at 1,234.45 on July 3, 2001.

The Nasdaq composite index continued to lag behind the other major indexes, but nonetheless gained 12.21, or 0.59 percent, to 2,070.61, its best close since Feb. 16.

 

Terri Schiavo Update

Florida's Department of Children and Families filed a petition yesterday which included thirty allegations of "abuse, neglect, or exploitation" by Terri's guardian, Michael Schiavo.

The judge is due to hear arguments next week on whether or not this agency can continue its investigation of abuse.

Something has to be done to save this poor woman!
 

Ward Churchill Update

It seems that Ward Churchill is not the only virulent anti-American lefty at the University of Colorado.

The University's president Betsy Hoffman seems to be infected as well. In her view, Churchill's controversial statements are not enough to fire him. If that's all they find in their investigation of him, then nothing will be done.

"If we find it is just about speech, there will be no action," Hoffman said.

Hoffman said she feared a "new McCarthyism" in the uproar over Churchill's controversial remarks about the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We are in dangerous times again," Hoffman said. She was applauded by the faculty after completing her remarks.


In other words, lying about being Indian, training terrorists, plagiarism, and meeting with Moammar Qadaffi illegally is not enough for this moonbat.

You know, I've been hearing a lot of bitching and moaning these days about how corporate CEO's are so overpaid. But I agree with Walter Williams that college professors are really the ones who are overpaid. I'll just add university presidents as well.
 

My Take on the Sick News Stories of the Day

Young Mathew Carrington died as a result of a sadistic fraternity hazing ritual at the Chi Tau fraternity in Chico State:

It was the night of Feb. 1, and for five hours the 21-year-old Pleasant Hill man and a friend pledging the Chico fraternity were allegedly humiliated and doused with gallons of cold water in the basement while being blasted with ice-cold air from giant fans.

They were made to do calisthenics while standing on one foot atop a bench, prosecutors said. Denied the opportunity to use the bathroom, they had to request permission to wet themselves.

Through it all, prosecutors said, fraternity members forced Carrington and his friend to drink gallon after gallon of water until Carrington collapsed as hypothermia set in and his brain stem swelled from the water intoxication that killed him.


This is not the first I've heard of young people literally dying to be accepted by a group. What kind of sickos would encourage a young person to endanger his life, just so that group can condescend to offer him their friendship?

And what is it that's so G-d awful about being alone, that drives young people to such lengths, just to get others to like and be friends with them? (Don't get me wrong, it's not just today, but even when I was in college.)
----
Here's another sick one.

A sixteen year old girl, who decided in her fourth month of pregnancy, that she should have aborted her twins, asked her boyfriend to help her our by stepping on her stomach.

But it wasn't that simple. Miss Basoria told authorities she had been trying to kill the fetuses for weeks and finally asked Mr. Flores to help by stepping on her stomach.

"When I was four months pregnant, I began to show, and at that time I decided that I should have gotten an abortion," Miss Basoria wrote in an affidavit.


Hate to break it to you, but that's what happens when you get pregnant -- you show!! If you don't want a baby growing inside you, then don't have sex.

The kicker here is that the boyfriend is being charged, but not the girl.

I find this type of thing especially repugnant since I have friends who have had trouble conceiving and who have had several miscarriages. I remember getting a call years ago from an old friend who'd had a miscarriage. In an effort to console her, her family and friends kept telling her it was G-d's will. But my friend wasn't buying it. She wanted to know why it had to happen to her, when there were plenty of people that couldn't care less about their children. I just didn't know what to say to her.

Read everything here.
------
On another note, a Pennsylvania judge lightened the sentence of rapist professor, and director of Penn's Head Injury Research Center Tracy McIntosh due to his "important work" with victims of stroke and brain injuries.

Talk about activist judges!

Continue reading here.
 

American Citizens Fed Up With Open Borders

According to a field poll released today, sixty percent of California residents don't think illegal aliens should have drivers licenses.

"People have never really bought into this idea," DiCamillo said. "There is clearly question about what kind of rights and privileges should be granted to immigrants who do not have legal status."


What's there to question? These people are here illegally. I know this is too much to ask, but why not just send them back where they came from and seal our Southern border?

A deal was never struck, however, and Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, that the governor said did not have enough security protections.

Cedillo has introduced the same bill again this year.


Of course he did, and he'll continue to do so as long as he's in public office. To me, it seems like this man's loyalty, despite taking an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, really lies with Mexico. So of course he wants as many illegals in States as possible, since they send money back to Mexico, and almost invariably vote Democrat.

I say, we are doomed as a nation if we keep allowing in people who don't want to become Americans, and who think that the Southwestern U.S. (Aztlan) was stolen from them to begin with.

Here are some telling tidbits from a MEChA web site:

What the prologue asserts is the basic historical fact that indigenous and Mexican peoples inhabited the Southwest before the arrival of the United States. There is no denying this important detail, and there is nothing that those who would "seal the border" or foolishly equate MEChA with the Klan can do to change it.

----
The facts are that the southwest was invaded upon by Anglos under the white supremacist banner of 'Manifest Destiny' in 1836 and 1846. The invasion was so brutal that Irish-American soldiers deserted in droves and formed the St. Patrick�s brigade and fought against U.S. forces in defense of the Mexican peasantry (anyone ever wonder why there are so many redheads in Northern Mexico?). People's ideologies may change, but we would not denounce El Plan de Aztlan, just like many in the African-American community would not denounce the legacy of the Black Panthers or Malcolm X in the current African-American struggles for Human and Civil rights in the U.S. today.


Lovely, isn't it?

On another note, citizens of Oregon are signing up for civilian border patrol duty guarding the U.S./Mexico border in Arizona. Their motives are simply to protect fellow citizens:

"I don't hate anyone and I totally respect that there's a family man on the other side of the border who wants to provide for his family," Hight said. "The problem is that it's too easy for a terrorist to come across the border."


Naturally, the government of Mexico is not happy:

The Mexican government, for its part, has issued a strong warning both to organizers and the U.S. government about the pending event.

On Monday, Mexico's Foreign Minister said he is consulting a Los Angeles law firm about the Minuteman Project and plans to address the matter with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice when she visits Mexico City on March 10.

"We are going to attack by all legal means," Luis Ernesto Derbez said. "During the meeting with Secretary of State Rice, I would like to tell her about the actions that the Mexican government will undertake in defense of the rights of our fellow citizens in particular because of this concern about private-sector American groups committing actions that we see as illegal."


Can you believe the chutzpah of these people?

Also, the U.S. Border Patrol isn't happy about this either. But then again, what do you expect when the law fails its citizens?

Friday, March 04, 2005

 

Yet Another Blogroll Update

Here are two more interesting blogs I found:

A Stitch in Haste
This is an interesting libertarian blog, and like yours truly, its author is an Ayn Rand fan.

The Liberty Snake
This blog is brand new but looks promising. The author seems to have a very good head on his shoulders for one so young.

Have fun reading these blogs!

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

 

CNN's Double-Digit Decline in Ratings

Via Drudge

CNN posted steep viewer losses during the month of February, slipping 21% in primetime and 16% overall, according to Nielsen Media Research.

I wonder how their top brass will try and spin this one. They'll probably blame it on President Bush's reelection saying that the U.S. has become a nation of right wing nut-jobs who are too stupid to be interested in un-biased news.

Or perhaps they'll paint themselves as victims. I can just imagine how they'll go on about how they're being lynched on the internet by fanatical right wing bloggers.

Yet they can't get it through their thick heads that interviewing families of terrorists/suicide bombers is NOT news, and by doing so, they're in essence putting those people on the same moral footing as the victims.
 

Fire Sale on U.S. Sovereignty, Courtesy of the Senate Foreign Relations Committe

By a vote of 19 to 0, the Senate Foreign Relations Committe has approved the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST), which was rejected by Ronald Reagan as a great leap forwards towards socialism. Unless 34 Senators can be counted on to vote against it, this treaty will go into effect. And according to Condoleeza Rice, President Bush wants this treaty to take effect.

Under LOST, a transnational tribune -- The International Seabed Authority, would be set up with authority over all the world's oceans. Phyllis Schlafly, in her Eagle Forum web site writes that the ISA would be empowered to do the following:

levy international taxes

regulate ocean research and exploration

impose production quotas for deep sea mining and oil production

create an international court system to enforce its judgments

mandate the sharing of information and technology to rogue states


So call your Senators and tell them you want no part of this.
 

Fire Sale on U.S. Sovereignty, Thanks to Our Supreme Court

In a stunning decision yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of banning states from executing people eighteen years of age and younger. The Court openly cited Article 37 of the U.S. Convention on the Rights of a Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and laws of the United Kingdom.

This decision overturns a 1989 ruling and throws out death sentences for 72 people. Up until now, nineteen states had allowed the death penalty for those eighteen and under.

Liberal Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority writes openly of following the international community and root causes of murder among young people:

"The age of 18 is the point where society draws the line for many purposes between childhood and adulthood. It is, we conclude, the age at which the line for death eligibility ought to rest," Kennedy said.

The United States has stood almost alone in the world in officially sanctioning juvenile executions, a "stark reality" that can't be ignored, Kennedy wrote. Juvenile offenders have been put to death in recent years in only a few other countries, including Iran (news - web sites), Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia.

"It is proper that we acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion against the juvenile death penalty, resting in large part on the understanding that the instability and emotional imbalance of young people may often be a factor in the crime," Kennedy wrote.


And to think, this man can't be fired from his job...

Brilliant Justice Scalia offered the following angry dissent:

The appropriateness of capital punishment should be determined by individual states, not "the subjective views of five members of this court and like-minded foreigners," he wrote.
----
"Though the views of our own citizens are essentially irrelevant to the Court's decision today, the views of other countries and the so-called international community take center stage," he wrote.
----
"Unless the Court has added to its arsenal the power to join and ratify treaties on behalf of the United States, I cannot see how this evidence favors, rather than refutes, its position," wrote Scalia. "That the Senate and the President – those actors our Constitution empowers to enter into treaties ... have declined to join and ratify treaties prohibiting execution of under-18 offenders can only suggest that our country has either not reached a national consensus on the question, or has reached a consensus contrary to what the Court announces."


What this all boils down to is that these judges are forgetting that their job is to decide cases based on the U.S. Constitution. No place else!
 

Wictory Wednesday Post

Today we're helping Mark Kennedy in Minnesota by donating here.

Wictory Wednesday organizer Polipundit's post can be viewed here.

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