No substance, no definition of "change"-- What the heck you think you'll get?

I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the US press to start doin' its job. Seems the UK journalists have beaten them to this point. Maybe they can give the NYT staff some pointers on actual investigative journalism.

Why the free pass to this candidate? Everyone else gets the microscope up the jacksie-- where is the scrutiny when it comes to this johnny-come-lately?

There are simply too many questions surrounding Mr. Obama-- personally and politically. Big, scary, unacceptable questions. The content of his campaign is non-existant, which A) doesn't impress; and B) again with the scary. Undefined change as it is presented in this campaign-- come on, it could be ANYTHING. And from a candidate with a Marxist scholastic bent, race-based church affiliation, murky advisors and murkier ties to unsavory (more than the usual) political/money guys-- I can't see the change coming for the better.

From the article, for example:

"It is unclear how Mrs Rezko could have afforded the downpayment of $125,000 and a $500,000 mortgage for the original $625,000 purchase of the garden plot at 5050 South Greenwood Ave.
In a sworn statement a year later, Mrs Rezko said she got by on a salary of $37,000 and had $35,000 assets. Mr Rezko told a court he had "no income, negative cash flow, no liquid assets, no unencumbered assets [and] is significantly in arrears on many of his obligations." "

Really. Read this. Think about the next four years.

Warm fuzzy from a war zone

So, there are a few bright points that come out of horrid situations. This is one-- not the more frequent child-in-need-sent-by-troops-to-US-for-medical-care, but something just a little more different.

And NOT about people blowing up, torturing (actual torture, mind), or otherwise killing and making other human beings miserable. Or about spoiled children in grown bodies setting fires, rioting, or otherwise being infantile over words or images. SO tired of it, and even more tired of those who have authority excusing such actions when they should know better and enforce society standards and laws.

Anyway. Here's a lucky, lucky puppy who made it out of a zone of multiple wars (human against human, dog against dog, human against dog). Amazing that this pup still has a good disposition after all he's been through!

Calling a spade a spade

Ok, an optimist I may be, but I'm not suicidal. I'm going to confront evil where it begins to creep in, and stand up for my freedoms, civil liberties, and right to exist as a full human being.

Read this. Take it seriously. No submission, no surrender.

Excerpt:

"Replaying the events that previously caused so much trouble may be viewed as unnecessary — and many American editors apparently see it that way. With only a few exceptions, most U.S. newspapers elected not to run the cartoons, sending readers to the Web for more information and, it would seem, self-defeat.
But if you were Westergaard, now under indefinite police protection — or author Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who needs protection wherever she travels — you might think that the debate over free expression needs to be relentlessly aired no matter what the immediate fallout.
Hirsi Ali, author of "Infidel" — an autobiographical critique of Islam and the religion's oppression of women — has been on the run since her co-filmmaker, Theo van Gogh, was murdered on the streets in Holland. Stabbed to his chest was a note for Hirsi Ali promising that she was next.
In the wake of van Gogh's killing — and threats against Hirsi Ali and the cartoonist — one could easily make the safer decision to self-censor. Death for doodling seems hardly worth it. But giving in to intimidation inevitably leads to greater demands for special accommodation down the road.
Which leads where?
Follow the yellow brick to Canterbury, where the archbishop recently made a case for redefining the relationship between religious conscience and law to allow people to opt out of laws that contradict their teachings. Under that redefinition, sharia laws that permit gender inequality could be given a place within existing British code.
The archbishop has been word-bombed with criticism, deservedly, though he characterized the response as an overreaction.
No, an overreaction is a man who kills his wife — or a brother kills his sister — for dishonoring the family under sharia law. Overreaction is murdering a filmmaker for exploring the abuse of human rights that can be justified under strict interpretations of sharia law. Overreaction is plotting to assassinate a cartoonist for Allah's sake because you don't get it."

I get it. Others do as well, and there are forces desperately trying to shut down their voices. Use your freedom, and your brain while there's still the chance.

My own tiny Westminster dog show-related brag...

My 'puppy', Yasha Benny

No, didn't get to see the show this year (living clean, without the evil Comcast or satellite service). I was happy to see a beagle take the show-- always happy when the non-'Persian' dogs get a fair shake! (The dog and cat worlds are similiar in that certain breeds can always be expected to win more often than other breeds: for cats, its Persians, Exotic Shorthairs (or Persians with short coats), and Himilyans (or Persians with points); for dogs, its Poodles and Pekes.)

However! My dog Yasha's litter brother, CH Rodel's Miway or the Highway received a Merit Award in the Shiba Inu breed!!! Go, Mac!!! I love to say that a couple months back, Mac also beat out the poodle that took the Non-Sporting Group this week for a BEST IN SHOW! Go go Shibas, and CONGRATULATIONS to Tom and Sandie on this award!

Danish Press reclaims its freedom

How refreshing! Taking a break from creeping dhimmitude, the Danish press is standing up for one of its own.

My point is that this should have been happening since 2005-- part of living in the West is that yes, you WILL see and encounter things that offend you. The true greatness of the Western ideals of freedom of expression is that in the public sphere, a person is also free to choose what he/she looks at, takes away with him/her, and is free to allow to influence or not. This also means tolerating views and expressions objectionable to individuals. Tolerance is NOT the same as acceptance-- it simply means behaving in a civil manner, ignoring or engaging in rational discourse, if it is important enough.

Burning cars, rioting, damaging other humans or property because of a silly *cartoon* puts you in the category of oh, 4-year olds. Grow up. Get over it. Especially if these freedoms of expression are the LAW in the country you live in. Don't like that? I don't remember seeing anything preventing true objectors to Western freedoms from leaving to more restrictive climes. That too is part of Western freedom. What is foreign to Western liberties are violent, childish attempts to restrict speech, expression, and thought. Not acceptable.

That said, I'm not a fan of the actual art of Kurt Westergaard. It doesn't grab me, or really speak to me. But there is nothing forcing me to look at his stuff, and usually I don't. However, if there is an audience for him, and he functions in his chosen niche, what is the harm? In Western open societies, none. Allowing such backward behavior as these riots, violence, threats of violence and disruptions to the public marketplace of ideas to shut down valid thought and expression can only lead to very dark and dangerous places.

However, if you look at the comments to the linked story, you will see the seething already beginning. Look for more Friday afternoon...

Everything we do comes back to us

This seems like a good way to kick out a first post on a blog of a self-described optimist-- especially as I've not found so much to be optimistic about lately.

Suprisingly, the Board of Directors of the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz have shown some signs of sanity, and fired David Landau as editor-in-chief. This is the same paper that allows Amira Haas a platform for her self- and community-hatred and incomprehensible hero-worship of terrorists.

For a clear shot analysis, take a look at Caroline Glick's JPost column on the subject: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1198517289582&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

So there is a slight sign of dignity left at that paper-- very slight, as this decision was not actually publicized. Not that I'll be visiting the website anytime in the near future... I removed my bookmarks quite some time ago anyway.

Since this is my first posting, let me be very clear where I stand on Western civilization and principles. I will support and defend them, period. While no human system, culture, school of thought, etc. is perfect; looking at the alternatives make me realize just how Western societies have come through our periods of enlightenment and struggle for equal access under law. To squander these long and hard-fought for liberties betrays our forebears, and places our children and grandchildren in peril of having to live through a new Dark Age.

No submission, no surrender.