The Golden Gate

Things that offend Islam.

…

Not the Halliburton vetted press release.

Just wrong in so many wonderful ways. That’s our [the Blogosphere's very own] Hubris. Go here. Do it now.

Jeez.

and its treatment of women:

MULTAN, Pakistan - A Pakistani man cut off the nose and lips of his 19-year-old sister-in-law after she went to court for a divorce in a tribal area of the central province of Punjab, police said on Thursday.

Abbas then attacked the girl, hacking off her nose and slicing off her lips.

A doctor treating the girl said her nose had been cut off from the bridge and her lips partially severed.

Numerous cases have also been reported of women being disfigured as punishment for offending a man‘s honour.

Full story here.

And if you can stand it, here are National Geographic photos of a similar case. Extremely disturbing. Be forewarned. See them here and
here.

This is the ideology we are at war with, people.

Hat Tip Dhimmi Watch

Cox and Forkum sum up W’s no tax and spend ways. Here’s the toon:

Be sure to read the rest of their entry at the link.

“Legacy of September 11th, 2005: Israel Spawns Terror Base for the Enemy” by David Bedein

As Israel pulled its troops out of the areas where 21 Jewish communities had thrived in the Katif district of Gaza and four more Jewish communities in Northern Samaria, the Israeli public was under the mistaken impression that the IDF handed over a piece of scorched earth to the Palestinian population. Hundreds of bulldozed homes from 26 Jewish communities of Katif and Northern Samaria were shown on the Israeli media being turned into rubble by Israeli army bulldozers.

Not one Israeli media outlet showed the 400 public buildings that the IDF did not bulldoze - schools, youth clubs, town council buildings, shelters, and electric grids - which Israel handed over to the Palestinian Authority, founded by the PLO - an entity defined by the preamble of Israel’s own disengagement plan as anything but a “peace partner”.

It is hard to find anyone in Israel who knows that a premise of the Disengagement plan was to leave the buildings and economic infrastructure ONLY for a “Palestinian population not involved in terror”, and that the Israeli government completely ignored that fundamental requirement.

Meanwhile, the PLO, which runs Gaza through its Palestinian Authority. is comprised of rival Arab terror organizations, all of whom remain in a state of total war with Israel, including the Fateh, headed by the titular leader of the Palestinian Authority - Machmud Abbas.

Yet in a generation weaned on the hopes of the Oslo process, it is hard to find anyone in Israel who knows that the Arab League, created for the sole purpose of destroying Israel, pioneered the PLO back in 1964 to fulfill that same goal, which has never changed.

It is hard to anyone in Israel who knows that the creation of a Palestinian entity in a section of “Palestine” was in keeping with the PLO’s “strategy of phases”, which was conceived by Abbas himself as an amendment to the PLO Covenant of war with Israel.

It is hard to find anyone in Israel who knows that the PLO never nullified its covenant of war to destroy Israel, albeit in stages.

Read it all. Hat tip: Dhimmi Watch

An on-line chat transcript: why we must stay in Iraq.

Oh man. Go read this. All of it.

VIA: Glenn Reynolds

Once the dust settles, I intend to post a thorough entry on Katrina, the finger pointing, the line of responsibility, and our increasing dependence on gov’t, etc.

For now, a tidbit here and there. Here’s a good one. Wuzzadem Handles this myth fairly well:

Myth: Representatives of the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevented the Red Cross from delivering a shipment of food and water to evacuees housed at the Superdome and the New Orleans Convention Center on September 2, 2005.

Go check it out. While you’re there, have a look around. He’s got some great TV news parodies and other humor.

Furthermore, Israel is no more a racist state for creating a haven for Jews then Saudi Arabia is a racist state for creating a haven for Arabs. Whosoever points an accusing finger toward Israel in this regard will find four fingers pointing back at them, because Israel is a democratic state where freedom of religion is enjoyed by a multitude of ethnic groups. Charges of racism are empty and inflammatory.

Jews are willing to share their land with the Palestinians. But peace also depends upon the willingness of Palestinians to share their land with the Jews. Please ask yourself a basic question: If Israel laid down her weapons and retired her army, navy and air force, how long do you think it would take for Israel to be conquered by Muslims? Days? Weeks? Or Months?

Now, ask yourself the question in reverse. If all of Israel’s neighbors laid down their weapons in the same manner, is it likely Israel would attempt to conquer Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia? I believe honest answers to these questions clarify the essence of the conflict. Namely that only one party seeks the destruction of the other.

Go read it all.

…By Rick Moran over at the Right Wing Nuthouse. In my experience, this puts it all into perspective.

Too bad they didn’t try the Magic Marker approach.

I have said for some time in conversation that I support high oil prices. While in the short term they are painful, this…is good. It is only the pain of the high cost of oil that will have people look for other alternatives and it is only the high cost of oil that makes other, initially more expensive solutions be relatively more affordable.

A study released yesterday states that America has more oil locked in shale on Colorado than the entire Middle East. It is because the price of oil is so high, and that one of the elements of Bush’s energy policy was to open the door to shale oil development, that this is overwhelmingly good news. It would be good news anyway, but now it is glorious.

Here’s the story.

I have long been frustrated with activists, politicians and policy makers who seek, support, and pass legislation with the intention of producing some economic result that ends of producing the very opposite effect. Price controls are just one example. Hawaii’s recent choice to put price caps on wholesale gas will create shortages. Period. Other problems are numerous with price controls. But the bottom line is that they simply harm the consumer while politicos get to say they “did something”. For a brief treatment of this, go here. For a thorough and thoroughly readable treatment on economics, I recommend Thomas Sowell’s Basic Economics: the Antidote for Idiocy A Citizen’s Guide to the Economy.

In addition to the general public and activist and politicos, we now know that the problem of economic common sense in this Country is in the sorry condition it is because basic economic reasoning is not taught well, if at all, and the very people who teach economics do not possess it.

A recent study [PDF] found that 78% of economists gave the wrong answer to a simple economic question of opportunity costs. Many of these economists were professionals or doctorates. All of them from top-30 programs in the Country. This is stunning. Here is a New York Times column on the study and the issue.

With increasing economic legislation and regulation and increasing demand for gov’t intervention into all parts of our lives including economics, it would be kinda nice if they were actually educated on solid principles of basic economic reasoning, dontcha think?. This affects all of us, people.

From the TechCentralStation piece linked to above:

“Some analysts warn move may spur supply problems.”

Really? Only “some”? Maybe they need to be more careful about which “analysts” they listen to. Whatever would we do without those other “analysts”?

Imagine the headlines, “Legislature Mandates Pi To Equal 3.00000 — Some Analysts Warn Move May Spur Engineering Problems,” or “King Canute Commands Tide To Recede — Some Analysts Warn Move May Spur Wet Footwear Problems.” What would we think of the analysts who thought that the proposed mandates were no problem, perfectly in consonance with the laws of physics and human nature? Even most people with typical journalism educations would recognize such heads and subheads as the jokes they are, but somehow when it comes to basic economics, the laws of supply and demand, and the function of prices in a market economy bizarrely remain subjects for public debate.

Bizarre indeed.

And I prefer this analogy: it’s as if the Senate and the House were to pass legislation to temporarily ban gravity to give relief to the airline industry through the increased fuel efficiency they would enjoy.

This is what Hawaii is effectively doing. Laughing in the face of objective reality.

The next time you want something done about something, ask yourself if you are certain you understand for yourself [not from this party's propaganda or that party's propaganda or some questionable study that buttresses your pre-determined opinion] the dynamics at play, the underlying principles being demonstrated, etc. What it means to get legislation passed is that you are voting or asking your representative to vote for the authorization of the use of force against your neighbor. Be it police action to enforce the new statute or be it the use of force though increased taxation [gov't sponsored theft] it is force.

Are you certain you are clear enough and confident enough in your reasoning to support that? Have you considered under what conditions the use of force is just? Have you ever denied evidence that contradicted your position and shrugged it off or rejected it out of hand?

Even before Katrina, this article was relevant for the stunning display of ignorance around gas prices by many:

With every disaster or crisis, it seems that the public, press and politicians require a remedial course in Economics 101. In fact, apparently we need an ongoing educational campaign even when there is no catastrophe, as demonstrated by the recent foolish legislation in the state of Hawaii to cap wholesale fuel prices. Note the subhead in the linked story: “Some analysts warn move may spur supply problems.”

Really? Only “some”? Maybe they need to be more careful about which “analysts” they listen to. Whatever would we do without those other “analysts”?

 

Imagine the headlines, “Legislature Mandates Pi To Equal 3.00000 — Some Analysts Warn Move May Spur Engineering Problems,” or “King Canute Commands Tide To Recede — Some Analysts Warn Move May Spur Wet Footwear Problems.” What would we think of the analysts who thought that the proposed mandates were no problem, perfectly in consonance with the laws of physics and human nature? Even most people with typical journalism educations would recognize such heads and subheads as the jokes they are, but somehow when it comes to basic economics, the laws of supply and demand, and the function of prices in a market economy bizarrely remain subjects for public debate.

Go and read it all at Tech Central Station

This is just too idiotic to even be funny:

When FBI supervisors in Miami met with new interim U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta last month, they wondered what the top enforcement priority for Acosta and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would be.

Would it be terrorism? Organized crime? Narcotics trafficking? Immigration? Or maybe public corruption?

The agents were stunned to learn that a top prosecutorial priority of Acosta and the Department of Justice was none of the above. Instead, Acosta told them, it’s obscenity. Not pornography involving children, but pornographic material featuring consenting adults.

Acosta’s stated goal of prosecuting distributors of adult porn has angered federal and local law enforcement officials, as well as prosecutors in his own office. They say there are far more important issues in a high-crime area like South Florida, which is an international hub at risk for terrorism, money laundering and other dangerous activities.

His own prosecutors have warned Acosta that prioritizing adult porn would reduce resources for prosecuting other crimes, including porn involving children. According to high-level sources who did not want to be identified, Acosta has assigned prosecutors porn cases over their objections.

Read it all here if you can stand the idiocy.

via LGF:

Here’s an interesting e-mail from a Doctor in New Orleans to staff at UAMS, courtesy of LGF reader CoCo:

***
This is a dispatch from New Orleans from Dr. Greg Henderson, a pathologist who recently moved from Wilmington:

Thanks to all of you who have sent your notes of concern and your prayers. I am writing this note on Tuesday at 2 p.m.. I wanted to update all of you as to the situation here. I don’t know how much information you are getting but I am certain it is more than we are getting. Be advised that almost everything I am telling you is from direct observation or rumor from reasonable sources. They are allowing limited internet access, so I hope to send this dispatch today.

Personally, my family and I are fine. My family is safe in Jackson, Miss., and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New Orleans. I figured if it was my time to go, I wanted to go in a place with a good wine list. In addition, this hotel is in a very old building on Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. Many of the other hotels sustained significant loss of windows, and we expect that many of the guests may be evacuated here.

Things were obviously bad yesterday, but they are much worse today. Overnight the water arrived. Now Canal Street (true to its origins) is indeed a canal. The first floor of all downtown buildings is underwater. I have heard that Charity Hospital and Tulane are limited in their ability to care for patients because of water. Ochsner is the only hospital that remains fully functional. However, I spoke with them today and they too are on generator and losing food and water fast.

The city now has no clean water, no sewerage system, no electricity, and no real communications. Bodies are still being recovered floating in the floods. We are worried about a cholera epidemic. Even the police are without effective communications. We have a group of armed police here with us at the hotel that is admirably trying to exert some local law enforcement. This is tough because looting is now rampant. Most of it is not malicious looting. These are poor and desperate people with no housing and no medical care and no food or water trying to take care of themselves and their families. Unfortunately, the people are armed and dangerous. We hear gunshots frequently. Most of Canal street is occupied by armed looters who have a low threshold for discharging their weapons. We hear gunshots frequently. The looters are using makeshift boats made of pieces of styrofoam to access. We are still waiting for a significant national guard presence.

The health care situation here has dramatically worsened overnight. Many people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many other guests have unusual diseases. … There are (Infectious Disease) physicians in at this hotel attending an HIV confection. We have commandeered the world famous French Quarter Bar to turn into an makeshift clinic. There is a team of about seven doctors and PAs and pharmacists. We anticipate that this will be the major medical facility in the central business district and French Quarter.

Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens on Canal under police escort. The pharmacy was dark and full of water. We basically scooped the entire drug sets into garbage bags and removed them. All under police escort. The looters had to be held back at gunpoint. After a dose of prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.

In all we are faring well. We have set up a hospital in the French Quarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients today. Many will be from the hotel, but many will not. We are anticipating dealing with multiple medical problems, medications and and acute injuries. Infection and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems. Food and water shortages are imminent.

The biggest question to all of us is where is the National Guard. We hear jet fighters and helicopters, but no real armed presence, and hence the rampant looting. There is no Red Cross and no Salvation Army.

In a sort of cliche way, this is an edifying experience. One is rapidly focused away from the transient and material to the bare necessities of life. It has been challenging to me to learn how to be a primary care physician. We are under martial law so return to our homes is impossible. I don’t know how long it will be and this is my greatest fear. Despite it all, this is a soul-edifying experience. The greatest pain is to think about the loss. And how long the rebuild will take. And the horror of so many dead people.

PLEASE SEND THIS DISPATCH TO ALL YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED IN A DISPATCH from the front. I will send more according to your interest. Hopefully their collective prayers will be answered. By the way, suture packs, sterile gloves and stethoscopes will be needed as the Ritz turns into a MASH

In Indonesia:

JAKARTA (ANS) — The three women charged with violating Indonesia’s 2002 Child Protection Act by Christianizing Muslim children were found guilty today of all charges in an Indonesian court charged with anti-Christian radicals.

Jeff Hammond, director of Bless Indonesia Today, told ANS Dr. Rebecca Laonita, Mrs. Ratna Mala Bangun, and Mrs. Ety Pangesti, who conducted a “Happy Week” (or “Happy Sunday”) program in their homes in early May, were found “guilty of all charges” and given a sentence of three years.

Hammond pointed out that the guilty verdict was pronounced, even though the children had their parents’ permission to attend, and none of them had changed their religion.

Full Story here. VIA the indispensable Robert Spencer.

And here is another one from his site:

August 30 (Compass) — Bektas Erdogan never expected his Christian faith of 11 years to jeopardize his career as a fashion designer in Turkey.

Hired five months ago by a designer jeans company in the Beyazit district of Istanbul, Erdogan was assured by his Muslim boss that he would be evaluated on the basis of his work, not his religion.

After his first collection sold successfully in Russia, Erdogan thought the phone call he received earlier this month from his employer — asking him to come to work on a Sunday afternoon — boded well. Maybe there was a surprise company dinner.

But that evening at the shop, his supervisor angrily accused him of “missionary work” and “brainwashing.” With the help of two employees and a relative, he beat Erdogan for two hours. The men repeatedly struck the designer’s head and face with their fists and the butt of a pistol. Three times Erdogan’s boss attempted to shoot him, but the gun failed to fire.

“He really wanted to kill me. It wasn’t just to scare me,” said Erdogan, who told Compass that he prayed for help and meditated on Bible verses while his attackers threatened to murder him and hide his body.

His co-workers released the 32-year-old Erdogan with a swollen and bloody face around 9 p.m., warning that they would kill him later. Since then, he has received three anonymous phone calls threatening his life.

Spencer asks the very poignant question: what would happen if Christians in the West did this to Muslims? I wonder.

As long as we are at it, here is a video [.WMV] to download if you can stand to watch people being stoned to death for adultery by members of the “Religion of Peace”. Watch it at your own risk knowing what they are doing.

One of these days, multiculturalist will eventually wake up and realize that some cultures are vile and must not be allowed in civilized societies. Muslim Sharia Law is one of them. Period.