An Ol' Broad's Ramblings

Moved! GRRRRRR

2006-11-30T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have been working on moving my blog all morning! I've had it with Blogger! It's either down, or it says "published" and it's NOT! Example: I spent an hour last night trying to get something to show up on the blog. I republished constantly, but it never showed up. Other posts throughout the day, I had to publish three or four time (some, even more) for it appear on the page. I've got only so much patience! Right now, I'm trying really hard not to toss my computer across the room while trying to import this over to my new site. So, here it is, warts and all:

The new An Ol' Broad's Ramblings.

So, please, update your blogrolls, and if I'm not on it, ADD ME! :)

2006-10-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year.... pumkins all over the place, people decorating their houses, stocking up on candy, eating way too much of it, and leaves everywhere.

So, from me to you......

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Thanks Kathy! :)

A Gift from the Wordsmith :)

2006-10-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

Jessica Makes Some Good Points

2006-10-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Jessica McBride's column on gmtoday.com touches on the upcoming vote on the Marriage Amendment. New Jersey example shows the need for marriage amendment Don't let that crafty advertisement with the slow-moving tractor fool you.

Gay marriage activists want you to believe that nothing will change if you vote down the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage this November. If nothing will change, then why are activist groups dumping so much money into media campaigns to mislead you into thinking that nothing will change? After all, because nothing will change anyway, they might as well use their money somewhere it will matter.

Darn good point! Couldn't they be putting that large chunk of change to better use, like say...feeding the hungry or AIDS/HIV research?

The New Jersey Court ruled that denying gays marriage or civil unions violated the state's equal protection clause. In other words, they said it was discriminatory. But every ban on marriage is not discriminatory. Or, at least, it's not discrimination that's wrong. If you really press gay marriage advocates, even they will agree that society has a right to regulate marriage based on commonly agreed upon social norms. And right now, no one's demonstrated a compelling need to change it. We don't allow very young children to marry, for example. We don't allow incestual relationships. We don't allow polygamy. If it's discrimination to forbid gays to marry, why aren't we discriminating against polygamists?

There is right and there is wrong. Calling it discrimination to prevent same sex marriage is just plain wrong. And no, I'm not going to get into a long debate again, Jayce. :)

It's not just a religious issue, either. Marriage as "one man, one woman" is also a secular norm. Even the New Jersey court recognized that, when it stopped short of outright mandating only gay marriage, writing: "We can not find that a right to same sex marriage is so deeply rooted in the traditions, history, and conscience of the people of this state that it ranks as a fundamental right. We cannot escape the reality that the shared societal meaning of marriage, passed down through the common law into our statutory law, has always been the union of a man and a woman. To alter that meaning would render a profound change in the public consciousness of a social institution of ancient origin. When such a change is not compelled by a constitutional imperative, it must come about through civil dialogue and reasoned discourse."

'Medication' doesn't snow officers

2006-10-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

Just how stupid do you have to be to try this?

When the man walked up to the security checkpoint at Wichita City Hall on Wednesday morning, officers asked to go through the small black pouch he was carrying. "Oh, you don't need to do that," he reportedly told them. "It's just my medication." But inspection is mandatory -- and a screener found three small bags of cocaine in the pouch. The 45-year-old man suddenly decided he didn't want to be in City Hall after all, police Lt. Jeff Weible said. But security officers detained him, and after a visit to a local hospital because he complained of chest pains, he was taken to jail. The episode was merely the latest example in a long string of people trying to get past the security checkpoint that opened in April, Weible said. "They don't think we're going to check them," he said. But screeners do -- and they've found cocaine, marijuana, Ecstasy, drug pipes, switchblades, throwing stars, daggers.... In the first three months of the checkpoint's use, Weible said, screeners were finding two or three illegal items a week. That average has declined only slightly in the past three months.

So, tell me, why isn't being stupid against the law? Oh yeah, cuz there just aren't enough cells in the entire prison system to accommodate 'em all!

Girl, 14, suffocated her newborn: cops

2006-10-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

A 14-year-old Sauk Village girl suffocated her newborn daughter Wednesday to keep her mother from knowing about the birth -- even though her younger sister gave birth two weeks earlier, police said. The girl has been charged as a juvenile with first-degree murder and concealing a murder, Police Chief Thomas Lacheta said. "It's a very difficult situation when children are involved," Chief Detective Tim Holevis said. "It's very tragic." Milk found in infant's body Police said the girl gave birth to a girl at home about 3 a.m. Wednesday and then suffocated the infant and discarded her body in a trash can in the garage of the home in the 21400 block of Peterson Avenue. The girl was afraid that the birth would upset her mother, Lacheta said. Police said a family member called police Wednesday after a sister of the girl found the baby's body. Paramedics were unable to revive the infant, who was pronounced dead at 7:45 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. The baby may have lived for several hours, Deputy Chief Thomas Mountford said. An autopsy revealed milk in the child's digestive system, indicating that the young mother had tried to feed her, Mountford said. He said police don't think anyone else in the family took part in the killing. None of the girl's eight siblings or her mother knew that she was pregnant or gave birth, Holevis said. The girl was in custody in Sauk Village as of Friday evening.

I don't even know what to say about this...it's just unbelievable.

Cleric Won't Quit?

2006-10-28T16:57:00.000-07:00

Prove it and I will stand down, says the sheikh

CONTROVERSIAL Muslim cleric Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilali has given the first indication he would be prepared to stand down as mufti, as the Victorian and NSW premiers called for his dismissal. The sheikh said yesterday that if a meeting of leading Muslim clerics, due to take place in Sydney today or tomorrow, could prove that his sermon intended to degrade women, he would step down. In a Ramadan sermon, the spiritual leader of Australia's 300,000 Muslims claimed that women invited rape by parading as "uncovered meat".

I suppose it hasn't occurred to this pig that comparing women to "uncovered meat" DOES degrade women.

"Enough is enough with these extremist views," Mr Iemma said. "On the one hand, everyone is working to ensure harmony in our community " and you have these extremist views constantly being perpetrated. It's just not on, and it is time for him to go."

Good for Mr. Iemma! There is some hope!

The sheikh has argued that the comments in his sermon - delivered in Arabic - have been misinterpreted. Yesterday he said it was too late for him to learn English, and he thought it was unnecessary because most of his constituents spoke Arabic. Many sermons were delivered in foreign languages such as Arabic, Greek and Italian in churches across the country without criticism, he said.Meanwhile, federal Treasurer Peter Costello urged Muslims to accept the separation of church and state in Australia. Mr Costello told The Sunday Age that "if Muslims won't accept the separation of church and state, we have a major problem. And this is precisely what Sheikh Hilali is arguing now." Mr Costello said he remained horrified by the sheikh's comments. "He's arguing that if women aren't wearing the veil, this should be some kind of defence for rape."

From what I understand, Muslims can't separate "church and state". It's a major part of who they are, so if you're going to invite them in, you're going to have problems. And for anyone who cares, I am NOT putting on a veil, of any sort!

Just Something I Was Thinking About

2006-10-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

When I was in the fourth grade, I had to learn this small part of Patrick Henry's speech, made 23 March 1775:

Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

We each had to stand up in front of the entire class and recite it, word for word. Now, believe it or not, I was an extremely shy kid, so having to stand up in front of all those other kids, I thought I was going to die. Obviously, I didn't. A few years ago, I asked my oldest granddaughter if she had learned about Patrick Henry in school, and she said no. I repeated my question last year, again, she said no. Last summer, I took her to Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. Other than Washington, D.C., she hadn't heard of any of the other places, so much a part of our history. Shameful! Completely shameful!

Just Because I'm in THAT Type of Mood!

2006-10-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

A Green Bay Packers Fan is drinking in a New York bar when, he gets a call on his cell phone. He hangs up, grinning from ear to ear, and orders a round of drinks for everybody in the bar announcing his wife has produced a typical Green Bay baby boy weighing 25 pounds. Nobody can believe that any new baby can weigh in at 25 pounds, but the Packer fan just shrugs, "That's about average back home, folks, like I said, my boy's' a typical Green Bay baby boy. Congratulations showered him from all around, and many exclamations of "WOW!". One woman actually fainted due to sympathy pains. Two weeks later, he returns to the bar. The bartender says, "Say, you're the father of that typical Green Bay baby that weighed 25 pounds at birth. Everybody's been making bets about how big he'd be in two weeks. o how much does he weigh now?" The proud father answers, "Seventeen pounds." The bartender is puzzled, concerned, and a little suspicious. "What happened? He already weighed 25 pounds the day he was born!" The Green Bay father takes a slow swig from his Leinkugel's beer, wipes his lips on his shirt sleeve, leans into the bartender and proudly says, "Had him circumcised!" (no doubt this originated in Texas, and it was Lone Star beer, but had to be changed to appease...snicker) Thanks Gwen!

Grouchy's AOTW Goes To.......

2006-10-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

Oh no, the Dems would NEVER lie! pfft! To her credit, McCaskill's campaign has pulled the ad, but how much damage was already done? H/T: Grouchy Old Cripple

Our Buds, the Saudis

2006-10-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hamas' Must-See TV

Hamas may not have funds to pay the salaries of civil servants and improve social services for Palestinians. But resources to fund its propaganda efforts? That, evidently, is not a problem. This month, the terrorist organization that governs Gaza and the West Bank launched a satellite television station. The new station will be broadcast by Arabsat, majority-owned by the Saudi government. Arabsat, along with Nilesat, owned by the Egyptian government, already distribute the programming of Al Manar, the television station of Hezbollah. Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Manar have all been officially designated by the U.S. government as terrorist entities. Meanwhile, the Saudi government runs commercials in the U.S. claiming to be America's 'ally' in the War on Terrorism. And the Egyptian government presents itself as our moderate Arab friend - in exchange for billions of dollars in American aid.

With friends like these.....

Why is Hamas doing this now? One strong possibility is that Hamas expects to soon be at war - with Israel, certainly, but also possibly with Fatah, the Palestinian organization it defeated at the polls early this year.

Did the war between Hamas and Israel ever stop? I thought it had been going on for years!

In addition, Israelis would like to secure the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, a soldier captured in June by Hamas combatants operating on Israeli soil. This week, Israel's UN ambassador, Dan Gillerman, accused Iran of paying money to Hamas to make sure Shalit's captivity continues.

Just why hasn't that young man been released? Why hasn't the UN, that bastion of freedom and justice, pushed for his release? Why has this young man been forgotten?

The Europeans appear to be doing little to stop the Saudis and Egyptians from helping Hamas and Hezbollah incite terrorism. By contrast, it will not be surprising if -- besides missile factories and weapons warehouses-- the Israeli army soon targets Hamas television studios. And should a Palestinian civil war break out, it is not hard to imagine that Fatah might do the same.

Does anyone really expect Eurabia to do anything? They can't even stop their invasion due to all their ass kissing.

2006-10-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Bad Day!

2006-10-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

I've been sick for two days. This is getting on my nerves, so I'm already in a bad mood. I stumble down the stairs, look out the front door, only to see....trashed yard signs....AGAIN! This time, they also stole all the signs we had in the "flower bed", close to the house, which included the sign I BOUGHT for my husband, "I'm the NRA, and I Vote!". Our neighbors across the street also had their signs stolen, so it's not just us. That's not bad enough...the SOBs also gouged big holes in our yard.

Sports Alert!

2006-10-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

St. Louis Cardinals wins the World Series! 4-2 I love being right! :)

2006-10-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Swiped: Grouchy Old Cripple

Mrs. Cheney Kickin' Butt

2006-10-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Cheney Lays Into CNN

Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, strongly criticized CNN Friday for its "Broken Government" series of specials in the run-up to the November mid-term elections and for its airing of tapes of snipers shooting American soldiers in Iraq. In an interview with Situation Room anchor Wolf Blitzer, Cheney said the network's Vote 2006 specials contained "terrible distortions of the president's and vice president's positions on many issues." She suggested CNN was working from Democratic talking points, and took issue with the negative tone of the title "Broken Government," suggesting it betrayed CNN's bias and countering that the administration had inherited a recession, been through some tough times like 9/11 and Katrina, but that the economy was healthy. "That's not broken, " she said, "this government has acted very well... I shouldn't let media bias surprise me, but I worked for CNN once [with Crossfire, according to Blitzer], and I was troubled.

CNN - Clinton News Network or Communist News Network, your choice. Mrs. Cheney is a feisty little thing, isn't she!

Cheney turned the tables on Blitzer, becoming the questioner: "what is CNN doing running tapes of terrorists shooting Americans," she asked more than once, repeating a question CNN had been asked: "Do you want us to win?" "The answer is, of course, we want the United States to win," said Blitzer. "We are Americans." Blitzer said airing the footage was not terrorist propaganda but "reporting the news. This is what we do... We make no apologies for showing it."

They should be groveling to the families of those slain soldiers.

Cheney also complained that she wanted to talk about her children's book, Our 50 States, but had spent about 10 of the 15 alloted minutes for the interview responding to questions about her husband's comments about tactics used to question detainees and the citing of some passages of a book she wrote by Democratic Virginia Senate candidate Jim Webb in defending some racy passages in his books. She said Webb was "full of baloney."

I've read those snippets from Webb's book...she's right, but "baloney" is a bit mild, don't you think? Update: Badger Blogger has video!

Love Those "Infidels" :)

2006-10-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

More on the Horrible Economy

2006-10-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Freedom Of Speech

2006-10-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

When I came downstairs this morning, I noticed that our Green and Hundertmark signs were gone. Since the Van Hollen and "One Man + One Woman" signs were still there, I just thought one of the neighbors took them since most people know we have a stash and could replace them. I was wrong! One of the signs was returned by someone taking a walk who found it ripped off the wire. It would never occur to me to violate someone else's "freedom of speech" by destroying their property that voiced their opinion. I can't conceive of stealing a Doyle/Lawton sign from someone else's yard. But then, that's the difference between US and THEM.

'Scuse Me???

2006-10-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

College removes cross - from chapel! William & Mary says move designed to make space less 'faith specific'

The cross from the altar area of the chapel at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., has been removed to ensure the space is seen as a nondenominational area, explains Melissa Engimann, assistant director for Historic Campus. "In order to make the Wren Chapel less of a faith-specific space, and to make it more welcoming to students, faculty, staff and visitors of all faiths, the cross has been removed from the altar area," Engimann announced in an e-mail to staff.

Chapel? Less "faith-specific"? I use to think W&M was a good school. Now, I'm not so sure. What are they teaching there anyway?

The cross will be returned to the altar for those who wish to use it for events, services or private prayer. The cross was in place because of the college's former association with the Anglican Church. Though the college is now nondenominational and became publicly supported in 1906, the room will still be considered a chapel, college officials said.

More evidence of PC run amuck! Wonder if this woman is a card carrying member of the ACLU? I'm almost speechless...but you really don't want to hear what I'm thinking!

Matthews is an Idjit!

2006-10-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Only a liberal white yankee male would see the political ad about Harold Ford, Jr. as rascist! As a conservative white southern female, I see NOTHING in the ad that is rascist. As a matter of fact, I think Ford is kind of cute. :) Raaaaacists! by Mary Katharine Ham is a great look at the whole thing from a southern point of view. She nails it! H/T: Hot Air

Pres. Fox Miffed

2006-10-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the President of Mexico is annoyed. Here's a big SO WHAT? Mexican president criticizes U.S. fence

Mexico's president sharply criticized President Bush's signing Thursday of a bill to build 700 miles of additional fencing on its southern border, calling the move an "embarrassment." Bush signed the bill, approved by the Senate last month, despite pleas from the Mexican government for a veto. President Vicente Fox told reporters in the Caribbean resort city of Cancun that the fence would not stop millions of Mexicans from heading north in search of jobs. "It is an embarrassment for the United States," Fox said. "It is proof, perhaps, that the United States does not see immigration as a subject that corresponds to both countries."

Ya know what's an embarrassment? A president of a country who can't keep his people home with jobs and a decent economy that would promote a person's dreams of a better life for their family. THAT, Mr. Fox, is the embarrassment, NOT a country trying to protect itself from the illegal invasion that you promote! I don't see Mexico opening it's arms to welcome immigrants from the U.S. into Mexico.

"The decision made by Congress and the U.S. government is deplorable," Calderon said while on tour in Canada. "Humanity committed a grave error by constructing the Berlin wall and I am sure that today the United States is committing a grave error in constructing a wall along our northern border."

Comparing a wall that is intended to stem the flood of illegals with a wall that was intended to lock people in is NOT the same thing. What a moronic statement! I wish someone would explain this to me. I got a "gimme money" from the American Policy Center a couple of days ago that had a timeline of events concerning the North American Union. Why haven't I heard anything about this? Why is everyone silent on the subject? Perhaps Fox has been promoting this idea within his country, and that's why so many illegals believe this is really their country now?

Desperate Candidate: Falk

2006-10-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

Ya know, if Kathleen Falk was a Republican, with the same record (highly unlikely...just sayin'), I still couldn't vote for her, even if she was the only one running. New ad hits Van Hollen's record as DA

Republican attorney general candidate J.B. Van Hollen's record as a prosecutor is under the microscope in a new ad from the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund running across the state, an independent group that earlier ran ads attacking Van Hollen's position on allowing residents to carry concealed weapons.

Greater Wisconsin, eh? pfft! That's all I need to know to realize it's pure crap!

"Tell J.B. Van Hollen tough talk isn't enough. Prosecutors must be tough with violent criminals," the ad script reads.

Again.... pffft! What would their candidate, Falk, know about prosecuting violent criminals?

Van Hollen campaign spokesman Brian Fraley issued a statement late Thursday saying the ad only told half the story. He said it was a "disgusting" attempt by Falk supporters to revictimize survivors of the crime and leave the impression Van Hollen was responsible for Newago's crime. In an Oct. 20 letter to Falk and the Greater Wisconsin Committee, Van Hollen's attorneys said that Van Hollen didn't become district attorney until after Newago was released on bond. What's more, Van Hollen didn't have any opportunity to revisit that status before the murder, the letter said. "If you choose to proceed, the Van Hollen campaign will have no choice but to put Wisconsin television stations on notice of the defamatory nature of this potential ad," the letter says.

Typical libs! Half the story, less than half the truth.

Meantime, Falk's campaign followed up on last night's debate at the State Bar of Wisconsin by criticizing Van Hollen for "debating himself" on the issues. Collins accused Van Hollen of flip flopping his position on certain issues, such as saying he wasn't sure the backlog in DNA testing at the state Crime Lab could be fully eliminated.

There's a DUH for ya! As long as there are crimes being committed and evidence being collected, there will always be a backlog. Thanks to the inefficiency of Peg, it might take quite a while to get even close to being caught up. I believe JB is the best choice for attorney general, and he will do what he says! (JB's release)

Today's Democrats with Yesterday's Numbers

2006-10-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

War is hell! There's no doubt about that! Those on the left and the right can agree that given the choice, there would be no more wars. However, this is not reality and wars will be fought. Gateway Pundit: Time Traveling With Today's Democratic Party

Can you imagine if today's democratic party were leading this country at any other time in history? What flag would we be saluting today? Today's democratic party feels that the sacrifice of 2,800 men and women over a three year span is an abysmal failure. What is the lasting power of this feeble group? And, how would today's liberals fare at defending this great country?

An excellent look at what could have been if today's Democrats had been in charge during wars through our history. H/T: Shining City Atop a Hill

This is Disturbing

2006-10-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Actor's Ad Increases Support in Stem Cell Research, Study Says

Actor Michael J. Fox's ad campaign in favor of embryonic stem cell research appears to be having a political effect, according to a new study. The study conducted Oct. 24 to 25 by HCD Research and Mulenberg College Institute of Public Opinion shows that support for embryonic stem cell research among U.S. voters went up after they viewed the ad. Respondents were asked to view the ad and complete pre- and post-view questioning. Support for the research - which is controversial because early-stage embryos are destroyed in the process - increased from 78 percent prior to seeing the ad to 83 percent after watching it, the survey found.

Read the rest here.