Did the Muslims Have an Impact on British Elections?

Leave it to my better half to find some really interesting information about our Muslim friends and their possible impact on British elections.

On this page you will find the ethnic breakdown of the 1.6 million Muslims living in Britain (based on 2001 figures), and that most of them are Pakistanis and others from the Indian sub-continent.

Here is an interesting graph that maps natural increases in population compared to increases due to immigration/net migration and other factors:

In 2003 the UK was home to 59.6 million people.

This was an 18 per cent increase from 50.3 million in 1951, and a 3.2 per cent increase over the last decade (1993 to 2003). Until the mid-1990s, this growth was mainly due to natural increase as the number of births exceeded the number of deaths. Since the late 1990s, there has still been natural increase but net international migration into the UK from abroad has been an increasingly important factor in population growth.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what's happening: The native white and/or other non-Muslim growth rate has declined, and the number of immigrants (of mostly Muslim origins) has increased.

This chart gives a complete breakdown of all the seats in Parliament by voting district, along with percentages and actual numbers of Muslims and likely Muslim voters in each district, plus projected Muslim impact on elections. You'll note that even in areas like Basingstoke where Muslims make up a small percentage (0.6%) of the overall population they often have a VERY HIGH impact rating, and that in almost all areas the Muslim voter estimate number is between 30 and 50% of the total number of Muslims. In areas like Bethnal Green and Bow they make up almost 40% (39.2%) of the total population.

But it's the rest of the site that really got me going. It's more of the same "whitey is just picking on the poooooor moooslims and violating their civil rights" nonsense we have been hearing. This from their Civil Liberties page:

A report from FAIR - the Forum against Islamophobia & Racism - published in 2003 - notes that:

"Many from the Muslim communities in Britain have been suggesting that since September 11 2001, all matters connected either directly or indirectly to Muslims has evolved into a situation where the authorities respond by defining any issue connected to Muslims as being a criminal. 'law and order' problem"

In a fair-minded society, everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. British Muslims unfortunately have grounds to believe that this standard is not being extended to all sections of society: a climate of fear is being stoked against Muslims. There must be a balance between the powers given to ensure state security with civil liberties - but this is teetering towards one extreme. These are difficult times that call for sobriety and maturity.

The victim mentality emerges, and it gets better:

"As British Muslims we have the right and duty to use wise counsel and all our powers of argument and persuasion to impress our government the duty to uphold the rule of law and follow ethical policies at home and abroad. As citizens of Britain, we have a social contract to maintain the peace and stability of this country. No one must be tempted to commit any criminal or subversive activity".
Source: From the newsletter of The Muslim Council of Britain, Issue 4, November 2001.

It's like their natural tendency is toward violence, and they need to be restrained by their Muslim elders. What is going on here?

Now take a look at the "Inventory of Justice Undone" page. What a list! Very thorough, I must say. Nothing about it screams out, "Militant!" to me. Nope, not one bit...

This page tells them how to vote based on "ten key questions for Muslim voters to put to their prospective parliamentary candidates."

The General Elections 2005

"For the first time in a British General Election, there has been considerable interest in the voting intentions of the Muslim community. Traditionally regarded as a captive Labour vote bank, it is a constituency that cannot be taken for granted.

Three issues have prompted Muslims to rethink their natural allegiance to Labour:

- First, the type of a draconian anti-terrorism legislation introduced even prior to 9/11 (for example the list of proscribed organizations - mostly bodies that could claim to be involved in liberation struggles - issued by the Home Office in March 2001)
- Second, the crude carrot-and-stick approach of New Labour politicians, that has contributed to Islamophobia - for example, Blunkett in December 2001 calling on immigrants to adopt "British norms of acceptability"...
- Third, the way the nation was led into the Iraq War under false pretences in order to demonstrate solidarity with the US.

I like the word Islamophobia, only I'm not scared; just very angry.

Now we get advice from the "scholars:"

Sheikh Suhaib Hasan-

Looking at the situation of the Muslim community and their need to have their interests met, it becomes advisable for the Muslims to achieve this purpose through the available political system. Through voting, a man can bring to Parliament such candidates who sympathise with the Muslim cause.

Sheikh Michael Mumisa-

I would like to argue [here] that while I do not share the view that voting in Britain is tantamount to apostasy, the question regarding Muslims' participation in so-called non-Islamic systems of government is not an isolated view but part of centuries of Islamic political thought and theo-legal discourse...That is the way that Muslims living in non-Muslim countries in the West should look upon participation in the political life there. In this context, taking part in [the US] elections is required, so that goodness may overcome evil and justice would prevail. It is not a sign of affiliation to the polytheists, nor is it a kind of support for the oppressors.

Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra-

I consider muslim political participation, especially in a non-muslim country, as a form of jihad.

Read it all. I love the parts about being "slaves" and living with "oppressors." And what kind of mindset does it take to even suggest that voting in a foreign land where one is legal to do so could be "tantamount to apostacy?" Didn't they come to England of their own accord? The common thread through all the "scholarly advice" is for Muslims to make changes, not to adapt and assimilate. Their whole concern seems to be how to reconcile the laws of the land they now inhabit with their Muslim laws, not the other way around, simply learning the ways of their new home and fitting in. Nope, "You, infidel, will conform to our ways...or else." That's always the veiled threat in all their talk of peace and brotherhood. Piffle.

In parlaimentary elections, a re-elected Prime Minister has confidence shown in him by his party gaining a few seats, not losing over half of them. Do you think, after reading through all this, that the Muslims didn't have an effect on the rather large loss of Labour party seats? If nothing else, I believe it clearly demonstrates how well organized and co-ordinated the Muslim propaganda machine is, and that for a great number of Muslins there is at least difficulty, if not an inability, and/or an unwillingness to cope with and adapt to cultures other than their own.


*Note of Thanks: Mae has a great knack for finding stuff like this for me, helping me develop the idea, and letting me run with it from there. She also takes care of all the technical aspects, leaving me free to write and rant. Good on ya, baby!

More Leftist Bias in the Media

OK. By now I'm sure we've all heard about the PFC Lyndie England mis-trial:
FORT HOOD, United States (AFP) -

"Lynndie England, the US soldier who became the face of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, is expected to still see prison despite the mistrial declared at her court-martial."

But, here's another example of left-wing media bias, this time from AFP:

But experts say her eventual punishment will do little to repair the damage caused by the US military's perceived refusal to punish high-ranking officers.

"The administration is engaged in damage control that may work domestically but will do nothing for the rehabilitation of the United States internationally," said Reed Brody a lawyer at Human Rights Watch.

Did you notice the "experts" they chose to cite? Human Rights Watch? They're another Leftist, anti-American outfit like Amnesty International, FFS. Hell, why not ask the International Socialist Organization what they think? Not much difference in their agendas.

But these asshats don't stop there:

"The privates are taking the fall for Abu Ghraib while the guys who wrote the policies are getting off the hook," Brody said in an interview.

And then there's this pearl of wisdom:

"The most serious consequence, however, is the impact on public opinion in the Middle East," said Alon Ben-Meir, a professor of international relations and the Middle East at New York University.

Like we give a shit. Of which part of the Middle East do you speak, Mr. Alon Ben-Meir? I'm sure it doesn't hurt our image with the Israeli conservatives. Another intellectual moron, Muslim sympathizing fucktard.

Inspiration and Hope Survives

Thanks to David aka DR@HDfixit, for this post which highlights some very important facts.

Excerpts:

- In 1979, an ex FDR Democrat named Ronald Reagan predicted that others would soon follow his path, “Hispanics are Republicans, they just don’t know it yet,” he said.
- First, in America, your aspirations matter more than your origins. We are not defined by our race, our religion, our national origin. We are united by something more important: our commitment to freedom and opportunity.
- Every generation of Americans has recognized this principle. Americans have never been satisfied with the way freedom was defined yesterday. From our nation’s founding to the end of slavery, from women’s suffrage to civil rights, each generation’s legacy has been to expand freedom’s scope for tomorrow.

Then you go on to read the positive actions that G W Bush has initiated during his terms of presidency.

- The President signed the most comprehensive education reform in 40 years, guaranteeing the equal opportunity of high standards and accountability to every child. President Bush increased funding in education more in his first 4 years than in all of Bill Clinton’s 8 years.
- President Bush is helping these entrepreneurs by reducing the burden of taxation, regulation, and litigation. The President passed two of the largest tax cuts in history. We reduced frivolous lawsuits by reforming class action laws.

Read all here

The Story Less Talked About

Yesterday we posted this story about Pentagon analyst, Larry Franklin, passing top secret information to members of the pro-Israeli lobbying group, AIPAC. Michelle Malkin delves further into the story.
From Michelle's site where she quotes another source:

Remember folks, the document that Franklin allegedly passed was classified Top Secret/SCI-- meaning compartmented classified information. While "classified" information is leaked often in Washington, TS-compartmented information is a different story. The additional SCI classification puts documents so classified into another realm - as anyone who has ever been given an SCI clearance knows. The indictment also states that Franklin admitted to the FBI that, in addition to passing the TS/SCI document to two unidentified U.S. persons, he also, without authorization, disclosed classified U.S. information to a foreign official and media members. That is more in line with what other posters have alluded to--but is not what is the basis for the charge against Franklin. People have lost jobs for mishandling TS/SCI material just within their office spaces- the unauthorized disclosure of TS/SCI information is serious business and shouldn't be trivialized by apologists.

Regardless of Israel being an ally, this incident is just another example of some relatively sloppy handling of very sensitive, classified information.

We're at WAR, DAMMIT!!! "Loose lips sink ships!" Discipline and attention to detail at ALL LEVELS are essential to accomplishing any mission. Do these people in the Pentagon need to report to Marine Corps drill instructors every day to be reminded of this? They WILL learn about discipline and attention to detail...believe me.

Marines in Somalia...Again

HARGEISA, Somalia (Reuters) - U.S. Marines landed on Somalia's coast in one of their most visible hunts for militants in the country since they set up a Horn of Africa counter terrorism force in 2002, Somali officials said on Thursday.

So we're back to chasing the Islamo-fascists in Somalia again. My unit was sent over there by then President George H.W. Bush as part of a humanitarian and stabilization effort in 1992. In April of '93 control of the operation was handed to the UN, our unit left, our role of close air support over Mogadishu to be assumed by a Pakistani force that was ill-equipped at best. Shortly after the UN began rotating US troops out of the region, whatever sense of order the Marines had acheived soon returned to chaos, as Aidid began taking back some power and control in the region. From Slate.com:

The U.S., in 1992, sent Marines as part of a United Nations hunger relief effort. But "Aideed waits until the Marines withdraw, and then declares war on the remaining" U.N. forces, ambushing and killing a score of Pakistani peacekeepers. The Rangers are sent to "remove Aideed and restore order."

Here is a pretty accurate accounting of the Battle of Mogadishu, except for this bit about our failure to co-ordinate with UN troops:

No contingency planning or coordination with U.N. forces had been arranged prior to the operation. This lack of planning complicated the rapid recovery of the surrounded U.S. soldiers at the first crash site.

According to what I understood, the Pakistanis were supposed to have two birds in the air 24/7, just like we did. Where were they? The piece also leaves out what Slate at least adknowledges:

...the Rangers in fact succeeded in snatching and imprisoning the two Somali clan officials they were after.

Rock Trivia

One of our goals is to try to keep the blog eclectic in nature; kind of a news and culture magazine format with some politics, humor, and our right wing bias. We talk about motorsports, life in the southern hemisphere, arts and music, among other things. Since we're in our fledgling stage, we often wing it, trying to see what works and what doesn't.

So here's something new: Rock Trivia. Here's your question for today:

The Hollies had a hit in '69-70 called "He Ain't Heavy, He's my Brother." Who played piano on that song?

Hint: The artist was relatively unknown at the time, but soon thereafter made it big.

Blair Wins Election for a Third Term, but...

"Tony Blair looked on course to win a historic third term as British prime minister

in Thursday's election but with a hugely reduced parliamentary majority as voters punished him over Iraq. A television exit poll issued as polling stations closed at 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) predicted Blair will have a majority of only 66 seats in the 646-seat parliament, down from 161 last time."

For those who aren't familiar with parliamentary elections, basically, the party of the Prime Minister must retain a majority of seats in parliament in order for him or her to remain in power. In today's election it appears that Blair's Labour Party has won, but their majority of seats in parliament has slipped significantly, which leaves this political scholar with the following conclusion:

"'If the exit poll holds true this is incredibly bad news for Blair,' said Mark Wickham-Jones, senior lecturer in politics at Bristol university. 'The result is much better than the Conservatives thought they were going to get. There is a sense in which this election has been a referendum on Blair and I think it is going to leave him considerably weakened,' he told Reuters."

Yes, PM Blair is a member of the Labour party which is socialist in nature, but he has been a staunch ally in the War on Terror. He has taken a lot of shit in his country for it, and has in many ways been a much better spokesman than President Bush for the War and why we are in Iraq. Hey, at least he doesn't say "NUKE-U-LER."

Another Scum

Expatica - Living in, moving to, or working in the Netherlands, plus Dutch news in English:

"AMSTERDAM — Mohammed B., the man arrested for the murder of Theo Van Gogh, wrote an 'open letter to the Dutch people' before the attack warning they will pay in blood for the slaughter of millions of Muslims."

I just wish all these maniacs would commit suicide and go get their 72 virgins in paradise.

Short News Updates

Blast strikes UK consulate in US:

"Blast strikes UK consulate in US. New York police are investigating what caused at least one blast at the UK consulate in Manhattan, which shattered windows but caused no injuries."

Damn mongrels!!!!!


'Babies in attics' search widens

Ann Mahoney was honoured for her work in the community
Police investigating the discovery of three babies' bodies at two houses on a south Wales estate will begin searching a third property on Thursday afternoon.

I hate people like this. They appear sweet and serene, and yet they are just murdering scum in disguise.


Bill penalizes firms for hiring migrants - Businesses upset; boycott promised

"Arizona employers caught hiring undocumented immigrants could lose their business license for six months and be barred from seeking government contracts under a measure that gained preliminary approval Tuesday.

State senators tentatively agreed on the employer sanction provisions, attached to House Bills 2030 and 2592, designed to curb illegal border-crossers.

The provision, which is far from being final, drew opposition from the business community."

About time action is being taken. I just wonder how long the opposers will delay the implementation of this bill.

Australia firm over Iraq hostage

No doubt some mealy mouthed, goody two shoes will claim media bias. However, their pathetic attempts will not change the views of the majority of southern hemisphere peoples' minds, as we formulate our decisions on basic common sense. One, any private citizen working in a war zone is well aware of the dangers involved in going into these areas, and they are compensated accordingly. And finally, we know that relenting means further attacks on the countries that relent to pressure.

Do not misinterpret my saying this as not caring for the victim, as this is far from the truth.
Australia firm over Iraq hostage:

"Newspapers across Australia have been reporting in detail on the case of the contractor Douglas Wood who is being held hostage in Iraq."

"But the editorials are firm in their support for Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who has vowed not to negotiate with Mr Wood's captors.

Sydney's The Australian acknowledges that 'all Australians' hearts go out to Mr Wood and his family, both here and in the US.'"

The USA vs. China and the EU?

Lots of us have been making fun of the EU and all their self-destructive, liberal, over-tolerance-in-an-attempt-to-be-more-just-and-fair-minded-to-all bullshit. From oil for food to opposing us at every turn prior to invading Iraq, it never seems to end. But with this little eye-opening piece, it's hard to really refer to certain EU member nations as allies anymore. Now they want to lift an embargo on weapon sales to China.


Seems at least one EU country, Germany, is having problems, as Berlin's economy is in the toilet.

So what are the Euro weenies to do? What they have always done: sell their grandmothers' souls if it will save there sorry asses. Check out what this guy has to say about it, and read all the links there, too.

If the EU does start selling weapons to China it will at the very least alter our relations with them and what technology we would share with them in the future. Is this the continuation of the Orwellian vision of Eastasia, Oceania, and Eurasia constantly at war in ever shifting alliances between the three?

Quick Bits

Just a few things for your morning; nothing heavy, just enough to get the cobwebs out and bring the brain to life.

First, you all have got to go to Chrenkoff. Look for the post entitled "The disadvantages of pissing off America" and enjoy the "before and after" photos.
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I don't know what to make of this. I have some ideas, but I would like your input before I share them.
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At first glance this looks really bad:

"CARMEN DE APICALA, Colombia - Colombian police arrested two U.S. soldiers for alleged involvement in a plot to traffic thousands of rounds of ammunition — possibly to outlawed right-wing paramilitary groups, authorities said Wednesday."

But then you read on and find out that not only do our guys have diplomatic immunity...

"Colombian Attorney General Luis Camilo Osorio said the two Americans will not face Colombian justice because they are protected under a 1974 treaty that gives U.S. servicemen working here diplomatic immunity status."

but that the US government is paying what I feel to be a more than fair amount for the privilege:

"The United States has provided more than $3 billion in aid under Plan Colombia. Up to 800 U.S. troops are permitted simultaneously in Colombia, according to U.S. law, to train Colombian armed forces and provide logistical support. Up to 600 Americans are also permitted in the country as U.S. government contractors."

If these guys were working in a covert capacity, they need to be a little more covert. If it was pilfering and profiteering, they are two bad apples who dishonor their uniforms.

Free Market Fairy Tales - Another Must See

Below are a few samples of the fun to be read and viewed on the site Fun Market Fairy Tales.



No officer, its not a pistol



You would have to be extremely cautious using this in certain company, and if pulled over by the police , need I say.


Tired of speeding tickets?



Seems blowing up balloons will become a favourite past time for some lead foot drivers.


Hmmmmm Interesting Concept

A man walks into the bedroom with a sheep under his arm, to the surprise of his wife.

The man says, “This is the pig I have sex with when you have a headache”

The woman says, “I think that you will find that is a sheep”

The man replies, “I think that you will find that I was talking to the sheep”"

Good Thoughts for a Good Friend

Our good friend, Guy, aka "Oldcatman," aka "OCM" needs our prayers, best wishes, whatever it is you do to wish somebody well when things aren't going well for them.

He was on the receiving end of a rear-end collison a few months back, receiving injuries to his back and eye. His recuperation hasn't gone smoothly. His eye isn't healing like it should, and he may need further opthamological care. Lately his back has left him all but incapacitated, and today he had an MRI revealing some pinched nerves. Now he faces surgery, and that still may leave him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Let's pull our psychic energy, say prayers, do whatever we can to let him know we're thinking of him. If you would like to contact him you can visit his site to which we have a link on the right, or you can contact us and we'll forward your email to him.

The Poodle Bites, the Poodle Chews It - Fuckface in the News

I know it's trivial, but I can't help picking on Senator Fuckface, aka The Poodle, aka John "Commie" Kerry.

"Kerry's Senate campaign committee wrote a $287 check to the City of Boston Parking Clerk on March 31, 2005. The Bay State senator listed 'travel expense' as the purpose for the expenditure."

"Kerry, meanwhile, used presidential campaign funds for a $3,150 tab for Boston Red Sox tickets in July when he threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park before the Democratic National Convention."

Seems Senator Heinz-Kerry has a ticket fetish. What a fucktard. At least he got that whacky wife of his back on her lithium treatment again...or was it vodka and raisins she liked?

Why They Turn Left

When you have a lot of opinions, you're bound to step on some toes. I have a lot of opinions, and I have gotten in varying degrees of trouble throughout my life because of them. It is a burden I accept, for I do my best to formulate my opinions based on facts available at the time. If new facts come to light, I am all ears, but otherwise I stick to my guns.

One such area is in motor racing, specifically my stance on NASCAR.

My first objection is to this obsession with turning left, going round, and round, and round...Who drives like that in the real world? Most other forms of motorsport involve turning right and left, which we do in our everyday driving. NASCAR racing, with the exception of 2 road courses - Sears Point (Infineon) and Watkins Glen - turns left all the time using albeit heavily modified 50 year old engine and suspension technology for the most part. In many ways, your passenger car is more sophisticated than a Nextel Cup Car.

Let's get this out of the way once and for all: That "Monte Carlo" that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. drives has absolutely nothing in common with the Monte Carlo you drive except the name. There is nothing "stock" about these purpose built race cars; hasn't been for 30-35 years. The cars used to be heavily modified versions of their actual street counterparts in that the teams started with the street car, then added necessary re-inforcement in critical chassis areas, and modified driveline and suspension components to handle the increased horsepower and torque of the heavily modified versions of, again, the same engine that was available to the general public in an actual passenger car.

But even then the manufacturers were savvy in interpreting the rules. Ford (and Mercury), for example, developed this really spectacular engine called the Boss 429 (Ford's own version of Mopar's dominant 426 Hemi) specifically to beat the Mopar guys in '69 on the superspeedways like Daytona. The homologation rule stated that there had to be at least 500 of these motors in a production street car. Even though Ford was racing the Gallaxy followed by the Torino while Mercury was racing its Cyclone, the rules didn't say the engine had to go into that actual street car; just a car they sold to the general public. So Ford contracted the automobile R & D firm, Kar Kraft, to modify 500 Mustangs calling them, well, Mustang Boss 429.

Today the cars have very sophisticated steel tube chassis (which are often purpose built for each race track by the high dollar teams), cloaked in sheet metal skin that approximates the shape and dimensions of the street car it is supposed to represent (but the shape and dimension change slightly for aerodymaic purposes at different race tracks.) The rules allow for these changes, and there is always bickering about "Ford's aero package has an advantage over the Chevy (or vice-versa) at this track or that," and NASCAR makes adjustments to try to keep it "fair." Hey, if the Monte is a brick in the wind compared to the Taurus (or vice-versa), then tell Chevy to make it more aerodynamic next year - that is, if it still is somewhat of a "stock" car... Also, the cars have rear-wheel drive and V8 engines, whereas their street counterparts have front-wheel drive with at most V6 engines. And don't even get me started about the Craftsman Truck series where they have Toyota "Tundras" racing with push-rod V8's and Toyota doesn't even make a push-rod V8!

The engine department is perhaps the most flagrant violator of the "stock" principle, yet it is my favorite. Let me be perfectly clear: In non-computerized, normally-aspirated, gasoline powered, single 4 barrel carbureted, push-rod, small block V8 engine technology with a design application lasting longer than 5 minutes duration from start-up to shut-down or a distance of 10 lineal miles, the NASCAR Nextel Cup engine builders and engineers are the best (their unrestricted engines rev up and down from 6,500 to over 9,000 RPM, making roughly 800 horsepower for over 500 miles, and I am aware of nowhere on the planet where anybody else does that in the specific design constraints I put forth.) However, that technology has not been used in a passenger car application or most truck applications for at least 15 years.

While the constant advances made in the "old school" technology benefit engine builders like myself and other racers and enthusiasts, it has ceased to have any "trickle-down" effect on the general consumer. Yet they still call them stock cars. Most of the technological improvements in our passenger cars come from information and data gathered in roadracing from Formula 1 to the showroom stock classes of the SCCA - racing improves the breed. Ultimately, most of the really cool technology is handed down from the aerospace industry to the racing community and then to the consumer.

But why do they just turn left? Like most cultural inventions, racing is based on what is available in the area. One of the first things people did with cars was race them. Since we raced horses in a circle going counterclockwise, it just seemed to make sense to do the same with cars. Many of the first tracks were made of wood, with steep banking in the corners to allow the cars to maintain more speed through them:

"Atlantic City Speedway (1926-1928) was 1.5 miles long with 45-degree turns. It was the fastest of the wood tracks with a top speed recorded at 147.727 mph."

In the South, many roads were still dirt, and early racers like Junior Johnson were old moonshine runners who had varying degrees of sucess outrunning the cops on old backwoods dirt roads. This gave rise to racing on dirt ovals in the South and across the mid-West. Today many forms of racing are still run on dirt ovals, turning left.

Also, America is wide-open, with lots of long stretches of straight roads, then and today even more so with our interstate system, and it could be argued that the infinity of going round in a circle is some sort of semiotic relationship to our surroundings. Road racing developed primarily in Europe and other places like New Zealand where tight, twisty roads are more the norm than not, so it's no wonder why both car and motorcycle roadracing has been dominated by racers and manufacturers from overseas.

But my main gripe with turning left is just that: turning LEFT. If you're going to turn one way or the other, turn RIGHT!

Metro Pulse Online - Strange Events - Strange People

LEAD STORY
• While Congress and the sports world are busy condemning the use of steroids as “cheating,” golfer Tiger Woods and other athletes have already artificially enhanced their natural abilities with impunity through Lasik eye surgery (improving vision to 20/15 or 20/10). More ominously, according to a Wired magazine story in March, the time will soon come when perfectly healthy baseball pitchers and other athletes choose so-called “Tommy John surgery” (until now performed only to repair ruptured arm ligaments), which can make an elbow even stronger than it naturally was, allowing pitchers to achieve higher velocity than ever. Other predicted enhancements include the removal, re-engineering, and re-insertion of leg, arm and shoulder muscle cells to add strength.
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"LEAST COMPETENT PEOPLE
• Burglars who fall asleep on the job is a retired News of the Weird category, but Steven Jakaitis, 42, was arrested in Quincy, Mass., in March outside a CVS pharmacy, where police said he fell asleep while preparing to rob the place. His car was idling; a stocking was on his head and a pistol in his pocket; and the piece of paper beside him read, “I have a Gun DO NOT Press any Alarms or let Custermors (sic) know Empty the All (sic) the register.”"

• A 24-year-old woman was hospitalized in April in Nassau County, N.Y., after her boyfriend, tossing sticks to his dog, decided to toss his knife, instead, but the knife’s handle loop caught on a finger when he flung it, and it snapped back, lodging in the woman’s neck. She corroborated the story, and the man was not criminally charged. (An officer asked him, “When you threw the knife, what did you expect the dog to do?”)
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THIEVES WHO THINK BIG
• Management at the Globe Hotel in Topsham, England, reported in February that a guest had dismantled and removed the entire shower unit out of his room. And Norwegian Arild Nicolaysen told reporters in February, after arriving at his mountain cabin for the weekend, that the in-ground swimming pool was missing (steel lining, plastic liner, filter, hoses and pipes). And in March, police in Lindale, Texas, arrested two men who they said had taken a house apart, brick by brick, board by board, over a three-month period and sold the materials for drugs.
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INEXPLICABLE
• John W. Hill of High View, W.Va., was arrested near St. Louis in March after sheriff’s deputies had stopped to investigate why he was parked alongside I-70. He was shirtless, wearing an Indian vest, cargo pants and combat boots, had several loaded pistols, an assault rifle, a two-shot Derringer, two long rifles, a serious knife, 400 rounds of ammo and various drugs. He said only that he was headed to South Dakota Indian country to deliver supplies and a sack full of Bibles to children, and that he was armed because the West is “dangerous.” He was charged with possessing a loaded weapon while intoxicated.
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PEOPLE WITH ISSUES
• Gasoline-sniffer Brian Taylor, 36, was sentenced to three months in jail in March for violating a UK “anti-social behaviour order” by loitering around the pumps at a gas station in Middlesbrough, England. According to evidence of multiple such incidents, Taylor often dangerously reeks of gasoline fumes and is sometimes aggressive in his pursuit of a fix, including jostling gas-pumping customers. Once, he was filmed on a security camera doing an uninhibited dance after taking a huff. He apparently prefers unleaded but will settle for diesel, and denies that he drinks any of it: “I’m daft but not that daft.”
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SURREALITY
• Tennessee state Sen. John Ford testified in a juvenile court hearing in January that his child support payments should be reduced, in accordance with a state law that he had introduced on behalf of fathers with many children. Ford owns two homes, lives part-time in one with his ex-wife and their three children (with another on the way), and lives part-time in the other with an ex-girlfriend and their two children. Hence, he said, he should have lesser payments to a third woman, who is the mother of his 10-year-old daughter.

A Few More Updates

"Prime Minister Ali Gedi, who escaped unhurt, told reporters in Mogadishu (Joe's favourite place......NOT!!!!!!!) the blast appeared to have been an accident. A security official said a militiaman guarding Gedi had detonated one of his grenades. "
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"Los Angeles commuters drove to work with more than usually jittery nerves yesterday morning following a spate of random freeway shootings that have killed at least four drivers and injured four others. "

I hope they shoot the mongrel as many times as he has discharged his weapon on innocents, mind you I do like Joe's suggestion of the use of feral cats.
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"LONDON - The families of ten British soldiers who died in Iraq have launched a bid to take Prime Minister Tony Blair to court for 'lying' over the reasons he gave for taking the country to war. "

FFS good luck you morons. Why do idiots remain on this planet, if their children (remember to be in any force you are of legal age to vote and be considered an adult) joined the forces they knew the risks.
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'Until the act, I wrongly thought I had my fantasies under control,' Ralf M. said in a statement read in court by his lawyer. 'Now I know that I was commanded at least at times by the darker side of my ego.'"

What the hell is happening in Germany? This new fad of cannibalism is beyond my understanding.
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'TEL AVIV - Dressed in striped uniforms like those worn by Jews in Nazi death camps, dozens of Holocaust survivors protested outside an Israeli bank on Tuesday demanding c

Just a Thank You and a Reminder

First, Mae and I would like to thank all of you who visit us regularly. Our numbers are slowly growing, and our coverage spreading slowly across the globe. We hope to keep it interesting, and Mae has been working very hard on the site's appearance, adding some new pictures and features. We hope you like them.

Second, we have added a few blogs to our blogroll. Annoying Little Twerp and The Urban Grind are fellow bloggers we met at the BMEWS community. And our good friend, Vilmar, has started his own blog, the Ranting Right Wing Howler. Go visit them , and do it often, along with the others on the blogroll.

As many of you know, I am a semi-retired amateur motorcycle racer and general motorsports enthusiast. I particularly love racing on asphalt closed courses where they turn right and left, commonly referred to as roadracing, and I have absolutely no use for driving around in a circle, turning left, despite it being a uniquely American form of racing. Anyway, I have provided some racing links to my favorite racing series for those of you who share my passion for fast cars and motorcycles.

Finally, we have provided you with some links to some radio stations back in the States that allow you to listen on the web. Through these stations you can hear most all the major conservative hosts like Hannity, Limbaugh, Savage, Ingraham, Hugh Hewitt, Medved, Prager, and others. For those of you really interested in the border issue, the link to 760 KFMB from San Diego, CA let's you listen live to Rick Roberts from 6-10AM Pacific time, 9AM-1PM Eastern. He has his finger on the pulse of the border issue as does former San Diego mayor, Roger Hedgecock, who can be heard on 600 KOGO live from 3-6PM Pacific time. We hope you find these links useful, especially those among our international readers.

And please don't be shy with comments or suggestions. Thanks again to all for your support.

Conservatives That Play Cards

A must buy for the serious conservative card players. Deck Of Weasels

The Foibles and Follies of Talk Radio

I first recognized the folly in radio while listening to Rush Limbaugh some months ago basically telling his audience that there are no consequences to driving SUV's that get 10-12 MPG - it's a very "CONSERVative" thing to do. "Drive a big gas-guzzling SUV, even if you have no need for such a large vehicle (which VERY few people do) just because you can; just to piss-off the Left and the enviro-weenies; because they're safer," was the basic message. Sorry to tell you, but safety is in the hands of the driver, not the vehicle. But if you like them, go ahead and drive them; it is your right. But don't bitch about high gas prices. My fellow Americans still living in the US have no idea what high gas prices are. When you start paying $5 per gallon for gas, that SUV or pick-up with the V6 will start to look much more appealing. And if you like your SUV because it's rear-wheel drive and has a V8 - and that is the ONLY reason you are driving it - consider that there are quite a few cars that have V8's and rear-wheel drive that, because they don't have the weight or drag co-efficient of a brick wall, can get almost double the mileage as the SUV with the same motor. Or maybe you'll re-assess your needs using some common sense and choose a vehicle that is more commensurate with those needs. But I digress.

Sometimes it appears that there's really nothing happening in the world, especially if you're listening to talk radio. Yesterday I had to turn Hannity off because he was devoting way too much time to that dopey woman from Duluth, GA who took off to New Mexico and made a 911 call saying that she was kidnapped, blah blah blah. I'm sure you have heard the story; if you're like me, you've heard too much.

Does anybody really care? FFS, it made the nightly news here in New Zealand! Right now, I'm about to turn Hannity off again because he's still talking about it. Is this news? If so, is it news that warrants international attention?

Here are my quick thoughts. She made a false report of kidnapping - a serious situation when it's real - and then recanted her story. Mistake, cold feet, confusion - whatever - emergency resources were diverted for her bogus claims, costing taxpayers money, and she should at the very least repay law enforcement and any other first responding agencies for the time and manpower devoted to a bogus claim that was taken seriously. If nothing is done the message sent is that one can have a bad hair day, abuse the already overwhelmed 911 system, get a lot of attention from the media and law enforcement (not to mention all the volunteers who spent a lot of time, money, and resources to find her), and face no consequences. It's just wrong.

Then there was my favorite host, Michael Savage, who just went over the top about the First Lady's comic "roast" of President Bush at the White House Press Correspondents' Dinner. I agree with Savage's usual mantra of "Borders, Language, Culture," but yesterday was just one of those days where I was scratching my head over the coarse treatment of the whole affair. Hey, Mike, sometimes a joke is just that - a joke. Why look for a fight where there isn't one? Well-meaning callers who tried to say just that were attacked as well, something that ALL talk show hosts do from time to time; and that's wrong. It gives talk radio a bad name, and attacking people who otherwise support the host does nothing to advance any free exchange of ideas. If this type of behavior is done for ratings, it isn't working with me.

Commercial radio and TV are all about ratings - I know because I was in the radio business as a DJ for 3 years. I also am an advocate of freewill, and I exercise that right on a regualr basis by changing the station. I hope many other people do the same thing and that it reflects in the ratings.

Australia's Response to Hostage Taking

This is no surpirse to me, Australia and her citizens are not ones to be threatened by anyone. Their compassion and hopes will still run high for the freeing of this hostage unharmed, however, the majority of the citizens realise that kow towing to bribery or showing weakness in their resolve will solve nothing and will only promote further terrorist activities against their country and countrymen.

Bloomberg.com: Top Worldwide: "May 2 (Bloomberg) -- Australia won't withdraw its 1300 troops from Iraq, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said after an engineer who identified himself on a video as an Australian pleaded for his life.

``We are not going withdraw our troops,'' Downer told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. today. A task force comprising federal police, negotiators and defense personnel is being sent to Iraq in a bid to free the hostage, he said."

Hearing Ends for Wilmington Marine

WECT TV6 & WECT.com - Hearing Ends for Wilmington Marine: "MAY 1, 2005 -- It's waiting time for a Wilmington Marine accused of murdering two detainees in Iraq.

A military hearing ended Saturday night at Camp Lejeune for 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano. The hearing was held to determine whether Pantano should be tried in a military court on charges of premeditated murder. Pantano said he believed the men were a threat to his troops"

Read full reports at BlackFive.

Lt. Ilario Pantano needs the citizens of the US to stand ground for his innocence.

Washing machine- fingers lazy ?

Washing machine fingers lazy male:
"A Spanish designer has come up with what could be the perfect solution for the woman who feels frustrated that she has to do all the house chores."

I like this invention....grins.

Proof UN is a Joke

When does common sense prevail with these morons? Where do they get off re-electing Zimbabwe (Mugabe) onto the Human Rights Commission for a further three years. Don't the powers to be that elect these countries into so called roles of importance? Anyone else but me ever notice the death, starvation and basic human rights are non existant in Zimbawe?


Zimbabwe's Election to UN Human Rights Commission:

Australia is disappointed that Zimbabwe has been re-elected to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights for a further three-year term after it was nominated unopposed by the African group."

Italy

Italy media reveals Iraq details: "Italian media have published classified sections of an official US military inquiry into the accidental killing of an Italian agent in Baghdad."

Yes, this is what is to be expected, Italy has had made grave errors in the past, inregard to whose side they should be supporting....need I say more.

Something Completely Different

World's Thinnest Books

FRENCH WAR HEROES by Jacques Chirac

HOW I SERVED MY COUNTRY by Jane Fonda

MY BEAUTY SECRETS by Janet Reno

HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN AIRPLANE by John Denver

MY SUPER BOWL HIGHLIGHTS by Dan Marino

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BILL by Hillary Clinton

MY LITTLE BOOK OF PERSONAL HYGIENE by Osama Bin Laden

THINGS I CANNOT AFFORD by Bill Gates

THINGS I WOULD NOT DO FOR MONEY by Dennis Rodman

MY WILD YEARS by Al Gore

AMELIA EARHART'S GUIDE TO THE PACIFIC

AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR LAWYERS

DETROIT: a Travel Guide

A COLLECTION of MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES by Dr. J. Kevorkian

ALL THE MEN I HAVE LOVED BEFORE by Ellen de Generes

GUIDE TO DATING ETIQUETTE by Mike Tyson

SPOTTED OWL RECIPES by the EPA

THE AMISH PHONE DIRECTORY

MY PLAN TO FIND THE REAL KILLERS by O. J. Simpson

BRIDGE TRAVEL by Ted Kennedy

And the world's NUMBER ONE Thinnest Book

MY BOOK OF MORALS by Bill Clinton with introduction by The Rev. Jessie Jackson

Hat tip to Vilmar's friend

The Practioners of the Great Religion of Peace Are at it Again

It seems that right before an election in one of the ally nations, the scum-sucking, goat fucking, fanatical camel jockies from the 11th century come out of the woodwork with another attempt at blackmail. It seems, given the latest in a recent escalation of violence and murders, they have now captured an Australian man working in an undisclosed capacity for the US government and released a videotape wherein he pleads for his life, asking the allies to remove their troops and go home:

"'Please help me. I don't want to die,' he says, sitting on the floor as two masked men armed with assault rifles and wearing bullet proof vests stand on either side...
'My captors are fiercely patriotic. They believe in a strong, united Iraq looking after its own destiny,' Wood said, his head slumped forward and his voice close to breaking. 'President Bush, Prime Minister Howard, (California) Governor Schwarzenegger, family, friends, please take the American troops, the Australian troops, the British troops out of here and let Iraq look after itself,' he said, breaking down."

With British elections on the horizon, they are attempting to sway the spineless among us to vote for those who would turn tail and run. Given that they have had only limited success (Spain) with these tactics in the past, I don't think these fuckers are very bright.

Islam is a bastard religion - born of frustration, hate, and vengeance - that is also a cultural blueprint for resignation to justify a life of self-created misery. Since the beginning the Arab peoples have fought amongst themselves as well as "non-believers," so I see no end in sight to their madness, and I have very little faith that they can ever become unified on anything. And don't give me the crap about "if we just left them alone they would not be doing this." Is our involvement with Iraq or the backing of Israel the reason they butcher non-Muslims in the Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Kashmir, the Phillipines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, just to name a few? Get a grip folks: It is us or them, and it's time to play last man standing...again. Allah ak-bar, my ass.

Hitler had the right idea; he just picked the wrong group of people to exterminate from the planet.

MotoGP News - Surprises in Shanghai

The world's premier motorcycle roadracing series held its third round for the first time ever at the new track in Shanghai, China, and there were many surprises, to be sure. Yes, defending multi-time, multi-class champion, Valentino Rossi of Italy scored another victory aboard the Team Gauloises factory Yamaha in a very wet race, but that was not really a surprise. The surprise was who came in second.

After being away from MotoGP for seven months, driving in the French Touring Car series, former Yamaha rider Olivier Jacques, substituting for injured rider Alex Hoffman, rode the newly reinvigorated Kawasaki to a second place finish. After catching and dogging mercilessly Rossi's main nemesis, Spaniard Sete Gibernau on a Honda, for several laps, Jacques passed him for second spot and checked-out, never looking back. At one point "OJ" was over a full second per lap faster than Rossi who had over a six second lead, and Jacques looked to make a serious challenge for the lead toward the end of the race, finishing just 1.7 seconds behind Rossi. This was really exciting stuff. But the surprises didn't end there, either.

Gibernau was then relegated back to fourth place after his team mate, former 250cc world champion, Marco Melandri, passed him to fill the third and final spot on the podium on the Team Movistar Honda. But the surprises didn't end there, either.

Dutch rider, Jurgen van der Goorbergh, finished sixth on a satellite team Honda, after a three year hiatus from the series, not having raced since 2002. Veteran MotoGP rider, Max Biaggi, finished ahead of him in fifth place on a factory Honda.

Americans John Hopkins, Colin Edwards, and Nicky Hayden finished 7th, 8th, and 9th, respectively. Hopkins actually jumped to an early lead before being passed by his Suzuki team mate and former world champion, Kenny Roberts, Jr., son of the legendary former world champion, Kenny Roberts, who revolutionized motorcycle roadracing back in the 1970's by introducing the "hang-off the bike and drag the knee through the corners" style that is now the standard technique. Roberts, Jr. retired from the race after 17 laps when his motorcycle ingested water from the rain into the intake tract of the engine. For a complete recap and race results go here. This season is shaping-up to be quite interesting and exciting as Rossi, having already acheived legendary status, yet not infallible, rides towards another possible world title.

Liberals Want Us To Understand These Scum???

Taliban Babrbies ... Islamic killers

Two Veiled Women Fire on Cairo Tour Bus : "CAIRO, Egypt - Two veiled women shot at a tour bus, and a man — the brother of one shooter and the fiance of the second — blew himself up as he leapt off a bridge during a police chase Saturday. All three attackers died and seven people, four of them foreigners, were wounded in an apparent revival of violence against Egypt's vital tourism industry."

Planet 'seen' around distant sun

Planet 'seen' around distant sun: "Planet 'seen' around distant sun"

European and American scientists say they have photographed a planet outside the Solar System for the first time.

The European Southern Observatory group said the red image is the first direct shot of a planet around another star.

The planet, known as 2M1207b, is about five times the size of Jupiter and is orbiting at a distance nearly twice as far as Neptune is from our Sun.

The parent star and planet are more than 200 light-years away near the southern constellation of Hydra."

Florida girl has abortion blocked

This is a difficult article to agree or disagree with.

On one hand the child is far too young to comprehend the impact that may affect her pyschological well-being by having an abortion,and on the other hand, she is also way too young to be a mother. Nature decides when the body is sufficiently formed to enable conception, however, society has changed, girls/young women of child bearing ages have lost the insight and instinct to parent.

My mother use to say if you think you are old enough to indulge in adult activities, then you are old enough to bear the responsibilities that go along with the actions.

Bottom line to me is, the law states a minor does not need parental approval to have an abortion but that does not equate to a Judge being able to decide who can or can't have the procedure performed. As the law exists, it has taken parental responsibility away from the girl's family and can be construed as a green light for underaged sex.


Florida girl has abortion blocked: "A pregnant 13-year-old girl in Florida has been told she cannot have an abortion because she lacks the maturity to make such a decision.

A state court granted an injunction which prevents the girl from terminating her pregnancy."

Joe's Dad

Today is the day set aside to remember Vietnam era veterans like Joe's dad. Semper Fidelis.

Vietnam veterans who served their country, who withstood the denegration imposed upon them on their return to the US. Men who through their great virtues survived with pride.

Remember the likes of Lt Gen Harold "Hal" Moore (USA).




Remember the fallen and their families.

Say a prayer for all men, women and children in remembrance and thanks.

VIETNAM - A COMBAT SOLDIERS PRAYER

A COMBAT SOLDIERS PRAYER, DO NOT LET MY SACRIFICE BE IN VAIN...:

"This combat soldier's prayer,
Who has served his time in Hell,
Is may we learn the lessons of war well,
That we not doom future generations,
The same old tales of horror to tell,
To endure what in youth they see mistakenly as glory.
Oh God, do not let our children
Repeat the same old story.

Make it so that America's babies live to grow old
In this land of the free and the bold.
Help us throw off the shackles of hate that bind
And grow old in a life of a peaceful kind.

Teach us that there is no glory in war,
Nor honor there that brave men should not abhor.
Teach us instead, one for another our brothers to love.
Shower us with thine Celestial message from above,
That we plant seeds of peace evermore
And make war-no-more!
Medi Vac Dustoff chopper
But if I should die on some far, far away battlefield
Know I answered the call
For a grand principle of freedom to yield.
My fervent prayer is that death
May not have been in vain
Fighting for peace and right for the world to attain.

My brothers, American roses standing by my side
On alien soil dying
In the summer of my youthful pride
All the leaves around me falling,

Now I’m lying here still, in sunshine and in shadow,
Longing to hear, “brother next door, I love you so.'
For moldering in the soft ground below,
I feel you living and loving in the world above me
Standing tall because I fought that you might be...
Oh look ye down now,
And tell me you still think of me
Honor my red blood, spilt that others might stand free.

Tell me that I did not give my all for you in vain
That brothers and sisters do not look upon my sacrifice
With hateful,
Or even worse,
Uncaring disdain.

Do not forget me when my valley’s hushed
And white with snow,
Grass growing green in the summer of my meadow
Help me see the peace I lived and died for grow.

Make my lonely grave richer,
Sweeter be...
Make this truly,
'The land of the free
And the home of the brave,"
I gave my life to save
That I might too, lie eternally,
Forever free..."

US Vietnam Vets

Do not forget to pay homage to the brave troops of Vietnam, today marking the 30th year sincethe end of the war:

US Vietnam vets mark anniversary: "US veterans of war in Vietnam have held a commemoration in Washington DC to mark the 30th anniversary of fall of Saigon and the end of the war.

Decked in military regalia, they took part in an official wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam War Memorial.

Former soldiers and their families listened to patriotic songs and placed mementos on the rain-swept monument.

They paid tribute to their comrades who died before the North Vietnamese communists entered Saigon in 1975."

VOA News - Memorial Visitors in Washington React to Vietnam War's 30th Anniversary:
"April 30 marks the 30th anniversary of the end of the war in Vietnam. The veterans of that war are graying. Yet the conflict that claimed the lives of over 58,000 American servicemen is still a vivid part of our national story - a story whose meaning and message continues to be controversial today. VOA's Adam Phillips sampled some opinions during a recent visit to the Vietnam Memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C."

Also remember the Swift Vets who not only fought bravely during these times, but continued the actions for truth and justice right through.

Iconic Pictures Of Vietnam

For 10 years the war in Vietnam dominated the news headlines in America and around the world.

Proclaimed by successive presidents as a stand against the spread of communism, the US flooded the Republic of South Vietnam with money, arms and men.

Their aim was to defeat the communist north, led by Ho Chi Minh, and free the people of Vietnam from a perceived tyranny.

From a journalist?s perspective, especially a photo-journalist, the war in Vietnam was unique.

With virtually unrestricted access to the battle fields many photographers came to depict war in a way never seen before or since.

Despite the technology, this was a guerrilla war with much of the fighting at close quarters, allowing intense moments to be recorded on film.

The plan failed. Despite a peak of over 500,000 US troops in the country, by 1973 the US halted offensive operations and later in the year withdrew all combat troops, ending the longest war in its history.

Military advisers remained for a further two years as the Republic of South Vietnam fought on. Finally on 30 April 1975 North Vietnamese tanks entered the presidential palace in Saigon, bringing the war to an end.

From a journalists perspective, especially a photo-journalist, the war in Vietnam was unique.

With virtually unrestricted access to the battle fields many photographers came to depict war in a way never seen before or since.

Despite the technology, this was a guerrilla war with much of the fighting at close quarters, allowing intense moments to be recorded on film.

This meant risk; over 135 photographers from all sides are recorded as dead or missing.

Here AP photographer Huynh Thanh My covers a Vietnamese battalion pinned down in a Mekong Delta rice paddy about a month before he was killed in combat on 10 October 1965.

But it was also a war where images changed public opinion - images such as this by Nic Ut of nine-year-old Kim Phuc.

On 8 June 1972 a South Vietnamese aircraft accidentally dropped its napalm payload on the village of Trang Bang.

With her clothes on fire, Kim Phuc ran out of the village with her family to be airlifted to hospital.

She survived and now lives in Canada.

Perhaps the most recognised picture from the war is this by Eddie Adams.

It shows the South Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong officer with a single shot to the head.

Photographs do not tell the whole truth, however. The prisoner had just killed at least eight people, which is what led Gen Loan to carry out the execution.

The image was to change the public perception of the war and haunted Gen Loan until his death.

This was the first helicopter war.

Troops could be rapidly moved to anywhere in the country, ensuring the amount of combat seen by soldiers during a year?s tour was far higher than during World War II.

This picture of US Army helicopters pouring machine gun fire into the tree line during an attack on a Viet Cong camp near the Cambodian border is like a scene from a Hollywood film...

..but close up the "glamour" of war is stripped away.

A wounded paratrooper of the 101st Airborne guides a medical evacuation helicopter through the jungle foliage to pick up casualties during a five-day patrol of Hue, South Vietnam, in 1968.

In this picture by Huynh Thanh My, a Viet Cong suspect undergoes interrogation by South Vietnamese soldiers in the Mekong Delta.

The bodies of US Marines lie half buried on Hill 689, west of Khe Sanh, in 1968. The siege at Khe Sanh was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war.

Nearly 60,000 US soldiers died in Vietnam with over 300,000 injured.

For the Vietnamese, though, the figure was far higher with estimates of over half a million killed and many millions wounded.

Protest against the war was widespread in the US and indeed elsewhere.

In America, there were large demonstrations across the country - and even cadets on parade could not expect to be ignored.

With the US pullout in 1973 many prisoners of war were released.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert L Stirm is met by his family at a military base in California on his return from Vietnam. The smiles say it all.

The war continued for another two years.

As the end draws near, this woman carries her wounded daughter away from the fighting.

On 30 April 1975 soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army entered Saigon, in the south of Vietnam, capturing the presidential palace and assuming control of the country.

The last remaining American millitary scrambled to safety from their embassy roof.

Many of those who worked closely with the US feared for their lives, but many more flooded the streets to see the tanks take up their positions.

Article from BBC

Strange People

NATIONAL NEWS - STORY

Suicidal Aussie calls NZ police

New Zealand's police might be facing pressure over speeding ticket quotas, poor response times and dirty pictures on their computers, but a woman in Australia is fortunate to have had their help.

Constable Darrel Cowen was in the watch house at Palmerston North police station at 4.30am yesterday, busy with paperwork, when the phone rang. A distraught woman said she was going to kill herself as soon as she had hung up."

Dang!!!

Oh My ..... Spritely 91 Year Old

The Daily Item of Lynn: More Coverage > Car slams into Swampscott Town Hall garage: "Car slams into Swampscott Town Hall garage
SWAMPSCOTT -- A 91-year-old woman drove her car into two vehicles and the Town Hall garage Friday afternoon, causing significant damage to the building and prompting the town administrator to move quickly to avoid being hit"

Sand Storm

Feeling down, just remember conditions the brave men and women face abroad