A Bank with Some Character

January 26, 2006

An article in today’s Washington Times mentions that BB&T, the second largest bank in the DC area has publicly stated that they will not fund projects by developers who plan to build on property taken from private citizens through eminent domain. This is a great first step. Whatever the underlying motives of the bank are, this sends a clear message to customers and governments in the area. Where do the other banks that fund the DC development market stand? If you bank in the DC area, perhaps you should ask your bank where they stand on the issue.

http://www.washtimes.com/business/20060126-122358-6764r.htm

Michael Crichton Discusses the Impact of Bad Information

January 22, 2006

Michael Crichton has an article article posted, titled “Fear, Complexity, & Environmental Management in the 21st Century.” The article has several interesting points. I’ll try to highlight a few, but I urge you to locate the article and read it in its entirety.

Chernobyl was a massive disaster, right? Well, not as much as the main-stream media would have us believe. And, maybe not as much as the MSM caused through it’s hysterical reporting:

But most troubling of all, according to the UN report in 2005, is that “the largest public health problem created by the accident” is the “damaging psychological impact [due] to a lack of accurate information…[manifesting] as negative self-assessments of health, belief in a shortened life expectancy, lack of initiative, and dependency on assistance from the state.”

Later, the author lists several dire predictions for disaster during the 60s and 70s. He notes the similarity of language and expression used in each:

“…notice the urgent language. The situation is desperate, unprecedented action is necessary, ordinary values must be pushed aside, anyone who disagrees is dangerous and reactionary. Terror, fear, and the end of civilization.”

Mr. Crichton has this to say about advocates and advocacy:

“To encourage what is happening anyway is a common procedure in many areas of advocacy.”

His article should cause us all to pause and consider what the latest ‘crisis’ in the Legacy Media (aka MSM) is about, and what the proponents advocate. It may just be that they want to see if they can still spook people. It may just be that they want to start the herd moving so they can steer it in the direction they want - it’s hard to steer a parked car.

Something Smells Here…

I was reading the Right Wing Nuthouse blog about “They Really Don’t Have a Clue” - a good piece in itself - when I came across comments made by “Scrapiron” about the German archeologist, Susanne Osthoff. Scrapiron noted that some of the ransom money that was paid for her release was found on her! I took a few minutes to look for any news article about this and found a Reuter’s online post alleging just that. In addition, I found two other articles by Times Online and UPI that add to the story about this woman: 1) She apparently is a spy stringer for the BND (UPI story); and 2) she wants to go back into Iraq, AND bring her 12-year-old daughter in with her (Times)! Either this woman is extremely stupid (and lucky, therefore to still be alive), or she is smart, brazen, and likely addicted to adrenalin. I can’t for the life of me understand what her 12-year-old daughter would be doing in Iraq, other than being bait for another kidnapping/ransom (how much money does Ms. Osthoff need?).

From the Times article:

“I would have little sympathy if Frau Osthoff puts herself again in danger considering the intensive efforts made by many people to secure her release,” said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, who headed a team that negotiated her release.

Other foreign policy experts were less diplomatic. “A self-willed woman!” exploded Hans-Ulrich Klose, the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Even the German government is starting to get worried about how this all looks. In the Times story, they indicate they are witholding any funding for her activities:

It [the German government] has now blocked all funding for her project and has told her that she should leave the region immediately. She is believed currently to be in Jordan, with her 12-year-old daughter, preparing to return.

There’s a lot about this that smells odd:

The driver appears to have been working with the kidnappers and has since disappeared. British Special Forces in Iraq offered their assistance to Germany — which has no troops on the ground — but the Germans declined.

Eventually the kidnappers made contact. One of the middle men, according to German media reports, may have actually been one of the hostage takers. He has dropped out of sight.

And I don’t believe any of this “Ransom of Red Chief” stuff:

Frau Osthoff was unharmed and, according to security sources quoted in Der Spiegel, the sharp-tongued archaeologist made full use of her Arabic fluency to reprimand the kidnappers. It appears they were relieved to see her go.

Something Smells Here…

I was reading the Right Wing Nuthouse blog about “They Really Don’t Have a Clue” - a good piece in itself - when I came across comments made by “Scrapiron” about the German archeologist, Susanne Osthoff. Scrapiron noted that some of the ransom money that was paid for her release was found on her! I took a few minutes to look for any news article about this and found a Reuter’s online post alleging just that. In addition, I found two other articles by Times Online and UPI that add to the story about this woman: 1) She apparently is a spy stringer for the BND (UPI story); and 2) she wants to go back into Iraq, AND bring her 12-year-old daughter in with her (Times)! Either this woman is extremely stupid (and lucky, therefore to still be alive), or she is smart, brazen, and likely addicted to adrenalin. I can’t for the life of me understand what her 12-year-old daughter would be doing in Iraq, other than being bait for another kidnapping/ransom (how much money does Ms. Osthoff need?).

From the Times article:

“I would have little sympathy if Frau Osthoff puts herself again in danger considering the intensive efforts made by many people to secure her release,” said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, who headed a team that negotiated her release.

Other foreign policy experts were less diplomatic. “A self-willed woman!” exploded Hans-Ulrich Klose, the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Even the German government is starting to get worried about how this all looks. In the Times story, they indicate they are witholding any funding for her activities:

It [the German government] has now blocked all funding for her project and has told her that she should leave the region immediately. She is believed currently to be in Jordan, with her 12-year-old daughter, preparing to return.

There’s a lot about this that smells odd:

The driver appears to have been working with the kidnappers and has since disappeared. British Special Forces in Iraq offered their assistance to Germany — which has no troops on the ground — but the Germans declined.

Eventually the kidnappers made contact. One of the middle men, according to German media reports, may have actually been one of the hostage takers. He has dropped out of sight.

And I don’t believe any of this “Ransom of Red Chief” stuff:

Frau Osthoff was unharmed and, according to security sources quoted in Der Spiegel, the sharp-tongued archaeologist made full use of her Arabic fluency to reprimand the kidnappers. It appears they were relieved to see her go.

A Fascinating Story About the “Evil Empire”

Over at Right Wing Nuthouse, Rick Moran posted a great piece that has dozens of links to tie in a mock liberal story about the “Evil Empire” of George Bush.

I am amazed when I see the amount of work, research, and creative genius that goes in to some of the posts people work up. It’s a high standard that I imagine took a huge amount of effort and talent to create!

I am in awe!

An Intriguing Line of Thought

January 7, 2006

Another pointer from Dr. Sanity’s blog. This one goes to a very thoughtful and thought-provoking post on The Anchoress. Her son had some intriguing thoughts about Bush’s legacy. This post is sure to wind some liberals’ tails up tight!

“I think,” he said, “they hate Bush so much, because they saw that he had greatness in him, and he wasn’t supposed to be great. He was supposed to be, at best, slightly worse than his father.”

I’m sure it will do their blood pressure some good!

Dr. Sanity Expresses Some er, Sanity

January 4, 2006

Pat Santy of Dr. Sanity blog fame has a truly refreshing post. I’ve enjoyed reading her many posts that examine the psychological motives of the many on the left who have Bush Derangement Syndrome. This post presents some clear reminders of what is at stake, and how much damage these self- and other-destructive nihilists can cause.

Stop lying to yourselves that you are patriots. You don’t know the meaning of the word.

Stop pretending that you care about people. Your actions are causing hope in our enemy and death to people in our military services; and if there is an attack in the next year then I along with millions of Americans will lay the responsibility at YOUR door.

Like a clean, cold wind, it may slap you in the face, but it clears your mind and makes you think clearly.

Begging the Questions

January 1, 2006

Mark Coffey at Decision ‘08 has an interesting recap of the liberal fawning over the Daily Kos blog. One excerpt caught my eye and begged a question:

Kos’ comments

“I feel nothing…Screw them”

about the butchery of contractors by a Sunni insurgent mob in Iraq, and his subsequent “…Vindicated…” addendum to the uproar over his comments,

(When I asked Moulitsas recently how he felt about the episode, his mouth stretched into a smile: “Vindicated,” he said…)

weren’t served by his further explanation about his feelings:

The media has recently begun to question the role of American contractors in Iraq, he pointed out, which was the point all along. This is how a liberal noise machine, freed from the don’t-shatter-the-porcelain decorum, might work.

The questions begged by these comments is, “What is Kos’ ultimate goal here?” Does he want the US to be successful in helping Iraqis establish a democratically elected government and society? Does he want some other countries’ contractors to do the jobs he doesn’t want US contractors to do? Does he want that work done at all? Just saying that he has no love for these contractors who are working in Iraq right now doesn’t explain his motivation for such comments. What is his end vision for Iraq, US and Iraqi relations, and US goals and objectives in the Middle East?