With TSA's announcement of "enhanced" security checks at the airports, they've come out with a new list of slogans to improve their image:
01. Can’t see London , can’t see France … unless we see your underpants
02. We’re the creepy uncle of federal agencies
03. You’re in good hands with TSA
04. Pants on the ground
05. 2-4-6-8, we grab your junk or you’ll be late
06. Under Obamacare, this counts as your annual physical
07. It’s not a grope, it’s a “freedom pat”
08. Don’t worry, my hands are still warm from the last guy
09. No shirt, no shoes, no pants… Have a nice flight
10. You can’t spell molestation without TSA
11. If we said you body was a security risk, would you hold it against us?
12. Consult a physician if pat-downs last more than 4 hours
13. Sometimes you feel like a grope, sometimes you don’t
14. We’d offer you a cigarette, but this is a smoke free facility
15. TSA Club Card: with every 12 pat-downs, you get a free reach-around
16. The Few. The perverts. The TSA
17. Putting the T & A in TSA
18. Grope and change! Yes, we can!
19. We put our right hand in, we pull our right hand out, we put our left hand in and we shake it all about!
20. We are the people your mother warned you about
21. TSA: If we guarded the border, there would be no illegal aliens
22. TSA: Or as it’s known in the industry, “second base”
23. We feel your anger
24. We handle more nuts than a squirrel
25. We palm more balls than the NBA
26. ALL YOUR JUNK ARE BELONG TO US
27. If we don’t get off, you don’t get on
28. Don’t grope me, Bro!
29. We wear the glove, you bear the love!
30. Before you fly the friendly skies, I want to feel your silky thighs
31. Hickory , dickory dock, give us a chance we’ll grab your… well, you get the idea
32. Who’s your Daddy?
33. No need to pee in a cup, we just want to feel you up
Thanks to Genevieve,
Brantigny
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Religion of Peace
Here we see the faces of the nuns, priests, 4 year old babies caught by the TSA during their pat and frisk operations at airports around the nation. As you can see they are all hardened Catholics...
By Michelle Malkin via Les Femmes, The Truth...
Brantigny
By Michelle Malkin via Les Femmes, The Truth...Brantigny
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Auspicious date for a wedding or a marriage by the numbers.
Prince William and Kate Middleton's choice of wedding day is a very positive one that will lead to a strong and stable marriage, a leading numerologist said today.Expert Pauline Rose said April 29 2011 is a "good day" to tie the knot.
"To start with you have two 11s in the date because two and nine make 11.
Hmmm, Isn't that the same wedding date chosen by that crazy couple Dolph and Eva in 1945? Running a marriage by the numbers.
Jus' askin'.
Brantigny
Relighting the Flames of War, Korea.
^0 year ago, my father was stationed in the Navy aboard the USS Lyman K Swenson off the coast of Korea. He didn't talk a lot about his time in the Navy in the Korean War. I think he believed it would never come again. After High School I joined the Marine Corps and I wound up in Korea which is something of a legend in the history of the Corps. The south was peaceful, green and lit. I will weep if my fathers war reignites.
Two South Korean marines were killed and 17 others injured, as well as three civilians, after North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto a Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow sea, 50 miles off the South's northwest coast in an area close to a disputed sea border. Sky News
The attack, which comes days after it emerged that North Korea was pressing ahead with its illegal nuclear programme, marks a serious further escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
A presidential statement said the shelling “constitutes a clear armed provocation.”
“Furthermore, its reckless shelling of civilian targets is unpardonable.
“North Korean authorities must take responsibility.”
The incident is believed to have been sparked by South Korean military exercises in the area, which the North had objected to.
Officials said “dozens” of artillery rounds had landed on Yeonpyeong. Other reports suggested around 200 shells could have been fired in the attack which began at 2.34pm local time (7.34am GMT).
F-16 fighter jets were scrambled and South Korean land-based forces returned fire on the North as civilians were evacuated to emergency bunkers, according to witnesses quoted by the Seoul-based cable news television channel YTN.
Pictures from the channel showed plumes of smoke rising from the island, which is the largest in a clutch of smaller islands, with a population of less than 1,300 people.
“Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN. “People are frightened to death and shelling continues as we speak," the witness added.
The US issued a statement saying it "strongly condemns" the attack, urging it to halt its "belligerent action".
Naoto Kan, Japan's prime minister, said he had ordered his ministers to prepare for any eventuality.
"I ordered (ministers) to make preparations so that we can react firmly, should any unexpected event occur," Mr Kan said.
"We will make preparations so that whatever happens, we will be able to deal with it."
Russia called for both sides to avoid any escalation of violence, while China, the North’s closest international ally, said it was “concerned” over the situation.
“We hope the relevant parties do more to contribute to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, adding that China was still seeking information on the clash. "The situation needs to be verified," he said.
The islands were the scene of three skirmishes between the navies of North and South Korea in 1999, 2002 and most recently in 2009 when a North Korean patrol ship was set on fire by South Korean gunfire.
The attack comes after nearly two years of deteriorating relations between the two Koreas, which reached a nadir last March after the sinking of a South Korean corvette, the Cheonan, with the loss of 46 lives.
South Korea has since cut off almost all humanitarian aid to the North, a near bankrupt-state that has been under tight international sanctions since conducting a second nuclear bomb test in 2009 in defiance of UN agreements.
The North has also been facing a degree of political turmoil this year as their ailing leader Kim Jong-il prepares the ground for a dynastic succession that will see power being handed to his youngest son, Kim Jong-un. By Peter Foster, Beijing 9:41AM GMT 23 Nov 2010
N. Korea threatens additional attacks, accuses S. Korea of provocation By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea threatened to continue "merciless" strikes on South Korea on Tuesday after the communist state launched a deadly artillery attack across their western sea border.
In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, the North's top military command accused the South Korean military of initiating the exchange by shooting toward its side.
The President was woke up and told. Obama delivered a strong message to the North Koreans. I am sure that the message has made an impression on Kim.
Brantigny
Two South Korean marines were killed and 17 others injured, as well as three civilians, after North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto a Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow sea, 50 miles off the South's northwest coast in an area close to a disputed sea border. Sky NewsThe attack, which comes days after it emerged that North Korea was pressing ahead with its illegal nuclear programme, marks a serious further escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
A presidential statement said the shelling “constitutes a clear armed provocation.”
“Furthermore, its reckless shelling of civilian targets is unpardonable.
“North Korean authorities must take responsibility.”
The incident is believed to have been sparked by South Korean military exercises in the area, which the North had objected to.
Officials said “dozens” of artillery rounds had landed on Yeonpyeong. Other reports suggested around 200 shells could have been fired in the attack which began at 2.34pm local time (7.34am GMT).
F-16 fighter jets were scrambled and South Korean land-based forces returned fire on the North as civilians were evacuated to emergency bunkers, according to witnesses quoted by the Seoul-based cable news television channel YTN.
Pictures from the channel showed plumes of smoke rising from the island, which is the largest in a clutch of smaller islands, with a population of less than 1,300 people.
“Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN. “People are frightened to death and shelling continues as we speak," the witness added.
The US issued a statement saying it "strongly condemns" the attack, urging it to halt its "belligerent action".
Naoto Kan, Japan's prime minister, said he had ordered his ministers to prepare for any eventuality.
"I ordered (ministers) to make preparations so that we can react firmly, should any unexpected event occur," Mr Kan said.
"We will make preparations so that whatever happens, we will be able to deal with it."
Russia called for both sides to avoid any escalation of violence, while China, the North’s closest international ally, said it was “concerned” over the situation.
“We hope the relevant parties do more to contribute to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, adding that China was still seeking information on the clash. "The situation needs to be verified," he said.
The islands were the scene of three skirmishes between the navies of North and South Korea in 1999, 2002 and most recently in 2009 when a North Korean patrol ship was set on fire by South Korean gunfire.
The attack comes after nearly two years of deteriorating relations between the two Koreas, which reached a nadir last March after the sinking of a South Korean corvette, the Cheonan, with the loss of 46 lives.
South Korea has since cut off almost all humanitarian aid to the North, a near bankrupt-state that has been under tight international sanctions since conducting a second nuclear bomb test in 2009 in defiance of UN agreements.
The North has also been facing a degree of political turmoil this year as their ailing leader Kim Jong-il prepares the ground for a dynastic succession that will see power being handed to his youngest son, Kim Jong-un. By Peter Foster, Beijing 9:41AM GMT 23 Nov 2010
N. Korea threatens additional attacks, accuses S. Korea of provocation By Sam KimSEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea threatened to continue "merciless" strikes on South Korea on Tuesday after the communist state launched a deadly artillery attack across their western sea border.
In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, the North's top military command accused the South Korean military of initiating the exchange by shooting toward its side.
The President was woke up and told. Obama delivered a strong message to the North Koreans. I am sure that the message has made an impression on Kim.
Brantigny
What would Huck Finn do?
My daughter, a high school teacher in Vance County NC sent me an email concerning the budget shortfall for the next fiscal year. My question is, "I thought and it was portrayed as such, that a State Lottery was supposed to cure all the problems with funding education," what is the truth? My other daughter tells me that my grandaughters and grandson currently do not have text books because the county can not afford them. Who is running the schools in this county, Huck Finn?"Teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, fewer courses and less help for struggling students are some of the consequences if North Carolina's public school funding is cut by 5 or 10 percent, according to information released last week. The Office of State Budget and Management required government agencies to identify budget cuts at these two levels in anticipation of the 2011-12 fiscal year. To read more about how these potential cuts will impact public schools, please visit the NCDPI website at http://www.blogger.com/www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under “News.”"
From the NC State Education Llottery web site...
Where the Money Goes
In August 2005, the North Carolina State Lottery Act (H. 1023) and the 2005 Appropriations Act (S. 622) was signed into law, which established the North Carolina Education Lottery. View Legislation.
The State Lottery Act, in order to increase and maximize the available revenues for education purposes, prescribes the following guidelines as to how each lottery dollar will be spent which are to be adhered to the extent practicable. Retailers receive a 7% commission for selling tickets. Up to 8% may be spent on administration. At least 50% will be paid out in prizes and as nearly as practicable 35% will be transferred to the Education Lottery Fund at the Office of State Budget and Management. 100% of the net proceeds of the North Carolina Education Lottery go to education programs.
5 percent goes to the Education Lottery Reserve Fund to be used when lottery proceeds fall short of target. The Reserve Fund may not exceed $50 million.
The commission shall distribute the remaining net revenue of the Education Lottery Fund in accordance with the Lottery Act. The Office of State Budget and Management will then distribute the proceeds as follows:
50 percent of the total remainder shall be used for reduction of class size ratios in early grades to 18 children per teacher and for prekindergarten programs for at-risk four year olds who would not otherwise be served in high-quality settings.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/
40 percent of the total remainder shall be used for school construction. Roughly 65 percent of this total shall be distributed to each county based on total school enrollment. The remaining 35 percent of this total shall be distributed to each county with average effective county property tax rates above the state average based on total school enrollment.
http://www.schoolclearinghouse.org/
10 percent of the total remainder shall be used for college scholarships for students who qualify for the federal Pell Grant. These scholarships can be used at North Carolina public and private universities and community colleges.
Brantigny
Saturday, November 20, 2010
I am having trouble believing this.
From Yahoo news...
Pope: condoms can be justified in some cases
AP – Pope Benedict XVI holds the pastoral staff during a consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, …
By NICOLE WINFIELD and FRANCES D'EMILIO, Associated Press Nicole Winfield And Frances D'emilio, Associated Press – Sat Nov 20, 1:51 pm ET
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that condoms can be justified for male prostitutes seeking to stop the spread of HIV, a stunning comment for a church criticized for its opposition to condoms and for a pontiff who has blamed them for making the AIDS crisis worse.
The pope made the comments in a book-length interview with a German journalist, "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times," which is being released Tuesday. The Vatican newspaper ran excerpts on Saturday.
Church teaching has long opposed condoms because they are a form of artificial contraception, although it has never released an explicit policy about condoms and HIV. The Vatican has been harshly criticized for its opposition.
Benedict said that condoms are not a moral solution. But he said in some cases, such as for male prostitutes, they could be justified "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection."
Benedict called it "a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way of living sexuality."
He used as an example male prostitutes, for whom contraception is not an issue, as opposed to married couples where one spouse is infected. The Vatican has come under pressure from even some church officials in Africa to condone condom use for monogamous married couples to protect the uninfected spouse from getting infected.
Benedict drew the wrath of the United Nations, European governments and AIDS activisits when he told reporters en route to Africa in 2009 that the AIDS problem on the continent couldn't be resolved by distributing condoms.
"On the contrary, it increases the problem," he said then.
Journalist Peter Seewald, who interviewed Benedict over the course of six days this summer, raised the Africa condom comments and asked Benedict if it wasn't "madness" for the Vatican to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.
"There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility," Benedict said.
But he stressed that it wasn't the way to deal with the evil of HIV, and elsewhere in the book reaffirmed church teaching on contraception and abortion, saying: "How many children are killed who might one day have been geniuses, who could have given humanity something new, who could have given us a new Mozart or some new technical discovery?"
He reiterated the church's position that abstinence and marital fidelity is the only sure way to prevent HIV.
Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, the Vatican's longtime top official on bioethics and sexuality, elaborated on the pontiff's comments, stressing that it was imperative to "make certain that this is the only way to save a life." Sgreccia told the Italian news agency ANSA that that is why the pope on the condom issue "dealt with it in the realm of ecceptionality."
The condom question was one that "needed an answer for a long time," Sgreccia was quoted as saying. "If Benedict XVI raised the question of exceptions, this expection must be accepted ... and it must be verified that this is the only way to save life. This must be demonstrated," Sgreccia said.
Christian Weisner, of the pro-reform group We Are Church in the pope's native Germany, said the pope's comments were "surprising, and if that's the case one can be happy about the pope's ability to learn."
William Portier, a Catholic theologian at the University of Dayton, a Marianist school in Ohio, said he had not read the report in the Vatican newspaper, but he said it would be wrong to conclude that the comments mean the pope has made a fundamental, broad change in church teaching on artificial contraception.
"He's not going to do that in an offhand remark to a journalist in an interview," Portier said.
In other comments, Benedict said:
• If a pope is no longer physically, psychologically or spiritually capable of doing his job, then he has the "right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign."
• On Islam, in Europe, he declined to endorse such moves as France's banning the burqa or Switzerland's citizen referendum to forbid topping mosques with minarets.
"Christians are tolerant, and in that respect they also allow others to have their self-image," Benedict replied when asked if Christians should be "glad" about such initiatives. "As for the burqa, I can see no reason for a general ban."
• He was surprised by the scale of clerical sex abuse in his native Germany and acknowledged that the Vatican could have better communicated its response. "One can always wonder whether the pope should not speak more often."
• On Pope Pius XII, the wartime pontiff accused by some Jewish groups of staying publicly silent on the Holocaust: Some historians have asked the Vatican to put Pius' sainthood process on hold until the Holy See opens up its archives from his papacy. But Benedict said an internal "inspection" of those unpublished documents failed to support "negative" allegations against Pius.
"It is perfectly clear that as soon as he protested publicly, the Germans would have ceased to respect" Vatican extraterritoriality of convents and monasteries who were sheltering Jews from the Nazi occupiers in Rome. "The thousands who had found a safe haven ... would have been surely deported," Benedict argued.
In the book, Benedict also offers insights into his private life, saying he enjoys watching TV at home in the evenings with his secretaries and the four women who take care of his apartment, preferring the evening news and an Italian TV show from decades ago "Don Camillo and Peppone" about a parish priest and his bumbling assistant.
He said he always wears his white cassock, never a sweater, and wears an old Junghans watch that was left to him by his sister when she died. When he prays, he said, he prays to the Lord as well as the saints and considers himself good friends with Sts. Augustine, Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas.
So more comments when I find out the whole story.
Brantigny
Pope: condoms can be justified in some cases
AP – Pope Benedict XVI holds the pastoral staff during a consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, …
By NICOLE WINFIELD and FRANCES D'EMILIO, Associated Press Nicole Winfield And Frances D'emilio, Associated Press – Sat Nov 20, 1:51 pm ET
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that condoms can be justified for male prostitutes seeking to stop the spread of HIV, a stunning comment for a church criticized for its opposition to condoms and for a pontiff who has blamed them for making the AIDS crisis worse.
The pope made the comments in a book-length interview with a German journalist, "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times," which is being released Tuesday. The Vatican newspaper ran excerpts on Saturday.
Church teaching has long opposed condoms because they are a form of artificial contraception, although it has never released an explicit policy about condoms and HIV. The Vatican has been harshly criticized for its opposition.
Benedict said that condoms are not a moral solution. But he said in some cases, such as for male prostitutes, they could be justified "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection."
Benedict called it "a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way of living sexuality."
He used as an example male prostitutes, for whom contraception is not an issue, as opposed to married couples where one spouse is infected. The Vatican has come under pressure from even some church officials in Africa to condone condom use for monogamous married couples to protect the uninfected spouse from getting infected.
Benedict drew the wrath of the United Nations, European governments and AIDS activisits when he told reporters en route to Africa in 2009 that the AIDS problem on the continent couldn't be resolved by distributing condoms.
"On the contrary, it increases the problem," he said then.
Journalist Peter Seewald, who interviewed Benedict over the course of six days this summer, raised the Africa condom comments and asked Benedict if it wasn't "madness" for the Vatican to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.
"There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility," Benedict said.
But he stressed that it wasn't the way to deal with the evil of HIV, and elsewhere in the book reaffirmed church teaching on contraception and abortion, saying: "How many children are killed who might one day have been geniuses, who could have given humanity something new, who could have given us a new Mozart or some new technical discovery?"
He reiterated the church's position that abstinence and marital fidelity is the only sure way to prevent HIV.
Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, the Vatican's longtime top official on bioethics and sexuality, elaborated on the pontiff's comments, stressing that it was imperative to "make certain that this is the only way to save a life." Sgreccia told the Italian news agency ANSA that that is why the pope on the condom issue "dealt with it in the realm of ecceptionality."
The condom question was one that "needed an answer for a long time," Sgreccia was quoted as saying. "If Benedict XVI raised the question of exceptions, this expection must be accepted ... and it must be verified that this is the only way to save life. This must be demonstrated," Sgreccia said.
Christian Weisner, of the pro-reform group We Are Church in the pope's native Germany, said the pope's comments were "surprising, and if that's the case one can be happy about the pope's ability to learn."
William Portier, a Catholic theologian at the University of Dayton, a Marianist school in Ohio, said he had not read the report in the Vatican newspaper, but he said it would be wrong to conclude that the comments mean the pope has made a fundamental, broad change in church teaching on artificial contraception.
"He's not going to do that in an offhand remark to a journalist in an interview," Portier said.
In other comments, Benedict said:
• If a pope is no longer physically, psychologically or spiritually capable of doing his job, then he has the "right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign."
• On Islam, in Europe, he declined to endorse such moves as France's banning the burqa or Switzerland's citizen referendum to forbid topping mosques with minarets.
"Christians are tolerant, and in that respect they also allow others to have their self-image," Benedict replied when asked if Christians should be "glad" about such initiatives. "As for the burqa, I can see no reason for a general ban."
• He was surprised by the scale of clerical sex abuse in his native Germany and acknowledged that the Vatican could have better communicated its response. "One can always wonder whether the pope should not speak more often."
• On Pope Pius XII, the wartime pontiff accused by some Jewish groups of staying publicly silent on the Holocaust: Some historians have asked the Vatican to put Pius' sainthood process on hold until the Holy See opens up its archives from his papacy. But Benedict said an internal "inspection" of those unpublished documents failed to support "negative" allegations against Pius.
"It is perfectly clear that as soon as he protested publicly, the Germans would have ceased to respect" Vatican extraterritoriality of convents and monasteries who were sheltering Jews from the Nazi occupiers in Rome. "The thousands who had found a safe haven ... would have been surely deported," Benedict argued.
In the book, Benedict also offers insights into his private life, saying he enjoys watching TV at home in the evenings with his secretaries and the four women who take care of his apartment, preferring the evening news and an Italian TV show from decades ago "Don Camillo and Peppone" about a parish priest and his bumbling assistant.
He said he always wears his white cassock, never a sweater, and wears an old Junghans watch that was left to him by his sister when she died. When he prays, he said, he prays to the Lord as well as the saints and considers himself good friends with Sts. Augustine, Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas.
So more comments when I find out the whole story.
Brantigny
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Hangin' in the boys room
Now that he doesn't (officially) smoke the prez had to find other ways to relax...
Brantigny
TSA handbook
This gets better and better
Traveling with Pets
Our security procedures do not prohibit you from bringing a pet on your flight. You should contact your airline or travel agent, however, before arriving at the airport to determine your airline's policy on traveling with pets.
Security Screening
You will need to present the animal to the Security Officers at the checkpoint. You may walk your animal through the metal detector with you. If this is not possible, your animal will have to undergo a secondary screening, including a visual and physical inspection by our Security Officers.
Your animal will NEVER be placed through an X-ray machine. However, you may be asked to remove your animal from its carrier so that the carrier can be placed on the X-Ray machine.
TSA.
Everyone needs to show up to a flight with a dog or a cat.
What if a blind Nun shows up with her seeing eye dog.
Brantigny
Traveling with Pets
Our security procedures do not prohibit you from bringing a pet on your flight. You should contact your airline or travel agent, however, before arriving at the airport to determine your airline's policy on traveling with pets.
Security Screening
You will need to present the animal to the Security Officers at the checkpoint. You may walk your animal through the metal detector with you. If this is not possible, your animal will have to undergo a secondary screening, including a visual and physical inspection by our Security Officers.
Your animal will NEVER be placed through an X-ray machine. However, you may be asked to remove your animal from its carrier so that the carrier can be placed on the X-Ray machine.
TSA.
Everyone needs to show up to a flight with a dog or a cat.
What if a blind Nun shows up with her seeing eye dog.
Brantigny
Well, that went as planned
Attorney General Eric Holder another Obama putz, failed in his bid to bring another terrorist to justice. His plan of trying the detainees beginning with Ghailani, ended with a acquittal on all save 1 count. That is 105 not guilty verdicts to 1 guilty. It is now a 100 to 1 chance that a terrorist will go free. Good work, Eric.
First (non)conviction unlikely to help Obama shut Gitmo.
Ghailani Verdict: Guilty on Only 1 Count
FOX News By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Matt Apuzzo, AP – Thu Nov 18, 6:10 am ET
WASHINGTON – The first court conviction of a Guantanamo Bay detainee did little to push President Barack Obama closer to shuttering the island prison, making it increasingly likely his campaign promise will remain unmet by the time his current term expires.
Jurors in New York City on Wednesday convicted Ahmed Ghailani of conspiracy to blow up government buildings in the al-Qaida attacks on two U.S. embassies in 1998, but they acquitted him on more than 280 other charges. He is the only person transferred from Guantanamo Bay for trial since the U.S. began filling the military prison in Cuba eight years ago.
In some ways, the conviction was a vindication for an administration that believes the judicial system established by the Constitution has proved itself capable of handling terrorism cases.
Predictions of new terrorist attacks and huge police expenses surrounding the trial never materialized. Ghailani now faces 20 years to life in prison, longer than three of the four sentences handed down by military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay.
Despite the acquittals, which included murder counts for each of the 224 people killed in the bombings, the Justice Department said it was pleased Ghailani faces up to life in prison and said it would seek that sentence.
But senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions, conceded that the one-count conviction, combined with big electoral wins for Republicans this month, will make it harder to close the prison.
The administration had hoped for an overwhelming conviction to help ease congressional opposition to Obama's long-stymied plan for moving the detainees to U.S. soil. The administration must notify Congress before any transfer, and Republicans have said they would block such efforts.
"They couldn't come close to getting that done when the Democrats were in charge," said Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who is expected to be the next chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. "There's no way they're going to get it now that Republicans are in charge."
Administration officials believe there are only a handful of options for closing Guantanamo Bay:
• Prosecute the detainees. Some, like Ghailani, could face criminal trials. Others could face military commissions. Regardless, the administration wants those trials in the U.S., not at Guantanamo.
• Transfer some prisoners to other countries. Many already have been cleared for release. But Yemeni citizens make up the largest contingent, and the U.S. doesn't trust Yemen to monitor them if they are released. Two failed airline bombings originating in Yemen in the past year have made such release efforts even more difficult.
• Hold prisoners indefinitely. Top administration officials have said they don't like the idea but would consider it in some form, if the detainees were held inside the U.S. with some review by courts.
Ghailani's conviction does not make any of those options easier. When Obama announced, days after his election, that he would close Guantanamo within a year, he had hoped to move detainees to a refurbished old prison in Thomson, Ill.
Even if, somehow, that plan were to get resurrected early next year, much of 2011 would be spent renovating the facility. Actually transferring detainees would get pushed back to 2012, a presidential election year in which political differences are amplified and compromises are rare.
The Ghailani case also did little to resolve the question of what will happen to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other masterminds of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacks.
The Justice Department had planned to prosecute those cases in civilian courts, but the administration reversed course amid political opposition. The move left a sour taste with some prosecutors, who felt the White House was letting political considerations influence the department, a criticism Democrats often lobbed at President George W. Bush.
Ghailani, like Mohammed, was held for years in a secret CIA prison overseas and subjected to some of the harshest interrogation tactics. His trial was seen as a test of whether those actions would sink the case or whether prosecutors could salvage a conviction. Prosecutors could face the same challenge in the 9/11 trials.
A federal judge prohibited prosecutors from calling a key witness in the Ghailani case, saying the witness had been identified while Ghailani was interrogated at the CIA prison.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is seen as key to any deal to close Guantanamo, said late Wednesday that he was disappointed with the Ghailani verdict and said the government was endangering the nation "by criminalizing the war."
"We are at war with al-Qaida," Graham said. "Members of the organization and their associates should be treated as warriors, not common criminals."
Brantigny
First (non)conviction unlikely to help Obama shut Gitmo.
Ghailani Verdict: Guilty on Only 1 Count
FOX News By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Matt Apuzzo, AP – Thu Nov 18, 6:10 am ET
WASHINGTON – The first court conviction of a Guantanamo Bay detainee did little to push President Barack Obama closer to shuttering the island prison, making it increasingly likely his campaign promise will remain unmet by the time his current term expires.Jurors in New York City on Wednesday convicted Ahmed Ghailani of conspiracy to blow up government buildings in the al-Qaida attacks on two U.S. embassies in 1998, but they acquitted him on more than 280 other charges. He is the only person transferred from Guantanamo Bay for trial since the U.S. began filling the military prison in Cuba eight years ago.
In some ways, the conviction was a vindication for an administration that believes the judicial system established by the Constitution has proved itself capable of handling terrorism cases.
Predictions of new terrorist attacks and huge police expenses surrounding the trial never materialized. Ghailani now faces 20 years to life in prison, longer than three of the four sentences handed down by military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay.
Despite the acquittals, which included murder counts for each of the 224 people killed in the bombings, the Justice Department said it was pleased Ghailani faces up to life in prison and said it would seek that sentence.
But senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions, conceded that the one-count conviction, combined with big electoral wins for Republicans this month, will make it harder to close the prison.
The administration had hoped for an overwhelming conviction to help ease congressional opposition to Obama's long-stymied plan for moving the detainees to U.S. soil. The administration must notify Congress before any transfer, and Republicans have said they would block such efforts.
"They couldn't come close to getting that done when the Democrats were in charge," said Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who is expected to be the next chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. "There's no way they're going to get it now that Republicans are in charge."
Administration officials believe there are only a handful of options for closing Guantanamo Bay:
• Prosecute the detainees. Some, like Ghailani, could face criminal trials. Others could face military commissions. Regardless, the administration wants those trials in the U.S., not at Guantanamo.
• Transfer some prisoners to other countries. Many already have been cleared for release. But Yemeni citizens make up the largest contingent, and the U.S. doesn't trust Yemen to monitor them if they are released. Two failed airline bombings originating in Yemen in the past year have made such release efforts even more difficult.
• Hold prisoners indefinitely. Top administration officials have said they don't like the idea but would consider it in some form, if the detainees were held inside the U.S. with some review by courts.
Ghailani's conviction does not make any of those options easier. When Obama announced, days after his election, that he would close Guantanamo within a year, he had hoped to move detainees to a refurbished old prison in Thomson, Ill.
Even if, somehow, that plan were to get resurrected early next year, much of 2011 would be spent renovating the facility. Actually transferring detainees would get pushed back to 2012, a presidential election year in which political differences are amplified and compromises are rare.
The Ghailani case also did little to resolve the question of what will happen to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other masterminds of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacks.
The Justice Department had planned to prosecute those cases in civilian courts, but the administration reversed course amid political opposition. The move left a sour taste with some prosecutors, who felt the White House was letting political considerations influence the department, a criticism Democrats often lobbed at President George W. Bush.
Ghailani, like Mohammed, was held for years in a secret CIA prison overseas and subjected to some of the harshest interrogation tactics. His trial was seen as a test of whether those actions would sink the case or whether prosecutors could salvage a conviction. Prosecutors could face the same challenge in the 9/11 trials.
A federal judge prohibited prosecutors from calling a key witness in the Ghailani case, saying the witness had been identified while Ghailani was interrogated at the CIA prison.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is seen as key to any deal to close Guantanamo, said late Wednesday that he was disappointed with the Ghailani verdict and said the government was endangering the nation "by criminalizing the war."
"We are at war with al-Qaida," Graham said. "Members of the organization and their associates should be treated as warriors, not common criminals."
Brantigny
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
More TSA woes.
Well PBo has been in the White House now for a little less than 2 years. Here is an example of his change... A seven year old terrorist or is it a case of unreasonableness.
In truth, I and many people know that this sort of search and the place where it is conducted really do not solve the problem. All terrorists know that they will get searched. How many terrorists have we caught in the TSA line? We have caught terrorist in the plane, lighting his underwair, lighting his shoes, or carrying a couple of bottles of explosive.
All a terrorist need do is go into the check-in counter and detonate himself or herself.
Stop the terrorists before they get into the airport. Profile! Profile! Profile!
This video was shown to me by my daugther Genevieve, who through no fault of her own looks middle eastern, named by me with a name which is almost unpronounceable by everyone except Frenchmen, and who can not go into an airport with out being searched.
Here is another story...
TSA pats down a screaming toddler
You might think a 3-year-old would whiz through security. A child is non-threatening, wears slip-on shoes, and carries little luggage.
Mandy Simon suffered through a TSA pat down.
Not the case for Mandy Simon who was passing through security with her dad at the airport in Chattanooga, Tenn.
A TSA employee gave Mandy the pat down and she started screaming and kicking her legs. Her dad, Steve, happens to be a TV reporter and caught 17 seconds of the ordeal on his cell phone (watch video).
Why was Mandy searched in the first place? She started crying when she was asked to put her teddy bear through the X-ray machine. This made it difficult for her to walk calmly through the metal detector and she set the machine off twice, which meant she "must be hand-searched."
If the TSA is going to search kids, maybe they need a little training on how to do it--or at least employees should have a few lollipops or stickers in their pockets.
A picture may be found here...
Brantigny
I'm done talking about this now.
In truth, I and many people know that this sort of search and the place where it is conducted really do not solve the problem. All terrorists know that they will get searched. How many terrorists have we caught in the TSA line? We have caught terrorist in the plane, lighting his underwair, lighting his shoes, or carrying a couple of bottles of explosive.
All a terrorist need do is go into the check-in counter and detonate himself or herself.
Stop the terrorists before they get into the airport. Profile! Profile! Profile!
This video was shown to me by my daugther Genevieve, who through no fault of her own looks middle eastern, named by me with a name which is almost unpronounceable by everyone except Frenchmen, and who can not go into an airport with out being searched.
Here is another story...
TSA pats down a screaming toddler
You might think a 3-year-old would whiz through security. A child is non-threatening, wears slip-on shoes, and carries little luggage.
Mandy Simon suffered through a TSA pat down.
Not the case for Mandy Simon who was passing through security with her dad at the airport in Chattanooga, Tenn.
A TSA employee gave Mandy the pat down and she started screaming and kicking her legs. Her dad, Steve, happens to be a TV reporter and caught 17 seconds of the ordeal on his cell phone (watch video).
Why was Mandy searched in the first place? She started crying when she was asked to put her teddy bear through the X-ray machine. This made it difficult for her to walk calmly through the metal detector and she set the machine off twice, which meant she "must be hand-searched."
If the TSA is going to search kids, maybe they need a little training on how to do it--or at least employees should have a few lollipops or stickers in their pockets.
A picture may be found here...
Brantigny
I'm done talking about this now.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The terrorists have won...
When we are afraid of a nuns...
and not Muslims. er... What's this thing with a cross and these bed things?
Brantigny
and not Muslims. er... What's this thing with a cross and these bed things?Brantigny
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Nanny State Attacks
The same California city which reelected Cruella de Ville's twin sister Nancy, has become the arbiter of what you get to serve your children in San Franciso. The Nanny Stae strikes back.
San Francisco bans most Happy Meals
The city's board of supervisors votes to forbid restaurants from giving away toys with meals with high levels of calories, sugar and fat
Santa Clara By Sharon Bernstein, Tribune Newspapers
7:27 p.m. CDT, November 2, 2010
San Francisco's board of supervisors has voted, by a veto-proof margin, to ban most of McDonald's Happy Meals as they are now served in the restaurants.
The measure will make San Francisco the first major city in the country to forbid restaurants from offering a free toy with meals that contain more than set levels of calories, sugar and fat.
The ordinance also would require restaurants to provide fruits and vegetables with all meals for children that come with toys.
"We're part of a movement that is moving forward an agenda of food justice," said Supervisor Eric Mar, who sponsored the measure. "From San Francisco to New York City, the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making our kids sick, particularly kids from low income neighborhoods, at an alarming rate. It's a survival issue and a day-to-day issue."
Just after the vote, McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said, "We are extremely disappointed with today's decision. It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for."
The ban, already enacted in a similar measure by Santa Clara County, was opposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was vying to be lieutenant governor in Tuesday's election. But because the measure was passed by eight votes — one more than needed to override a veto — his opposition doesn't matter unless one of the supervisors changes his or her mind after the promised veto.
Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in December 2011, restaurants may include a toy with a meal if the food and drink combined contain fewer than 600 calories, and if less than 35 percent of the calories come from fat.
Over the last few weeks, the proposed ban caused a stir online and on cable television, with supporters arguing that it would help protect children from obesity, and opponents seeing it as the latest example of the nanny state gone wild.
Supervisor Bevan Dufty, whose swing vote provided the veto-proof majority, said critics should not dismiss the legislation as a nutty effort by San Franciscans. "I do believe the industry is going to take note of this. I don't care how much they say, 'It's San Francisco, they're wacked out there.'"
Proud, the McDonald's spokeswoman, said the city was out of step with the mainstream on the issue.
"Public opinion continues to be overwhelmingly against this misguided legislation," she said. "Parents tell us it's their right and responsibility — not the government's — to make their own decisions and to choose what's right for their children."
Oak Brook-based McDonald's is not the only fast-food chain to offer toys with children's meals, but because it is so prominent the company has become a key face of opposition to the ban.
Daniel Conway, spokesman for the California Restaurant Association, bemoaned the ordinance's passage and contrasted it with San Franciscans' exuberant feelings after the Giants won the World Series on Monday night.
"One day you're world champions, and the next day, no toys for you," Conway said.
He said the industry could respond in a number of ways to the ordinance. Some might continue to include toys but charge separately for them. Others might reformulate their meals so that they comply with the law. Restaurants might also simply stop offering children's meals altogether, he said.
Proud said the company does offer more healthful menu options, including apple slices that can be ordered with kids' meals instead of french fries.
The vote was held the same day that McDonald's reintroduced nationwide its McRib sandwich, a pressed pork patty that gets half its calories from fat and has a cultlike legion of fans.
Mar said it would lead the fast-food giant and other restaurants to provide more healthful food for kids. The ban, he said, was crucial to the fight against childhood obesity and the illnesses that go along with it, including diabetes and the risk of heart problems and stroke. The cost of fighting those diseases, he said, will be in the billions.
"It's astronomical how much it's going to cost if we don't address it," Mar said. "It's incredible the crisis that's going to hit us."
Brantigny
San Francisco bans most Happy Meals
The city's board of supervisors votes to forbid restaurants from giving away toys with meals with high levels of calories, sugar and fat
Santa Clara By Sharon Bernstein, Tribune Newspapers
7:27 p.m. CDT, November 2, 2010
San Francisco's board of supervisors has voted, by a veto-proof margin, to ban most of McDonald's Happy Meals as they are now served in the restaurants.
The measure will make San Francisco the first major city in the country to forbid restaurants from offering a free toy with meals that contain more than set levels of calories, sugar and fat.
The ordinance also would require restaurants to provide fruits and vegetables with all meals for children that come with toys.
"We're part of a movement that is moving forward an agenda of food justice," said Supervisor Eric Mar, who sponsored the measure. "From San Francisco to New York City, the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making our kids sick, particularly kids from low income neighborhoods, at an alarming rate. It's a survival issue and a day-to-day issue."
Just after the vote, McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said, "We are extremely disappointed with today's decision. It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for."
The ban, already enacted in a similar measure by Santa Clara County, was opposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was vying to be lieutenant governor in Tuesday's election. But because the measure was passed by eight votes — one more than needed to override a veto — his opposition doesn't matter unless one of the supervisors changes his or her mind after the promised veto.
Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in December 2011, restaurants may include a toy with a meal if the food and drink combined contain fewer than 600 calories, and if less than 35 percent of the calories come from fat.
Over the last few weeks, the proposed ban caused a stir online and on cable television, with supporters arguing that it would help protect children from obesity, and opponents seeing it as the latest example of the nanny state gone wild.
Supervisor Bevan Dufty, whose swing vote provided the veto-proof majority, said critics should not dismiss the legislation as a nutty effort by San Franciscans. "I do believe the industry is going to take note of this. I don't care how much they say, 'It's San Francisco, they're wacked out there.'"
Proud, the McDonald's spokeswoman, said the city was out of step with the mainstream on the issue.
"Public opinion continues to be overwhelmingly against this misguided legislation," she said. "Parents tell us it's their right and responsibility — not the government's — to make their own decisions and to choose what's right for their children."
Oak Brook-based McDonald's is not the only fast-food chain to offer toys with children's meals, but because it is so prominent the company has become a key face of opposition to the ban.
Daniel Conway, spokesman for the California Restaurant Association, bemoaned the ordinance's passage and contrasted it with San Franciscans' exuberant feelings after the Giants won the World Series on Monday night.
"One day you're world champions, and the next day, no toys for you," Conway said.
He said the industry could respond in a number of ways to the ordinance. Some might continue to include toys but charge separately for them. Others might reformulate their meals so that they comply with the law. Restaurants might also simply stop offering children's meals altogether, he said.
Proud said the company does offer more healthful menu options, including apple slices that can be ordered with kids' meals instead of french fries.
The vote was held the same day that McDonald's reintroduced nationwide its McRib sandwich, a pressed pork patty that gets half its calories from fat and has a cultlike legion of fans.
Mar said it would lead the fast-food giant and other restaurants to provide more healthful food for kids. The ban, he said, was crucial to the fight against childhood obesity and the illnesses that go along with it, including diabetes and the risk of heart problems and stroke. The cost of fighting those diseases, he said, will be in the billions.
"It's astronomical how much it's going to cost if we don't address it," Mar said. "It's incredible the crisis that's going to hit us."
Brantigny
What's in a name?
Spain decends into the pit. Shame on the King for being such a woose.
Spain may upend name game in gender equality push
MADRID – A name in Spain might not stay the same.
Spain's Socialist government has found a new place to push for gender equality, seeking to erase all vestiges of male bias from the country's double-barreled last names.
Spaniards have two surnames, and under current law for registering babies, either the father's or the mother's can come first. Traditionally, however, it is the dad's and in cases of disagreement among the parents, the father's name automatically takes priority.
But under a bill presented to Parliament, if a couple does not specify an order or cannot agree on one, a child's last names would be assigned in alphabetical order.
"I think this is good and also much more egalitarian," Jose Antonio Alonso, a Socialist Party spokesman in the lower chamber of Parliament, said Thursday.
Opposition conservatives called the change unnecessary and vowed to fight it.
Most Spaniards use both last names, such as Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, although some use just one, like the singer Julio Iglesias. In some Latin American countries, people are also legally obliged to have two last names.
Zapatero prides himself on being a defender of gender equality and women's rights.
Brantigny
Spain may upend name game in gender equality push
MADRID – A name in Spain might not stay the same.
Spain's Socialist government has found a new place to push for gender equality, seeking to erase all vestiges of male bias from the country's double-barreled last names.
Spaniards have two surnames, and under current law for registering babies, either the father's or the mother's can come first. Traditionally, however, it is the dad's and in cases of disagreement among the parents, the father's name automatically takes priority.
But under a bill presented to Parliament, if a couple does not specify an order or cannot agree on one, a child's last names would be assigned in alphabetical order.
"I think this is good and also much more egalitarian," Jose Antonio Alonso, a Socialist Party spokesman in the lower chamber of Parliament, said Thursday.
Opposition conservatives called the change unnecessary and vowed to fight it.
Most Spaniards use both last names, such as Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, although some use just one, like the singer Julio Iglesias. In some Latin American countries, people are also legally obliged to have two last names.
Zapatero prides himself on being a defender of gender equality and women's rights.
Brantigny
on this Date
November 4, in 1501 Arthur, the Prince of Wales, and this betroved, Katherine of Aragon, daughter of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, met for the first time. More is here...
Also on this date, in 1755, Marie-Antoinette, the Reine-martyr is baptised...
Lastly today in 1911, Charles I of Austria marries Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma.
Jhesu+Marie,
Brantigny
Also on this date, in 1755, Marie-Antoinette, the Reine-martyr is baptised...
Lastly today in 1911, Charles I of Austria marries Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma.Jhesu+Marie,
Brantigny
Monday, November 1, 2010
Waid a minit!
Obama: A “Credible Terrorist Threat Against Our Country”
October 29, 2010 5:17 PM
Calling it a “credible terrorist threat against our country,” that the administration is taking “very seriously,” President Obama came to the briefing room of the White House today to brief press on the terror threat.
The president confirmed that the two suspicious packages were bound specifically for two places of Jewish worship in Chicago – located in Dubai and East Midlands Airport in the United Kingdom.
“An initial examination of those packages has determined that they do apparently contain explosive m material,” he said.
The president said he was alerted last night by his top counterterrorism advisors, John Brennan.
“I directed the Department of Homeland Security and all our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take whatever steps are necessary to protect our citizens from this type of attack,” the president said noting that the measures led to additional screening of some planes in Newark and Philadelphia and DHS also taking steps to enhance the safety of air travel, including additional cargo screening.
“We will continue to pursue additional protective measures for as long as it takes to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. I have also directed that we spare no effort in investigating the origins of these suspicious packages and their connection to any additional terrorist plotting.”
The president said they are still pursuing the fact, but they do know the packages originated in Yemen.
“We also know that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a terrorist group based in Yemen, continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens and our friends and allies.”
Noting that John Brennan spoke with President Saleh of Yemen today he said the Yemeni government has pledged their full cooperation to an investigation.
“The events of the past 24 hours underscores the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism,” Obama said, “As we obtain more information, we'll keep the public fully informed. But at this stage, the American people should know that the counterterrorism professionals are taking this threat very seriously and are taking all necessary and prudent steps to ensure our security.”
The White House says the president’s schedule, at this time, will not change, He is due to appear at a rally this evening in Charlottesville Virginia and spend most of the weekend campaigning in the lead up to the midterm elections, hitting stops in Chicago and Philadelphia, among others.
-Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
I thought we weren't going to call them terrorists anymore. So is the leader of the regime saying we are threatened by terrorists?
We don’t use the word terrorist anymore….
Brantigny
October 29, 2010 5:17 PM
Calling it a “credible terrorist threat against our country,” that the administration is taking “very seriously,” President Obama came to the briefing room of the White House today to brief press on the terror threat.
The president confirmed that the two suspicious packages were bound specifically for two places of Jewish worship in Chicago – located in Dubai and East Midlands Airport in the United Kingdom.
“An initial examination of those packages has determined that they do apparently contain explosive m material,” he said.
The president said he was alerted last night by his top counterterrorism advisors, John Brennan.
“I directed the Department of Homeland Security and all our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take whatever steps are necessary to protect our citizens from this type of attack,” the president said noting that the measures led to additional screening of some planes in Newark and Philadelphia and DHS also taking steps to enhance the safety of air travel, including additional cargo screening.
“We will continue to pursue additional protective measures for as long as it takes to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. I have also directed that we spare no effort in investigating the origins of these suspicious packages and their connection to any additional terrorist plotting.”
The president said they are still pursuing the fact, but they do know the packages originated in Yemen.
“We also know that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a terrorist group based in Yemen, continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens and our friends and allies.”
Noting that John Brennan spoke with President Saleh of Yemen today he said the Yemeni government has pledged their full cooperation to an investigation.
“The events of the past 24 hours underscores the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism,” Obama said, “As we obtain more information, we'll keep the public fully informed. But at this stage, the American people should know that the counterterrorism professionals are taking this threat very seriously and are taking all necessary and prudent steps to ensure our security.”
The White House says the president’s schedule, at this time, will not change, He is due to appear at a rally this evening in Charlottesville Virginia and spend most of the weekend campaigning in the lead up to the midterm elections, hitting stops in Chicago and Philadelphia, among others.
-Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
I thought we weren't going to call them terrorists anymore. So is the leader of the regime saying we are threatened by terrorists?
We don’t use the word terrorist anymore….
Brantigny
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