Birmingham Church bombings, Iraq 'insurgency' and the media.

A Powerline post reminds us of the Church bombings of 42 years ago, and points to:
NT TImes: Rice Pays Homage to Victims of Church Bombing

"As God would have it, they were at Sunday school when America experienced homegrown terrorists of the worst sort," Ms. Rice said in an emotional ceremony at a park across the street from the church, which was bombed in 1963. In her speech, she sought to connect her childhood in the segregated South to her work as the first African-American woman to be the nation's top diplomat.

"It was meant to shatter our spirit," she said of the bombing. "It was meant to say that we shouldn't rise up. Just a few weeks after Dr. Martin Luther King said, 'I have a dream,' it was meant to tell us that, no, we didn't have a dream, and that dream was going to be denied."

Then as now in Iraq, the atrocities of killing innocents are meant to dispirit and bring fear. Now as then, these will fail.

But there is a vast difference.

Then, there were no excuses made for the bombers in the media. There was no attempt to blame the government for 'inspiring' these bombings by means of the Civil Rights Act of 64. No calls to roll back forced integration as in Little Rock... Or for nationalizing the Guard....no Hollywood and Entertainmment apologists for Maddox, Faubus and George Wallace.

Imagine our outrage were it so.

And imagine if just a few papers and magazines and public figures were have to come out in support of the Klan and Segregationists... can you imagine that they might be emboldened to repeat such cowardly acts? I can.

Naturally these media and celebrities would couch their outrageous views in terms of "cultural" and "religious" differences from the rest of America. Would, at the least, view with sympathy these acts in relation to the old south seeing the end of a "way of Life".
Of course, if some did that, they would have to overlook the various lynchings and assassinations that came before and were yet to come.

But in the end reason and freedom won... as it will in Iraq. But this time, for Iraqi's, it will come at a much higher price.

And the irony of just who it was that made it so difficult and bloody by encouraging the terror killers will not be lost in the lessons of history.

Miers hearing: Roe v Wade opinion troubling

Powerline links to OpinionJounal: Did Christian conservatives receive assurances that Miers would oppose Roe v. Wade?

This is a problem.

The hard stand taken by the Dems that Roe v Wade is inviolate is only buttressed by the context of this 'conference call'.

Roe v Wade was bad law, based on a non-existant Constitutional right, only available through a stretch of the imagination as to what the Framers might do when confronted with need for "Privacy of Action".

But there comes a time when we must move on. Revisiting this, over and over, serves no good purpose and puts Conservatives in the ridiculous position of advocating legislation through the courts.

On the Conservative side, we have to recognize that the insistance on abortion rights is only the bell-sheep of the Privacy tenet which serves MORE purposes than just the right to abort. It implies that other private actions are bound by the tenet. "Right to marry whoever and however many you please" being the next obvious application.

But it's possible to take a stand and be firm without overturning Roe. And without the fallout that would result.

Miers had better frame the best argument she's ever done to avoid the trap.

Bush to Blair: Going 'beyond Iraq', "Secret conversations" Revealed!!!!

Much ado about nothing, as usual.

The October 16 UK Independent has an editorial about 'secret conversations in which;

The US President told Tony Blair, in a secret telephone conversation in January 2003 that he "wanted to go beyond Iraq".

He implied that the military action against Saddam Hussein was only a first step in the battle against WMD proliferation in a series of countries.

Mr Bush said he "wanted to go beyond Iraq in dealing with WMD proliferation", says the letter on Downing Street paper, marked secret and personal.

It goes on to name Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as examples..

This is germane to ANYTHING, how?

Could it be that the Independent staff had this waiting in the wings in case the Iraqi constitutional referendum went off with minimal troubles to report?

When you READ it, there is no new news there, though I assume that the readership of the Galloway-apologist rag will claim otherwise.
When the left trumpeted far and wide, on the event of the Iraqi invasion, that Bush was a 'hypocrite' as he had close ties with the Saud's who in turn funded Wahabism and, thus indirectly -if not DIRECTLY-, the education and suppport of Al Quaida 'volunteers', I dont think any of us dismissed that fact.. most of us had read of and known that for years, and I'm pretty sure that Bush knew that too.
And Pakistan being a hotbed of world-order-anarchists isnt news, to anyone who pays attention, either.

And are we to believe that this was a revelation to Tony Blair? So what was the intent of the conversation? We don't know for sure. I would assume under linear thought processes that Bush thought a regime change in Iraq and Afghanistan would pressure changes within Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

But the published ARTICLE seems to IMPLY that Bush might have considered military options against the two. Though the paper is clever enough to not come out and say it.

They leave the reader to make the connection. And, of course, anyone sho might read the Independent to find out what's really going on in the world, and who the bad actors are, will drink the kool-aid.

Miers, McCain, Buckley, Limbaugh, Kerry, LBJ and Frum

and NE Corridor Elitism = Bad News, all around!

Yeah, I know... all that makes little sense in the point of the current discussion. And yet it does.

I dont know WHAT Bush and Rove were thinking in this nomination but it SURE HAS BROADENED The political discourse.

No longer can Conservatives point to Liberals' Harvard Yard populism with disdain and derision. We have that in our own!
Our own National Review elitists have weighed in and found this 'common girl' wanting! Beltway 'high-church Conservatives' want her withdrawn! The nerve of that Texas oaf who was on their fringes, by dint of "Skull&Bones" and Harvard Attendance to bring in a commoner to the most prestigious stage of governance!
Note what
Beldar's blog has to say about it!
The view that Harriet Miers lacks the proper 'Credentials' because of her law school and/or lack of bench experience seems credible on the face of it, but when you get DOWN to the goal of putting an associate on the panel who will consider more than primae facie legal precedent as applied to modern society, does it REALLY matter all that much?

The idea that Bush nominates yet another 'crony' in the aftermath of Katrina where Michael Brown performed dismally is at the root of a lot of this carping. But there's a difference. Brown excelled at bureaucracy, and his credentials in that arena, to say nothing of his acting the bureaucrat to the bitter end is also his failing.

The difference is Bush KNOWS Miers. and Dubya may be dyslexic and inarticulate but he aint stupid.
And what is WRONG with a justice who KNOWS what it takes to run a law firm.. and what it takes to manage a state bar. And what, therefore, is BEHIND a lot of the legal wranglings that go on backstage in any litigation.

If Miers had come out of Harvard, Yale or Stanford.. I suspect we wouldnt be having this discussion, never mind she never sat bench.

Even Rush Limbaugh is torn, and an example, as well... his hero was William F Buckley, but anyone would have to admit that Limbaugh's presentation of the same points as Buckley would make is like night and day
While Buckley was often the subject of parody for his learned demeanor and dry ivy-league cynical wit, Limbaugh takes it to the level of the common guy. Both can poke holes in the Liberal stream of thought, both employ a cynical approach but, in Rush's case, to 'get it', you dont have to be upperclass educated elite.

Suppose you had to have 'credentials' to be a political satirist/pundit.. and the model was Buckley? Rush would still be doing PR for Sports teams.

Hell... for that matter, Randi Rhodes would be doing "Homemaker's Corner" for some local radio station. While I would prefer the latter case, look at what we'd have missed in the former example.

And then there's McCain... he is relatively silent on this. The problem with McCain is that he is between a rock and a hard place. Harry Reid already stole his thunder with his advocacy, so McCain cant be the 'building bridges' leader. PLUS he knows that he'll be left high and dry when Reid invokes the "I was for her before I voted against her" parlor trick.
Let's face it, McCain KNOWS he screwed the pooch with Campaign Finance Reform, which ended up making things worse rather than better. And McCain knows that his 'cred' stems from elitism, in his case back through his Dad, plus his POW experience, never mind his work on the Senate floor; suspect at the least.

So I suspect that McCain is waiting to see how the hearings go... and I am for that. In fact, I wish everyone would have waited.

Because, nerve-racking as this is, I suspect that Rove and Bush have dreamed up yet another "Rope-a-Dope" and will prove - yet again - just how incompetent our elected officials become once they're marinated in the beltway sauce.

And, as enjoyable as that is, it isnt good for the American Voter's opinion of our system.

****

The other names? Ah, I just threw those in there ....
UPDATE:
Someone sent an EMAIL to Hugh Hewitt, wherein he coined the term for this beltway elitism "EVIAN Flu"

A Little on the Side

A little common sense, that is.

If you dont like wading through a huge stack of 'favorites' or 'bookmarks' depending on what your browser calls them, you tend to discover 'GEM' sites over and over again.
Such a one is The Post Chronicle

And one of my favorite political commenter/observers, Thomas Sowell, writes for it.

Here's excerpts of two of his latest:
Spoiled Brat Politics

An editorial in a recent issue of the National Geographic's "Traveler" magazine complained that kayakers in Maine found "residential development" near national parks and urged its readers to use their "influence" to prevent such things.

"You are the stakeholders in our national parks," it said.

Really? What stake do kayakers and others of like mind have that is not also a stake held by people who build the vacation homes whose presence offends the kayak set? Homeowners are just as much citizens and taxpayers as kayakers are, and they are even entitled to equal treatment under the 14th Amendment.

The essence of bigotry is denying others the same rights you claim for yourself. Green bigots are a classic example.

And Spoiled Brat Politics: Part II

The idea that what I want overrides what you want has increasingly become part of our thinking, our policies and even our laws. There is literally a federal case before the Supreme Court over the fact that many colleges and universities refuse to allow military recruiters on campus.

Why? Because, as the academics will tell you, they are opposed to the military, either in general or because they think the military are discriminating against homosexuals or for whatever other reasons they have.

These academics have every right to be against the military, for any reason or for no reason.

If they don't like the military, they can stay away from the military, since there is no draft. But what they want is to keep other people away from the military, by preventing students from hearing what the military recruiters have to say, as students hear what recruiters from all sorts of other institutions and movements have to say on campus.

The reason there is a legal issue is that a federal law has been passed, saying that colleges and universities that forbid military recruiters from coming on campus are no longer eligible to receive federal money.

Academics are outraged. They see this law as a violation of their freedom -- including their right to violate their students' freedom. It is classic spoiled brat politics, based on the idea that what I want overrides what you want.

See the connection?
It's nothing more than common sense... you cant reasonably expect, in a free society, to be excepted from the rules governing the use of commonly held resources or commonly provided protections and services.
In the one case, you have no more say, as a visitor, than one who invests in the locale. .. and to say there should be no private investment in the locale makes the whole determination of what IS an investment quite subjective.

In the case of the kayaker, should he succeed in blocking housing along the pristine riverway, will he THEN turn his attention to eliminating walking trails?
After THAT how about invoking rules that one cant set foot on the banks for fear of disturbing flora and fauna?

And we must note that there are those who advocate closing certain wilderness areas against ALL human encroachment.. no matter the reason or motive for being there.

In the case of Academia vs Military, it simply boggles the mind. They have the right to shun the military all they want.
But they should have to go the extra mile and disturb their little comfort zone to do that.
They DONT have the right to disallow freedom of speech and movement to an arm of the same government that feeds them.. at the same time as they are celebrating their OWN freedom of dissent.

But, as Sowell points out.. there's an underlying factor at work, too. That is the litigation industry. If it wasnt for all this foo-foo, what would all the lawyers do?

And note the line ads for class action suits on that site!
Ironic, wot? Ah,well...

The Delphi Automotive Parts Crisis - why did it happen?
Delphi is the amalgamation of former GM parts disions: Delco, Harrison, Inland and quite a few others, including the former Frigidaire Automotive line.
It recently filed for reorganization under bankruptcy... leading many to fear tens of thousands of high wage jobs lost.

This may seem to some a little bit of a surprise but, to those of us with close ties, it's been forewarned a long time.

* If GM hadnt started the benefits package to attract scarce labor after WWII, in order to meet pent-up consuner demand we wouldnt be having a lot of these problems


* If GM and Ford hadnt been shortsighted and knuckled under too easily to easily to the unions, they wouldnt be going slowly bankrupt... it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when'

* if Unions had tended to their knitting and acted more like a guild than a labor agent, we wouldnt have a lot of this mess.
The charter of any union should be to protect their interests, thus the membership, by providing a quality product at a reasonable price. Doing so involves weeding out rejects.

My whole family is GM/Harrison/Delphi... my dad and brothers retired from Dayton plants; fortunately they saw this coming and, having a choice during the spin-off, opted for GM retirement over Delphi.
- A no-brainer, you say? Uh, no... strangely some likened the spin-off to the forced divestiture of ATT. They thought that, freed of the GM shackles, like the Baby Bells - Delphi would take off and fly. Not EVEN close!

EVERY family dinner involved a 'preaching to the choir' litany about the waste and corruption in the assembly lines. The unions were self-centered and corrupt when I worked there in the sixties and it only got worse.
Just from MY experience:
- Had two grievances filed on me when I was on the line for attempting to streamline my job, incidently increasing quality
- On overtime assignments, I was repeatedly bumped into the worst job on the line by a union committeeman, who had a total on 1.5 years on the job, 1 less than me. That stopped when my foreman suggested I file a grievance against the committeeman.

My Father in Law, OTOH, was ALSO a retired 30 year GM employee, but he was notorious for complaining that auto prices were too high for him to afford a new car (he'd have had to cut down on his VFW bar tab) and, in the same breath, brag about how he didnt do anything the whole shift.

The locals in Dayton were, and presumably are, more concerned with appealing the cases of their members caught dealing drugs than helping Delphi find a way to keep the plants open.

And NO, my family WASNT management they were line workers.. and my brothers both were foremen at one time then gave it up because upper plant management didnt care about trying to eliminate waste and low productivity, only about 'making the shift quota'... much of which ended up in the rework bin, because it couldnt pass the final quality check.

Now all that doesnt seem remarkable on the face of it... but do we remember WHY Japanese cars got their market in the US?

Bottom Line for Unions: They would rather have permanent layoffs, and protect the high wages and benefits of the remaining workers

Bottom Line for automotive middle management: "Dont rock the boat, all that matters is short term numbers"

Bottom line for US corporations? "Pay it now AND pay it later."

Summary for ALL of us: The shift from corporate pension to independent retirement funds, IRA and 401K, came 30 years too late.

Al Gore on 'freedom' of Press

TPMCafe:Gore on the Threat to American Democracy

on the face of it, seems to be reasoned speech on the value of the free press.

But there are subtle hints, here, that he thinks it is TOO free.

It would appear to the dispassionate reader that he lauds the 'net as allowing the citizen discourse on the issues of the moment... but then:

The present executive branch has made it a practice to try and control and intimidate news organizations: from PBS to CBS to Newsweek. They placed a former male escort in the White House press pool to pose as a reporter - and then called upon him to give the president a hand at crucial moments. They paid actors to make make phony video press releases and paid cash to some reporters who were willing to take it in return for positive stories. And every day they unleash squadrons of digital brownshirts to harass and hector any journalist who is critical of the President.

For these and other reasons, The US Press was recently found in a comprehensive international study to be only the 27th freest press in the world. And that too seems strange to me.

Among the other factors damaging our public discourse in the media, the imposition by management of entertainment values on the journalism profession has resulted in scandals, fabricated sources, fictional events and the tabloidization of mainstream news. As recently stated by Dan Rather - who was, of course, forced out of his anchor job after angering the White House - television news has been "dumbed down and tarted up."

The coverage of political campaigns focuses on the "horse race" and little else. And the well-known axiom that guides most local television news is "if it bleeds, it leads." (To which some disheartened journalists add, "If it thinks, it stinks.")

In fact, one of the few things that Red state and Blue state America agree on is that they don't trust the news media anymore.

Noted: Gore's reference to 'fabricated' sources, is what got Rather busted.

So in context, while we cant dispute the paid actors or paid columnists... though we might differ on how really EFFECTIVE they were, it seems to be the thought that counts.

And, Schizo Al ignores the fact that the 'digital brownshirts' (hows THAT for cloaked invective!) seem to be, on the whole, nipping at Dubya's heels or outright biting at him for some of his current policy decisions!

- Cronyism for appointments to SCOTUS and FEMA

- Immigration Policy (or lack of it)

- Spending and National Debt

What rankles here is that Gore implies that criticism by either the press or citizen journalist/bloggers is dangerous... he lauds Tom Paine, now, but neglects to note that Paine was regarded by the elite establishment, THEN, as seditious and fear-mongering.

So which is it, Al? Is the 'net - which you godfathered {that part IS TRUE, BTW}- a force for good or evil?

And you lament the 'scandalization' of the news.. are you saying that started lately... like say, ummmm, with Fox News?

I dont think it did... I think you are blowing smoke.

Yellow Journalism got it's moniker LONG before TV or even radio... and for that matter, existed before Tom Paine.
Of course, that's inconvenient for the point you are trying to make.

What I THINK is, that you are distressed that YOUR informed message isnt being accepted without quam by the idiots in the "Red States"

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there was - at least for a short time - a quality of vividness and clarity of focus in our public discourse that reminded some Americans - including some journalists - that vividness and clarity used to be more common in the way we talk with one another about the problems and choices that we face. But then, like a passing summer storm, the moment faded.

The clarity and focus, he neglects to mention, were clarity and focus on "reporting facts" later found to be NOT TRUE! So.... tell me again how that emotional disparagement of the supposed actions of a minority 'our finest hour'?!!!!

The final point I want to make is this: We must ensure that the Internet remains open and accessible to all citizens without any limitation on the ability of individuals to choose the content they wish regardless of the Internet service provider they use to connect to the Worldwide Web. We cannot take this future for granted. We must be prepared to fight for it because some of the same forces of corporate consolidation and control that have distorted the television marketplace have an interest in controlling the Internet marketplace as well. Far too much is at stake to ever allow that to happen.

Are you SURE, AL?!!!!

And who WOULD those forces be... Google? Umm...look AGAIN, Al! They are bona fide "enlightened Liberals"! Or maybe you're concerned that they'll turn to the dark side.

Or are you pointing to advocacy of the UN taking control of Domain Name Services?
Fighting over America's control of the Internet

Since the UN already arbitrates rights to URL names.. such as "fatalbert" {which it awarded to Bill Cosby, against a squatter's claim} ... one has to wonder WHY it's important for the UN to have control over DNS.

Could it be that it needs control over access to sites which dont follow "informed" speech or ideas?

So anyone who reads this, just MIGHT want to read that speech again.. and figure out for themselves just WHAT Gore advocates as a remedy.

To help you out, questionaires for journalism students and current journalists point to 85% identifying themselves as Democrat or Liberal.. and taking up journalism so as "to make a difference".

So I guess you'd have to wonder if Gore REALLY wants the press to be objective.. and report facts without bias.
Isn't it REALLY that he longs for the press that was extant during the Carter Administration, for example... where the only conservative viewpoints might be found in High-Literacy magazines like "National Review"?

Or do we have reason to rejoice in the fact that, even given Dubya's mistakes and inability to articulate, that THIS man is NOT President!

For Service, speak English

...stuck in a window of your bar or customer service establishment is likely to get you hauled up before your state civil rights commission.

That's what happened to a bar owner in a Cincinnati suburb, whose hispanic population has grown to 5000.

No.. he didnt refuse service to anyone. No, he didnt refuse to hire a hispanic.. at least that's not noted by any evidence collected by the Ohio commission.

Someone saw the poster, decided it was bigoted in content and complained to big brother.

Presumably, it made the passer-by feel "uncomfortable".

Bar's 'Speak English' Sign Discriminatory, Commission Rules

"I thought, 'Oh my God, It's 2005 and people are still living in the past," neighbor Loraine Robertson said. "It's really embarrassing where I live. I've got kids and they ask me all the time how somebody can put up a sign that's so racist toward other people."

"Racist?" - I wonder.

I wonder if a Parisian who came to town to sample Cincinnati culture would ALSO be asked to order in English.

I wonder if someone from Bavaria who was seeking out long-lost emigre family in the heavily German populated region would ALSO be asked to order in English?

I wonder that a suburban mom doesnt teach her kids the difference between 'racism' and bigotry, or maybe just 'bias'. Or maybe I know already. Racism has a connotation of 'hate'. I wonder if that neighbor would admit to any of her OWN biases?

Because the basis of the complaint is that it made the reader feel 'uncomfortable'. Thus anyone who feels 'uncomfortable' is obviously biased against those whose words or actions.. or even presence.. makes them feel 'uncomfortable'.

I suggest that Loraine Robertson pack her kids into her car at 10PM and cruise Vine Street in Cincy and see how 'uncomfortable' REALLY feels.

I doubt that will happen... as it's well known that Vine street at night is pimp and pusher territory.

The Cincy paper has an opinion, of course, and it sure doesnt come down on the side of free speech or 'right to refuse service to anyone': 'Speak English' a sign of bigotry

People should denounce bigotry - or the perception of bigotry - as soon as it raises its head because of the ugly stain it leaves on a community.

We expect no less from the progressive citizens of Mason and elsewhere concerning Tom Ullum's sign in the front window of the Pleasure Inn on U.S. 42. In block letters, it reads: "FOR SERVICE SPEAK ENGLISH." Can non-English-speaking people even understand what they're reading?

"or the perception of bigotry" - Oh my! Seems to me that's mighty subjective. How do you QUALIFY bigotry, then? If the perceiver has a degree in social sciences? Or just if they understand the difference between bigotry and racism? Or maybe if some panel finds they dont have a "biased" thought, themselves?

I wonder if it occurs to that writer that every human being has his biases.

I wonder if he'd admit it in writing. Presumably not... if he knows what's good for him, anyway. He might be hauled up on a count of fomenting 'hate-speech'.

You who come down on the side of PC'ness will be happy to note that Al Gore and a host of other progressive minded folks plan on doing something about that!

...more on that to come.

Keep Reminding ourselves

One of my favorite sites which I visit to note how things are REALLY going in Iraq, is IRAQ THE MODEL The authors dont sugarcoat things but they present what must be a pretty accurate picture of how things are going for the majority of Iraqis.
From that site you can surf to any number of Iraqi and middle eastern blogs with varying points of view... some pretty critical of US policy, but worth reading for the real views nonetheless.
Recently he linked to a post in Friends of Democracy

..... That was how we abused our freedom given to us for the first time in our lives, thanks to the boots of Marines which crushed Saddam's Fedayeen and Baathists.

I truly believe that our salvation as a nation depends on our being completely honest with the United States; to prove to her that we are Iraqis first and that we do not conspire against her with Iran or Syria or anyone; to thank and to acknowledge her role in liberating us, otherwise we will be heading to disaster.

The United States is the sole player in Iraq today. A new Marshall plan in Iraq would contribute greatly to our economic development. We should learn from the Japanese, the Koreans and the Germans. We should ask them how they dealt with America, how they reassured her that her interests were secure and how they were reconstructed by her to become among the world's greatest economic superpowers. Perhaps the secret is that none of these countries were neighboring Iran or Syria? Nevertheless, we should learn to overcome our geographical fate because, unfortunately, it can never be changed.

That could be done by even more Iraqis refusing to submit to the natural urge to react to foreigners showing their power, turning that emotion, instead, against foreigners and anarchists who demonstrate their power by killing innocents.

Truly, no army can defeat a terror campaign... it takes the will of the society under attack to do that.

My Shame!


When I heard and read on the MSM about all the violence and rampant killing and rapes in the superdome and convention center it did not ring true to me.
I am truly ashamed that I did not speak up!

I believed that there MIGHT be 10,000 dead from the flooding, but did not question it. It WAS possible, though it didnt make sense even considering what I saw and know.

And I believed that the death toll in the two evac centers might be very high... but I could NOT believe all those accounts of savagery from word of mouth to correspondents which was then relayed to the world really happened based on what I knew of human nature.

But I said nothing in protest. I never went on record as NOT believing it!

Granted, i have been to NO only twice.. and I knew that the cops there have real problems and that certain neighborhoods are not safe anytime.
BUT
Due to my age and interest in not only the news but human nature and why people might do what they do and when might they do it... I should have really known better.

These rumors of mayhem did not reflect what I KNEW happened previously in times of urban crisis. But I passively accepted that they MIGHT be true.

Knowledge of human nature tells me that the vast majority of people, no matter their daily attitudes and indiscretions.. even to the point of murderers rapists and thieves... will support others in time of crisis.

Looting of electronics and jewelry stores doesnt count... that is fallibility, greed or just 'business'.

But for those same people to set on the weaker of the other victims is beyond belief.

But I said nothing. And I am ashamed of that.

How about you?

The NFL, The Great Society, Byron Leftwich and Condi Rice...

Ah, I love the parallels of Sport to Life!

Randall Cunningham, Dennis Green - Affirmative Action; certainly both were competent but always at the backs of their minds..... were they REALLY top shelf or did they just get the chance, because...

Byron Leftwich, Marvin Lewis - Equal Opportunity

Now bear with me here...

I picked Leftwich because there's no one who watches the game that would put him in the mold of Cunningham or Vick or Donovan McNabb.

Racking my brain for a comparison, the closest I come is Doug Flutie.
I AM NOT saying that Leftwich doesnt owe his chances to Cunningham's pioneering efforts... what I am SAYING is that Randall may have got where he got, partially by affirmative action but NO ONE drafted Leftwich with that even remotely in mind.
And you'd have to consider, also, that he sure doesnt match up to the black QB stereotype. He's judged on his abilities to read defenses and his durability alone.

And he owes his chances more to Chad Pennington's success than he does Cunningham's.

Now we come to Marvin Lewis...
Go to a library in Cincinnati and read up on the recent history of both the Bengals and the city, itself.

If you are at ALL a fan of the NFL, you dont need reminded of the hate, distrust and contempt of the Bengals fan toward the Bengals FO management which consists mainly of the Brown offspring. This began when Sam Wyche was let go because he was threatening to Mike Brown's authority to run the team.
While Brown WANTED the team to be successful, he thought he could do it by the book. In doing so, he forgot about the mistakes of his father when he retired from coaching the team.

About the city... all the non-Ohioan hears about race and the city is that there seems to be a constant bickering, sometimes blooming to near warfare of the white and black populations.

And certainly, the rabid white Bengals fan would have to be counted among the bigoted troglodytic faction.. wouldnt he?

Why, then, would these bohunks cheer when they heard the news that Marvin Lewis was being considered as the new head coach and the hope of turning the team around? I mean LOOK at him! He's BLACK!

In my conversations with other Bengals fans, many of those that DIDNT especially favor Lewis brought up a candidate they thought was a better choice, and was available.. and THAT person was - gasp- Dennis Green!

But Marvin Lewis WAS hired.. and as we Bengals Exiles hoped and prayed he would.. he insisted on, and was given, unparalleled {for the Bengals} control of the team. ESPECIALLY considering he had never been an NFL head coach.

But we didnt want him because he was black.. we didnt want Green because he was black.

Some wanted Green because he had much of the traits of Forrest Gregg; but Green has a problem... he -rightfully- believes that he's getting most interviews because he's black and has a chip on his shoulder because of that. While, in reality, when he's not hired it's because he's like Forrest Gregg. But how is Green to know which is the case?

Lewis, on the other hand, owes much to Green's pioneering efforts but his head is clear of those niggling doubts. He was hired because of his abilities and promise, his skin color was not a factor.
Unless you want to propose that he was only STILL untried because of it.

Well, he has done it.. he has turned the franchise around... and he hasnt done that by 'being black' he has done it because he is a natural leader and innovator and knows his football and how to manage his players.

And his assistants and players will know that their selection is based purely on merit not their color. The fans know that too.

Which brings us to the point: while Affirmative Action had its day and needed to be tried to prove the points it did, its day - like that of integration by bussing- is OVER.

Those that come behind, whether they be athletes or lawyers or teachers or administrators NEED the peace of mind in knowing they got where they did SOLELY on their own.

Affirmative Action WAS a good thing, continuing it makes it a failure in what it was meant to accomplish.

And THAT, gentle folk, explains Condi Rice and Janice Rogers Brown and JC Watts... and explains why the more the Al Sharptons, Jesse Jesse Jacksons and that mouth-foaming mad dog who's heading the New Panthers spout their drivel, the more black voters come over to the Republican/Conservative side.

And the more the Libs claim that Bush black appointees are turncoats and only there as mouthpieces.. the MORE thinking white liberals will turn away in disgust.

Denial and diatribe only extends so far, before it becomes buffoonery.

And speaking of FORMER buffoons, the BENGALS ARE BACK!

Chinese web-bots are downloading Little Green Footballs' site
And presumably others, as well.

The commenters dont all seem to grasp the total significance of the activities... which is, I think, "Better know the resistance" But that is just the latest in a long line of interesting facts, not the least of which is technology transfer through Clinton political Campaign contributions... but it didnt start there.

Check out the number of Chinese students and technical types just in Columbus... there's some with small tech companies with contracts to Battelle and OSU ... research type think tanks.

Truly some who must have ties to Red Army, Inc.
And I know for a fact, that the FBI is well aware... (tho how much GOOD that does is suspect)
The BRIGHT side is, however, found in the old song..."How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm...."

It's the same as my opinion on the stupid Castro embargoes... either our system can compete with any other or it cant.

I'm QUITE sure it can.

And to those Chinese info-analysts:
While they are financing our lower cost of living, with QUALITY goods (sorry to those who think otherwise but I've been around a long time)...
We are financing a slow peaceful revolution in Mao-Land by buying them.

Have fun with THAT Concept, Comrades!

Breaking News:

Greenpeace and Sierra Club policy wonks are scrambling to find a connection between the Mars Rovers and Big Oil, Halliburton and the Bush Administration after it was revealed that Martian ice caps are rapidly melting.. apparently due to global warming.

When it was suggested that increased solar activity might be the cause of the phenomenon on both planets, activist Barba Streisand exclaimed: "Dont be an ass.. you know how far away Mars is from here?"

Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and New Black Panther Party leader Attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz suggested it was a Bush plot to kill indigenous Martians.

Meanwhile, commenters on Markos Zuniga's Blog DailyKos are suggesting a CIA plot to siphon off the CO2 polar caps from Mars to Earth in order to hasten the economic disruptions already in the works for Cuba and Venezuela.

Cindy Sheehan, after consulting with interstellar statesman Ramsey Clark, demanded an immediate end to the occupation of Mars, in addition to Iraq and New Orleans.

Busting the costs of Katrina with Pork

Good idea at Truth laid Bear

However: note that there's some sloppiness in the lists. As well as no criteria for posting the pork; identification of posters and commenters is optional.

Not a good idea, IMO!
- - - - - - - - - - -
Note that a goodly number of these pork rinds are put in to address either "Quality of Life" or public transportation issues.

Meaning... if they dont work now, there's some shortcomings in the 'business case'.. or dont we believe in those?

Packard Museum? Who CARES! If it's REALLY necessary to go back and muse over a well-built reliable car that couldnt compete with the best-selling models.. then levy a surcharge on Honda, Toyota et al. It's THEM that benefitted, long term, over Packard's demise.

Bay area Ferry boat industry. Is it viable? If the boat was GIVEN to a private concern to run, would it pay? No? then.....

National rail and local roadbed - Note that the Interstate highway program KILLED the rail industry. Either get the funds from trucking companies or nationalize roadbed and run it like the interstate. Technology NOW allows by-car fees for roadbed use. As well as automated car-switching for "just-in-time" mfrs. No excuse for a loaded freight car to take 4 days to move acroos the US.

Sheehan Road Trip Report

She spoke at N.C. State's McKimmon Center about her push to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. Dozens of people attended.

Sheehan bus pulled onto the N.C. State University campus in Raleigh for a rally earlier Thursday. Sheehan also attended a rally in Moore Square in downtown Raleigh. Sheehan's tour will take her to Fayetteville on Friday and Durham on Saturday.

- Raleigh ABC affiliate

Hmmm.. if they each chipped in 5 bucks, the tour would be self-supporting - for the fuel, anyway.

In Albany NY; Several hundred people gathered to watch the vigil and rally, which coincided with lunch for many of the state workers.
- Didnt say how many were just waiting for the bus.
Of course Cindy wasnt there, she was supposedly with a group helping out Katrina victims.. where she supposedly got a first hand look at the "fascist occupation forces" that Bush had sent in.

Brighter news for her tour.. in Madison WI, the protest drew 800. Of course, that's Madison.
UPDATE

John Hinderaker at PowerLine has Sheehan's merry little group nailed for what they are..

Was it Marx or Lenin that called them "Useful Idiots"?

The last thing anyone might need is yet another blogger... that's what you or any other sane person would say when you come across this.

Well, I've been doing it a while... just not on a conventional blogging site. I've been most active at matchnight.com and FulhamUSA.com.
Yeah, I'm a soccer junkie...everyone has a vice

If you sample those posts, I may look like the typical conservative cauc male. I suppose so... though my take on things is more in the realm of the opinion you might find on PowerLine or Michelle Malkin

In my sixty plus years of absorbing and analyzing the foolishness around me and sifting out the idiocy of politics and the media I've come to respect the need for common sense, all too often not conveyed in either the media or the halls of congress..

Here are my current pet peeves:

Media Playing to "the masses" - this is what we see almost uniformly on the news channels.. and it doesnt matter if it's CBS or FoxNews. Take all the BIG ratings guys, and you'll see it. Doesnt matter if it's Hannity or CBSMorning, you'll come away with that certain empty feeling that you've been 'spun'. Of course, Fox's Geraldo.. acts like 'Waldo'.. is the worst. And apologies to those named Waldo.
The BEST (or least) in the take offense dept are Shephard Smith and Joe Scarborough. Both these guys are ESSENTIALLY video bloggers. They say what they think and you can take it or leave it. Special category for O'Reilly who writes a great book but whose 'spin' is the supposed 'no-spin'. Somehow I doubt his on-air positions are ALWAYS TRULY part of his core.

- Subnote on irritants: Am I the only one who only listens to Hannity for his interviews? And who switches stations when he launches: "Who said this"?

Potomac Fever - Not a new concept. But the basis of why we have RINO's, and "Mr Smith goes to Washington"
Somehow I get the feeling that politico's have to LEAVE office before they admit they have it.. or are in danger of falling into it. John Kasich and Scarborough come to mind. Maybe even Newt...
I'm an Ohioan, so my current objects of contempt are both DeWine and Voinovich. Infects in direct proportion t to exposure to media and number of cocktail parties attended.

Foreign Policy oddities. Best example ANYONE should come up with is sanctions that last more than 5 years. Does ANY conservative REALLY doubt that, if the US had refused to apply inhibition to Cuban trade and had just let it go.. which means upsetting that Cuban ex-pat baseline.. that Castro would either have been kicked out or would have morphed into the model of the Chinese? Instead we continue to provide Fidel with the 'boogie-man' and a windmill to tilt against.
- It's SIMPLE, stupid! We either BELIEVE in the FREE Market or we dont!

More ideas!

Dems on Display - Is there anythingREALLY better than watching Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden makes asses of themselves on national TV?!!!!
Every time these guys go on C-Span on a hearing panel (like Roberts) they show the public what they're really about. It's all about them.
Downside: increases public distrust in, and contempt for, politicians of all stripes.. so then the voter FORGETS about Fred Thompson. And even Lamar Alexander. Or John Glenn before the aliens took over his body. Or Sonny Bono, who was about to become a REAL advocate before the leftist conspiracy stuck that tree in his path.

Even Worse; the Republicans having assumed the positive points of Liberal thought.. realizing they were ACTING like rascists even when they weren't.. have forced the Dems farther Left. Thus we have the talking points of Kennedy and Leahy previewed on Daily KOS and Dem Underground.
The more these Senate clowns spout the radical line, they higher the voter turnout against the Democrats.
This is REALLY dangerous: Once marginalized to the point of about ten percent, the 'enlightened left' will come to the conclusion that only 'urban terrorism' and revolution can "Save America".
You are ALREADY seeing this proposed

Laughable - The lefty rants about FEMA being run by 'Political Hacks'. Not the charges, which are TRUE, but the idea that if Dems were in power that it WOULDNT be run by 'political hacks'!
Hell, Dem's are ALL ABOUT political patronage. And you only have to look at Louisiana's history to see it.

More later.. as I compose my thoughts.

Oh, BTW... The handle I use is a sort of self-aware acknowledgement of my tendency to ramble and post 'Stream of Consciousness".. but I suppose you've figured that out by now.
For more Damning evidence simply type pettyfog into the google search box.