Hurricane Katrina Bloggers, Liars, Survivors, Naysayers, and Oil

The horrors seen so far on the devastation from hurricane Katrina are just unfathomable. The hurricane slammed into the Gulf states' coastline as a Category 4 hurricane at 140mph. Now, bloggers from around the United States are doing their best to keep people informed on who to go to for donation (e.g. money, food, clothings, shelter) or where to go to volunteer for help. Michelle Malkin draws up a list showing that people have begun to roll up their sleeves for this multi-year rescue effort. Survivors have a long way to go and they need our help. But the first sign of international "help" may come abroad in the form of oil:

the US, Europe and Japan have enough strategic emergency stockpiles of crude oil to wait a week to assess the damage before having to decide whether to release oil to damp prices,

But Japan nixes the idea. Saudi Arabia is getting in on the act to boost oil production.

Nearly 95 percent of the Gulf of Mexico's oil output was out of service among the 4000+ oil rigs and platforms that dot the offshore waters known as the Gulf of Mexico Central waters. Or click here for a much larger map. It is assumed that much of the 33,000 miles of underwater pipelines that carry the oil were also affected. Most of the oil rigs and platforms are concentrated near Louisiana, Missississippi and Alabama resting above the Continental Shelf as well as on the outer Continental Shelf. But compared to hurricane Ivan in 2004 the damage was much less extensive where only 150 structures out of the 4000 and 33,000 miles of pipelines were affected. This was a storm when wind speeds were around 140 mph versus Katrina's at 175 mph .

Of the 4,000 structures and 33,000 miles of pipelines in the gulf....150 platforms and 10,000 miles of pipelines were in the direct path of Hurricane Ivan. A substantial amount of the deferred production is directly attributable to damage that has occurred along pipeline routes rather than actual structural damage to the producing platforms. Pipelines in mud slide areas off the mouth of the Mississippi River experienced failures and will take a significant effort to locate and repair because the pipelines are buried by as much as 20 to 30 feet of mud.

You can check up on the latest date on "Hurricane Katrina Evacuation and Production Shut-in Statistics" on number of evacuated, damaged or destroyed rigs and underwater oil pipe lines caused by hurricane Katrina by clicking on the link near the upper right corner of website. Compare Katrina's with that of Ivan's. Or click here to see the history of hurricanes or tropical storms impact on oil production.

Currently, the number of US structures in the Gulf is roughly 4,000, with 819 manned platforms. And those numbers are only expected to grow according to Minerals Management Service (MMS), which regulates the oil industry in federal waters.

Hurricanes do have the potential to impact oil production should they come close to oil facilities or structures. Hurricane Katrina is believed to be the worst ever by shutting down U.S. domestic oil production as much as 95 percent. But offshore oil rigs and platforms have improved their survivability in hurricane force winds exceeding Category 1. However, a Category 5 hurricane is another story.

Next we have is this silliness from the yahoo left who have (falsely) remembered or believed that there were no increased gas prices during the 1980s despite the rash of "deadly" hurricanes that tore into offshore oil rigs and platforms out on the Gulf of Mexico waters. Allow me to educate some of these myths thinking that supply and demand are not the case but rather mostly corporate oil price gauging. A Funny bunch of little kiddies they are.

I'm stating the fact that when hurricanes hits the region in late 1980s, no gas prices had increased at all! Right now, anything happened, the gas prices increased! It is an excuse after an excuse. Don't you get it? Or are you that young to notice something amiss?

A fact? Something's amiss? Perhaps it's the guy who made the comment is missing something here and ought to do some serious checking on facts. Anybody can do a simple check on hurricane history in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico and compare the immense impact of 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. But hurricane Katrina was the worst of all with a Category 5 slamming into many of the offshore oil rigs and platforms just as Hurricane Ivan did near Louisiana, Missississippi and Alabama coastlines but only with winds in the 130-140mph category.

Throughout the 1980s hurricane seasons were relatively quiet in the Gulf of Mexico. A few Category 1 or 2 hurricanes hit the Gulf of Mexico causing minor disruption to oil production near Louisiana or its onshore oil refineries. But the late 1980s? Hardly any hurricanes, much less a tropical storm, ever hit the Louisiana/Missississippi/Alabama/Texas area. But when a large enough hurricane does hit offshore rigs/platforms and inland oil refineries, the impact is immediately felt.

The Chalmette Refinery, located about 10 miles east of downtown New Orleans, processes 190,000 barrels of oil a day. It was shut down by Exxon Mobil and Petróleos de Venezuela, its co-owners in anticipation of hurricane Katrina. Valero Energy shut down its St. Charles refinery in Louisiana, and Chevron shut down a refinery in Pascagoula, Miss., on the coast near the Alabama border. The largest capacity refinery shut down by the storm was an Exxon Mobil refinery in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana state capital which is about 80 miles Northwest form New Orleans. The plant can process 493,500 barrels of oil a day. Oil exporation and production continues to grow in the Gulf of Mexico and we can thank President Clinton for signing "The Deep Water Royalty Relief Act" (DWRRA) into law in November 1995. This law improved the economics of deep-water production allowing oil rigs and platforms to spring up all over the Gulf of Mexico. Today these offshore oil rigs and platforms provide more than 25% of all U.S. domestic oil and gas production.

In an effort to promote the exploration and production of natural gas and crude oil in deep water, the Outer Continental Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act (DWRRA) implemented a royalty-relief program that relieves eligible leases from paying royalties on defined amounts of deep-water production. After its expiration in 2000, the DWRRA was redefined and extended to promote continued interest in deep water. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) defines a "deep-water" lease as having a minimum water depth of 200 meters (656 feet). To be eligible for relief, the lease must be located in the Gulf of Mexico and west of 87 degrees and 30 minutes West longitude (the Florida-Alabama boundary).

How ironic. President Clinton? An oil man?

Besides the impact on U.S. oil affecting internationally, a few international government are taking advantage of the environmental and personal tragedy exacted by hurricane Katrina to bash President Bush on global warming. QandO has the details about Germany's unthoughtful rhetorics. Perhaps we should send the 75,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in Germany over to devastated areas impacted by hurricane Katrina, and maybe Germany will finally feel their own economic impact for the time being. Also, Captain's Quarters have more info on RFK jr's hot air on global warming and hurricane Katrina.

However, there are a few "relief funds" being set up by international businesses (plural?). International help to assist devastated communities in the United States is vastly small compared to the U.S. own generous charities by private citizens and businesses.

Check out "The Bad Hair Blog" on which countries outside of the United States are wanting to help and contribute to the cause of Hurricane Katrina victims.

Michelle Malkin makes a similar observation, too.

Remember, this hurricane relief effort will be long term and will be felt for years. Much longer than the impact felt by Hurricane Andrew when it hit Florida in 1992. The year 2005 is the year of killer Katrina.

Hurricane Bloggers, Please Let Us Know How You Fared

Kokonut Pundits is asking hurricane bloggers to tell us how you are doing and whether your homes or friends and relatives survived the killer hurricane Katrina storm. Please trackback here as well as Michelle Malkin's website.

Rising floodwaters have trapped many people in their homes near coastal waters forcing them into the attics during the height of the storm's wrath. It is unknown if any of them have drowned in their own attics or they were able to punch their way into the roof. The damage is appalling and castrophic. Martial law has been declared for the city of New Orleans where breached levees continue to pour water into the city.

Help with the donations by sending supplies and monies to the American Red Cross.

The damaging effects from Hurricane Katrina will be felt for years. Right now, people will have to survive over the next several weeks or few months. What's worse, hurricane season is not over, yet.

Hurricane Bloggers in the Path of Killer Hurricane Katrina

Here are a list of hurricane bloggers who are in the path of Hurricane Katrina.

What I Tend to Believe - Lives in Gulf Port, MS. He's sticking it out. Probably a fool.

Darth Oogie Boogie - 40 miles? southwest of New Orleans.

Ash Kahchan - lives in Baton Rouge, LA.

Hattie's Blog - Hattiesburg, MS. About 80 miles north of Gulf Port, MS.

IPWOLOGY - Hattiesburg, MS.

Morning Sickness - Lives near Mobile Bay, AL.

Altjiranga Mitjina - Slidell, LA

John's Online Journal - lives near Lake Ponchartrain, Covington, LA. This is an area most concerned for flooding from Lake Ponchartrain.

Dummocrats - lives in New Orleans.

Wizbang - popular blogger lives in New Orleans.

The Virtual Dollhouse - lives near New Orleans.

Rabid Pixie - lives in New Orleans. She already evacuated and made her last blog.

Ophelia Muffet - lives 125 miles north of the coast in Missississippi.

Izzy Mo's Blog - a Muslim (anti-war) live blogging from the New Orleans International Airport Garage.

Kaye's Hurricane blog - near Lousiana State University.

Unapologetic - blogs on the road. Will cover the 100K people unable to get out.

The Subconcious Machine - a barkeep in New Orleans. Plans to stay in storm. Famous last words.

Modblog - planned to stay at his house, but knew better. Staying at some hotel on the 2nd floor outside of New Orleans(?).

Insomnia - has a good list of Livejournal bloggers with many of them staying in the path of the storm although not exactly sure where they are located. Haven't looked at each individual journal.

Shyblue - Lives in LaPlace, LA, which is about 20 miles west of New Orleans near the southwestern edge of Lake Ponchartrain. Lives in a trailer. Plans to evacuate a little further out.

Libertas - lives in Baton Rouge, LA. Will try and blog as long as power is on.


Live Causeway Cam New Orleans, LA

Bourbon Street webcam - how long will this camera be on?

NOLA (New Orleans, LA) Cams - lot of them are functioning...so far. You can get live video feed as well. Best site for cams in New Orleans on the hurricane.


Contact me for more Hurricane Katrina bloggers that are in the path of the hurricane, whether they've evacuated or not. Keep coming back to check up on my growing list of bloggers...some of them crazy or have no choice, so to speak.

Pray for them.


UPDATE: Some very serious and ominous notes from NOAA for those who are close to the coastline to even 20-40 miles inland.

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS…PERHAPS LONGER.

AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL…LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED.

ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE…INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY…A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE.

ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD…AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION.

PERSONS…PETS…AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK. POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS…AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED.

WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING…BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.
http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/iwszone?Sites=:laz069

Democrat Activist Rev. Fred Phelps

A loony Democrat activist Rev. Fred Phelps and his church is up to no good.

Members of a church say God is punishing American soldiers for defending a country that harbors gays, and they brought their anti-gay message to the funerals Saturday of two Tennessee soldiers killed in Iraq.

The Rev. Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist in Kansas, contends that American soldiers are being killed in Iraq as vengeance from God for protecting a country that harbors gays. The church, which is not affiliated with a larger denomination, is made up mostly of Phelps' children, grandchildren and in-laws. The church members carried signs and shouted things such as "God hates fags" and "God hates you."

Those that know better showed their true American patriotism by showing their support for U.S. troops:

The church members were met with scorn from local residents. They chased the church members cars' down a highway, waving flags and screaming "God bless America."

Of course, who but the liberal Democrats would bring their anti-war anti-American rhetorics to the funerals of slain U.S. soldiers? And ultimately have the unmitigated gall to disregard family member's requests for privacy and respect for the slain U.S. soldier? But they don't and often without their permission to film such somber and private funeral events. A simple request for decorum and respect are all they ask, and they cannot even do that.

Liberals can have their loony Democrat Rev. Fred Phelps and his extended loony family members. The Phelps share the same hateful rhetoric and contempts as do Liberals when it comes to not supporting U.S. troops, respecting funerals and the keen ability to spout utter nonsense.

Democrats, go ahead and enjoy your own Democrat activist Rev. Fred Phelps. Republicans abhore him and his family with his hateful rhetorics. We'll take Democrat Sen. Zell Miller if you don't mind.

Hurricane Katrina - the Real Deal Folks. A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE!

Hurricane Katrina is now a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 175 mph (281 kmh) near the eye makes this storm extremely dangerous and catastrophic! The eye is currently 30 miles by 30 miles, clearly visible from space in satellite photos. President Bush has now declared a state of emergency fo the state of Louisana and Missississippi. Already Hurricane Katrina has killed 7 people in Florida when it was a mere Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds at 80 mph and dumped as much as 18 inches of rain. We're facing the grim prospect of a Category 5 hurricane making a direct hit, most likely, to Louisana or Missississippi. Sustained winds could very well get up to 180 mph. These winds are not gusts but SUSTAINED winds with likely gusts over 200 mph. This is effectively a 35 - 65 mile wide tornado! Only this time, Hurricane Katrina is no mere tornado.

Damages are expect to be enormous. Expect oil prices to go up markedly because much of the offshore oil production rigs and oil refineries are in Louisana where Hurricane Katrina will interrput oil flow, probably for some time because of the ferocity and size of Hurricane Katrina.

Another concern is the city of New Orleans sits several feet below sea level and any water that goes into the city from rainfall has to be pumped out. With Hurricane Katrina the fear is that the city may not have the ability nor the capacity to handle Katrina with the combined ocean surge of 18 feet along with incoming rainfall. Combined the deadly winds, rainfall and ocean surges, New Orleans may be in fact be facing "THE BIG ONE."

Amid this maelstrom, the estimated 200,000 or more people left behind in an evacuation will be struggling to survive. Some will be housed at the Superdome, the designated shelter in New Orleans for people too sick or infirm to leave the city. Others will end up in last-minute emergency refuges that will offer minimal safety. But many will simply be on their own, in homes or looking for high ground.

Thousands will drown while trapped in homes or cars by rising water. Others will be washed away or crushed by debris. Survivors will end up trapped on roofs, in buildings or on high ground surrounded by water, with no means of escape and little food or fresh water, perhaps for several days.

"If you look at the World Trade Center collapsing, it'll be like that, but add water," Eichorn said. "There will be debris flying around, and you're going to be in the water with snakes, rodents, nutria and fish from the lake. It's not going to be nice."

If the storm makes a direct hit on the city we could be looking at 40,000 to 60,000 casualties according to one official making comments on The Weather Channel just moments ago taking cue from FEMA computer modeling scenaria for a slow moving Category 4 or 5 storm submerging New Orleans.

New Orleans would not be the only city impacted but the surrounding communities inland, towns and smaller cities, perhaps far north as Tennessee or Virginia, may well feel the deadly impact from the hurricane spawing tornadoes, torrential winds and winds, though much diminshed when the eye of the hurricane goes inland and loses strength. Currently the two biggest cities at risk for destruction are New Orleans and Biloxi.

The last time a Category 5 hurricane hit land fall was the 1992 Hurricane Andrew. Only 3 Category 5 hurricanes made landfall ever since records were kept.

Only 3 Category Five Hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since records began: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille (1969), and Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane struck the Florida Keys with a minimum pressure of 892 millibar--the lowest pressure ever observed in the United States. Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast causing a 25-foot storm surge, which inundated Pass Christian. Hurricane Andrew of 1992 made landfall over southern Miami-Dade County, Florida causing 26.5 billion dollars in losses--the costliest hurricane on record. In addition, Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity and is the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record with a minimum pressure of 888 millibar.

Please folks, this is the real deal here. Nothing to get excited about and we are praying for the people that they will survive the storm if they cannot get out in time, or simply cannot leave because they have no means or money to do so. Take refuge in large structure such as the Superdome. As for evacuation numbers, we're talking about millions of people trying to move out the way to the North, East or West. Officials even predict that part of East-West I-10 highway will be submerged by the surging coastal waters coming as high as 25 feet as a worse case scenario. This is a storm not to be laughed about or wished upon. No hurricanes or storms should be rooted for but people do that nowadays with sickening appall. If the storm hits New Orleans or Biloxi, the city and surrounding areas will be unrecognizable. Everything just scoured and peeled away. This is a storm that is expected to bring 18 ft high ocean surges, dangerous flooding, catstrophic wind speeds, and spawned tornados.

Batten down the hatches (better yet, move!) for the people of the coastal states from Louisana to the Florida pan handle. This includes people far inland as well! This sucker is huge! We're praying for you folks. Please, take this seriously! JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY!



Hurricane Katrina. Category 5. August 28, 2005. ~7AM EST

Switching Genes In Female Fruit Fly to Act Like Male Fly

An interesting article in The Raw Story concerning gene switching in a fruit fly in a scientific journal called "Cell" reported a gene study where

switching one single gene in a female fruit fly (the common name for Drosophilia) turned her gay. A previously heterosexual fruit fly suddenly began performing the mating ritual as if she were a male.

The article makes a note that

If, after all, we identify a gay gene in humans, does that mean that society strikes out on a mission to eliminate homosexuality? Would it mean that homosexuality would just be characterized as a disability, or a negative inherited trait like alcoholism or higher chances of cancer?

Not necessarily, unless you're the paranoid type. It just that geneticists discovered a switching mechanism in the genes of fruit flies to make heterosexual female flies perform mating rituals like a male fly. However, The Raw Story goes on to state their fears about the study, which, to me if you don't mind the pun, is completely fruitless. If the gene can be found to switch sexual behaviors in fruit flies, then certainly the opposite is true by switching a fly's sexual behavior from heterosexual to gay, or vice versa. In other words, loosen up dudes, it's just a study.

Put Your Comments Here For Previous Blog.

For some reason the comment link to the comment box won't appear in the blog below on "Obese Woman Offended by Doctor's Obesity Advice." Seems to be some kind of a quirk going on with Blogger.com or Haloscan. For now you can put your comments here.

Obese Woman Offended by Doctor's Obesity Advice

Imagine a doctor trying to help an obviously obsese woman to get her to accept the reality that being obese will shorten her life span, and that she need to start concentrating on losing weight. And for that, the obese woman took that as an insult and wrote to the state complaining about the doctor's advice.

As doctors warn more patients that they should lose weight, the advice has backfired on one doctor with a woman filing a complaint with the state saying he was hurtful, not helpful.

Dr. Terry Bennett says he tells obese patients their weight is bad for their health and their love lives, but the lecture drove one patient to complain to the state.

"I told a fat woman she was obese," Bennett says. "I tried to get her attention. I told her, 'You need to get on a program, join a group of like-minded people and peel off the weight that is going to kill you.' "

He says he wrote a letter of apology to the woman when he found out she was offended.

Her complaint, filed about a year ago, was initially investigated by a panel of the New Hampshire Board of Medicine, which recommended that Bennett be sent a confidential letter of concern. The board rejected the suggestion in December and asked the attorney general's office to investigate.

Bennett rejected that office's proposal that he attend a medical education course and acknowledge that he made a mistake.

It doesn't take a doctor to let an obvious obese person know that he or she is obese and the person should get on an exercise and diet program.

Other overweight patients have come to Bennett's defense.

"What really makes me angry is he told the truth," Mindy Haney told WMUR-TV on Tuesday. "How can you punish somebody for that?"

Haney said Bennett has helped her lose more than 150 pounds, but acknowledged that she initially didn't want to listen.

"I have been in this lady's shoes. I've been angry and left his practice. I mean, in-my-car-taking-off angry," Haney said. "But once you think about it, you're angry at yourself, not Doctor Bennett. He's the messenger. He's telling you what you already know."

Tough love. There is no room for political correctness here when a person's life is at stake due to the risk and potential complications from obesity. Some people will do anything not to listen this and stick their fingers in their ears and go "na na na na na". Really sad.

It's all about taking personal responsibility of yourself as an adult. It is you who made who you are. Not McDonalds. Not the McRibs. Not the advertising billboards. Not your "All-you-can-eat" country buffets. It's you and your willpower, common sense and the drive to change who you are.

Hey, I can see how morbidly obese , obese to simply overweight people will come up with all kinds of excuses for not wanting to exercise or diet. They just don't want to face the prospect of exercising and dieting. In fact, you can see these attitudes almost every week (Sunday night) on VH1 "Celebrity Fit Club" . Some of the celebrities (or more correctly "celebrities") continue to have excuses for not exercising or sticking with their pre-planned dieting program. It's a fun, entertaining show that makes you want to cheer them on and watch the pounds come as they compete in teams to see who shed the most weight. And at the same time shake your head on why they act like that during there periods of self-denial?

Responsibility begins with you. Period. No more excuses, please. You can make all kinds of excuses til you're blue in the face but the bottom line is that it's your life. You make the changes that will benefit your health and have a positive lifestyle.

Rules are Rules, and I Rule Here.

Today I've added a few sentences in the header blog concerning those who want to make comments here in my blog comment box. I made clarifications, very simple ones that even an idiot can understand them (I provided dictionary links especially you guys), regarding what you cannot do here. I rule here. Not you.

1) No foul language using expletives directed at commenters. And as a general rule, just don't bring expletives to the table. Disguise it if you have to.

2) Do not attack other commenters in a vicious manner using certain foul epithets and such.

Disagree....yes.
Attack viciously (e.g. Ad Hominem).....no.
Belittle...discretionary or optional but watch out when you direct it to other commenters.

Professional victims need not apply here to practice their well crafted whining skills. Whiners need not apply as well. Please, attend a Kindergarten blog to do that if you have that itch or emotional need to do so. Whiners grate me like listening to fingernails scraping down on a chalkboard. A wonderful experience there.

Anything goes in my blog comment box. Disagreements are fine. We all disagree to one degree or another. Chasm of a disagreement is dandy here. Just watch the language, bub. Ad Hominem attacks do not do any justice here when all they do is make you look like a complete idiot when you do that. Debating effectively do require some skills while using expletives are for amateurs. We don't do B*tch Sessions here, either. That falls into the "Whiner Category." Use a bit of creativity when you enter my world when it comes to language. I admire creativity. Even a picture of a weiner on a stick is creative under a certain context. But a sticked weiner is just something people would rather eat (not me) than to try and make a creative point which proves the point of amateurish attitudes. Just try a notch higher and actually use words this time to make a point in a debate, and hold off those inane conspiracy theories about what I do here.

And, if you do get banned. It's because YOU broke the rules. Nothing about disagreements here or because I didn't like your opinions. It's the obtuse and obscene language I don't like just as much as I like on wanting to have a discourse or debate with knuckle dragging Neanderthals. If you can't comment here. Tough guano, bub. Complain about it in your own blog if you wish if you have something to say whine about. And don't try this cutesy attempt in lifting my comments here and paste them on somebody else's blog comment box to make it as if I posted it over there with my name on it just so you can respond over there. That action alone will make you look like a desperate person. Only idiots will try and do that. Be smart. Use your own blog next time, if you happened to be banned. A very, very rare occurence. Blogs are here for a purpose. Otherwise, enjoy your stay here.

Again, welcome to Kokonut Pundits.

SWAZILAND! Traditional Chastity Vow May Have Lowered Teenage HIV Rates

Another example of how abstinence can help lower the risk and spread of HIV although this took place in Africa.

The custom is known as "umcwasho", after the tasselled woollen headgear worn by young women for five years: powder blue and yellow for teenagers from puberty up to 18 years old; red and yellow for women aged 19 to 24.

Keeping the vow helps reduce the risk of HIV, STDs, and pregancy at a young although the vow only last several years. It does, however, provide a sense of empowerment, self-esteem and self-improvement.

Without the protection of the "Umcwasho" custom, in which girls pledge to abstain from sex and devote their efforts to self improvement and learning traditional Swazi ways, young women like Nomthula fret they may have trouble with demanding boyfriends.

But it does come down to a matter of respecting a woman's wishes on keeping her virginity rather than by using the "Umcwasho" custom to help keep rural (and not urban) boys at bay.

Read more. Interesting article.

Welcome New Leadship Blog

Take a visit to a blog site called "New Leadership Blog" if you want to get in touch with other well known black Republican bloggers. I've added the NLB to my link list. Also, please visit a new grassroots organization called "The National Black Republican Association" which took place last week. The New Leadership Blogger says:

It was formed as a grassroots organization to address the critical issues affecting our communities and in particular our families. I am proud to say that I have joined the NBRA. I am honored to serve as its Communication Director.

The National Black Republican Association is focused on moving black Americans into our "Ownership Society and promoting the traditional values of black communities. The NBRA stresses "strong families, personal responsibility, quality education and hard work."

Welcome to the Republican party. We, too, among deaf and hard of hearing Republicans also have a grassroots organization called "Deaf Republicans" that was formed almost 10 months ago.

Deaf Republicans is a grassroots organization formed to foster the principles and values of the Republican Party within the deaf and hard of hearing community.

The mission of Deaf Republicans is to build a national grassroots network within the deaf and hard of hearing Americans community through which Republican ideals and beliefs can be articulated and embraced. Deaf Republicans believe that for our issues and concerns to be heard by politicians, the deaf and hard of hearing community must be represented on both sides of the political spectrum. We will seek to develop and nurture relationships between the deaf and hard of hearing community and Republican leaders.

You can review more on what the Deaf Republicans organization is all about. I am one of the several original members that helped coordinate the organization's beginning. We are still growing and have members in many states. We always welcome your questions and/or comments. Feel free to contact us via electronic mail at submittals@deafrepublicans.com.

A Playhouse For My Two Girls.

A month ago I finished a playhouse for my two youngest daughters. I designed it so that it comes together in two halves and can easily be disassembled. Inside are two toy chests that serve as benches. I built a foldable table that can be propped up with a single dowel rod and shelves for the girls to store their toy china wares and fake potted flowers. I worked on this playhouse off and on over the summer.

Enjoy the photos. The girls are absolutely having fun with their new playhouse in their bedroom.



Inside of the playhouse with carpeted floor and nice wallpaper.



Outside view of playhouse.


The two pictures below showed the stages in building the playhouse.




Two halves of the floor with toy chests serving as benches.


Going up! Two front walls of the playhouse begins to take shape.

You Don't Speak For Me, Cindy Sheehan.

Check out Move America Forward's "You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy" tour.

Move America Forward will lead a caravan of military family members opposed to the anti-military antics of Cindy Sheehan (the anti-war activist) to Crawford, Texas. The caravan will depart for Crawford early next week from different locations around the country. Move America Forward is working with a number of organizations around the nation to arrange for these multiple caravans.

The main group will depart from San Francisco next Monday, launched by Move America Forward’s Chairman, Melanie Morgan, from her radio show on KSFO Radio. The trip will culminate in a rally in Crawford on Saturday, August 27, 2005 to support our troops AND their mission in Iraq.

“The overwhelming majority of military families support their loved ones and the missions they are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. These military families do not share Cindy Sheehan’s view of the war on terrorism, and the true story needs to be told. We invite Americans to join us en masse in Crawford, Texas on August 27 so we can send a message to terrorists around the world that American resolve is stronger than ever,” Morgan said.

Please, no more of this conspiracy bunk that we went to war in Iraq to gain control of their oil. Rather pathetic.

When Liberals Consider Ad Hominem Attacks as a Logical Choice in their Debates

Sigh. I can certainly understand and empathize Michelle Malkin's feelings whenever she encounters Liberal extremists who have as much staying power with their logical arguments as a wet, limp noodle using Ad Hominem attacks as their soup du jour ("argument" of the day). Attacks are usually their "forte," so to speak, whenever they are unable to provide any platform to stand on in an honest debate without resorting to trickery and deceitfulness.

In the last two comments that had my name in Netrox's blog comment (now since removed per my request and you'll see somebody at the end apparently talking to himself frothing at the mouth. Thank you Netrox) in the "Supersize Me" debate were apparently inserted by somebody else who copied my own comments from elsewhere and inserted them into the comment box after I had apologized to Netrox on how other people's comments (and mine) deviated from the subject and I ended it right there leaving it as is. The last two inserted comments in Netrox's blog comment box were not my doing.

However, this somebody was so desperate to respond to my comments here in my own blog but were unable to since the person in question is currently banned from commenting in my blog comment box for apparent reasons by breaking the rules in my blog comment box. Anybody can post comments in my blog, even if I disagree with them. I've no problem with that. However, I do have a problem when people attack commenters using venom and foul language and will give them several warnings to cease and desist before I finally ban them. Another reason why one should get Haloscan. There are people out there who will froth at the mouths and spew absolute nonsense simply need to be locked out.

Now, this somebody (not necessarily the person in question) inserted my comments from elsewhere into Netrox's blog comment box hoping or knowingly that this person in question will at least have a place to desperately respond. Pretty low. An apt description of how some Liberals will do such a thing.

Desperate people will do desperate things and will go down the route using Ad Hominem attacks and foul language as way to counter an argument. Why? Just to make a point? What point would that be other than wanting to show people their excellent range of foul words and racist attacks?

However, my point here is that *I* don't throw temper tantrums like a prepubescent 12 year old, pimply, white-washed kid with pants drooping below the waistline with a bad mouth to sport. Dig? If other people prefer to go through the temper tantrum, bad boy route, then by all means be my guest and let the readers see for who they are.

And as a final note, the comment I made in my blog comment was not about the spelling issue or whether it's a slang word or not. I was making a point about using words that actually mean something. Using foul epithets that start with an "F" along with spitballing and name calling are hardly what a seasoned debater would use, such as Netrox or I. Which is why I suggested the Oxford dictionary.

Wishing the person in question luck in that arena. This will be my last post or comments on this matter regarding this person in question. Perhaps another round of English 50 for him instead?


UPDATE: I rest my case. I ain't surprised.

Google - "Don't Be Evil."

The NY Post (pesky sign up required) I read today reminds us that even such innocuous act as providing publicly via Google free satellite photos in such sharp, close-up details would be a boon for terrorists everywhere.

A Queens assemblyman says a popular new program offered by Google could help terrorists scout targets like the White House, power plants and transportation hubs — and is urging the search-engine giant to shut it down. The service, Google Earth, offers users close-up aerial photos of almost any building in the world — a potential gold mine for mayhem-minded fanatics, says Assemblyman Michael Gianaris. "They get incredibly detailed," said Gianaris (D-Astoria) of the satellite shots. "You can zoom in and see security outposts, fencing. It's almost like you're hovering over the building. We got photos from the Google headquarters and you even see the 'No Parking' signs."

Such extreme details breaches much of America's security when it comes to terrorists' planning to hurt America more.

While the mapping feature "may be entertaining," he writes, "the satellite images offer detailed aerial views of sensitive locations that can provide terrorists with a virtual blueprint of potential targets."

Michael Gianaris notes Google's unofficial slogan:

"Don't Be Evil."

Let's remind Google to be alot less evil by not giving terrorists additional tools to use against the United States.

UPDATE: Just to let people know, I found out about the Google Earth from the NY Post (see link above) article I came across about Google Earth. The article is dated August 21, which is the same day I blogged "Google - Don't be evil." One person (who is one of the Deaf version of Beavis and Butthead - I swear.) sincerely believes I "took" his idea about Google Earth when he blogged about it a week ago from August 21. Listen here, Butthead, I don't read everything you blog. Dig? And I never came across reading your blog about Google Earth. I blogged what I read that day on the NY Post. Ever wonder why the same date?

Really folks. In my world, if you attack or harass commenters with epithets and call them names in my blog comment box, you will be summarily warned, and after a few warnings more and you don't get it, I will ban you. Simple as that. Even if I disagree with your comments you will NOT be banned unless you insist on using foul language, hurl epithets, and call commenters. Those actions warrant banishment from my blog world. I'm King here. My rules are supreme. Yours are... inconsequential.

Forbes, We Also Have Trackbacks, too.

One thing that's interesting, after making a remark about Michelle's refusal to have the comment box switched on, is that why didn't Forbes put up a comment box up of its own just to gage the reader's responses in the spirit of bloggers everywhere? Seems kind of facetious and one-sided of Forbes to put down Michelle Malkin for her refusal to turn on the comment box in her blog. Is there some kind of an unwritten bloggers' rule where you MUST have the comment box turned on? Why would Michelle Malkin want to see such tripes from mindless dweebs bent on Ad Hominem attacks?

Here is what Forbes missed. Michelle Malkin's has her trackback turned on while Little Green Footballs does not but have the comment box turned on instead. While Powerline blog does not have either trackback nor comment turned on. Why the deft targeting at Michelle Malkin's blog, Forbes?

As for trackbacks, they are also another way of voicing your own opinions by agreeing, disagreeing or simply have a different view of Michelle Malkin's blogs by linking (as a common courtesy and an unwritten rule of thumb) to her site by using her trackback address.

How dense is Forbes in the world of blogging?


UPDATE: Michelle Malkin (Betsy Newmark) added my link in her update regarding Forbes absentmindedness.

UPDATE2: Welcome Michelle Malkin readers. Be sure to give Betsy Newmark a hearty "Thank You" for helping Michelle Malkin a much needed vacation break. People do need a break now and then. Meanwhile, happy recharging Michelle Malkin!

When the Tables Are Turned - 12 Year Old Boys Rape Deaf Man

Everybody can see how some adult males like to rape a young, prepubescent 12 year old boy either by coercing (friendly or aggressively) or getting him drunk at a New Years party, for example, just so the man can play with it. Now, the tables were turn a few weeks ago when two 12-year old boys raped a deaf man!

One of the boys faces two counts of rape and two of committing a serious sexual offence against a man who was unable to refuse because of his mental disorder. The other faces one count of rape and two of committing a serious sexual assault.

They will appear in court again on 28 September when they will be committed for trial at Crown Court.

These two boys will most likely be future adult rapists when they become adults.

Yes, there are definitely gay (and lesbian) rapists out there who prey on young boys (or girls), just as there are heterosexual rapists who prey on young girls or even boys. Nobody's immune from these pedophile monsters whether the monster go down on a boy for a little fun or force/coerce the boy to go down on the monster. I'm sure there are some gay people out there in their sick minds wouldn't mind going down on a 12 year old prepubescent kid by making sure the kid's drunk, of course, in many instances.

Are these adults desperate or what? Are there people among us that we know who harbor these sick feelings or hold some dark deep past secrets of fondling and messing around with 12 year old kids? Sickos!! It's wrong and you should know the difference. These people need help by spending time in jail along with a lobotomy job. Castration wouldn't be too bad, either. And the two boys? *shakes head* I think they've already choosen their paths.

WaPo Leads Charge to Shift Focus Away from Air America to Gov. Bob Taft

I think I know why the MSM is particularly quiet over Air America 1.5 million dollar scandal as reported by Michelle Malkin today. I believe the Liberals will try and shift the attention away from the Air America Radio financial scandal to a (perceived) potentially bigger scandal by Governor Bob Taft of Ohio, a Republican, who failed to report nearly $6,000 in gifts as reported by the New York Times and other MSM. But, as expected, the NYT still hasn't reported on the Air America Radio scandal since August 13, 2005, unless you want to count one report that falsely quoted Al Franken on purpose. The bloggers broke the news first, notably by Brian Maloney and Michelle Malkin.

The New York Times is giving the signal to attack Gov. Bob Taft where a judge ordered him to pay $4,000 in fines as well as write a letter to the people of Ohio acknowledging his violation of ethics laws. Fine. No problem. The Liberal bloggers and MSM will certainly not go after the governor seeing that $6,000 not reported compared to $1.5 million yet accounted for, however. This is what they'll screech over and pull their hairs out over in a political frenzy in their attempt to connect Thomas Noe to Governor Taft in a potentially bigger financial scandal using guilt by association:

The conviction stems from a broader investigation into accusations that Thomas Noe, a Republican fund-raiser and rare-coin dealer, mishandled and possibly stole millions from the Ohio Workers' Compensation Bureau. A lawsuit filed by the state attorney general against Mr. Noe accuses him of diverting up to $4 million of the investments for personal use.

William C. Wilkinson, a lawyer for Mr. Noe, has said that as much as $13 million cannot be accounted for and that his client has been cooperating fully with the criminal investigation. Mr. Noe provided some of the free golf outings and gifts that Mr. Taft has acknowledged.

This story is but a day or two old and yet compare the The New York Time's Air America's coverage (along with the fake quote of Al Franken about the Air America scandal of which the NYTimes still hasn't corrected as seen in the previous link) versus Gov. Bob Taft where the NYT correctly identified all of the details about the scandal. We can see where the Liberals are going with this thing. Compare CNN with Air America to Bob Taft. Also, not surprising when you compare WaPo on Air America versus Governor Bob Taft. Looks like WaPo is leading the charge in their attempt to shift the focus away from Air America to an Ohio Republican Governor, Bob Taft using guilt by association of Thomas Noe.

Just as well, bloggers are going after Gov. Bob Taft with 2644 postings (as of August 19, 2005, 8:30 AM MT) while 17,375 postings on Air America. However, WaPo is leading the charge and giving cue to Liberal bloggers to attack Gov. Bob Taft for his $6,000 oversight than Air America's "oversight" of $1.5 million dollars.

Ironically, The New York Times (and other MSM rags) quoted Ohio Democratic House leader by succinctly commenting on the corruption issue:

The Democratic House leader, Representative Chris Redfern, said lawmakers must rid Ohio of a "culture of corruption that is much bigger than Bob Taft and his golfing habits."

How true. This goes as well for the managment and owners (pass and current)of Air America Radio in their latest financial scandal. We don't need or want to see these corruptions going on but let's put things into perspective here first, The problem is that The New York Times and other MSM outlets are not doing their job to inform readers, listeners and watchers by reporting on Air America's scandal by turning a blind eye hoping the Liberal radio station will survive and at the same time basically telling bloggers to sic on Gov. Bob Taft. Not that I don't mind but it is just the hypocrisy of these Liberal bloggers and MSM dunderheads that make them so apparent.

When Randi Rhodes is Actually the Star of Air America...not Al Franken

Michelle Malkin continues her investigative "blogory" (blog + story, but in this case the Air Scamerica is beginnng to get a bit gory) of Air America's latest financial scandal. When MSM refuse to cover a story bloggers take over and a "blogswarm" ensues and when bloggers provide the news it is known as a "Blogory". However, getting to the truth is what we want to know. Many are asking questions about Sheldon and Anita Drobny's financial plans:

the deep-pocketed, far left Illinois Democrat couple who dreamed up Air America and have been involved in its many strange and dubious business reorganizations.

What many do not know is that Sheldon Drobny wrote a book in December 2003 called "Road To Air America: Breaking The Right Wing Stranglehold On Our Nation's Airwaves." But it is interesting to read what readers had to say about Sheldon Drobny's book in Amazon's customer review page:

I've been listening to Air America since day one. I tuned in for Al Franken but kept coming back for Randi Rhodes. She is the true star of Air America and probably the most brilliant commentator in the country.

OUCH!

And another reviewer gives the book a 4 out of 5 stars but makes an ominous note:

The story of the beginning of Air America Radio is quite compelling, though the book suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of detail. This is definitely the story from Drobny's point-of-view, and it lacks interesting information that he was either not privy to or chose not to share. For instance, I was interested to know how and why the station started, but when it came to learning about how they found and negotiated with on-air talent, we get only a little information about Al Franken and nothing about anybody else! Also, there was a bit of a fiasco with early financial dealing, but we get only sketchy details from Drobny.

Sounds like the Drobny's are already acting suspicious in light of the latest Air America near million-dollar financial scandal.

From the same reviewer who noted Sheldon Drobny's difficult days in getting financial backings but had some questions:

On several occasions, we learn, the Drobnys were asked to give interviews to various networks about the new station, but they declined to do so, fearing that the story would get negative spin!! No wonder they had troube getting initial investors, when they were perpetually declining free publicity! Drobny spends a lot of time lamenting the difficulty in finding finanial backers, but it never seems to have occurred to him to have the station be a non-profit organization funded by contributors. I think a lot of people, myself included, would have donated generously to have a liberal radio station. Later, the management spent a fair amount of money having a PR firm decide on a name -- why not ask potential listeners to try their hand?

If that's the case, then shouldn't the Liberal Lefties start a fund-raising drive to help come up with nearly a million dollars cash to help out Air America Radio's latest financial scam when the money was intended for alzheimer patients and inner city kids in the first place? Will Liberals actually touch (yes, touch) Air America Radio with a 10-ft pole this time?

Oh, and the final clincher came from Bill Clinton from a December 2003 Chicage magazine about the Drobny's regarding Air America Radio:

(The Drobnys) want to do something good for our country by working to restore a sense of balance.....

Balance? Does that include stealing money (which hasn't been repaid in over a year) from a Federal grant intended for Alzheimer patients and inner city kids?

And the last laugh that I got was from another reviewer who bemoans about the "liberal media":

I long suspected it, but my suspicions were confirmed that the "liberal media" in America was vanishing after reading this book.

Ever consider why that is so? Ever consider that possibly, just possibly the "liberal media" resort to lying, twisting of facts, and do just about everything to slam the Republican/Conservative party line? Always playing the gloom and doom scenario at every turn. When was the last time a "liberal media" reported anything positive that readers and listeners would like to hear? No excuses. Just give me an example. Even the AP pratically concedes it won't report anything good but would rather report the bombings, the killings and injuries from their hotel rooms.

Where are the Drobny's now? Is there a scam in the works?



More on Air America scam at:
When NYTimes Gets Busted for Lying to Help Cover Up Air America's Scandal

A Live Air America Radio Band Aid Solution

When Mainstream Media Refuse to Cover Air America Scandal

Lawyers Weigh In on Air America If "Stealing" of Kiddie Funds Actually Existed

Air America Stealing Money from Poor-Inner City Kids and Elderly?

The Simich Jr. Double Homicide Case

On May 3, 2005 I reported about a culturally deaf man, Simich Jr., who murdered his Deaf sister and Deaf brother-in-law. Now, a reliable source close to me that's keeping a close eye on the Simich Jr. double homicide case said that:

The preliminary hearing for the double homicide is Sept. 19, however it's very likely to be postponed because both attorneys will want to do psych evaluations. The public defender said that so far Simich Jr. is getting fair ADA access in everything related to the case.

It makes sense to do a psych evaluation to determine Simich Jr.'s current mental state. And see whether he is able to stand up in court.

Also, the source indicated an increased awareness about the communication issue between hearing police officers and deaf people:

One of the local papers here did a story about how some of the police officers that responded to the homicide have recently enrolled in sign language classes.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to open people's eyes.


See my past blogs on the Simich Jr case here, here, and here.

Kokonut Pundits will follow the Simich Jr. double homicide case throughout its entirety, as much as possible when necessary.

More "Supersize Me" Bunkum

In my previous post I discussed Morgan Spurlock's wanton disregard for a balanced documentary favoring wild accusations, though hugely implied, blaming McDonalds (and the fast food industry) as the source of America's obesity.

Foxnews makes a critical report about Spurlock's book "Don't Eat This Book" where he makes false and defamatory accusations about McDonalds.

--Spurlock writes in his book that McDonalds uses beef that has been fed the ground-up remains of other cows. But the FDA has banned this practice of feeding ruminant remnants to other ruminants since 1997. Spurlock essentially accuses McDonalds of breaking federal law for the past eight years, and provides no sources for his accusation.

--In one particularly egregious passage, Spurlock tells his readers that the FDA has linked the artificial sweetener aspartame to side effects such as headaches, dizziness, nausea and hallucinations. But Spurlock's own source for that passage -- a 1999 issue of the FDA Consumer

-- lists these effects only to specifically refute them. The newsletter attributes the claims to "[w]ebsites with screaming headlines," and finds them wholly without merit.

--Spurlock writes that "a friend" told him McDonalds no longer calls its shakes "milkshakes" because they're all chemicals, and no milk. This is an urban legend. The primary ingredient in a McDonalds shake is "whole milk."

As always, Morgan Spurlock sides with sensationalism at the expense of truth. Foxnews makes a point about Spurlock's wanton disregard for truth:

Much of the book rests on the same kinds of poor sourcing and shoddy research. Spurlock appears to have run with any dirt on the food industry he could find. He even dismisses the Ronald McDonald Children's Charities, which he implies are merely a ruse to get sick kids hooked on the Big Mac.

Spurlock lambastes the food industry for deceptive marketing and bad business practices. The problem is, for someone so critical of deceptive marketing practices, Spurlock himself seems to have problems with the truth.

Another reason to cast a very wary eye on Morgan Spurlock. The Associated Press gets in on the action:

Merab Morgan, from Raleigh, thought the documentary had unfairly targeted the world's largest restaurant company, implying that the obese were victims of a careless corporate giant. People are responsible for what they eat, she said, not restaurants. The problem with a McDonald's-only diet isn't what's on the menu, but the choices made from it, she said.

And that was my contention here stating that the choices made by people who eat the food are theirs alone. No one forced customers through the doors of fast food restaurants. No employees told customers that they cannot eat the foods because they're fat. The only thing left is to ensure that nutrional information are readily available to willing customers whether in fast food or fancy restaurants so they can make informed decisions. But people continue to play the "Let's Blame Corporate America for Our Fattyness" even if people cannot read a nutritional chart or just don't care for that information and want their Big Macs and fries, pronto.

Spurlock's film "really spurred a backlash based on common sense," Riker said.

Merab Morgan used nutritional information downloaded from McDonald's Web site to create meal plans of no more than 1,400 calories a day. She only ate french fries twice, usually choosing burgers and salads. Those choices are a stark contrast with those made by Spurlock, who ate every menu item at least once.

At the end of the 90 days, she had dropped from 227 to 190 pounds

You make the choices, you bear the responsibility of your own actions. That's the bottom line. Even though the food industry bears some responsibility but ultimately the choice to decide comes down to one person...you. Be careful who you blame the next time. It's all about common sense. Some people have 'em, some don't. You are what you eat, inside and out.

Howard Dean Talking Nonsense About Women In Iraq

There goes kooky Howard Dean again speaking before thinking.

Howard Dean still doesn't think the Iraqis are better off with dictator Saddam Hussein out of power and in prison.

Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation" yesterday, the fiery former Vermont governor said, "It looks like today, and this could change, as of today it looks like women will be worse off in Iraq than they were when Saddam Hussein was president of Iraq."

Will wonder never cease about this guy not realizing that prior to Saddam Hussein Iraqi women were very much involved in politics:

Prior to Saddam Hussein, women were very much included in the politics of Iraq, according to Anita Sharma, director of the conflict prevention project at the Woodrow Wilson Center. "That changed under the Baath regime," she said.

Bayannkidnappings of themselves or their children, she said. "More women wear veils in Baghdad out of fear." A solution is as simple as "street lighting," she said.e Surdashi, a refugee from Northern Iraq who lost scores of relatives to Saddam Hussein's genocidal campaign in the late 1980's, spoke of similarities between women in central and southern Iraq today and the Kurdish women after the Gulf War. "Now, most women may not be politically involved because basic necessities take first seat," she said.

Sharma agreed, saying better security is necessary before large numbers of women become involved in politics. Women fear kidnappings of themselves or their children, she said. "More women wear veils in Baghdad out of fear." A solution is as simple as "street lighting," she said.

And they still have the desire to improve and add more women in important roles of the Iraqi government:

Nevertheless, Surdahsi noted that several women's groups have recently sprung up, a precursor to bigger political roles for women. The National Council of Women attracted 1,000 women to a February conference on transitional assembly law, Surdahsi said. The Society of Iraqi Women for the Future, just three months old, is promoting women in government positions. The Coordinating Council of Women's Non-Governmental Organizations has brought together 40 women's groups in Baghdad. And Women for a Free Iraq is lobbying for women's rights.

And contrast that during Saddam's regime and how women suffered under him:

Under the Baath regime, not only did women lose political power, Sharma said, but also jobs. High unemployment in manufacturing after the Gulf War pushed Iraqi men into jobs traditionally held by women. "Today only 19% of the workforce is female," she said, yet Iraqi women are "highly educated and employable."

How dumb is Howard Dean? Dumb enough to ignore that currently Iraq have 7 Iraqi women ministers among 25 other Iraqi male ministers?

We have according to Defend America' Iraq Weekly Status Report (page 10) those 7 women ministers:

Minister of Communications - Juwan Fu'ad Ma'sum
Minister of Displacement and Migration - Suhayla al-Kinani
Minister of Environment - Narmin 'Uthman
Minister of Human Rights - (Acting) Narmin 'Uthman
Minister of Technology - Basima Butrus
Minister of Municipalities and Public Works - Nasreen Berwari
Minister of State for Women's Affairs - Azhar al-Shaykhli

Also, on page 17 in the Iraq Weekly Status Report:

The Iraq Reconstruction Management Office’s $35 million microfinance program has disbursed over 14,000 microfinance loans to small businesses, for a total of $28 million to date. Loans range from $500 to $25,000 (with an average loanof about $2000); 9 percent of the loans have been made to women.

I don't know what Howard Dean is smoking but I'm pretty sure that the "Quagmire" Liberal crowd are absolutely ecstatic over Dean's astute knowledge and intellect on the subject of women in Iraq.

Pretty durn proud I'd say.

UPDATE: Captain's Quarters report on Dean's fabulously astute knowledge that Iraqi women fared better under Saddam.

Under Saddam, women had all the same opportunities as men -- to get tortured, raped, falsely imprisoned, starved off their land, and to serve as test subjects for his chemical-weapons programs, as in Halabja.

A Lesson Story From Michelle Malkin On Using Racist Comments

Michelle Malkin's article reminds us in her update about a passenger who sued Southwest Airline for "discrimination" because the flight attendent said

"Eenie, meenie, minie, moe; pick a seat, we gotta go."

Hoping that passengers would laugh about the cute nursery rhyme in getting them to hurry up and get seated. Well, almost everybody laughed.

But Sawyer and Fuller, who are black, felt ridiculed and persecuted by Cundiff, who is white. Bingo: Racist hate crime. "I was infuriated by the comment," Sawyer said. Fuller whined: "It was like I was too dumb to find a seat."

All together now: Awwwwwwwwww.

These are the overly sensitive people who need to get a clue and try not to take everything so personally and totally out of context. Just like this guy who didn't get an email reply from Michelle Malkin and in turn called her a terrible racist name because how dare she, Michelle Malkin, not answer his emails!

Ok, altogether now, again: Awwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Sensitivity training class anyone? For the passengers and emailers I mean.

A Clueless Associated Press (AP) Reports

Now, we had so far one MSM outlet who reported on President Bush strong and sincere emotions meeting more than 900 family members of some 270 soldier skilled in Iraq or Afghanistan over the past two years. It was Newsweek, the original distributor and author of the President Bush' story, who distributed the story and had the PR Newswire distribute the news story further, until Yahoo News picked it. Now, will the NY Times or Wapo pick this story up? You're funnin' me? Heck, even the AP editors as reported by the NY Times said that people were "worried" that they were not getting other news aside from the regular reporting on the bombings and killings.

"Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?" the anonymous polemic asks, in part. "Did you know that 3,100 schools have been renovated?"

"Of course we didn't know!" the message concludes. "Our media doesn't tell us!"

Ms. Goudreau's newspaper, like most dailies in America, relies largely on The Associated Press for its coverage of the Iraq war. So she finally forwarded the e-mail message to Mike Silverman, managing editor of The A.P., asking if there was a way to check these assertions and to put them into context. Like many other journalists, Mr. Silverman had also received a copy of the message.

How simple is it to peruse U.S. military websites such as Defend America to check up on construction updates and the likes? And make a few phones calls or even visit commanders nearby? All one has to do is look up the Iraq Weekly Progress Report on the internet reported by the Defend America military website. The IWPR has been reporting these reconstruction news and other good news for more than 16 months!

The bottom-line question was, people wanted to know if we're making progress in Iraq," Ms. Goudreau said, and the A.P. articles were not helping to answer that question.

"It was uncomfortable questioning The A.P., knowing that Iraq is such a dangerous place," she said. "But there's a perception that we're not telling the whole story."

Mr. Silverman said in an interview that he was aware of that perception. "Other editors said they get calls from readers who are hearing stories from returning troops of the good things they have accomplished while there, and readers find that at odds with the generally gloomy portrayal in the papers of what's going on in Iraq," he said.

Mr. Silverman said the editors were asking for help in making sense of the situation. "I was glad to have that discussion with the editors because they have to deal with the perception that the media is emphasizing the negative," he said.

"We're there to report the good and the bad and we try to give due weight to everything going on," he said. "It is unfortunate that the explosions and shootings and fatalities and injuries on some days seem to dominate the news."

Suki Dardarian, deputy managing editor of The Seattle Times and vice president of the board of the Associated Press Managing Editors, said that the discussion was "a pretty healthy one."

"One of the things the editors felt was that as much context as you can bring, the better," Ms.
Dardarian said. "They wanted them to get beyond the breaking news to 'What does this mean?' "

"What does that mean?" ?? Are they actually that clueless? Newsweek got it about President Bush that he is really human. For the AP reporters they make these phone calls to determine how many were killed or injured in blasts or firefights as a part of their confirmation process from their hotel rooms. What makes them think they can't get other information besides deaths and injuries??

Mr. Silverman said the wire service was covering Iraq "as accurately as we can" while "also trying to keep our people out of harm's way."

"The main obstacle we face," he said, "is the severe limitation on our movement and our ability to get out and report. It's very confining for our staff to go into Baghdad and have to spend most of their time on the fifth floor of the Palestine Hotel," which is home to most of the press corps. The hotel was struck by a tank shell in 2003, killing two journalists.

Ok. Ever considered using the phones, Instant Messaging for real time chat interviews, check the internet or even do email interviews with U.S. commanders on what's happening out there, construction-wise? How hard is that when bloggers are getting most of the alternate news out to the people? But then the famous CYA response comes from the AP:

By the end, she said, editors were acknowledging that even in their own hometowns, "we're more likely to focus on people who are killed than on the positive news out of a school."

More likely they just want to keep doing what they've always been doing considering the history of the AP and an agenda to report only bad news and their dislike for President Bush' administration. The AP continues to report the deaths and bombings with the gloom and doom scenarios they portray in Iraq.


UPDATE: Michelle Malkins makes a note about the AP's excuse on reporting the war, albeit one day late to mine. But has lots of links to others who reported about the weak-kneed AP's excuse.

Proof That President Bush Cares About US Soldiers Killed in Action

Seems like Newsweek is making amends to president Bush after a false story on the Guatanamo Bay fake Koran descecration by writing a moving story of President Bush' meetings with widows and kids without their fathers, and brothers of those who were killed in the Iraq or Afghanistan war.

Aug. 22, 2005 issue - The grieving room was arranged like a doctor's office. The families and loved ones of 33 soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan were summoned to a large waiting area at Fort Bragg, N.C. For three hours, they were rotated through five private rooms, where they met with President George W. Bush, accompanied by two Secret Service men and a photographer. Because the walls were thin, the families awaiting their turn could hear the crying inside.

President Bush was wearing "a huge smile," but his eyes were red and he looked drained by the time he got to the last widow, Crystal Owen, a third-grade schoolteacher who had lost her husband in Iraq. "Tell me about Mike," he said immediately. "I don't want my husband's death to be in vain," she told him. The president apologized repeatedly for her husband's death. When Owen began to cry, Bush grabbed her hands. "Don't worry, don't worry," he said, though his choking voice suggested that he had worries of his own. The president and the widow hugged. "It felt like he could have been my dad," Owen recalled to NEWSWEEK. "It was like we were old friends. It almost makes me sad. In a way, I wish he weren't the president, just so I could talk to him all the time..."

Bush routinely asks to see the families of the fallen when he visits military bases, which he does about 10 times a year. It does not appear that the White House or the military makes any effort to screen out dissenters or embittered families, though some families decline the invitation to meet with Bush. Most families encourage the president to stay the course in Iraq. "To oppose something my husband lost his life for would be a betrayal," says Inge Colton, whose husband, Shane, died in April 2004 when his Apache helicopter was shot down over Baghdad. Bush does, however, hear plenty of complaints. He has been asked about missing medals on the returned uniform of a loved one, about financial assistance for a child going to college and about how soldiers really died when the Pentagon claimed the details were classified.

At her meeting with the president at Fort Hood, Texas, last spring, Colton says she lit into Bush for "stingy" military benefits. Her complaints caught Bush "a little off guard," she recalls. "He tried to argue with me a little bit, but he promised he would have someone look into it." The next day she got a call from White House chief of staff Andrew Card, who said the White House would follow up. "My main goal was to have him look at my son, look him in the eyes and apologize," says Colton. "I wanted him to know, to really understand who he has hurt." She says Bush was "attentive, though not in a fake way," and sometimes at a loss for words. "He didn't try to overcompensate," she says.

The most telling—and moving—picture of Bush grieving with the families of the dead was provided by Rachel Ascione, who met with him last summer. Her older brother, Ron Payne, was a Marine who had been killed in Afghanistan only a few weeks before Ascione was invited to meet with Bush at MacDill Air Force Base, near Tampa, Fla.

Ascione wasn't sure she could restrain herself with the president. She was feeling "raw." "I wanted him to look me in the eye and tell me why my brother was never coming back, and I wanted him to know it was his fault that my heart was broken," she recalls. The president was coming to Florida, a key swing state, in the middle of his re-election campaign. Ascione was worried that her family would be "exploited" by a "phony effort to make good with people in order to get votes."

Ascione and her family were gathered with 18 other families in a large room on the air base. The president entered with some Secret Service agents, a military entourage and a White House photographer. "I'm here for you, and I will take as much time as you need," Bush said. He began moving from family to family. Ascione watched as mothers confronted him: "How could you let this happen? Why is my son gone?" one asked. Ascione couldn't hear his answer, but soon "she began to sob, and he began crying, too. And then he just hugged her tight, and they cried together for what seemed like forever."

Read the whole thing for you naysayers that President Bush is a heartless SOB and cares nothing about families who lost their husbands, brothers or fathers.

Privately, Bush has met with about 900 family members of some 270 soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The conversations are closed to the press, and Bush does not like to talk about what goes on in these grieving sessions, though there have been hints. An hour after he met with the families at Fort Bragg in June, he gave a hard-line speech on national TV. When he mentioned the sacrifice of military families, his lips visibly quivered.

No lip bitting here. No going from laughing to quickly producing a single teardrop in 7 steps after noticing a video camera pointing his way. This is the president we know and love for his sincere and real emotions regardless whether a camera is around or not. This is a president that truly knows how to connect with his people.

Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin