Google alternatives

Google's bend over for the Chicoms, gives all the appearance of having been done while saying "oh please" "oh please".

Dean's World has an interesting historical comparison.

The apartheid government in South Africa, in 1986 (i.e. 20 years ago today) asks internet search engines operating in South Africa to block any sites regarding anyone named Mandela, the African National Congress, the notion of democracy, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or even the Declaration of Independence. Google rolls over like a cheap whore and says "Yes master! You're in charge!" and then tells the rest of us "hey, we're only complying with local laws and customs."

Read the whole thing, he includes several alternative search engines worth considering.

---

Previous posts:

To Google or not to Google?

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

Judge Alito sworn in...

so prepare for the Apocalypse and for women being chained bare foot and pregnant to old stoves and ironing boards, and gather your children close, because they may be strip searched for chewing bubble gum in public. At least that appears to be the future awaiting us, if one is to believe the rantings from Ted Kennedy and the emoting from little Dick Durbin concerning this man's successful lifetime appointment to associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. I made sure to include the lifetime part, with emphasis, in case any DailyKosNut, moonbat or Democrap Underground (sewer) wackos were reading, as I'm sure their head will explode at being reminded of that. I'm just trying to help out the Democrat party, since they are doing so much damage to it. They aren't doing much good for the country either with their idiocy.

What else could explain John F'n Kerry (served in Vietnam btw), calling in from Davos, Switzerland to beseech his brethren to rally for a filibuster, other than trying to appeal to this element of the party? It's pretty funny when his own party leaders go - uhm nope. Even Hillary! couldn't gin up enough support for the f-bomb and bomb it did.

I do have to admit, that on one issue, I was somewhat in error. During the Judge Roberts confirmation process I had stated that "Bush made a mistake" regarding his support for Arlen Spector. While I would still like to have someone who is actually conservative in his place, I have to concede that my worst fears have not been realized. The other side, despite their rhetoric and distortions, has not been able to stop these justices from being confirmed and sworn in for lifetime appointments. (emphasis added in case some heads failed to explode the first time)

We have now been through two confirmation hearings where we have had to listen to the opposition caterwaul about how precious the courts are for moving society forward. All of this reminded me of an earlier post of mine about the judiciary. As I wrote then, their attitude can be summed up by the phrase "It's good to be the King."

There are also those who may be fretting about how many Catholics *gasp* are now on the U.S. Supreme Court. Certainly, we must be nearing the dreaded Theocracy! they have been accusing the administration of trying to impose on Americans. I've already dealt with the mistakes in using this term so often with Theocracy, an introduction and Theocracy - Abortion. It seems, that some have a knee-jerk reaction to Christian support for laws or even Christians being involved in politics. In some discussions I have had, it would see that a few would even prefer a religious test before you can even vote. Fortunately, this is a very small group of hardly influential people, but then, you have someone like Richard Dawkins saying that religious instruction to children is akin to mental child abuse. Whatever - Dick, perhaps you should get a grip and calm down.

On the bright side, ad mist the doom and gloom of pustulant affliction that is the wacko left/moonbat element of the Democrat party, there is the thought of how they will be affected by the applause the President will receive in his State of The Union address when he mentions Justice Alito being sworn in today. Well, I guess it will only be bright on the sane side but that's ok by me :-)

---

Be sure to check out these blogs:

Jo's Cafe has a Tuesdays specials open post.
Mudville Gazette has an open post
The Liberal Wrong - Wing has an open trackback post
Those Bastards! has an open trackback post
Common Folk Using Common Sense has an open trackback post/linkfest

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

Will they throw cartoon bombs? Jihad!!!

I suppose that is too much to ask for. An international crisis is developing over satirical and yes, offensive to Muslims, cartoon depictions of the prophet Mohammed. I can sympathize with being upset but asking for laws to ban such things is rather ridiculous to put it politely. Though, I have to admit, it is better than the extremists throwing non-cartoon bombs at cartoonists or anyone who speaks the same langauage or happens to vaguely appear to have the same ethnicity as said blasphemers. Magic Statistics has a number of links as well as his own story regarding attention received because of this matter. One item in particular, caught my attention:

Scandinavians warned to leave Gaza This morning armed Palestinians stormed the European Union office in Gaza City, threatening Danes and Norwegians and demanding that they leave. Two Norwegian aid workers are on their way out of the region. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry has warned Norwegian citizens against travelling to Gaza. The Danish Foreign Ministry warned Danes to be extremely cautious while travelling in the Middle East and North Africa. Yesterday the Danish national flag was burned in the West Bank in protest against the publication of 12 cartoons of Muhammad (see them all here, halfway the article) in the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten last September. Depicting the prophet is blasphemy according to Islam.

Good grief! Do the whack jobs not have a long enough list for reasons to physically threaten and kill people? These are freakin cartoons, boycott if you must, but violence?! To help fan the flames by justifying the anger, we now have Clinton comparing the cartoons to anti-Semitism. See the links at the Ace of Spades post:

In case you haven't seen this at LGF yet, that degenerate Clinton has just converted to Islam. Apparently, a couple of mild cartoons about Mohammed is the same as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. [...]

We finally have the UN recognize that the Holocaust occurred and then Clinton compares cartoons to the anti-Semitism that the Jews have endured. Great timing, fool! Atlas Shrugs has a good post on this cartoon Jihad as well as the UN acknowledges Holocaust with pictures that should put things in perspective for most people. Previous posts: A website that needs to be shut down *update* I'm nominating this and another post for Don Suber's Tuesday's Best Posts

Technorati Tags: Muhammad, Danes, Cartoons, Islam, censorship, Religion, Current Affairs, News and politics, Jyllands-Posten, Mohammed, Denmark

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

The Oprah and fried Frey

Sounds like a southern dish doesn't it? However, this is not about culinary delights South of the Mason-Dixon line. Rather, I've noticed the little brouhaha over Frey's, how should we say it? stretching the truth a bit in writing his "memoir". It seems to me, that dismissal quotes are necessary, as he has really upset The Oprah over his exaggerations. It was so bad, that according to an account on WLS Newstalk 890, her audience gasped at his revealing the creepy detail that he changed how someone had committed suicide from slit wrists to hanging. I really can't think of a good reason for that, except to get a more impressive visual, although he denies that as motivation. That of course, brings the rest of his flim-flam into focus and questions abound.

This does make me wonder though. Earlier The Oprah had defended Frey with her phone call to Larry King (barely) aLive.

"Although some of the facts have been questioned … that underlying message of the redemption of James Frey still resonates with me, and I know that it resonates with millions of other people who have read the book," Winfrey said in a surprise on-air call to CNN's "Larry King Live," on which Frey was a guest. "Whether car wheels rolled up on a curb … is irrelevant to me."

Apparently, The Oprah isn't too happy that the uproar refused to die down, so under the bus goes Frey. You just can't be messing with The Oprah's cred with her soccer mom audience after all. So, I'm wondering when Billy boy Clinton is going to get such a dressing down. Last I remember she let him get away with some whoppers and her audience nodded in agreement to his spewdom. Thinking back, I should have bought stock in a kneepad manufacturer, as it appeared, from that audience, that there would soon be a run on such merchandise. One can imagine the possibility of overtaking the Hillary! performance in cattle futures. You can catch my view at the time from an earlier post "Are Chicago Women Really This Stupid?"

I wonder, is Frey going to write another "memoir" about how it felt to be dressed down by The Oprah? Does he have to even give back his current compensation? Such things make one wonder if being honest is really the best way to live life. Don't worry friends I know that it is. Unfortunately, free-market capitalism or political freedom for that matter, can't survive well in a culture that doesn't hold honesty or personal responsibility in high regard. Sometimes, I worry where our country is headed when such stories dominate the news cycle.

As for Frey and the new book he could write, I have a title to pass on that was suggested to me by a friend/coworker. I had to agree, considering the gloriously angelic aria that some in The Oprah's audience must hear as The Oprah's gilded halo glows at them from the TV screen, as they wait with baited breath while noshing on their Ben and Jerry's ice cream, for The Oprah's latest pronouncement; the only title that may just suffice is, "The Passion of The Oprah".

---

Be sure to check out the following blogs:

The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns had a Gettin' To Know You: OTA Weekend (Better late than never)
Jo's Cafe has a Monday Specials open post
Mudville Gazette has an open post

*update*

I'm nominating this and another post for Don Suber's Tuesday's Best Posts

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

The pictures say it all ;-)

Poor little ex-tyrant caught in a spider hole Saddam.

Time Out by SondraK highlights Saddam's latest outburst in court:

Saddam Hussein: “I want to leave the court.”

Judge Rahman: “You do not leave, I allow you to leave when I want to.”

[Judge Rahman orders him to leave]

Saddam Hussein: “You are an Iraqi, you cannot order me like that. I led you for 35 years.”

Make sure you check it out, the photos alone are worth it.

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

10+ years - almost down the drain

Literally! Some of you may remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry mentioned his 13 year no vomit run.

The Masseuse

JERRY: No eight years isn't such a long streak.

ELAINE: It isn't?

JERRY: No I haven't vomited in thirteen years.

ELAINE: Get out!

JERRY: Not since June 29, 1980.

ELAINE: You remember the date?

JERRY: Yes, because my previous vomit was also June 29th... 1972. That's why during the '80 vomit, I was yelling to George: "Can you believe it? I'm vomiting on June 29th again."

The only vomit I can remember is my reaction to a particular breakfast beverage when I was a kid. I suspect I have since then, so let's just say 10+ years is my current run of vomitless living.

What brings this up? Well, I was reading the latest post at Atlas Shrugs. After smacking down the evil Iran North Korea and Hamas trifecta of whack jobs/crazy killers, she gives us this gem:

Meanwhile, the world fawns over Bill Clinton at Davos ....

[...]

But nobody could match the star power of former U.S. president Bill Clinton.

[...]

"He's a very clear thinker," Powell said. "He's very forthright about what he thinks the problems are ... that divide us around the world. But then in the end, wrapping up, he's a tremendously optimistic and visionary guy

So, in answer to her questions, "dry heaving yet?" and Are you vomiting yet? I have to say no, but you got me darn close. ;-p Read the whole thing but when you get to Billy boy, consider how sensitive you are to pukedom levels of fawning idolization. Don't say I didnt warn you.

Once you make it through the nausea inducing idolatry, be sure to check out her blog often. She is sharp and no wallflower and more evidence that our side has the hottest women. Hot, as I mean it, being a function not just of exterior beauty but also accompanied by intellect, good values, strength of character and courage. Or, as I am known for saying at times, smart is sexy.

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

To Google or not to Google?

That is the question.

Google has been irritating to me for awhile now. I've noticed they change their logo for most holidays but won't mention Christmas or Easter.

Now, they refuse to give information regarding search results, to the U.S. government. Some are thinking this is about protecting users privacy rights but that isn't really the case.

In Case About Google's Secrets, Yours Are Safe

Other Internet search engine companies, including Yahoo, America Online and MSN, have complied with the same Justice Department subpoena, which also sought a random sample of a million Web addresses. The companies all said there were no privacy issues involved.

A Justice Department spokesman, Brian Roehrkasse, agreed. "We specifically stated in our requests," he said, "that we did not want the names, or any other information, regarding the users of Google."

[...]

The government says it needs Google's information to defend a challenge from the civil liberties union to a 1998 law, the Child Online Protection Act, which makes it a crime to make "material that is harmful to minors" commercially available on the Web. The law was enjoined by a federal court in Philadelphia before it became effective, and it has never been enforced.

So "stand up" to the U.S. Government, which obviously gets good press, but apparently, bend over for the Chinese government. How sweet of them.

From Kudlow's Money Politic$

Google Heading to Washington

...The high-flying Internet stock is launching a version of its website that blocks specific search results like “Tiananmen Square” and “Taiwan,” in an effort to avoid ruffling the feathers of China’s Communist head-honchos.

And of course because of that:

Google Pulls Official Censorship Statement

I’m still amazed that the Google who has now had to take down their “we don’t censor” message because it just isn’t true any more is the same company that just a week or so back stood up to a U.S. Government request for their search records. I still think Google got it right when they refused to comply with that federal subpoena. I just wish they’d been consistent with China.

Due to this and other companies bending over for the Chinese government a new blog has been started to track such monkey business.

CHINA SYNDROME is a new PJ Media blog set up to track the way foreign businesses like Google and Microsoft suck up to China.

For my part, I am removing Google Ads and Google search from my blog.

---

Previous posts:

Google - taking lessons from cBS
Is Google homophobic?

Be sure to also check out these blogs:

Jo's Cafe has a Weekend Specials open post
Mudville Gazette has an open post
bRight & Early has an Overnight News Open Post

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

If this is true - BLEEEP!!!!

And a pox upon ye

Apparently some GOP mayors support that horrible Kelo decision. Smooth move boys, nothing like doing something that will thin out the ranks of potential GOP presidential candidates in the future.

Ethics wars

A little way down in the column:

The nation's Republican mayors, in a closed-door White House meeting last week, nearly unanimously supported the U.S. Supreme Court's Kelo decision permitting local governments to force property owners to sell or give way to private developers.

The GOP mayors, in Washington for the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting, heard a report on the Kelo decision by Dearborn, Mich., Mayor Michael A. Guido. Chairman of the conference's advisory board, Guido opposed undermining the Supreme Court's ruling.

Anaheim, Calif., Mayor Curt Pringle, a former speaker of the California Assembly, objected with arguments that reflected widespread Republican abhorrence of Kelo. Guido insisted the mayors support local government's authority, and not a single additional mayor rose in support of Pringle.

Stupid is as stupid does. To be honest though, I'm thinking of a much-laden expletive version of that statement as I type.

Previous posts:

"It's good to be the king"
Stupid is as stupid does

----

Be sure to also check out these blogs:

Jo's Cafe has a Weekend Specials open post

Mudville Gazette has an open post

bRight & Early has an Overnight News Open Post

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

He beat me to it

Sigh, my procrastination bites me in the butt. A good friend recently started a blog and I was going to highlight his blog for my readers but he managed to mention my blog first! Darn you Radar ;-p

So, on with what I should have done by now. My friend at radaractive is an excellent writer with a great sense of humor and He's a good man. He also has a wonderful wife, who is quite portable, just "dont ask her to spell anything." heehe

I'm sure my friend will do great in the blogosphere and I'm sure my readers will enjoy his writing as well.

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

A truce?

So, apparently little old Osama is offering us a truce.

Text: 'Bin-Laden tape'

I say: The war in Iraq is raging, and the operations in Afghanistan are on the rise in our favour, praise be to God.

[...]

We do not object to a long-term truce with you on the basis of fair conditions that we respect.

Condsidering the latest news:

U.S. Raid Killed Qaeda Leaders, Pakistanis Say

Two senior members of Al Qaeda and the son-in-law of its No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, were among those killed in the American airstrikes in remote northeastern Pakistan last week, two Pakistani officials said here on Wednesday.

The bodies of the men have not been recovered, but the two officials said the Pakistani authorities had been able to establish through intelligence sources the names of three of those killed in the strikes, and maybe a fourth. Both of the officials have provided reliable information in the past, but neither would be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the news media.

American counterterrorism officials declined to say whether the four Qaeda members were in fact killed in the raid, or whether the men were among those who were the targets of it. But one American official said, "These are the kinds of people we would have expected to have been there."

If any or all were indeed killed, it would be a stinging blow to Al Qaeda's operations, said the American officials, who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized by their agencies to speak for attribution. They said all four men named by the Pakistani officials were among the top level of Al Qaeda's inner circle of leadership.

This "truce" reminds me of an altercation between some guys when I was in highschool. It was between an individual in my grade and an upper classman. They settled their differences in the wrestling room. It was clear that our classmate had done very well at blocking the other guy's punches -- with his face! I'm willing to bet he was thinking about ending it sooner than his opponent was. It gets rather tiring to be beating on your opponent's fist in that manner. I really hope people aren't going to actually propose that Bin Laden and his psycho followers are capable of mercy.

With our successes in mind, we also need to consider how much control Osama really still has over the various groups that compose Al Queda. As such, how much authority would a truce from this clown have anyway? That of course, is assuming he is still alive. The recording was of very low quality and only audio. This from someone who loved showing himself on video.

My opinion, is that at best, Bin Laden is not ready to be viewed publicly; which naturally brings up why that would be. I imagine living in a cave in the mountains isn't the most comfortable means of existence, especially for someone with a huge price on their head.

It may also be that Osama or perhaps someone else, is preparing the psychotic followers for his death or news of his death, if it has already transpired.

We will remain patient in fighting you, God willing, until the one whose time has come dies first. We will not escape the fight as long as we hold our weapons in our hands.

I swear not to die but a free man even if I taste the bitterness of death. I fear to be humiliated or betrayed.

So, truce or no truce? I say - kiss my ass! And while your trying to understand the meaning of that phrase I hope your pucker is met by one of our missiles or a well placed shot by one of our brave soldiers or allies in this war you started.

---

Mudville Gazette has an Open Post
Jo's cafe has Thursday Specials
bRight & Early has an Open Post

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

Online "satanists" are sooo impressive

For new readers, that title is sarcasm, which I use often for circumstances like this. Lately, I've been burned out on politics and there are plenty of people in the blogosphere covering such matters anyway. So, for grins and giggles, another silly post by someone attacking Christianity and my reply to them. The original post in bold, my responses in regular text. Have fun :-)

KILL ME, BEFORE YOU "HELP" ME!!!!Wrote:

this is it,

oooooh, the suspense is killing me

ignorantly

Apparently you choose to experience this personally. Yep, I cheated and read ahead.

you thrive on self deceit,

Look up Freudian projection

and what for.PIPE DREAMS OF A REEDEMER TO YOUR SEEMINGLY WORTHLESS LIVES!!!

Cap locks do not an argument make

letting "god"

oooh dismissal quotes, how persuasive.

hold all authority over your lives is merely condemning yourself,

non sequitur

not to the hell you have created for your mishaps

someone needs to study before bloviating.

but condemning your flesh in whole to be grounded below your minds.

I sense an objection to that. Apparently someone believes the mind should be controlled by biological urges, with this post being evidence of the function of waste elimination taking priority over mental clarity.

in your body you survive to simply restrain all your functions functions you couldn't ever control(lust,greed,hate,sloth,glutony,and others).

see previous

perhaps you believe these to be contained ,and that god will accept you.

look up salvation - it's actually a subject covered in the Bible.

look at your pathetic self this is blasphemy to your beliefs just by living,you cannot help but indulge in these "sins",are you trying to trick your god.certainly you are ignorant and hypocritical.

see previous and also look up forgiveness while you are at it.

Hail the true king of the earth and bearer of undefiled wisdom,HAIL SATAN!!!

and blah blah blah blah blah

Let me know when you are willing to have reasoned debate/discussion.

---

Previous posts:
Just for grins and giggles and because I can

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions

Blind Faith

I see many believers respond to criticism of Christianity and the Bible with the statement, "it's faith, you can't prove it". The implication being that faith is blind and cares not for evidence. Naturally, skeptics or those who have an interest or background in science do not respect this position.

How should we respond? Do we modify our relationship to God by changing what faith is to satisfy a skeptical age? If so, where do we stop with such modifications? These are reasonable concerns but we need not worry that we are only responding to those who reject God. The Bible reveals that faith is not what many of us may have believed it to be.

Biblical faith is loyalty based on evidence of performance. The following article demonstrates this by showing what the Bible has to say:

Fallacious Faith

In conclusion: If you as a Christian have held one or more of these views of faith, we offer this in humbleness as a corrective. Your faith does not have to be, and was never intended to be, a blind trust -- not in God, and not as something you hold even in opposition

Now some may be wondering what evidence is there. They may be intimidated by a list of contradictions they have seen or claims that Christ did not exist. I have debated these issues and have yet to see good arguments. Does this indicate I am very good at debating tricks and that believers have to continue doubting? Hardly, it is not a matter of rhetorical tricks but quality information and scholarship. The information I have referenced in discussions is freely available online and in sites that can be searched by topics and keywords. I'll provide links for two sites I use most often and in the future I may highlight topics that I see coming up often in debates or discussions that I participate in.

Now does this mean that anyone can engage in apologetics or defending the faith? The Bible gives us guidance on such matters:

Romans 12:4-8

4) For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5) So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6) Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7) Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8) Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

We all have different gifts. Debating and defending any, position requires more than just a copy/paste but at a minimum, the ability to understand the material and defend it by recognizing weak arguments, fallacies or incorrect information are required. But simply because one is not called to defend the faith, in such a manner, does not mean it is unprofitable to study and understand why it is that we believe.

As we have seen, faith is not blind. We need not hide behind that misconception to avoid study as such study can only increase our confidence in God. We also should not hide behind it out of sheer laziness.

It is, of course, quite true that God will not love you any less, or have less use for you, if you happen to have been born with a second-rate brain. He has room for people with little sense, but he wants every one to use what sense they have...God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you, you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

So, for some who find they are called to apologetics or those who simply have questions or would like to direct family or friends to answers, the following websites have served me well with my own education and in various debates.

A Christian Thinktank
Tekton Apologetics Ministries

You need not fear being a Christian without intellectual fulfillment or that the faith is completely void of evidence. Skeptics, of course, will continue their attacks and eventually you may discern, in some cases, a willful rejection of truth, rather than an honest disagreement or misunderstanding. But my experience tells me that our confidence and faith in God will only grow and deepen as we take the time and put forth the effort to study and utilize what is so easily available.

As the scriptures tell us:

II Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

God bless :-)

Trackback URI                                                 View blog reactions