Interesting Posts From Around The Web - 19 June 2008

Some of the most interesting posts from around the web, all below the fold.

Art: Pierrot in Criminal Court, Thomas Couture, 1870

AP’s War On Bloggers

AP is making a rather sinister effort to squeeze the blogosphere and limit criticism of its articles and photos, first by Take Down Notices and now by claiming rights to remuneration for quotes or pictures. The Whited Sepulchre does a good job of laying out the facts. AP is ignoring the federal fair use statute (US Copyright Act, Chapter 1, § 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use). Tom Blumer at Bizzy Blog has a good piece on this with links and an open letter he has drafted articulating his own well founded objections.

Activist Courts

I wrote in Judicial Activism Run Amock that the Supreme Court decision in Boumediene was clearly a policy decision, not a reasoned legal opinion, and that Justice Kennedy’s treatment of the controlling authority was so disingenuous it would not have received a passing grade applying standards appropriate for a first year law school student. Debbie at Right Truth weighs in, asking if we can impeach Supreme Court Justices? Consul at Arms says it most succinctly – less habeas, more corpses.

Red Alerts notes an utterly despicable British judge who similarly needs to be cashiered.

Not to be left out from the tyranny of judicial insanity and overreach, the Covenant Zone that our suffering Canadian friends need to impeach a few of their own judges. Indeed, Rebellion has words of wisdom for his children in light of the inexplicable Canadian decision. Well, it is explicable really. Just understand that anyone with a leftist bent feels perfectly capable of ordering all aspects of your life better than you can and will hapilly do so if placed in any position giving them the power to do it.

From the Jawa Report, a federal court judge has now made it illegal to fire illegal aliens in California.

And on a related note, The Truth is not too happy with lawyers, either.

Wars Against Western Culture and Civilization

The secular marxist left are waging a war against religion and they are doing so enlisting the police powers of the state. I wrote here about how it is occurring in occurring in Britain and how it is severely impacting society. Per Redstate, we also see the same precise things playing out on this side of the pond.

Sunlit Uplands has the story of China persecuting its Christians. While in Sydney, Midnight Sun documents our intelligentsia celebrating the trashing of Christianity under the guise of art, noting both the hypocritical double standard being applied to Islam and wondering whether it is time Christians stopped ignoring the attacks.

Postmodern Conservative, guest blogging at Liberty Corner, has a fascinating post on several cultural topics of interest, including slavery and the culture clash between America and Europe.

Goracle

The hypocrisy of the Goracle is of such proportions that Eugene at A Western Heart can see it across continents.

Obama

Obama is no less hypocritical than the Goracle, though in his case, as Q&O points out, its to be found in his sudden reappraisal of NAFTA. The Conservative Cat has his fur up over Obama’s embrace of the Goracle’s plan for solving our energy crisis. As this unusually intelligent and articulate tabby observes, while Obama stands against drilling because it won’t immediately solve our problems and may take several years, his proposals are "still in the laboratory" and may well never solve our problems.

The Colossus of Rhodey points out that Obama is image conscious, refusing to allow two Muslim women wearing scarves to be seated behind him and thus visible to cameras. And, as Soccer Dad points out, let’s not forget his selective outrage and studied silence.

Rand Simberg at Transterrestrial Musings notes that Obama is "no Jimmy Carter" because Obama does not possess Carter’s ethics. True, perhaps, but as This Ain’t Hell notes, Obama does embrace many of Carter’s failed policies. Joshua Pundit points out that Obama’s "new" foreign policy team are all Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton retreads.

Discriminations has an excellent post looking at the intersection of identity politics, "post racial" politics, and racial quotas, all in light of the Obama nomination. And as Gay Patriot notes, Obama will "say or do anything to get elected."

No Oil For Pacifists gives an excellent discussion of why Obama’s embrace of a "9-10" policy to combat terrorism seems dangerously naïve. On the same topic, Bulldog Pundit is wondering how long it will be until Obama embraces neighborhood watches as the centerpiece of his plans to fight Islamic radicalism.

Sake White notes that the war crimes trials Obama plans will first be aimed at the prior administration. And Van Helsing at Right Wing News points out, that call has recently been seconded by Massachusetts School of Law who are convening a conference to discuss strategy for war crimes trials of the Bush administration with an eye towards hanging.

From Ironic Surrealism, AP is scrubbing their pages of references to Obama and his ‘alleged Kenyan cousin,’ Odinga on the heels of Raila Odinga’s Washington visit.

Economics - & Our Left Reveal Their Inner Marx

Very ominously, Brain Droppings notes that the Royal Bank of Scotland has issued a global stock and credit crash alert.

Stop the ACLU points out that our left has finally revealed their inner Marx with calls to nationalize our oil industry. As Dave at Four Right Wing Whackos notes, "Yes, they truly are the American Communist Party. Is there any other vital part of our economy that you would like to nationalize and destroy, Comrade Commissar?" As Vocal Minority points out, Democrats are following the tried and true method of repeating a lie often enough - in this case "drilling won’t work to solve the oil problem" - that people will start to believe it. Somehow, I don't think that will work this time.

From an excellent post at Under the Hill comes this new Democrat button [update: via Dutch Concerns]:



That happens to be right along the lines of Cheat Seeking Missle’s home of the future (after 4 years of an Obama administration).

And do see this short but utterly superb description of socialist reality from The Deleware Curmudgeon.

Republicans and Democrats

The more I hear of Jim DeMint, the more I would like to see him at the top of the Republican Party leadership. He is now leading the charge to stop the Countrywide bailout until the below market loans given to multiple Democrats, including the odious Chris Dodd, can be investigated. Vast Rightwing Conspiracy has the story.

Blogs of War has Senator John Cornyn’s video introduction to be played at the Texas GOP State Convention – and it has a few on the left going into "faux meltdown."

Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

From MK down under, during the past week, Iraq experienced the lowest number of security incidents since March 2004. And back at home, Blonde Sagacity notes that charges against the Marines over Haditha continue to crumble. Hillbilly White Trash posts on the plans of the Haditha Marines to sue Jack Murtha for defamation, noting "Murtha [smeared the Haditha Marines] not because he actually believed in the Marine's guilt but because he saw some short term political advantage in it."

Betsy’s Page notes the death of Bench Mark rage. "[N]ow that they have almost all been met, the Democrats somehow neglect to mention what before they had sworn were the crucial sign to see if the surge had succeeded."

Subadei ponders the conundrum posed by the Taliban’s safe havens in Pakistan and what that means for NATO, the U.S., Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Glittering Eye provides an update on Afghanistan.

Political Insecurity is still having difficulty believing that he found praise for George Bush’s conduct of the war on terror in the opinion section of the Guardian – a British paper known on occasion to make the NYT editorial board appear as neocons.

Don’t miss the continuing series, Wednesday’s Heroes, at A Rose By Any Other Name.

Radical Islam in Britain and Europe

Barking Moonbat EWS blogs on Britain’s release of bin Laden’s right hand man from prison on bail because the British courts are interpreting controlling EU law to mean that they cannot boot him out of the country. He will now live on benefits and the EU taxpayers will be paying well over the equivalent of a million dollars a year keeping him under protection and surveillance. So what is this man’s first public statement upon his release: "Terrorise the non-believers."

The above should be taken within the context of the much larger problem that all of Europe has with the spread of Muslims within their borders and the fact that they are pursuing domination rather than integration. See Sheik Yer’mami’s excellent post.

Indeed, per the Dhivehistan Report, it seems that Muslims in Europe are quite willing to intimidate and attack anyone who takes issue with their claim to be a religion of peace.

From Jammie Wearing Fools, it would seem someone in Palestine has a colorful opinion of our Sec. of State: 'Condoleezza Rice Is a Black Scorpion with A Cobra's Head Who Has the Blood of Palestinian Children Between Her Lips and On Her Fangs'

The BBC and Its Anti-Western Bias

Throughout Europe, there are free speech limitations on what a blogger can write – and several, including Lionheart in Britain, have been arrested under "hate speech" laws. But one would never know that from the BBC. Shield of Achilles points out that in their article discussing countries where bloggers are under fire for the pixeled word, the BBC identifies Iran, Pakistan, China and . . . the U.S. There is no more of an anti-American organization than the BBC. A further clue as to their attitude towards objectivity can be gleaned from one BBC’s reporter’s admission that the BBC prominently displayed a picture of Bush as Hitler in their newsroom.

Its par for the course for the anti-western multiculturalists at the BBC. The BBC regularly produce as entertainment dramas that portray Christians, Americans, etc. as terrorists while Muslisms are portrayed as peaceful. Fulham Reactionary has the story on that one.

Israel, the US and the IAEA

Elder of Ziyon posts on an article discussing the long history of U.S. support for a Jewish homeland. The canard that U.S. support is based on the strength of the "Jewish" lobby is, I think, far more the propaganda of the Wahhabi lobby.

Meryl Yourish and Le Monde think that the IAEA’s head, Mohammed el-Baridei is in "the mullah’s pocket."

Britain and the EU

An Englishman’s Castle notes that Scotland has passed a questionable law further limiting freedom of speech and now wants to impose its laws across national borders.

Acorns of Truth has an interesting tribute to the Irish in light of their rejection of the EU Constitution / Treaty of Lisbon. But, as EU Referendum notes, neither Britain’s Labour government nor the EU intend to let democracy stand in the way of their coup. As Hibernia Girl asks, in the wake of EU shennanigans to get around the Irish vote, "What part of NO do you suppose these eejits don't understand?"

Dave in Boca ponders what will happen when the pendulum swings – as it surely will – when Europe’s citizens decide they have had enough of the anti-democratic EU. I for one have never understood how this coup – for that is precisely what the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty is when taken with no referendum of the governed – could occur without blood in the streets.

History:

The Irish Elk posts with good links on Bunker Hill Day.

Cardinal Wolsey’s is hosting the Military History Carnival. The posts are fascinating.

At Got Medieval, an interesting look at how emoticons have their roots in medieval manuscripts.

Spinning Cleo has a tongue in cheek post on the return of medieval mass transit.

The BBC and Its Anti-Western Bias

Throughout Europe, there are free speech limitations on what a blogger can write – and several, including Lionheart in Britain, have been arrested under "hate speech" laws. But one would never know that from the BBC. Shield of Achilles points out that in their article discussing countries where bloggers are under fire for the pixeled word, the BBC identifies Iran, Pakistan, China and . . . the U.S. There is no more of an anti-American organization than the BBC. A further clue as to their attitude towards objectivity can be gleaned from one BBC’s reporter’s admission that the BBC prominently displayed a picture of Bush as Hitler in their newsroom.

Its par for the course for the anti-western multiculturalists at the BBC. The BBC regularly produce as entertainment dramas that portray Christians, Americans, etc. as terrorists while Muslisms are portrayed as peaceful. Fulham Reactionary has the story on that one.

Science & Technology

Power and Control has a fascinating report on fusion research – which I suspect will be the next giant evolutionary step in our energy paradigm.

KG at Crusader Rabbit posts puzzles for rocket scientists. See if you can figure it out. It overloaded my rather limited intelligence rather quickly.

Heh

From TNOY, Google’s new logos to commemorate holiday’s in response to questions about their political leanings. For example, here is Flag Day [Update: Yes, that is the flag being burned - tough to see on my site, apparently]:

And from Scott Ott, "As a goodwill gesture in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to grant writs of habeas corpus to detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, al Qaeda today announced it would grant its beheadees what it called "writs of habeas corpse."

From Rhymes With Right, all is explained now about the MSNBC anti-American bent. Keith Olberman and Afghani war lord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar really do appear to have been separated at birth.

Callimachus goes retro with some old Iron Curtain humor.

Finish With The Feel Good Stuff

And thank God not all the news is bad. Sometimes, it’s a love story and, where such is found, it make an appropriate high note to end on. Happy 31st Anniversary to Seraphic Secret and his wife.