LEATHERNECKM31

"Cause we live in a world gone mad......"

Best lines on last night's multi-hour performance art.....

Joshua Green  -- "Clinton didn't seem angry or betrayed or entitled or any of the things that critics have attributed to her—she seemed merely unenthused, and so did the audience."

Sen. Dennis Kucinich... "hopped and screamed like a meth-addled Smurf."

"Clinton does magnanimity like Robin Williams does understatement: it doesn't come naturally."

I seldom watch national conventions or presidential "debates" because they're all light and no heat, but I did see news clips and read about them online.

I did however tune it to see Clinton... no, not her... him.

His performance before she began speaking was pure Billy Jeff snake oil con.... he bit his lip in the several different ways he uses it instead of displaying real emotion, and mouthed "I love you" twice as Hil basked in the welcome; she artificially kept the applause going for about 30 seconds too long... her forte.

All the while he did this because he knew the camera was on him in tight close up; it was obvious because Hillary was acknowledging the crowd, not looking at Bill, seated a hard 90 degrees to her right.   

And in a flourish, he actually was able to tear up on cue... again, with the knowledge he was on camera.

Cold nights sweats.... if The One wins in November, one sure way of getting rid of the specter of Hillary and her goofy, bumpkin spouse for at least eight years would be to (especially with the help of a filibuster-proof dem congress) ............. appoint her to the Supreme Court.

Shudder.

I also caught a couple of minutes of pre-convention MessNBC coverage by Matthews and Keith Olbermann.

They make "Dumb and Dumber" looks like a Chekov play.

I am convinced that Matthews, disabled by four years as Jimmy Carter's speech writer, should qualify for employment in a sheltered workshop where he can be cared for and still be productive.

Olby, on the other hand, is simply a raving loon and long-term, in-patient care in a quiet and nurturing facility is the only appropriate and humane answer.

Socratic environs the only appropriate setting for The One: 

First, Obama got rid of the American flag on his campaign jet which he christened "O Force One", and then presented himself in Deutschland as a "citizen of the world", and then went on to redesign the Presidential Seal in varying shades of U.N. helmet blue before it was laughed off the stage; now he's outdone himself.

Reuters reports...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's big speech on Thursday night will be delivered from an elaborate columned stage resembling a miniature Greek temple.

"Some 80,000 supporters will see Obama appear from between plywood columns painted off-white, reminiscent of Washington's Capitol building or even the White House, to accept the party's nomination for president.

"He will stride out to a raised platform to a podium that can be raised from beneath the floor.

"Once Obama speaks, confetti will rain down on him and fireworks will be fired off from locations around the stadium wall."

Why am I thinking about the Stonehenge gag in "This is Spinal Tap"?

Allahpundit, who writes over at HotAir.com, nails it:

"Too staid for my tastes. What about a giant plaster Lincoln head descending from the sky with Obama inside, and once it hits the stage he breaks through out of the top hat like the Hulk?

"Or how about the lights come up to reveal statues of Jesus, MLK, Gandhi, and The One — except his isn’t a statue, it’s really him and he was just standing perfectly still. Then he comes “magically” to life as the camera hits him.

"Awesome."

And... the drive by media has reported in this, but most neglected:

 

The Denver Post reports:

That's not the real Air Force One at Invesco Field.

But it sure looks like it.

A full-scale replica of the fuselage of the presidential plane came in today from Kansas.

It's part of the memorabilia display, The American Presidential Experience, which will be open through the Democratic National Convention.

Tickets to the exhibit, which is closed to the general public Aug. 28 for security reasons during Sen. Barack Obama's speech, are available at the Invesco box office at $15 for adults and $10 for children and seniors.

For more information, go to www.presidentialexperience.com/.

Boy that's great timing... there just in time for The Messiah's speech.

Will wonders miracles never cease?

Gone with the wind...

Where does huge carbon-footed, enviro-bullying America rank in world wind energy production?

Uh.... first.   

There are 5,000 generators alone in the Tehachapi California Wind Farm, near my old stomping grounds in the Taft-Bakersfield area. This huge production facility was established in the early 1980s when the evil oil companies were gouging us with their obscene windfall profits ($1.22 --1980, $1.96--1985).

Total US installed wind power capacity now stands at 19,549MW, up 2,726MW from the end of 2007, making the US the world leader. Germany has greater installed generating capacity...about 23,000MW, but we produce more electricity because of stronger winds.

While wind capacity was projected to increase 45% this year, the democrat Congress has failed to extend the production tax credit for the renewable energy industry which would threaten further development.

The point is simple.... if wind power was the "answer" as the more than manipulative T. Boone Pickens commercials would have us believe, it probably would have made a made a notable difference in a quarter-century.

Despite what Nan Pelosi rants about, we can't blow our way out of an energy crisis.

According to Glenn Beck, another not-to-be-ignored obstacle: according to the green-whackos, the US also leads the world in bat killing...weapon of choice--windmills.

So there you are; they want wind power, US technology and capitalism gives 'em wind power; but then they don't want it because it doesn't look nice in mother nature, or because it may (or may not) harm various and sundry critters.

Or, it's just plain NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard)....  

"I can appreciate that we need other energy sources," said Jane Burch, who lives in neighboring Grant County, W.Va., where a large wind farm has been proposed. "But I don't like the look of them, and I don't want them behind my property, and I don't like what they do with the bat kills."

And she bitches about the prices of gasoline.

None of this would matter if the demwit party hadn't been overthrown by the forces of "Anti"... Marxists, anarchists, radical enviros and fifth-columnists.

All these traitorous forces were lacking was political power, and the democrats have handed it over in a Judas-like trade off for political power and control.  

“A Mile High and an Inch Deep”

The above, about the '08 Dem Party Convention, is the best political put down since The Obamessiah was a "community organizer"--whatever that is/was.

Michelle Malkin also passes along that razor wire has been removed from temporary cells-- "Gitmo on the Platte" River--much to the disappointment of the the "Recreate '68" lonneytoons who were looking forward to being arrested, placed in holding pens and photographed behind the ominous strands.

I'll be in the Mile High City in September, and I'm a bit disappointed I'll miss what could be the biggest disaster (save Carter) for the demwit Party convention since 1968.

First, Obama (so huge that the Denver Convention Center cannot contain Him) made what may prove to be a gigantic mistake in moving the biggest speech of his young life to the 75,000-set Mile High Stadium. (Nobody in Colorado calls it Invesco Field, for obvious reasons).

Here are the potential disasters that would be avoided by having it inside.

--You cannot easily keep the attention of 75,000 in a outdoor stadium.

--Stadium speeches and those before enormous crowds (Obama in Berlin) tend to invoke unavoidable and uncomfortable images of the Third Reich for a great number of Americans. This is somewhat like the 15,000 identical looking and garbed Chinese who performed, bot-like, at the Olympic opening ceremony.   

Creeps me out... only Fascist and Communist governments can pull this off testimony to the eradication of the individual.

--Despite the usual wonderful Colorado weather in the fall, it can turn on a dime; just last week Denver recorded the lowest maximum temperature (58-degrees) surpassing the previous low maximum for August 16th--63 degrees set 118 years ago in 1890.

And that came after a long string of 90-100 degree days.

It could rain... hell, it could even snow as it did when Denver received four inches on Sept. 3 in 1961.

Why take chances?

The convention business could provide Denver with $150-$200 million dollars in economic impact.

And Colorado is one of the battleground states, no less; yet the eastern left wingers like DNC Chairman Screamin' Howie Dean, have managed to turn off even stanch democrats with their demands and arrogance (insisting on and getting tax-free gasoline like state employees get for work-related travel), and Denver businesses have been stiffed by the DNC.

Plus, there's always the grim possibility lurking in HRH Hillary! and her 18 million voters who actually believe Obama is a sexist, because uh, well, he booted her right out of the nomination and early.

Obama and his people may think they can handle this contention "the Chicago way" but he's never faced a thousand angry, menopausal feminists loose in a political convention.

Might be best to get the razor wire back up.  

Vice presidents

A woman had two sons... one became an Arctic explorer and the other became vice-president... neither was ever heard from again.

The current breathlessness in the Obama media over The Messiah's and John McCain's choices for second-in-command is about as justified as sending reporters to the beach to reported on a Force Five hurricane.

Though the vice president is literally "one heartbeat away from the presidency" the running mate choice is seldom given more than cursory attention beyond the choice's voter appeal in certain state(s).

While he probably should, Obama won't chose Hillary! Her presence on the ticket would enhance his chance of winning, but he is not a masochist... hell, he can't even get rid of her now--she and her worthless husband hang around like dinner guests that refuse to go home.

Obama's night terrors are filled with not one, but two Clintons stalking him in the White House of Cultural Diversity.

Vice presidents had always been an afterthought, but no more than in 1919 when President Wilson suffered a massive stroke that left his left side paralyzed and impaired his vision.

His wife and his personal physician, Dr. Grayson immediately began a conspiracy that shielded Wilson from intrusion and hid his condition from the rest of the country.

In a frightening historical first, Edith Wilson became the first woman President. All communication with the President went through her; she entered the sick room with messages and emerged with verbal instructions or the scrawl of a signature on a piece of paper. 

Wilson's vice president, Thomas Riley Marshall, left, didn't insist on claiming the role of "acting President" as he should have; he was limited to carrying out ceremonial duties of state while Edith ran the country.

Marshall would not have opportunity to meet with Wilson to ascertain his condition until their final day in office.

Four VPs (Chester A. Arthur, Teddy Roosevelt, Andrew Johnson and Lyndon Johnson) have become President following assassinations.     

Other than that and with the exception of Vice President Dick Cheney--probably the strongest and most capable VP in American history--the post is much ado about nothing.

As John Nance Garner (VP, 1933-41) described the office of the vice presidency as "not worth a bucket of warm piss." The historical records contain no outraged remarks in response.

As mentioned here before, Obama will choose Evan Bayh--a team player who will keep his mouth shut and not show up The Boss. This is the reason Biden is only window dressing on Obama's short list.

McCain's ego is as big as Obama's, but it's tempered by age, experience, political savvy and self-deprecation. His choice will be driven by practicality, not insecurity.

My money's on Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

And lastly, it's reported today that The Savior's blessed image has now graced the cover of this weekly publication for the seventh time...  since January.

Interesting... usually you have to have accomplish something to be so recognized.

 

One turnin' and one burnin'

The Messiah's performance last night was so pathetic, so inept, confused and downright embarrassing that the Dems immediately floated the charge that somehow that tricky old man McCain had cheated on the final.

Which of course is a desperate charge made by typical democrat candidates (Algore, Kerry, etc.) when their ass has been summarily kicked.

Obama can't even find an original way to whine like a little girl.

One of his screamingly funny answers last night came when he was asked to name three wise people he would listen to; despite this question prior to the event, he "came up" with his wife, Michelle; his maternal grandmother (the one he called an inbred racist), who lives in Hawaii; and, instead of giving a third wise person, he avulsed the names of several current Dem and GOP members of Congress.

Yea verily, The One's golden thoughts shall not be limited.

His every answer will come back to him in McCain TV ads... read your fill--just Google last night event. Even the dem brain trust finally has to admit that great looking, tailored and very expensive suit is quite empty.

This will be looked back upon as the moment the wheels came off, and soon his handlers will be wondering whyinhell they scuttled the SS Hillary!

Life is good.

There's much speculation that Obama's vice-presidential choice will be made soon; chances are it's Evan Bayh.

If so, you'll see the first time in American history, a VP carrying as much day-to-day campaigning and jousting with the press, perhaps more, as the democrat shape-shifters try to protect Obama from himself.

And the cheery on top... Team Obama is charging volunteers for its campaign lawn signs.

A victory with an asterisk:

Dick Heller, who's lawsuit culminated in the strongest affirmation of an individual's 2nd Amendment rights since it was written (Heller v District of Columbia), finally has his permit to keep a handgun revolver in his home.

You see, as soon as the decision came down, the DC socialist regime still refused to recognize the Supreme Court's authority and passed an amended local law that "define(s) as a “machine gun” any weapon that loads from the bottom. So it’s back to court he’s going. Maybe he’ll get to register his semi-automatic before he turns 100." See here for Allahpundit's take.

The venerable .50 cal Ma Deuce (M2) feeds from the left side, is it not a machine-gun?

I learned from a young radio newsbabe today that McCain spoke this morning to the "Veterans of Foreign Affairs"... and people wonder why vets believe civilians don't understand them.

Surf's up

Obama, like John Edwards, is a gift that keeps on giving, except one occupies a critical position in our nation's path and the other has more the impact of a Sunday newspaper cartoon... perhaps less.

Increasingly, The Messiah chokes when it comes to making the right "image" decision; for a candidate that is all image, that is a problem.

Even Cokie Roberts, a snooty, inside-the-Beltway, aging yuppie herself, pointed out that the timing and locus of Obama's vacation was an error.

In "going off this week to a vacation in Hawaii," she said, at the beginning of his R&R  "does not make any sense whatsoever."

"I know his grandmother lives in Hawaii and I know Hawaii is a state, but it has the look of him going off to some sort of foreign, exotic place." Roberts continued: "He should be in Myrtle Beach, and, you know, if he's going to take a vacation at this time."

He was seen bodysurfing as Russian shock troops ground deeper into Georgia.

It could, perhaps, be called the Kerry Windsurf Gaffe.

Of course his acolytes and mind-numbed Obamabots bristle at any such criticism, but such mistakes are not impressing the undecided and swing voters as well as the Hillary loyalists who still lurk in the short grass of the convention.      

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton correctly sees the current crisis in Georgia as a litmus test which the inexperienced, unproven and wholly unqualified Obama failed at the opening salvo.

"Finally, the most important step will take place right here in the United States. With a Presidential election on November 4, Americans have an opportunity to take our own national pulse, given the widely differing reactions to Russia’s blitzkrieg from Senator McCain and (at least initially) Senator Obama."

I'm still waiting fro McCain's ad on Obama's close association with Bill Ayers, American terrorist bomber. 

I suggest he get to it; this is mid-August.

Condi

Two questions.

1. Where was the CIA on the Russian invasion of Georgia? What didn't they know and when didn't they know it?

Once again the Central Intelligence Agency has left our leadership uninformed, the nation's interests unprotected. In the 90s the Clinton-damaged CIA was a miserable failure destined to watch, along with the rest of us, as the planes immolated the World Trade Center.

Little, perhaps nothing, has changed.

This invasion of Georgia must be recorded as another CIA failure to detect preparations by an aggressive nation to attack a weaker nation. No other conclusion is conceivable.

Regardless of the spin, either from the White House or Langley, the response of this administration was flaccid and ad-libbed.

It was left to VP Dick Cheney Sunday to call Georgian President Mikheil and promise him "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States, as well as the broader international community".

Yesterday, finally, Bush dispatched Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Paris and Tbilisi to show support for French diplomatic efforts and Georgian resistance to the Russian invasion. He also said he we would begin air and sea delivery of humanitarian supplies by the U.S. military.

The meat of his message was unremarkable.

McCain's sober and muscular response called for emergency meetings of NATO's North Atlantic Council and of Group of 7 foreign ministers and for high-level U.S. consultations both with European allies and with countries like Ukraine that he said faced Russian intimidation.

He called for the United States to send economic and humanitarian aid to Georgia immediately.

He told Saakashvili "And I told him that I know I speak for every American when I say to him, 'Today we are all Georgians.'"

Moreover, McCain graphically demonstrated why all Americans should want him, not The One to answer that 3 a.m. call.

Obama said,  “I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict. Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war."

"Outbreak of violence"? What's next... a strongly-worded e-mail?

2. Where was Condoleezza Rice, a PhD. Sovietologist chosen by GW, in 2000 (gawd knows why) long after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Given all her training and expertise in the Soviet threat...where was she on this invasion? Arguably the President's key aid when Putin crushed the emerging, pro-America democracy, Rice almost seemed to have no role or impact.

Bush erred greatly from the start... selecting a female SecState at a time when our biggest threat was from the Muslims and our oil supply from the Middle East was threatened; how could he have failed to notice, ragheads have no respect for women, they shoot them in the head, bury them shoulders deep in the ground and stone them.

Would they listen or even care about what we say or warn when the message is carried by a female?

All they respect is strength and violence... was never projected by Condi (isn't that cute..? like Tami!) Rice.

In the books to come, we'll find out that the entire Middle East including Israel was all the while laughing behind her back and wondering when the adults would return to power.

(As an aside, Bush's other SecState--Colin Powell-- was about as Republican/ conservative as Lincoln Chaffe and is no doubt backing Obama.

As Cindy says, "His picker must broke."

Un-American Airlines

A years and a half ago I wrote:

The AMR/American Airlines Foundation makes charitable and in-kind contributions in four categories... Community Development (yep, "environment" and "recycling"), Arts and Culture (yep, "minorities" and "diversity'), Education (a partnership with the United Negro College Fund), and Health and Welfare (yep, AIDS and cancer).

There's also a category titled "What we don't support"... among specific others: "veterans organizations"; you see where AA's heart (sic) is.

It's always useful to know where someone sits before they tell you where they stand.

and now this from The Wash Times:

American Airlines is charging troops for their extra baggage, a practice that forces soldiers heading for a war zone in Iraq to try to get reimbursement from the military. One of the country's largest veterans groups is asking the aviation industry to drop the practice immediately.

American, which recently charged two soldiers from Texas $100 and $300 for their extra duffel bags, said it gives the military a break on the cost for excess luggage and that the soldiers who incur the fees are reimbursed.

"... the soldiers don't pay a dime, our waiver of the fees amounts to a discount to the military, not a discount to soldiers," said Tim Wagner, spokesman for American Airlines. "Soldiers should not have to pay a penny of it."

First of all, it's obvious that Little Timmy never spent a day in uniform, but it's also no excuse.

Secondly, he entirely dodged the ethical question and passed the buck to "the military". What these courageous young people will remember is that one of the last Americans they encountered before heading to war demanded cash.    

And lastly, Timmy, how 'bout you charge the rest of your customers another 25 cents... oh, and keep the change, ya ratbastards.

Which brings me to a favorite topic...  the very sizeable portion of the public which lacks patriotism and love of country; a smaller sub-group hates the country and our military.

Well why not... millions of citizens were given the aid and comfort to do so by President Bill "I loathe the military" Clinton.

The former group is comprised of the lazy, the self-involved and those who neither feel or show gratitude whatsoever for those who made their freedom possible. 

The later group is hardcore in its dedication to transforming our country into some socialist experiment unrecognizable as America.

Chicken or egg, one group could not exist without the other.

Indifference, a soft, comfortable life, and the all-volunteer military has allowed most Americans (and I believe the number is well over 51%) to shirk all responsibility to the nation. (Above photos courtesy of American Thinker.)

Whenever I encounter a young person 17 or older I always ask, "Have you considered joining the military?" I do this knowing that most will say "no", but what I'm after is why do so many of them react to the question with the same incredulity they'd exhibit if I'd asked them to give up their cells phones and iPods.

Faithful LM31 readers know of our Medal of Honor Host City Program... the simple mission of which is to honor those who wear the nation's highest award for valor, and to make sure young people here have a chance to meet them and be inspired by their patriotic message.

After one such talk which featured the inspiring remarks of five Recipients, I asked a couple of male high school students--juniors or seniors--my question.

One, lacking even the ability to fashion an answer to an adult's question, just mumbled; the other said, "I'm not joinin' any army."

"Well, then why not enlist in the Marine Corps?"

"They're all the same," he said walking quickly away.    

How did we come to this?

Easy... parents, schools, and popular "culture".

Not since the Revolution have so few given so much for so many.... ingrates. 

How is it that in the greatest, richest, most tolerant, most advanced country in the world which welcomes all.... most of those who benefit will not encourage, support, or respect the military, let alone serve?

Our patriotic high water marks were WWII with perhaps WWI a distant second. 

These are the only times in the pathetic history of our "domestic front" that our troops could feel the nation united behind them.

What about the other 226 years?    

There has been only one time in my 60 years that the country rose as one... for the NASA space program which put us on the moon.

Yet during the same period, the military, even young, handicapped veterans, were under siege, disrespected, ignored and ridiculed... by their fellow citizens.

Thus far we've always had just enough to survive.

Enough motivated young men and women willing to die for their nation.

Enough political will not to become France.

Enough common sense to see the nexus between vigilance and freedom.

Enough technical, scientific and manufacturing capabilities to make sure the fight, when it comes, is fought on someone else's shore.

And the average American, if such a category still exists, doesn't spend 10 minutes a year doing anything even mildly patriotic or supportive of our troops.

I'm increasingly skeptical that we'll have "enough" from here on.  

"Have you seen the little piggies, in their starched white shirts....?

I knew it.

Most thinking people knew it... and waited for the other shoe to drop.

TV commercial: Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens gazing into the camera essentially parroting the lefty dem line... "we can't drill ourselves out of this mess" as the windmills twist slowly, slowly in the wind behind him.

The trail one must follow in this curious campaign, as it always is in politics, especially "green politics", is a money trail.

Now all is revealed by #dontgogovernment.com via MichelleMalkin.com

Nancy Pelosi says that she is trying to save the planet and prevent global warming, but the reality is that, according to disclosure statements, in May 2007 she invested in T. Boone Picken’s clean energy fuels corp., CLNE, which is the sole sponsor of a proposal in California to funnel $5 billion in state funds and $5 billion in Federal funs to this corporation which will indirectly help them create a giant wind farm in the Texas panhandle.

And he's helped out by the favorite tool of the connected and rich ... theft of land by use of eminent domain.

Jackasses.

Is it a coincidence that Boone's ads appeared about the time the public's attitude began to shift toward more domestic oil and gas drilling?

Is it a coincidence that Speaker Pelosi was the most deeply committed, single politician in Washington to stonewalling offshore and Anwar drilling?    

Would Pickens and Pelosi benefit greatly from Congress tying America's oil and gas right arm behind its back?

This business opportunity was clearly based on the Algore similar eco-business strategy: wrap yourself in the green flag and propaganda of global warming and make millions as a direct result. 

Late last year Gore and some of his fellow scam artists founded the $1 billion investment firm, Generation Investment Management; of course Gore doesn't have the brains to run such a firm, he's just the front man. David Blood, who previously managed $325 billion in assets out of Goldman Sachs' London office is Mr. Big.

Essentially, Gore hopped on the eco-whacko, global warming, sky-is-falling bandwagon and then quietly constructed a huge business operation that will suck up billions in government and private funds promising to help solve a problem that does not exist. 

Lastly, the preposterous Ponzi scheme of purchasing "carbon offsets" while continue using as much energy as you want figures greatly in GIM's profitability.

It's such an important eco-warrior way to live that Algore buys a lot of carbon credits to offset the utilities costs of his home which runs as much in one month as a normal family spends in a year. 

And he buys the credits... from GIM--his own company. Details here.

Soulless

It's for the children.

"Character matters"... yes, but it's far more important than that. It's a window into our very souls; and when we choose a president, a candidate's character should be the primary consideration in every vote cast.

If that were the case, come November, John McCain would record the most lop-sided victory in American history.

Exhibit bit A via Jill Stanek.com and :      

... In 2000, the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act was first introduced in Congress. This was a two-paragraph bill intended to clarify that any baby who is entirely expelled from his or her mother, and who shows any signs of life, is to be regarded as a legal "person" for all federal law purposes, whether or not the baby was born during an attempted abortion. (To view the original 2000 BAIPA, click here.)

... (In 2003) Barack Obama, as chairman of an Illinois state Senate committee, voted down ... a bill to protect live-born survivors of abortion (thus) denying effective protection even to babies born alive during abortions....

Even the most liberal members of Congress at that time opposed such premeditated murder; "The bill Obama killed was virtually identical to the federal bill that even NARAL ultimately did not oppose," Stanek reports.

It bears reemphasis... against all odds, a small baby survives the butchery of abortion and wriggles, cries out and blinks against the harsh light. The child, the US citizen with a life-expectancy of 80 years, is, in the presence of the mother and the nurses (perhaps mothers themselves), summarily executed. 

In Chicago the other person in that horror chamber is Barack Hussein Obama.

A significant number of Americans will vote to this type of "hope and change" and we approach the nadir of our national character.

• Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion.

• Forty percent of pregnancies among white women, 69% among blacks and 54% among Hispanics are unintended.

• In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were performed, down from 1.31 million in 2000. From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions occurred.

• Each year, about two percent of women aged 15-44 have an abortion; 47% of them have had at least one previous abortion.

• The proportion of providers offering abortion at four or fewer weeks’ gestation increased from 7% in 1993 to 40% in 2005. (Source Guttmacher.org)

Reason No. 5 why Condi Rice is and always has been worthless as SecState and should return to her piano:

The NY Post reports:

Back in May, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice publicly raked Israeli officials over the coals after they refused to let seven Palestinians who'd won US-sponsored Fulbright scholarships leave Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Israel insisted the seven had ties to Hamas terrorists and were security risks. Faced with Israel's refusal to let them leave Gaza, the State Department revoked the scholarships for study at US institutions.

That had Rice fuming. "If you cannot engage young people and give complete horizons to their expectations and their dreams," she declared, "I don't know that there would be any future for Palestine."

Condi, you dumbass, the dream of these "young people" is your head on a plate.  

Yeah, you can see this coming; Israel finally gave in to Rice's yammering for terrorist scholarships, and approved exit visas four of the Palestinian subhumans-in-training.

(The little darlings are shown right, at least I assume it's them.) 

But Israel drew a hard line on the other three... all of whom were either students or teaching assistants at the Islamic University of Gaza - a notorious Hamas stronghold.

Ii should come as no surprise that the State Department has now revoked the trio's visas again, sending a letter than read, based on "information has come to light that you may be inadmissible to the United States"

The real question... "Why in the gawdamn hell is an American institution giving your hard-earned tax money to Hamas terrorist?    

Trust me... the piddling scholarship money is a mere drop of what we give our mortal enemies.  

And this from the hard core dudes over at WeaselZippers.net:

Minneapolis Offers Sharia Low-cost Financing.....

"Not surprising from a state where Muslim cab drivers refuse to pick up passengers with alcohol or dogs, where local colleges install Islamic foot baths, the airport installs Islamic prayer rooms, where Islamic school administrators don’t know how to raise the American flag, and where a Muslim congressman refuses to condemn Muslim American Society for the violent and anti-Semitic statements found on the group’s website.

The Alternative Financing program provides small Minneapolis businesses (neighborhood retail, service or light manufacturing) an alternative financing to the interest-based system that is in accordance with Islamic law, or Sharia. The program provides financing to purchase equipment and/or make building improvements. A private lender provides half the financing at their rate of return, and the City provides the rest, up to $50,000, at a 2% rate of return. The term (up to 10 years) is set by the lender. Private lender fees vary, and the City charges an origination fee of 1% of the City’s principal amount with a minimum of $150, due at closing. Read it all.

"Properly written, the interest-based system is not in accordance with Islamic or sharia law, the alternative is sharia law."

Figgers --- Minnesota.... where Al Franken is running for Senate... should be annexed by Canada; I'm more than happy with 49.