Star Wars III and Relativism vs. Absolutism

Finally saw it.

Anyone else disappointed by Lucas' retreat into relativism and his attack on the War on Terrorism?

Seriously...

"If you are not with me, you are... [pause for dramatic effect and dawning recognition amongst slower audience members... now, can't directly quote Bush, too heavy handed even for Hollywood] my enemy."

and

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes."

Come on! I thought Star Wars was supposed to be all about absolutes--the triumph of good over evil. Now you turn relativist on me?

I carried a Star Wars metal lunchbox as kid. You were my brother.

I am so disappointed.

Forsake Our Troops Founder on Hannity & Colmes

Forsake Our Troops

Watch if you don't have a heart condition.

I hate to give him more publicity. Believe me, I am thinking twice about posting this... but I agree that everyone should know that this type of nonsense is out there.

My goodness... his only point is that the compensation is too high... so that justifies calling soldiers, "Poster [children] for retroactive abortion"? Crook makes himself clearest when he asks, "What idiot risks their life for a country?" If he counts Thomas Jefferson, Sherman, Lincoln, JFK, and countless others as idiots, then count me in.

His logic is about as skewed as can be. Playing the part of a libertarian, claiming that soldiers chose to join and so should receive nothing, he makes a mockery of true conservatism.

I don't even need to address his calculations... which make an example of an O-8, that's right, a Major General, who is essentially the civilian equivalent of a Fortune 500 CEO or CFO making the whopping sum of a little under 129,000 a year. Anyone who has even the slightest familiarity of today's job market can easily make mincemeat of his misinformation.

Newsweek Koran Desecration Article Retracted--Reporter is the Lewinsky Reporter

I have held off blogging until more of the story came out and because others are already doing such a good job of responding.

Now that Newsweek has printed its woefully inadequate retraction, I do have a few words to say.

Reporter on Retracted Newsweek Article Put Monica on the Map

[Isikoff's] article [about desecration of the Koran], which was blamed for rioting in Pakistan and Afghanistan in which at least 17 people were killed, has been denounced by the Pentagon for relying on what it says is incorrect information supplied by an anonymous source.

In discussing the article yesterday, Mr. Isikoff, who supplied the source for the article, said: "...The big point that leaps out is the cultural one. Neither Newsweek nor the Pentagon foresaw that a reference to the desecration of the Koran was going to create the kind of response that it did..."

Mark Whitaker, the editor of Newsweek, said in an interview yesterday, "Everybody behaved professionally and by the book in this case." Mr. Whitaker said no disciplinary action was being taken against the reporters because they did everything they should have done. "Grounds for discipline would be unethical behavior, fabrication, sloppy reporting or unwillingness to acknowledge the severity of the problem, and none of those things happened in this case."

Mr. Isikoff is, famously, the journalist who discovered the liaison between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, and it was his reporting that led to impeachment proceedings against the president.

Newsweek has also printed the following:

Last Friday, a top Pentagon spokesman told us that a review of the probe cited in our story showed that it was never meant to look into charges of Qur'an desecration. The spokesman also said the Pentagon had investigated other desecration charges by detainees and found them "not credible." Our original source later said he couldn't be certain about reading of the alleged Qur'an incident in the report we cited, and said it might have been in other investigative documents or drafts. Top administration officials have promised to continue looking into the charges, and so will we. But we regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst.

I think it is time to send Newsweek a clear message: Apology not taken.

Perhaps Isikoff's behavior steered just slightly clear of unethical and his story was not a total fabrication but certainly the reporting was sloppy. Hasn't there been an unwillingness to acknowledge the severity of the problem?

Also, as a Michelle Malkin reader pointed out Newsweek editors made a deal with Kerry that in exchange for access, anything they discovered during the campaign would not be published until after the election. Claiming journalistic integrity in rushing the Koran story to print is hypocritical after making the Kerry deal.

If you actually subscribe to Newsweek (perhaps for the funny cartoons and quotes page?), please cancel your subscription and let the editors know why you are doing so.

This is the only thing "journalists" who have sacrificed their sacred democratic duty in pursuit of sensationalistic cover stories will understand.

Doctors are more dangerous than Guns

Curious? Check out Sand Monkey.

All in good fun.

Pay Day Loans for the Military

Since this is a military issue, I wanted to add my 2 cents.

In case you live in an affluent community, payday loans are essentially loans you get from little storefronts that spring up near every military post. You get cash in exchange for a postdated check that covers the principal, interest, and fees--with annual percentage rates of 200 percent, 400 percent or more. When the agreed upon date arrives and you still can't pay the loan, you can take out another loan to cover the check, with more fees and more interest. In this manner, many spiral downward into uncontrollable debt.

There has been some push to legislate these payday loan businesses. My opinion is that these businesses are legal and simply providing a service (loans to those with bad credit) for a fee that covers their risk. No one made that Private buy a car he couldn't afford, let his insurance lapse, and then get into an accident.

At the same time, debt hurts military readiness. So, it is in the Military's best interest to discourage the use of these loans. A recent Army Times article offers a number of useful suggestions but you have to subscribe to the print edition to view online.

The main idea is that the military provides a number of options for avoiding payday loans. Unless your children are about to starve (which shouldn't be the case because the military pays for your food and housing), DO NOT TAKE OUT A PAYDAY LOAN. At some posts, the military has given unit commanders the ability to approve interest-free loans of up to $500 on a case-by-case basis and the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation is testing a low-interest payday loan and some bases.

There is little risk of losing money on these loans because the government control these guys' paychecks.

Finally, every military post has a financial readiness center as part of its community services that offers classes, counseling, and information on emergency loans.

These solutions are better than legislation. Attack the demand rather than the supply by educating and providing better options.

Security witness sounds alarm on fake IDs

Security witness sounds alarm on fake IDs

A woman whose brother was killed in the September 11 attacks yesterday surprised top members of the House Homeland Security Committee with counterfeit Mexican matricula consular cards bearing the members' identities and showcasing how easy it is to get valid identification to board an airplane.

On its Web site the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that all major airlines "accept the matricula in order to allow Mexican nationals to board planes" and that it is accepted by some banks as identification to open an account.

Isn't it good to know that anyone can get on a plane with a fake ID?

Man Blackmailed Into Iraqi Terrorist Attack

Does anyone still think the terrorists are "freedom fighters?"

Soldiers Rescue Man Blackmailed into Suicide-Bombing Mission

Be proud that your countrymen are there to help these poor people who are being terrorized by foreign jihadis.

I'm an Enterpriser, Too!

According to the Pew Research Center Quiz, I am an Enterpriser... Just like Michelle Malkin and "Homocon".

Only "9% OF ADULT POPULATION and 10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS" are enterprisers. I wonder what percentage of conservative bloggers are enterprisers...

A shaking red exploding liberal tomato!

Here's an excerpt from the post from Cathy's World were she describes how one of our liberal friends nearly resorted to fisticuffs in the face of her logic:

What led to all this was a discussion of how Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity is sinking because of his fight with the California teachers unions -- which balk at the idea that some teachers are better (or worse) than others, and should be rewarded...or dismissed.

Apparently, O'Donnell asserted that every teacher at his child's school is excellent. When Cathy expressed incredulity, O'Donnell responded poorly...check out the photo.

Having been a teacher myself there is so much I'd like to say about the actual subject.

First off, though, I cannot believe he went so ballistic. Screaming is generally speaking an unacceptable response. So much more so because of the physical differences. Big guys who yell are trying to intimidate you. Kudos to Cathy for keeping her cool.

Second, I agree that when people yell they are generally covering up some mistake or flub of their own.

Third, I have this concept of the I call the shaking red exploding liberal tomato and I loved hearing about this example.

As far as the actual issue: yes, some teachers are better than others and should be rewarded (or penalized) accordingly.

One of the problems with this issue is that one angry parent can ruin a teacher's career if there is no career protection. Being a teacher is like having hundreds of bosses. Students often learn the most from teachers that initially frustrate them.

There is so much pressure to give good grades rather than actually teach.

Also, any accountability system has to take into account the different types of classes teachers are assigned. There are so many variables each year. I would like to see an accountability system but I would be VERY cautious about the specifics before implementing them.

Mardi Gras At the Derby

This has been going on for years!!! I went to the Derby a few years ago and saw girls doing this.

Working for a Boss Who Bullies

Working for a Boss Who Bullies
One can hope that when the political smoke clears on Mr. Bolton's nomination, the hearings will have done for workplace harassment what the Clarence Thomas hearings did for sexual harassment - raise the profile, get the conversation going, maybe even lead to some laws with teeth.

Of course! That is exactly what we need. More useless unenforceable laws.

My goodness. If you don't like your job, quit!

Some More Thoughts on Teaching Tolerance

Whenever I am confused about something, I consult the wisest man I know... my husband.

Imagine my pleasant surprise when I see that Josie/ and another reader (to whom I would link but I can't read your profile!) both shared similar points.

What the school should do is provide books that address tolerance in general--like the Dr. Seuss classic, "The Sneetches" (also good for discouraging excessive plastic surgery--ha, ha).

We really don't need to make an issue of sex for kids that young. If they are precocious and ready to discuss such issues, it should be the domain of the parents.

At the same time, the community should have the ultimate say as to what goes into the curriculum. I still say we can't have individual parents making a laundry list of demands.

Been a while..

I was attending a funeral for an American Hero, my husband's grandfather. This Lt. Col., ret., fought for freedom during World War II.

I'll start blogging again next week when I catch up on my work.

In the meantime, I saw a link promoting this on an allegedly non-partisan website:

I Hate Republicans

Warning: Comparisons are made between campus republicans and the KKK and Bush and Hitler.

The person who made this has serious issues with perspective, not to mention a persecution complex.