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ARCHIVES: June
2005 According
to UN 1/6 of world’s nations face shortages of food June 30, 2005 There is no
question that the world is experiencing climate change, after all, the world
has always undergone climate change. There have been ice ages, periods of
exceptional rain, droughts and everything in between. One must remember that
many of the world’s great deserts weren’t always that way. The Sahara, for
example, was once noted for its greenery. The UN has issued a report citing
concern that many countries, especially in Africa are experiencing droughts,
which have drastically curtailed food production. The UN report mentions
countries like Niger, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and others. What the UN report doesn’t
mention is that each of these countries border or lie in existing deserts,
and these deserts have been growing for hundreds of years, long before man
even heard the term fossil fuel. What the UN also fails to note is the fact that
practically every country facing a food shortage is experiencing a population
boom due to skyrocketing birthrates. These irresponsible countries are
finding it increasingly difficult to feed their population because they are
growing far more rapidly than any country can sustain itself. These
countries, because of their high birth rates, have long suffered faltering
economies and limited economic growth as their economies buckle under the
strain of a growing and fairly young population, which is unable to contribute
to the work force. These countries therefore are dependent on outdated,
inefficient agricultural techniques, reminiscent of the 15th
century. Yes, fossil fuels pose a danger, which is why we continuously strive
to become more efficient, but we must consider the purpose of the UN’s
report. It is not so much a goal to draw attention to Africa’s plight, as it
is an attempted blow toward capitalism. The UN and its socialist backers have
long sought to strike at the capitalists, especially the US and how best to
do this than by crippling our economy, which is why they endorsed the
wickedly one side Kyoto Treaty. They will never rest. http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1517746,00.html New leader
of terror state is a terrorist himself June 30,
2005 Iranian President-elect
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been named, by a number of former captives in the
444 day Iranian hostage crisis, as one of their captors. In light of the
recent coverage of the Iranian presidential “elections,” several former
captives noticed a striking face in the coverage, the face of Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, the newly elected president of Iran. "This is the guy. There's no
question about it," said one former hostage, Chuck Scott. "You
could make him a blond and shave his whiskers, put him in a zoot suit and I'd
still spot him." Scott’s assertion was corroborated by several other
former hostages, including: David Roeder, William Daugherty, Kevin Hermening
and Don Sharer. Naturally, the president-elect denies the charges as he
pledges a course of “moderation.” His closest advisors have also dismissed
the assertion. Frankly, I’m more inclined to believe the hostages, than a man
who as publicly dismissed democracy as having no place in Iran. The former
hostages assert that Ahmadinejad was one of the ringleaders, barking out
orders and conducting interrogations. Given, the president-elect’s rhetoric,
one shouldn’t take this new revelation with much surprise. He has a long
established reputation as a hardliner, opponent of liberty and individual
rights and has vowed to continue Iran’s nuclear program. We should all be
weary. We can only say that it is truly fitting that a nation like Iran, a
leading supporter of terrorism around the world, is now being led by a
terrorist, how appropriate. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-29-iran-hostages_x.htm Sambo
alive and well, living in Mexico June 30,
2005 Most
Americans may not have noticed how prevalent racism is in our neighbor to the
south. The first hint of Mexican racial insensitivity came with Vincente Fox’s
comments about blacks in America, which prompted an outcry among many
Americans, and rightly so. Now the Mexicans are at it again, they have issued
a commemorative stamp for a comic book in Mexico known as “Memin
Pinguin.” The comic is a depiction of a black man and to say it is a
caricature is the understatement of the century. This is clearly an overt
racist stamp issued by a government that is known for its hypocrisy. "Just
as Speedy Gonzalez has never been interpreted in a racial manner by the people
in Mexico…He is a cartoon character. I am certain that this commemorative
postage stamp is not intended to be interpreted on a racial basis in Mexico
or anywhere else," a spokesman for the Mexican government noted in
response to the outcry. There is only one problem with this assessment.
“Speedy Gonzalez” was created in the 1950s and isn’t being commemorated by
the US government in the 21st century. But then again perhaps we
should re-consider. Lets issue a Speedy Gonzalez stamp and make it the only
stamp available for use by the US Postal Service and then we’ll see just how
long we have to wait before the protests begin. Mexico’s true colors are now visible for all to see. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1120126506416_4/?hub=World http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5108527,00.html Life, Liberty
and Property now a pipe dream June 30,
2005 That’s right,
we at the Phalanx are still peeved over the recent Supreme Court decision on
eminent domain. As we noted in several of our articles on the subject, it
wouldn’t be long before we saw action on this issue take place across the
country. In Freeport, TX, for example, local officials wasted no time in
moving to seize private seaside property. The City of Brooklyn Center in
Minnesota is no exception. That city is moving to raze a local shopping complex
because they have “better use” for the land. The shopping center’s owners
complain that it reminds them of the communist lifestyle they once left
behind. There’s a reason for that. Basically it is the same, actually its
more like Fascism. In communism the state not only dictates the use and value
of property but also controls the ownership of property. Under Fascism,
however, the state dictates use and value, but allows others to own the land,
so long as it is in the best interests of the state, after such point, the
state may determine a better use for the property. Fortunately not all local
governments are succumbing to fascist tendencies. In some states, where
liberty and freedom are still valued, lawmakers are scrambling to enact
legislation to protect property rights in the wake of greedy, fascist local
governments. Lawmakers in Texas are introducing an amendment to the state
constitution to ban property seizure for private use. Idaho, Oklahoma and New
Jersey are also looking at measures to curtail eminent domain abuse. Utah and
Nevada have already passed legislation to restrict seizure of private
property, Colorado also moved against eminent domain last year. In Georgia,
where earlier efforts have failed, the Governor has come out in support of an
amendment. Now that the Supreme Court has cast its lot with the developers
and the fascist local governments, the only hope most people now have is the
ballot box. People must elect representatives who will stand for private
property not to boost tax coffers, in doing this states can resist the move
away from freedom. http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=101280 http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/062905dntexdomain.55c5ccde.html Concerns
over Unocal’s
acquisition prompt Chinese hypocrisy June 29, 2005 The
Unocal Corporation, a US oil giant, is the target of a takeover bid by the
China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), which is a state owned
industry. Naturally the acquisition of Unocal has prompted howls in Congress
by legislators who fear the Chinese government’s intentions. In light of
these concerns, the Chinese Foreign Ministry decided it was time to put in
their two cents. A foreign ministry spokesman said, “economic cooperation
between China and the U.S. serves the interests of both sides and commercial
activities should not be interfered in or disturbed by political elements.”
This statement underlies the inherent hypocrisy of Chinese foreign policy, as
their very involvement is contradictory to the message they extol. The
Chinese referred to this endeavor as a normal business
operation between the two enterprises, but CNOOC is a state owned enterprise,
therefore its activity extends beyond the commercial realm. Now the Chinese
Foreign Ministry, the external political arm of the Chinese government, moves
to lecture members of the US Congress on when they can and cannot speak out
on issues of concern. The Chinese, whose laws forbid free speech, aren’t
accustomed to having their interests questioned, but they would be well
advised to mind their rhetoric, as the US isn’t accustomed to being lectured
by hypocritical tyrants. http://english.people.com.cn/200506/29/eng20050629_193139.html Democratic
response to president highlights shortsightedness June 29, 2005 Last nite the
president addressed the nation, ostensibly to shore up support for the war,
or so the press would have us believe. No sooner had the transmission ceased,
had Democrats launched into attack mode, something they are quite familiar
with regarding domestic politics, but oblivious to when confronting
terrorists. Democrats complained that Bush offered no new policies and didn’t
set a timetable for withdrawing troops. That’s exactly right, nor should we
have expected the president to do so. As administration officials have
rightly noted, to set a timetable only placates the terrorist, and gives the
terrorists a timetable for when to step up their attacks on liberty and
democracy in Iraq. It is prudent to take the fight to the terrorists and
withdraw when the goal is accomplished, not before. Democrats have criticized
constantly the president’s plan in Iraq and have gone to great lengths to
portray Iraq as another Vietnam. The reality couldn’t be farther from the
truth. Iraq has made significant gains, both politically and structurally.
Our rebuilding efforts in that nation are working. The president shouldn’t
offer a new proposal or a new policy because the existing policy is sound.
Only to those who seek to undermine the US, find fault with the plan. Only
those who seek to replace the president, like Joseph Biden, desire a new
policy. In last nite’s speech the president noted that we must learn the
lessons of 9/11, on this grounds Democrats again objected. Why? Because any
mention of 9/11 reminds America of the threats we face and Democrats want us
to forget, because if we remember, then they know that the Democratic Party
will only fail us on this issue. At no time did the President assert that
Iraq was responsible for 9/11 but the fight against terrorists there mirrors
the fight against terrorists everywhere, of which these Al Qaeda militants
are linked. This concept, however, is too complex to the leftist mind.
Naturally, chief among the critics was John Kerry who complained that the
president gave yet a third reason for the war: "The first, of course,
was weapons of mass destruction. The second was democracy, and now, tonight,
it's to combat the hotbed of terrorism," he said. Kerry can’t be this
foolish. Iraq, publicly admitted to possessing weapons of mass destruction in
the aftermath of the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein never produced a single shred
of proof that he disposed of these weapons. Any logical assumption would be
that he still possessed them and in a country the size of California, they
could remain hidden forever, not unlike Coronado’s gold. Second Kerry
mention’s democracy, something a true paternalist like him doesn’t truly
understand, but in case he was still hung-over from his electoral defeat and
didn’t notice, Iraq instituted a new democratic regime in January. Secondly,
there is no question that Iraq is a hot bed for terror and even before the
war, there is no question that Saddam gave support to terrorists, including
financial support. Kerry countered: “…most Americans are aware that the
hotbed of terrorism never existed in Iraq until we got there." This is
utter nonsense. In other words because terrorists weren’t detonating cars in
crowded markets they weren’t there or weren’t being supported by the regime.
Why would these terrorists, attack their benefactor, they are active now
because their benefactor is in jail. They are active now, because democracy
is taking route, they are active now because we have taken the fight to them.
This war against terror is not unlike the Second World War, this argument
would be as if someone criticized America for invading various Japanese
strongholds in the pacific, by making the argument that Americans weren’t
dieing on Saipan before we invaded. The argument is so weak and devoid of
merit it is amazing that a supposedly educated man would have the audacity to
utter it. It is interesting to note, that we have heard similar arguments
from the left before. They criticized efforts to re-build Europe and Japan
after WWII, arguing it would never work. History, however, proved them wrong,
just as it will again. http://edition.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/29/bush.intl/ UN:
Anything that’s critical of the US must be true June 29, 2005 It is widely
known that Al Qaeda training manuals encourage their members to lie about
their treatment if captured, in order to curry favor and win sympathy in the
western media, especially in the US were self hatred among the left has
reached a fever pitch. In recent months, there have been countless,
unsubstantiated allegations of abuse and mistreatment at the US detention
center in Cuba. The vast majority of these reported incidents have been
dispelled, considering that the source of these claims are Al Qaeda members
themselves. The UN, Red Cross and members of Congress have visited the camp
and none have witnessed any torture, yet such unfounded rumors persist. Why?
Because to those anti-American groups out there, if a story is derisive of
the United States, it must be true, regardless of the source and regardless
of the enemy’s intentions. To Europeans, America must be evil and
underhanded, what else could account for their rapid rise to prominence and
their unparalleled successes? Just as more reports of Guantanamo have been
dispelled yet again, we have one of the many “experts” at the UN contending
that the US has set up secret prisons on ships on the high seas, where the US
can torture criminals and terrorists at will. Where do you suppose evidence
of these torture ships come from? Did it come from an informant? A secret
leak at the White House? A former inmate at one of these secret camps? No!
The UN officials have admitted that this new revelation is just a rumor and
according to UN officials rumor is sufficient to launch an “investigation,”
which is code for snow job. Image if our legal system was based on rumor,
conjecture and simple bias as these UN reports clearly are. What a fine
institution we have in the United Nations. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/050628/1/3t7ec.html John Kerry
proves why Americans made the right choice last fall June 29,
2005 Senator John Kerry
of Massachusetts, has yet to come to grips with the harsh reality of his
crushing defeat in last fall’s presidential elections. Kerry in a recent
Op/Ed in the New York Times, how fitting, has offered up his own policy
proposals for the war in Iraq, something he never could manage to do during
last year’s elections. Kerry offers a stinging critic of the president’s
policies in Iraq. In Kerry’s words: “The reality is that the Bush
administration's choices have made Iraq into what it wasn't before the war -
a breeding ground for jihadists.” Kerry further noted that “Our mission in
Iraq is harder because the administration ignored the advice of others, went
in largely alone, underestimated the likelihood and power of the insurgency,
sent in too few troops to secure the country, destroyed the Iraqi army
through de-Baathification, failed to secure ammunition dumps, refused to
recognize the urgency of training Iraqi security forces and did no postwar
planning.” This critic is not only false but it largely contradicts, his own
words during last year’s election campaign. Last year it was the “wrong war
at the wrong time.” Now Kerry criticizes the president for not sending in
more troops. For what purpose would we send in more troops, would that solve
Iraq’s problems today? Would the presence of more troops quench the desire of
Islamic terrorists to undermine Iraqi democracy? No. Indeed, the number of
troops in Iraq today is the highest it has ever been. Kerry also contends
that the US went in largely alone, this is a critique that has been fairly
common amongst the “experts” on the left, but it is a statement that is
devoid of fact. The list United States’ allies that have had troops in Iraq,
reads like a UN membership roster, they include: Britain, Italy, Spain, Poland,
the Netherlands, Korea, Ukraine, Denmark, Australia, Japan and a number of
other countries. Yes it is true that the US committed the vast majority of
the troops, but this is nothing new. The US has the military expertise, the
experience and the population. The US committed the majority of the troops in
Korea, does that make defending the South against communist invasion wrong?
The US committed the majority of troops in World War II (on the western
front), does that make the fight against Nazi tyranny wrong? No it doesn’t
and the US effort in Iraq is not wrong either. Kerry goes on to criticize the
administration for not training Iraqi troops. At this point, one has to
wonder what news Kerry is reading and what planet Kerry is from. The US and
its allies have trained nearly 140,000 Iraqi security forces and it is these
troops who are now bearing the brunt of the insurgency, yet Kerry claims
nothing has been done. To make such a claim is an insult to these people and
further demonstrates how the Senator from Massachusetts has become completely
divorced from reality. In reality the only conflict that Kerry understands is
that one in which the elitist (i.e., Kerry) are pitted against the roobs who
are inferior to him (i.e., Bush). Kerry sees himself as true statesman, while
in reality he is nothing more than a mediocre liberal politician with no
sense of reality. His words clearly demonstrate this fact. What Kerry doesn’t
understand, what he, as a pampered leftist, could never understand, is that
war is about sacrifice and commitment. The US has made a commitment to
establishing a stable and democratic Iraq, one that will not threaten the
region or the larger global community. To achieve that end the US has created
an environment by which free and fair elections could take place, it has
trained thousands of Iraqis to defend their country, it has restored basic
services and public utilities, all this in the face of very vocal and
detrimental criticism from day one and a flood of terrorists pouring across
the border. Why do you suppose these terrorists are coming? Because they are
afraid of the new Iraq, afraid that their radical hate mongering views will
no longer have a place in a democratic Iraq. Developer
targets Justice’s home for hotel June 29,
2005 As anyone who
cares about freedom is aware, last week the US Supreme Court struck a near
fatal blow in the heart of freedom and liberty in America, when it ruled that
local governments were free to seize property to give to wealthy developers,
in order to boost tax revenues. This ruling has opened the door for eminent
domain abuse on an unbelievable scale. Indeed in Freeport, Texas, the move to
seize land for developmental purposes has already begun in earnest as local
officials move to seize waterfront property for a marina. This action was
taken before the ink was dry on the Supreme Court’s decision. All is not
bleak on the eminent domain front, however. An intrepid developer has
notified Towne of Weare, New Hampshire of his desire to develop a piece of
property at 34 Cilley Hill Road. This is significant because that site
currently is the home of liberal Supreme Court Justice, David Souter. Logan
Darrow Clements, informed town officials that the community would certainly
benefit from a hotel at that specific address. The address is important,
Clements noted, because it is the present home of someone responsible for
destroying property rights in America. The proposed development will be known
as the “Lost Liberty Hotel.” We can only hope that Clements is successful in
his petition and the town officials grant the application for the hotel
development, after all, private property is meaningless, the only thing that
matters is tax revenue and how much money can be made, or so the Supreme
Court would have us believe. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3240725 http://www.freestarmedia.com/hotellostliberty2.html End the
shuttle program now… June 28, 2005 It has been
more than two years since the Space Shuttle Columbia made a fiery and tragic
return to Earth. In that time NASA has scrambled to get the shuttle program
back on track. Initially the Shuttle was supposed to return to space this
spring. That target came and went and the target was pushed back to summer.
Now it appears that NASA is off track yet again. What does this tell us about
the space program? It should tell us that NASA’s manned space flight program
is hopelessly off track. It shouldn’t take two years to get these programs up
to safety standards. Indeed, it didn’t take that long to get the Mercury and
Gemini programs off the ground in the first place. NASA’s stubborn reliance
on the shuttle has left the agency hopelessly adrift for years and
demonstrates how far the US Space Agency has fallen since the space race of
generations ago. In that era, problems were tackled quickly, solutions
embraced and implemented in a timely manner. Take the case of Apollo I in
1967, the tragedy in which 3 US astronauts died on the launch pad. By the end
of 1968, not only was the program back on track, but US astronauts were in
orbit around the moon. What accounts for such innovation and progress?
Competition! The US was in a struggle with the Soviet Union, not for profits
but for national pride, which can be equally motivating. Competition stirred
the competitive juices in both countries and gave way to many technological
innovations. Today, NASA has no competitive drive and is content to rest on
their former laurels. This latest setback with the shuttle demonstrates why
the US manned space program is doomed. It should be up to private industry to
pick up where NASA has left off. Private industry is more than capable of
getting the job done, as has been demonstrated recently with the success of
SpaceShipOne. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/28/AR2005062800202.html Support
for Bush declining June 28,
2005 Nothing
pleases liberals and the press more than to report on the difficulties facing
President Bush. Today, USA Today and other media outlets report with glee on
the declining poll numbers of the president. A recent Gallup poll notes that
only 1/3 of Americans feel the US is winning the war in Iraq. What does this
tell us? It tells us that the disinformation campaign of the left is a
rousing success. Many “experts” will site the on going violence in Iraq as
evidence in support of this view, but this violence is symbolic of something
else. It is symbolic of the fact that the media has consistently presented a
bleak view of Iraq from the onset. It is certainly true that Iraq is a
dangerous place, but danger is only one aspect of the Iraq story. The country
has made dramatic progress. As the president has noted, a stable government
is necessary for Iraq’s future and for the ongoing stability of the region
and that step is being accomplished. More and more, Iraqis are shouldering
more of the burden for their security and defense. More and more Iraqi
civilians exercise freedoms that were unheard of under the Saddam era, more
and more the Iraqi government is able to find and hunt down terror cells
operating in its borders. These are success stories. Yes Iraq is violent, but
that is to be expected. We are fortunate that we don’t live in the Civil War,
American Revolution or World War II eras, as the government would have been
compelled to surrender even on the cusp of victory. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-06-27-bush-poll_x.htm Ten
Commandments outrage, yet government still planning to take your property June 28,
2005 The Supreme
Court issued more rulings yesterday and one of them has got the conservative
community in a tizzy. That ruling pertains to the displaying of the Ten
Commandments. The Supreme Court ruled in a Kentucky Case that the display was
a violation of the 1st amendment to the constitution. Its
satisfying to know that, in a era of citing foreign law and precedent, the
court does actually read the Constitution every once in a while.
Conservatives are upset and liberals elated. Most Conservatives are upset
because they see it as an attack on their faith. Liberals, on the other hand,
are elated because they seek to eradicate every last vestige of faith from
our society (a la France). While we at the Phalanx could never be of one
accord with the liberals of our society, we must contend that the Supreme
Court ruling was sound, in this case. A courtroom is no place for a religious
artifact, even if 80% of the population “claim” to be Christians, especially
when their actions tell a different story. Indeed, while the Ten Commandments
doesn’t specifically mention any faith, its display in a courtroom, suggests
a Judeo-Christian bias, which isn’t constitutional and a violation of the
establishment clause of the first amendment. Christians should take heart.
Not a single soul has been saved by displaying these plaques in courthouses.
Indeed, the display of such monuments in courts is a new phenomenon, only
appearing in recent years. One could argue that our society needs faith more
than ever, but one could also argue that even Christ endorsed the premise of
separation of church and state. What should people of faith do then? They
should do as they were instructed to do, lead a Christian example, be models
for their faith and spread the message to all those who will hear it, don’t
use the arm of government to force people to hear. In the first place such
action isn’t scriptural and in the second place, a person who is forced to
hear a message will not be receptive to it and their soul is no more saved
than the atheists who oppose the message. It is truly sad that this issue has
been used by the atheists as a means to strike at people of faith, but those
people of faith should be smart enough to rise above it. What is more disconcerting
is the outrage over this ruling relative to the calm over the eminent domain
ruling last week. We ask again, where is the outrage form conservative and
politicians over the court’s ruling that private property can be seized at
will by local governments? This strikes at the very foundation of America,
yet conservatives still obsess over none issues. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-06-27-scotus-commandments_x.htm New
Iranian president to continue nuke program…big surprise June 27,
2005 Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad is the new president of Iran and in one of his first statements
as president-elect of the Islamic Republic, he has vowed to continue Iran’s “peaceful”
nuclear program. US and other western leaders have expressed concern at the
anointing of the archconservative mayor of Tehran as president. In what was a
major blow to the so-called reformers in Iran, Ahmadinejad won the run-off
with a sweeping majority. In reality, this election means little, after all
it is the hard line clerics who actually rule Iran. It is they who decide who
can run in the first place and it is they who determine the validity of laws.
The new president claims that he will pursue a path of moderation, but his
nuclear ambitions call such rhetoric into question. Iran nuclear program has
been cause more much alarm in Europe and the US as it is believe the Iranians
will use the auspices of peaceful nuclear power to produce atomic weapons.
Given Iran’s past, this is not an outlandish assumption. Sadly, the fate of
the Iranian nuclear program rests with the Europeans, who have been
spearheading the negations, which clearly gives Ahmadinejad the advantage as
the Europeans have propensity for appeasement and the Iranians equally have a
propensity for bullying until they get what they want, which in this case, is
a recipe for disaster. http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5101351,00.html Lame duck
Mr. Schroeder goes to Washington June 27,
2005 German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who brought America bashing, goes to Washington
this week. Schroeder has a lot on his agenda with President Bush, He will
certainly discuss Iraq, the situation with the collapsing European Union, the
war of terror, the election in Iran and of course Germany’s bid to secure a
seat on the Security Council. Schroeder, however, is a lame duck leader, he
is lagging far behind in German opinion polls and is expected to loose in an
election slated for September. Schroeder’s example should serve as a lesson
to all those America hating socialist leaders out there. In 2002, Schroeder
campaigned for re-election on a virulently anti-American platform, he did so
because the German economy was faltering and many rightly blamed the leftist
for the weak standing of the German economy. Schroeder was a shrewd
politician, he realized there was nothing he could do about the economy, so he
played on the jealousies and envy of the German public. He derided America
and its war on terror. As a result the sheep like Germans re-elected their
leader. Then what, well the German’s remembered why they had grown to dislike
Schroeder in the first place: the economy stupid. The economy continues to
slump in Germany, unemployment is at an all-time high and Schroeder has yet
to deliver on any of his promises, now he is poised to loose this September’s
election. Or is he? Make no mistake about it Schroeder’s visit to Washington
this week, will mark the beginning of his re-election campaign. He will go
home to his sheep like constituency and tell that nation how he stood up to
George Bush, demanding a seat on the Security Council and refusing to involve
the Germans in Iraq and so on. The German’s, always accustomed to following
the whims of demigods, will likely fall in to line and return Schroeder to
power. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4625125.stm Disgrace
in Nigeria… June 27, 2005 If you are a
fan of “Evangelist” Benny Hinn, don’t read any further. American “Pastor” and
“evangelist” Benny Hinn recently visited Nigeria for a good old-fashioned
rival meeting. Hinn flew to Lagos in style, greeted by officials and whisked
away to the site of the revival meetings. Hinn promised the people of Nigeria
three days of “miracles” but all he delivered was shame and disgrace and a
disservice to any true Christians. Hinn’s crusade of sorts drew an average
nightly attendance of 300,000 people. Now for a true Christian and man of
God, Hinn should have been happy to have brought the message of Christ’s
sacrifice to nearly a million people, who might otherwise not have heard it.
Hinn, however, isn’t your typical Christian. On the third day, Hinn launched
into a tirade, while on stage, complaining that he had wasted money, time and
equipment on his trip to Nigeria. He was upset that the promised 6 million
attendees did not materialize. Hinn began his tirade while on stage, while we
was supposed to be spreading the Gospel. In a sense he was spreading the
gospel though, the gospel of money for one who was obviously obsesses over
it. To add insult to injury Hinn announced that local organizers would be
left with the bill for the event. Unfortunately, many local organizers
started passing blame, but the real blame lies solely with Hinn. He is the
one, who put the message of money ahead of the message of Christianity. It is
interesting that on the very weekend that Billy Graham embarked on his last
crusade in America, Hinn disgraces Christians abroad. Could you imagine
Graham complaining about how many worshippers attended one of his crusades?
No! He would be grateful to God that those people embraced the word. Hinn is
no more a pastor than any leftist politician walking the streets of San
Francisco. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4619733.stm Another poll on anti-Americanism June 24, 2005 USA Today has
published yet another report on a meaningless poll about how much Americans
are hated in other parts of the world. In this most recent report, some 16
nations were surveyed and low and behold, the vast majority of these nations
cited continued anti-American sentiment. USA Today went one to note that in
some instances, According to
USA Today: “For the What the
media and thus who conduct these surveys hope to accomplish is to further tarnish
the image of the president, rendering him a lame duck with little domestic
support. The problem, however, is the fact that this poll ignores the fact
that anti-Americanism has been fairly consistent in many of these countries
since the birth of our republic. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-23-image-us_x.htm Seizure of land opens the door for
corruption June 24, 2005 As readers of
the Phalanx are obviously aware, the Supreme Courts issued a dreadful ruling
that tramples on the freedoms of every American, violates the spirit of the
US Constitution and makes us tenants in the land of our birth or in our
adoptive homes. Unfortunately, may politicians have been silent on the issue
of land seizure in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. Why do you suppose
that is? Perhaps it is because many politicians, regardless of party stand to
gain, as many are corrupt and do not represent the interests of their
constituents. This ruling will place an enormous burden on the electorate, if
we are to remain free. Voters must carefully examine the record and the deeds
of local politicians and vote out those that will use the newly enumerated
powers of local government to immorally seize private homes and businesses.
The Supreme Court’s ruling that seizures of private land for private economic
development as constitutional is a difficult burden to overcome. It makes
land speculation impossible, it makes all citizens, especially rural and poor
citizens vulnerable to the whims of unscrupulous developers. Court observes
and legal analysts fear, this will open the door for local governments top
seize land as they will be less hesitant to condemn private land, in order to
expand their tax coffers. As we now see, the march of fascism continues
unabated in this country. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-06-23-property-seizures-inside_x.htm WHERE’S
THE OUTRAGE? June
23, 2005 Where’s the ACLU,
where’s all the liberal advocates who supposedly care about the poor, where
are all the advocates for minorities? The answer: nowhere. The concept of
private property is dead and as noted in the dissenting opinions on the
Supreme Court, the chief victims of this ruling will be the poor, the lower
classes…the so-called common man. Why do you suppose that liberals have
orchestrated this constitutional coup and why do you suppose liberal advocacy
groups have remained silent? Because they aren’t advocates at all, at least
not in the commonly accepted sense. These groups are bent on the creation of
a paternalistic state, one in which supreme authority rests in the hands of
the government. It is the government (they hope) that dictates how best to
use our labor and what our labor is worth. It is the government that dictates
what our land is worth, how long we can use it and to whom we must sell it
too. There is a word for this type of government: Fascist. The dawn is here,
the die is cast the true colors have been revealed. No this isn’t
sensationalism. This is reality. By the way, where is the media on this?
Isn’t property ownership the supposed American Dream, well why hasn’t the
media done more to draw attention to what has become the American nightmare? “Home
and business owners' contention that economic development doesn't qualify as
public use is supported by neither precedent nor logic,” noted Justice
Stevens in his majority opinion. Perhaps Mr. Stevens doesn’t understand what
the term public means, if I build a private hotel or condominium complex, in
what way does this constitute a public need? Public implies access by all,
which these projects will not grant. Public implies available for use by all,
which these projects will not provide. Public and private are not synonymous,
yet we are illogical for making such suppositions. You may note that Stevens
in his minority opinion makes reference to “precedent,” in other words
previous actions by courts. What you will notice that is lacking is a
foundation in the US Constitution. Is not the Supreme Court supposed to
determine constitutionality (i.e., are laws and decisions in keeping with the
spirit and letter of the Constitution)? We have all been betrayed by this
heinous ruling, which ranks with Dred Scott (1857) and Plessy vs. TODAY
FREEDOM LOST IN June 23, 2005 In the worst
Supreme Court decision since Dred Scott in 1857, the Court has struck a blow
to the US Constitution and a blow to freedom and liberty in http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/23/AR2005062300783_pf.html June 23, 2005 It is well
known that the North Koreans have faced mass starvation for several recent
years. This is due largely to the failure of the Stalinist regime’s command
economy and the heavy burden placed on the economy by weapons production. The
North Koreans have relegated agriculture and food production to second tier
in order to produce nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. The result has
been a starving population and a dangerous and volatile government, which
distracts its population from the emptiness in their stomachs by claiming the
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4121800.stm Speaking
of June 23,
2005 North and http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-23-koreas-talks_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA Bush calls
for more nuclear power plants June 23,
2005 President
Bush, like every president before him since the energy crisis of the 1970s,
is on the wrong track, barking up the wrong tree and chasing the wrong pipe dream.
Bush declared in a speech yesterday, that the time was right for the http://www.freep.com/money/business/nukes23e_20050623.htm Durbin
apologizes…sort of June 22, 2005 Senator Dick Durbin,
who caused quite a stir last week when he compared US troops to the Nazis has
come full circle and issued an apology for his remarks. Last week, Dick
Durbin of http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/wireStory?id=870374 US can sue
OPEC June 22,
2005 In what is
perhaps one of the most ridiculous moves undertaken by the US Senate since
the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, the Congress has passed legislation
allowing the http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050621/pl_nm/energy_congress_opec_dc_1 U2 Spy
Plane crashes in SW Asia June 22,
2005 The US
Military has reported that a U2 high altitude reconnaissance plane has
crashed somewhere in http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4119344.stm Tom Cruise
to sue for getting wet June 21, 2005 Operating
under the assumption that he doesn’t get wet when it rains, Tom Cruise has
declared war on water in the http://www.itv.com/news/entertainment_1279882.html Rice puts
tin pan dictators on notice June 21,
2005 During a
state visit in http://www.zaman.com/?bl=international&alt=&hn=20900 Private
enterprise, demonstrates (yet again) space innovation June 21,
2005 Coming on the
heals of the successful launch of SpaceShipOne earlier this year, the private
sector has demonstrated yet again that government is not the source of innovation
in a modern world. The Planetary Society, in association with Cosmos Studios
and other private investors have endeavored to launch the first space craft
propelled by the solar wind. Cosmos 1 is a privately funded research vessel
that will be powered exclusively by solar sails. A spacecraft powered by
solar sails works by harnessing the minute particles of light that originate
from the sun (known as the solar wind). In theory, a solar sail powered
vessel is capable of constant and continuous acceleration. This contrasts
with traditional rockets, which are limited by their fuel payloads. Solar Sails, however, have no such
constraints. For you science buffs, you may remember that NASA tried and
failed to get such a project off the ground. Why? Because like many heavily
bureaucratic endeavors, the project was laden with unnecessary weight. Cosmos
1 is set to launch from a http://news.com.com/First+solar+sail+prepares+for+space+launch/2100-7337_3-5754706.html Teen rapes
dog and molests neighbor girls June 20, 2005 The depravity
and debauchery continues in an unceasing pace. Now there are reports that a http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=3456745 Man
reputed to have molested kids 36,000 times June 20, 2005 In what is
perhaps the most unheard of and monstrous case of child molestation in the
annals of modern times, a California man is suspected of having molested kids
some 36,000 times since the 1960s. Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller was a convicted
child molester, in fact he has been convicted of this heinous crime more than
twice. Schwartzmiller, however, has never registered as a sex offender and in
spite of being a repeat child molester, he has only served 12 years in
prison. On yet another arrest for child molestation, police discovered spiral
notebooks documenting thousands upon thousands of cases of child molestation.
Apparently, Schwartzmiller even teemed up with another child molester,
sharing an apartment, as they enticed young boys in to their den of sadism
using gifts and other enticements. Schwartzmiller’s reign of terror includes
the western http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050619/ap_on_re_us/serial_molester_13 “Priest”orders
crucifixion of nun June 20,
2005 A “priest,”
and we use the term lightly, has been arrested on murder charges. Apparently,
this savage, in ecumenical clothing, ordered the crucifixion of a nun.
According to Father Daniel of the Holy Trinity Monastery in http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1119098341918B265 Hostage:
Coalition policy in June 20,
2005 Douglas Wood,
the Australian who was held hostage in http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4109836.stm School
notifies morons en masse June 17, 2005 Recently, the
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050617/ap_on_fe_st/e_mail_mistake_1 EU Budget
impasse highlights French inefficiency June 17, 2005 As about 1%
of the http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=8825890 US lends
support to Jap seat on council June 16, 2005 The tale of http://www.guardian.co.uk/japan/story/0,7369,1508593,00.html Tom Cruise
to wed again…and June 17,
2005 Hollywood
Actor, Tom Cruise has popped the question to another actor, Katie Holmes. If
you own a television, read a newspaper and get your news and information from
the internet then there is no doubt that you have heard some of the news of
this “romance” between Cruise and Holmes. This is after all, the type of
society we live in, one where most kids can tell you all about the trivial
and trashy lives of entertainers and sports stars, but can’t tell you who the
Vice President is or even balance a check book, many of which have never been
to a museum and may never visit a library. Its what we like to call a growing
culture of ignorance, a culture that celebrates the insignificant and
trivializes, learning, family and substance. What else can explain the media
obsession with this so-called romance? Does anyone actually believe that a | |||||
