Wednesday, October 22, 2014

It’s Not You, Islam, It’s Us

Here's the latest news from the 8th century  "A man and a woman have been stoned to death for adultery in separate executions in jihadist-controlled areas of Syria, a monitoring group reported on Tuesday.
...
"Syrian society better get used to this, along with other 8th century niceties like crucifixion, cutting off limbs, deliberate blinding - all the enlightened punishments that any 8th century peasant would recognize.

"In other news, a camel set the land speed record, galloping more than 20 MPH in the desert outside of Raffqa..."

Andrew Klavan (From Feb. 2012)    "What else do you expect? Pre-medieval people who believe they are called by God to reduce the rest of the world to their own state of misery are going to kill people when you insult them. That’s how they roll.

"The problem isn’t them. It’s us."...

... "My point is this. We can’t stop people in Islamic nations from being what they are — can’t stop them from oppressing women, murdering gays, banning other religions and tormenting non-believers. But it’s not too much to ask that we stand up for our own values contra theirs — especially in our own, once Christian, countries. We can stop penalizing and insulting those who speak the simple truth about Islamic values, good or bad; we can de-bench judges who don’t stand up for our freedoms; we can stop sentimentalizing Islamic rights to the point of sanctioning intolerance, especially while our own government is attempting to stomp on the rights of Catholics and ignoring the rise in hate crimes against Jews; we can stop confusing Islam with a race — it’s a religion, a metaphysical philosophy of life, and has to be open to question, debate, ridicule and attack like every other." ...

The Islamic State’s Stoning Video   "Welcome to the Islamic State’s latest offering to humanity: the videoed stoning of a young woman."
 

Islamic Jihad Update

God's Hammer
 
Now THIS is what you call a war on women. Silly liberals

... "In Denmark, author Lars Hedegaard just got fined $1,000 (5,000 Danish kroner) for opining, in an interview at his own home, that the nation of Islam seems to encourage rape. Of course, the Danes don't allow the truth as an affirmative defense to hate speech. But, Hedegaard got off better than Protestant pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor, who had the audacity to convert from Islam (a religion of intolerance) to Christianity (a religion of peace and love). In Iran, that carries the death penalty for Pastor Nadarkhani ala comedian/ventriloquist Jeff Dunham's puppet Achmed the Dead Terrorist "Silence! I will kill you". As award winning author Andrew Klavan notes at his blog [click here], in his article It's Not You, Islam, It's Us, "What else do you expect? Pre-medieval people who believe they are called by God to reduce the rest of the world to their own state of misery are going to kill people when you insult them. That’s how they roll. The problem isn’t them. It’s us.' " ...

Battlefield at sea: WW2 U-boat found with ship it sank off North Carolina

MSN
Top: Bluefields sonar image. Bottom: U-576 sonar image.
Top: Bluefields sonar image. Bottom: U-576 sonar image. 

Two sunken ships from World War II -- a German U-boat and an American merchant vessel -- have been found deep in the ocean off the coast of North Carolina, officials said Tuesday.
The ships clashed in the Battle of the Atlantic in 1942 and were lost for more than seven decades in an area known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
...
The discovery of the German U-boat 576 (pictured below) and the freighter Bluefields offers "a rare window into a historic military battle and the underwater battlefield landscape of WWII," NOAA said.
The ships were found 240 yards apart.


Crew of the German U-boat 576 on the deck of their submarine 

HMS Thistlegorm    Lotta good stuff in this ship, most just brand new, one can imagine  "All aboard the SS Thistlegorm: Divers explore the rusting trains, trucks and motorbikes on the WWII British munitions ship sunk by a German bomber off the coast of Egypt

Monday, October 20, 2014

The Maryland Obama Walk-out

Political Cartoons by Michael Ramirez

Crowd walks out as Obama addresses campaign rally in deep blue Maryland  "Right after the NYT published an article about how critical the black vote is to Democrats' chances in the mid-terms, Obama made an appearance in Upper Marlboro, Md, a predominantly Black area in support of a candidate for lieutenant governor. As far as I know this is the first campaign appearance anyone invited him to. Reuters reports that when Obama began speaking, members of the audience headed for the exits. "
Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel
Note that those walking out on Obama were Democrats   ... "Far be it from me to kick a man when he is down, but note that those who walked out on Obama were all–presumably–Democrats. They didn’t leave because they disagreed with the president, but rather because they were bored by him. Which highlights a point I have made before: contrary to assurances the Democratic Party press has been giving us for eight or ten years now, Barack Obama is a mediocre public speaker, at best."

Dana Milbank: Obama, the pariah president
 
... "This had the sound of a peroration, which started the race for the shuttle buses. But, oblivious to the thinning crowd, Obama kept going, about the need to fight cynicism and to advance the American dream.

"So it goes for President Pariah in 2014: Even among the faithful, Obama’s magic can’t match the urge to get a jump on traffic."

Renaming the 'Holidays'


American Thinker  ...The one thing that will assuredly be absent will be any hint of religion, which is now the PC equivalent of obscenity and unmentionable in polite society. The irony is that the very word “holiday” derives from “holy days”, which were instituted by the Church, with the dual motive of giving reverence to God and giving people days off from work. The two are related in that a belief in a just and compassionate god is the only logical basis for a belief in human rights.
"As our Founders well understood, religion is the mortar that has held our diverse society together. Now that mortar is crumbling and our society is collapsing. Soon, the question of names for holidays may be moot; we shall have no holidays except those imposed on us by our conquerors."

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Top Ten Things That Are Racist Because They Require Proper ID

Downtrend

msidtv2
 
... "See, the idea is that a law that applies to everyone is racist because minorities are somehow incapable of getting an ID and can’t be expected to prove who they are. Asking minorities for proof of identification disenfranchises them and denies them their rights according to the left.
This episode has got me thinking that there are many other things in our society that require an ID that are equally racist and should be stamped out if we are ever to truly become a post-racial country. Here’s my top ten list of things that are racist because they require an ID:" ...
...
"If liberals think voter ID laws are so racist they should advocate the wholesale elimination of identification from our society. People are basically honest, right? If voter fraud is a myth, as they claim, then so must be underage drinking, bad guys with guns, and terrorism. Lets see the democrats try to sell the honor system as means to a safer and more racially harmonious America."

On some Democrat candidates

 
Liberal mag urges readers to 'Stop Hillary'    ... "It is already quite clear that the progressives, i.e., the outright leftists who usually dominate the Democratic Party, are not happy with Hillary and would prefer someone else, like Elizabeth Warren." ...

We Hear From Fauxcahontas   ... "I thought that was why the Democrats are now obliged to nominate a woman for President in 2016 regardless of qualifications or achievement, following the AA nomination of a black guy regardless of qualifications or achievement. In fact, I thought that was why Ms. Warren was a national figure, as a possible rival to Hillarity!" ...

Return of the Clinton Democrats (Not Really)   "Candidates call themselves Clintonites to distance themselves from Obama."  
 
Crowd Leaves as Obama Tries to Rally  "As President Obama tried to rally Democrats in Maryland, the crowd began to leave. "Remarks are open press, but one unusual thing that fellow veterans of campaign rallies confirm: some in the crowd started leaving as soon as Obama started speaking and by the time he was about 10 minutes in, there was a traffic jam next to the pool's tables as folks tried to exit the gym," reports the White House pool reporter."...


Debbie Wasserman Schultz predicts Dems 'are going to hold the Senate'  ...“ 'We are going to hold the Senate,” the Florida lawmaker told “Fox News Sunday.” “The president is not on the ballot.”
"Her remarks come weeks after Obama argued that he indeed was “not on the ballot this fall” but that “every single one” of his policies are." ...
 
Screen Shot 2014-10-19 at 7.27.24 PM
 
... "Far be it from me to kick a man when he is down, but note that those who walked out on Obama were all–presumably–Democrats. They didn’t leave because they disagreed with the president, but rather because they were bored by him. Which highlights a point I have made before: contrary to assurances the Democratic Party press has been giving us for eight or ten years now, Barack Obama is a mediocre public speaker, at best."
 
 

In the land of the free and the home of the brave: the power of political correctness to intimidate and to destroy

From The Federalist: Soon after Houston passed a ‘non-discrimination’ ordinance, it has ordered dissenting pastors to submit their sermons for legal review. So, what?
... "Pastors should absolutely not be bullied, and should absolutely not change what they preach. But nor should they be ashamed of it, nor afraid of the public dissemination and scrutiny of their words spoken from the pulpit. Even under the threat of persecution and imprisonment, preachers who take their calling seriously should continue to preach Christ and him crucified, even under the penalty of imprisonment and death." ...
New America: Ordained ministers threatened with jail unless they perform same sex marriages
... "This is a law that manifestly violates the Constitution so I wouldn't expect any court in America to uphold the city statute. But the fact that it was passed in the first place should raise the alarm that the assault on religious liberty has entered a new phase. The power of government is being used in the contraceptive controversy and now the gay marriage issue to force acceptance of practices totally at odds with the religious faith of millions of people." ...

Walking the Walk: Check Out What Ted Cruz Is Doing About Houston’s Crackdown on Religious Freedom   ... "As many already know, Houston government officials have subpoenaed several prominent Christian pastors in order to obtain copies of their sermons and speeches as well as communications they have had with church members.
 
"The move was a result of radical anti-discrimination ordinances that forbid discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. Many churches who opposed the laws found themselves on the receiving end of invasive questioning.
 
"Cruz slammed the efforts by Houston officials, saying in a statement, "  ... More..
Annise Parker, Houston's first openly gay mayor
Annise Parker, Houston’s mayor

Legal Insurrection; Houston Mayor uses lawfare against local churches  "Sparring over a city ordinance that would force businesses, among other things, to allow transgendered clientele the use of opposite sex restrooms or risk discrimination suits, Bayou City area clergy and the government aren’t exactly on the best of terms.
"Rather than placing the measure on the ballot, City Council enacted the reform via city ordinance. Rallying together, clergy and concerned citizens submitted over more than twice as many required to repeal the ordinance. Then the validity of the signatures was called to question by the city attorney." ...


Pastors to Mayor: Don’t Mess with Texas Pulpits  ... " 'The government has absolutely no reason to bully congregations who are speaking out about what they believe,” he said. “It’s none of the government’s business.”

"Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm specializing in religious cases, is representing the pastors. They accused City Hall of going on a fishing expedition.

“ 'City council members are supposed to be public servants, not ‘Big Brother’ overlords who will tolerate no dissent or challenge,” ADF attorney Erik Stanley said. “This is designed to intimidate pastors."

From the Houston Chronicle   "City attorneys issued subpoenas last month during the case's discovery phase, seeking, among other communications, "all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO, the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession.' "

Spelling errors corrected in the above texts. TD

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Eastham, Massachusetts in American History

Eastham, Massachusetts in American History

History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts: Eastham  "The territory of the Nausets, of which the present town of Eastham forms a part, was familiar to the Pilgrims, and its lands had been favorably considered since their visit in November, 1620, when exploring the Cape. In 1622, and years subsequent, they resorted to this territory for means of subsistence, of which the natives had a surplus. ... At this time the purchasers had surrendered to the court the lands embodied in the grant of 1629, as set forth in Chapter IV., and in 1643 a committee of seven, who subsequently became the first settlers, with Governor Bradford at their head, repaired to this territory with a view to determine the feasibility of removing the entire church and seat of government from Plymouth to Nauset. " ...

The 1869 Schoolhouse Museum


The Thanksgiving story and Governor William Bradford   ... "What had created the earlier famine and then the bountiful crops? The story is told in the diary of Governor Bradford, who was one of the elders of that early Puritan colony.

"At first, they decided to turn their back on all the institutions of the England that had been their home. This included the institution of private property, which they declared to be the basis of greed, averse, and selfishness.  Instead, they were determined to live the “Platonic ideal” of collectivism, in which all work would be done in common, with the rewards of their collective efforts evenly divided among the colonists.  Farming was done in common, as well as housekeeping and child raising. This was supposed to lead to prosperity and brotherly love.

"But their experiment in collectivism did not lead to prosperity or brotherly love.  Rather, it created poverty and envy and slothfulness among most of the members of this little society.  Here is Bradford’s description of what communism created among the Pilgrims:" ... 


Massachusetts is well-known as the cradle of the American Revolution. Its rich Civil War history deserves the same recognition.

Massachusetts Units in US Civil War

The Civil War Archive ©1998-2009  Union Regimental Index

MASSACHUSETTS CIVIL WAR WEB SITES

Biographical Sketches of Eastham, MA    From: History of Barnstable County, MA ;  1620 - 1890.  Gotta love the first name on the list: Scatter P. Bangs

Massachusetts Military Records

891 Barnstable county genealogy record sources

These barely touch the surface of Massachusetts history, and we have not gone into presidential residences and vacation locations here.  The Tunnel Dweller
 

Culture Bloopers; Silliness of Political Correctness on Display in America

 
 ... "Timothy Boatwright was born a girl, and checked off the “female” box when applying to the Massachusetts all-women’s school, according to an article in the New York Times. But when he got there, he introduced himself as a “masculine-of-center genderqueer” person named “Timothy” (the name he picked for himself) and asked them to use male pronouns when referring to him."...
 
Even in some politically correct churches: Hillsong Church Begins Its Death March Away From Christ Into the World  ... "It is important to note that Hillsong has been drifting away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ for some time and toward a prosperity gospel. Its hipster church leaders have decided not to be set apart from the church of the age, but to embrace it." ...
 
... "And a church with no room for Peter, one of the foundations of the church, has no room for its Cornerstone either. Hillsong will begin its death march away from Christ and into the world that is hostile to the things of Christ."  Wait . . . Wait . . . Wait . . . This Hillsong Church Business All Makes Sense Now: ..."Disturbing news surfaced last week that the founder and senior pastor of one of the largest churches in Australia, and a church well known in this country for its worship music, failed to report his father for sexually abusing children." ...
 voter-id-too-hard
"… I don’t think she understands that that’s fabricating evidence, and, you know, bad."  Also here:
“Rape Culture” Justice: Better 10 Innocent Men Suffer, Than 1 Guilty Man Escape
"I’ve written previously about California’s new “Yes Means Yes” law, which codifies a strict definition of “affirmative consent” as it applies to students on college campuses. It’s a terrible bill, but some liberals are touting its absolute failure to address any real problems as its greatest achievement."

This next is more scary than silly. More like when silly, PC people have power over us:
Witch Hunt Begins In Houston As Pastors Subpoenaed  October 18, 2014: "Tyranny: Reports say Houston’s city hall is demanding that five local pastors turn over sermons in which they talked about homosexuality, gender identity or the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. Call it the Texas Inquisition."

Socialist Groups Fights for $20/hr Minimum Wage; Pay Own Employees $13 an Hour

AZ State University Is Banning Face Paint Because It’s Politically IncorrectNow, because of the black face paint, the Arizona State athletic department has asked all students not to wear any kind of face paint whatsoever to future sporting events, the Arizona Daily Independent reports.


There are Racists, then there are Racists…

Alan Caruba: "An American Decline that Must Be Reversed "

Warning Signs

 "The tendency of pundits is to address the decline in American culture and traditional moral values. The concerns addressed include the rather sudden, but widespread embrace of same-sex marriages or calls for the legalization of marijuana so anyone can get high without the fear of arrest.

"You can probably name a few things you consider evidence of decline, but there is one you are not likely to notice much. It’s the nation’s infrastructure of highways, airports, waterways and ports. It’s only dramatic declines such as the decay of Detroit, once one of the nation’s most dynamic cities that get attention because it is so blatant. We judge the backwardness of third world nations by their bad roads and lack of infrastructure to support their economies." ... More at the link.
Wasn't this the Obama Administration's big, expensive project a few years ago? And now it is once more.

Obama’s Disappointing Legacy on Transportation Policy   "We’ve seen it all before. Today Vice President Biden gave a speech calling for more infrastructure investment, but without offering a way to pay for it. We heard the same from President Obama this past July, May and February. While the message echoes over and over again, not much in the way of actual policy is changing. " ...

There's always plan B: Obama mocks Congress on highway spending  That may have truth to it, but still, this man talks big issues but they do not get taken care of and his constant taunting of Republicans has not helped his legacy.