NFL Predictions

AFC Championship Game:

New England v. Indy
Peyton has this demon of crumbling against a dreaded opponent Once ag. Univ. of Fla. now ag. NE. This week, I think he has a mediocre game and squeaks one out. He chokes to an extent, but sometimes the fault lies with the rest of the team.

I say I bank withIC, win anna slapmage.

IC 35
NEP 21
NFC Championship Game

Chicago v. New Orleans

NO should be able to spread out the Bears D and confuse. Weather shouldnt be a factor at this writing. The weirdness factor of this matchup is that Grossman is a certified Jeckyl and Hyde.

I say NO +3:
NOS: 18
CB: 12

Dems love Garbage Politics, but now its toilet politics.

Prof. Defends Right to Send Feces

A retired French professor sent dog feces to her congresswoman's office after becoming angry with receiving too many mailings and her lawyer says she had a constitutional right to do it.

Kathleen Ensz faces a misdemeanor charge of "use of a noxious substance" after taking dog feces from her backyard, wrapping it in a political mailer from Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, and leaving the putrid package at the Republican's office, according to court documents.

Ensz, a Democrat, was angered by repeatedly receiving mailings from Musgrave. Her lawyer calls the poo delivery a form of free expression, protected by the First Amendment.
Patricia Bangert, one of Ensz's attorneys, admitted the act was "probably crude and boorish"

So now, biogical waste in a card is legit speech according to this turd's lawyer. If I was more ambitious, I would send many foul things this attorney's way. What a wonderful method of debate - you poop to me, I poop to you, then maybe we sit down and solve the world's problems.
If Patricia Bangert, attorney for Kathleen Enz, had a shred of credibility, she wouldn't have made this argument. Treat her like the ridiculous rat she is.

Some may try, but they all fail.

This is the BEST feral child site on the net. No, no seriously. I was reading about the 'jungle-girl' found in Cambodia and started surfing. Go ahead, go read about the Saharan Gazelle Boy, the Lobo Girl of Devil's River, or the Jalpaiguri Bear Girl.

I think I beat Zombietime to the punch...

Liberals gather for anti-war rally in San Francisco.

"We do humbly swear to uphold....

the State Constitution, well, the parts of it we like."

MSM awakens from slumber. Finds Jihad...

and, of course, blames it on America. From Christiane Amanpour:

When we reported the unprecedented suicide bombings of the London underground trains and buses in 2005, we were shocked beyond words that young British Muslims, born and bred here, would go to that extreme.

To most Americans, the threshold to be 'shocked' moved a wee bit higher when the World Trade Center crumbled, but Ms. Amanpour must have missed the memo on that. I won't try and diminish all of the brave reporting she has done through the years, oftentimes in the most dangerous places in the world, but her deliberate ignorance of militant Islam is appalling.

But of course, as ever, this radicalism is wholly the fault of the U.S. and Britain:

What struck us most was how deeply the Iraq war has radicalized today's generation of young Muslims in Britain. Whether extreme or mainstream, they are angry about the war, angry that their country so devotedly follows U.S. foreign policy, angry at what they see as a worldwide war against Muslims and Islam.

Oooooops Paula

(the graphic CNN used prior to tonight's incident which drew an apology to from the network)

Lil slip of the lip from Paula Zahn on her show. Another Obama/Osama flub preceded a report on Obama. The mistake was followed by a left wing snow job about the latent racism of Americans, the obligatory Jesse Jackson interview and speculation that some psycho white racist might want to assassinate him if he became President.

No doubt Kos Kidz will blow a load on their Birkenstocks because once again, they have concrete proof that CNN is working in concert with Karl Rove and Halliburton to destroy Obama before the primaries. Anyone holding that belief after having seen the whole piece has a real disconnect with reality. But what else is new.

Let's throw a flag for excessive pandering..

Resolution affirming rights of Utah Muslims introduced

Sen. Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City, is asking the state Senate to send a message of support to Utah's Muslim community.

That's why he's sponsoring SR2, a "Resolution Affirming Fundamental Rights of the Muslim Community of Utah," to recognize the rights of Muslims to freely practice their religion and to enjoy the same freedoms as other ethnic and religious groups. The resolution references "confusion and in many cases unfounded fear" of Islam.

"People may look at people of the Muslim faith and categorize them in the same pot," Knudson said. "We have a lot of people of the Muslim religion in our state. To the best of my knowledge they are wonderful citizens."

Nadeem Ahmed, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake, said the resolution would be welcome. While the post-9/11 climate in Utah has been relatively calm, there are still instances of discrimination, he said.

"We live here in America, we are part of the tapestry," he said. "We shouldn't be considered any different, I wouldn't say special, but we should be considered Americans."

If this was done as a symbolic gesture during a wave of violence directed at Muslims, it would certainly make sense. Was Knudson's district gerrymandered to incoporate a large Muslim community? Does his district have a burgeoning Muslim population?

Here is a comprehensive article about the post 9/11 backlash , or lack thereof, against Muslims in Utah. The big anti-Muslim hate crime in Utah - an incident where some silly tard tried to burn down the Curry in a Hurry restaurant.

Political Bloggers Could Be Required To Register Or Face Jail Time

Frightening article from Information Week on the dangers of a new bill proposed in the Senate to regulate grassroots speech.

An outfit called GrassRootsFreedom.com is reporting that the U.S. Senate is considering legislation that would require political bloggers with readership over 500 to register as lobbyists. If they fail to register, they could face criminal penalties up to one year in jail.

"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to register and report with Congress itself," according to a statement from GrassRootsFreedom.com.

Funny how for liberals (some, not all), government funding of feces smearing is a freedom of speech issue, government funding of crucifixes submerged in urine is freedom of speech issue, but the government creating a regulatory network which could land those in engaging in political speech in jail, is not a freedom of speech issue.

And a not so pleasant 'Fuck You' to any and all Republicans supporting this measure.

Anyone have a cow to fart.....

in this woman's face? The methane from this gas bag is hurting the global climate. This is Dr. Heidi Cullen, the Weather Channel's resident Einstein. She believes that if you are a scientitist, not lock, stock in step with 'doom and gloom', 'man is the debull' climatologist orthodoxies, you should be decertified from the American Meteorological Society.

Meteorologists are among the few people trained in the sciences who are permitted regular access to our living rooms. And in that sense, they owe it to their audience to distinguish between solid, peer-reviewed science and junk political controversy. If a meteorologist can't speak to the fundamental science of climate change, then maybe the AMS shouldn't give them a Seal of Approval.

Brilliant way to approach science - 'if you don't subscribe to the norm, you will be ostracized.' When science loses its skeptics, science is done. The only way science advances is by challenging orthodoxies. What a ridiculous hubris for Dr. Cullen to essentially say that skeptics should be marginalised and ignored. Let's interrupt the march of science because meteorologists have access to people's 'living rooms'.

Northwest Airlines - Spineless Capitulators

Some background:

DETROIT — A group of Detroit residents is threatening to lead a boycott of Northwest Airlines over what they say is a pattern of profiling against Muslim passengers.

Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Mich., was in a group of about 40 pilgrims who were prevented from boarding a connecting flight in Germany to Detroit on Jan. 7 while returning from a trip to holy cities in Saudi Arabia. The Muslim group, most of whom are Lebanese-American Shiites, held a news conference Tuesday at the Dearborn mosque to describe what they say happened to them. They called for Northwest to apologize, compensate them, and discipline the employees they said profiled them.

They arrived at the gate 20 minutes prior to boarding time and sulk and whine about not being let on. Hmmmmm. What happens next in this lurid tale?

The Michigan office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) announced today that Northwest Airlines is offering an apology and limited financial compensation to a group of 40 American Muslim pilgrims who were allegedly denied passage on a January 7th flight returning to Michigan.

Lets be honest. This has nothing to do with racial profiling. It has nothing to do with discrimination. It has to do with a group of people who special benefits conferred upon them. It has to do with a group of religious thugs trying to bully there way past the ruled an get paid for it in the process.

More at Debbie Schlusssel.

An Actual 1955 Good Housekeeping article.

Click to enlarge.

The New Duke 88 Letter - or Duke 87

The people who are trying to build their academic credentials on a fairy tale and prove their anti-white agenda are at it again. Can't find their new mystery letter but based on the comments of the justice hatin bastards since the last ad, don't expect anything different.

The peolple (sic) who have built their academic credentials on The new letter, signed by 87 faculty and posted at www.concerneddukefaculty.org, refuses to apologize for the ad and reiterates concerns about issues of race and sexual violence on the Duke campus. It says the so-called "Group of 88" ad _ published in the university student newspaper The Chronicle last April _ has been grossly misinterpreted. That ad has been a subject of heated debate on blogs and its signers have received angry and sometimes racist e-mails.

The diversionary strategy is apparent. Ignore the facts of the case. Focus on racist emails from Duke defender mailboxes. A Cash Michaels slander - 'I don't argue no stinkin facts, I am right because of their name calling.'

The story now shifts away from Nifong, and towards the scholarless scum that defend the prosecution.

UPDATE: Finally, a working link to the statement. As predicted - 'we never prejudged the case, we were really just highlighting the other rapes and beatings that white students perpetrate against blacks.' Great timing for such an overtly political and racially charged statement - when police are in the early stages of investigating a possible white on black rape case.

UPDATE: KC Johnson deconstructs the myth perpetuated by the Duke 88 with precision.

Nice Start, Urban Outfitters

Posted before about Urban Outfitters stunning forray into socialist/jihadist politics here.

Apparently Urban Outfitters took notice of my snark (click to enlarge):





Anti war scarf, aka Khaffiyeh, gone, with this apology:

"Due to the sensitive nature of this item, we will no longer offer it for sale. We apologize if we offended anyone, this was by no means our intention."

The Fidel jacket gone as well. No apologies, just no jacket.

Please now, ditch the Fidel hats. They do have some nice discounts on them now. Maybe an inventory clearance sale?

Also, the pic for the men's apparel has changed from,

to the much more benign:



Little Green Footballs is blogging the story as well (link to site, not story - difficulty accessing site due to a Drudge link.)

Banning the Letter X?

In an important development from the state of absurtities, in the country of lunacy and the region of peace, the oft-maligned letter 'X', is now in jeopardy:

Will Saudis Ban the Letter ‘X'?

The letter "X" soon may be banned in Saudi Arabia because it resembles the mother of all banned religious symbols in the oil kingdom: the cross.

The new development came with the issuing of another mind-bending fatwa, or religious edict, by the infamous Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice — the group of senior Islamic clergy that reigns supreme on all legal, civil, and governance matters in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The commission's damning of the letter "X" came in response to a Ministry of Trade query about whether it should grant trademark protection to a Saudi businessman for a new service carrying the English name "Explorer."

........................................

I kid you not.

Talk Like Jack Bauer Day

Please remember, tomorrow is Talk Like Jack Bauer Day. If you are a fan of the show and have a shred of a sense of humor, please visit the site.

Jack Bauer Trivia. Did you know.....

- Many have reported Jack Bauer can defy the laws of gravity. But these instances have only been documented when in pursuit of a rogue terrorist during an imminent terrorist attack.

- Some credit Jack for saving the Baby Jesus from King Herod. The Magi reported seeing him and Agent Curtis just yards away from the manger before his disappearance. Partially for this reason, a Christian sect has been growing in parts of Europe, known as the Bauerites, who regard him as a demigod.

- Jack was not only the first to land on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, he also mapped out all Nazi troop strongholds and planted transponders on pillboxes on Omaha Beach.

- Jack is affectionately known as ‘Teflon Jack’ by CTU insiders due to his fleshomotomic skin, which is partially bulletproof.

- Jack thwarts an average of 7 terrorist plots per day, giving him approximately 15,800 in his illustrious career.

- Jack invented many of the torture devices utilized by clerics in Medieval times.

- Jack has many other pursuits which often go unmentioned in accounts of him. He is an accomplished pianist, avante garde artist and triathelete.

- Jack was going to thwart the assassination of Abraham Lincoln but was dissuaded otherwise by CTU officials who thought his death would galvanize support for the Union cause. He considers it one of the black marks on his otherwise spotless career.

- Some scientists speculate that Jack utilizes echolocation to locate terrorists in the dark. This is a biological form of sonar, used by bats, dolphins and whales.

ReMEMED

Trowin Owt my tag responses:

Q. If you had to choose one vice in exclusion of all others, what would it be?
A. Burpin. No, not the belch, but the Kenfucky alcohol I can’t spell because I am drunk on burpin.

Q. If you could change one specific thing about the world what would it be?
A. I think I’d put a temperature control on the world. Global warming sux so much on some days, and is really bitchin on others. I’d like to take the guesswork out of that.

Q. Name the cartoon character you identify with the most
A. The Family Guy father dude. Don’t know his name.

Q. If you could live one day in your life over again, which one would it be?
A. The first day sex in my life wasn’t ‘awkward’.

Q. If you could go back in history and spend a day with one person, who would it be?A. Churchill, September 1, 1939. The ‘told ya so’ factor would be sooooo high.

Q. What is the one thing you lost, sold or thew away that you wish you could have back?
A. Every stupid toy I owned and abused in the 70’s that is now going for a billion dollars on eBay.

Q. What is your one most important contribution to this world?
A. I gave $10 to a homeless guy sporting a “What the hell, I just want beer” sign off of I-85 in Atlanta. In one of the greatest universal ironies, I ran out of beer that night and didn’t have $$$ to buy it. Ironically, it is also my most terrifying ‘Twilight Zone’ moment.

Q. What is your one hidden talent that nearly no one knows about?
A. I am not a gymnast, but sometimes you wouldn’t know it…..

Q. What is your most cherished possession?
A. Right now? Two slices of cold veggie pizza in the fridge. Overall? An old gold ring from my grandparents.

Q. What one person influenced your life the most when growing up?
A. Not one. Two. Too sacrosanct to snark about it. Mom and Dad. They were able to counteract my dysfunctionality so much, that I am able to respond to this tag.

Q. What one word describes you better than any other?
A. Blameless. Because I have never done anything wrong (at least nothing which would constitute a Class I felony… in my state… I think). ;)

Since we are now-living in the post Nifong era...

I thought it might be apropos to republish this prophetic, lil piece as the Nifong undoing - gets done.

A little mind exercise:

Mike Nifong – Ten Years Hence - special to the New York Times

Mike Nifong, the former Durham County, North Carolina District Attorney, garnered much attention in 2006 for his prosecution of three white, affluent, Duke lacrosse players, David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann, for the rape of an African-American, exotic dancer at an alcohol infused lacrosse party. The case had all of the elements of a rape turned political drama – race, class, female victimization, which assured every new development in the case front-page headlines. The contentiousness of the issue was fueled by overzealous bloggers hoping to expand their readerships with inflammatory, and quite often, racist statements.

Much has changed in the life of Mike Nifong since his days as the feisty, well-liked prosecutor. He no longer practices law. Black marks on his record from the Federal and State investigations into his prosecutorial conduct have probably prevented him from ever practicing law again. While he has petitioned to become a member of the New Hampshire Bar, his love of the law is now a jaded fantasy. “I was only trying do justice”, he states. Many years of civil litigation have also taken a toll on his finances. The four million dollar verdict in favor of the Duke defendants had cost Nifong his home, his career and his family. His wife Cy left him in March of 2007, just a month after the Duke case was dismissed by a local judge. While the divorce papers cite “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce, insiders say differently. “Cy never liked what Mike was doing. She always urged him to drop the charges. She always thought the family could make a nice life for themselves in Durham, even if he wasn’t the D.A.”, said a source close to Cy.

Mike has moved on to different pastures. He had a brief stint of self-destructiveness following the vindication of the Duke defendants. He was convicted of driving under the influence, petty drug offenses and a misdemeanor sexual molestation offense, but he puts those far behind him. “I was depressed because I was only trying to do justice for that poor, young, African-American girl. My investigator told me that he thought she was serious about the rape. And I never, never fondled that girl at the Tithole”.

Mike is more content now. He lives in a tiny, yet modest one bedroom-home just outside of Lebanon New Hampshire, where he moved just after the Syrian Wars. “I needed peace and solitude. I felt like I went through my own war – for justice”, he reflects with a determined sense of animosity. He received a modest inheritance from a relative which helps him provide for his necessities, but he has taken up a new occupation, far a field from the hostile, bickering courtroom.

Beekeeping has become his new career, profession, occupation and passion. He talks now of an orphaned hive as fervently as he once did of a guilty defendant, although now there is much less pomp and circumstance to his declarations. Still, one gets an impression of his good naturedness and passion as he sells his honey jars on Meriden Road in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Michael Nifong is a poor and beaten man we might be able to learn from.


Call me MIss Cleo.

-P.S. Sorry Beekeepers. (ed.)

Metaphysical Question

At what point does being 'tagged' becoming being 'groped'. I won't even ponder. I like being groped more than tagged anyway. ;)

Answers tonight - after I raise my glass a few times, toasting Nifong's timely demise.

Gettin your licks in.....

Interesting metaphor for the new Democratic leadership.

Been TAGGED

by my favorite barista.

Q. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
A. Am I supposed to look in the mirror in the morning? Well, if I did, my first thought would’ve been – “What a cute unibrow you sport”.

Q. How much cash do you have on you?
A. $629.50. Petty theft pays.

Q. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
A. Niels Bohr. Because I dig alternative atomic models.

Q. Do you label yourself?
A. Yes. I am a Fucktard. Because an anonymous commenter called me that on my blog once. So, I know its true.

Q. Bright or Dark room?
A. Bright during sex, dark afterwards.

Q. Why is there always a missing question?
A. You know, we could take this question out and no one would ever know it was missing… (I must hat tip barista for the excellentest answer)

Q. What does your watch look like?
A. A cell phone.

Q. What were you doing at midnight last night?
A. It involved tissues, body paint and soothing lubricants.

Q. Where is your nearest 7-11?
A. Don’t know, hold on, let me ask Sangeev.

Q. What’s a word that you say a lot?
A. Screwballer. Because most people are..

Q. Who told you he/she loved you last?
A. Mummy.

Q. Last furry thing you touched?
A. This is a PG rated blog.

Q. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
A. I am a digitalista.

Q. Favorite age you have been so far?
A. 2. I could soil my pants and eat with my fingers with impunity.

Q. Your worst enemy?
A. Double stuffed oreos

Q. What is your current desktop picture?
A. Niagara Falls. From a vacation I took there last year

Q. What was the last thing you said to someone?
A. “Sorry. Those parts don’t fit”

Q. The last song you listened to?
A. The Right Profile from the Clash’s London Calling. Best. Album. Ever.

Q. What time of day were you born?
A. Don’t recall. So long ago….

Q. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
A. It involves grievous and revolting bodily functions. I wont elaborate..

Q. Do you consider yourself kind?
A. Kind of dopey.

Q. What’s your life’s motto?
A. “Women weaken legs.”

Q. Name three things you have on you at all times
A. A fendi bag and a bad attitude. Oh, and breathstrips.

Q. Can you change oil on a car?
A. If I could do that, I wouldn’t have such a crappy job.

Q. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
A. Wrote a letter? What is this like the twenties?.

Urban Outfitters - 'Fidel would be proud'

A female coworker of mine came in with a cute lil Chairman Mao cap. After some chiding, she told me she bought it at Urban Outfitters. Out of curiosity, I went to their website to see what they called the hat. False Alarm. It is just a 'newsboy cap'. Butnoticing a great deal of their other clothing had a distinct 'revolutionary' feel, I kept looking. Suspicions confirmed.

How about the Triple Five Soul Lined Fidel:

Product Description

Camo-printed fidel with patched and stitched details like only Triple 5 Soul can do, finished with a low-profile brim. Fully lined. Imported. Spot clean.
* 22" circumference
* Cotton
* Web exclusive

Or the Fidel jacket:

Product Description

Fidel would be proud. Lead the people in this military style jacket with a high rib knit collar, button tab cuffs, corduroy patched elbows, patched button flap chest pockets with an extra zipper pocket above, zippered side pockets, a full front zip, epaulets on the shoulders with logo buttons, and button tabs in back; frayed and stitched seaming throughout.
* Cotton
* 25"l from shoulder to hem
* Machine wash
* Imported
Limited availability!! Buy Now!!

Or the 'anti-war woven scarf:


How edgy. How hip. How very urban.

Sandy Berger Report Released

...and it must be devastating. From the press release from Tom Davis, Ranking Republican Member of the Committe on Oversight and Government Reform:

“My staff’s investigation reveals that President Clinton’s former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger compromised national security much more than originally disclosed,” Davis said. “It is now also clear that Mr. Berger was willing to go to extraordinary lengths to compromise national security, apparently for his own convenience.

“The public statements of the former chief of the public integrity section, Noel Hillman, were incomplete and misleading. Because Mr. Berger had access to original documents that he could have taken without detection, we do not know if anything ‘was lost to the public or the process.’

“The Justice Department’s assertion that Mr. Berger’s statements are credible after being caught is misplaced. One wouldn’t rely on the fox to be truthful after being nabbed in the hen house. But the Justice Department apparently did.”

One paragraph in the report's summary:

"The full extent of Berger's document removal, however, is not known, and never can be known. The Justice Department cannot be sure that Berger did not remove original documents for which there were no copies or inventory. On three of Berger's four visits to the Archives, he had access to such documents."

This is a disgrace. Heads should roll for this and not just Berger's.

Bird Deaths Perplex Scientists and Health Officials

I read this with some interest yesterday:

AUSTIN — Police shut down a 10-block stretch of Congress Avenue in the heart of downtown for several hours Monday after 63 dead birds were found, but officials said preliminary tests showed no dangerous chemicals in the area and no public health threat.

Although officials had not determined whether the birds were killed by poison or died of natural causes, “We’re pleased to report there’s no threat to humans at this point,” said Assistant City Manager Michael McDonald.

Strange story. But how about reading this the next day:

THOUSANDS of birds have fallen from the skies over Esperance and no one knows why.

Is it an illness, toxins or a natural phenomenon? A string of autopsies in Perth have shed no light on the mystery.

All the residents of flood-devastated Esperance know is that their "dawn chorus" of singing birds is missing.

The main casualties are wattle birds, yellow-throated miners, new holland honeyeaters and singing honeyeaters, although some dead crows, hawks and pigeons have also been found.

Wildlife officers are baffled by the "catastrophic" event, which the Department of Environment and Conservation said began well before last week's freak storm.

On Monday, Esperance, 725km southeast of Perth, was declared a natural disaster zone.

District nature conservation co-ordinator Mike Fitzgerald said the first reports of birds dropping dead in people's yards came in three weeks ago. More than 500 deaths had since been notified. But the calls stopped suddenly last week, reportedly because no birds were left.

Realign your tinfoil hats with the cosmos and explain to me.

Duke Lax Rape Case/Utah Jazz Non-Rape Case

An astute commenter on the Talkleft Duke Discussion Boards, Ernie, came up with some interesting parallels and differences between the handling of Duke rape case and accusations of rape by a stripper against several Utah Jazz players.

The story describes a stripper who accused four Utah Jazz basketball players of raping her in a Portland, Oregon hotel room.

Note that the names of the players are not revealed.

Note that the race of the accuser and the race of the players are not mentioned.Note that no charges will be filed because there is no DNA, there are no injuries consistent with rape, and because the accuser cannot identify the players.

Note that the players were very cooperative and denied any wrongdoing, but they were not accused by the DA of forming a purple "wall of silence".

Because of the discrete way that this case was handled by the Portland DA, I am guessing that nobody will be interested in t in investigating the past of either the accuser or the players. Nobody will decide to play any race/gender/class cards. Nobody will bang pots. No racial divisions will be created (or revealed).

Finally, few will bother to blog about this incident.

Background on the Utah incident here (same link referenced in Ernie's post).

Hogzilla Deux

Because you can never have too many stories about monster sized swine.

Religion of Rapists, and their Enablers

Here's something to turn your cookies on a dismal Monday:

Retrial for girl due to hang for killing rapist

A 19-year-old girl sentenced to death by hanging in Iran last year is to be retried on Wednesday after a Canadian singer launched an international campaign to save her.

Nazanin Fatehi was sentenced to death a year ago, on 3 January 2006, after admitting having stabbed to death one of three men who tried to rape her and a 16-year-old relative. She was 17 at the time.

The pop singer and former Miss Canada Nazanin Afshin-Jam learnt of her case and has since become the figurehead of the campaign to have her freed. "The injustice of the story horrified me," said Ms Afshin-Jam, the runner-up to the 2003 Miss World title who left Iran when she was two. "I couldn't believe that a victim of attempted rape was being charged as a criminal."

According to the Iranian daily newspaper Etemaad, Ms Fatehi and her niece were in a park in Karaj, just outside of Tehran, with their boyfriends when they were approached by three men. The boys fled after the men pushed the girls to the floor. Ms Fatehi then drew a knife and stabbed one man in the arm and another in the chest, killing him.

If she had allowed the men to rape her and her niece, the girls would have been subjected to 100 lashes under Iranian laws on chastity. If they had been married at the time they were raped they would likely have been found guilty of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning.

Ms Afshin-Jam, said: "Nazanin didn't have an option, she didn't have a voice so I was going to try and be that voice for her."

Since she took up the case last year, 232,492 signatures have been delivered to the Iranian government, and a trust fund set up which has enabled Ms Fatehi to have access to one of the best lawyers in the country. The young woman's sentence was stayed in June last year and a retrial ordered. The first stage of this was held last August, and the case continues on Wednesday. If it upholds the first verdict, it will need to be approved formally by Iran's Supreme Court.

Under Iranian law, self-defence is a valid defence in a murder trial, but its application depends largely on the circumstances. Negar Azmudeh, a Canadian lawyer who has previously spoken out on Ms Fatehi's case, said that the fact that she and her niece were in a park in the evening may have some bearing on whether the defence is considered valid.

Ms Azmudeh cited a case where a woman was prosecuted for injuring her boss as he tried to rape her at work: "Because she had showed up at work on a Friday [a weekend day in Iran] they could not claim 'self-defence' because her presence at the office on a Friday when she knew the boss was there constituted her 'invitation' to be raped."

Iran is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Charter of the Rights of the Child, which prohibit the execution of anyone under 18. But there are records of 18 executions of child offenders in Iran since 1990. In 2005 alone, at least eight executions of children were recorded.

Iranian authorities have for the past four years been considering a law prohibiting the death penalty for offenders under 18. A recent BBC documentary revealed how on 15 August 2004 Atefeh Rajabi, 16, was hanged in Neka, about 100 miles from Tehran, for "engaging in acts incompatible with chastity". Her age given in court documents was 22.

Recent speeches by a judiciary spokesman suggest that the new law would only cover crimes that are not qisas, covered by the law of retaliation, which applies in murder cases, as this is considered to be a private, rather than a state matter. Under this arrangement, the court can allow the death sentence to be commuted if the relatives of the victim allow the accused to pay them dieh, a financial compensation, literally "blood money".

Under Iranian law, the value of a man's life is twice as great as that of a woman. "A man who had killed a woman could not get the death penalty unless the victim's family paid him a female person's worth of dieh," Ms Azmdeh said. "This way, the victim's life plus the amount of dieh, would be equal to a full person, ie, a man's life."

First 100 Hours - Democrats Get Busy

Ohhhhhh, wait. There is a football game to watch.

Oh yeah, and a 'Best Package' contest to judge.

Democratic Congress = rich, delish blogfood.

Strange Gas Odor in NYC

WABC Radio reported many have evacuated buildings. Odor detected from upper West Side to Chelsea to Jersey City. Source in theater district say odor is very powerful.

MSM on the story.

NYPD says gas is harmless. Con Edison (NYC power company) says no leaks. Schools, buildings evacuated.

Bloomberg: Gas leak at Bleeker and 6th but not enough to account for citywide odor. Air sensors dont report elevated levels of natural gas. Not dangerous.

UPDATE: Well, the fumes that Bloomberg emphatically stated are harmless have sent scores of people to the hospital. I know Bloomberg is a jackass, but why does he have prove it with such regularity.

The Duke 88, Now the Duke 17

Thank God we now see some semblance of sanity from the Duke faculty:

Now the teachers are going at each other. Shortly after members of the Duke University Lacrosse team were accused of rape last March, 88 faculty members signed an open letter which appeared in the student newspaper sympathizing with the accuser. Now, after the case against the students appears to be falling apart, 17 members of the economics department faculty have sent a letter to the student newspaper expressing their support for the players, and stating in part, "We regret that the Duke faculty is now seen as prejudiced against certain of its own students.

***

Until now, no faculty member at Duke had come out to support the players. Roy Weintraub, an economics professor at Duke, drafted this week's letter. "It was something that had been bothering me for a while, that the Duke faculty was being characterized as being hostile to its own students, especially statements by faculty members that have been construed that way," Weintraub told TIME. "I wanted to make sure that there was some expression that students are welcomed in our class, including lacrosse players, students in good standing."

Nice to see that Duke University and its faculty are beginning to discover what most realized months ago - the defendants are victims, and the 'victim' is a liar.

Ridiculous Read of the Day

Fine critique of the Saddam hanging by a Bizarro feller who sports a picture of a British soldier being hung, above his desk.

He must be the Emily Post of executions as the Saddam hanging didn't live up to his standards of "dignity and decorum".

Fantasy Football Query

I know it has been a couple of weeks since our league's finale, but is there anyone out there that could explain to me how I could lose in Fantasy Football with the following lineup (12 team league):

QB: Tom Brady

RBs: Larry Johnson & Shaun Alexander (picked him up late from an owner that desperately needed a win while he was injured)

WR's: Chad Johnson, Anquan Boldin &/or Marquis Colston

TE: Jeremy Shockey

DEF: Chicago Bears

I picked up Marquis Colston off the waiver wire. I traded Rex Grossman, who was ridin the pine, for Chad Johnson. I traded Warrick Dunn and a player I can't remember for Shaun Alexander. GM of the century, I thought.

Answers???

Apologies to all for my inveterate geekness.

CAIR - the anti Boxer Bounceback

I posted about Barbara Boxer's courageous rejection of CAIR's pro-terrorist affiliations here.

Now CAIR responds, and blames her for a death threat. So, so, so, so many Muslim leaders have been assassinated by American blogreaders, the worry is so, so, so understandable.

Sorry about that Dallas Cowboy 'Fans',...

and I mean that for about 10% of you. That was a tough loss. You went into a hostile environment and performed well.

As to the other 90%: You are posers and liars. If I here another tard in the northeast say he was a Cowboy fan BEFORE they won in the 70's, I will puke. You are more embarrassing than Raider fans that wear shoulder pads adorned with big puffy spikes.

They Really Really Really Do Support the Troops

Military Dad Reports Being Spit On

ITHACA--The father of an Air Force pilot was allegedly spit upon during a visit to Ithaca recently.

Writing in the Ithaca Journal, Stacie Yaw-Bieber, a staff sergeant in in the U.S. Army Reserves, recounts the following:

Recently an individual that frequents our legion recounted an incident that happened to him in Ithaca. He has a son who is a pilot in the Air Force anddisplays a sticker stating the same on his vehicle. A woman walked up to him andasked him if that was his vehicle, he stated it was and reiterated that his sonwas in the Air Force, the woman responded by stating that his son was a “Killer”and then spit on him.

I dedicate this post and a nice, thick, yellow loogey to all of the soldier spit deniers on the left.

HOGZILLA

Part deux.

Nancy Pelosi in....

The movie which will ROCK the NATION starring Nancy 'Stretch', 'blue collar', 'look at my muscles', 'I am really important', 'most important woman', Pelosi.

The Godmother

Also starring....



Baby faced Murtha.. and..


Freezer fingers Jeff, and...



Crooked Conyers with a ....

Special appearance by Sandy Burglar..

Revel in the honesty, integrity of the Dhimmocrats. Oh how joyous and enlightening.

Heath Shuler Watch

I posted about the failed NFL QB, pro-life, anti-illegal immigrant, property rights supportin, gun control hatin, Heath Shuler, here. He is the new Congressperson (aren't they all Congresspeople now, after this week's Glorious Revolution!!!) representing the 11th D of North Carolina.

Now Heath has fallen for Nancy, and celebrated with her on the floor of Congress on Take-Your-Child-To-Work-With-You-Day.

"I had a really good conversation with Speaker Pelosi, and we talked about my conservativeness. She understands the type of district I represent (and that) I am here to represent western North Carolina," he said.

"She told me that if we vote against one another, it will be because you are voting for your district and I am voting for mine," he added.

Let the feel good orgy of indulgence continue. Must be nice to be Emperor Nancy's lil bitch-boy now, Heath.

Hmmmm. What famous movie scene comes to mind? Anyone remember this line?:

"Go get your fucking shinebox, Shuler."

Obama Osama - Guys We have Been Caught

Background here. The jig is up. Plot foiled.

How did we ever believe that we could enlist the aid of CNN and its reporters, Jeanne Moos and Jeff Greenfield, in our campaign to smear nice guy Barack Obama and link his name to mean other guy of similar name?

Whom should we link him to now? Someone suggested that mean Simon-guy on American Idol. Just a thought.

Snark aside, if Obama plays it correctly and laughs about how silly it all is, he comes off as a likeable guy with a sense of humor and gets a positive bump.

Total Drivel reminds us of the Cape Cod Orca's similar gaffe.

Mike Nifong: The Victim

A nice little sympathetic piece on Nifong:

"He's probably under more pressure now than ever before," North Carolina Central University law professor Irving Joyner said. "You have three of the best defense attorneys in the state shooting after him, and you have the state bar that's filed a complaint about his conduct."

No. Being wrongfully charged with rape and facing 30 years in prison is 'pressure'.

Not a single quote from a North Carolina District Attorney demanding his recusal. Not a single quote from a member of the Ethics Committee of the North Carolina State Bar alleging his unethical violations.

The report relies upon opinions of the most vociferous and vitriolic critic of the defense and no other documented sources. Nice work, Julia.

UPDATE: Blue Star Chronicles is also illuminated. And LaShawn Barber always brings it home.

And Now a Trip to the Land of Unbiased Journalism

Outrage mounts over 'lynch mob' hanging

The execution of Saddam Hussein – widely condemned yesterday as more an exercise in lynch law than judicial punishment – was rushed through by the Iraqi government despite American requests for a delay.

We report. We decide.

Call me a Trekkie-like geek but....

there IS something wrong with using stormtroopers to celebrate diversity. Shame on you, George.

The Unewsworthy

Some French blokes with a serious need for a hobby.

Politicizing New Years

Spent the eve with Mrs. Snarking Dawg-to-be. We enjoyed watching Out of the Past, one of our favorite film noirs'. Enjoyed immensely. Merlot and bourbon flowed. By design, the movie ended some 10 minute b4 the official EST New Year. Tuned in to at least 43 obnoxious commercials tryin to watch the ball drop. Dick Clark came on and we watched for all of 10 seconds. It is sad. I wish Mr. Clark the best, but he needs to pass the torch. Switched to NBC. Some 'Carson somebody' thing.

He asks his urine steppin, porto-potty reporters to talk about their yearly reflections. At 11:57, some NBC skankola, and gutter to gutter reporter, talked about Jack Abramoff and Mark Foley scandals as the most memorable moments of the year. I guess they are all more important than Sandys-secret-underwear-stuffin-pajama -pants party which gets all of the same pub as my stubbed toe.

(but in reality- I dont think the moment should be politicized at all. 3 minutes b4 the New Year. National Audience. Such is the mentality of the Left - our opinion trumps the law, trumps decorum, trumps consideration, trumps whateverwe dont agree with.

2006 was the 'Year of Nifong', a prosecutor who gave up every sinew of ethical behavior to prosecute kids because they had some money and were white. Everyone knows it. Some acknowledge it.