The "Sophistication" of Hatred

Heard about this new film on the Drudge Report via Wizbang and the Anchoress. It is scheduled to premier at the Toronto Film Festival, where it is sure to garner rave reviews from "sophisticates" who, unlike us simple folk with our passe sense of right and wrong, inhabit a world of moral relativism, where nuance is king and feeling good is the only justification required.

During the 2004 Election, I was alternately shocked, outraged and even saddened at times by the sheer hatred of some on the Left for President Bush, which found expression in the most distasteful and in many cases -- dishonest -- ways. Michael Moore's "crock-u-mentary," Farenheit 9/11 is a high-profile example, but I recall an incident in Tennessee that was equally appalling. President Bush was portrayed as a retarded Special Olympian on a flyer, his face distorted and exaggerated with Down's Syndrome features; underneath the photo the verbage warned voters not to send a "retard" back to the White House. Having an older brother with Down's Syndrome, this was especially repulsive. Yet it is a stunning example of what passed for discourse and debate on the left side of the aisle in 2004 and to this day.

With the President's decisive victory the Left's descent into the maelstrom accelerated, as did their condescension of their fellow-countrymen. Bush voters were ignorant rednecks and scary Jesus freaks, while the trite and unoriginal refrain of "Bush is Hitler," dominated most of the dialogue.

Then along came Katrina and with it, unfounded accusations that President Bush "hates black people." Apparently, this didn't include the black people in Mississippi and Alabama, who -- thanks to competent local leadership -- are rebuilding their lives right alongside their white neighbors. No criticism of black New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, whose racist "chocolate city" remarks were not decried as "divisive" by anyone on the Left; that's a charge reserved for -- you guessed it! -- President Bush.

But just when sane Americans thought they'd seen the worst from this unhinged segment of the population, along comes this vile film. I have to give them credit; I didn't think they could possibly sink any lower, but they've proven me wrong. It is a frightening example of the power of hatred when it becomes an all-consuming force in the hearts and minds of human beings. I shudder to think of how much venom and malice must be flowing through the veins of everyone involved in this production, to be able to manufacture a movie about a sitting President's assassination, and call it "art." Shame on them!

I only hope that come November, they pay dearly for their trangressions at the ballot box.

Crazy for Coffee

Personally, I'm a Dunkin' Donuts kind of girl. But I wrote the following article as an objective comparison of America's two most popular brews: Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. Though not the focus of this study, I'd be willing to wager that preferences between the two are split along party lines, with Red Staters partial to the brand that began (ironically enough) as a coffee and donut shop in Massachusetts and Blue Staters preferential to the European-style, Seattle-based coffee giant. I could be very wrong, of course. Maybe I'll do a little research into it and post the results at a later time. Meanwhile, enjoy this over a cup of your favorite blend!

If the thriving, ubiquitous presence of Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks locations around the USA is any indication, Americans sure do love their coffee. According to the Dunkin Donuts website, it is estimated that more than 100 million Americans drink a total of 350 million cups of coffee a day. That’s a lot of caffeine (and decaf) consumption going on from coast to coast. So how does that translate into profits for the country’s two most recognizable coffee purveyors? How well does each company’s brand capture their share of this sizeable market?

To any casual observer, the stark differences between Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, and their respective demographic, is relatively easy to identify. While many Americans prefer the pleasant, flavorful blend of DD’s 100% Arabica coffee, there are countless others who crave the decidedly stronger, darker strains of high-quality, whole bean brews and Italian-style espresso beverages offered by Starbucks. The former, with its trademark hot-pink and orange logo and limited seating (at least in most locations) tends to draw in a “hit and run” type of crowd, looking for their morning shot on the way to the office. Starbucks, on the other hand, with its wireless connections, comfy chairs, contemporary fixtures and up-to-date musical ambiance, offers the perfect “gathering place” atmosphere, whether you’re an entrepreneur conducting business, a college student surfing the internet, or a hip guy or gal, looking for a “third home” to hang out and read the paper.

Yet each continues to thrive, even as they change with the times, precisely because each remains firmly rooted in its origins and purpose. Dunkin Donuts was founded back in 1950 by Bill Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts, having originally operated under the name “Open Kettle,” a coffee and donut shop established by Rosenberg in 1948. Hailed as a “visionary” by Success magazine and “the father of franchising as we know it today,” by Nation’s Restaurant News, Rosenberg was the embodiment of the American spirit of hard work, passion and dedication. Having come of age during the depression, with limited education, his original concept came to life in 1948, in the form of the Industrial Luncheon Services Company, that delivered meals and coffee break snacks to customers in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts.

If its website is any indication, Dunkin’ Brands, which today has a unique portfolio of three complementary brands: Dunkin’ Donuts, Togos (the legendary California sandwich shop with the oft-mispronounced name) and Baskin-Robbins (the largest and one of the most-loved ice cream chains in the world), has no intention of abandoning its focus on high-quality, affordable food and beverages on the go. Each of their brands appeals to a different time of day, working together to offer great food and great value to their customers. The company combines the strength of its brands by housing two or three in a single storefront, completely redefining the quick service experience for their clientele.

Supporting this emphasis on quick but quality service, the Dunkin’ Brands launched its “America Runs on Dunkin” advertising campaign on April 10, 2006. With a focus on “how Dunkin’ Donuts keeps busy Americans fueled and on the go… the new campaign is a fun and often quirky celebration of life, showing Americans embracing their work, their play and everything in between, accompanied every step of the way by Dunkin’ Donuts.”

The release continues, “Visually, the ad campaign comes to life through a set of interactive icons that represent the campaign tagline - "America Runs on Dunkin'." The icons help to drive the concept that Dunkin' Donuts' freshly-made coffee and baked goods energize Americans from all walks of life so they can keep the country running on their dedicated hard work and positive outlooks. The campaign pays homage to those who embody the authentic spirit on which America was founded, as everyday people are shown bringing their honesty, enterprising creativity and good humor to their work, families and communities.”

If Dunkin’ Donuts pays homage to the energetic spirit of America, Starbucks offers it a European-inspired “home away from home” alternative, complete with familiar green umbrellas, outdoor and indoor café seating and an extensive – oftentimes confusing (at least for first timers) – menu. While Dunkin’ had expanded its offerings over the years to include things like cappuccino and coffee coolattas, Starbucks began its existence with a desire to upgrade American taste as it pertained to coffee beans.

The company was founded in 1971, by three friends with a passion for fresh coffee - Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker – who opened a small shop and began selling fresh-roasted gourmet coffee beans and brewing and roasting accessories in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Named after the first mate in Herman Melville’s classic, Moby Dick, Starbucks and its mermaid logo would soon revolutionize the industry.

In the early 1980’s, Howard Schulz – a recent addition to the highly-respected local roaster and retailer of whole bean and ground coffees – took a business trip to Italy, where he became captivated by the rich tradition of the espresso beverage. According to the company profile, espresso beverages then became a core element of Schulz’s vision for Starbucks, which he purchased with the support of local investors in 1987.

Yet, according to Lawrence Cheek in a Special for the Post-Intelligencer, “it’s not about the French roast. Nor is it the caramel macchiato, the lemon scones, or the Elvis Costello CD’s. Starbucks' globe-storming success is about place -- creating coffee bars that feel grounded in their neighborhoods, that lure people to hang out for a wide spectrum of reasons, and that somehow make us think "Starbucks" for refreshment or conversation.”

Unlike the standard, energetic hot-pinks and oranges of the Dunkin’ Donuts chains, each Starbucks – while undeniably in sync with the company’s overall look – encompasses elements of the particular neighborhood in which it is located. Cheek continues, “Starbucks' stores are worth some architectural investigation because, unlike fast-food joints, there are real differences from one location to another -- not just in size, shape and furnishings, but in the feel of each. This is clearly part of the company's formula: unlike Burger King, venturing into a Starbucks you haven't tried before offers the hint of adventure.”

Whether located in an upscale piazza like Mizner Park in Boca Raton, Florida, or in a northwest contemporary shed on Mercer Island in the Pacific Northwest, each Starbucks beckons its clientele to not just enjoy a cup of coffee in its various forms, but to partake of a socially-relaxed yet intellectually-stimulating atmosphere that aligns itself more with a European-style café than an American fast-food-and-drink operation.

Launi Skinner, quoted in Cheek’s article, and at the time a senior vice president for store development, said Starbucks is "less about the transaction, and more about the experience. Starbucks interior design is a much closer kin to a modern book store than to a fast-food outlet because the goal is to nurture a long-term relationship with the customer rather then to provide short-term refreshment.”

Unlike Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks does not franchise to individuals, though it does consider licensing its operations to a master concessionaire or other company, where appropriate, e.g. in the case of an airport. So how well does the Starbucks concept feed its bottom line?

According to the company’s Fact Sheet, there are 5,393 company-operated coffee houses and 2,952 licensed locations in the United States alone. In July, 2006, net revenues increased 20%, to $596 million. Obviously, this is a business-model that’s working well for the Seattle-based coffee giant.

However, the franchise concept that pioneered the impressive growth of Dunkin’ Brands is a model that continues to generate revenue for Massachusetts-based Company. Dunkin’ Brands boasts 7,600 units in the United States, with 2004 fiscal year earnings of $4.1 billion. Though not the focus of this investigation, both Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts also operate thriving worldwide locations – Starbucks in 36 countries and Dunkin’ Donuts in 29.

For Americans, it all comes down to choice, and whether you prefer a reasonably-priced, quick cup of coffee on the go, or possess a willingness to fork over a few dollars more for a full-bodied brew, housed in a bookstore-type atmosphere, you can certainly find your perfect blend at either one of these corporate American coffee icons.

Functional vs. Traditional

And I'm not talking about furniture! I'm posting my latest article here, which delves into the emergence of functional training as a "new" method of shaping up, achieving better health and improving one's lifestyle. Studios like Get Fit are providing a welcome alternative to the impersonal mega-gym, though each has its place in the rapidly exploding Health and Wellness Industry.

According to economist Paul Zane Pilzer, the Health and Wellness Industry is now a $350 billion dollar business. Out of that astonishing figure, $24 billion accounts for fitness club memberships, with another $12 billion paid to Personal Trainers. While this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the Wellness Industry as a whole, those figures merit a closer look into the preponderance of mega-gyms around the country and the simultaneous emergence of a new kind of workout regimen known as functional training. Clearly Americans have come a long way. As Pilzer states, “In 1975, jogging was regarded as a “craze,” a fringe thing, like the hula hoop that would go away quietly if we just gave it enough time. The idea that an entire nation would consider running as a normal, everyday activity would have been sheer lunacy.”

Today, it is hard to meet anyone who doesn’t at least give lip service to the idea of regular exercise. But what is the difference between a traditional gym and this new phenomenon of functional training, and how does design impact the success of each? A good place to start is with their target markets.

According to Christine King, Founder and Director of the Delray Beach, Florida-based, Get Fit! Functional training studio, their services cater to the professional 45 year-old female who’s too busy to exercise and intimidated by the gym. Additionally, she doesn’t really believe she can actually accomplish her goals due to a lack of guidance and structure. As King observes, for many of these clients just walking through the door is an accomplishment.

As I met with her in her studio office, Christine motioned to the chair I’d been sitting in and remarked, “I’ve renamed that the ‘crying chair,’ because our required initial consultation tends to be a highly-emotional experience for our customers. So many women want to lose weight and feel better, but they’re incredibly frustrated because nothing they’ve tried – including the mainstream gym approach – has worked for them.”

So how does Get Fit appeal to its client-base? It begins with a user-friendly website, carefully crafted after much research into the pros and cons of various competitor sites. In their design, Christine employed clean lines against a white space, with easy-to-read information within a simple navigation system. The studio itself is friendly, bright, cheery –and most importantly – clean. The naturally-lighted space is devoid of two major elements that characterize the traditional gym atmosphere: Wall to wall mirrors and intimidating machines.

Christine’s philosophy of “keeping it simple” is also reflected in photographs hung at each station that mimic its respective form and assist the client in understanding how to execute the move. This emphasis on the client’s needs separates Get Fit from other competitors in the fitness industry. As Christine explains, “We focus on the person and their individual goals, not the studio. We share what our studio can do for them, not the other way around.”

And with a staff of highly-trained, certified professionals, Get Fit can also accommodate the needs of clients with disabilities, since the circuit is adaptable to all fitness levels. Among some of the physical issues the studio addresses are MS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Autism and severe back injuries. About the last one, Christine states with confidence, “Bad backs - we can fix them,” a claim not often heard in the traditional gym arena, or even in Get Fit’s closest rival, Curves. Also unlike the popular women’s fitness chain, Get Fit is open to both sexes and provides a “personal training experience,” without the extra cost. Whether there’s one person or fifteen working out at a time, each receives personalized attention and instruction from a highly-knowledgeable expert.

Among traditional gyms, LA Fitness is one of the most popular, with over 140 locations nationwide. As with Get Fit their official site is user-friendly and set against a white background, though the many photographs of athletic-looking men and women participating in everything from a basketball game to a dumb-bell workout would most likely succeed better at driving away, rather than enticing the typical Get Fit consumer. Then again, the LA Fitness client profile is significantly different.

According to trainer Matt Swig, regular gyms like LA Fitness appeal to an 18-40 male and female demographic, many of whom are seeking a “larger than life” workout experience. To that end, most gyms are happy to oblige, with wall-to-wall mirrors, lots of imposing equipment, a separate cardio area with ubiquitous treadmills and stationary bikes, and a “muscle-head” section, featuring a plethora of free weights in varying increments of poundage.

As is the case with LA Fitness, gyms tend to keep cardio and weight-training in distinctly different areas, due to their unique cultures. Most cardio areas are stacked higher than other gym offerings, to keep the consumer engaged in the activity; by offering a view, along with a TV set, the aim is to keep the person working harder and longer. By contrast, those who frequent the free-weight area are, as Matt says, “looking for the clang.” They want to hear the noise of the weights, which fuels their “machismo” as they lift and lower. According to Matt, gyms like LA Fitness are rife with “cliques,” segments of the membership who either gravitate to one form of exercise or the other, without a lot of crossover.

Another departure from the functional training concept is the lack of experience of most employees hired by the national fitness chains. Unlike Get Fit, there’s typically no guidance and no supervision. Once you get past the initial, friendly -- and usually inexperienced – Greeter -- and sign on the dotted line, you are pretty much on your own. Most machines have no instructions or photographs to help the user, so in many cases, members can’t be sure that they are even orchestrating the moves properly or efficiently.

As its name suggests, LA Fitness lures its market by invoking an aura of glamour and California-style good health and looks. Each location has a standard design and is the exact same square footage. But if you are suffering from a disability or struggling in post-rehab from a sustained injury, LA Fitness is not your best option since there are no programs for physically-challenged clients. At best, you’ll find two pieces of functional equipment: a stability ball and a medicine ball; hardly enough to build a results-oriented workout around.

In fact, according to Matt, the large-chain fitness centers don’t even really want healthy clients, once they’ve paid their membership. “Most gyms are designed to get your money and hope you never come back,” Swig states, “because if everyone did, there’d never be enough equipment to meet the demand.”

Still, the model is working, at least for the fitness chain’s bottom line, if not necessarily their clients’ figures. Established in 1984, LA Fitness now boasts 140 thriving locations nationwide as mentioned earlier; a quick zip-code search for nearby centers netted 10 results in just two South Florida counties, all within easy access. By contrast, although Get Fit as a functional-training company recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary, the privately-owned studio of the same name has been in existence for just 2 years. Still, it’s a concept that is growing steadily, fueled by Christine King’s local involvement in the chamber of commerce and other civic organizations, and weekly Fit Chat conference call, a free service designed to inspire members to reach their personal goals and improve their overall health and quality of life. Additionally, King has been nominated for “Small Businessperson of the Year,” which will yield positive publicity for her burgeoning enterprise, regardless of the outcome.

In the end, as always, it is up to the consumer to choose the method of fitness that’s most beneficial for their personal circumstances and preferences. With the addition of functional training studios to the fitness scene, they now have more variety than ever before.

End Note: I've been happily working out at Get Fit for the past 5 months, and continue to be impressed with the quality of their staff, the cleanliness of the studio and the overall effectiveness of functional training.

Just 10 More Days 'til Regular Season Kick-Off!

E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES!!!!!

David Bossie's Border War Movie

Via Hot Air, just discovered the trailer for this welcome and timely film by David Bossie. It's gratifying to see a cross-section of Americans, including 1st generation Mexican-Americans, united against ILLEGAL immigration. I stress the word "illegal," because Americans who care about protecting our country's borders are unfairly portrayed as "racist" and "anti-immigration' by the mainstream media and posturing politicians.

Sadly, even our own President referred to the upstanding citizens that comprise The Minute Men as "vigilantes." Pathetic, and one of the critical areas where Dubya and I part company.

From the corrupt Mexican government to left-wingers looking for votes and right-wingers looking for cheap labor, to the radical Reconquista movement, and terrorists seeking to exploit our weaknesses, the USA is facing an epic crisis. One public servant who gets it -- Congressman J.D. Hayworth -- appears prominently in the documentary.

Kudos to David Bossie and everyone involved in the making of this film.

More Derangement in Salt Lake City

I saw Mayor Rocky Anderson on Fox and Friends this morning, and let's just say he represents the unhinged left very well. E.D. was rightfully teed off and forcefully called him on his claim that the media (of all things) assisted George W. Bush in hoodwinking the American people about WMD's in Iraq, pointing out that countries like France, Russia and England were all under the same conviction.

Too bad there wasn't enough time to deconstruct this very tired and lame argument -- I would've added that while we fiddled with the UN for 18 months, Saddam got busy smuggling the weapons into Syria. More to the point, the man was actively funding and training terrorists all over Iraq, not to mention torturing, murdering, raping and otherwise oppressing his own people.

Rocky Anderson did the Kos Kids, proud, I'm sure. As did the organizer of today's "Death to Israel" Rally in Salt Lake City, orchestrated in response to President Bush and Condi Rice's attendance at an American Legion conference. These people really do need jobs...and a clue.

Kooky Conspiracy Theories

I'm not sure which is more fear-inducing: The actual threat of radical Islamic terrorism or the sheer lunacy of conspiracty theorists. But after reading Mark Steyn's review of the book, Debunking 9/11 Myths:Why Conspiracy Theories Can't Stand Up to the Facts, , I was dismayed to discover just how many misguided souls subscribe to this beyond-ridiculous notion -- a staggering 36% of people polled.

Steyn's article focuses on a -- surprise, surprise -- adjunct professor of biology at the University of Western Ontario, A.K. Dewdney, who fervently believes that 9/11 was an inside job:

"To account for the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the Bush White House has produced a scenario involving Arab hijackers flying large aircraft into American landmarks," writes the eminent Ontario academic. "We, like millions of other 9/11 skeptics, have found this explanation to be inconsistent with the facts of the matter."

Instead, he argues, a mid-air plane switch took place on three of the jets. "The passengers of one of the flights died in an aerial explosion over Shanksville, Pa.," he writes, "and the remaining passengers (and aircraft) were disposed of in the Atlantic Ocean." Most of us swallowed "the Bush-Cheney scenario" because we were unaware that, when two planes are less than half a kilometre apart, they appear as a single blip on the radar screen. Thus, the covert switch. Instead of crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the flights were diverted by FBI agents on board to Harrisburg, Pa., where the passengers from all three planes were herded onto UA Flight 175 and flown on to Cleveland Hopkins and their deaths. By then, unmanned Predator drones had been substituted for the passenger jets and directed into their high-profile targets. The original planes and their passengers were finished off over the Atlantic.

O Canada! Has it really come to this?

The Steyn article goes on to highlight various other examples of proponents of this bizarre line of thinking. Of all of the side effects of Bush Derangement Syndrome, this is by far the most insane -- and in light of recent events -- the most dangerously unfounded. Do these people also believe that other radical Muslim assaults were an inside job, too? Steyn continues:

When I was on the Rush Limbaugh show a couple of months back, a listener called up to insist that 9/11 was an inside job. I asked him whether that meant Bali and Madrid and London and Istanbul were also inside jobs. Because that's one expensive operation to hide even in the great sucking maw of the federal budget.

And that's where the book comes in, though the conspiracy nuts childishly cling to their crazy theories, even in the face of hard evidence and physics:

Debunking 9/11 Myths does a grand job of explaining such popular conspiracy-website mainstays as how a 125-foot-wide plane leaves a 16-foot hole in the Pentagon. Answer: it didn't. The 16-foot hole in the Pentagon's Ring C was made by the plane's landing gear. But the problem isn't scientific, it's psychological: if you're prepared to believe that government agents went to the trouble of researching, say, gay rugby player Mark Bingham's family background and vocal characteristics so they could fake cellphone calls back to his mom, then clearly you're not going to be deterred by mere facts. As James B. Meigs, the editor-in-chief of Popular Mechanics, remarks toward the end of this book, the overwhelming nature of the evidence is, to the conspiratorially inclined, only further evidence of a cover-up: "One forum posting that has multiplied across the Internet includes a long list of the physical evidence linking the 19 hijackers to the crime: the rental car left behind at Boston's Logan airport, Mohammed Atta's suitcase, passports recovered at the crash sites, and so on. 'HOW CONVENIENT!' the author notes after each citation. In the heads-I-win-tails-you-lose logic of conspiracism, there is no piece of information that cannot be incorporated into one's pet theory."

As the saying goes, "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts." Or, in this case, "I hate George W. Bush and America. My mini-mind is deranged; therefore it is willfully impervious to facts."

I suppose the fact that their logic-challenged, severed heads are just as desirable to Islamo-thugs as those of rational westerners is lost on them, too.

A Cure for Airport Idiocy

Ilana Freedman's New York Post column today decries the "idiocy" of current airport screening procedures and offers a viable alternative that might actually thwart terror plots, instead of encouraging evil-masterminds to develop newer methods of destruction. Referring to the attacks of 9/11, "shoe bomber" John Reid and the foiled London plot, Freedman states:

In each case, we responded to the last attack by putting measures in place that would foil that exact same attack if it were tried again. Yet terrorism is characterized by continual change and adaptation; fighting the last war is worse than useless: It threatens our security at every level.

Terrorists succeed because they're flexible, adapting their tactics to our changing vulnerabilities. They study what we do and how we think, and craft their attacks to take advantage of the holes.

So if our present-day airport security is inconvenient at best and ineffective at worst, is profiling the answer, even though the very thought of it sends some Americans into fits of hyperventilation? Yes -- sort of. She continues:

Many Americans are upset by the politically correct refusal of our security screeners to engage in profiling. They're right - and wrong. It's important to screen everyone who gets on an airplane. But some require closer screening than others - and the faster we understand that, the safer we will be.

Should we be looking more closely at Middle Eastern men aged up to 40? Absolutely. All the 9/11 terrorists fit that description, as did hundreds more who carried out the deadly attacks against the USS Cole, the U.S. embassies in East Africa, Khobar Towers and public transit in Madrid and London.

But we also need to screen grandmothers, pregnant women and babies. Why? Because they make good "mules" - who can carry aboard items that they may not even know about.

Freedman uses the example of Anne Marie Murphy, a young Irish pregnant woman who unknowingly tried to board an El Al plane with luggage full of enough plastic explosives to blow up the plane -- courtesy of her Muslim fiancee -- to argue this point.

How did Israel prevent what could have been a gruesome airline fatality? Only by the "trained eye of Israeli screeners, who recognized signs of danger."

An excellent proposal. If only someone in the DHS and TSA would take heed.

No More Pain at the Pump?

If this USA Today article is accurate, looks like Dick Morris could be proven wrong in his assertion that gasoline prices -- not the War on Terror -- will be foremost on voters' minds come November.

Actually, I never agreed with his assessment, anyway. And even if his argument had merit, the recent foiled terrorist attacks in London earlier this month should hopefully serve as a sobering reminder to Americans that when it comes to Islamic Jihad, we are not out of the woods by a long-shot.

As far as I'm concerned, national security ought to be the overriding consideration when choosing elected officials in a post 9/11 world. Quibbling over gas prices would be a moot exercise indeed, should the USA (God forbid!) surrender to this brutal enemy. Further, voters would do well to take obstructionist politicians (and RINO's) like John McCain to task for blocking alternative drilling in ANWR, which would greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Sadly, even Dubya seems to have abandoned this viable solution.

In any case, falling gasoline prices might aid Republican chances of holding onto Congress while boosting the economy. Good news for sure.

More Family Football Follies

Just found this toast I'd written for my brother Paul in celebration of his 40th birthday a few years back, and thought I'd post it here. While I'm not much of a poet, I managed to capture the spirit of a brother with whom fond memories of childhood are forever intertwined with Philadelphia Eagles football.

Our family gift in commemoration of his birthday milestone was a "boys trip" to South Florida, complete with tickets to the Monday Night Game against the Miami Dolphins at Pro Player Stadium. I had a great time acting as tour guide to Dad, Mark (my oldest brother) and Paul, as we crammed the highlights of Palm Beach, Broward and Dade into one hectic weekend.

As an added bonus, we got to celebrate the "spider hole" capture of one of the world's most evil dictators, Saddam Hussein. Ah, memories!

Ode to Paulie and the Philadelphia Eagles

You were always a devoted Eagles fan, from a very early age,
Though suffering through painful losses often threw you into a rage.

From the losing seasons of the early to mid 70’s, whether watching at the Vet or in the finished basement of our Springfield home,
You admired great players like Bergey, Dempsey, Carmichael and Gabriel,
And wondered if they’d ever see a Superbowl.

Then along came Dick Vermeil, and a reason to believe –
The Miracle of the Meadowlands, a cause for celebration,
As our once-dubbed “Beagles” fought back from rock-bottom,
With Herm Edwards, Wilbert and Jaws
Whose “never-say-die” attitude and tough work ethic
Gave even the Dallas Cowboys pause.

Remember Tony Franklin’s barefoot 59-yard field goal? We all screamed with delight, as our underdog Eagles took to flight,
and beat the much-despised Cowboys that fateful Monday night.

Then came a bitter cold winter’s day in January, 1981 – the 11th to be precise,
With your two sisters Carolyn and Daria freezing by your side,
You witnessed another miracle --- sparked by a Jaworski-Montgomery touchdown hand-off – our end!! – and howled with delight.

We feared you’d jump right onto the field in your euphoria –
The Eagles were finally headed to the Superbowl in New Orleans!!!!

Needless to say, you took the 27-10 loss to the Raiders to heart,
Stomping to your room in dejection and ire,
Wondering what, after such a tough road to the top, could have doused their victory fire.

And who could forget the early morning rides to O’Hara,
With WYSP blasting on the radio with the voice of Frank Le Master.

Through the years of Buddy Ryan, the Swamp Fox and Ray Rhodes,
Although living in Nashville and studying in Med School at Vandy,
Your fidelity to the Eagles never wavered,
You cheered on Randall Cunningham, Mike Quick and Clyde “the Glide,”
Your only hope a Superbowl VICTORY this time!

Now with Andy Reid, as a fan you remain stalwart,
Supporting your team from your home in Cortland,
Sometimes scaring your children with your exuberant cries,
Rooting on McNabb, Westbrook, Staley and the rest of the guys.

So on this your fortieth birthday, we thought it only fitting,
To reward your devotion to your favorite football team,
So… at Pro-Player stadium in Miami, on December 15 you’ll be sitting!

And if that alone isn’t awesome enough, just think, you’ll get to see your little sister, Muzz!!

The Welcome Return of AJ Feeley

Woo-hoo! I was so excited to read about the return of a true team player and quality human being to the Eagles' roster -- AJ Feeley -- on the Philadelphia Eagles' website today. Feeley is a class-act, whose talent and ability to rise to the occasion salvaged the Eagles' 2002-03 season, when both Donovan McNabb and back-up QB Koy Detmer were injured:

A fifth-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2001, Feeley started five games in 2002 and led the Eagles to a 4-1 record down the stretch to help the Eagles clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

With Donovan McNabb recovering from a broken leg, and with Detmer sidelined with an elbow injury, Feeley completed 86 of 154 passes for 1,011 yards, 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Feeley did not take a snap the following season, 2003, as McNabb returned to full health and played 16 games.

Feeley was then traded to Miami on April 3, 2004.

Welcome back, AJ!

Given this latest development, I'd say an invincible season is definitely within reach!

No News is Good News for Floridians

Thankfully Ernesto turned out to be a non-event, at least for Floridians. Hopefully it won't intensify back out over the Atlantic and create problems for other parts of the country that have already been ravaged by early-summer flooding.

Looks like blogging will continue today at its usual pace!

Know Your Enemy

Some sobering reminders from Dennis Prager. Here's an excerpt:

No Muslim country treats non-Muslims and their religions anywhere nearly as decently as any Western non-Muslim country (including Israel) treats Muslims. That is why tens of millions of Muslims immigrate to non-Muslim societies and virtually no non-Muslim immigrates to any Muslim society. In every Muslim country, non-Muslims are either systematically persecuted at worst or treated as inferiors at best.

Read the whole article and send it to anyone you know who considers Israel and Hezbollah -- or for that matter -- the USA and enemies of western civilization, as moral equivalents.

Twenty-Five Years of Trash

Chuck Colson takes MTV to task in his column, "Empty Legacy," found on Townhall.com:

Perpetual adolescence and living only for the moment are just a couple of the twisted values that MTV has foisted upon us over the past twenty-five years. There’s also exhibitionism, voyeurism, promiscuity, greed, and a host of other vices. Through its style as well as its content, MTV has done all it can to promote the cheap, the vulgar, and the flashy over the good, the true, and the beautiful.

I’m not saying that MTV has added anything to the culture that wasn’t already present. All these elements have always been part of sinful human nature. Where MTV distinguished itself was in glorifying these things - moreover, glorifying them for a young audience.

Thanks in part to networks like MTV, American culture has been degraded to the point where most young people can name every character on The Simpsons, yet have no clue as to the name of the USA's current Vice President, or any one of the present administration's cabinet members. In a post-9/11 world, this is especially tragic. If the younger generation has no reference or respect for past and recent history, how are they to appreciate and understand the ramifications of the radical Islamic assault on western civilization?

Sadly, it seems as if our society has already lost its sense of outrage. And while not all of it can be blamed exclusively the MTV network, it certainly plays an instrumental role in perpetuating a "feel-good" culture of moral relativity and deliberate indifference. As Colson remarks:

Only in a culture shaped by MTV’s kind of values, for example, could Madonna’s latest stage act—hanging on a mirrored cross while singing—draw little more than yawns and “Oh, there she goes again.” Madonna and her onstage antics are a perfect expression of the channel and the culture that helped create her. Or take that infamous Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl. As the AP implied, what shocked an audience full of adults was old hat to many of their kids, who had seen far worse in MTV’s videos and reality shows.

It’s not many people who can look back and say that they changed a culture. That can be pretty awe-inspiring. But when you change it in the way that MTV did, you don’t celebrate: You hang your head in shame.

We've traveled a long way from Little House, I'm afraid.

Katrina and the (Political) Waves

Here's a snippet of the Wall Street Journal's take on failed government bureaucracy in the wake of Katrina, and the insistence of most politicians on relying on an obviously inefficient system:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, touring New Orleans: "What is needed in New Orleans is public works projects." Senator Hillary Clinton, from a church in Harlem: "Our leadership has turned its back on those people who still need us."

Turned its back? As the chart nearby indicates, Congress has approved $122.5 billion for the Gulf Region, a figure incomprehensible in size to anyone but, well, a politician. The real wonder is that anyone is surprised, much less feigning surprise, that things are going poorly.

New Orleans' plight is not the result of federal underspending. Uncle Sam has spent some five times more on Katrina relief than any other natural disaster in the past 50 years. Both parties in Congress and the White House opted for the status quo by relying on federal bureaucracies to oversee the rebuilding effort. If Uncle Sam were deliberately trying to waste these funds, it is hard to imagine a better way than to funnel the money through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Both HUD and the SBA have been on the chopping block back to the early Reagan years.

Read the whole thing.

Woo-Hoo! Can an invincible season be on tap for the Eagles?

With the addition of Donte Stallworth, it just might be!

Terrorist Media Follies

As today's episode of "Vent" proves, they may be living in the Dark Ages, but when it comes to media manipulation, terrorist organizations like Hezbollah are masters of 21st Century exploitation. Michelle Malkin debunks several myths concerning Israel's supposed intentional bombing of "innocent" Red Cross ambulances, and calls on concerned citizens to send the video to their local political leaders. God knows, we can't rely on the ethically-challenged dinosaur media to admit to any fault or complicity.

Instead, most in the mainstream media (with the notable exception of Brit Hume), as usual, demonstrate their anti-Israel colors by swallowing terrorist tall tales whole, while at the same time denouncing astute bloggers who blow the whistle on these outrageous machinations.

If the media refuses to tell the truth, even in the face of this perilous War with Global Jihad, it's up to those of us who love our western civilization and want it to survive, to expose these murdurous, lying thugs. Some things are inherently worth fighting for.

More On Vince Papale

For those of us who just can't get enough of a nice guy's triumph against all odds, this Vince Papale video is a must-see.

In addition to Vince, the Nationwide Speakers bureau boasts many real-life heroes and heroines, whose individual stories speak to the greatness in all of us. America as the land of opportunity continues to shine brightly as evidenced by these amazing citizens and human beings.

Lovely Little House

Though I'm not much of a TV watcher anymore, save for the occasional History Channel Special and FOX News, I gave in to the urge to channel surf last night, and was delighted to come across a childhood staple, Little House on the Prairie, broadcasting on the network, TV Land.

It just happened to be one of my all-time favorite episodes, where Almanzo -- the cute guy who'd been the object of Laura's affection from the time he'd arrived in Walnut Grove -- finally realizes that "Beth" (his nickname for her, established early on in their friendship) was now a grown-up and that his feelings for her have suddenly blossomed into love.

Of course, back in 1980, when this episode first ran, having read many of the Little House books penned by the real Laura Ingalls, I knew Almanzo would eventually become her husband. The televsion series, however, did an outstanding job chronicling their initial meeting, courtship and subsequent marriage.

In last night's episode, the show captured the spirit of family and community within which people met, socialized, dated and ultimately exchanged marriage vows. Laura -- finally a teacher -- accepts her first assignment as a substitute teacher for a nearby town, whose schoolmarm has suffered a broken leg. Almanzo, in the spirit of helping out one's neighbor, agrees to provide horse-drawn transportation for Laura. She stays with the incapacitated school teacher during the week, and returns home on the weekends, escorted by Almanzo.

It is during one of these routes that he remarks to her, with a silly grin on his face, "You look different." Later, when Laura excitedly shares the exchange with Ma, her delighted mother advises her that "Men like to be the pursuer. So you just let them do that." Good advice from Ma Ingalls, and not just for her 19th Century daughter; some truths, as they say, are eternal. Based on personal experience, I've come to believe in the validity of Caroline Ingalls' statement. But I digress.

When Laura takes her Ma's words to heart and promises Almanzo, "I'll think about it," in response to his invitation to attend an upcoming church social with him, he's obviously crushed and more than a little confused. A series of heart-warming and amusing scenes follow, including one where Almanzo, lost in thought over his new love, bids his sister goodnight and then walks out the front door, instead of heading up the stairs. In another, he mistakenly interprets an innocent embrace between Laura and one of her students, and punches the young boy to the ground, inciting the ire of Miss Ingalls and resulting in his humiliating exit.

Later he recounts the incident to Charles, Laura's protective Pa, who struggles to keep a straight face as Almanzo admits he wrongly concluded that the boy "was making advances to Laura." When the would-be suitor is safely outside of hearing range, Charles bursts into laughter, though at the same time he's hit with the reality that his "Half-Pint" will soon be leaving the nest and starting her own family.

This charming episode ends with the entire Ingalls family in attendance at the church social, where familiar and not-so-familiar (i.e. extras) townsfolk dance, talk and laugh. A glum Laura searches for her beloved, while a polite young Albert sweetly asks his dateless school-teacher (Almanzo's sister), Eliza, to dance, an invitation she accepts gratefully.

Against this backdrop of small-town merriment, Laura finds Almanzo sulking in the kitchen, and greets him with a tentative, sympathetic "Hi." When they discover that their "dates" for the evening are each other's family members, and not romantic rivals, they are clearly relieved, though still obviously nervous about admitting their feelings to each other.

Almanzo breaks the ice with a "Sweet Sixteen" gift, a beautiful embroidered shawl that Laura promptly ties around her shoulders and softly announces "It's like I'm wearing your colors." The two draw ever-so-slowly closer to each other, before finally exchanging their first tender, chaste kiss. The show ends with the emergence of Laura and Almanzo on the dance floor, now officially Walnut Grove's newest couple.

In this day and age of instant gratification, meaningless hook-ups and safe sex, television dramas like Little House , with its focus on proper courtship, respect and family values probably seems corny and quaint to most people. But watching this episode last night, I found myself nostalgic for an era that, while lacking in personal conveniences, was rife with men and women of character.

Hello Ernesto!

The good news: It probably won't regain hurricane status before slamming into South Florida. The bad news: I'll still probably lose power (and therefore, blogging ability).

But I'm not complaining; we can deal with heavy rain for a few days.

Just Go Away Jimmy

It never ceases to amaze me that the USA's absolute worst President ever refuses to allow the country to forget he ever occupied the White House. If I were Jimmy, I'd spend less time publicly criticizing the United States and President George W. Bush and more time building Habitat houses, in an effort to deflect retrospection on my many failures as Commander-in-Chief. Alas, the man from Georgia just can't help himself.

Allan Ryskind in Human Events Online takes advantage of Carter's misplaced arrogance and details some of his dubious achievements during his tenure in office:

Let’s see. On Jimmy’s watch, Fidel Castro was on the march in Africa and fueling potent Marxist revolutionary groups throughout Central America. El Salvador and Honduras were under siege. Grenada actually went Communist in 1979. Nicaragua was taken over by Marxist thugs in the same year.

Jimmy’s astute analysis: Fidel was not a problem.

Even his State Department was telling him otherwise.

When the Sandinistas seized Nicaragua, Jimmy proclaimed to reporters: “I do not attribute at all the change in Nicaragua to Cuba.”

Then there was his admonition to Americans about our "inordinate fear of communism":

Ah, well, Jimmy didn’t think the Soviets were much of a problem either, given his rallying cry for America at Notre Dame University in 1977: The U.S., Jimmy happily pronounced, “was now free of an inordinate fear” of communism.

Then—surprise!—the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in December 1979. Finally alerted to Soviet perfidy, Jimmy decreed that the U.S. would boldly boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Bold moves, indeed.

And let's not forget the most dangerous failure of all --- the one that paved the way for the Global War on Terror:

But there’s more. While Jimmy was in the White House, Iran changed from a pro-Western, friendly government (under the Shah) to the grisly rule of Ayatollah Khomeini and his fundamentalist followers, who seized more than 50 American hostages. And haven’t things been sweet ever since?

The civilized world is in great pain because of the power-mad fanatics running Iran these days, and there is a school of thought that Jimmy’s human rights policy encouraged the shah’s overthrow. In any case, Carter did nothing to forestall that revolution or lessen its catastrophic impact.

Does this sound like a man with any justification to condemn the United States and its current President, who, thanks in part Carter's clueless foreign policy, is now forced to contend with maniacal, ideological fanatics, hell-bent on the destruction of the west?

Ryskind continues:

Thus, when Carter takes Bush to task for his entire Mideast policies, ignoring the ousting of al Qaeda and its terrorist bases in Afghanistan and Libya’s surrender of its WMD program, this is a hard pill to swallow. Bush hasn’t been up against a softie like Sadat, but ferocious killers and messianic murders such as Osama, Saddam, Nasrallah, Ahmadinejad and other horrific figures.

Carter's staggering hypocrisy largely goes unchecked by members of his own party, who apparently believe Americans have forgotten his deplorable record as President --one that also included high-inflation, double digit interest rates and gas lines.

Of all of the examples of breath-taking Leftist arrogance, Jimmy Carter's would perhaps be the most laughable, if not for its complicity in paving the way for murdering Islamic thugs to threaten our very existence today. Thanks to Carter's gross ineptitude, George W. Bush is forced to contend with Middle Eastern maniacal dictators and "religious" leaders whose sole purpose in life is the extermination of western infidels.

If anything, Carter should be apologizing to our current Commander-in-Chief, instead of chastising him around the globe. Then he should hold a press conference and apologize to the American people for his many failures as President, before vowing to stay out of things that thankfully, no longer concern him.

Free and Unharmed

Thank God there's a happy ending for Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, to this terrifying story. And for their families, indescribable relief, I'm sure.

Inspiring Invincible

Having been born in the city of Rocky, and raised on Philadelphia Eagles football, I learned at an early age the art of cheering for the underdog. I am descended from a family of loyal sports fans, who stand by their team no matter how painful – and believe me – faithfully following and supporting the Eagles during most of the decade of the 1970’s was excruciating. And contests against division rivals like the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys felt at times like cruel and unusual punishment.

My parents had purchased season tickets long before I arrived on the scene, joining my three brothers and my sister, in the tradition of family and football. And though I was only 9 years-old at the time, I remember the excitement and hopefulness we all felt when Dick Vermeil took over as Head Coach, ushering in a new era in Philadelphia football. I clearly recall the name of Vince Papale and his rags-to-riches story, but it wasn’t until viewing Disney’s Invincible that I discovered a true appreciation for his dramatic rise from unknown neighborhood bartender to beloved Eagle – a hard won victory born out of sheer determination and character, against rather formidable odds, and overwhelming heartache.

The film sets the tone from the start. As the camera presents a montage of scenes of tough South Philadelphia neighborhoods in 1975, against the musical backdrop of Jim Croce’s “I’ve Got a Name,” it’s clear that things are going to feel pretty bad before we get to experience anything resembling triumph. Indeed, the camera next pans to a snow-covered Veterans Stadium before focusing in on one die-hard fan in the 700-level, who despite his team’s deplorable performance, and 31-0 deficit, refuses to leave until the bitter end. “Come on, Eagles, show some pride out there!” he yells passionately from the stands, inciting ridicule from the frustrated fans around him, and giving us a glimpse of the strong character that will soon propel him to greatness.

While he may have grappled personally with pride, "heart” is something Vince Papale had in spades. A hard-working, responsible guy who subsequently suffers the loss of his teaching job and his unsupportive wife in the same week, he finds solace in the company of friends with whom he plays regular football and commiserates at Max’s Grill and Bar, where he toils as a part-time bartender. By the summer of 1976, things take an interesting turn, when the bar-room TV broadcasts Dick Vermeil’s proclamation of open tryouts for the Philadelphia Eagles.

A speed-demon even at the ripe old age of 30, Vince’s friends encourage him to go for it, despite his reticence and fear of facing another failure. In post-Vietnam and worker strike plagued Philadelphia, it’s no wonder Papale’s friends and father needed a vicarious victory. And as demonstrated by their willingness to help him out financially and emotionally, their loyalty to Vince is both touching and refreshing. As one friend implores, “Even if you’re down there for one hour, you’re down there.”


Turns out, making the cut was just the beginning. Facing intense opposition and ridicule from rookie hopefuls and seasoned veterans alike, Papale struggles with matters of the heart – his budding romance with his friend’s cousin and fellow-bartender, Janet – whose only “character flaw” is her passion for the New York Giants; and his own doubts about the future.

In one locker-room scene, rival Eagle hopefuls invade his privacy and read the nasty note left for Vince by his soon to be ex-wife, a piece of paper we’d seen him pick up off the floor earlier in the movie, but whose contents were unknown up to this point. When the words – along the lines of “You’ll never amount to anything”-- are shown on screen, it dramatically speaks to Vince’s determination to prove his critics wrong, using an intensely personal source of motivation. In one of the film’s most gratifying moments, a triumphant Vince tears the letter apart and trashes it, before running out onto the field with his Eagle teammates.

Mark Wahlberg as Vince Papale turns in an authentic, likeable performance, as does Greg Kinnear in the role of Dick Vermeil and Kevin Conroy as Papale’s long-widowed, working-class father. The movie paints a realistic portrait of loyal, blue collar Eagles’ fans, and captures the essence of the tight-knit community of mid-70’s South Philadelphia, with accompanying musical soundtrack. Kudos to Disney for also providing footage of the actual player and coach at the end, with a brief synopsis of Eagles history in the Vermiel-Papale era.

For loyal Eagles fans, Invincible brings back fond memories of the beginning of their team's transformation from soul-less losers to never-say-die winners, embodied so beautifully by the life of Vince Papale. For everyone else who loves a good real-life triumph against all odds, the film scores a touchdown.

Friday Fun and Football

Due to a change in friends' schedules, I'll be "playing hooky" later this afternoon to take in the much-anticipated "Invincible" this afternoon at the Muvico Premier in Boca.

Though I know, based on the film's trailer and my own childhood memories of the real event, that I will absolutely love Disney's latests sports inspiration (following in the footsteps of earlier achievements like "The Rookie" and "Miracle"), it was gratifying to read The Hollywood Reporter's positive review.

However, I do take issue with Kirk Honeycutt on this point:

Opening on the cusp of the football season, the film will attract a male following of all age groups, so it should do moderate theatrical and video business in North America.

While I have no doubt the movie will play well with male audiences, as a female and life-long fan of the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles, I take issue with his omission of women as fans of both the sport and this film.

Although I grew up with three brothers and a father -- all avid sports fans -- it was my Mom who instilled a passion for pro football in me. Her devotion to the Eagles sometimes contributed to personal hardship, like the time she contracted pneumonia from sitting through a game in the freezing cold of December. The youngest in the family and not yet in school, that incident led to my one-month stay with my grandmother and great aunt, until she fully recovered.

Pneumonia notwithstanding, Mom's love of the game and the Philadelphia Eagles never wavered, though she cheerfully surrendered her season ticket (we had three in all) to one of her children when the weather turned frigid. Some of my best memories involve Sunday dinners with family and friends centered around kick-off time; and attendance at triumphant victories at the Vet, not the least of which was the Eagles' NFC Championship win over the Dallas Cowboys, 20-7, on January 11, 1981. That blustery winter day will also go down in my history as one of the absolute coldest I have ever experienced, even with the sweet taste of victory and vindication over a much-despised rival.

Looking forward to watching a bit of Philly history on-screen. Back with a review later!

Eagles Television Network Goes Behind the Scenes with the Cast of "Invincible"

Rob Alberino's account of his experience with the cast and crew of "Invincible" is a must-read, especially for Eagles fans. Nice to know there are down-to-earth stars in Hollywood; especially gratifying is Massachusetts-native Mark Wahlberg's promise that "if the Pats are out, I am cheering for the Eagles from now on," and the fact that he's also a huge fan of Donovan Mc Nabb.

Vince, as always is a class-act.

Can't wait til' Saturday night at the Premier; look for my review of the film on Sunday! (here's a hint: I'm sure I'm gonna love it:)

E-A-G-L-E-S!!!

Do We Really Want Democrats in Charge?

Larry Elder's column today is a stark reminder for conservatives that this is no time to "punish" Republican representatives for their egregious overspending. For those of us who despise government waste, the fiscal irresponsibility of the Republican-controlled Congress is certainly a valid motivation; however, the consequences of ousting the GOP are simply too dangerous.

Looking first at the War with Global Jihad, Larry remarks on the recent outcome of the Lamont/Lieberman Connecticut primary, and its implications, should Lamont prevail in the General Election. Ironically, Larry uses liberals' favorite historical event -- the Vietnam War -- to make his point:

Lamont's "phased pullout" would send yet another signal to the enemies to simply wait us out. Osama bin Laden considers America impatient, lacking resolve and unwilling to sacrifice. Recall that our hasty pullout from Vietnam, and subsequent failure to abide by promises made to the South Vietnamese, resulted in a bloodbath in Southeast Asia that left 3 million or more dead.

In reference to the buffoon of a former President who just won't go away (and I am not referring to Bill Clinton, though the same descriptor applies), Larry notes:

For insight into the Democrats' brand of appeasement foreign policy, look no farther than former President Jimmy Carter. Just a few months into his presidency, he urged Americans to reconsider our "inordinate fear of communism." Carter kissed then-Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev on the cheek. Brezhnev invaded Afghanistan.

Carter, a staunch Bush critic, helped to usher in the "Iranian Revolution" of 1979 by leaning on the Shah of Iran to "release political prisoners." To show their gratitude, Iranians seized 90 hostages at the U.S. embassy, holding 52 of them for 444 days, before releasing them minutes after Ronald Reagan took office. At the time of the hostage crisis, Carter sent what some called a believer-to-believer letter in longhand to the Ayatollah Khomeini. The letter praised the ayatollah as a "man of God."

A Man of God?

I suppose Carter would also advise us to reconsider our "inordinate" fear of Islamo-fascist terrorists, since they are also "men of God," carrying out what they believe to be His will -- the worldwide slaughter of innocents using the most diabolical tactics they can conjure. Never mind that some of them -- like Hezbollah -- are funded by Iran.

What would Carter have said, had the terrorists succeeded in blowing up 10 American airliners over the Atlantic? Would he have condemned them as vicious killers driven by an ideology of hate? Of course not. He would've laid the blame on George W. Bush for failing to "dialogue" with these determined, relentless enemies of western civilization.

In the pot-calling-the-kettle-black category, Democrats are at their hypocritical best:

The other major Democrat line of attack accuses the Republicans of fiscal irresponsibility. This is their strongest and most persuasive argument. For it is true that this president, with the approval of the Republican-run legislature, ran up bills at a rate faster than any president since Lyndon Baines Johnson. Even if we exclude the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, homeland security and Katrina relief, the Republican Party turned its back on their alleged "limited government" philosophy.

But the Democrats' primary criticism is to call Republicans too stingy. About the monstrous expansion of Medicare with the prescription bill for seniors, Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., said, "Because the administration and the Republican leadership refused to provide the funds needed for an adequate drug benefit, more and more seniors are facing the ridiculous 'donut hole.' That's the huge gap which leaves enrollees with major out-of-pocket costs."

Regarding their six-pronged "New Direction for America" agenda for change, Elder notices some very glaring omissions:

Not one word about North Korea. Not one word about Iran. And virtually every one of the six Democrat initiatives requires greater federal government intrusion, higher taxes and contempt for the private sector to compete and innovate. In short, "fiscal irresponsibility."

But don't worry, there is one area in which they oppose government spending -- defense. As Elder reminds us:

And the next time you hear a Democrat attack Republicans for "reckless spending," ask the following question: "Aside from defense, where should government cut back?" The silence will be deafening.

Remember that this November and resist the urge to "send a message" to pork-happy Republican Congressmen. There's just too much at stake for our country and the free world; risking national security to make a point -- valid or not -- is no justification for putting innocent American lives in greater peril.

Honoring the Fallen

Please visit this site and volunteer to tell the story of a brave American who perished in the attacks on 9/11. Click on the link, register today and use your blog to remind the United States and the rest of the world that we will never forget.

Debunking the Myth of the "Republican" Corporation

David Hogberg and Sarah Haney of Human Events Online have brilliantly deconstructed the myth of American corporations as pawns of the right. Having worked for one of the financial institutions (affectionately dubbed "WAMU" by its employees) cited in their study, I was not surprised to discover that in 2003, it contributed absolutely zero to right-leaning causes, while lavishing $60,000 to left-of-center non-profits.

During much of my tenure at Washington Mutual, I worked in the Community Relations and Marketing departments, where I witnessed first-hand the company's affection for radical groups like La Raza. My position was based in South Florida, where I originally reported to a very professional, but very liberal boss, who was instrumental in determining the company's grant recipients for the entire state. La Raza was one of the minority organizations she held in high esteem.

I also dreaded WAMU's annual United Way Giving Campaign -- an effort for which I was required to play an active role -- for various reasons, particularly United Way's support of pro-abortion outfits like Planned Parenthood. Additionally, I found it distasteful and wrong for the company to attempt to legislate its employees' charitable giving, which is a private matter best left to their own discretion and financial situation.

While no one was forced to give to the United Way, the endless barrage of meetings, kick-off events and required attendance at United Way "celebrations" sent a loud- and -clear message that all employees, especially Assistant Branch Managers and above, were expected to participate, preferably via payroll deduction, the "lifeblood" of the United Way organization. One Regional Manager who tended to lead by fear, actually did require all of her branches, from entry-level Teller to Financial Center Manager, to cough it up for United Way, else suffer the wrath of the consequences in the form of public humiliation at the next staff meeting.

I recall a conversation with my boss as we tallied up the statewide donations, in which she derided all non-participating employees as "selfish," a description she later repeated over the phone with the Area Manager. When I raised the possibility that many of them might already support their own charities of choice, she promptly dismissed my theory, as if they were incapable of demonstrating generosity, unless prompted by our benevolent employer and done in the name of the noble United Way. My theory of choosing one's church over United Way was met with more outrage, as if giving to God instead of UW was an umbrage to humanity. Further, she rejected the argument that financial hardship could also be playing a role in the disappointing (at least from WAMU's POV) numbers, though later as a Recruiter with intimate knowledge of the company's salary levels, I'd realize the validity of my earlier statement.

The NFL's lovefest with United Way is also very discouraging to this hard-core Eagles fan, but at least now I feel freer to exercise my freedom of choice as it pertains to charitable donations. I must admit, during my tenure at WAMU, I acquiesed to political pressure and financially supported the campaign; my boss would most certainly have frowned upon my lack of interest had I not contributed, considering my yearly required role as United Way cheerleader and organizer.

Getting back to the Human Events article, the authors present a compelling argument as to why certain businesses support causes that seem to be in direct conflict with their products and services:

The need for good PR may help explain corporate gifts to environmental groups such as the Keystone Center ($459,610), the Nature Conservancy ($1,903,388), the Trust for Public Land ($670,034), the Wilderness Society ($104,790), and the World Wildlife Fund ($680,637). Some corporations, such as Johnson & Johnson, which produces medical supplies, and Pfizer, which makes pharmaceuticals, would seem to have little reason to placate environmentalists. But perhaps they understand that few terms confer more saintly status than the moniker “environmentalist.”

What better way to credibly claim the environmental mantle than to give to environmental groups? In 2004, Johnson & Johnson gave more than $100,000 each to the Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, and the Wilderness Society, and $450,000 to the World Wildlife Fund. Pfizer gave more than $250,000 to the Keystone Center and more than $130,000 to the Nature Conservancy.

And when it comes to PC madness, Washington Mutual is not alone:

The charity-as-investment strategy may also account for grants to left-of-center minority organizations. Corporate foundations may reason, for example, that grants to groups identifying with Hispanics, the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, will help them tap the Hispanic consumer market. Bank of America is a case in point. It has engaged in extensive efforts to tap into the Hispanic market, including launching Spanish-language ads in 2003 in the Hispanic-heavy states of Texas and California. In 2004, Bank of America Foundation donated $40,000 to the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation and $31,000 to the Mexican-American League Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF.

Nothing irked me more as a marketing person for Washington Mutual than its constant pandering to special interest groups in the name of the almighty dollar. Thus, the bank went out of its way to print brochures and other collateral in Spanish; adorn its financial centers with Spanish ads; and enter into marketing sponsorship agreements with carefully selected politically-correct events like the Gay Pride parade.

The final two reasons for left-leaning corporate support are even more sinister:

Left-wing groups are far more likely than groups on the right to organize boycotts and protests to embarrass corporations into caving into activists’ demands. Some groups, such as the radical Rainforest Action Network, use so-called “civil disobedience” to disrupt corporate meetings and operations. Instead of stiffening corporate resistance, their tactics frequently help open company checkbooks.

Of course, most right-wingers are too busy producing on the job to demonstrate in the streets in the name of their causes; additionally, most of them regard obstructing corporate meetings and operations in the name of "justice" rather unbecoming and ultimately hurtful to their own --and by extension, their country's --success. But some on the left, such as Jesse Jackson, have elevated the "shakedown" to an art form:

Jesse Jackson is the master of the corporate shakedown. His tactics are tried and true. Jackson first fires off a letter to a corporation criticizing it for not hiring enough minorities. He demands a meeting. If the corporation defends itself and rejects the demands, Jackson publicly accuses it of racial insensitivity, announces a protest and calls for a boycott. Since corporations recoil at charges of racism, they usually attempt to appease Jackson and agree to a meeting. The upshot is that Jackson can claim a historic breakthrough that also produces a corporate contribution to Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition.

And then there's the matter of Matching Donations:

It is worthwhile to note that many corporate foundations have programs that match donations made by company employees. Corporations sometimes observe that they can hardly be expected to monitor small employee gifts that they match. For instance, on the Bank of America Foundation tax return we found a matching $300 gift to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and a $50 gift to the Progress Unity Fund. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society maintains a fleet of ships that sink fishing vessels. The Progress Unity Fund is the parent organization for International Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (A.N.S.W.E.R.),which is best known for organizing protests against the War on Terror. In fact, the group’s leaders support the communist dictatorships of Cuba and North Korea. Nicole Nastacie explained that Bank of America does not pass judgment on employees’ personal philanthropy. “We respect our associates’ individual charitable giving choices by matching associate gifts to all eligible 501(c)(3) organizations,” she said.

If the Fortune 100 represents corporate America, then the belief that corporate America is more generous to public interest and advocacy groups on the right is clearly wrong. Unfortunately, that misperception is embedded in American consciousness. How often are groups on the left derided as “corporate lackeys”?

In the end, there's little hope that the misperception as corporations-in-the- pocket- of- evil- Republicans will change anytime soon. If my experience at Washington Mutual is any indication, even its own employees (particularly those based out of the Seattle HQ) subscribe to this thinking, United Way and La Raza notwithstanding. And liberal politicians are all too eager to exploit and perpetuate the myth.

Will the pattern change? Corporate foundations could make a start by better monitoring their matching grants. But real change requires that they commit themselves to free-market principles that are the basis for the liberty that lets enterprise grow and prosper. If corporations use their foundations to stifle competition and buy off opponents, there is little hope that they will be bulwarks of freedom—no matter what liberal commentators believe.

Amen.

Update on Centanni and Wiig

Here's the latest from the FOX News website:

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A previously unheard of Palestinian group released video footage on Wednesday showing two kidnapped FOX News journalists and demanded Muslim prisoners in U.S. jails be released within 72 hours in exchange for the men, a Palestinian news agency reported.

In the footage, American correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, and cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, of New Zealand, said they were being cared for and appealed for help in winning their release. The footage was the first sign of the journalists since they were kidnapped Aug. 14 from their TV van in Gaza City.

At least they appear to be alive and well. Hopefully they'll be released soon and unharmed.

Reproductive Republicans Do Their Part for America

Apparently, Red-Staters are more eager to reproduce than their Blue-State counterparts, according to the Arthur C. Brooks, in his Wall Street Journal column:


Simply put, liberals have a big baby problem: They're not having enough of them, they haven't for a long time, and their pool of potential new voters is suffering as a result. According to the 2004 General Social Survey, if you picked 100 unrelated politically liberal adults at random, you would find that they had, between them, 147 children. If you picked 100 conservatives, you would find 208 kids. That's a "fertility gap" of 41%. Given that about 80% of people with an identifiable party preference grow up to vote the same way as their parents, this gap translates into lots more little Republicans than little Democrats to vote in future elections. Over the past 30 years this gap has not been below 20%--explaining, to a large extent, the current ineffectiveness of liberal youth voter campaigns today.

This reproduction gap between conservatives and liberals was also the topic of yesterday's Day by Day cartoon by Chris Muir, and a tidbit on Brit Hume's "Grapevine" segment of Special Report last night.

For Democrats, however, the news gets even worse:

The fertility gap doesn't budge when we correct for factors like age, income, education, sex, race--or even religion. Indeed, if a conservative and a liberal are identical in all these ways, the liberal will still be 19 percentage points more likely to be childless than the conservative. Some believe the gap reflects an authentic cultural difference between left and right in America today. As one liberal columnist in a major paper graphically put it, "Maybe the scales are tipping to the neoconservative, homogenous right in our culture simply because they tend not to give much of a damn for the ramifications of wanton breeding and environmental destruction and pious sanctimony, whereas those on the left actually seem to give a whit for the health of the planet and the dire effects of overpopulation." It would appear liberals have been quite successful controlling overpopulation--in the Democratic Party.

According to the nameless, haughty liberal columnist quoted above, conservatives who start families, raise children and pay taxes -- ok, I threw that last one in there, but it does apply since liberals love taxes -- are selfish creatures with no regard for mother earth and the supposed "dire" effects of overpopulation. What the columnist doesn't take into account is the fact that these children, "neo-con" or not, have the potential to grow up to make incredible contributions to the planet, whether through science, medicine, engineering, business, etc. Further, we live in a free country, and people have the right to create as many offspring as they desire.

The unnamed columnist appears to fall right in line with the intolerance and pessism that seems to dominate the left: In this case, a newborn baby is viewed as a detriment to the world, instead of a miraculous new life who might actually make it a better place; conservatives who make babies are evil, religious nuts who reproduce simply because the Bible tells them to "Go forth and multiply."

It's more than a little ironic that the self-proclaimed "party of the people" is now suffering from its own population shortage, but for those of us who actually want the United States win this War against Global Jihad and thrive as a beacon of hope and harbinger of freedom in the world for countless generations to come, having kids is the ultimate contribution.

So much for the stereo-type of the "sexually-repressed" conservative!

Bad News for Global Warmers, Great News for Floridians

I hate to rain on their parade, but I couldn't help linking to this Neil Boortz commentary:

OK ... so the global warming nuts were wrong. They predicted a horrible hurricane season. It isn't happening. So ... what's different? What happened? Here's where you global warmistas need to sit down. Surface temperatures on the world's oceans are getting ...... cooler. According to a paper to be published next month in Geophysical Research Letters, between 2003 and 2005 globally averaged temperatures in the upper levels of the ocean have cooled. They've cooled not just a little ... but dramatically. Sea surface temperatures in the western Atlantic .. where hurricanes are fueled ... are now slightly below normal.

Oh well. Whatchagonna do!

I for one, am gonna celebrate, having endured two very active seasons in a row here in South Florida. And seeing Al Gore proven wrong once again, is another excellent reason to party.

Earlier this summer, I was amazed (but not totally surprised), by most Floridians' reaction to his scare-mongering cinematic debut, An Inconvenient Truth. Rather than question where he got his facts and drew his conclusions, most people blindly accepted his wild predictions (i.e. Florida's falling into the ocean). Guess Mother Nature isn't cooperating with ol' Al. Doesn't she know he has an agenda to fulfill?

Nevertheless, as I write this, Tropical Storm Debbie has just formed off the coast of Africa. Considering that we are nearing the end of August and this is only the 4th named storm, that's pretty good. Hopefully, wind shear and other factors will tear the storm apart before it can cause any mischief.

As for Al Gore, that's one blowhard I guess we'll have to put up with for a while.

Welcome Mark!

As my new tagline suggests, my big brother Mark is joining the blog! Mark, an Attorney and Entrepreneur who lives in the Philly-area, will bring his special brand of humor and wit, along with some great conservative commentary, to Muzz Musings.

In a way, he's responsible for the title of this blog, having given me the nickname "Muzz" when I was about three years-old, so it is only fitting that he add his two-cents here.

Look for him to post soon about his evening with PA Republican candidate for Governor, Lynn Swann, in Springfield. The momentum is building!!!

And his sports analysis -- especially with football season upon us -- is sure to be entertaining and informative.

Welcome, Mark!

Anti-Americanism, Actually

Since I'd written the review for this transparent movie long before my blog came along, I decided to post it here. Sadly, with all of the anti-American sentiment looming large in the world, it's still quite relevant:

Anti-Americanism, Actually

Thanksgiving, the quintessential American Holiday that compels us to reflect on the foundation of our beloved country and express our gratitude for the many blessings bestowed upon us by the Almighty, has always ranked as one of my very favorites, just slightly behind Christmas. There’s something sacred about pausing from the daily activity of life (football aside), and remembering how truly fortunate we are as Americans to live in a strong and free country, rife with opportunities.

As we went around the table last Thursday, we each shared our unique reasons for feeling thankfulness, yet a common theme prevailed – Thank God for the United States of America, and the brave, selfless Military men and women who put their lives at risk everyday to defend our liberty.

Such unabashed faith and patriotism is apparently lost on our European “friends,” if pop culture is any indication. For anyone who has been paying attention since September 11, 2001, this is not a news flash: From the radical Iraq War protestors to the Oil for Food Scandal, much of what Donald Rumsfeld appropriately (though not affectionately) refers to as “Old Europe,” has proven itself devoid of integrity, morality, spirituality and yes -- gratitude. From the French to the Germans to the British (with the notable exception of Prime Minister Tony Blair), Europe seems to have forgotten the many blessings bestowed upon them, courtesy of the USA and the blood of its many servicemen and women who have freed them from the evils of Nazism, Fascism and Communism.

Like the Liberal elites in our own country, the “Euro-weenies” (as coined by the exceptional columnist Michelle Malkin) consistently refuse to see the real enemy of our time – Islamo-fascism and its Ideology of Hate – and instead place their misguided anger on America and its President, George W. Bush.

From their absolute shock and indignation at the significant number of American citizens voting for “moral values” (as described by Bill Kristol on FOX News’ “Special Report with Brit Hume”), to their sheer disgust and dismissal of over 59 million Americans as “dumb,” the British citizenry has shown its true colors – and they are not in solidarity with star-spangled red, white and blue. After all, as Bill Kristol reported, the flabbergasted BBC admitted to him in an interview that “moral values” would never motivate a Brit to vote for or against a candidate. One can almost imagine the entire population of England snickering in condescension at the thought of “stupid” “God-fearing” Americans giving thanks to the Almighty before sharing a turkey among family and friends.

Yet for all of the recent examples of British Anti-Americanism, the most striking example hit home with me just last night, after viewing a film called “Love, Actually.” I’d just returned to my friend Theresa’s home, after we’d both attended the lighting of the 100 foot Christmas tree in Delray Beach, an annual event to which we all look forward. (The prior evening, I’d volunteered with my Kiwanis club at the Boca Raton tree lighting ceremony, where I’d kept kids and parents in line as they waited to see Santa; however, that’s a story for another column, along with the beautiful Nativity Scene that sits proudly in front of the tree. As far as I know, no one has yet called the ACLU).

Theresa, a staunch Republican, invited me to stay and watch the DVD of the film, which she termed a “great kick-off to the Christmas Holiday Season” and a movie that celebrated the fact that “love is actually all around us.” It sounded promising enough, and as the scenes unfolded, I felt pretty confident I’d enjoy the entire two hours. Ten minutes into the film, however, the striking differences between the value systems of America and Britain, and the latter’s utter disgust for the former became painfully apparent.

Take the Christmas Holiday, for example. Never have I seen one of the most sacred of Christian celebrations so desecrated for the purpose of a few laughs and some pounds at the box office. Though many American movies tend to lose sight of the significance of Christmas as the birth of Christ, most of them at least retain and celebrate the Christian values of generosity, concern for others and the joy of family and friends.

In “Love, Actually,” basic Christian morality is all but forgotten. The movie segues back and forth between different sub-plots and characters. One of these plots involves the filming of a pornographic movie, in which the two stars matter-of-factly discuss weather and traffic as they grope each other’s naked bodies and take on various sexual positions as ordered by the movie’s Director. Of course, by the end of “Love, Actually,” the two have fallen madly in love, as if to prove that just because one sells his or her body for screen profit doesn’t mean he or she is a bad person. In fact, as a result, they’ve discovered true love! Bah-humbug.

Then there’s the plot involving a washed-up, 50-something rock star trying to hold onto his popularity by changing the lyrics to his hit song, replacing the word “love” with “Christmas.” It’s a crass attempt to revive his career, which the film takes every opportunity to poke fun of. The problem is, one of these “comedic moments” has him unzipping his fly and exposing himself on national television, in front of children. Even more disturbing is the fact that one of the main characters –a boy of about eight years old – witnesses the event without a trace of surprise or outrage. Apparently, naked men displaying their manhood on television are as commonplace in Britain as pubs and fish-and-chips.

Speaking of the young boy, one of the most ridiculous storylines involves his “love” for another classmate, an American girl who is soon to depart for her homeland, along with her mother. With the aid of his step-father, the boy goes to all kinds of preposterous lengths to win her affection, including breaching Security at the airport, an offense for which neither the child, nor his legal parent are punished. Ah, true love trumps all other issues, even in a world threatened by Islamo-Terrorism!

Throughout the movie, there are all kinds of assaults on Christmas as we know it, including the party scene in which an artist’s works are displayed prominently on the walls. None of the merry-makers seems offended by the painting depicting a woman’s nipples adorned with Santa hats or the afore-mentioned over-the-hill rocker appearing on national television with scantily-clad women in sexy Santa outfits – a la Robert Palmer – licking their lips provocatively as they move suggestively to the music.

As if it weren’t enough to desecrate and secularize a beloved Holiday, “Love, Actually” takes a final plunge into the mud with its depiction of the American President, played with smug arrogance by actor Billy Bob Thornton. In the most distasteful scene in the movie, the President barks orders at Parliament and the Prime Minister, played with debonair humility by none other than Hugh Grant (who is neither debonair, nor humble), asserting American dominance over the world and declaring that if Britain doesn’t like it, too bad!

This is followed by the “very good” Prime Minister’s witnessing of the “very bad” American President’s sexual harassment of one of the Prime Minister’s staff, a sweet, attractive woman for whom he’s carried a torch throughout the film. The PM goes into hero mode at the subsequent press conference, when he refuses to play ball with the smug American President, and admonishes him, that “though a small country, England is a proud country…the home of Shakespeare and Harry Potter (not surprisingly, he neglects to mention Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher)…and if the President thinks England will just roll over, he’s in for the fight of his life!” This speech is of course met with rousing applause and rowdy cheers from the crowd, a reaction I am sure took place in movie theaters throughout Great Britain as audiences viewed the scene.

Can’t you just hear them whispering excitedly in each other’s ears: “What a perfect depiction of that dastardly American cowboy they have the nerve to call a President! Here’s to his defeat next November!” Undoubtedly, after watching this ridiculous movie, British citizens everywhere were salivating at the thought of George W. Bush returning to the saddle in Crawford, Texas. Sadly, from their point of view, they grossly “misunderestimated” not only our President, but the strong character of the American people.

Some of us might have actually spent money last year at the box office on “Love, Actually.” Maybe some of us even liked the film (my guess is that the blue states folks probably did). But as the British and the rest of the world would discover 11 months later, America still stands with her head held high, deeply rooted in her religious heritage and tradition of moral integrity. Or, straight to the point for all of our British friends scratching their heads over the election: “It’s moral values, actually.”

I Agree With Juan (For Once)

As a staunch Conservative, I am happy to say I finally agree with Liberal Juan Williams on something. Juan, a FOX News' Political Analyst and a Senior Correspndant for NPR, usually has me shaking my head over his take on politics, national security, terrorism and the like, although he always comes across as an honest man with deeply-rooted beliefs.

Especially entertaining are the "panel" moments on Brit Hume's Special Report and on FOX News Sunday, when Brit's exasperation at Juan erupts into spirited sparring matches, with both men passionately fighting for their point of view.

While I am normally on Brit's side in such altercations, I am impressed with Juan's Op-Ed in The Washington Post, and, judging by his appearance on The O'Reilly Factor last night, his willingness to take on race-baiters like Al Sharpton. The two went head-to-head on the program, with Juan emerging as the thoughtful gentleman with his facts straight. Sharpton, as always, was an emotional wreck who couldn't put together a cohesive argument.

Williams' piece today provides a sampling of his new book, Enough, which deals with the tricky subject of minority advancement and what he calls a Culture of Failure:

With 50 percent of Hispanic children and nearly 70 percent of black children born to single women today these young people too often come from fractured families where there is little time for parenting. Their search for identity and a sense of direction is undermined by a twisted popular culture that focuses on the "bling-bling" of fast money associated with famous basketball players, rap artists, drug dealers and the idea that women are at their best when flaunting their sexuality and having babies.

In Washington, where a crime wave is tied to these troubled young souls, the city reacts with a curfew. It is a band-aid. The real question is how one does battle with the culture of failure that is poisoning young people -- and do so without incurring the wrath of critics who say we are closing our eyes to existing racial injustice and are "blaming the victim."

Williams echoes Bill Cosby's call to personal responsibility in the wake of Katrina and the dire statistics quoted above. Hopefully his example will inspire more true black leaders to speak out and finally put an end to the Sharpton-Jackson shakedown tactic, whose primary aim is to pad their pockets while keeping minority populations mired in the mythology of victimhood.

Still Missing

Found this post on the CBS blog, via Michelle Malkin, regarding the lack of interest/coverage of the kidnapping of FOX News' correspondant Steve Centanni and cameraman, Olaf Wiig.

Vaughn makes some interesting observations:


Are We Tired Of Journalists-Under-Fire Stories?


Maybe it’s just us, but it seems the kidnapping of two Fox News journalists in the Gaza Strip last week has gotten far less attention from the press than other high-profile kidnappings – like that of Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll. Now, there may be a lot of reasons for that: It may be the difference between women and men captives; it could be because the Fox News journalists were captured in Gaza, not Iraq; or I could be all wet about the whole thing.

I could be "all wet" about this myself, but I can't shake the feeling that there's an underlying bias against these two for the simple reason that they work for FOX News Channel, a network that sticks to the facts -- like calling Hezbollah for what it is -- a terrorist organization funded by Iran and Syria. It's very likely their captors are somehow punishing them for their network's "pro-Israel" stance.

Perhaps Jill Carroll received more attention because she's a female, but whatever the motivation, the mainstream media's silence in the wake of the kidnapping of these two men is quite disturbing. As a regular viewer of FOX, I am familiar with Centanni's work, and while I do not know the man personally, he always came across as an honest reporter and a gentleman.

It pains me to think of what he and his cameraman could be enduring at this very moment, while their families wait and worry. God bless them all, and may they be returned unharmed immediately.

The Enemy Within

Michael Barone's latest piece addresses the serious issue of America's "covert" enemy, and its dangerous implications for the War with Global Jihad. Here's an excerpt:

At the center of their thinking is a notion of moral relativism. No idea is morally superior to another. Hitler had his way, we have ours -- who's to say who is right? No ideas should be "privileged," especially those that have been the guiding forces in the development and improvement of Western civilization. Rich white men have imposed their ideas because of their wealth and through the use of force. Rich white nations imposed their rule on benighted people of color around the world. For this sin of imperialism they must forever be regarded as morally stained and presumptively wrong. Our covert enemies go quickly from the notion that all societies are morally equal to the notion that all societies are morally equal except ours, which is worse.

These are the ideas that have been transmitted over a long generation by the elites who run our universities and our schools, and who dominate our mainstream media. They teach an American history with the good parts left out and the bad parts emphasized. We are taught that some of the Founding Fathers were slaveholders -- and are left ignorant of their proclamations of universal liberties and human rights. We are taught that Japanese-Americans were interned in World War II -- and not that American military forces liberated millions from tyranny. To be sure, the great mass of Americans tend to resist these teachings. By the millions they buy and read serious biographies of the Founders and accounts of the Greatest Generation. But the teachings of our covert enemies have their effect.

Judging by the pervasive attitude that George W. Bush is the "real" terrorist, and an "idiot" I'd say the covert enemy has achieved some measure of success. If not for the emergence of alternative media like cable news, talk radio and the internet -- which presents a balanced portrayal of the facts -- university professors, mainstream media journalists and other proponents of moral equivalence would have almost free reign in the promotion of their anti-American agenda.

Still, the Global Jihadists must be laughing themselves silly at the covert enemy's ingestion and acceptance of Muslim propaganda, rejection of profiling to prevent further attacks, misguided hatred of President Bush and condemnation of terror-fighting programs like the Patriot Act and the NSA Wiretapping. How they must have howled with delight over Carter-appointee Distict Judge Anita Diggs Taylor's moronic decision declaring a highly-effective terrorist surveillance program "unconstitutional."

If anyone doubts that her ruling was based on anything other than pure politics and Bush-hatred, they've no doubt succumbed to the teachings of the covert enemy. (Don't even get me started about Jimmy Carter, easily one of the worst Presidents this country has ever had the misfortune of electing. Given his deploroble legacy of high-inflation, long gas lines, impotent response to Iran's seizure of the American embassy and abject failure to get our hostages released, this man ought to do us all a favor and stick to building houses for Habitat for Humanity).

It's downright dangerous and highly-depressing that in addition to radical Muslim extremists around the world, America also has to contend with a determined enemy within, whose impenetrable mind-set constantly puts the blame for worldwide death and destruction in the name of Allah squarely on their own country's shoulders, instead of where it truly belongs.

Eagles Fans Are Ready!

Makes me wish I could be in Philly!

Only 5 More Days To Go!

Until the story of Vince Papale hits the theaters....can't wait to be inspired all over again!

Republican Babe of the Week - Diana Irey

Excellent choice, Jersey GOP!

Wal-Mart Mania

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hanging out with one of my dearest friends, Donna, in Boynton Beach. Though she lives only about 20 minutes away, hectic schedules have made it challenging to see each other over the last few months. Happily, our friendship is the kind that enables us to pick right up wherever we last left off, which for us, usually means somewhere in a retail outlet.

And if our weekend activities are any indication, Democrats had better find a better strategy than blaming Wal-Mart for the world's evils.

When I first arrived at Donna's house, she filled me in on her adventures with another close friend the night before, which culminated in a 4:30 a.m. arrival back home. Were she and her married friend -- gasp! -- out on the town night-clubbing and otherwise looking for love in all the wrong places?? Of course not, they were scooping up bargains in all the right places -- namely two South Florida 24-hour Super Wal-Marts!

Donna gleefully showcased her inexpensive, yet good-quality purchases, and inquired as to my interest in heading to the country's largest private employer to hunt for more great deals. My answer, of course, was a resounding, yes!

Judging from the long lines and impressive crowds at both locations, most South Floridians (as I suspect, most Americans) feel the same way. In fact, Donna related her admiration of the company for providing a good work environment and clean, nicely laid-out stores. I wholeheartedly agreed with her, though I purposely didn't mention the new political "debate" put forth by the Dems with respect to Sam Walton's ingenious brainchild. Why ruin a good night's shopping when her mind was already made up? No need to preach to the choir when there was an endless array of low-priced merchandise to be had!

Wal-Mart makes it possible for the everyday working person to afford necessary items that most of these "limosine do-gooders" scarf up at high-priced places like Whole Foods, Bloomingdale's, Starbucks and Sak's Fifth Avenue, yet they claim to be the "champion" of America's poor and middle-class.

And as a matter of observation, the employees last night were cheerful, helpful and otherwise working there freely and of their own accord. Donna had to make a few exchanges at two separate Wal-Mart locations and the Customer Service clerks in each were pleasant, accommodating and efficient. One even went out of her way to find another employee who could accept returns, when we arrived at the store to discover the Return Counter had been closed. If these employees are miserable, they sure do hide it well.

If last night's populous crowds are reflective of the country's attitude towards Wal-Mart, I'd say Biden, Lamont and the rest of the Left-of-Center gang better employ a new strategy. Then again, if they want to lose elections, who am I -- a middle-class Wal-Mart shopper -- to stop them?

Cease-Fire: What's It Good For? Absolutely Nothing!

Unless you consider Lebanon and the UN's continued condemnation of Israel and support of Hezbollah a good thing. Regarding Israel's raid on the Bekaa Valley in an attempt to stop arms smuggling from Iran and Syria to the emboldened terrorist organization -- yet another blatant violation of yet another U.N. Resolution, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev had this to say:

"If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hezbollah in violation of the resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the principle of the arms embargo. Once the Lebanese army and the international forces are active ... then such Israeli activity will become superfluous."

As usual, clueless, incompetent Kofi issued another outrageous statement in response:

A statement issued by Annan's spokesman later Saturday said that the U.N. chief spoke with both Saniora and Olmert about the fighting. "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about a violation by the Israeli side of the cessation of hostilities," it said.

All such violations of Security Council Resolution 1701 endanger the fragile calm that was reached after much negotiation," said the statement, issued by spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Europe of course, "led" by the French, has been dragging its feet in the deployment of troops to southern Lebanon. It's classic U.N. and European appeasement all over again. Gravely disappointing, but hardly surprising.

Why President Bush and Condi Rice insisted on participating in this charade is what truly puzzles me. Israel had opened up another front on the War on Terror in acting upon its right to defend itself -- and ultimately the United States - from radical Islamic savages, representing no country, yet fully supported by two evil regimes whose fondest desire and steadfast aim is to wipe Israel off the map.

Why, why, why, did the United States once again, lend credence to the most corrupt and counter-productive organization on the planet? Haven't we learned from the past?

Apparently not. It's not a question of if, but when this latest ridiculous "cessation of hostilities" leads to even more bloodshed in the region.

Great job, State Department.

The Case for Profiling

Michael Smerconish nails it.

Ned Lamont's Wal-Mart Hypocrisy

Personally, I believe attacking Wal-Mart is a political loser, especially when said-attacker owns as much as $31,000 in the retail giant's stock.

More stunning hypocrisy from the Left.

I Wasn't Aborted Either...Thanks Mom and Dad!

Julia Gorin's dramatic response to MS. Magazine's "I had an abortion" campaign, is a must-read. Too many in this country have been enthralled by the misleading "freedom of choice" euphemism thrust upon us by slick marketing designed to keep the multi-million dollar abortion industry humming along.

While my story isn't nearly as dramatic (I was NEVER in danger of losing my life), like Ms. Gorin, I was also an "unplanned pregnancy," conceived at the absolute worst time for my parents, financially speaking.

My father had just completed his Medical residency and was about to embark on his General Surgery Practice. He and my Mom already had four kids (the second of whom had been born with Down's Syndrome), and were not looking to expand their family when I came along. They were facing tremendous debt, having "begged, borrowed and stolen" simply to put a roof in the safety of the suburbs, over their young children's heads. Many rooms in the two-story colonial were devoid of furniture, so dire was their financial situation.

So they were less than thrilled with the news that a 5th child was on the way. In fact, my Mom recently confessed that I "owed my life" to her dear friend Lauretta, who comforted her in the wake of the news and assured her that everything would work out just fine.

Granted it was 1966, and abortion hadn't yet been given the outrageous status of a "Constitutional Right" instead of an issue best left decided by voters at the state-level. Still, if my parents had held the view that I was simply a "blob of tissue" at best and a grave inconvenience at worst, they would have found a way to snuff out my life.

Ironically, Mom almost inadvertently lost me under the burden of oppressive grief at the sudden and unexpected death of her beloved father, which occured early into the pregnancy. My Aunt Marie (may she rest in peace) had a prominent role in helping her through that terrible time.

Like Julia, I am sickened by the cavalier attitude of supposed "women's organizations" who aren't really "pro-choice" (just ask them how they feel about adoption counseling or even abstinence programs for students), but pro-abortion. They have no regard for the emotional trauma and health complications suffered by many women as a result of this procedure.

For MS. Magazine to create such a tasteless campaign belies their stunning hypocrisy. On one hand, they argue for a woman's privacy and freedom to "choose" (while denying any rights to the biological father); and on the other they urge them to brag openly about having undergone the life-terminating procedure. They cannot have it both ways.

I've yet to see MS. (or any popular women's magazine for that matter) give equal time to women who don't support abortion, or are happily "working" as stay-at-home Moms. Most of these publications are under the false impression that all women share their liberal worldview, which is why I stopped purchasing them years ago. When a conservative point of view is presented, it is most likely done so in the most unflattering manner (e.g. obsessive coverage of an abortion-clinic bomber in an effort to paint all who oppose abortion as murdering, hypocritical fanatics).

Happily, my family did survive the birth of an unexpected child quite well. My Dad ran a successful, well-respected Surgical practice for over 30 years, and though he's now retired from Surgery, he still works as a Staff Physician and an Expert Witness for Medical Cases. My Mom and Dad welcomed me with the same amount of love and devotion they'd demonstrated toward their other children, and I was very blessed to grow up in a stable, secure home. Never once did I ever feel like a "mistake." My guess is that once they laid their eyes upon their newborn daughter, all thoughts of impending hardship dissolved.

To this day, I am thankful for the gift of a close family, and though I didn't grow up to be a Master Violinist, I like to think I contribute well to my little corner of the world. And, hey, my blog is just getting started -- thanks to the wonders of technology -- so who knows where this will lead? In the meantime, I'm eternally grateful for the gift of life, and the parents who gave it to me.

The Dems Have Named the Enemy and it is.....Wal-Mart?

Bryan Preston at Hot Air uncovers Joe Biden's victory strategy for 2008: saving Americans from the "brutal enemy" known as Wal-Mart. And you thought we had something to fear from terrorists organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda!

Bryan is correct in his assessment that the Democrats hate Wal-Mart because it is wildly successful without any government help. And, he notes, the Dems union labor backers despise the country's largest private employer because its employees have no interest in unionizing.

In short, the company is an excellent example of Capitalism at work, and we all know how many in the Democratic party feel about that.

Like Bryan, I've spent a lot of time at Wal-Mart (just ask my friend Donna!), and have never witnessed one single employee laboring there under duress in the form of a gun to the head. I must add, the working conditions in the stores I've visited seemed much more than adequate. It's a discount retail chain, not Nordstrom's.

It is beyond some politicians' comprehension that outlets like Wal-Mart make it possible for working stiffs like me to purchase needed items at much lower prices. And as Bryan point out, forcing Wal-Mart to provide benefits for part-time workers will only end up hurting them, as there will be fewer jobs for them in the long run.

To its credit Wal-Mart fired back:

Wal-Mart has begun a counterattack. In interviews on Wednesday, company executives warned that they would alert their 1.3 million American employees to the anti-Wal-Mart campaign. They also pointed to a poll the company financed that reported that Americans were generally supportive of the company.

“There is far more evidence to show that this short-sighted political strategy will backfire than that it will actually work,” said Mona Williams, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Stores. “We believe our associates vote, and it is our responsibility to let them know when a politician speaks out for or against our company.”
In a letter to its workers in Iowa, Wal-Mart warned of the political events, including appearances by Mr. Bayh, Mr. Biden and Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico.
Wal-Mart “would never suggest to you how to vote,” the letter said, “but we have an obligation to tell you when politicians are saying something about your company that isn’t true. After all, you are Wal-Mart.”


Democrats like Joe Biden would be well-advised to start offering solutions on how to win the bloody War on Terror and stop picking on one of America's greatest success stories.

Bravo, Nicole!

And the 84 other Hollywood heavy-hitters involved in this timely ad:

"We the undersigned are pained and devastated by the civilian casualties in Israel and Lebanon caused by terrorist actions initiated by terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah and Hamas," the ad reads.

"If we do not succeed in stopping terrorism around the world, chaos will rule and innocent people will continue to die.

"We need to support democratic societies and stop terrorism at all costs."

WOW! I am blown away and somewhat relieved that there are actually powerful people in Tinseltown who get it. The fact that the ad specifically blames Hezbollah and Hamas proves that at least some in the land of make-believe are willing to publicly denounce the real perpetrators of worldwide terror, unlike most in the MSM, who are still busy blaming George W. Bush and Israel.

Justice for JonBenet

I must confess, for the past 10 years I've fallen in with the majority of Americans who felt this poor little girl's parents and brother were somehow responsible. Now comes this amazing break in the case.

Looks like the guilty party is another pedophile sicko in the tradition of John Couey. Hopefully this disgusting vermin will face the death penalty, if not life in prison.

Chilling Observations on the Steve Centanni Kidnapping

God, I pray these men are returned to their families unharmed. It's puzzling that FOX News hasn't even mentioned it on any of their broadcasts (at least the ones I've seen).

Is it possible that Centanni, employee of the "fair and balanced" FOX News Channel (the network that rightly calls a terrorist a terrorist), was targeted as punishment for his employer's perceived "pro-Israel" stance?

Why they are keeping mum on this disturbing story is anybody's guess, but I hope we're not about to witness a repeat of Tucker and Menchaca, as Allah suggests. But when you're dealing with the devil, anything's possible.

E-Harmonizing: Part VI

I'd chosen The Dolphin Bar and Shrimp House, a seafood restaurant on the Intracoastal that had once been owned by an old-time movie star, Frances Langford, during the Glory Days of Hollywood (which are, sadly, a thing of the past). Known for its seafood and "upscale casual" ambiance, the place also boasts lots of memorabilia, from a 50's retro-room complete with an old-fashioned barber chair and television, to walls adorned with photos of the actress, many including Bob Hope, with whom she'd completed several USO tours.

With the added features of an outdoor deck and a beautiful gift shop, and in near proximity to two downtown areas and an island resort, it seemed the perfect place to spend at least an afternoon (as was our plan) getting to know each other better.

As usual, I spent considerable time selecting the perfect outfit, with the help of a good girlfriend (my travel-buddy, Tre), and was pleased with the results. One benefit of having straight, yet full-bodied hair is that humidity rarely affects its style. And because I use botanically-based make-up that holds it own against the Florida sun, I never worry about embarassing caking and smudging. In short -- although I am far from perfect, I looked pretty damned good.

There was some inkling the night before the date that trouble was afoot, however. Out of respect for my match, I won't divulge details, but suffice it to say the guy either takes on more responsibility where extended family is concerned than is appropriate, OR has it thrust upon him. Either way, the outcome isn't pretty.

For this same reason, we'd postponed the meeting from the week before. Having not been available two weekends prior to that (due to my Mom's visit and my subsequent vacation), I was very understanding. I am not a high-maintenance girl to begin with (though I'm starting to wonder if I should rethink that), my Boca address notwithstanding, and since we'd been communicating for so long, I was more than willing to cut the guy some slack.

But when he called me the Friday night before our scheduled date, he sounded harried. Having worked another long, stressful day as a business-owner of a thriving practice, he was now on his way to complete some "chores" (his word, not mine)on behalf of his Dad and brother. While his willingness to help was rather noble, I wondered aloud why his family wouldn't hire a neighborhood kid to tend to the lawn, given the obvious strain it was creating for him. My intention was simply to offer a solution, not complicate the matter further. He abruptly dismissed my suggestion as something his father "would never do," and promised to call me later that evening or the following morning.

Before hanging up, I offered to reschedule the date once again, but he assured me of his desire to meet as planned. He never did phone that evening. This struck me as odd, considering the man rarely called me prior to 11:30 p.m., which, looking back, was rather telling. I'm no fragile flower and I can certainly stay up late, but when a man is pursuing a woman he has yet to meet in person, calling at that hour seems rather presumptious. It's one thing, when in an established relationship, to dial your significant, long-distance other at the end of a challenging day just to hear her voice before turning in; it's yet another to fit in a call as an after-thought. Or worse, a perceived obligation.

When no call was forthcoming the morning of our date, and none of my calls returned (cell, home or office), I wondered if I should plan on staying home. By ten o'clock, however, I decided to get on the road; if he called to cancel, I could always make a u-turn.

At last he called me en route, sounding frazzled, but still determined to keep our date, despite having to drive 10 miles out of his way to his Dad's, in order to retrieve his cell phone, which he'd forgotten the night before. When he mentioned he was speeding along at 90 miles-per-hour, I encouraged him to take his time and arrive in one piece. Unbelievably to those familiar with Palm Beach County traffic, I made it to the restaurant in Jensen Beach in a little over an hour, allowing ample opportunity to once again check my appearance and calm my nerves (first dates are always a bit harrowing for me).

I must admit when SC finally arrived, I didn't feel immediate fireworks. Though nicely dressed and smiling pleasantly, he looked much different from his photos, where he definitely appeared taller and broader. And although he'd informed me of his recent buzz cut, its severity took me by surprise.

Still, based on the eharmony principles, supported by nearly 2 months of active communication, I was more than willing to honor the agreement to spend the day together. If chemistry didn't develop, at the very least I'd have made a new friend. Apparently, SC wasn't interested in making the same concession.

While we enjoyed a nice conversation over lunch, something about his mannerism suggested he wasn't feeling the spark, either. His smile, while nice, may have been a bit too eager, as I recall. Fair enough. There are no guarantees that shared "dimensions" always lead to passionate physical attraction. And perhaps, though he accepted my gift of Arbonne men's products graciously, he was panicked on the inside.

Anyone who knows me is aware that I never make such gestures with strings attached; I was merely responding to his recent skin cancer scare, brought on by unprotected time in the sun, and tanning salons. It was not meant as a token of true love or a symbol of commitment (though he'd told me more than once over the phone that he'd declined to renew his e-harmony membership, now that we were communicating outside of the site). If this thoughtful gift scared him away, I say "Goodbye and Godspeed." I have no interest in changing my good-hearted ways simply because some man can't handle it.

But I'm really not sure to this day exactly what went on inside his head.

After lunch, we headed to the gift shop, where he bought a glass dolphin for his sister ("She loves dolphins," he explained), and even had it gift-wrapped. It didn't cross my mind to ask if it was her birthday, although that would have been a logical follow-up. It's not that I expected him to buy me something -- he did treat me to lunch, after all -- it just struck me as odd, for whatever reason. Ok, fine. Onto the next phase of the date.

We hopped into his car and drove two-minutes north to a lovely riverside park, where we took a stroll out onto a long fishing pier. Somewhere in the middle of polite conversation, he mentioned the brakes on his car. Apparently, his brake light came on during his southbound trip, and he was suddenly concerned about driving home in the dark (never mind that it was only 1:45 in the afternoon) and his mechanic-buddy's ability to fix the problem before Sunday. Abruptly, he offered to drive me back to my car, ending our long-anticipated, but seriously disappointing, date.

Back at the driver's side of my Honda Accord, my request for a phone call alerting me to his safe return home was met with the following brush-off: "I'll be fine!" He extended his hand, and for some dumb reason, I repeated my earlier greeting and gave him a quick hug. Not surprisingly, he never called that evening.

In fact, he hasn't called or emailed since. For the life of me, I cannot understand his rude behavior. If he wasn't physically attracted to me, fine. I felt the same way about him. However, after all the time spent corresponding via eharmony and then talking over the phone, I thought the day at least deserved a fair shake. At the very least, he owed me a reasonable explanation. You know, something along the lines of:

"Hey, I really think you're a great person, and I know we had a lot in common; it's just that I'm not feeling the same connection in person. But it was so nice to have spent some time with you; I really enjoyed myself. Oh, and thank you so much for your thoughtful gift. I am looking forward to using the products. Take care and drive safely."

As it stands, the failing brake excuse, even if true, is reminiscent of high-school behavior, and very unbecoming of a forty-seven year-old man. The fact that he dismissed my concerns for his safety only supports the case for the flimsiness of his excuse and his blatant immaturity. It has been four days now, with no communication, and frankly, I don't care enough, nor is it my responsibility to contact him.

Regarding eharmony, I think I'll keep my membership active for a while. Just the other day they sent me a match, with whom I initiated "Guided Communication."

I am, after all, a hopeful romantic.

Heartbreak in the State Department

As much as it pains me, I agree with Tammy Bruce's assessment of Condi Rice's "heartbreaking" record as Secretary of State. Tammy objectively lays out the argument, beginning with the North Korea launch of 7 ballistic missiles last month, and ending with the most recent disgrace in the Middle East, which the White House keeps calling a "victory."

RIGHT.

That's why Hezbollah and its supporters (Syria and Iran) are dancing in the streets, with the militant terrorist organization even more emboldened and certainly still armed for destruction. Meanwhile, our staunch ally and sole thriving Middle East democracy, Israel, was forced to retreat WITHOUT their kidnapped soldiers, leaving them even more vulnerable to Hezbo aggression. Way to go, State Department!

And why were we consulting with France of all nations --- FRANCE! The same country that cannot control their own radical Muslim population; the same country that was on the take from Saddam Hussein and the same country that thwarts the United States at every opportunity.

Simultaneously, corrupt Kofi emerges as some sort of hero -- the same man who refuses to draw a moral distinction between a democratic country trying to defend itself and a bloodthirsty terrorist organization, representing no country, whose only grievance is the fact that Israel exists.

As someone who had such high hopes and tremendous respect for Condi, I am gravely disappointed. Tammy Bruce is correct in her assessment of Condi's performance -- HEARTBREAKING, indeed.

Maybe it is time for Giuliani in '08.

E-Harmonizing: Part V

Actually, June turned out to be a rather active month for me in eharmonyland, with several new prospects in my inbox (the site notifies you via your personal email when they've discovered a compatible match). The sudden explosion notwithstanding, it quickly boiled down to two promising suitors, both ironically from the Sunshine State (just days before, I'd added several states to my preferences, mostly in the southeast, in an attempt to enlarge the dating pool; then these two Florida boys showed up, much to my delight).

I'll refer to them as Gulf Coast and Space Coast, or GC and SC, for short (can you tell I'm getting a bit delirious from expending all of this energy to mate selection?). Anyway, I made it to Stage 4 with each of them, though something about GC didn't feel quite right. His answers were abrupt and short, as if he were simply rushing through the guided communication in order to finally get a phone number.

SC, on the other hand, always chose option "e" when responding, preferring to type in an answer rather than checking off a pre-selected one in the "a" through "d" range. I sensed right away that I might actually be corresponding with Mr. Thoughtful and Considerate, if not necessarily Mr. Right.

And when I viewed his list of Must-Haves and Can't Stands, I was thrilled to note that there were quite a few we had in common. On to Stage 3!

Simultaneously, although GC's list didn't quite jive with mine to the same extent, I plowed ahead, in the interest of full consideration. E-harmony rightly requests that members thoroughly exhaust all options when it comes to their matches; after all, they would not have bothered to make the introduction if their advanced system hadn't discovered a high level of compatibility. And let's face it: I am a girl who likes to get her hard-earned money's worth.

Anyway, Stage 3 Q and A's with SC proceeded along rather nicely, with well-articulated responses indicative of a man of character; GC however, put precious little effort into it, as evidenced by his two-to-five word sentences. The almost-final straw came when his first Stage 4 Open Communication email immediately asked for my phone number. The final straw was when he subsequently revealed himself as an unhinged conspiracy-theorist, who believed President Bush started the War in Iraq for oil and that the USA was controlled by evil pharmaceutical companies. He could have saved me a lot of time by simply telling the truth back in Stage 3 regarding his political beliefs; then again, what's a few minutes at the keyboard in the grand scheme of things. Thank God, he never had my personal information. With one click of the mouse, I moved him to the "Closed Matches" section of my profile and put my focus on my one remaining glimmer of hope.

Soon after, Space Coast and I began our open correspondence. He continued to impress me with beautifully-composed, sincere emails. The very first read something like this: "Thank you for your interest. I'm flattered. I can tell you are a woman of substance and I am excited at the prospect of getting to know you better." Houston, we have a connection! Or so it seemed.

With the security of anonymity, SC and I continued our email relationship, each one building on the previous one's length and significance. He impressed me once again with his candor when his third email addressed the issue of relocation and expressed his commitment to live in his hometown for various and quite understandable reasons. I was somewhat familiar with his town, having spent time there in the past, and was more than willing to make a move for the right person. Furthermore, it was still in Florida, a scant few hours to the north, and didn't even require changing coasts. Still within easy access to close friends AND on the Atlantic coast -- so far, so good!

In his follow-up email SC wrote of his relief upon learning of my residential flexibility, and continued to share his thoughts on various topics. By this time, I'd ascertained that he was also a Conservative (Praise God!), interacted frequently with family members, enjoyed lots of outdoor activities like bike riding and basically shared my same world-view. I decided it was high time to commit to a real conversation, and sent him my phone numbers.

For the next 6 weeks or so, SC called me just about everyday. Our conversations covered all sorts of topics, from his ex-wife to politics, from work to relationships and from the Space Shuttle launch to the latest movies. The more we chatted, the more alike we seemed (as Dr. Warren says, "Opposites attract, but in a marriage opposites tend to attack!").

Sometime in July he suggested meeting halfway at a restaurant to finally lay eyes on each other in person (we'd both had photos posted on the site). After a few attempts (mostly due to my schedule) that much-anticipated event finally took place last week.

(More to Come)

E-Harmonizing: Part IV

I've lived long enough in South Florida to take heed and prepare whenever disaster in the form of a hurricane is imminent. During the active 2004 season, I discovered that the hurricane impact windows in my newly constructed (I bought a model unit in my building 4 years ago) condo were adept at both handling the pressure of 100+ mile-per-hour winds and minimizing noise. Therefore, when Wilma reared her ugly head, I declined several invitations from friends in single family homes throughout the county, in favor of riding the storm out in the comfort of my own place.

Thankfully, Wilma raged into town in the early morning dawn (hurricanes are much scarier in the darkness of night), wreaked havoc and left within a matter of hours, during which I spent lots of time on my land line, updating my Mom on my well-being. If you've never endured a Category 3 -- or any kind of hurricane for that matter -- it's hard to appreciate the surrealism of chatting on the phone at your dining table while watching the world spin around furiously outside your sliding glass door. Wilma was quite an experience, indeed.

Unfortunately, her timing was really off when it comes to on-line romance. Wilma stole my internet access, along with the power, for nearly two weeks. Through the grace of God, a cool front immediately followed her departure, creating wonderful sleeping conditions and ample opportunity to get some rest (not much else to do in the dark when the sun goes down and your entire community is electricity-challenged). The storm also provided excellent motivation to exercise and read; I rode my bike and walked everywhere, just to avoid cabin fever and the treachery of driving a car without functioning stoplights. When tired, I'd hang out on the pool deck and devour as many books as I could before the sun went down.

Thinking creatively, I also recruited a dear friend in Pennsylvania to access my e-harmony matches and respond to their questions. Of course, since all of them were also dealing with the ramifications of the storm, it was doubtful they'd even have the ability to read my answers. Still, it was fun hearing Lisa's input and sharing this new on-line dating experiment with her.

For various reasons, none of those original 11 even led to "Stage 4" anonymous email communication. With some, I barely got past "Stage 1," before the guy would "close" me out, mainly with the pre-set answers, "I am pursuing another relationship," or the rather amorphous, "Other." Oh well! I was just getting started and there were sure to be more where they'd come from. This was, above all, a weeding-out process.

The subsequent months proved exactly why the site recommends a one-year membership: From December through May, I had exactly zero matches and had almost forgotten I ever joined the service in the first place. I kept busy with two network marketing businesses, writing, exercising and social activities, and remained hopeful that one day soon, I'd get a promising match. And finally, on June 16, I did.

(More to come).

E-Harmonizing Part III

After spending a year focusing on work, friends, family and personal growth, I finally felt ready to enter the dating arena again. Although I had (have) a full life and believe it is very possible to enjoy one's existence to its fullest without a spouse, I don't want to depart this world without having had the experience. I want to share my life with the absolute right person for me; unfortunately up to this point, my methods for achieving this dream had proven fruitless.

As a spiritual person, I'd also spent many hours over the years describing my ideal mate through journaling -- his inner qualities, outlook on life, religious and spiritual values, physical characteristics and the like. Furthermore, I'd endured my own life challenges that aided me tremendously in becoming a calmer, more mature and confident human being, grounded in traditional values and faith in God. In short, I'd felt "ready" for the real deal for a long time, and wondered why, if that were the case, Mr. Right hadn't appeared on my radar screen. Every spiritual book, seminar and occasional psychic I'd consulted assured me that when I was ready, (and that included knowing exactly what I desired in a spouse) I would attract that person into my "energy field" and soon after, into physical reality.

Thus far, all I'd been attracting were liars and emotional losers.

About a year ago, I was lamenting about my dilemma to my big brother Mark (the most awesome brother a girl could wish for --- unless she could wish for him to return as her husband in the next life -- but I digress!) who encouraged me to try e-harmony. He'd been hearing the commercials on the radio throughout his work day, and was impressed by the site's premise and extensive research on finding the most compatible people. Unlike the pervasive hook-up sites, e-harmony was reserved for serious folks, who at the very least, desired a committed, long-term relationship. Surely they could help me, too.

I didn't take his advice immediately, but the more I researched it, the more intrigued I became, until finally, with nothing else to do one Saturday night, I decided to answer the site's pre-requisite personal profile, consisting of 450+ questions. If nothing else, I loved these kinds of self-discovery tools; it would be fun to read the results.

Nearly two hours later, I was printing out pages and reading all about me and my perfect mate. Also, the smart marketing folks at e-harmony offer an enticement to paid membership; after you sit for the free profile, they send compatible matches based on your 29 dimensions. While you may look, you cannot start anonymous communication until you become an e-harmony member. Fair enough. And with so many terms (ranging from a week to a year)and payment plans, anyone can get started easily. And when 11 matches appeared on my computer screen, I knew exactly what to do.

I decided to dive right in and join for one-year; not only was this most cost-effective, it was highly recommended by Dr. Warren. Thousands of people join e-harmony everyday. For all I knew, my perfect match might not show up until several months down the road. In the meantime, I'd hopefully receive many opportunities to at least communicate with the opposite sex, and get back in the game.

This type of membership also came with two of Dr. Neil Clark Warren's books: "How to Know if Someone is Worth Pursuing in Two Dates or Less" and "Falling in Love for All The Right Reasons: How to Find Your Soul Mate."

I read both with renewed optimism and determination. In addition to practical advice, the books also provided an extensive and impressive history of e-harmony, further evidence of the site's well-researched and classy approach to finding one's perfect life companion.

Oh, and I began communicating immediately with those intial 11 matches. Then Wilma came along.

(More to come)

E-Harmonizing: Part II

Two years and another broken heart later, I still wasn't ready to pursue e-harmony, in spite of lots of encouragement from loved ones. It's not that I didn't believe in its premise or quality; just that I stubbornly believed I could find what I was looking for just fine on my own. Then along came my next nightmare: A man I'll call Les (for reasons that will soon become clear).

During the 2004 campaign I worked diligently on President Bush's re-election; it was during one of my assignments as a Press Escort for Dick Cheney's appearance at the West Palm Beach Convention Center, that I ran into Les -- or, rather, he ran into me.

I'd driven to the event with a cute, friendly older lady named Carole (a good friend to this day), who never met a person she couldn't debate, no matter how deranged and flawed their thinking. Sadly, many of these sorts live in beautiful Palm Beach County, providing Carole with endless opportunity for gentle but firm persusasion. One such "gentleman" was frequenting the convention center that day, and baited her into an argument while I was in the Ladies Room.

Exhausted from vitriol, I politely excused myself upon discovering this scene, assuring Carole I would patiently wait for her in another area. Standing next to a bench supporting three young children who were also waiting patiently (for their Mom), I safely watched Carole from a distance -- then suddenly felt as if someone was staring at me.

I looked up to find a good-looking, dark-haired man of about 50 gazing at me intensely as he walked by. Still donning my "Bush-Cheney" tee shirt, I couldn't determine if he was another deranged psycho annoyed at my choice for the White House, or just a garden-variety weirdo. Since he was dressed in a patterned buttoned-down shirt and khaki pants, his reason for being there wasn't noticeably apparent. I returned his "hostile" look eye for eye, until he finally passed, then abruptly turned around and walked right up to me.

"Where did you get that button?" he asked, referring to the gold "W" pin I was wearing. Looking back, that was a pretty lame intro.

"From a friend," I replied, relieved to note the curling-edged "Bush-Cheney" sticker on his shirt.

One thing led to another and once Les determined that 1. The kids on the bench didn't belong to me, and 2. I was indeed, single, he got busy. We sat on the bench and conversed, during which time Les offered up the following details: He was a retired police detective from Long Island now living in Jupiter, divorced for 5 years, with a grown son still in New York. An only child whose parents passed away when he was a teenager, he was raised as a Roman Catholic by an Aunt and Uncle, but now regularly attended a non-denominational Christian Church in Stuart.

So far, so good, though I still attended weekly Mass. The interlude ended with the return of Carole, who upon seeing this handsome stranger, gave me the unspoken, ungestured "thumbs-up," with a sparkle in her eye. Les declined our lunch invitation, but not before obtaining my phone number and promising to call.

That led to lunch meetings at various places, like the Cheesecake Factory in City Place. Because I lived at the opposite end of a very large county, it was simple enough to protect myself by driving my own car. Each meeting was filled with good dialogue about wanting a relationship, being a conservative and holding deep faith in God. It didn't occur to me as odd at the time that Les fired question after question at me, mostly pertaining to my outlook and desires for my life; I considered it an attribute that he was eager to delve into these personal areas, rather than blather on about himself, as many guys are inclined to do.

Big mistake.

In hindsight, I now realize that Les used that information to rush me along for his own selfish whims. By determining what mattered most to me, he was able to regurgitate and repackage the information as part of our mutual "bond." In short, he led me to believe that he was just as serious as I when it came to monogamous relationships, marriage and physical intimacy.

Whether I was drawn in by his sun-tanned good looks, Irish charm and green eyes, or simply just wanted to believe his pretty words, it wasn't long before I regretted ever laying eyes on the man.

To make a long story short, several months and an emotionally-invested involvement later, I discovered that Les had some baggage -- namely a wife -- who definitely didn't consider herself "divorced." And though that was just the tip of the iceberg, it is enough for the purposes of this blog. There is more to the story, but if being hotly pursued and used by a lyin,' cheatin' married man isn't bad enough for you, there's no hope for the Sacrament of Marriage.

And though I knew at the deepest level that I was not the one at fault, I was haunted by guilt until I finally spent a few weeks discussing the matter with a kindly counselor from my church, who assisted me tremedously in overcoming the entire ordeal.

With her support, I decided to take a break from dating for an entire year.

(More to Come)

Pray for Steve Centanni, his Producer....and the Nutroots who are Celebrating Their Capture

I'm not sure which is more sickening: The fact that two FOX employees have been kidnapped by murdering Palestinian savages, or the grotesque reaction of some on the Left to this tragic news.

Pray for the safety of the former....and the return to sanity of the latter. But don't hold your breath for either.

God be with these men and their families.

E-Harmonizing: Looking for Marriage-Minded Men and Women in the 21st Century

Up until this point, I haven't really blogged about my adventures in dating as it pertains to the world's Cadillac of on-line match-making, eharmony.com. Like so many other singles, I'd heard the buzz over Dr. Neil Clark Warren's site, and patiently listened to sound arguments from happily-marrieds (albeit as a result of traditional dating and mating methods like third-party introductions, not internet websites) as to why I should log on immediately to find the love of my life.

For various reasons, I resisted this well-intentioned advice for quite a few years; I was too busy pursuing "relationships" headed nowhere, yet still possessing some spark of "potential" (ok, I am a fool for a good kiss and a handsome face), if only the object of my affection would simply "get over" his divorce, develop personal character, tell the truth even if it hurt, and call when he promised he would -- a tall order for many of today's men, but then again, I was -- am -- an eternal optimist.

Honest consideration and assessment of factors like bad timing (too soon after the finalization of dissolution of marriage papers, for example), or deficiency of emotional depth were the casualties of my misuse of common-sense and my misplaced faith. It's not that I lack good judgment; it's just that once the emotional tie was established via shared interests, politics, sense of humor and physical attractiveness, then sealed with a kiss, my tendency was to overlook the red flags waving furiously in my face and plough straight ahead into another heartbreak.

Case in point: A man I'll call Spike. In spite of the prevailing wisdom that warns against dating people with whom we work, after nearly a year of harmless flirting (nothing untoward and certainly nothing even remotely close to sexual harassment), I decided to take the plunge and invite him to a Christmas party. Though I'd been attracted to him for a long time, I'd been involved with someone else (but that's another story), and hadn't even considered dating again until some 6 months after that break-up.

It didn't help that 9/11 had just traumatized the country; one of the by-products of that horrific event for me was a renewed desire to find the right person and finally enjoy life as a married woman. Contrary to popular belief (and this is backed up by Neil Warren's research), most singles want to meet the man or woman of their dreams and give up their bachelorette/bachelor pad for a single family home in a friendly neighborhood. The stereotype of the Swingin' Single is by and large, a myth.

Getting back to Spike, I thought he had it all: Smart, successful, hard-working, Republican, handsome, funny and considerate. While we didn't actually work in the same department, we labored in different areas for the same organization; we even had a common wall that separated our offices, and at times I could hear his muddled voice on the telephone with a client, an ability I'd later wish I didn't have.

Had I known his divorce (after 10 years of on-again, off-again separations) had only been finalized on September 12 (how's that for an omen; the initial date was supposed to be September 11, but was postponed, for obvious reasons), I might have thought twice before inviting him to a Christmas party a mere 3 months later.

Ignorance, however, is bliss, and when Spike showed up at my front door wearing a crisp red shirt and stylish black suit, offering a sweetly-wrapped Yuletide gift and a killer smile, I knew I was a goner. It didn't take long to solve the mystery as to whether he'd kiss me goodnight; he wasn't in the house five minutes before we melted into a passionate lip-lock that almost caused us to miss the party.

Once there, he was the consummate gentleman, politely fetching drinks for me and my friends, inquiring as to their lives and interests, and even wrapping his suit jacket around me when the outside patio air got chilly (Florida in December can be cold). Possibly because we'd been around each other for the better part of a year in the work environment, Spike's actions that evening reflected those of a confident man who'd been with his woman for a significant period of time; not the unease of someone on a first date trying to determine if he'd want a second.

Once home that evening, the kisses resumed, though Spike maintained the requirements of a gentleman. Only upon my insistence (I wanted to give him the present I'd thankfully thought to purchase for him), did he come into the house, where he thanked me profusely for the gift of golf balls and towels (his favorite hobby) by making me feel like the only woman on the planet.

Christmas Eve at my place was much of the same. He arrived with candy, wine and flowers, and socialized easily with my closest friends. Once alone (and in clandestine moments during the dinner party) he enthusiastically expressed his affection for me with kisses and caresses that nearly took my breath away, as the trite phrase goes.

Things progressed nicely in this manner until sometime in mid-January, when Spike decided he wasn't really over his ex, no matter how unbearable their marriage had become over the last decade. Looking back with objectivity, it seems obvious that he'd merely been looking for short-term comfort to carry him through the Holidays -- something I surely provided well. But at the time, I was blinded by his charm and the undeniable attraction we felt for one another. This folly would lead me to pursue an on-again, off-again dalliance with him over the next two years.

(To be continued)

Republican Leadership and Lieberman

As Robert Novak observes in his latest column, despite crocodile tears and public support from Republican leadership, it didn't take too long Joseph Lieberman to beat a hasty retreat from his pro-Iraq stance:

In a desperate Sunday night effort to separate himself from the president, he said "many of the Bush administration's decisions regarding the conduct of the war" were not "right." That did not fit the post-primary profile of courage that subsequently was sketched for him by the Republican high command.

I agree with Novak; Republicans were a bit too eager to rush to the aid of a Senator who has proven himself -- with the exception of the misnamed "War on Terror" -- a typical Northeastern, unrestricted-abortion-supporting, tax-and-spend loving, Conservative judicial-nominee-blocking, LIBERAL.

The only thing separating Lamont from Lieberman is his stance on terrorism and even that seems to be waning, in spite the news from Britain last week. There are millions of fanatical killers hiding out all around the world, insidiously plotting the demise of the West, and it's still politics as usual in Washington.

How many more innocent lives have to be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness before people get it?

Val Prieto Exposes Harlem's Sickening Birthday Celebration

For none other than fidel castro (Val purposes refuses to capitalize the name of one of the world's most heinous dictators). As Val notes, Cuba is "one big island plantation" where citizens are told what to do, where to work, what to say and what to think, yet the Left idolizes their Communist slavemaster, all in the name of an agenda:

This only goes to prove just how far the left will go to advance its anti-American agenda: they will ignore human rights violations, they will ignore affronts on basic civil rights, they will ignore their own history and they will ignore right from wrong.

And they will take to the streets today and show us all their ignorance.

Yep, that about sums it up.

Muslims, Multi-Culturalism and Survival

Sobering words from Mark Steyn.

Hope for my Home State

I left the Keystone state nearly twelve years ago for a new life in the Sunshine State, one of the best decisions I've ever made, despite having to leave some family members behind (who happily visit me periodically).

However, I still follow Pennsylvania's politics pretty closely, having been brought up in a family of conservative "activists" who have served as poll-watchers, county commissioner (brother Mark) and committeewoman (Mom).

Though I grew up (and remain to this day) and Eagles fan from the southeastern part of the state, I always considered the Steelers my 2nd team, and admired Lynn Swann not just for his talent on the field, but for his professionalism and sportsmanship. Pennsylvania desperately needs this kind of leadership from a man who rose above the odds through hard work, faith in God, belief in himself and personal responsibility.

The state has endured Ed Rendell, who seems to have forgotten he represents the entire commonwealth, not just the Philadelphia area, long enough. It is appalling that Rendell is a regular fixture on a local Philadelphia sports show, where he addresses "issues" like the Eagles' chances of winning the Superbowl (topics best left to experts like Ron Jaworski anyway) when he should be tending to matters that affect all Pennsylvanians.

Lynn Swann is a self-made man who will bring honor and conservative values back to Harrisburg. Voters outside the two largest metro-areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh will no doubt support his run, but it will be interesting to see if he can capture enough of the urban areas to prevail. Knowing Philadelphia, I am not too optimistic, but perhaps the City of Steel will rally behind their football hero.

Best of luck, Lynn!

GOP Base is Ready to Get Out the Vote in November

I found this hopeful bit of information this morning on Wizbang blog:

Many Democrats may hate the war in Iraq and itch to dump the president, but a new GOP survey shows that Republican base voters stand ready to jam the November polls to return their team to Congress. A three-page-survey memo obtained by Washington Whispers reveals that despite reports of some dissatisfaction with the economy, the war, and President Bush, 81 percent of Republican voters are "almost certain" to vote and an additional 14 percent say they are "very likely." It goes without saying that they'll vote Republican: By a margin of 84 percent to 6 percent, they will pull the GOP toggle switch in the voting booth. And here is something you don't hear very often: 88 percent of Republicans approve of how the prez is handling his job. What's it all mean? Analysts say that GOP voters are ready to dig in and play defense against the charges Democrats are tossing at Republican candidates.

Michael Moore, Al Sharpton, Howard Dean, Ned Lamont and the gang may want to put the cork back in the champagne bottle; just because they aren't howling on national television on a daily basis doesn't mean the silent majority hasn't been paying attention. They save their "protests" for the ballot box, and if this report is any indication, Republicans stand an excellent chance of retaining Congress come November.

The Anchoress Throws Cold Water on the "Iraq is a Distraction from the War on Terror" Myth

In words and photos.

The UN-bearable Outcome

How ironic and depressing that just one day after British, Pakistani and U.S. Intelligence combined to thwart what could have been the most devastating and deadliest attack to date, the U.N. grants Hezbollah victory and vindication.

Do we really want to fight a war against Islamic-fascism, or has our resolve crumbled in the face of "world opinion" as defined by European elites, the American Left and third-world Dictators who consistently deny Israel's right to defend itself? Was Israel not bravely trying to wage and win another battle on another front in this never-ending War? What gives?

In effect, the US has abandoned our staunchest ally in the Middle East, emboldening Iran in the process. Now that they know (as they have since the unfortunate days of Bill Clinton) that America is a "paper tiger," what will prevent them from obtaining nukes in their quest to annihilate all things Western?

One-step forward, ten-steps back. Thank God, an unspeakably evil plot was deterred, and thousands of innocent lives were spared; how many more might have been saved in the future had the USA found the gumption to walk away from the UN and simply allow Israel to finish the job.

Apparently our policy does allow for negotiation with terrorists. Sigh.

Well, even more reason to look forward to tomorrow's happenings!

UN-deterred

Israeli P.M. Olmert sticks to his guns in the face of U.N. incompetence -- or to put it more accurately -- shocking indifference. Go Israel!

Michelle Senses a Pattern in her Latest Vent

Young. Muslim. Males.

Another Brit Who Gets It

Read Gerard Baker's excellent editorial in the Times Online. It is reassuring to know that other Brits besides Tony Blair understand the dangers we are facing and the sheer folly of self-flagellation:

In this internally pure worldview, the consistent theme is denial— denial of the reality of the mortal threat we face, denial of the reasons we face it. The villain for these people is not the jihadist, with his agenda of destroying our very way of life. It is, as it has always been, that malign continuum of institutions of our own authority that begins with the aggressive police officer and goes all the way up via the credulous media and craven officials to No 10 and the White House.

Wake up, world. The Islamic Jihadists are counting on our weaknesses to propel them to their ultimate goal of global domination. Stop playing "useful idiot" to their Josef Stalin routine, or we may all end up wearing turbans and chanting "Allah-Akbar" -- if we're even granted the right to live.

Rich Lowry on the One-Percent Problem

As usual, his analysis is right on:

The British plot serves as a reminder that Islamic fanatics are intent on committing violent acts against the West, but really, how many reminders do we need? Since 9/11 there have been the Bali bombings (October 2002), the Madrid bombings (March 2004), and the British subway bombings (July 2005), among others. Terrorists are very good about reminding us of their threat at regular intervals — it’s just that there is a segment of Western opinion that willfully wants to forget.

Ah, yes, that "peace-loving" segment that believes America is the problem, and that fascist dictators like Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro should be lauded for providing "universal health care."

Lowry writes:

Fresh from rallying around the Democratic Senate candidate in Connecticut who vanquished their party’s most prominent hawk, the Democrats reflexively condemned the Iraq War as a distraction from the war on terror in response to the British news. A case can be made that Iraq has indeed prevented us from taking tough measures elsewhere in the world. But Democrats simply oppose tough measures, in Iraq or anywhere else.

The same Democrats who oppose the war in Iraq tend to oppose the National Security Agency surveillance program, condemn aggressive interrogations, and complain about the Patriot Act. It is all part of a worldview that wishes away dangers when they demand philosophically uncongenial responses, defined as roughly anything that doesn’t involve shoveling federal money to localities.

And therein lies the problem. The Socialist (and in some cases, Communist)leanings of the Left compel them to view Capitalism and Conservatism as the real enemy of civilization, not fanatical Islamic terrorists. Therefore, capitalist America is the true menace to the world and its own citizens: After all, funds currently used for Defense purposes and terrorist-tracking methods like the NSA Program could be put to better use for social programs designed to make people even more dependent on the federal government -- thus expanding the scope, authority and power of leftist fatcats on Capital Hill.

I pray that this latest example of would-be "unimaginable" and "grand-scale murder" perpetuated in the name of Allah, will shake Americans out of their complacency and compel them to vote for true statesmen come November.

Another Excellent Reason to Home-School Your Children

And I'm not just talking about parents' rights to decide when and how their children learn about the birds and the bees.

Mike Gallagher's Townhall column today compares reaction from Right and Left to the news of yesterday's brilliant arrest of yet another would-be Islamo-fascist terrorist plot. This diabolical scheme could have resulted in the horrifying deaths of thousands of innocent men, women and children via mid-air jetliner explosion either over the Atlantic Ocean (presumably to conceal evidence from authorities as to the bomb's components); or various American cities like New York and Los Angeles, depending on which reports you read. Either way, this exemplifies pure, unadulterated evil; a script that might as well have been concocted by the Devil himself.

Not surprisingly, those of us on the right reacted to the news in a manner similar to one of Mike's callers:

One man made the perfect analogy, comparing the way we teach our children to stand up to the schoolyard bully to the way the United States is leading the world-wide war on terror. “Every culture understands this concept”, he said. “If the bully is left alone, he never goes away. Ned Lamont and many liberal Democrats think if we leave the terrorists alone, they’ll just peacefully mind their own business, never bothering us again.” I thought his point was terrific.

Then came Amanda, echoing the moral-equivalency sentiments of the dinosaur media, Leftist politicians and "activists," and probably the vast majority of the teachers' union:

“You right-wingers love blood and guts and you never have any sympathy for the other side”, she said. “The other side?” I asked. “You mean the terrorists?” She responded with a sneer in her voice: “You just don’t understand. They feel that WE’RE the terrorists. You conservatives are wrong in defining this war as something between good and evil.”

So, we're supposed to have "sympathy" for evil-doers who would destroy thousands of innocent lives in the most horrendous way, simply because they despise our western values? I guess she also expects Israel to roll over in the response to Hezbollah; after all, they only want the Middle East's most successful democracy eradicated from the face of the earth. What's so despicable about that?

The stunning lack of moral clarity from the Left and its darlings -- Ned Lamont, Cindy Sheehan and Howard Dean, to name a few -- aids and abets America's (and the free world's enemies) and creates more unnecessary and dangerous obstacles for our President, his Administration, our Allies and most importantly, our brave men and women in uniform, who bear the brunt of this battle for survival.

With teachers like "Amanda" propagandizing for Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and other Islamo-fascist organizations in the classroom, parents would be well-advised to consider keeping their kids at home.

Finally, President Bush Identifies The Enemy

Wow! He's finally used the accurate term "Isalmo-fascists" to describe the biggest threat to America and the free world.

Now can we finally stop all of this "cease-fire" nonsense at the UN and let the Israelis finish the job against Hezbollah? While we're at it, can we also get down to serious business in Iraq and put an end to the PC War tactics? That includes cutting off the head of the snake in Iran, a country that demonstrates their hatred of Jews and Westerners by continually inciting sectarian violence in Iraq and funding and arming Hezbollah.

It's also time to overthrow the RINO's and Dems in Congress and start drilling in ANWAR...these hypocrites bemoan our dependence on foreign oil, yet oppose any kind of drilling that would allow us to tap into our own oil reserves.

In return, the President's poll numbers would soar through the rafters, but most importantly, the United States and the rest of the world might actually stand a chance to live without the threat of unbridled death and destruction in the name of Allah.

Ned Lamont's Communist "Heritage"

As the old saying goes, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." As the author of this post notes, Ned may not be a Communist, but his family tree certainly explains his far-left, anti-American tendencies.

Leave it to a Blue State like Connecticut to vote in this extremist. After all, Joe Lieberman is no Conservative: He voted against the ban on partial-birth abortion and the confirmation of Sam Alito. Yet simply because he refused to pander to the anti-war base (mainly because he "gets" the War on Terror and votes according to his beliefs, not the polls), the nutroots were successful at painting him as a George Bush lackey and ousting him out of his party's nomination.

It'll be interesting to see if this latest, stomach-churning terror plot will have any effect on Joe's run as an Independent.

Islamic Jihad Rages On

Thank God, good intelligence foiled this diabolical plot, though many of the orchestrators are still on the loose. Can we stop the PC madness now and start profiling????

And how long before the nuts on the Left accuse Karl Rove and the Bush Administration of playing politics by putting terrorism back in the news during a critical election year? What do you have to say, Ned Lamont?

It is difficult for rational people to fathom the pure evil that dwells in the hearts and minds of these Islamo-sickos, but it is time we take the offensive and relentlessly hunt these savages down before they unleash another grand-scale bloodbath.

That starts by admitting that these barbarians are not from a "broad strata" of society; their common denominator is adherence to radical Islam, whose goal is the extermination of Infidels. They may come from Asia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and host of other places, but they are united in Islamic-fascism and they are actively pursuing their goal of world domination.

Even British authorities don't have the stomach to identify the enemy for fear of "offending" Muslim communities. And the enemy -- all-too-aware of Western hypersensitivity -- exploits our weaknesses at every turn.

Will we take this as a wake-up call....or will significant numbers of US and European citizens continue to chastise George W. Bush as a greater threat to the world?

Open letter to the mainstream media

Read Ben Shapiro's well-deserved excoriation of so-called "objective" journalists who continually draw a breath-taking moral equivalence between bloodthirsty terrorist organizations with one objective in mind (the destruction of Israel and the West)and democracies fighting for their right to exist.

I continue to be amazed at the utter indifference and blatant disregard for morality demonstrated by the mainstream media and many Americans. The latter appears to be a lazy group of latte-sipping girlie-men who cannot think for themselves; therefore they ingest every lie perpetuated by the "mainstream" media and the far-left kook blogs, united in their psychotic hatred of George W. Bush.

Sigh. Will we wake up before it's too late? I am praying for a 2nd American Revolution instigated by patriots who unabashedly love their country and believe in its exceptionalism, in the manner of our Founding Fathers. Is it really going to take another devastating attack on our home soil for these intellectual elites to get it? Or do they hate George W. Bush so pervasively, as Mark observes, that they are willing to sacrifice their own children simply because a victory over terrorism = an enduring legacy for one of the most unjustly maligned Presidents to ever serve this country.

Disgusing, despicable, sad and frightening. And the dinosaur media is leading the charge.

Liberalism Run Amok

Check out this excellent analysis of the Lieberman defeat and its implications for the Global War on Terror over at QuadSquad. In the interest of full disclosure, its author, Mark DiGiovanni, just happens to be my older bro and business partner. He hits the nail right on the head and offers the best solution for victory. If only the White House would take heed. Here's an excerpt:

It is quite apparent that Liberalism is now as fanatical a religion as is Islam. As I write this, Joe Lieberman, one of the last few Dems left with a brain is fighting for his political life. Make no mistake, Liberalism is a religion and its "holy sacrament" is abortion. Its other holy sacrament is hatred of George Bush. These kooks are undermining the war effort and helping murderous terrorists, all because it will look good for Bush if terrorism is defeated.They will sacrifice their own children for their religion, just like the Islam - fascists.Thus a good man like Lieberman must be sacrificed.

Read it and weep...then vote Republican.

The Demise of French "Resolve"

Once again, the French are showing their true, anti-Semitic colors and proving they cannot be trusted on matters of world security. Just days after Condi Rice announced that "there's more agreement than you might think" among the Security Council, France beats a hasty retreat in their never-ending quest to undermine the United States and Israel.

I can't determine if Chiraq is simply a coward (kowtowing to the ever-growing Muslim population in his country), an elitist snob or just plain ignorant. Looking back on his acquiesence to angry, rioting "youths" (i.e. Muslims), who were outraged that Socialist France might take one, tiny step in the direction of Capitalism by actually allowing employers to fire 26 year-old and under slackers who failed to perform on the job within 2 years, it's probably a combination of all three. Imagine, actually having to produce at work -- how dare French employers make such an unreasonable demand!

Chiraq quickly back-pedaled as student thugs took to the streets of Paris, and as far as we know, the country's sluggish economy and nearly 10% unemployment rate will continue unabated. With stats like these, the French ought to focus on domestic problems and leave the hard stuff to the "Cowboy" Americans and the determined Israelis. I guess they're still ticked at Uncle Sam for eliminating their cash-cow, Saddam Hussein.

Here's praying the IDF demolishes Hezbollah, rendering the (already) useless U.N. and France even more irrelevant.

So Long, Cynthia!

Good riddance to race-baiting, Jew-hating, radical-Muslim-supported Cynthia McKinney. The good people of Georgia have spoken and they've apparently had enough of the Conspiracy Mongering Drama Queen.

Let's not forget that Cynthia accused the Bush Administration of orchestrating 9/11, while Manhattan was still smoking in the aftermath of the attacks. Today, roughly 36% of the population subscribes to this bizarre theory, while an all-too-real enemy plots our demise and celebrates congressional crackpots who support their objectives by perpetuating these crazy myths.

I suppose Cindy's long list of Muslim supporters isn't in a partying mood today, though the rest of us can take heart that her rantings will no longer permeate the halls of the Capital.

Cindy will be doing the Electric Slide all the way back to the Peachtree State.

Only 17 More Days Until This Is Released

Now this is something worth watching!

Why I Refuse To See World Trade Center

Typical Oliver Stone b.s., trying to disguise itself as an "accurate portrayal." Even before reading Debbie's review, I decided to boycott this film, once I became aware that anti-American actress Maggie Gyllenhaal has a starring role. This is the same woman who publicly stated in the aftermath of the most devastating attack on American soil by Islamo-fascist thugs:

"I think America has done reprehensible things and is responsible in some way."


More Bush Derangement Psychosis from the Left. I can experience that for free in South Florida; there's no reason to squander good money on it.

The Real Anti-Semitism

Jeff Jacoby challenges misplaced media outrage and draws a sharp distinction between a drunken tirade and a deadly assault. An excerpt:

At a time when jihadist murder is a global threat, and when some of the most malevolent figures in the Islamic world -- Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hezbollah chieftain Hassan Nasrallah, to name just two -- openly incite violence against Americans and Jews, the attack in Seattle should have been a huge story everywhere. Yet after six days, a Nexis search turned up only 236 stories mentioning Haq -- about one-fourth the number devoted to Gibson’s drunken outburst.

But Gibson after all, committed the unpardonable sin of producing a movie graphically depicting the brutal crucifixion of Jesus. Perhaps this is payback for all of the Jews slaughtered around the world by angry Christians after viewing The Passion of the Christ --- oh wait! That never happened, despite all of the Liberal hand-wringing prior to the film's release.

Despite worldwide Islamic Jihad, Liberals insist on slapping Christians with the "intolerant" label, while remaining strangely silent in response to events like a demented Muslim gunman opening fire and killing or severly injuring innocent employees at a prominent Jewish institution simply because "I am a Muslim American, angry at Israel."

As unfortunate and outrageous as the Mel Gibson incident may be, the man is not actively engaged in the real destruction of Jews, like say, Hezbollah, whose sole purpose in life is the extermination of Israel at any cost. Gibson's drunken tirade, while inexcusable, is no credible threat to the life and liberty of the Jewish population (thank goodness he didn't kill anyone while driving under the influence), and the man has profusely and sincerely apologized.

As far as I can tell, the damage inflicted on Pam Waechter by Muslim killer Naveed Haq is far more serious than Gibson's ridiculous rantings. If Americans -- whether of Jewish descent or not -- fail to understand the ramifications of events like the bloody assault in Seattle, I am fearful for the future. With the media practically cheering for Hezbollah, while condemning Gibson as an "anti-Semite" it's high time we got our priorities straight.

Brendan Miniter's Interesting Take on Lieberman vs. Lamont

While I respect Joe Lieberman for opposing his party's ever-increasing, Leftist anti-war base and remaining stalwart in his support for the Global War on Terror, it is in the best interest of national security that he suffer defeat at the hands of Ned Lamont.

I disagree with Lieberman on more than 90% of the issues, though he does bring a certain civility and honor to political debate. Further, at least his views are based on genuine belief and not obsessive hatred for President Bush and his administration, like far too many in the Democratic Party.

But for the greater good of the country, Lamont must prevail and expose the modern-day Democratic Party for what it actually stands for: Dhimmitude, Secularism and Socialism for all. It has no place for honest statesmen like Joe Lieberman. Most America-loving individuals will take notice and vote in the best interests of the country, which means choosing candidates who actually want the USA to prevail against Global Jihad.

Miniter's take is fascinating, as he makes the argument that George W. Bush is inadvertenly responsible for firing up the bases in both parties, which will ultimately bode well for Republicans and the country at large, if not for Dubya's more "centrist" immigration views.

Sleepless (and Scared) in Savannah Part V

Things took a turn for the better when Tre and I decided to hail a cab back to the Dresser Palmer House. Our driver was a friendly, Savannah born-and-bred man who took issue with the whole concept of his city as a supernatural phenomenon: "Ma'am, I've lived in Savannah for 56 years and I ain't once seen a ghost -- they just play that up for the tourists!"

"Feel better?" Tre asked, playfully poking me in the arm. I had to admit, it did feel good to hear a native deny Savannah's spectre tales so vehemently. However, there was still one more thing left to do.

After generously tipping our driver for the safe trip back and the reassurance (I was starting to believe I'd actually sleep that night), we entered the main floor of the house to chat with the evening manager. We'd been told someone was on the premesis at all times, and I wanted to get his or her take on the rumors we'd heard about the Inn.

We called out as we walked through the French doors and into the lovely dining area, which was already arranged with fine china and silverware for the next day's gourmet breakfast. We heard a sweet, friendly voice with a slight drawl respond before an adorable African-American young woman approached us from the back kitchen.

"Hi, I'm Deedee! How can I help y'all?"

"Is this place haunted? My friend here is scared to death," Tre noted.

"Heck, no!" she stated, rather emphatically. "I've been working here for 7 years and I told the owners if I ever once saw a ghost, I was outta here!"

I felt like I could breathe again. We chatted for several minutes, during which Deedee informed us that while some places in the city were indeed, haunted, she'd never experienced any problems at the Dresser Palmer House. Relieved, I took her by the arm and thanked her, as if to prove to myself that she really was a flesh and blood human being.

Upon returning to our room, though, I was still a little spooked. I've never been a fan of old buildings, having been raised in new homes where we'd always been the first inhabitants (I am my mother's daughter; I'd rather buy brand-new clothes at a discount store than buy anything that had once been worn by a stranger). Despite the comforting words of Deedee and the Cabbie, I never did sleep that night.

Tre graciously offered to let me keep the TV on all night (which I gratefully accepted) and periodically rolled over to inquire in a sleepy voice about my well-being. I was touched by the gesture, but just couldn't relax enough to drift off to dreamland. I decided that Savannah was a place to explore with a big, strong manly man, with whom a girl could snuggle up when things went bump in the night. And of course, the city's romantic aura definitely favored couples.

In any case, I never saw or heard anything terrifying that night, though old houses tend to make noise just fine on their own; Dresser Palmer House was no exception. It didn't help that our next-door neighbors had their television blaring, but I was willing to cut them some slack. For all I knew, they were ill-at-ease, too.

The next morning, on pure adrenalin, I cheerfully accompanied Tre down to breakfast, where we made the acquaintance of a nice couple from Wisconsin, over homemade spinach quiche and coffee. Scott and Kristin regaled us with tales of the haunted pub crawl they'd taken the night before, and confirmed some pretty strange occurances (cold spots, footsteps on the stairs, etc.).

But the most chilling story they shared involved the 17Hundred90 Inn, home of Anna, the Ghost. Anna was a young girl of 17, back in the 18th Century, whose family forced her to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather. He was the original owner of the Inn and basically made Anna his slave, forcing her to do all of the Inn's dirty work (which, in the days before running water, must have been thoroughly disgusting). He also beat her regularly.

When Anna fell in love with a strapping young sailor and made plans to run away with him, the Old Geezer uncovered their plot, and locked Anna in Room 204, where he beat her to within an inch of her life, then threw her to her death over the balcony. To this day, she haunts that very room, crying for her true love.

Unbelievably, there's a one-year waiting list for honeymooners, who apparently have nothing better to do on their wedding night than enjoy a wild confrontation with a despondant spirit (which doesn't bode well for the marriage). As the story goes, couples are rudely awakened in the middle of the night by a levitating Anna, crying her dearly-departed eyes out. People have reported feeling the tears on their faces and having their lingerie stolen. Reports say that couples run from the room in horror in the middle of the night and head for the safety of the closest hotel chain.

We all wondered why anyone would find that entertaining, but figured the Inn's new owners are laughing themselves all the way to the bank.

Thank goodness, Tre loves to drive and took the wheel for the rest of our journey back to South Florida. I am happy to report that my condo stood just as I left, and my sleeping patterns have returned to normal.

Despite all of the weirdness, I'd be willing to revisit Savannah on the arm of a strong, understanding gentleman. Until then, I think I'll stick to visiting happy places like the beach and Disneyworld. Sleep well, Savannah!

Another Really Great Reason to Vote Republican in November

As if we really needed another. As a Fiscal and Social Conservative, I disagree with President Bush on many things: His excessive spending, refusal to close the borders unless accompanied by a "guest-worker" program and frustrating insistence on "reaching across the aisle" to Democrats who will always hate him anyway. His tepid reaction to the worldwide violence perpetuated by fanatical Muslims in response to Danish cartoons featuring Mohammad (blaming the cartoonists instead of the Islamo-nutcases, thus dealing a blow to free speech)left me seething.

After all, Christians and Jews have to regularly endure real and sometimes tax-payer funded desecration of our religions (i.e. the Brooklyn museum's disgusting "Piss Christ" exhibit, which Liberals defended as "free speech", in stark contrast to their silence regarding the benign Mohammad cartoons). For some reason, it is acceptable to denigrate Christianity and Judaism (perhaps because its adherents protest peacefully instead of chopping off innocent heads)...but don't "insult" Islam, the "Religion of Peace!" Unfortunately, President Bush also falls in line with Liberals in this regard.

However, there's still much to admire about Dubya, who overall, is performing admirably under contentious and trying conditions. I cannot recall a President who has had to endure such vitriol and hatred from his own countrymen while fighting to protect them from a savage enemy. So while I may disagree with him on some issues, he still has my utmost respect and admiration.

Byron York's article makes the case for voting Republican and reminds us that this is no time to teach wayward Republican politicians a lesson; the stakes are just too high.

Sleepless (and Scared) in Savannah Part IV

So much for looking fear in the eye...all I wanted to do at that point was run as far and as fast as I could from "historic" Savannah and into the safety of my peaceful condo in Boca Raton. Alas, we were still a long 6-hour drive away from my well-manicured town on Florida's Gold Coast, and besides, we were technically still on vacation.

Not wanting to ruin the fun for Tre, I urged her to take the tour without me; after all, it was a Saturday night, and the place was bustling. I would blend in with the crowds, stick to the main streets and explore some "safe" places, like gift shops and ice cream parlors. After a "spirited" debate (which, thankfully left our friendship intact), we decided to leave the ghost tour for another day, and take in some Savannah nightlife.

Despite my emphasis on the spooks, Savannah has much to offer in this regard; whatever your musical preference, you can surely find an enjoyable venue in this city -- from jazz clubs to country western bars to dueling pianos. Tre and I eventually camped out at Savannah Smiles, a high-energy, fun-lovin' place with hot pianos, cold brews and --- lest we forget -- playful ghosts. Three times during the evening, the musical mayhem was interrupted by unexplained power failures, which didn't seem to bother the (mostly drunk) huge crowd. In fact, no explanation or apology ensued for each blackout; instead, such events appeared to be a matter of course, with the underlying assumption that when the "spirit moved them" the power would turn on again.

Surrounded by so many revelers, the blackouts didn't bother me, though I tried not to drink too much club soda with lime, since I wasn't sure if the haunts were also frequenting the Ladies Room. I am glad I hung in there, too, or I would have missed a thoroughly enjoyable "duel" between the North and South, in which one piano player represented the "Yankees" side and the other the "Rebels." Each would sing a few verses of either Yankee Doodle Dandy or The Land of Cotton (not sure if that's the exact title, but since it begins "Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton," that seems a pretty good guess). Anyway, that song always brings Elvis -- one of my all-time favorites -- to mind. I could just hear his deep, masculine voice warbling this tribute to his beloved Dixie.

For that reason perhaps, along with others, I have always had an affinity for the South, despite my Northeastern upbringing. For as long as I can remember I have been attracted to Southern accents, friendliness, love of country and tradition. The South possesses a shared identity and culture that no other region of the country can claim. As I cheered for the Southern side in this musical duel, my friend (a Floridian by way of New York)passionately threw her support behind the Yanks and wondered why I was fervently rooting for "the other side." Not surprisingly -- we were in the heart of the deep South after all -- the Rebels won the duel, but not before supplying the deliriously happy piano players with lots of US currency.

Later, as we strolled along the streets of Savannah, every once in a while a streetlight would inexplicably turn off, and Tre would remind me that she is indeed clairvoyant, and thus well-accustomed to this kind of eerie occurance.

As the hour drew closer to return to our haunted Inn, fear and dread began to overwhelm me again. Would we be confronted by a revenge-seeking ghost in the wee hours of the morning???? I guess I was about to find out.

Sleepless (and Scared) in Savannah Part III

If you've never had the pleasure of riding a pedicab, I highly recommend it, especially when visting a romantic city like Savannah. I've ridden on rolling chairs on the Atlantic City boardwalk (Tre and I had done that on this vacation as well) and the South Florida version of a pedicab in West Palm Beach's CityPlace; yet this was unlike any other experience.

Our rider was courteous and accommodating, even stopping by a market on the way to Vic's so Tre could pick up a few needed items. Ever the considerate tourist, she purchased a bottle of water for our diligent rider, who gratefully accepted the gift as he pedaled us down to the river.

On the surface Vic's is a delightful, elegant establishment with great food and a friendly waitstaff. That evening I enjoyed one of the best meals of my life -- blackened prime rib -- minus the horseradish mashed potatoes, with extra greens on the side, of course. Because it was such a large cut of beef, I happily shared it with Tre, whose scallop entree suffered by comparison (though she assured me it was indeed, delicious).

Our waiter was a cute, friendly guy, approximately in his mid-20's. Thanks to him, though, my resolve to confront my ghosts, so to speak, diminished rather quickly. He informed us that he lived well outside of the historic district as most of the buildings were seriously haunted, including our very lovely Dresser Palmer House (upon hearing this, I became determined to sleep in the car) and the third floor of the restaurant. "Whatever you do, he warned, "don't go to that floor."

Apparently, Vic's had once been a headquarters for the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and had thus experienced its share of bloodshed. Angry spirits on the third floor continued to do battle by furiously throwing objects around and otherwise making their presence known in frightening ways. In fact, our handsome waiter steadfastly refuses to close the place on his own, after enduring some spine-tingling confrontations with earthbound spirits.

Still (and perhaps due to the delectible cuisine), I felt pretty certain I could handle a walking ghost tour with a good friend and other tourists. Our dinner conversation consisted mostly of Tre giving me a pep-talk about how great I would feel once I pushed myself to look fear in the eye and survive the experience.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this, a wicked thunder and lightning storm, complete with a heavy downpour of rain, threatened our evening walking plans. However, by the time we lingered over coffee (and I must admit, a delectibly obscene piece of pecan cheesecake), the storm had passed and we (well at least Theresa) were ready for our "spirit walk." During the meal, Tre had even spotted a Confederate soldier out the window, walking in the rain; we never did determine if he was an actual ghost, or a dressed-up actor, though we saw no other such actors strolling around the entire night. Needless to say, she was pretty jazzed about spying on other spectres, now that we could do so sans umbrellas.

We reported to a beautiful town square, replete with foliage and a statue of John Wesley, Founder of the Methodist Church. Our friendly tour guides greeted us warmly and informed -- or rather -- terrified us (me) with tales of tourists getting slapped in the face, pulled away and otherwise confronted in decidedly unfriendly ways by the ghosts of Savannah. "But I thought we didn't actually go into the buildings," I meekly protested.

"Of course we go into the buildings. We're all about giving you an authentic experience!" one of the guides replied. As I scanned the crowd I realized that, unlike myself, these people truly considered this excellent entertainment. My heart began to pound in my chest as I not only confronted fear, but became entirely consumed by it. And when the tourguides confirmed hauntings at the Dresser Palmer House, what was left of my resolve drained out of me faster than a puddle in the South Florida sun.

More in my next post!

Sleepless (and Scared) in Savannah Part II

Tre and I arrived in Savannah a few hours later, crossing over a bridge reminiscent of the Sunshine Skyway in Tampa (though not quite as high). As we entered the charming riverside city, we were immediately smitten with its hanging Spanish moss, stunning architecture (featuring wrought-iron balconies, large verandas and plentiful flower boxes) and beautiful gardens.

Making our way down Gaston Street in the historic district, I began to think the ghost stories were concocted marketing fantasies designed to enhance the city's old-world elegance. Such reassurances went out the window, however, upon meeting Tom, the afternoon Manager of Dresser Palmer House.

The place itself was a marvel. It had recently undergone extensive renovations, thanks to new management, with freshly-painted walls and new bathroom fixtures. Its decor retained the aura of the 1700's however, with candelabras, chandeliers and other accoutrements gracing the parlor, dining and living areas.

In an effort to reassure myself, I queried Tom about the ghosts as he processed our credit cards. "Who told you it wasn't haunted?" he asked. My heart began to beat wildly in my chest. Did David lie to me just to sell a room???

Tre noticed the terror-stricken look on my color-drained face. As if reading her mind, Tom tried to calm me by stating that ghosts only appear to those who believe; if you don't believe in them, you won't see them. Nice try, I thought, thinking of a haunted house in my former neighborhood in PA, whose owners had not desired to see or experience poltergeist, but nonetheless ended up leaving because of repeated "disturbances." (for more on that read the book, Nightmare Stalks The Mansion).

Regardless, we were now officially checked in to the Lady Astor, a pleasant-enough looking room in the daylight, anyway. Tom carried our heavily-laden suitcases up the back wrought-iron staircase and left with a promise to call Vic's on the River for dinner reservations. Partly because of the intense heat and partly because I didn't want to do it at night, I decided to take a shower.

Feeling refreshed, I had to admit I was taken with the true Southern hospitality offered by the Inn's gracious staff. Tre informed me that Tom was calling a pedicab for us to ensure our arrival in time for a 7 p.m. reservation at Vic's, and was also working diligently to reserve us a spot in the 9:30 pm. walking ghost tour. She was truly excited about touring haunted Savannah; unwilling to dampen her enthusiasm, I nervously agreed to "overcome my fears." Besides, what could happen standing outside of a haunted building??

More in my next post.

US Army Infantry Graduation Speech

I am interrupting Sleepless in Savannah for this must-see graduation speech given by LTC Randolph C. White, Jr. He has a few things to say about the "snide, arrogant sorts" who comprise the "Blame America First Crowd."

This is the best 12 minutes you'll ever spend on the internet...enjoy!

Sleepless (and Scared) in Savannah

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to visit Savannah -- a city rich in history, tradition and Southern charm and hospitality. Several close friends who've spent time in the Garden of Good and Evil have had nothing but praise for its wealth of culture, cuisine and myriad attractions. None of their glowing reviews, however, ever mentioned the fact that Savannah is also well-known as "the most haunted city in North America."

Had I been aware of this well-deserved title, I may never have agreed to accompany Theresa on an overnight stay in the historic district, on our way back to South Florida from Pennsylvania. To be honest, I did have an inkling about the city's supernatural tendencies, mainly because Theresa excitedly talked of staying in a haunted Bed and Breakfast, until I begged her to compromise on our lodging arrangements, to which she graciously agreed.

In return, I nervously conceded to participating in a walking ghost tour, like those offered in St. Augustine (based on her experience in America's oldest city, Tre was positive we wouldn't actually enter any haunted buildings, but merely stay outside while the guides regaled us with tales of horror and history). We'd soon find out that Savannah does things a little differently when it comes to giving their guests an authentic, spine-tingling experience (more on that later).

Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, we were able to call ahead to several places, using the GPS (whose female satellite voice we dubbed "Sally"), while cruising south on I-95 somewhere in South Carolina. After many fruitless calls ("Sorry ma'am, but we're booked solid") I finally called what I thought was a Hampton Inn safely on the outskirts of town.

A friendly voice answered, "Good afternoon, Dresser Palmer House!" and I knew right away I was in trouble: I had to at least ask if rooms were available, in fairness to my friend, though I dreaded a positive answer. Unbelievably, they had one room left -- The Lady Astor -- which came with a Queen-sized bed and a fireplace. As if to eliminate any possibility that this was a trap set up by phantoms of the underworld, I asked if the place was haunted. "Do you want it to be?" the nice gentleman on the line queried, to which I firmly responded with a resounding NO!

He then assured me that while many B & B's in Savannah were indeed inhabited by earthbound spirits, Dresser Palmer House had never had any problems. Feeling somewhat better, though still a bit apprehensive, I made the reservation (much to Theresa's delight). That's just the beginning of the story. More to come in my next post.

Comic Relief

Ok, I am back from vacation and almost ready to blog regularly again. It has been a hectic week, jumping right back into business with events at LA Fitness and Monavie tastings at my home.

Will blog about some interesting vacation experiences soon (including "spooky" Savannah), but in the meantime, I thought a little comic relief was in order. Watch out for rednecks with guitars!!!