Got a quickie here from YouTube. It runs 9:36 and it details what happened when Brigitte's mother was wounded in the Israeli-Lebanon conflict. A real eye-opener on the difference between Jewish and Arab culture. Also a big slap in the face for all those that love to drag the Jews and the good nation of Israel through the mud.
Johnny Cash
Look at these 'misunderstanders'. Silly them, don't they know that Islam is peaceful?
With the cacophony of propaganda, half-truths and out and out bald-faced lies, it is hard to seperate the wheat from the chaff so to speak. As the public confidence in the MSM goes south, it is up to us bloggers and other indy media to shed light into dark places. What frustrates me to no end are those individuals who should bloody well know better like Louise Arbour (Are boor?) who love to coddle terrorists and willfully spite Israel. I mean, aren't liberals supposed to be educated and stuff? Why then the kid gloves approach to those who wish to destroy us? Delusion and ignorance increase daily. Yessir, the Devil is hard at work, is he not?
In my last post, I gave a lot of thanks for a lot of things. I thank God for the likes of Caroline Glick, a Jewess who is able to cut through the bafflegab concerning Pierre Gemayel. Listen, I don't know exactly how any ME peace proposal is ever going to work so long as appeasement and surrender are its core components. Asking the terrorists for mercy along the lines of 'O pious Muslim, please don't hurt me!' is a fool's game, one that Israeli Jews understand all too well.
I read with great trepidation that a tentative truce has been reached in Gaza, Israel. I really have nothing to say over this. Another mirage in the desert I guess.
The need for peace in the region is in the Arab's interest too. Jordan's King Abdullah II is saying that there might be three possible wars in the ME in 2007. Clearly, Jordan is caught in the middle. Any kind of war in Israel, Lebanon and Iraq would not serve Jordanian interests.
Irking the Turk Dep't: It should come as a surprise to no-one that there have been massive demonstrations in Turkey over the upcoming papal visit. While the Muslims scream foul, I think it fair to remind you, fair reader, of the institutionalized repression and bias against non-Muslims in Turkey. Of course, it's awfully difficult to point out the splinter in someone else's eye when you have a 2X4 beam stuck in your own eye, isn't it?
I'll just close out this post with two excellent essays from Hugh Fitzgerald and Lorrie Goldstein. Hugh talks about Hamid Mir, and the fact that Mr. Mir refuses to recognize his own slavish mentality that Islam produces. A simpleton who doesn't like to bother with such things as critical thinking and a working conscience would find Islam to be a natural fit. I mean, why bother thinking when you don't have to? Let Islam provide you with its own 'Complete Understanding of the Universe' and park your brain at the door!
Mr. Lorrie Goldstein talks about the enigma that is Prime Minister Stephen Harper and how he has proven much more adept than what his detractors have thought. While Lorrie says quite rightly that this does not guarantee in any way a Tory majority come next federal election, it does at least offer us Canadians some hope that the next election will not be boring.
I have added two more links to my sidebar. The first one is 'JohnnyCash.com' which links to his official website. I think you'll need broadband to fully appreciate it. Under 'Know Thine Enemy' I have included the blog 'Jihadi Du Jour' (don't worry, it's in English). I have contacted the administrator of the blog and you'll find the X-Def included in its blogroll. Yay!
The Man in Black,
Johnny Cash
OK, so I'm well aware that Thanksgiving was done in Canada a month ago and it's now the Americans turn. However, in lieu of a really clever lead-in, giving thanks to God is never a bad idea. Remember, it's not what you're thankful FOR, it's whom you're thankful to that makes all the difference. Silly atheists. What (or whom) do they thank? Themselves? What arrogance!
Why am I as a Canadian thankful? I am thankful for the fact that we care about the downtrodden and the poor, a job I might add is the church's responsibility, not the state. In 2005, Canadians supported charities to the tune of $7.9bn, up a cool billion from 2004. I'm also thankful we have organizations like Quest Food Exchange in Vancouver B.C. that uses near-expired food to feed the hungry. So successful is Quest that it is getting international attention from the likes of Spain, Germany, Jordan and France. Way to go, Quest!
While this may sound silly and a bit shmaltzy, I am thankful that we can have a civil debate about Quebec without resorting to violence. While our own PM says that Quebec is sorta kinda somewhat a 'nation', the rest of Canada does not take to the streets and start burning stuff and killing people. 'Cause lets face it, that really sucks. Actually, I like Rick Mercer's approach the best: Let Quebec separate. Then let other provinces separate and join Quebec. Soon it will be the nation of Quebec. Then we all have a referendum and change the name back to Canada. Simple yet utterly brilliant.
Also from Jihad Watch, reasons to be thankful even when the bad guys seem to have the upper hand. Just remember, for every so-called 'victory' and attack that is initiated by the jihadis, it is also a defeat because more people are becoming aware of Islam's true meaning and intentions. The truth is on our side. Praise God!
This post is coming a day later than what I wanted to but I still feel I have to report the death of Alexander Litvinenko in London, England. Defiant to the end, Mr. Litvinenko fought the good fight but sadly the poison was too high a dose for his body to endure. Actually, nobody knows for sure WHAT exactly killed Mr. Litvinenko. Some say it was thallium (a heavy metal used in rat poison) or some type of radiation poisoning. I'm assuming an autopsy will be done to determine the actual cause of death. Until then we shall have to wait and see.
Be thankful you don't live in France were there are 751 'no-go' zones that the French state does not control. Mr. Pipes calls it what it truly is, which is Dar al-Islam, or plain old-fashioned Muslim intimidation. Plus, if you lived in France, well that would make you French now wouldn't it?
In Lebanon and Israel, things are proceeding nicely. Nicely downhill that is. Both the Lebanese gov't and the Israeli gov't are being undone by the worst form of instability, which is from within rather than without.
This next link from worldnetdaily about the touchy subject of abortion may seem out of place here but please hear me out. People are starting to wake up to abortion's real cost in terms of the rising number of premature births and its proven link to breast cancer. The truth is solidly on our side, a fact no 'pro-choice' advocate can ever refute. Look, if this was any other medical procedure that was leaving this trail of carnage behind it there'd be hell to pay. But because abortion is deemed 'special' (read: a liberal sacred cow), it is all neatly swept under the rug. I am thankful for those who are blowing the whistle on abortion and for showing us its real cost on our society. I am thankful for those who are resisting this war that is being waged against women and children in our streets and in our homes. May God come alongside them and give them the courage they need to fight this bloody practice of legalized infanticide.
God is my Provider,
Johnny Cash
There's been a major political upheaval in Lebanon as Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel has been assassinated by unknown gunmen. While I do NOT believe that this will immediately precipitate a civil war, the long-term (within a year at least) prospects of a stable Lebanese gov't diminishes greatly. Who will benefit from this atrocity? Syrian proxy Hezbollah seems to be the most to gain as they try to grab power. Nothing but trouble will come from this I tell you.
Kings of the East Update: I have been noticing the recent warm relations between India and China just recently. This is not an insignificant partnership, one that entails roughly a third of humanity and a very large market. Will keep you posted on this.
The Devil is in the Details Dep't: The now-surging Democrats are looking for a 'new direction' in Iraq. Well d'uh! Sounds more like trying to declare victory and get the hell out of Babylon. I'm not terribly confident that the recent changing of the guard as it were is somehow going to radically change the situation in Iraq for the better.
Haven't had a Daniel Pipes column in here in a while. So I unsubscribed from the RSS feed and went with the traditional e-mail instead. In this article Mr. Pipes talks about the Israeli-Egyptian peace plan that has fueled anti-Semitism and has cynically provided American arms manufacturers an excuse to trade with corrupt Arab countries. A must read.
I have also been negligent in providing Canadian content as well. Here is an update of that Russian spy caught in Montreal.
Read this story of Charles LeBlanc, a blogger and an independent journalist who was given the business by Saint John's finest (in New Brunswick, not Newfoundland) for taking pictures.
Hooray for B.C. kid Justin Morneau (1B, Minnesota Twins) who was awarded the AL MVP.
It's late again. A short post but still not a bad one.
Johnny Cash
....Is still death last time I checked. It's kinda late so I don't want to dilly-dally too much. I have another article about John Bolton, this time from Sacred Scoop that is definitely worth your time. Just to put a capper on my previous post, so y'all understand.
I think that I may have mentioned before that it is a favorite tactic of the Palestinians to use human shields in their dealings with the IDF. The above photo (compliments of the Jerusalem Post) was taken outside the home of Wael Rajab, a known Hamas operative. The IAF warned Mr. Rajab that his house was going to be struck and so civilians began to gather around his house to protect him. Naturally, the attack was called off. When you hear about civilian casualties in Israel, understand that IDF soldiers aren't horrible brutes who love to kill women and children. No, it is often the so-called Pal leaders that are herding their own people into harm's way. Why do this? To embarrass Israel at any cost of course. If the deaths of a hundred innocent civilians advances the Islamic cause, then so be it. This is not me being unduly harsh or cynical, it is the hard truth of the matter.
Speaking about wages, here are some money figures that will make your jaw drop. It is now estimated that the U.S. is now spending half a trillion dollars ($507bn actually) on Iraq and Afghanistan. $8bn a month is being spent on Iraq alone! Yep, you read correctly. Here's another figure to wrap your head around. In 2006 there were $3.1 trillion worth of mergers and acquisitions, beating the old mark set in 2000. Like I've said before, if most of the wealth of the world can be controlled by the few, then all the wealth of the world can be given to one man, Mr. 666. As companies and indeed entire national economies merge into one, it appears that the tribulation is not as far off as you may think.
More funny money news as British owned BAE Systems are found to bribing a very corrupt Saudi family. What we call bribery, the Saudis refer to it as routine business. A horrible lot these Saudis are. And we are just as foolish to go along with it.
Did you know that Canadian currency is often the most counterfeited in the world? Why is it that the Americans with their plain looking currency have a better handle on this then we do? Most embarrassing!
I leave you with this article from Christian Science Monitor about China's weaponization of space. Not my usual knee-slapper to end a post but it'll have to do. So there.
Johnny Cash
It is becoming more and more difficult these days to speak the truth where it matters. The UN has never been one who has welcomed such plain speakers as Mr. John Bolton, who is the American ambassador to the UN. Plain speaking is anathema to the internationalists at the UN, which is why I think Mr. Bolton's days are numbered.
Gog and Magog Update: Or how to embrace the broad path to destruction. Russia has now become part of the WTO (World Trade Organization) facilitated by none other than the U.S.. A very strange move indeed. Make no mistake however, the Russians still have a few nasty surprises to spring on us if we're not careful. Just ask ex-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with thallium just recently. Or you can ask CSIS, Canada's spy agency whose job it is to capture foreign spies, particularly Russian ones. Then read this story from Thane Burnett, who tells a sordid story of al-Qaida operative Ali Mohamed, who was given free reign by the RCMP and the FBI.
A society that doesn't protect the weakest of the weak or value human life and freedom is one that is headed for disaster. From Bill O'Reilly comes the horror story of George 'The Killer' Tiller, who specializes in late-term abortions. You can cynically call it 'reproductive rights' if you want, but I prefer to call it what it truly is: infanticide. Meanwhile the war on women and children continues in the form of human trafficking. A big thumbs up to Vatican official Cardinal Renato Martino for bringing this injustice to light. As Christian children are being beheaded in Indonesia, some scumbag named Hasanuddin is pulling out all the lame excuses saying that local authorities were doing nothing to prevent anti-Muslim atrocities. Which of course makes the slaughter of infidel children a perfectly viable excuse.
I've got five links in international news that I think are worth your time.
In the Netherlands, the gov't is finally showing some backbone in banning the burka. Good. I have no problem with the headscarf, but a full burka is a bit much.
You have to give marks to Bush for his bull-headed insistence on renewing talks with North Korea. These perpetual talks are nothing more than a ruse, used by the likes of North Korea and Iran to buy much needed time to build their nuclear weapons. Plus this link has a very funny picture that is an absolute must see. I tried to post it here but I think blogger doesn't like bitmap pictures, only jpg's.
In Israel, soldiers there found advanced military equipment in Gaza. I suspect most of this stuff has Western (read: British, French and American) origins. Why are we funding Hamas? Doesn't Israel have enough on its plate? Speaking of Hamas, PM Ehud Olmert has indicated that as long as Kassam rockets continue to land in Sderot, the time for targeted assassinations of Hamas officials may begin again. God, I hope not. Please keep Israel in your prayers.
In London, Henry Kissinger (yes, he's still alive) has told the BBC that a military victory in Iraq is unlikely, if not impossible.
In just under three hours as of posting time, the Grey Cup will kick off in Winnipeg between the Montreal Alouettes and the B.C. Lions. Gotta love that three-down football. While B.C. is favored, it should be another tight game between two very good teams. A pick 'em, but I'm cheering for the Lions.
I have added three more links to the sidebar. They are the World Federalist Movement, Cox and Forkum (editorial cartoons) and a new blog called Whatever He Says. Please peruse them and tell me what you think.
Johnny Cash
Who is ERE? Why it's Shania Twain of course. Along with Johnny Cash's music, I thoroughly enjoy Shania's music on my morning commute to work. She certainly knows how to bring light into an otherwise dark day.
Johnny Cash
Why is Pope Benedict XVI so keen on going to Turkey, a country that is 99% Muslim? While I'm well aware that the seven churches found in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in Asia Minor, aka Turkey, I still fail to see the point. This is a potential disaster in the making and I'm sure everyone will be holding their collective breath while Benny is in Turkey. Sounds to me like everyone will be going all out in terms of the Pope's safety, but I still have to question the Vatican's judgement. If even a small number of innocent Turks die, you know that Rome will get all the blame regardless. Sorry Benny, I luv ya baby but I have to disagree with this foreign visit of yours.
Johnny Cash
The Challenge of Protecting Pope Benedict XVI in Turkey
Nov 17, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI will begin his first papal visit to a predominantly Muslim country Nov. 28 when he arrives in Turkey for four days of private meetings, public masses and other events. The trip, which already has generated some death threats against the pope, has both Turkish and Vatican security on high alert.
Tensions between Muslims and Benedict XVI flared up in September when the pope made remarks at Germany's University of Regensburg that seemed to refer to Islam as "evil." Although the pope later sought to clarify his comments, the incident reopened Muslim wounds caused by the controversy earlier in the year over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
In light of recent incidents -- as well as the ongoing militant threat in Turkey -- security officials in Turkey, Vatican City and Italy are taking threats against the pope very seriously. On Nov. 2, a Turkish man fired several shots at the Italian Consulate in Istanbul and threatened to shoot Benedict XVI during his visit to Turkey. The man, who was subsequently arrested, is believed to have acted alone. In Turkey, Mehmet Ali Acga, who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981, said from prison Sept. 20 that Benedict XVI should not visit Turkey, and suggested that the pontiff's life would be in danger if he went ahead with his plans.
That same day, Rome's city prosecutor launched an investigation into threats against the pope posted on the Internet by Iraqi jihadist groups. The head of the prosecutor's anti-terrorism department said the investigation would focus on statements intended to incite people to take action against a head of state. Because the pope is the head of state of the Vatican, threats against him receive the same level of attention from intelligence and law enforcement as do threats against any other head of state. His status as head of state also affords him the highest level of protection.
At home in Vatican City, the pope is protected by two modern security corps: the centuries-old Swiss Guards and the Gendarmerie Corps of the State of Vatican City. Additional security is provided by plainclothes agents and Italian Carabinieri, federal police who patrol outside the square and stand ready as sharpshooters atop buildings during public ceremonies.
While abroad, the pope travels with a plainclothes security detail of Swiss Guards, which operates in a manner similar to the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) or the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), organizations charged with protecting the president and U.S. diplomats overseas. The Vatican's security forces are every bit as proficient as the USSS and DSS.
It is important to note, however, that the host country ultimately is responsible for protecting visiting heads of state. Thus, Turkey will collect intelligence on the national level in advance of and during the trip. In addition to Vatican and Turkish efforts, various other intelligence agencies will be looking for possible threats to the pope's safety.
Arrangements between Vatican and Turkish security forces would have been made months before the pope's visit, starting with an agreement between the two on how they will operate together. As part of the agreement, agents from Vatican security would have been deployed to Turkey about a month prior to the visit in order to assess the security situation and determine potential vulnerabilities at the sites the pontiff will visit. During this time, Vatican security will be working closely with the Turkish Security General Directorate and National Intelligence Agency, which will be compiling its own security assessments.
Sweeps for potential troublemakers already are under way in the cities the pope will visit, and Turkish police will pick up suspected subversives and mentally disturbed people who have made threats against the pope's life. To this end, Vatican security will provide a list of people who have attempted to contact the pope with threats. As the visit approaches, Turkish authorities will likely announce that several "thwarted plots" against the pope have been uncovered during these sweeps.
However, as media coverage heats up in the lead-up to the visit, the furor over the Regensburg remarks, and possibly the cartoons, could re-ignite, especially in a country that is more than 99 percent Muslim. In any case, demonstrations by religious and student groups can be expected, most likely at pre-authorized locations. In that case, vigilance by security forces will be high to ensure the protests do not get out of hand.
As the pope's arrival date approaches, security forces will take their positions around the locations on his itinerary. Sweeps for explosives will be conducted in these areas and countersniper support will be scanning rooftops and windows. Once in Turkey, Benedict XVI will travel in motorcades of armored vehicles, which will include decoy cars.
The pope plans to spend one night in Ankara and two in Istanbul, though information on his lodgings has not been released. Choices include the Holy See Embassy Residence in Ankara and the Hilton Istanbul hotel, where U.S. President George W. Bush stayed on his visit to Turkey in June 2004.
A hotel stay would present more security challenges for the pope's protective detail than would a stay in a state-owned residence. Should he lodge at a hotel, security will have to run checks on all the other guests staying there during his visit. Moreover, the day-to-day commercial operations of the hotel will present many security vulnerabilities, especially with caterers, laundry, cleaning staff and other personnel constantly coming and going.
A residence owned by the Vatican, on the other hand, can be better secured, and occupants and staff more thoroughly vetted to screen for infiltrators or individuals with nefarious agendas. There also would be less vulnerability from caterers, laundry and other hotel staff coming and going.
The pope's itinerary includes several stops in Ankara and Istanbul, as well as at the sites of ancient Christian communities in Smyrna and Ephesus. In Ankara, the pope will meet with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Turkey's highest Muslim authority, Grand Mufti Ali Bardakoglu, who is head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate. In addition to Vatican security, the pope will be protected by the high security that normally surrounds Turkish leaders. These meetings, as well as others with Turkish Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders, will take place at controlled venues and will be attended by screened and invited guests only. These venues also can be easily locked down and screened for improvised explosive devices.
Potentially vulnerable points will be at Meryem Ana Evi Shrine in Ephesus when the pope celebrates mass there Nov. 29, and at Istanbul's Cathedral of the Holy Ghost, where he will deliver a homily Dec. 1, the last day of his trip. Although those events are open to the public, the venues will be thoroughly swept for bombs beforehand, and all participants and the entire congregation will be screened for weapons and explosives.
Even without the tensions surrounding Benedict XVI's visit to Turkey, the history of attacks and plotted attacks against his predecessor requires that security be high at all times. The most serious attack in recent memory came when Acga shot Pope John Paul II twice in the abdomen as the pope entered St. Peter's Square in an open-air convertible. Almost a year after that attack, on May 12, 1982, an ultraconservative Spanish priest who believed the pope was an agent of Moscow approached John Paul in Fatima, Portugal, with the intent of stabbing him with a bayonet, though the man was stopped and arrested before he could reach the pontiff. In 1995, Abdel Basit plotted to kill Pope John Paul II during a visit to the Philippines.
Any papal visit to a foreign country presents significant security challenges. However, given the recent tensions between Christians and Muslims -- and particularly between this pope and Muslims -- this visit will require an even higher level of vigilance.
Copyright 2006 Strategic Forecasting Inc. All rights reserved.
No doubt about it, we are living right on the edge. The above photo taken from the Beeb is an actual road leading out of La Paz, Bolivia. It's a winding one-track dirt road with no guardrails high up in the Andes. One false move and you're done for. Sort of like how the world is right now. Anyhow I haven't posted in a few days so we've got lots to cover.
This link from bilderberg.org is little out there but I believe is worth your time. Everything you wanted to know about Yale's Skull and Bones society, Bush and Kerry, the Nazis and the occult. Not for the faint of heart.
Get some good intelligience today from stratfor.com. Listen to Colin Chapman as he gives an audio brief on the latest news events. Requires Real player or winamp.
Some business news as I believe the world economic system is falling rapidly into place. While Canada supports an Asia-Pacific free trade region, the Europeans are creating an EU share market.
Reason #3 why it sucks to be a Canadian soldier stationed at Kandahar. If the blistering heat and the Taliban don't get you, then perhaps the flooding and knee-deep mud will.
Science is Phun Update: Two links, one from Sacred Scoop on global warming and from the Beeb a cool article on 'dark matter'.
I've got some good news here that will lift your spirits. First read about what Gospel for Asia workers are doing in India. Then you can get a really good laugh at this next story about dumb criminals on how not to use a gun. Many are clueing in on Islam's aggressive nature, including military officers and the RAND Corp. think tank. And why many still think that the city of Jerusalem is a very special place.
That's it for now. It's late again and time for me to go to bed. I'll probably post again on Saturday so do watch this space. Thanks for your patience.
Johnny Cash
With apologies to americaningermany at Jihad Watch. I just had to post his comments. They are probably far closer to the truth than any left-winger would ever care to admit.
Subject: Democrat Agenda
7:00 P.M. Opening flag burning
7:15 P.M. Pledge of allegiance to UN
7:30 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
7:30 P.M. Nonreligious prayer and worship - Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton
8:00 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
8:05 P.M. Ceremonial tree hugging
8:15 P.M. Gay Wedding - Barney Frank Presiding
8:30 PM. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
8:35 P.M. Free Saddam Rally. Cindy Sheehan - Susan Sarandon
9:00 P.M. Keynote speech. The proper etiquette for surrender -
French President Jacques Chirac
9:15 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
9:20 P.M. Collection to benefit Osama Bin Laden kidney transplant fund
9:30 P.M. Unveiling of plan to free freedom fightersfrom Guantanamo Bay - Sean Penn
9:40 P.M. Why I hate the Military, a short talk by William Jefferson Clinton
9:45 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
9:50 P.M. Dan Rather presented Truth in broadcasting award- presented by Michael Moore
9:55 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
10:00 P.M. How George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld brought down the World Trade Center Towers - Howard Dean
10:30 P.M Nomination of Hillary Rodham Clinton - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
11:00 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
11:05 P.M. Al Gore reinvents Internet
11:15 P.M. Our Troops are War criminals - John Kerry
11:30 P.M. Coronation Of Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
12:00 A.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast
12:05 A.M. Bill asks Ted to drive Hillary home
Now onto the news.
A day after Remembrance Day and it's still not too late to talk about our newest veterans. Two links on American women and on Canadian women who have served their country with valor and honor. Well done ladies!
Danger, Danger Everywhere! It is not getting any better out there. A road leading from La Paz, Bolivia is child's play compared to the threats the West faces, from within and without. As the Democrats assume control of Congress, there are snakes in the grass who want to coddle terrorists and abandon Americans. Take the story of Dearborn, Michigan (called Dearbornistan by the local populace) for instance. John Conyers and Nancy Pelosi want to make racial profiling there a crime. The enforcing of American law is seen as racist? Muslims are just giddy over this.
The danger is not restricted to America's shores either. The Bush bashing has just encouraged the likes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has said that no-one can do a damn thing to stop Iran's nuclear ambitions. Can't or won't? Does it make a bloody difference? The Dems have no clue how to deal with the likes of Iran's Thug-In-Chief. No doubt more 'diplomacy' and endless talks will be employed as the ME rushes headlong into war. Naturally, Israel is alarmed over this and has made its own threats by Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh. What do the Iranians do? Cry foul and run under the skirt of an impotent and dhimmified UN. Is anyone surprised?
In Afghanistan, things are deteriorating too. Five years and what does the West and NATO have to show for their efforts? Try a four-fold increase this year in the death toll. If the Afghanis want the Taliban that badly, let them have it. Islam is Afghanistan's problem. Until our gov'ts make that connection, our men and women in uniform will continue to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perilous times indeed.
Look, when the Director-General of MI5 says that there's a problem, then there's a problem. As I understand things, the D-G is not one who craves the spotlight but rather shuns it. Please read Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller's assessment of Islamic terror in Britain and do take her words most seriously. I certainly would.
It doesn't stop there. It is dangerous to be a journalist in Iraq. It's dangerous to be a politician in Lebanon who doesn't see eye to eye with Hizbollah officials. It's dangerous if you're a Christian who wishes to make their faith public against the militant atheist onslaught. When telling the truth is considered a 'hate crime' or gets you killed or thrown in jail, you know that this time of grace that God has given us is coming to an end. My friend, Jesus is coming soon. The signposts are passing us by every day. Will you be ready when He comes?
As a postscript, congrats to both the Montreal Alouettes and the B.C. Lions who will be the two contestants for this year's Grey Cup in Winnipeg.
Another late night post. Gotta go. It's just past midnight and I've got work tomorrow.
Johnny Cash
Please pray over our troops, whether they be American, Canadian or British in whatever God-forsaken land they are serving.
I hope you did that whole two minutes silence thing at 11:00 this morning. I think as each Remembrance Day passes, it's less and less about the old guys (and girls) who served in WWII, Korea or Vietnam and more about this new generation of soldiers that are now serving in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Here's a cool video that was sent to me called 'A Pittance of Time' by Terry Kelly with thanks to Fred. Just click on the 'mpeg' link and it should start up no problem.
I'll just be quick here as it is late in the evening as I am posting this. I was hoping to do a full post but this will have to do for now. I've got some good stuff from the BBC. Here are some interviews from the Beeb's 1998 archives, the eightieth anniversary of the end of WWI.
You can also read these gut-wrenching accounts of the Battle of the Somme, the French-German battle of Verdun (both the Somme and Verdun were fought in 1916) and the mostly British led battle of Passchendaele (or the 3rd Battle of Ypres). And just to cover all our bases, a link on the failed Eastern Front of WWI which gave Russia (and the world) the Bolshevik Revolution.
Has Man learned about the folly of war? No, sadly he has not. You can also read the account of the citizens of Beit Hanoun, Gaza who came under Israeli tank shelling. I am not besmirching Israel because I know it is caught between a rock and hard place, however I decided to show the link because it's important to see the real cost of war.
Please note that I have added some links and an extra header on the sidebar to your right. Under the 'I Love Israel' banner I have included such luminaries as Haaretz, Debka, Jerusalem Online and Israel Insider. I have deleted Zionist.com because they have not posted in a month. Do make use of these links as I believe that they are very useful and informative.
Lest We Forget,
Johnny Cash
When I look at what happened yesterday at the American elections, it occurs to me that we are definitely moving towards the tribulation era. Not always by leaps and bounds, but by inches and degrees (nice segue, no?). Any serious plans about American military action against Iran's nuke facilities is now 100% dead in the water. An inwardly focused Bush administration is far less likely to intervene elsewhere. Make no mistake, the message coming out of Washington these days will be 'Fend for yourself!'. Nuclear proliferation in the ME and in the Pacific Rim countries stands to accelerate rather than diminish. North Korea will become more emboldened. And so on and so on. Call it a domino effect if you will, albeit in slo-motion for now. No, the end is not nigh, but it is a lot closer than you may think.
Well that didn't take long, did it? Out with the old and in with the new as they say. While the world celebrates Bush's comeuppance, Donald Rumsfeld is out and Nancy Pelosi is in as the new Madam Speaker of the House of Representatives. Saw Rummy's resignation a mile away. Really, there is no substitute for victory.
I also got a good laugh from the Liberals who are desperately trying to link this with Harper's mediocre polling across the country. A Liberal accusing Mr. Harper for being 'divisive'? WTF!?! What the heck was Adscam anyways? Gosh, that went well over in Quebec, dinnit? Honestly, these Liberals know no shame. Lie, cheat, steal. Do whatever it takes to grab power at any cost. Which is not to suggest that the Conservatives are a bunch of little darlings, because they're not. There is a world of difference between Bush's six years of majority control and Harper's ten MONTHS of minority control. Despite some bumps, these last ten months have been relatively quiet compared to the decade of Liberal arrogance and mismanagement under Mr. Chretien and Mr. Martin. Would love to see a Harper majority come 2007. Seeing the horrified expressions on the faces of die-hard Liberal voters would be priceless.
Doctor Frankenstein, paging Doctor Frankenstein! What? Oh, never mind.
Is it or isn't it? This next article on the rise of violent crime in Canada is so bloody typical of the 'balanced' reporting that we see in this country. The title clearly states that crime, especially involving handguns, is rising. Why then do we need some know-nothing acadamia type to immediately contradict these findings? I mean, which one is it? Is crime going up or is crime going down? This is what passes for journalism nowadays. Small wonder I get frustrated.
As Australia suffers from its fourth year of drought, it may be tiny Israel which leads the world against the ravages of desertification.
Here's a news flash: Russians are corrupt! Russians are corrupt! Try to the tune of $240bn, or what amounts to the entire state revenues.
No PC in India as Muslims barred from holding positions within the government's spy agency that works with sensitive intelligience. Muslims and intelligience? Now that's a good one! Note: Please let me know if this link expires.
More trouble in God's Holy Land as Hamas vows revenge (y'know, for like the thousandth time) as 18 killed in the Gaza Strip by IDF forces. Remember, these people think nothing of using human shields to cover up their nefarious deeds. Please consider that before jumping to any conclusions over this.
Gotta go. I'm tired!
Johnny Cash
Man I love this stuff. Obviously, I prefer watching Canadian politics but this will do. Yep, I'm a political junkie through and through. As I see it, Christians cannot afford to just sit on our hands when it comes to politics. Decisions are made everyday, and it's better that we get involved in those decisions than not. You either take a vested interest or be satisfied that someone else who is not sympathetic to the Judeo-Christian worldview to be making decisions for you. Secular politics is certainly a dirty, mean and nasty business and not for the faint of heart. As an example, our English friend dizzyfatplonka is actively involved with the British National Party. Good. At least he's doing something about it. Just don't be apathetic when it comes to politics. As we come up to Nov. 11 to honor our glorious dead and our vets, it is good to remind ourselves that a flawed democracy is still something worth fighting for.
In case you have insomnia or just have WAAAY too much time on your hands, from yahoo.com comes the mid-term races that went on across the U.S..
Speaking of which, what does the GOP have to do to convince Jewish voters that it has Israel's interests at heart? Still can't figure that one out. In what I think is supreme irony, there may be more Jews elected to Congress than ever before and yet strangely diminishing the overall amiable American-Israeli relationship. I do certainly hope that this brings some much needed change over what the Bush administration has been doing in Iraq. The Dems aren't likely to 'cut and run' as some neo-Cons would suggest but I do think that the overall strategy will get a much needed facelift. America will be looking more inwardly than ever before, keen to get its own house in order before it engages in any more foreign policy adventures. All of this of course is a boon to America's and Israel's enemies (read: Iran, Syria, Russia, China and North Korea) who will use this lull between now and January of 2009 to move about freely without fear of American military intervention. The only thing I think more fearsome than a flawed American foreign policy is probably none at all.
I've still got some other stuff that you might like.
In Calgary, a shocking story of poppy theft by thieves as young as 8 years old! Actually, stories like these happen every year. I imagine some older kids putting these impressionable young ones up to it as a bunch of silly 'I double-dare you' games. Still, it does upset me and a whole bunch of other people who care.
Three cheers for Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic who is calling Arab refusal to acknowledge Israel's right to exist as the main obstacle to peace in the region. Plus he openly states that Jerusalem is indeed Israel's true capital. Wow! Now if only Condi was willing to say the same then we'd really be cooking.
The Church of England, in a rare fit of orthodoxy, has come out against the Royal Mail for sending out Christmas cards that make no mention of Christ. Actually, I dread Christmas for the exact same reason. It's mostly a pagan celebration of food, wine and gifts that divorced itself from the occasion of Christ's birth a long, long time ago.
British Colonel Paul Farrar is now saying that the Western-funded neophyte Afghan army is at least 10 years away from being ready. In other words, Canadian and British troops will probably have to stay there 10 years till that time arrives.
Did you know that China's foreign currency reserves now top the one trillion dollar mark?
While you're at it, read about the deterioration of Turkish-EU relations and what that means to ME stability in an already volatile region.
From frontpagemag is an excellent piece on the Saddam Hussein verdict simply titled 'Justice Served'.
Lastly from realtruth.org, a sobering look at the world's dwindling food supply.
Johnny Cash
It was a stellar week for Canadian sports and specifically for Toronto sports fans. In the Canadian Football League, two games were played today in Toronto and in Calgary. The first game saw the Toronto Argonauts defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 31 - 27 on some late heroics by backup QB Michael Bishop (see above). The Calgary Stampeders committed seven turnovers and stunk at McMahon Stadium, losing 30 - 21 to the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders. Plus the Leafs managed a rare 4 - 1 win in Buffalo and the Toronto Raptors are hoping to build on a stellar pre-season and gain a playoff berth this season. Whew! Who knew that sports would be that demanding?
Jihad in Canada: Make no mistake, we are on the front lines fighting against jihad whether we like it or not. This next link is I believe a little dated but is worth posting anyways. Read the story of Muslim-Canadian Abdullah Khadr and his gun-running for al-Qaida. From canada.com comes the story of Dr. Tawfik Hamid, once a member of Egypt's Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya who has now defected. The reason for Sunni (but not Shia) suicide bombers according to Dr. Hamid? Old fashioned lust for those 72 virgins. I always thought Muslim societies were a wee bit sexually repressed and there goes my proof. Speaking of Egypt, Hugh Fitzgerald offers us his opinion on Egypt, the Gaza and Israel. A must read.
Who said Sunday is boring? In Iraq, Saddam Hussein has been found guilty of crimes against humanity. This verdict was far from a certain. Three of Saddam's defence lawyers were killed and one judge walked away from the case. Saddam himself was constantly bullying the judge and mocking the whole process with his frequent outbursts. So while justice appears to be served, there are fears that more bloodshed will follow along sectarian lines. In other words, situation normal. I am also looking very carefully for this Tuesday's mid-term elections in the U.S. where Bush and the Republicans may lose control of the House. As I see it, if the Democrats don't self-destruct (which they have a horrible habit of doing) they might actually bring some accountability to the political process especially pertaining to American contracts being awarded in Iraq. Granted I'm a hopeless optimist when it comes to this stuff. I just hope that God will use these elections for something good. As a Canadian, I find this political process very foreign to me. No such thing as half an election here. It's basically all or nothing with the occasional by-election thrown in for good measure.
Two more links and then we're done.
Michael Nazir-Ali who is the Bishop of Rochester has come out to condemn Muslim hypocrisy. Get used to this. There will be many more clergy and those in high positions who are speaking out against Islam. A trickle will soon be a flood.
Did you know that China has completed $1.9bn worth of business with African nations? They've also promised $5bn in loans, debt forgiveness and the doubling of foreign aid. An interesting development in the Bible's 'Kings of the East' scenario for sure.
Hope you enjoyed your weekend,
Johnny Cash
Or you just might get it. I love Frank and Ernest!
Why does God judge? It seems harsh to think of God as judge, doesn't it? Well, one of the OT books in the Bible is called 'Judges' after all, so I do think it's appropiate. You see friends, God does not merely judge, He just gives us everything that we've asked for all along. A person finding themselves in Hell is there because he/she has chosen it of their own free will. God will never, ever trample human sovereignty underfoot. The way you choose to lead your life determines your eternal destiny. If you seek redemption, forgiveness and fellowship with God, you will find it, guaranteed! Those who choose to live their life as if God doesn't exist, that the Bible was never written or Jesus' sacrifice on the cross never happened should have no hope of salvation. None. Look, Christianity is not a difficult doctrine. Those who seek the Lord's favor with their whole heart will find it. Those who don't are on the broad path to their own destruction. There is NO third path. Which path have you chosen?
We have a lot of stuff to cover today so let's get right to it.
Let's start with Israel, the land (and it's people) that I love. It seems UNIFIL's mission is going exactly according to plan, in other words it's all downhill from here if you happen to be a Jew. Yep, patrol only during the day while Syria arms Hezbollah by night. Brilliant. And why are the Americans training the Palestinians to be better terrorists? Does the term 'lipstick on a pig' mean anything to these clueless dolts?
None of these things are going to work and I'll tell you why. Just like in Iraq or Afghanistan, the problem is Islam, plain and simple. Get the Muslims out of that slavish mindset and you will see a renaissance the likes of which you and I cannot possibly even imagine. There can be no peace in Islam. Why should we be forced into negotiations with those who are more than willing to sacrifice their women and children for the cause of Allah? It is a religion that extolls human sacrifice, a practice we associate with cannibal tribes and various other forms of barbarism.
For me, there are some clear solutions to this problem. Weakness fosters anti-Semitism. It is weakness that makes us unsure of who we are and what we stand for and emboldens the enemy. How can we win if we do not know ourselves or the enemy's true intentions?
Axis of Evil Update: One of the things that Iranian nuclear ambitions is doing is the threat of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East (cool jpg here). The Iranians are also celebrating the attack on the American embassy in Tehran in 1979 while Iraqi leaders urge restraint in the upcoming verdict in Saddam's trial.
Here's one from the CBC about the good people of Edmonton holding a rally for the troops stationed in Afghanistan. Which brings up another thing that bothers me. This whole 'Support the Troops' thing is tiresome. Look, for me, the question of supporting our troops has never been in question. I find the question to be a complete red herring actually. The real question is 'Do we support our troops in Afghanistan'?. There seems to be few people in power who have truly grasped what Islam is all about. How many have done research on Islam beyond the state-sponsored PC pablum that we're supposed to feed on? Islam, not al-Qaida or the Taliban, is Afghanistan's problem. It is Islam itself which poses the insurmountable obstacle to peace and modernity. All our so-called leaders are quick to condemn the 'militant' version of Islam while upholding its supposedly 'moderate' version. No, the whole damn thing is rotten, through and through. Let some brave Canadian politician come forward to say such things and he (not a she) will be hung, drawn and quartered by the leftist media in this country. Better to believe in a beautiful lie than an unpleasant truth I guess.
Four more lines of thought to close out this post.
In Britain, Big Brother and the surveillance society have arrived.
In Asia, a destructive cycle of drought and flood is causing massive water management problems.
The Supreme Court is once again finding itself in the thick of controversy over 'partial birth' abortions. So let me see if I've got this one straight. You rip a late-term baby, which is a living human being, out of the womb and murder it. Then have the nerve to call it 'sexual freedom' and 'pro-choice'. I live in bizarro world I tell you.
In Iraq, U.S. troops are coming under a new threat: enemy snipers. If you have javascript, here's the story in pictures.
Johnny Cash
I haven't posted in a few days so I'm breaking the shut out by posting this interesting development. As I understand it, the Harper gov't has closed a major tax loophole that was bleeding this country dry. Even the Liberals and the NDP were aware of this, so don't expect them to cry too much over it. The whole BCE and Telus announcements amounted to giving the gov't a big fat middle finger, a move that no gov't will ever take sitting down. After all, other companies would follow and the gov't would be out of the loop. In this article stratfor suggests that this may prove to be a positive thing for the majority-seeking Conservatives come election time in 2007.
Johnny Cash
Canada: A Tax Loophole Closes
Nov 03, 2006
Summary
The Canadian government has unexpectedly and abruptly closed a tax loophole -- a move that has raised an angry outcry among investors. Despite accusations of false promises and irresponsibility, the government may have just secured itself a stronger mandate.
Analysis
The Canadian government announced Nov. 1 that it plans to end the tax advantages of a popular corporate structure known as an "income trust." An income trust is a "flow-through" entity that allows companies to distribute income to shareholders from pre-tax profits rather than from taxed profits, as is the case for a standard corporation. The structure proved popular not only with Canadian firms seeking tax breaks, but also with foreign investors seeking a regular source of dividends; most trusts pay out their profits as dividends as they receive them, granting holders of their stocks regular (often monthly) sources of income.
The Nov. 1 move came as a surprise; the Conservative government, elected earlier this year, had campaigned on a pledge not to raise taxes on trusts.
Many in the financial community responded angrily to the decision, denouncing the move on various grounds -- that it is a betrayal of investors, that it is bad for the Canadian economy, that financial flows will avoid the country and that the surprise announcement sucker-punched the markets. As one might expect, investors reacted rather badly to the news, with the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) diving 2.38 percent Nov. 1. Predictably, the 255 income trusts listed in the market were the worst hit, typically losing between one-tenth and one-fifth of their value.
Yet, despite the Conservatives' campaign promise, ending the income trust tax structure was both an inevitability and a necessity. Income trusts in Canada had effectively become a major tax loophole that had gotten out of hand.
Once confined mainly to the real estate and energy sectors, Canadian income trusts have ballooned to include companies across a broad spectrum of the economy. The trusts currently make up 11 percent of the TSX's market value -- roughly CAN$230 billion (US$205 billion) in market capitalization. Until the Nov. 1 change, Canada was alone among the major states in allowing such trusts to function in any broad manner. The old law did bring in billions in investor cash as foreigners sought a way to get regular, tax-free income, but this influx came at a cost.
First, the spreading popularity of income trusts essentially changed Canada's tax structure by shifting the burden away from corporations and toward personal income tax. Second, because the tax exemption applied only to distributed earnings, as opposed to retained earnings, it altered how companies allocated their profits. They now had much less incentive to retain those earnings and reinvest them in equipment, technology or other assets that would generate future growth in the economy. Put another way, Canada was becoming a sort of offshore financial center, at the cost of lower investment in its own economic development.
The final straw for the government was a recent pair of announcements by two of Canada's biggest companies -- telecommunications firms Telus Corp. and BCE Inc. -- of their intent to convert themselves into trusts.
Although those affected by the change have been vocal, the long-term fallout will likely be minimal (at least among those not enamored of the income trusts). The change will be phased in during the next four years for existing trusts, easing the transition. Indeed, Nov. 2 -- the day after the TSX's 2.38 percent fall -- the index recovered slightly, ending up 0.67 percent. Valuations of companies structured as income trusts will fall somewhat as investors who were only interested in the income trust structure move on, but even though their overall tax burden will obviously rise, such firms' underlying fundamentals will be unchanged.
One potential effect will be a temporary weakening of the Canadian dollar from its current level of about 0.89 to the U.S. dollar, as those foreign investors who came to Canada only for the income trusts -- accounting for slightly less than one-quarter of that market -- pull out their money. Many of these foreigners collect the pretax distributions the income trust system allowed and then repatriate the dividends to their own countries, often circumventing their local tax authorities. The trusts have been particularly popular with U.S. investors. Foreign investors in Canadian markets may therefore be particularly prone to liquidate their investment trust holdings and, by extension, their Canadian dollar holdings.
Though investors will no doubt hotly dispute it, the decision may even increase support for the government. The Conservatives are not a monolithic party but a coalition of two factions: a federalist, pro-business faction that is the remnant of the former Progressive Conservative Party, and the populist and confederal faction -- led by current Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- formerly known as the Canadian Alliance Party (which itself originated from the Reform Party).
Harper will have little problem explaining to his grassroots allies in Canada's Prairie Provinces that a tax regime allowing foreign investors and big business to evade taxes needed changing -- a line that may well appeal to the left of Canada's political spectrum as well.
And although business leaders -- predominantly supporters of the Conservative government -- are currently wailing and gnashing their teeth, their loyalty to the government is secure. After all, they certainly are not going to throw their lot in with the scandal-ridden (not to mention leaderless) Liberal Party, which they just recently helped throw out of government, much less the left-wing New Democrats or the Bloc Quebecois.
All this will be of critical importance in the coming spring when the Conservatives intend to call for early elections in hopes of strengthening their current minority government. Far from destroying the government's credibility, the income trust issue could, in a few months, be the issue that secures the Conservatives a new -- and much stronger -- mandate.
Copyright 2006 Strategic Forecasting Inc. All rights reserved.
