The whole truth ...

I know nothing about the legal system in Saudi Arabia; however, if there are trials, if there are witnesses, and if the witnesses are required to swear an oath to tell the truth, do you for one minute think that the Saudi authorities would allow a Christian to swear the oath on a Bible? I didn't think so.

Yet, in the United States, where it has been the custom for witnesses to swear an oath to tell the truth on the Bible, some radical Muslims demand the "right" to swear the oath on the Koran.

There is an old saying, which I would recommend to those Muslims--"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Throw away the key?

What should be done with pedophiles? Carole Moore, who was a police officer for twelve years, offers her opinion. I agree with her.

Either/or?

Which is the more important of the two: rights or responsibilities? Or are they equally important? Interesting questions. Michael Coren, writing in the TorontoSun.com, gives it to us straight:

The mass of our social difficulties, the majority of our seemingly insoluble problems, arise from the fact that in the Western world (and particularly in Canada) we have engineered a rights-based society rather than a responsibility-based one.

The social contract between the governed and the government, between authority and citizenry, has become degraded and unbalanced. Instead of asking what our duty or responsibility might be in any given situation, we demand to know what are our privileges and rights.

These weeds practically covered a gravel parking lot at a local football stadium. I thought that they were pretty.

Sowell on immigration

Read Dr. Thomas Sowell's latest column on TownHall.com. Here's a sample:

At current wages for low-level jobs and current levels of welfare, there are indeed many jobs that Americans will not take.

The fact that immigrants -- and especially illegal immigrants -- will take those jobs is the very reason the wage levels will not rise enough to attract Americans.

This is not rocket science. It is elementary supply and demand. Yet we continue to hear about the "need" for immigrants to do jobs that Americans will not do -- even though these are all jobs that Americans have done for generations before mass illegal immigration became a way of life.

It seems that lawmakers in the United States are just now figuring out something that we citizens have been knowing for quite some time.

A number of lawmakers, former ambassadors and foreign policy experts who testified in a Washington hearing late last month asserted that the United States needs to wise up to the fact that China plans to become a superpower militarily, economically and politically — by any means necessary.

Of the attacks, Scotland Yard commissioner Sir Ian Blair said, "These are criminal acts and we are in pursuit of a set of criminals." WRONG! The acts are acts of terrorism, and the Yard is in pursuit of a set of terrorists. There is a fundamental difference between a criminal and a terrorist, and Sir Ian knows what it is.

Web site shows defiance to terrorists who bombed the London Underground and a bus, killing over fifty innocent civilians and injuring hundreds.

As usual, Michelle Malkin has the goods. In "The 7/7 Attacks: The BBC Backslides," she details how the British Broadcasting Corporation is back to their old trick of whitewashing terrorism.

FOX News has an article entitled, "Coping With Psychological Effects of Terror." Here's an excerpt:

"The use of terrorism as a tactic is predicated upon inducing a climate of fear that is incommensurate with the actual threat," says Middle Eastern historian Richard Bulliet of Columbia University.

Ergo, the logical thing to do is to realize what level of fear would be appropriate and not allow one's fear to escalate above that level. Thus, terrorism is defeated. Q. E. D.

Edjumakashun

From FARK.com:

Toyota building new plant in Canada despite massive subsidy offers from American states. Reason: southern Americans too dumb and illiterate to train; need directions in pictorial form.

FARK entry links to this article:

He [Gerry Fedchun, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association] said Nissan and Honda have encountered difficulties getting new plants up to full production in recent years in Mississippi and Alabama due to an untrained - and often illiterate - workforce. In Alabama, trainers had to use "pictorials" to teach some illiterate workers how to use high-tech plant equipment.

Supremes

For Independence Day, Supreme Court Slams Founders

Today, I found a truly bizarre news story at news.com.au. As a matter of fact, it was so bizarre that I don't know if it is a genuine news article, or if it is some sort of parody. Anyway, here is an excerpt:

Scientists have created eerie zombie dogs, reanimating the canines after several hours of clinical death in attempts to develop suspended animation for humans.

US scientists have succeeded in reviving the dogs after three hours of clinical death, paving the way for trials on humans within years.

Pittsburgh's Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research has developed a technique in which subject's veins are drained of blood and filled with an ice-cold salt solution.

The animals are considered scientifically dead, as they stop breathing and have no heartbeat or brain activity.

But three hours later, their blood is replaced and the zombie dogs are brought back to life with an electric shock.

Finding the terrorists

Laura Ingraham had a good segment on her show, today, talking about the insanity of NOT profiling, when it comes to trying to identify terrorists.

Laura had, as her guest, Heather Mac Donald, who has an incredible piece in "City Journal."

The unnecessary pushing of expensive drugs on the general public

I have often wondered if the drug companies weren't doing this. Now, it is documented.

Stokes

Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes is seeking a court order to stop Leslie McLemore from continuing to serve as council president.

The complaint is the second in seven months filed by Stokes against the council.

Spanish politico labels Tony Blair "a complete dickhead"

A Spanish politician has reportedly called Tony Blair "a complete dickhead" on live television, but didn't know his comment had been heard.

The comment by Jose Bono, one of the three most powerful figures in Spain's Socialist Party, was recorded by a TV team as he talked to Joaquin Almunia, a former Socialist leader.

Mr Bono said: "Hey, and our colleague Blair? He's a complete dickhead (un gilipollas integral). He's an imbecile."

American Envoy Visits N. Korea Nuke Facility

An "unofficial" delegation of Americans visited North Korea's Yougbyon nuclear facility, and the North Korean regime issued a statement claiming that the visitors were shown its "nuclear deterrent."

Brave New World in ... New Jersey?

Stories in both TownHall.com and Baptist Press News cover the New Jersey cloning bill, which is nearing a vote in the N. J. legislature.

Here's what I'm talkin' 'bout, Willis!

This morning, I caught a few minutes of an infomercial on television. It was advertising some type of weight loss and body building program by BeachBody.com, but that is not what is important. What is important is that seeing that commercial has motivated me to lose some weight and tone up in general.

Here's the deal: I'm six feet tall and of medium build, yet I weigh over 200 pounds, and I'm flabby. Ugh! That is too much! I don't know exactly how much I do weigh, because I don't own a scale. I will buy one, to keep track of my progress.

What this whole effort boils down to is will-power. If I have the will-power, then I'll be able to stick to a schedule that will ultimately change the "bad" habits of (1) eating too much of the wrong foods and not enough of the right foods and (2) not exercising, into the "good" habits of (1) eating the right foods (in the right quantities) and (2) adopting a life-long regimen of exercising.

This afternoon, I am going to the coin-operated laundry. While I am out, I will go to Wal-Mart and buy a scale. After I get back to the house, I'll weigh myself. Then, I will weigh myself every week to see what progress I've made toward my goal, which is a weight of 175 pounds at the end of ten weeks. I'll post my progress here.