Overcoming Google China and the Wall

Last month I was a guest blogger for Search Engine Journal (also here and here) covering the story about Bill Xia.

Bill Xia of Dynamic Internet Technology Inc (DIT) wrote in 2004 on the Chinese search engine query results that he and others have done for public release over the internet. Bill provided materials and tips on what web users to expect from using the Chinese Google version in doing searches when done inside and outside of China and how to avoid such firewall problems. Bill has a reason why he is doing this.

Bill Xia immigrated to the U.S. from China during the late 1990s. Over time he saw how the Chinese government kept a tighter and tighter control over Chinese web users inside China. And because of that frustration, he and few others started Dynamic Internet Technology as way to help Chinese users getaround the Chinese’s firewall.

Now, a new story has come out about Bill Xia that covers more of the details of his humanitarian work on providing crucial information that China would no doubt have them censored.

The seeds of DIT were sown when Xia arrived in the U.S. for grad school in the '90s. Stunned by America's openness, he realized his perception of reality had been warped growing up in China. "I was a believer of the propaganda," he recalls. And when Xia was exposed to all of the information on the Internet, it "started tearing apart what I'd accepted before." At the same time, the repression of Falun Gong at home angered him, though he insists it is Beijing's curbs on free expression that led him to found DIT in 2001. A year later he began building up a roster of clients, including VOA, Human Rights in China (HRIC), and Radio Free Asia.

Fleeting Window The simplicity of DIT's approach belies its effectiveness. The company distributes software, called FreeGate, which disguises the sites a person visits. In addition, DIT sends out mass e-mails to Chinese Web surfers for clients such as VOA, which is banned in China. The e-mails include a handful of temporary Web addresses that host off-limits content and springboards to other forbidden sites.

Keeping one step ahead of the censors is what this game is all about. China's cybercops are so efficient that these gateways typically stay open for only 72 hours, according to Ken Berman, an information technology director at the State Dept.-affiliated International Broadcasting Bureau, which hired DIT and UltraReach to help make VOA's Web content available in China.

Bill Xia's company is woefully undermanned and underfunded with an annual budget of $1 million. Most of his work is relied upon by voluneeters. But keeping a step ahead of China's censor takes work.

Nearly two years ago the project was nearly derailed early on by Symantec saying that Freegate software was a Trojan horse.

The reassessment follows stories earlier this week questioning the designation of the widely-used Freegate programas malicious code. Freegate has 200,000 users, Dynamic Internet Technology (DIT), its developer, estimates. The software lets users view sites banned by the Chinese government by taking advantage of a range of proxy servers assigned to changeable internet addresses. Symantec mislabelled this behaviour as that of malicious code and wrongly-labelled Freegate as malign.

In a statement today, Symantec said: "A number of our customers drew our attention to what they deemed the suspicious nature of the Freegate software. Upon investigation by our researchers, similarities were noted between how the software operated and how various Trojan horses operated, based on the use of open proxies to penetrate firewalls used to block web sites. As a result, it was deemed a cyber threat and blocked by our software. Since that time, further investigation indicates that Freegate is in fact not a Trojan horse and detection for this program has therefore been removed from Symantec’s virus definitions."

And thus, began in earnest a full scale assault or rather subversion of China's censor net police. DIT isn't alone in this. UltraReach and others altogether have gotten the attention of less than 1% of China's estimated 110 million Net users.

The whole thing started with Bill Xia is when he came to America for the first time and saw the immense openness.

Stunned by America's openness, he realized his perception of reality had been warped growing up in China. "I was a believer of the propaganda," he recalls.

China's communist and censorship controls are not going to last long if capitalism is in their appetite. The seeds of democracy begins with a with a single idea. If the flow of information can be maintained, then certainly the idea of democracy and free expression may be realized.

This is what Bill Xia's trying to do.

As Google and other U.S. search companies increasingly cooperate with Beijing, DIT is helping the groups like HRIC break through the firewall. Before Google began censoring its results in China in January, HRIC appeared in the top three search results. Although China's Google users would have had difficulty accessing the HRIC sites, which are blocked, they at least knew they existed. Today they don't appear at all in China. But thanks to DIT and others, visitors to its Chinese-language newsletter spiked to more than 160,000 in January, up sixfold in the past 18 months. Says Xia: "If information isn't available on the Internet, it might as well not exist."

However, the Human Rights in China (HRIC) website is down. The Google cache page is still there albeit only one page. The Yahoo's cache page has many, many more pages. Archive.org has more on the archive of HRIC. Not sure why the HRIC website is down or when it went down. Could there be something nefarious going on as to why HRIC website went down? Perhaps somebody knows? Although there was a story just recently of one Falun Gong member that was savagedly attacked in Duluth, Georgia three days ago.

Peter Yuan Li--a key figure in the Falun Gong's technologically sophisticated attempt to undermine the Chinese Communist Party--was brutally attacked and beaten in his home in Duluth, Ga., as Forbes was going to press with its cover story on how the spiritual movement is penetrating the Chinese government's hi-tech censorship. At 11:15 A.M. on Feb. 8, according to the Fulton County Police Department Incident Report, Asian men stormed the house of the Princeton-educated information technology technician, bound and gagged and beat him, before fleeing with two 16-inch Sony laptop computers, Li's wallet and yet unknown material from his files."They were not looking for valuables," says Dr. Li, who needed 15 stitches in his face. "They left my daughter's jewelry and camcorder and other valuables."

Bill Xia's is a member, too.

A member of the banned Chinese sect Falun Gong, Xia is so fearful that Beijing will persecute his family back in China, that he refused to be photographed for this story, reveal where exactly he was born, or even provide his age beyond saying he's in his 30s.

But I tell you one thing, do a Google search using "Peter Yuan Li" in quotes, and do a Yahoo search of "Peter Yuan Li" in quotes. Google comes up empty. Yahoo, not so.

Hmmmm....interesting.

The HRIC's donation page is working through a secure internet link. Be sure to donate for human rights in China.

How "Trekky" Are You?

Here's my result from the "Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in?" I fit in well either in "The Matrix" or "Star Trek." BTW, what's the hell is a Cowboy Bebop?

Deaf Videos Update

Civil affairs Soldier delivers gifts to Iraqi school for deaf children
No sign language. Voice.

2006 Winter Olympic skater, Katie Orscher, who grew up learning sign language, sends a message to her deaf father. Mostly voice. Signing near the end by Katie.

This vlog ("video blog") talks about the decrepit sports arena just a few blocks from Gallaudet University, which used to be the Washington Colesium. Gallaudet's ice hockey team played there during the '60's. It is being used as a parking lot. The $5 million given to Gallaudet University by Sorenson believe money can be better spent on revitalizing an old sports and name it "Sorenson Arena." All American Sign Language. No transcript.

Determined Woman Becomes CSUS’s First Deaf-Blind Graduate (old video in 2003). Mostly voice, some signing by the Deaf-Blind graduate and interpreter.

History Making Deaf Driver for Silent Thunder Racing. News, mostly voice. Some sign from deaf driver.

This film is a documentary/experimental theme about a deaf man's perspective from his childhood to his adulthood. 2005 Winner, Honorable Mention Student Film Award - presented by School of Film and Animation. Visual documentary, voice with caption. Allow about 20 seconds or so to get to the iFilm video. A good deaf video that offers a different perspective about deafness.

Visions of Mohammed in 3D

Mohammed Cartoons continue to backfire…on Islamofascists

Now, once a religious group start complaining about pork products, Danish buns, and pictures of Mohammed in various artistic forms, and for them to try and enforce western cultural values such as limiting freedom of speech and expression, they will see that their efforts will just backfire on them. All in the name of capitalism.

T-shirts with pictures of Mohammed or other references of Mohammed or Islam are gaining traction around the world. One t-shirt with the image of Mohammed with a bomb on his with the fuse lit is already being sold .

CafePress has, so far, has 177 designs about Mohammed (pros and cons) that can be printed onto t-shirts, mugs, buttons and so forth. More of the recent designs of anti-Mohammed, anti-Islam, pro-zionist, anti-Muslims , pro-freedom of press (more here) and the support to buy Danish products is increasing.

One product that’s available has a description label, “Mohammed Zionist Pig Eater,” describing the intended goal when buying this product is to “challenge censorship of sexual and religious oppression.” This image can be printed on 79 different products.

However, CafePress do offer pro-Islam products, pro-Jewish and pro-Christian just to make everybody happy, or unhappy for that matter. Visual expression is important to get the message across and that cannot happen unless we have freedom of expression on our side.

As for visions of sugar plums dancing in Muslims' heads one Imam reported on seeing a vision of Mohammed in a block of wood

Imam Hussein Aqil recently disputed a claim by the pastor of a local Catholic church that a shrouded, ghostly apparition in a wooden wall panel was "Actually
the prophet Mohammed, and not Jesus as is claimed."

"Look closely at it...I f you look you can see the holy prophet Mohammed, dressed in white gown, turban and gilded scimitar at his side. This is clearly a sign that Mohammed is returning to earth to deliver his faithful from evil."

Indeed, images of Mohammed are popping up all over the Islamic world, in date fronds, couscous dishes and even on dirty window panes on halal meat shoppes. Legions of faithful have reportedly flocked to see the apparitions, convinced they are a holy sign.

Look closely again.

I’m quite sure that more local Imams will see much more visions of Mohammed in the very near future. On t-shirts, mugs, buttons, newspapers, magazines, bumper stickers, rugs, toilet papers, and so on ad nauseum. So much so, they'll get sick of it. Isn’t capitalism and freedom of expression great? And you think those 12 cartoons was enough? Those fanatical Islamofascists ain't seen nothing yet.

So far we had the Virgin of Mary on a toast that went for a pretty buck. Perhaps one day we’ll find an image of Mohammed on some Danish bun? Who will be the first to eat it before realizing the grave error of eating a prophet?

With all this visions and images of Mohammed appearing the world over, it's time to take a vision exam.

Look at the picture below to see if you possess the power of great vision that may appear before you with your eyes closed. No block of wood is needed. But you might have to stare at this picture seen below for awhile. Read the instruction first.



If that doesn’t work, look at this one for awhile, too.

If that doesn't work, better go here just to make sure your eyes are working.

.

.

UPDATE: Equal opportunity dancing. The Mohammed and Jesus dance.

Somebody's going to get mad.

When France Says "NO!" to Muslim Organizations on Cartoons Confiscation

Check out Rhymes with Right on the latest and bravest move by the French court who refused to order the confiscation of a French magazine as demanded by French Muslim organizations who are to trying to control the publishing of controversial cartoons of the prophet (lower case "p" for good reasons) Mohammed. RWR also has a picture of the French cartoon satire of Mohammed. France is a secular and socialist country.

Good to see France has some sensible spine here. It's a start but they have a long, long way to go.

When Google Becomes Your Big Brother on Blogspot

Got a tip from another reader. Looks like one blogsite, The Study of Revenge, had Google pre-emptively (i.e. without warning) placed a warning label prior to entering this "hateful" website using big bold letters:

===========================================
CONTENT WARNING
Some readers of this blog have contacted Google because they believe this blog's content is hateful. In general, Google does not review nor do we endorse the content of this or any blog. For more information about this message, please consult our FAQ
===========================================

Go ahead click on it and you'll see what I mean.

Blogsite readers are complaining? Must be Liberals and/or ultra-sensitive Muslims complaining like a banshee to Google. You'll understand once you go to that blogsite. How true those pictures are, too. Western civilization going down the drain because of Liberals' ideologies. No wonder Europe wants to capitulate to Muslims.

But, really, perhaps it was Google who was doing the complaining but instead showed incompetence on not wanting to review blogsites for its contents but rather rely on blogsite readers instead to tack on the warning label? Unreal!

I know Google lost several billion dollars but this isn't the answer by relying on readers to help you determine which contents are "offensive" or not. And now you want to act like China?

Hmm...I wonder if Google will see my blogsite and get the coveted "Content Warning" label. Maybe I should get my own blogsite without Google's help? Hey, J, wanna join me?


Hat Tip: J. and Gates of Vienna.

UPDATE: Welcome Atlas Shrugs readers! For those who haven't checked out Atlas Shrugs, check out her blog about another Google "Big Brother" moment about a purported violation of Google's Ad Sense policy seen in an email that was sent to her describing the whole sordid situation. Read it.

Hearing AIDS

Yuk, yuk.



Har, har, har. No, really. It's funny! Nice play with words there.

Hat tip: L.A.

CNN Doesn't Print Offensive Cartoons? HA!

CNN doesn't print offensive pictures that may deemed as religiously offensive?? A big HA! Maybe we should boycott CNN? Oh, yeah, I forgot. I don't really watch or hardly read CNN anyway. CNN's excuse about Islam?

CNN has chosen to not show the cartoons in respect for Islam

What? And no respect for Christ, too? Why...why...the beast they are! How DARE THEY PRINT A MOCKING PICTURE OF CHRIST!!

Anyway, remember this cartoon drawn by Steven Benson using this heart wrenching picture of a baby carried by a fireman after the Oklahoma bombing? What was Benson's excuse?

Benson says critics who take the cartoon literally "have completely missed the intent of the cartoon and they don't understand cartooning. I don't apologize to people who don't understand cartooning."

"Firefighters (upset by the cartoon) are generating a lot of heat, but they haven't seen the light," he told KPNX.

"I would suggest that they pull their head out of the smoke and take a deep breath and realize that editorial cartoons are not literal representations of the truth."

Paul Schatt, editorial pages editor for the Republic, agreed. "The whole point of editorial cartoons is to exaggerate to make a point," Schatt said.

Not literal representations of the truth? What are you? Some kind of a dumb cartoonist? Cartoons can represent both the literal and non-literal sense of the truth. And yet CNN printed that offensive picture, too.

CNN is absolutely pathetic in their excuse. They just want to ensure that they are on good terms with Iran.

More socialist, commie butt-kissing actions by CNN. Obviously so. Must be getting ready for Iran.

California Wildfire

Check out the latest, now 6500 acre, wildfire occuring in California. Or check out today's MODIS earth satelite picture of the California fire.

Also, check out my latest Smoky Mike blog about the current dry conditions in Arizona and New Mexico that may be a prelude to a repeat of one of the southwest's worst fire year in 2002.

For those who want to know more about me and my forest firefighting experiences (I haven't stopped yet!), you can click here and here from the pages of Deaf Success magazine (now defunct). It was Trudy Suggs who interviewed (a much lighter) me back in 2003 for Deaf Success magazine regarding my wildfire fighting experience. Apparently, I was in the last magazine issue to be printed before it went under. Pity.

Be sure to check out my Smoky Mike blog as the forest wildfire season gets closer and definitely look it up more often during the wildfire season as well. This season is starting to look to be a very busy year for me so I most likely will blog more often in my Smoky Mike blogsite.

For those living out in the west this fire season and your house is among the trees and bushes, be sure to build your defensible spaces from wildfire.

And for those who use ASL can still learn about wildfires by watching these important video clips done in ASL.

If ya'll have questions about forest fires, let me know.

Intelligent Summit Meeting on Saddam's Secret Tapes on WMDs

Hey, maybe those WMDs did go to Syria.


SADDAM'S PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION TAPES TO BE UNVEILED AT THE INTELLIGENCE SUMMIT

A former military intelligence analyst, who currently works as a civilian contractor, believes he has found a cache of extremely confidential--and very shocking--audio recordings of Saddam Hussein's office meetings. The audiotapes, which had apparently been overlooked, were found in a warehouse along with many other untranslated Iraqi intelligence files. These tapes are extremely significant, since they may be the best evidence yet of Saddam's secret intentions concerning weapons of mass destruction.

Before 9/11, many intelligence experts were convinced that a very strong and important Iraqi WMD connection existed, only to change their minds when no concrete evidence of that connection could be uncovered in the three years following the beginning of Iraqi war.

Because of the considerable historical importance of this stunning recent development, the contractor who obtained and reviewed these tapes plans to release them to the public on February 17, 2006 at the Intelligence Summit, a non-partisan, non-profit conference open to the public, scheduled to be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia that weekend.

After his presentation, a panel of intelligence experts will discuss the ways in which experts may verify the fact that Hussein in fact recorded these audiotapes. These procedures include utilization of voiceprint analysis and other technical means of voice verification.

The Intelligence Summitsm, now in its second year, has been of particular interest to Intelligence and law enforcement officials, college and university professors and other staffers concerned with Intelligence issues, as well as non-profit organizations involved in funding Intelligence research and/or other anti-terrorism efforts.

In regard to these highly confidential audiotapes, Attorney John Loftus, President of the Intelligence Summit, recently stated that, "Saddam's secret office recordings continued well into the year 2000. In all, they contain at least 12 hours of totally candid discussions with his senior aides. Clearly, after these tapes have been verified and corroborated, they will be able to provide a few definitive answers to some very important-and controversial-weapons of mass destruction questions." Loftus went on to say that the contractor who found and recovered the tapes has requested that his identity remain anonymous until he makes his presentation.

The International Intelligence Summit is a non-partisan, non-profit, neutral organization that utilizes charitable funds to hold a conference that serves as a forum where personnel from Intelligence agencies throughout the free world and emerging democracies may gather to meet and exchange information about their experiences, expertise and ideas. In this way, the Intelligence Summit provides a unique opportunity for the Intelligence Community to listen and learn from each other so that they may share their resources to strengthen the war against terrorism.

John Loftus, who formerly served as a Federal Prosecutor, currently works as an intelligence consultant for various television networks. He has also authored four books, one of which was a Pulitzer Prize nominee. Loftus' "60 Minutes" interview won an Emmy award for TV journalist Mike Wallace.

The Intelligence Summit's International Advisory Council includes two former CIA directors, several generals, a senior officer of the Mossad and the former Chair of the British Joint Intelligence Committee. In addition, this year's list of Intelligence Summitsm presenters includes many top Intelligence, espionage, counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence leaders who work for a wide variety of agencies throughout the free world.

In light of the number, variety and experience and expertise of this year's presenters, many observers have commented that The Intelligence Summitsm may well be the most prestigious conference in the world on international studies concerning intelligence policy-making, terrorism and homeland security.

Also, John Loftus said.

“Saddam bugged his own office,”

and added confidently that,

“I am 95 percent certain” they are authentic, Loftus said, adding that he planned to invite his conference panelists to judge the tapes and test them on their own. “It’s either the greatest hoax ever pulled off by a [hostile] intelligence service or it’s one of the most important documents to emerge” from the war.

The article goes on with Charles Deulfer,

“The data is immense, extraordinary,” said the official, adding that they remain classified because, among other reasons, they provide leads to “sleeper agents and people like that.”

Charles Duelfer, who headed the CIA task force that investigated Iraqi weapons in 2003-2004, said by phone that “Saddam loved to tape himself” and that “thousands and thousands” of hours of him in discussion with his aides have already been captured.

“The Iraqi Regime routinely, almost obsessively, engaged in the recording of its high level meetings,” Duelfer wrote in his report to the CIA, “not in the conventional documentary form of more ordinary bureaucracies, but by way of audio and videotapes.”

Duelfer added, “Despite the highly secret and sensitive nature of CBW [chemical and biological weapons], even discussions in this area are known to have been recorded in this manner.”

Now, if this ever comes to light by proving that WMDs were moved around prior to the war according to Saddam's secret tapes, then I'm certain that looney Liberals will try everything in their playbook (and more, gotta thank Sen. Kennedy for the additional plays) to debunk the tapes, claiming, perhaps, that Saddam was just power mad and delusional who never had WMDs.

Hat tip: Generation Why?

Coretta King's Funeral - upstaged by past presidents on Bush bashing

These are very ghoulish people. Former presidents who used the funeral platform of Coretta Scott King to bash at President Bush.

Today's memorial service for civil rights activist Coretta Scott King -- billed as a "celebration" of her life -- turned suddenly political as one former president took a swipe at the current president, who was also lashed by an outspoken black pastor

The outspoken Rev. Joseph Lowery, co-founder of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, ripped into President Bush during his short speech, ostensibly about the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.

"She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war. She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar. We know now that there were no weapons of mass destruction over there," Lowery said.

The mostly black crowd applauded, then rose to its feet and cheered in a two-minute-long standing ovation.

A closed-circuit television in the mega-church outside Atlanta showed the president smiling uncomfortably.

"But Coretta knew, and we know," Lowery continued, "That there are weapons of misdirection right down here," he said, nodding his head toward the row of presidents past and present. "For war, billions more, but no more for the poor!"

The crowd again cheered wildly.

Former President Jimmy Carter later swung at Bush as well, not once but twice. As he talked about the Kings, he said: "It was difficult for them then personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretaps." The crowd cheered as Bush, under fire for a secret wiretapping program he ordered after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, again smiled weakly.

Later, Carter said Hurricane Katrina showed that all are not yet equal in America. Some black leaders have blamed Bush for the poor federal response, and rapper Kayne West said that Bush "hates" black people.

This is a time to remember Coretta Scott King and her achievements. A time for eulogies. The pastor, former presidents, Sen. Hillary Clinton all displayed ghoulish behaviors in their attempt to score political points using Coretta Scott King's death as an opportunity to make these hit and run speeches. All it did was show who these people really are. Ghouls. Absolutely no respect for Coretta Scott King. None, whatsoever.

Michelle Malkin has more on this ghoulish bashing in their desperate attempts to gain attention using Mrs King's death.

More here from Reuters with pictures.

A question...why wasn't Cindy Sheehan invited?

$50,000 Challenge Against Mohammed and Islam

Got this tip from a reader. Here's a website challenging Muslims to disprove that Mohammed isn't what he was and that Islam isn't what it portrays to be....a religion of peace or the one true religion. The website author says:

If you disagree with my site and want me to remove it, instead of acting as bully or as victim, I invite you to disprove my charges against Muhammad and Islam. If you can show that what I say is unfounded I promise to remove this site not before confessing that I was wrong and Islam is a true religion. I will also pay
$50,000 U.S. dollars to anyone who can disprove my charges and prove Islam is a true religion in an objective (not subjective) way. This is to thank you for showing me the right way.

The Challenge: Disprove my accusations against Muhammad.

What are the charges? Check them out. You would think it's a police report on some blotter in a newspaper.

Incitement you say? Better read Michelle Malkin's latest on the incitement issue.

When Muslim Extremists Destroy a Buddha Statue

Remember not too far back before the United States went after the Taliban in Afghanistan? Remember the time when the Taliban took some explosives and destroyed an ancient Buddha of Bamiyan statue?


Before ----------------> After

Check out this video of the destruction process.

Did Budhhists go on a violent rampage when Muslims desecrated a 1,600 year-old Buddha of Bamiyan on the same scale as the rioting and destruction of Danish embassies from around the world?

No.

So, why are Muslims being hypocrites in all this over 12 cartoons when they have mocked and insulted non-Islamic religions, and destroyed other religious icons and symbols? Religious hypocrites they are.

Michelle Malkin reports:

Judith Apter Klinghoffer points to this Jyllands-Posten report that Franz Füchsel, who drew this cartoon, has decided to put his drawing of Muhammed up for auction and will donate the money to the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan.

Franz, I don't think that's going to work. Muslims will not accept donated money that came from works of an author who drew the Mohammed caricature. For Muslims, that'll be like accepting blood money to them. And secondly, they'll see the donated money as an insult to Mohammed and to Islam. Think about it, accept money from works of blasphemy? Unreal. It'll just create more screaming.

Moderate Muslims say "Sorry" for Riots and Threats

Here is another "I'm sorry" group but this time it's the moderate Muslim group apologizing for their brothers' violence in the wake of the Mohammed cartoon brouhahaha to the people of Norway, Denmark and the European Union.



I think this moderate Muslim group gets it when it comes to better ways of protesting than violence. But I wonder how long that website will be up? Their brothers are not going to be pleased with this effusive apology.

Al Jazeera to Print Holocaust Cartoons in Response to West "Freedom of Expression"

Funny, now al Jazeera (the CNN's equivalent news media for Muslims) thinks they can turn the table by printing cartoons about Israel's Holocaust by holding a contest (What? I thought they didn't believe that the Holocaust existed - "Asefi said Iran had a right to "hear all opinions" on the Holocaust "and chose the best one" - rather than based on facts. ) in retaliation on the Western countries' assertion on freedom of speech and expression when it came to Mohammed cartoons. I think this will backfire on al Jazeera and the Muslim community who will want to try their hands on Holocaust cartoons.

Iran's largest selling newspaper has announced it is holding a contest on cartoons of the Holocaust in response to the publishing in European papers of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

It will be an international cartoon contest about the Holocaust," Farid Mortazavi, the graphics editor for Hamshahri newspaper, which is published by Tehran's conservative-run municipality, said on Monday.

He said the plan was to turn the tables on the assertion that newspapers can print offensive material in the name of freedom of expression.

"The Western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let's see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons," he asserted.

Iran's fiercely anti-Israeli regime is supportive of so-called Holocaust revisionist historians, who maintain the systematic slaughter by the Nazis of mainland Europe's Jews as well as other groups during World War II has been either invented or exaggerated.

Mortazavi said Tuesday's edition of the paper will invite cartoonists to enter the competition, with "private individuals" offering gold coins to the best 12 artists - the same number of cartoons that appeared in the conservative Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Last week the Iranian Foreign Ministry also invited Tony Blair, the British prime minister, to Tehran to take part in a planned conference on the Holocaust, even though the idea has been branded by Blair as "shocking, ridiculous, stupid".

Blair also said Ahmadinejad "should come and see the evidence of the Holocaust himself in the countries of Europe", to which Iran responded by saying it was willing to send a team of "independent investigators".

I'm sure Israelis and supporters of Israel will go on a burning and looting rampage against Iranian embassies worldwide. It'll be interesting to see which MSM will print the Holocaust cartoons. Some have already done that. Let's see if they go a step further and portray Jesus Christ as a terrorist. I think Holocaust cartoons have been beaten to death here, here and here. Canada tried their hands at it. So did Rutgers University, too. Despicable but old news.

But we must never forget! But I'm sure Muslims find these pictures are nothing but fakes.

The Jyllands-Posten Conundrum - where's the riot in the U.S.?

We've seen Islamo-fascists riot the Danish embassy buildings in Jakarta, Beirut, Damascus, Afghanistan and the Austrian embassy in Tehran. So far. Unless I'm missing something else. But in some places, Muslim-owned stores in Canada are doing a better way of protesting without the violence, death or intimidation, by removing Danish products.

But here's one country on it's way to Islamization. Italy negotiated a truce (Ok, I'm being snarky here) with Islamic communities in Italy regarding the depiction of Mohammed and issuing a government apology but also noted, loudly, in the truce papers that:

"the country's population cannot be held responsible or even simply accomplices for things which are instead chargeable to the individual parties to the reprehensible actions, in this case the cartoonists, the publishers and editors of the press that published the caricatures in question:Danish Islamic organizations could take legal steps according to the country's laws and could perhaps see justice done and damages paid for what was illegally published".

Illegally published? See what I mean? Italy's falling prey to Islamization (See "The Islamization of France - A Descent into Hell" - Part I and Part II). Will Denmark be forced into such a societal pressure through lawsuits, threats and intimidations? For those who don't know, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League have demanded that the United Nations impose international sanctions upon Denmark. Next it'll be illegal in non-Muslim countries to portray pictures or caricatures of Mohammed in any shape or form. And then, soon afterwards, have blasphemy laws.

Blasphemy laws - nowadays often altered to include blasphemy regardless of religion - still exist in several countries, such as in Austria (Articles 188, 189 of the criminal code), Finland (Section 10 of chapter 17 of the penal code), Germany (Article 166 of the criminal code), Italy, Ireland (See: Irish Constitution), The Netherlands (Article 147 of the criminal code), Spain (Article 525 of the criminal code) and United Kingdom.

How come we don't see any protests around the Danish embassy in the United States? Or in Canada? Or in Australia? Could it be that these Islamo-fascists do not want to have their faces seen and get noted by undercover agents? Perhaps because those who are living in Western countries see how freedom of speech and expression works. This is probably why attacks were made on Danish embassies in areas where clueless Muslims are not used to the Western ideas of freedom of speech and expression. This is akin to experiencing "culture shock" coming from outside. Much like experiencing what the internet is like for the firest time. Shock. Anger. Denial. Acceptance...probably not.

Thousands also took to the streets elsewhere in the Muslim world and parts of Europe, including some 3,000 Afghans who burned a Danish flag and demanding that the editors at Jyllands-Posten be prosecuted for blasphemy.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged forgiveness.

"God instructs us to forgive. Therefore, we -- as much as we condemn it strongly -- must stay above this dispute and not bring ourselves ... to equating ourselves to those who have published the cartoons," he said on CNN's Late Edition.

At least Karzai has it down right. Learn to forgive.

Here's a list of Danish embassies worldwide. Impressive. Make a note on which embassies were attacked, too. Be sure to buy Danish products as a show of support.

Fake ID and the Gay Bar Killing Spree

A few days ago we had a deranged 18-year old kid go into a gay bar, showed the bartender his FAKE ID and was allowed in. The killer then proceded to order a drink. Finished it. He then ordered another drink and proceeded in his attempt to kill as many people as possible inside the Puzzles bar room. The actions committed by this looney was disgusting and unwarranted.

Now, having said that. Why do we have fake ID internet companies such as this one here who are out in the open and in operation whose sole job is to produce FAKE ID so underage kids can illegally get into bars when they are under 21 years of age? And help with the illegal immigration problem, too?

Including Massachussetts? Along with 49 other states?

Yet in 2004 Massachusetts came up with the first-in-the-nation-tamper-resistant driver's licenses.

Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled first-in-the-nation, tamper-resistant Massachusetts driver’s licenses that will help curb identity theft and mark the start of an effort to introduce new procedures that will make it harder for terrorists to operate.

"In Massachusetts, a license to drive shouldn’t become a license to steal or commit mayhem," Romney said. The new licenses and identification cards, which will be introduced November 1, contain a host of security features to reduce fraud. One of the most noticeable changes is a hologram-like Kinegram® security feature at the center of the license, which displays unique characteristics when it is shifted or viewed from various angles.

But the governor misses the boat when fake state ID's can be reproduced without much efforts, supposedly so, when internet fake ID companies are becoming a bit more sophisticated in the reproduction of holgraphic IDs as technology continues to improve...for the law breakers.





Being a former certified bartender of long ago, I find the actions of these fake ID internet companies highly repugnant who offer their services to people who want to break the law and put bartenders and bars in legal jeopardy for serving alcoholic drinks to minors! Not only that. Underage kids have the increased propensity to get drunk and get behind the wheel of a car where nearly a third of the 42,000 people killed annually in car accidents were related to drunk driving.

Now, suppose the Puzzles gay bar killer didn't have his FAKE ID or was turned away at the door, would he still push his way through to do the killing? Or did the alcohol take effect by embolding him to go on a killing spree? What people do not understand is that underage drinking takes time and efforts away from police officers seeking to enforce the underage drinking laws.

Underage drinking, domestic violence, unwanted guests, pedestrian accidents, car crashes and motor vehicle fatalities not only takes up our time on the street, they take us off the street as well. While the average officer may react and respond to these calls, preventing them from occurring takes a lot less time and effort.

Then why do we have these internet FAKE ID companies when the law clearly states that fake state IDs are illegal to have or make? Fake IDs also contribute to the illegal immigration problem as well. Even Minnesota isn't blind to this including how one can easily produce counterfeit military ID! When will this insanity stop?

Perhaps biometric is the answer?

Simon Jenkins Gets it Wrong

Simon Jenkins says in the Times Online that "These cartoons don't defend free speech, they threaten it" in the headline of the editorial page.

To imply that some great issue of censorship is raised by the Danish cartoons is nonsense. They were offensive and inflammatory. The best policy would have been to apologise and shut up. For Danish journalists to demand “Europe-wide solidarity” in the cause of free speech and to deride those who are offended as “fundamentalists . . . who have a problem with the entire western world” comes close to racial provocation. We do not go about punching people in the face to test their commitment to non-violence. To be a European should not involve initiation by religious insult.

Many people seem surprised that a multicultural crunch should have come over religion rather than race. Most incoming migrants from the Muslim world are in search of work and security. They have accepted racial discrimination and cultural subordination as the price of admission. Most Europeans, however surreptitiously, regard that subordination as reasonable.

What Muslims did not expect was that admission also required them to tolerate the ridicule of their faith and guilt by association with its wildest and most violent followers in the Middle East. Islam is an ancient and dignified religion. Like Christianity its teaching can be variously interpreted and used for bloodthirsty ends, but in itself Islam has purity and simplicity. Part of that purity lies in its abstraction and part of that abstraction is an aversion to icons.

Ed Morrisey makes a point about editorial cartoons.

Editorial cartoons exist to challenge political thought and expose hypocrisy. Among religions, Islam should be the least protected from this form of speech, as it insists on involving itself in temporal political matters wherever it is practiced. Indeed, it insists on dictating political and legal matters, usually in the most extreme terms, and it uses the life of Mohammed as its claim on political and legal supremacy. Christianity hasn't taken that position in centuries, focusing on the spiritual and individual rather than group diktat. Judaism hasn't had the means to develop that kind of theocratic position for over two millenia until the establishment of Israel, and even then the Chosen have chosen a liberal democracy for themselves rather than rule by the high-priest descendants of Aaron.

Indeed. And the ipso facto thing about this is that Islam want to assert their religious ideology across into the legal, political, and freedom of expression boundaries. Simon Jenkins is wrong to suggest that censorship issue wasn't the problem. It is. That's why those cartoons were printed. With the more extremist Muslim communities who want to extend their ideology deeply into the "freedom of expression" concept by limiting it severely in a country not of their own. This is not about entering blantantly into people's home and not knowing their culture or customs. Or handle or touch incorrectly their Korans. It's about the right to freedom of expression, even if it may offend some people. Just like Michelle Malkin said,

The difference between Us and Them: No one's proclaiming an International Day of Anger and issuing fatwahs over this odious piece of "art." No one's taking up arms, raiding the art museum, or kidnapping the artist. No one's going to blow himself up in protest. Yes, it's insulting. Yes, it's offensive. But it's a picture. Just a
picture.

Simon Jenkins, you are incorrect to say that cartoons threaten free speech. Rather it is that the Islamic community has threatened free speech through intimidation, coercion, force and the threatening the lives of those who have an unpopular opinion.

Copenhagen - A storm of protests and consumer boycotts in the Middle East against Denmark suggest that opponents of freedom of expression "have won", said the editor of a newspaper that published controversial caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed in a report published on Wednesday.

Jyllands-Posten chief editor Carsten Juste said: "They have won. That is the sad fact. I guess that during the next generation no one in Denmark will draw the Prophet Mohammed."

Asked if he regretted last September's publication that had angered many Muslims, Juste said: "If we had known it would have led to boycotts and that Danish lives would be threatened, as we have seen, then the answer is no.

"That would not have been responsible. The costs were simply too high."

Maybe Christians ought to do their own violent complaining over the psychedelic image of Jesus Christ in Denmark? Like here? Or elsewhere here?

Next step? Muslim's gradual control over Denmark's government. Their first step was silencing freedom of expression through fear and intimidation. A short history as reminder, even some video clips, too:

1989: Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini calls on Muslims to kill British author Salman Rushdie for alleged blasphemy in his book The Satanic Verses

2002: Nigerian journalist Isioma Daniel's article about Prophet and Miss World contestants sparks deadly riots

2004: Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh killed after release of his documentary about violence against Muslim women

2005: London's Tate Britain museum cancels plans to display sculpture by John Latham for fear of offending Muslims after July bombings

Which European country will go down first with Muslims taking over?

A Mixed Bag MSM on Reporting Freedom of Expression Rights

Some get it. Some don't. The MSM is usually notorious on not reporting the complete fact. With Sean McCormack speaking for the State Department regarding the latest Mohammed cartoons brouhaha by the Islamic community, many of the media failed to note to readers that the State Department also spoke about that we also "vigorously defend the right of individuals to express views" rather than to side soley to the defense of Muslim's outcry and violence.

CNN reported on the cartoon story, the State Department and Muslim's outrage 3 different times (see here, here and here) but failed to point out about the State Department's vigorous defense for the right of individuals to express their point of views. The San Fransisco Chronicle didn't get it but has a misleading headline. But a German internet newspaper Spiegel Online via the New York Times got it right. So did The Washington Times and The Washington Post.

Powerline Blog makes a note of all this.

Why do some MSM insist on not reporting the actual facts just to make it look like that the U.S. supports the Muslim's outcry and violent reactions?

Islam, a religion of peace? Video Gallery

I'm following Michelle Malkin's lead on "First, they came for..." which is a short video clip on the atrocities of Islamic extremist hate and control. Below I have a list of video links regarding Islam, Muslims and terrorists.

Submission, Part I - Film Clip from short Submission (2004). This metaphorical look at the harsh realities of the lives of Muslim women in the Netherlands got filmmaker Theo van Gogh assassinated November 2, 2004 for producing this clip. Clip is 3 minutes long. (Or download the complete version here - 15.5MB, 11min 34 seconds).

Muslim community in America - Take a look at the Muslim community in Bloomington, a few weeks after a hate crime and the wave of extremist actions in London. Your average red headed, caucasian American could be a Muslim follower. See how the Muslim community has infiltrated America. There are an estimated 6-8 million Muslims embracing over 300 community organizations and professional organizations in North America according to Islamic Society of North America. 4min and 50 seconds long. RealPlayer required.

Muslims in America shortly after 9/11 and how many fear for their lives. Some take up self defense class. In this clip, one Muslim condemned the 9/11 attack. 21MB, 1 min and 47 seconds.

Jews for Allah. How one Jewish person converted to Islam. Claims that Islam is the one perfect religion for everyone. Hold on to your lunch. 2MB, 7min 48seconds.

Stones for Apostates (WARNING! VERY GRAPHIC!). Stoning to death is a cruel insane Islamic punishment given to people who are married but still voluntarily have sex outside marraige. This punishment was ordered by the "merciful" Prophet, who ofcourse was the messenger of the "merciful" Allah. Many hadith, including Sahih Bukhari give proof that Stoning was ordered and practiced by Muhammed, for example: Volume 2, Book 23, Number 413: Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar : The Jew brought to the Prophet a man and a woman from amongst them who have committed (adultery) illegal sexual intercourse. He ordered both of them to be stoned (to death), near the place of offering the funeral prayers beside the mosque." 2.2MB - 15 minutes, 30 seconds

Remember the London and Madrid attack. 1min and 32sec

Remember 9/11. Videos...take your pick.

Religion of peace? Until Pigs Fly, Protect America and the world's freedom of speech.