May You Live In Interesting Times

"May you live in interesting times." --old Chinese curse

Over the past almost four years we have indeed been living in "interesting times". Not to much you can do, in the short term to change what fate, or happenstance, tosses your way. As a nation, the threat was, if only for a moment, recognized for what it was. The President put the world on notice, "Either you are with us or against us." there was no middle ground. Great Britain, Spain (at that time), and Italy, were the only European nations of note standing with the US in addressing the threat against not only America but all of Western Civilization. This small (comparatively speaking) group of nations banding together with America, "the coalition of the willing", are all that stand between us and a new dark age descending upon the world.

The cost in not cheap, but markedly lower then it has ever been in the history of armed conflict. And we are meeting with some success, Iraq has the potential in becoming that rarest of things...an open society in the middle east. Still terror and stagnant ideas / ideals make camp in that region of the world. Iran, chafes under the collar of a theocratic regime, and pose a very real military threat to not only the middle east, but to the world, as they progress toward harnessing the nuclear Gennie. Syria, yet another dictatorial country, adds to the mischief in the region, not only in allowing for agents of terror to cross it's borders with impunity, but in seeking to destabilize Lebanon, along with doing what it can to bring Israel to it's knees.

Aside from the radical Islamists, there are others who would like nothing more then to see the West, and especially, the United States, brought to our knees. Almost a world away, North Korea, on almost a daily basis, tweaks the nose of those in the Pacific rim who dare to try and de-fang that rogue state of it's alleged nuclear capability and it's exportation of major weapons of war. Then there is the "eight hundred pound gorilla in the room". The one nation which, outside of radical Islam, should give us the greatest cause for alarm, and the one we seem to consistently keep our heads in the sand about, Communist China.

Radio CIA

Well Mike, at The Cigar Intelligence Agency has been kind enough to offer me a spot on his radio station at Live 365....and will be *live* there in about 20 minutes....9pm CST. I'll be pushing the standards, jazz, and a bit o the blues. Stop on by and have a listen. Tis good for the digestion if nothing else *grin*. Next week will be starting an hour earlier...8pm....but dinner and such pushed it back a bit.

A Quick Note

No, I have not gone quietly into the night. Due to an obligation or two, and being less then hale and hearty, posting has been non-existent over the past week. I hope for this to change in short order.

1. There is a post in the works for here. Perhaps more then one as I had a *nice little chat* with a solicitor from the RNC, over the phone, last night. I think his ears are still burning.

2. Mike, over at The Cigar Intelligence Agency, is back on the net air waves. He has the best in country, jazz, blues, classic rock, and other surprises here.

3 My Friends at American Dinosaur, have moved into their new digs at Munu. Two others, A Sailor In The Desert and The Steiner Aid are almost set up or progressing toward that goal, as well.

So there is the current "word of the day" from the Harbor. Shall be posting soon, sorry for the unexpected break in the action.

Scotty Beams Up

ABC radio is reporting James Montgomery Doohan has died. Doohan was born March 3rd, 1920. A versatile actor, most noted for his portrayal as chief engineer CDR Montgonery Scott, of the "Enterprise", in the original television series Star Trek, and in a number of the movies which followed. James Doohan, was a WWII vet. He left home at 19 to serve in the Canadian Forces.

... fighting with the Allies in World War II. After outscoring his fellow soldiers on an officer's exam, he became Captain in the Royal Canadian Artillery. While leading his men into battle on D-Day, Doohan was wounded in the leg and hand, and eventually lost a finger. For the remainder of the war, he became a pilot observer, and received the dubious distinction of being called the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Forces."

His characterization of "Scotty", was, of all the personalities of the original Star Trek series, my favorite. His love of his ship, his duty and devotion to his Captain, and his legendary fondness for scotch, made him a joy to watch. May he never run out of dilitium crystals, well aged scotch, and have the finest engine department in the heavens.

St Peter, you have one to beam up...

The LLP, The Alliance, and Being Cute

As both my readers have noticed by now, there have been some additions to "the rolls" on both sides of the page. Eric, as mentioned in these parts earlier, has recently set up a community, Life, Liberty, Property, whose main thrust is in giving an outlet to the SCOTUS -ing* of the Fifth Amendment. (*There, I just created a new word...feel free to use it...but remember where youse got it from *grin*.) The community has grown over the past weeks, and I am honored to be part of the group...check any of the fellow travelers out...an eclectic group...but well worth the read.

The other (and newest addition) is my bit of Naval lint has been added to the ranks of "The Alliance". I thought about this over the past year, for their reason for existing seemed (at the time) somewhat harsh. Surely, the good Professor Reynolds would at some point or another see fit to grace my digs with an "instalanch" ™ © . If only for my rendering of the ultimate in lawn grooming equipment :



...but, it was not to be. Even "the Rott" has honored me on occasion. If the good Emperor Misha, in his benevolence, can find time to toss crumbs to his minions, you would think Reynolds, while looking down from his academic ivory tower, could occasionally stop looking at the co-eds, and toss a crumb to the peasants.

So, with more then a year under my belt, I tossed the Reynolds colored glasses aside...and the truth set me free. I read, nay, inhaled the words of goodness and light over at the archives of The Alliance. Thanks for taking me on board, but does the initiation really require me to memorize the complete gift list(s), at all establishments FrankJ and SaraK are registered at? And, Harvey's complete stack of 3x5 cards he uses as his mixology guide?

Last but certainly not least, I have been uniquely honored, by one of the younger but feisty and full of promise for the future generation, bloggers out there. "The Kate" has been around for awhile now, and is always a pleasure to read. She is always questioning, looking at the world around her world, and trying to make sense of it all. Her blog "The Running Conservative", is always a daily stop.....check it out. You will note I have a new *button* on the right hand side of the blog...it seems Kate thinks for some unknown reason, I am cute, and as such have qualified to be this months *Cute Person of The Month* (CPOTM). I think she just hasn't seen the gray hair and wrinkles....and as anyone who has met her knows, she is far, far, cuter then I.

A Closer Look

I wanted to do something in the last post...but it didn't happen. As posts are often want to do, it had a mind of it's own, and went merrily along on it's own separate way.

Those of us, of conservative bent, or who tend to see things as "black and white" when it comes to our take on matters constitutional, societal, defense of the nation, and the "American way of life" ™ , usually say things and or make statements causing progressives, liberals, statists, and assorted moonbats out there, to have major cases of "the vapors". The current (and ongoing) anti-Islamic fervor is no exception.

I have not been quiet on my expressing my anger toward those who seek to destroy my country if given the opportunity to do so. Indeed invective used in espousing my feelings toward the followers of "The Religion of Peace" ™ is quite possibly as high as it has ever been....with the exception of my rants on the left's favorite Vietnam vet, John "The 'D' in my grade point average stands for 'Determined' "Kerry. None the less there is more to this than meets the eye.

You see, I used to work for the Kuwaiti Officer in charge of their F/A18 procurement program, in the Washington, DC area. It was a "contracted" job, and lasted for about six months. Not, to go into details of the job, as that is not the point, but many of my daily dealings put me in constant touch with those of the Muslim faith. As far as I know, these were people looking to do the best they could for not only themselves, but for their country, in the carrying out of their duties and jobs. To the best of my recollection there was not any overt "racism" (don't know what else would be the equivalent....of reacting/referring to "us infidels") as there were numerous times when conversations were held in their native tongue, and being unfamiliar with same, I was left out of the mix so to speak. Many a time, I entered the outer foyer of their mosque in the performance of my duties. And again, was at worst treated with indifference (as would befit minor staff personnel), at best was greeted with a hearty hello. As with any group of folks, there appeared to be the usual mix of good, bad, and indifferent people. In short, all in all I did not come away with a negative experience. This was well before 9/11.

This experience is what makes it so hard for me to understand why there hasn't been an outpouring of Muslims decrying what is being done, in their faiths name, but the so called radical sections...the Wahabists in particular...but their are other off shoots as well. I can't for the life of me understand why, at least a few of these people wouldn't be calling out for change with in not only their religion, but in their fellow so called moderate or "pro western" Arab and Muslim nations in actively seeking the destruction of the cancer within their midst. Are they scared? Are their hands collectively tied (and why or by whom?)? Or is there something more insidious going on here. That even the so called moderates though abhorring the evil and violence done by the militant Islamists, they, in their heart of hearts, give tacit approval for their actions. And if so, is this due to envy, jealousy, toward (for) the seeming unlimited wealth, political and military strength, of the western powers...specifically the United States?

Part of me wants to take the fight directly to those who seek to hasten our end....and include all of this faith. Because with few exceptions (and they *are out there*) there has been precious few who have publicly stood up to be counted in denouncing the evil within the ranks of Islam. And I really wonder if those with whom I came in contact with those many years back, were really our friends (in the geo political sense), and would have honestly wanted to develop a friendship with Americans in general. Or if we were being duped. I hope not. I hope they are as disgusted about this as any man or woman with a conscience should be. And I hope that soon....very soon... they find their respective voices...time is quickly running out...and a large part of the American public has all but run out of patience with all folks of this faith. Just as we need to stand up and be counted in not only the WoT, but the ever worsening war for the heart and soul of the American spirit. So to do those of the Muslim faith need to make hard choices as to where their loyalties lie. The clock is ticking, and the alarm due to sound in very short order.

Fatawah Cheese

Things seem to be going pretty hot and heavy on the ol' net these days. What with politics, exotic interpretations of the Constitution, and lately even bloggers having fatawah's issued against them (whose legitimacy was confirmed by the FBI). The resulting fallout from the last can be seen at any number of blogsites out there.

Jim at Smoke On The Water takes the ball, and runs with it quite well.

Harbor Master, and Roustabout Riverdog, takes wordsmithing to new levels in his take on the missionary techniques of the "Religion of Peace" ™ .

Everyone's favorite Rottweiler, Emperor Misha, looks at this from a somewhat different angle, along the lines of "Who Does a Guy Have to Fuck to Get a Fatwah in This Town?" His somewhat tongue in cheek response, none the less, shows his stout heart, and willingness to stand by a fellow blogger when faced with a potential threat. At the same time taking some of the bluster out of the sails of those to whom acts of cowardice are standard operating procedure.

There are many others, Kim Du Toit, Eric at Eric's Grumbles Before The Grave, and KisP keeper of the flame, SondraK makes note of it as well. There are more, many more. I think this has hit a nerve. And today, Chris provides commentary on the whole situation. What is really behind his stance, and to my mind, why it should be important to every freedom loving American out there. Check it out.

This Could Be Any One Of Us

Posted recently about not only our friends who belong to "The Religion of Peace" ™ but other obvious partners in crime. And there are any number of bloggers with large and small followings who give voice to their feelings and or beliefs. Most (if not all) feel this expression of their thoughts is one of the cornerstones to what this country is all about...freedom of speech, especially regarding our personal stance on politics, politicians, and the constant changing state of our country's domestic and international positions. We give little, if any, thought to there being any real repercussion to what we espouse. After all in this country, you shouldn't have to!

Well sportsfans, time to take a step back and smell the coffee. As noted here, and here, fellow blogger Chris Byrne, has been notified, by the FBI that; "A Fatwah has been issued against me by a known terror group".

Do you folks on the left/progressive side of the house get it? The followers of Islam don't like what Chris has written, said, and done regarding their *holy book*, their third world antics in trying to destroy western civilization, or their so-called "Religion of Peace" in general. Are they going to ignore him (after all in their eyes he is some one to be scorned, perhaps pitied, or at least to be avoided if ever in his part of the world), or maybe send a flaming e-mail, or terse comment on his blog. For most, that would be the response from any religious group here in the states toward someone they happened to find out about, who was demonstrating a "lack of respect" toward their particular faith. However, these nimrods feel the only effective way to deal with Chris (And how little they really understand us, for as they seek to deal with Chris in such a manner, so by extension, do they deal with us all.) is by issuing a death warrant, a fatwah, on him, his family, and friends.

Yeppers all you progressive folks out there. Those of you who cry out in your hearts about how the evil administration, and other governments who follow our lead, seek to destroy simple people ...who would never bother us if we only took the time to *really understand them*. If we only took that extra step to see they only want....what do they want? Oh, yeah, I remember...the complete downfall of western civilization, and the return of Islam as the center of all political, secular, and religious thought. Okay, I will allow for the off chance there are some *moderate Muslims* who would seek to allow those of us of Christian or Jewish faiths to exist after we pay our head tax. But than again, I also have a soft spot in my heart for Leprechauns, Unicorns, Hobbits, and other mythical creatures. So figure the odds of that happening. Wake up! Regardless of your opinion of Chris, and his personal views on politics, guns, the second amendment, and all the rest. (And I happen to agree with much he has said.) He is a fellow American who has been targeted by foreign groups or agents. One of us, here in this country, has been fingered by fanatics. What if you are next?

If you are Jewish (especially if you are Israeli or have direct ties to same) you could be next.

If you are a practicing Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, Neo-pagan...you could be next.

If you are homosexual (male or female, it don't matter), bi-sexual, transsexual, ...you could be next

If you are a practicing Christian (especially those evangelicals out there who are into preaching the word, and going on missions)...you could be next.

If you are a woman...you could be next.

If you are an atheist or agnostic....you could be next.

If you have been heard or your correspondence (or any other writing) shows a continued stance of disrespect toward Islam....you could be next

If you have, by your actions, words, or deeds, brought physical, or emotional harm to a practitioner of the Islamic faith...or defamed their holy sites, mosque(s)...or the Koran...you could be next.

You get the idea yet bunky?? There is no understanding of them....there is no can't we just get along...there is no "well they are just after the gun nuts, and conservatives, and Bush supporters, and those who want their oil". They are out to destroy us all. If they have the means and or opportunity they will do just that. They are after Chris....but could just as easily be after me or YOU. Wake up before it's too late!

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

I wish I lived closer to Chris, I would love to have the honor of helping cover his six. But I have the feeling I would have to take a number and stand in line to do so. Keep your powder dry my friend.

Hello Washington DC, May We Have Our Constitution Back?

Eric has been a busy guy. Not only with his home on the web, here, but with his yeoman work in getting things started on the Life Liberty & Property community. This last endeavor came about because of the untimely death of the Fifth Amendment, and is well worth checking out.

Eric voices his concerns about the many voices out there, and whether or not we can work together to take back this country of ours. In Hanging Together or Hanging Separately, he makes a number of good points while raising a few questions. So, in the spirit of his post, here are my feelings regarding what should be, could be, done in order to take back what is ours, while still remaining a viable national entity. And at least for our group (though I feel it goes much wider then just "us"), the big 800lb gorilla...how much government is too much, or not enough?

Where most folks get stuck in the muck, is arriving at a common consensus as to what, and then, how much government is needed in order to have the best functioning society possible. Too much government (and assuming the increased governmental control would follow), leads to loss of individual control, and loss of liberties, whether the overall population was willing to give it up or not. And getting the government (any government) to relinquish power, ill gotten or not, is next to impossible.

Too little government, though many would welcome this, realistically results in nothing more then city states (if that) at best. More likely, human nature being human nature, you'll wind up with somebody (or somebodies) banding together to bring about some sort of force in which to control the area or peoples with no (or little) government. If this doesn't come from internal sources, it will surely come from outside agents.

What would I like to see:

1. The smallest amount of government which effectively allows for the country to exist as a viable force in today's (and tomorrow's) world.

2. On the domestic side, minimal government interference in our daily affairs. With more (much more) responsibility and accountability returned to the individual.

3. A massive simplification of ALL existing laws. And removing as many from the books (at all levels of government) as possible. This is why I'm not for making another law or amendment to counter "Kelo". I would much rather return to the original intent and guidelines set up in the Constitution, and religiously follow that.

4. Get rid of any member of the government(all branches, all levels) who is/are unable or unwilling to follow the above. To my way of thinking, if you keep it simple, straight forward, and in plain concise language, then you won't need nearly as many lawyers trying to figure out "what *is* is". And you won't have judges at any level making law, they will be applying the law to any given case or charges in front of them.

In short, though still not perfect, the Constitution as originally set up, is about as close as we're going to get to a respectable, reasonable, balancing between individual rights, state's rights, and still have some sort of national government/entity in place. In this day and age, in order to survive and continue to experience the standard of living we have, we need to be some sort of "United States", anything less will have problems down the road (though this may happen anyhow if current political and social / cultural trends continue...but that is for another day).

Them or Us

If you have read my rants over the last year, it is not hard to figure out I am for a (very) strong defense, an Israel free of the threat of constant attack from within and without (Read that as NO Palestinian state, and especially one which takes land away from Israel, with out some concessions by other bordering nations, until they start acting like adults and not petulant children...but that is a rant for another day). And, unless they come forward in very short order, I refer to the "Mythical Moderate Muslim" ™ here, two things should happen to Muslims/Islamists across the board. The whole lot of them should be systematically profiled and watched in this country, and in areas where we actively engage in fighting terrorists and their ilk, there should be no quarter asked or taken. In other words, We need to tell the followers of the Koran you have *X* amount of time to get your act together. Tell us where the fanatics, rabble, and evil is hiding within your ranks, so we can remove same, do it yourself (to our satisfaction, or face having the hammer fall equally on you as well. We are either fighting for our existence as a civilization, or we are not. War shouldn't be entered into or taken lightly, but once choosing said path, follow through.

We need to smash Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia (ok, work with the Saudis, they at least are taking some measures...but we need to keep their feet to the fire). Go through Iraq with a fine tooth comb and "remove with extreme prejudice" (there's a rare example of something bordering on being politically correct...which I like the tone of), any and all who aide or abet terrorists. The same goes for Islamic enclaves in Asia and the Pacific rim nations (Indonesia, Philippines, etc).

As for North Korea, and our *friends* the ChiComs....that the logistics for them are different, does not excuse us from addressing the real intentions both these nations have espoused, often times out in the open. In the case of N. Korea, they claim they want to be a player on the worlds geopolitical stage.....they're much closer to a petulant child who should have been taken out behind the woodshed...this realization (on our part, an to a lesser extent the UN/world community at large) comes a tad too late, as they now have a *loaded gun* and are willing to make more, selling to the highest bidder. And claim they will use same against us if we try to physically stop them.

With China, we can (try to) play the same game with them as we did with the former USSR, but one wonders if we will achieve the same success. The Chinese have always gone with their own agenda. If we fail to realize that, and plan accordingly, we will find learning to speak Mandarin is not an option...but a requirement at some future point in time. Certainly we should work toward promoting the growth of capitalism within China, and the expansion of basic human rights, most notably in the areas of speech and freedom of information. On the other hand, we have a moral (if nothing else) obligation toward our friends and allies in that part of the world. Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea. Even Australia and New Zeland will not be exempt from future expansionist efforts from China, as they seek to become the dominate political and economic force on the Asian side of the pacific rim.

Think I am blowing smoke? Check out current and future developments regarding Chinese Navy/Naval forces. They are actively developing ships and equipment allowing them to become a legitimate *blue water Navy*, vice their traditional roll as a coastal littoral force. There is no reason to do this other then to project one's presence far beyond the shores of one's own country. This is done to effect political and economic change via what used to be called *gunboat diplomacy* , or what we in the Navy (more recently) used to call *power projection*. The Chinese, have the resources (or seek to acquire and control same) to become the next legitimate super power...and have no qualms in becoming same. At best this would give them parity with the US, at worst we will (one way or another) no longer exist as anything close to what we are today. What is most important to remember, is the Chinese could care less what happens to us, as long as they ascend to the top of the global food chain.

If this makes me sound xenophobic, (and you would be mistaken) then so be it. The fact is, we didn't (*we* being western man) start or place the current state of geopolitical affairs in motion which we find ourselves embroiled in now. We need to address all these threats honestly, with out political correctness, sophistry, or rose colored glasses. If we can realistically defuse and eliminate them with other actions short of all out war then so be it. But if (and we have at least started down this road with regards to the WoT) war is the chosen course of action, with the end result being the elimination of *them* or *us*, then we had better stop half stepping and damn sure finish it. Or one way or another we will eventually cease to exist as a civilization.

Journalism: To Be Or Not To Be (part 2)

While the folks on the American Heritage Foundation panel, (and thanks to Captain Ed for providing a link to the video of this) debated whether or not journalists and bloggers were friends or something less' an important point, and one which reflects on not only the question(s) debated, but highlights the bias even some of those who are "pro blogs" seem to carry. And that is "Journalism is a profession".

A "profession"? Merriam Webster (on-line) doesn't address this use of the word until the forth entry

"4 a : a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation"

WordNet ® 2.0, defines it as "n 1: the body of people in a learned occupation; "the news spread rapidly through the medical community" [syn: community] 2: an occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences)"

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary says, "1 : a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation"

And American Heritage offers the more current usage (and in my opinion, the most watered down version) as their first choice, "1. An occupation or career: “One of the highest compliments a child can pay a parent is to choose his or her profession� (Joan Nathan).". They give the traditional meaning of the word after that; "2. An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study."

One wonders who wrote, and edited all print media, prior to the introduction of a "professional curriculum" at the University level? Were said authors not part of a profession up until the moment a graduate with degree in hand was hired by some paper version of a daily crier out there? In fact, up until forty or fifty years ago, a college degree was not required to become part of this august body of wordsmiths. Indeed, if you had the proper amount of bulldog determination, the presence of mind to accurately recount and record facts of an event, and could stand the pressure of your peers competing along side of you, it was all you needed. In short, you paid your dues, hoping for "the one story which recognized you as a full fledged member of the press...the one with *your* by-line".

The point, and what the "professionals" conveniently forget, is the final arbiter of the quality, and veracity of any given source, be it a blog, "The New York Times", any TV or radio outlet, or your local bird cage liner, is the public. They will chose to take on board what any of these outlets comment upon or report. If you do not have the integrity to report the events of the day truthfully, and completely as you are able, if you refuse to limit your editorializing to the editorial/op-ed page or specific columnist's comments, you will lose readers, listeners, and viewers. And no diploma on the wall is going to change the public's mind.

We as bloggers, already fall under the same scrutiny. If we profess to put forth "the truth" and or "the facts" on any given event or topic, and are less then straightforward in reporting same (or fail to provide retractions/corrections as soon as we are able), our readership will fall off, and we will become nothing more then "white noise on the net".

The media needs to realize folks out here in the blogosphere will sink or swim as viable journalistic entities just the same as they do, based on accuracy of their reporting of fact. We don't lose advertising revenue (though for some of the largest blogs, this would also be true), we lose readership. This is also true for those bloggers who emulate what can be found on any editorial or op-ed page. They will inspire, enrage, captivate, or annoy based on their ability to not only get their point(s) across, but to do so with at least some sort of style. You mainstream folks know this. For example, like em or hate em, be it Krauthammer or Coulter, they have a style and use of wordplay all their own. They sell as much because of how they write, as they do based on content. The same will hold true with blogs and bloggers.

So to answer the questions proffered above. Yes (as also mentioned in part 1 of this screed), I am a journalist. I am as much a part of the media as any pamphleteer, or one horse town paper was of old. As with any outlet, I have a right to espouse my editorial stance/point of view, in the form of commentary or editorializing. I also have the ability to present hard news when, and as I see fit. If I want to keep my integrity, as a (potentially) viable source for information, it is my responsibility to present same as straight forward, factual, and unbiased, as possible.

This is no different (or shouldn't be) then any other media outlet. That a number of them (those of the fourth estate and other main stream media outlets) have fallen far short of this ideal is sad. To that end, I am an adversary of any media outlet which elects to misinform the public in their alleged reporting of fact. I have no animosity toward those who do their level best, who can look themselves in the eye each morning while brushing their teeth or shaving. These would be journalists and reporters of fact. And bloggers have as much right to march along side them as not.

Journalist: To Be Or Not To Be That Is The Question (part 1)

Going over the blogroll today, I stopped at Captain's Quarters. Due to his tireless efforts in accurately "reporting" on any given topic piquing his interest, and while wearing his "pundit hat", stating his case clearly and concisely, leavening it with his personal passion, Ed Morrissy has not only risen through the ranks of the blogosphere, but is starting to gain more then a little recognition in traditional media circles (and public speaking as well).

At the end of his post, the good Captain links to a recent event, sponsored by The Heritage Foundation, he was privileged to be a part of. The topic was "Bloggers and Journalists, Friends or Enemies?". After watching the file, (It's a long one, but well worth the time spent, check it out.) and came a way with some thoughts and concerns of my own regarding Blogs, Bloggers, MSM, "Journalists", and the interplay (or lack there of) between them all.

As both of my regular readers know (and you know who you are *grin*), Snugg Harbor has been, and will continue to be my version of a Hyde Park soapbox, a pamphleteer, along with giving a voice to the Curmudgeon on the other side of this keyboard. And as such, I would guess this blog falls squarely into the camp of political/social commentator, a salt water pundit if you will.

But does that make me a journalist? What are the requirements....the "real" requirements for this designation.

American Heritage defines it as, "1. One whose occupation is journalism. 2. One who keeps a journal."

Wordnet 2.0 says, "1: a writer for newspapers and magazines 2: someone who keeps a diary or journal".

And rounding things out, we have Merriam-Webster, who define it as,

"1 a : a person engaged in journalism; especially : a writer or editor for a news medium b : a writer who aims at a mass audience 2 : a person who keeps a journal".

Okay, that is rather broad based, perhaps we should take a look at how "journalism" is defined. Back to Merriam-Webster,

"1 a : the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media b : the public press c : an academic study concerned with the collection and editing of news or the management of a news medium 2 a : writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine b : writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation c : writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest"

I bring up the above definitions, because there seems to be a misconception perpetrated on the public at large that "Journalism is a profession much like a lawyer, or even a doctor." It (journalism) is a career, and carries with it (or so I was taught) an awesome responsibility. To present the "who, what, why, when, and how" of any given event as objectively and unbiased as possible. With the exception of the editorial page, columnists, and op-ed pieces, this used to be the expected standard, for all practitioners of the art. It was pounded into my skull by a onetime editor of a paper in the Dakota's, who also happened to be my first instructor/mentor in all things related to the newspaper side of the house, and reinforced by a Chief Petty Officer, many years later.

And *that* my friends is what journalism is really all about.

But is that applicable to me and my little bit of fluff on the net? If I were to offer up a post on some event and followed the above bold faced definitions, I would have to say yes. And in the broadest sense, whether describing your grandson's three times at bat during last nights t-ball game, or giving as concise and detailed an account of the latest shuttle launch, both would fall under those umbrellas.

Well, according to the dictionaries, this bit of fluff seems to fit in there. I am a journalist in every sense of the word. As with the media behemoths, my integrity (or lack there of) will be what causes my readership to rise and fall, my voice to be heard by many or few. And my format for doing so will be as a "blog". There will be no morphing into magazine or newsweekly, as this is how I see fit to express my views, report on the events of any given day, or review different points of historical interest.

(end of part 1)

For Those Still Puzzled

There seem to be far too many people in this country, and 'round the world, who are unclear, perhaps even befuddled, as to why we are fighting the evil currently manifesting itself as Islam (and other assorted hangers on, whose hate and or agenda makes them fellow travelers). Once the anger, experienced by those of us with clearer heads and a stronger grasp of reality, settles back to manageable levels, given some reflection, this is somewhat understandable. You've only to look at the following points to see why a large part of our country, including politicians, celebrities, and even those of considerable position and wealth, are lost in the clouds, without a clue, and at the very least, deeply puzzled about our current foreign policy.

1. For the past 70 years or so, the how, what, why, and when of the educating of America's youth was removed from local control. It was subtly (and often not so subtly) morphed from producing fully functional people ready to enter the work force, some apprentice program, or some form of higher education. More and more, the results of a public school education are nothing more then mindless automons. And with college being the exception rather then the rule, they are quite ready to have their lumps of clay (euphemistically called "minds") freely shaped, molded, and warped by academia elitists. This "learned body" of sanctimonious, socialistic/statist, "mental kiln users" (hereafter referred to as pond scum...with apologies to real pond scum everywhere), has never been fond of the ideals, concepts, and wisdom, which is the base of this great nation. They seek to see it lay in ruins before conceding the defeat of their own out dated notions and failed stratagems.

2. To report (as honestly as possible) the news of the day, be it in print, or mass media form, should be every journalist's first priority. With the largest of all these groups, firmly in the camp of the above academia elitists (This is no surprise, they were after all, taught by them while in college.), is it any wonder America's hearts and minds are assaulted on a daily basis? There's editorializing outside of print media op-ed pages , out and out sins of omission, lies masquerading as fact, and open hostility toward any one of note, or position (to include the President) if his/her views, differ from the dogma of the church of the progressives. 50-100 years ago...you knew what the stance of any given paper was...and there was almost always a counter point to be found in every midsized to major city in America. When Radio (followed by television) made it's way on the scene, for the most part the news was (still) the news, and the politics were kept on the commentary side of the house. This is no longer the case. The advent of the Vietnam war, and the joyful tearing down of a President, the die was cast. With every year since making it harder and harder to find anything resembling an honest straight forward mainstream news source.

3. Community Standards/Morals also fell hardest in the 60's (though it could be argued it was already a long time coming). Divorce, abortion, the pill, a turning away from (and the weakening of) many mainstream Christian and Jewish sects, saw the standards/morals of communities across the country weekend. As a more "anything goes" philosophy took root, along with a (almost expected) non-conformist attitude toward, what only a generation ago, was the accepted norm for acting not only in public, but in a polite society, the moral vacuum was complete. This lack of common grounding, allowed for wave upon wave of sociological, philosophical, and psychological mantra to be hoisted upon the public at large....and far too many fell for one or another, to some degree or another. The inmates, were at last, running the asylum.

To be fair, there were a very large portion of society which didn't buy into the liberal progressive strongholds evidenced in points 2 and 3. They have also over the years become increasingly frustrated with the fallout from point #1. These good people would be us. The survivors of the counter culture, the ones still rooted in traditional values...or at the very least public courtesy. And as such, we know the evil we face, be it here or across the sea, is a clear and present danger. We are not befuddled, or fuzzy in our thinking as to what needs to be done. It is no puzzle to us....but for those who may find the War on Terror, to be just that...too puzzling....go "below the fold" and perhaps that will help you straighten things out. The rest of us already figured it out, 'long time ago.

Real Life and Odds and Ends

Due to being under the weather, and a couple of other odds and ends posting has been light the last few days.... I hope to see some improvement by tomorrow. The would explain why I haven't submitted anything to the Carnival of Liberty. Go visit, read, and ponder. The rights they are addressing are your own. For that matter, check out all the folks under the Life, Liberty, Property banner on the right hand column, they have gathered together, united in common cause, our "Bill of Rights" are just that..."OURS"!!!. They are not something to be cavalierly rescinded by the capriciousness of the State. they were never "the State's" to begin with!!

The newest addition (again, on the right hand side) is the Union Jack. In these times which try men's souls, anything to let our cousins across the sea know we stand with them shoulder to shoulder against such evil as exists in the world...if only by showing the colors. Until further notice, their flag shall fly!

The Many Forms of Evil

Another variant of "The Islamist Religion of Peace and Knitting Society" ™ seeks to teach the Great Satan and it's minions a lesson. Time will tell if they are at least partially successful. Based on the initial comments made by British Prime minister Tony Blair and the Mayor of London, for the moment the "stiff upper lip" the English are so famous for rules the day. I wish them only the best and my heart goes out to those who suffered loss because of this monstrous act.

What we have to remember is this evil we face has many faces, many forms. The crazed Islamic extremist is perhaps the most noticeable. At first blush they may also seem to be the most effective. In the short term, case by case, I would agree. There are others:

Those who continue to view Wahabists, and their ilk, as the end result of Western civilization's cavalier attitude, and handling of "the collective poor and downtrodden third world nations". These people with stars in their eyes, cotton for brains, and a mantra of "if we only understood them better...if we only tried to get along...if we only gave peace a chance.", have always been around. They wouldn't be a concern, except their views have found a voice via any number of main stream media outlets. This not only gives them unwarranted credibility, it acts as a corrosive agent, eroding the resolve of all who seek to remove the cancer spreading 'round the world. They are part of the evil

Those of the Islamic faith, be they leaders of Middle Eastern countries, or mullahs in their respective mosques...where are your collective voices rising up as one...condemning the so called radical elements of your faith? The lack of a response is far more deafening, at this point, then any words. You side with evil out of envy, or jealousy (for all the West has achieved, you and your religion becomes more irrelevant as time goes on). You side with evil because you wish to see the only productive country and it's peoples, driven to the sea...yes, I am talking about your undisguised hatred of Israel. You would side with evil to meet your goals. Dealing with the devil has a very high cost.

Those of the progressive/statist/socialistic who are sworn to protect and defend the constitution in the proper carrying out of their elected positions. You are willing to give up your birth right to regain the power your party and your ideals supposedly held in this country. You are whores. John Kerry, Dick Durbin, Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, Barbra Boxer...the list goes on. I will not call you by your titles, you are all traitors, by your words and actions (or lack there of) you have strengthened the will and resolve of the evil we fight. At the same time you have slighted those who place their lives on the line to allow you to spew your poison, during time of war. You or your agents go out of your way to slander the President and his cabinet, not offering valid counter proposals, but the same tired rhetoric heard far too often.

Look at the corrupted attempt at a united world body of enlightened thought, "The League of Excremental Gentlemen" ™ taking space on the shores of the Hudson. The European version of Laural and Hardy, more commonly known as *spit* France*spit* and *spit* Germany*spit*. Let's not forget that schizoid former *Super power*, Russia, with their own version of Charlie Chaplin, Vladimir Putin, who can't decide whether he is "The Little Tramp" or "The Great Dictator". Evil has taken three one time great nations...and something which could have been a shinning example of what is good and noble about human kind, and turned them all into buffoons.

Yes, evil is easily recognisable in the form of a half crazed, gibbering idiot, stuck in the 14th century. But we must be equally on guard against the subtle (and not so subtle) forms it takes both in and out of this country, and we should take what actions we can to quell these with as strong a fervor as we would take against the Wahabist. The Islamist terrorist is but the rattling tail of the serpent....the others listed above compose the rest of the beast...and all are evil.

Evil strikes at the heart of England

Evil, whether manifesting itself in the form of a supernatural being (and his minions), as the equal and opposite cosmic force to good or as the tangible form of "chaos" against "order", is real, it exists. It found form, substance, and showed it's malignancy in London today.

A group calling itself, "The Secret Organization of Al Quaeda in Europe", claims responsiblity, as the agent of evil, in bringing about at least 4 explosions in London this morning. Striking at both the British underground, and at least one double-decker bus. Current estimates, via Sky News, state 45 are dead at this moment (9:40 CDST) and upwards of 1000 are injured.

At this moment, the world has expressed it's shock and offers it's condolences to the strongest ally we have had in the past four years. But the same evil which set this in motion today, will not stay static. When will we hear, this is all America's, Israel's, Western civilizations fault? When will we hear the voice of hate from the Middle East speak out with pride, about today's actions? Who will be the first voice from the left, be they Senator, Congressman, "talking head", to either blame the President, or talk about our need to accept the guilt for all that is wrong with the world?

May we witness, because of today's actions, a return in England, to the same attitude which prompted Winston Churchill to exclaim "This is our finest hour", when things were at there darkest. May they know, we stand by their side, as they did for us almost four years ago. Let today's actions be the crucible which tempers our resolve, and strengthen our bonds in the fight against evil. May we finally be able to strike a blow against the Wahabists...in a way they are capable of understanding. Islam reminds us they kept the sciences and mathematics alive during the dark ages....let's give them some simple math....for every one of our innocents who fall...you shall find tens of thousands nothing but ash and memory. For every city, building, or monument damaged or destroyed....your holiest of hollies shall exist only in your memory, with future generations only knowing a shiny glass "marker" as to it's former location.

Perhaps now the half steps will stop, the gloves will come off, and finally we will let loose the dogs of war in all their fury. There is no other acceptable course of action.

Independence Dazed.

Has all the hype, planning for gathering of friends and family, the three day (or longer) weekend in the middle of summer, and other trappings of this day left you in a daze? It might be worth noting, the folks who allowed for today to be the significant day it is were somewhat preoccupied as well....

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states."

Two Hundred Twenty Nine Years ago, today, the document containing these words was signed.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levey war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

At least thirty of the fifty some odd signators of the Decloration of Independence lost their properties, fortunes, and in some cases family members as a direct result of actions they took in following their beliefs. The thoughts and words they held and expressed were not idle banter. The British certianly considered them to be at the very least reactionaries, and traitors to King and country, and at worst a direct threat to King and British rule. Yet, they persisted...and in the years following this decloration....engaged in armed conflict with the single most powerful nation of that time. We would emerge, a new nation, "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal". A scant 36 years later would find us taking up arms against the British one final time. This conflict would resolve itself in our favor as well.

Only within the last 64 years would this nation find agents, acting in accordence with foreign powers, attempting to strike within the borders (or protectorates) of these United States. Something not seen since the War of 1812. A united resolve and a national will to bring the Axis powers to their knees and ultimate end, was our answer to this threat.

Today we are involved in the first stages of world wide conflict to remove the newest version of an old cancer. Will we stay the course, as we have so many times before? Will we unite, as the literal and figuretive vanguard of freedom and liberty, to crush the cancer of religious and ideological darkness which avows to rid the world of our Western culture and thought? Or will we turn our backs not only on those tens of thousands of American men and women who freely gave of their "lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor", but the countless tens of thousands of freedom loving humanity throughout the world, who gave of their own "blood, sweat, and toil"?

Today...before you head off to see the fireworks, sharing good times and good food with family, neighbors, and friends, We are in a daze....thinking of relaxing and recharging before returning to our respective "rat races". Perhaps if we take a moment to reflect on those who signed the Decloration of Independence. Remembering the words, the ideals, and the price paid by those who gave us this nation. Understanding it is an ongoing responsibility, we all must accept, in wanting to remain true to these ideals, to remember same. To step out of the daze, and pay almage to the original patriots of the day. Knowing what they passed on to us is always in need of defending whether it be by the power of pen and paper, in addressing attacks to your liberties and freedoms. Or, if need be, by the use of stronger methods as proscribed by the Constitution, if the need should arise. If we stay in a comfortable daze, forgetting what was written, or why, this nation's days will be numbered, and we as free, liberty loving men, shall surely parish from the face of this earth.

Couples

Christina, kindly asked if I could produce something for this weeks 1k tale. Who am I to say no. So here was the setup for said story, and what follows is my five active braincell's rendition of the 1k story polka.

Two people are seated at a diner in the early hours of the morning. One passes the other an object under the table. Without touching their coffee, first one leaves, then the other. After the parties part ways, the recipient of the object is struck by a vehicle. Someone else retrieves the object...

Here we go....some fireworks for our upcoming Independence day

Couples

Samantha giggled. Tom looked so earnest sitting across from her at
their booth in the little dinner, she'd flashed back to an old black
and white movie from last. In it the ingenue had fallen for the
mysterious stranger, ending up transporting state secrets, in her bra,
across the border. Looking again at her lover, given the chance, she
would do the same thing too.

Tom, on the other hand, was not nearly as cool, calm, or collected as
Sam's celluloid hero had been. His palms shook under the table, and
he could swear the tiny dinner was reverberating with the sound of his
heart. His thoughts, unlike Sam's, had nothing to do
with microfilm and secret agents...

Sitting in the pickup, even in the early morning hours, caused a small
rivulet of sweat to run down Beth's neck. She dabbed at it with a
Kleenex, thinking, "Why can't this good for nothing get his damn air
conditioning fixed?" Glancing at Greg, Beth rolled her window down
hoping the cross ventilation would help....this hot and humid, this
early, perhaps they would get some much needed rain later that day.

Greg grabbing a smoke out of his shirt pocket, asked if she wanted
one. Taking the proffered cigarette, the dark haired, dark eyed
beauty took a deep drag, mumbled "thanks", and brooded...

Tom, a widower, had done the best he could in raising his two kids.
They were out of the house now. The boy was attending the local
junior college. His daughter looked as good as her mother at her age.
"She'll have a ring on her finger soon enough", he thought.

Tom had begun to focus on his own needs. It had been a long time
since he even allowed the thought of another women enter into his
mind. Tom couldn't imagine being able to divide his loyalties between
them and someone they would only view (to his mind) as a replacement
mother. Once they had reached their teens, especially his little
girl, the chores in and outside the house had been taken over with
little or no resistance by the kids.

Last year he had met Samantha. Tom edited/owned the local paper,
placing all his time, energy, and emotion into it after his wife had
died. She was the new graphics designer he had hired when they had
gone whole hog into the computer age. What started out as a "proper"
office relationship, one day, crossed over the line to the beginnings
of something more. Funny thing was, Tom could not remember what
caused them to cross that line. Perhaps it was the realization, with
the kids grown and leaving the nest, this old bird needed to spread
his wings ....Sam had proven to be as far as he needed to fly.

They pulled into a gas station. While Greg tanked up, with as much as
15 dollars would give him, Beth went inside grabbed a couple of sodas,
and paid the clerk. Back in the truck they continued toward town.
"You can drop me off here," said Beth, "You know what to do. I'll meet
up with you back home." Greg nodded, and stopped to let Beth off,
watching her disappear around a corner, he lit another cigarette, and
waited.

Samantha felt Tom's knees brushing against hers under the table. Then
his hand was on her knee. Sam suppressed a look of surprise, this
early in the day and especially in public, Tom was hardly this open
with his affections. But she thought it felt delightful. Reaching
under the table Sam's hand found his...and as she smiled at him...felt
his other hand and something more...it felt like a small box.

Tom turned her hand over and placed the little...why it felt like
velvet...box into her hand. Sam let out a gasp. They had looked at
rings just the other day. Looking into Tom's eyes, "Tom, if this is
what I think it is....." "Just say yes", replied Tom.

"Oh...yes, YES! Let's get out of here, darling. I want to spend the
day with you, away from work. Let me run home and grab a couple of
things, and I'll meet you at the office. Say you'll take the rest of
the day off?" Tom smiled, "Of course. I'll see you back at the office
in, say 15 minutes?" Through glistening eyes, all Samantha could say
was, "Yes."

The couple didn't even stay for their coffee. Exiting the dinner, Tom
headed toward the office. Sam headed in the opposite direction, toward
her apartment, three short blocks beyond. Samantha, in her own world,
looked up only a second before the truck hit her. It was the last
thing she would ever see. With the small amount of traffic on the
road at that time of day, it was out of sight before most folks
realized there was death at the crosswalk.

Beth stepped out from the ally, adjacent to the dinner, and gave
Samantha's a quick once over. She noticed and grabbed the small box
still in the dead girls hand, then returned to the shadows of the
alley before anyone saw her.

Beth didn't call a cab like she'd told her brother Greg. Nor did she
head to her father's office at the newspaper. She went out the back
of the alley, heading toward her father's house. She had changed her
mind. After all, daddy was going to have to eat something, and in
need of a shoulder to cry on. He would be very distrait but she would
take care of him. Hadn't she always done that since her mother died,
so many years ago? Beth knew she was all her daddy ever needed. She
was daddies little girl...and NO ONE was ever going to take her place.