Skip, Author at Granite Grok

The Vatican has it wrong

December 22, 2024July 17, 2006 Skip

Update 1:

The Pope has spoken out on the situation (from Reuters again):

July 17, 2006 — INTROD, Italy – Pope Benedict yesterday condemned Hezbollah’s "terrorist acts" and Israel’s "reprisals," calling the cross-border violence unjustifiable.

In his first public comments on the crisis, he said the violations at its root cannot be used to sanction bloodshed. He called for a resumption of dialogue.

"The causes of such fierce confrontation are, unfortunately, objective situations of violation of law and justice," the pope said from his holiday retreat in the Aosta Valley.

In my eyes, this is still only 1/2 right. Hezbollah (or however one wishes to spell it) started this current instance. Israel, in the past, has ignored most of the past infractions, but has finally (and rightfully) decided to protect its citizens.

There are a number of commenters out in the ‘Sphere that has said the same thing so I will apply it here. What if it was the case that Italy had entered the Vatican and kidnapped a couple of the Swiss Guards? What if Italy was lobbing shells or rockets into the Vatican proper?

And if the Vatican had been been under attack for the last 60 years?

Then what are all those blue helmets doing that are already there?

December 22, 2024July 17, 2006 Skip

UN chief appeals to Israel and Hexbollah to focus their targets narrowly, to spare civilian lives.

Does anyone else see what’s wrong with this picture? Isn’t Hezbollah known for shooting off records heading into Israeli civilian area?

Now the UN is trying to get into the act over at the Israeli – Lebanon border. From this report (H/T: Lucienne.com) at the Middle East Online, Secretary General Annan is trying to get a peace keeping force in there:

UN chief Kofi Annan called Monday for an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in order to buy time to put a well-armed "stabilisation force" along the Lebanon-Israel border.

Problem is, they are already there. So what have they done to help "calm the waters" so far?

The United Nations has a monitoring force on the Lebanese-Israeli border known as UNIFIL, which was set up in March 1978 to oversee an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon that finally only took place 22 years later.

It is made up of 2,000 soldiers and 500 civilians mandated to supervise a ceasefire on the border but is largely powerless. Its mandate, renewed every six months by the Security Council, next expires on July 31

Nothing. But wait, there’s more!

Is the MSM American? How about pro-American?

December 31, 2024July 16, 2006 Skip

At first take, most would say yes, at least to the first. Many, myself included, and if you are a frequent user of the Internet or a listen to talk shows, you probably would be included to say no.

I generally form my opinions by reviewing a number on the ‘Net and then try to cross check a nugget of information against multiple sources for validity. Often, as I have found out, first blushes are wrong, yet get corrected quickly at the better sites. Your mileage may vary in the sites you use (and again, thanks for visiting us!).

Getting info from the major (ABC, NBC, CBS) networks – not at all. Frankly, I don’t believe that they are "just reporting the news". Rather, they are trying to shape the news, without telling us of that mission.

Here’s my problem. We are a conservative blog site, and we make no bones about it. We are also pro-America and delight in the wonders of this country and the freedoms it affords us all. Anything that we write, the reader should keep these two items in the background. We put that out front so that everyone will know.

The MSM outlets…..they continue to preach that they only report the news.

Oh really? What about this?

Snitper shooting at Americans

Photographer: Jaoo Silver

A sniper loyal to Shiite cleric Mogtada al Sadr fires towards U.S. positions in the cemetary in Najaf, Iraq.

Michelle McNally: "Right there with the Mahdi Army. Incredible Courage."

Now for my beef….I think that this is despicable! (H/T: Little Green Footballs)

Frequent Flyer

December 31, 2024July 16, 2006 Skip

I used to do a lot of flying…a LOT of flying. First for Digital Equipment in the early to mid 80’s and then again with my present company from the late 90’s up to about a year ago. How much? For a few years, I was a member of United’s Premier Executive level. Kinda nice, … Read more

Discrimination can be done by anyone

December 31, 2024July 14, 2006 Skip

"They that live by the sword will die by the sword." Or, should I use "Those that live in glass houses…"? This report from Boston.com kinda says it all. PROVINCETOWN — Town leaders here are holding a public meeting today to air concerns about slurs and bigoted behavior. And this time, they say, it’s gay … Read more

Living Wage

December 31, 2024July 14, 2006 Skip

We’ll be commenting in the future about the "living wage" – especially why it is such a dunderheaded idea from a purely economic standpoint.

Be that as it may, what happens when activists and politicians are trying to ram something down the marketplace’s throat, and the marketplace decides to not play, pick up its ball and go home? In Maryland, a law was passed that essentially targets Wal-Mart to force it to pay health care benefits to its norms (and the union activists behind the law, sore that all efforts so far to unionize Wal-Mart have failed). I’ve been waiting to see what Wal-Mart was going to do.

Then this came up – from the Chicago-Sun Times:

Target is putting plans to build three South Side stores "on hold" — and making veiled threats to close existing Chicago stores — if the City Council mandates wage and benefit standards for "big-box" retailers, African-American aldermen warned Thursday.

Uh-oh, the retailers, I think, have been pushed to far. Why Target? Well, it’s not just Target, it is any big retailer that fits this:

The saber-rattling is intensifying as the clock winds down toward a July 26 showdown vote on plans to make Chicago the nation’s first major city to establish a "living wage" for stores with at least 90,000 square feet of space operated by retailers with $1 billion in sales.

Here we go with the "living wage" meme again. This is "playing chicken" in the economic sense – who is going to blink first? My bet is the politicians. Why? They can only control what is within their jurisdiction – they are helpless if the retailer moves out….and then they will have to discuss the ramification with their angry constituents (some of whom will lose their jobs). Why do I think this is likely?

Here’s the reason:

I’ve heard of “Land for Peace”…

December 31, 2024July 13, 2006 Skip

as that’s all we’ve heard for decades – give the Paestinians Gaza and the West Bank so they can have their own state. I don’t think anyone is generally against the two state idea, except the Palestinians and their supporters. As I pointed out here and here (and lots of places out in the blogosphere), … Read more

Ruminations on 7/13/06

December 31, 2024July 13, 2006 Skip

As I wander around the ‘Net….. Couple of years ago, this was just an idea. This past year, three worked. Now, mountain climbing? I kinda like this idea of promoting solar energy. However: While a handful of US states still lack almost any meaningful incentives for encouraging citizens to generate power for their homes and … Read more

An example where money does not equal quality

December 31, 2024July 13, 2006 Skip

I saw this over at Betsy’s Page a couple of days ago – I just didn’t have the time to really review it then. I urge you to read it in its entirety as it shows examples of why just throwing money at a problem isn’t going to solve it. Continuing on with the current state of affairs, procedures, and staffing isn’t going to solve these quality problems either.

I have to admit – I may be taking our Education establishment to task here in my town of Gilford, but when I look at the amounts of money and the lack of results, putting things into context says Gilford ain’t so bad (but I will continue to "task" Gilford to reach for excellence).

All these parents is what they feel is best for their kids – a good education. They want the control back from the school system – they want institutions that can be held accountable.

Clint Bolick writes in the Wall Street Journal (subscription req’d) about a suit being filed in Newark, NJ seeking to give 60,000 students trapped in failing schools by giving their parents the money to transfer their children out of the horrible schools to attend schools of their choice.

Seeking to vindicate the state constitutional guarantee of a "thorough and efficient" education, the plaintiffs in Crawford v. Davy ask that children be allowed to leave public schools where fewer than half of the students pass the state math and language literacy assessments that measure educational proficiency; and that the parents of these children be permitted to take the pro rata share of the public money spent on their children, to seek better opportunities in other public or private schools. Supporting the families are three prominent New Jersey groups: the Black Ministers Council, the Latino Leadership Alliance, and Excellent Education for Everyone.

Sounds like groups that care more about students’ education than the public school teachers’ union.

Sounds familiar, right?

Need, want, or braggadocio?

December 31, 2024July 12, 2006 Skip

UPDATE 2: That there’s funny One man’s take on the issue. ========================== UPDATE 1: It was pointed out to me that my dimensions for the football field were off. Ed Engler at the Laconia Daily Sun has pointed out that "a regulation football field is 360-ft. X 160-ft.. . .a total of 57,600 square feet. … Read more

And you think universal health care is good?

December 31, 2024July 12, 2006 Skip

"Universal Healthcare" seems to be a mantra we hear – millions without health insurance! "How can we, the lone superpower, do this to our people!" are splayed across the pages. All we have to do is look at other Anglosphere countries that have it. Look at Canada – their medical professionals are coming here to … Read more

I thought teaching meant education

December 31, 2024July 12, 2006 Skip

I’d really rather not concentrate on the education establishment, I really don’t. However, when they keep putting themselves up front and into the news, what else can I do? A lot of talk shows and blog sites talk often about the "dumbing down of America". We older folks see it in the younger generation. Heck, … Read more

Israel and Gaza (and now Lebanon)

December 31, 2024July 12, 2006 Skip

Let’s see if I get this right. The Palestinians, the poster children for victimhood (via great PR and gullible Westerners) got their way. The intifadahs were partially about having Israel get out of Gaza (legally captured as war spoils during the Israeli – Arab wars). Israel blinked and gave in – they cleared out. Gaza was finally in the hands of the Palestinians. Peace broke out.

Right?

Good answer, though

December 31, 2024July 11, 2006 Skip

Katie Couric, while interviewing a Marine sniper, asked: What do you feel when you shoot a terrorist? The Marine shrugged and replied: "Recoil." ———————————————– Well, it looks like I did want to believe this one. Since posting that earlier today, I have been advised to use an "Urban Myth" tag on this one. However, … Read more

Notable Quotes: Daniel Webster on NH’s Old Man in The Mountain

January 5, 2025July 10, 2006 Skip

"Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men."

Notable Quotes: Rumsfeld On Idealists And Cynics

January 5, 2025July 10, 2006 Skip

"You may find people who will contend that patriotism is something to be a little bit embarrassed about or that honor is somewhat outdated as a notion and that concentrating on America’s imperfection makes you a realist. Not so. That’s the sign of a cynic. Being a cynic is easy. You can just sit back, … Read more

How can we change our doctrine today?

January 5, 2025July 9, 2006 Skip

From the LA Times, I just stumbled over this article discussing the meltdown of those Protestant denominations (the "mainline churches"). Much has been written here in NH, due to the ascendancy of Gene Robinson to bishop of the NH Episcopalian church (openly gay, recently admitted to a rehap facility for alcohol abuse). As an Evangelical Baptist, I have glumly watched, sometimes in horror, as these “high” churches (for their liturgical services) have changed their doctrines to suit the times and the norms of the public culture from their original doctrines of how to worship God. This is the last place (the LA Times), that I would have expected to see these liberal churches to come under fire.

The first paragraph is a great summary:

The accelerating fragmentation of the strife-torn Episcopal Church USA, in which several parishes and even a few dioceses are opting out of the church, isn’t simply about gay bishops, the blessing of same-sex unions or the election of a woman as presiding bishop. It also is about the meltdown of liberal Christianity.

When will we take them at their word?

January 5, 2025July 8, 2006 Skip

Six nations have been "diplomatically engaged" for a couple of years with North Korea – with no success. The EU-3 (Britian, Germany, and France, and the US in the background) have been "diplomatically"engaged with Iran for a few years – with no success. Frankly, Iran and N.K. have played them for fools. When will the leaders finally wise up and admit that diplomacy, the end-all-be-all for most liberals, will not work in these cases? Do we have to endure an "event" in order to get action?

From Little Green Footballs, I just saw this:

At the two-day conference in Iran we noted earlier, attended by officials from Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for the Islamic world to mobilize and wipe out Israel: Iran’s Ahmadinejad calls for ‘removal of Zionist regime’.

Acknowledging the right way

October 6, 2024July 6, 2006 Skip

During lunch, I do tend to surf a bit. A number of the blogs that I read are reporting this news (hat tip to Powerline and the article here) about the New York Supreme Court decision just handed down. What they just ruled on was that the New York State Constitution has no inherent right … Read more

This is the Religion of Peace?

October 6, 2024July 6, 2006 Skip

The MSM (Main Stream Media) keeps harping that Islam is harmless, that most Muslims are not terrorists. While I agree that most are not, there are sufficient numbers to make it far more than troubling. Doug has been posting a few things about it, so I figured I’d chip in here a bit more. When I read about this from that failed state of Somalia where the Islamofascists have taken over, I thought that others might want to see it:

ISLAMISTS vowed to execute Muslims who skip prayers as they tightened their religious grip on the Somali capital Mogadishu and again Thursday rejected government calls for foreign peacekeepers.

Under an edict issued by a leading Mogadishu cleric, the five-times daily prayer required by the Koran will be enforced under penalty of death, a move that appears to confirm the hardline nature of the city’s Sharia courts.

"He who does not perform prayers will be considered as infidel and Sharia law orders that that person be killed," said Sheikh Abdalla Ali, a founder and high-ranking official in the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia (SICS).

At the opening of a new Islamic court in a southern Mogadishu neighborhood late on Wednesday, he added that it was the duty of every Somali to implement the provisions of Sharia law.