State of Michigan Officially Blames the President

I visited the State of Michigan website yesterday to collect some information. Before I could get to the information I needed, I saw this prominently displayed headline on the home page: "Sign Now to Lower Gas Prices."

I had to laugh, then I had to calm myself to keep my blood pressure down. What does a government know about lowering prices? But like the wary consumer taking the bait on the late-night infomercial, even though the consumer knows better, I decided to go ahead and click the link anyway.

No surprises here - President Bush is at fault, according to the official view of the State of Michigan. At least they left Dick Cheney out of it.

Michigan drivers are again facing the reality of $3-per-gallon gas - it’s time for President Bush and leaders in Washington to stop watching and start protecting us from the skyrocketing cost of gasoline! It's just not right that big oil companies should be allowed to hold customers hostage to outrageously expensive gas; they rake in billions in record-setting profits while consumers are left with no option but to pay ever-increasing prices.

Consider these facts:

The average price for unleaded gasoline is 64 cents higher than the same time last year.

ExxonMobil reported a $36.1 billion in profit, making it the largest corporation in the world and larger than the next four companies on the Forbes 500 list combined.

Oil prices have increased 240 percent since George Bush’s inauguration in January 2001.

Nearly eight months ago, I and a group of concerned Governors urged the President to take action to bring down the sky-high prices of gasoline at America's gas pumps. We urged the President to bring the price of gas down for consumers by capping oil profits and using federal anti-trust laws to prosecute any companies pocketing extra profits in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Katrina. We also asked Congress to investigate energy profiteering and pass legislation requiring oil companies to refund excess oil profits to consumers.

Pretty slick, I thought. The article forgot to mention that the EPA mandated all Midwest states add expensive ethanol which has doubled in price since last year. It forgot to mention the effects of inflation, which during election season is always prominently touted (typical line sounds something like "you aren't really paying any more for gas than you did in 1978, adjusted for inflation").

It forgot to mention that the Michigan Tax on gasoline is 19.875 cents per gallon - plus there sales tax of 6% (approximately 17 cents a gallon at prices this morning), plus the Federal government share of the pie at 18.4 cents a gallon. This translates into about 55 cents a gallon. At the $2.87 per gallon price I saw this morning, the tax burden alone on gasoline is almost 20%!

Some other facts the State of Michigan conveniently ignored:

Estimated at 10.8% of income, Michigan’s state/local tax burden percentage ranks 16th highest nationally

Michigan levies a Single Business Tax (SBT), which is a modified value-added tax (VAT), which screws the Small Business Owner running the gas station, which increases the prices.

Michigan levies a 6% general sales or use tax on consumers, just above the national median of 5%.

There is so much misinformation, I am surprised the State of Michigan actually put this on their website. No mention of the damage Hurricane Katrina did to the oil refining capacity of this country. No mention of skyrocketing prices on barrels of oil - prices dictated by Middle East countries and Venezuela and the Market. No mention that refineries haven't been built in this country since Richard Nixon was President.

I have a simple question: why should I sign a petition going to President Bush when my own elected representatives have done nothing to reduce the cost of gasoline?

Tags: Gas Prices

NRA Once Again Betrays 2nd Amendment Supporters

Michigan residents - it looks too good to be true. Popular (in this state) Republican Michael Bouchard is targeting anti-gun, anti-Pro-America Democratic US Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Bouchard said he expected to defeat his primary opponents, and later Stabenow, who he said won her first term with 49 percent of the vote and is considered the most vulnerable incumbent in the nation.

Mr. Bouchard has an impressive resume: he served in the state Senate from 1991 to 1999 as assistant president pro-tempore (1991-1994), assistant majority leader (1994-1998), and majority floor leader (1998-1999). Since 1999, he has been Oakland County Sheriff. He is endorsed by the National Rifle Association.

But, sadly, as I wrote above, it looks too good to be true.

Sheriff Bouchard, the man endorsed by the NRA, is the same man responsible for putting 2nd Amendment activist Angel Shamaya in jail over a seriously flawed charge that the Oakland County Prosecutor dropped for lack of any evidence. Oops.

Why is the NRA endorsing such a man? What kind of anti-gun nut has taken over the NRA to lead them to endorse such a man?

Beware, people. The NRA, in spite of great marketing, is growing less gun-owner friendly every year.

And, people, beware. For some reason, it seems that people equate "Republican" with "gun-friendly." It ain't so. It is about the Constitution and protecting our freedom, not about who won't raise your taxes the most. Both sides are equally flawed.

Most of these "conservative Republican" clowns call on us 2nd Amendment supporters every election. They treat us just like the stereotypical guy-without-morals who has nothing better to do on a Saturday night calls up some girl for a date. They utter a few pretty words, use us, treat us cheap, and don't bother to return our calls after the deed is done. The conservative intelligensia and the conservative politician typically treats us with the same contempt, if not hatred, as the liberal counterpart. The difference is that s/he will pander to us to get a vote.

And if that is the standard conservative Republican politician - what is the NRA endorsing them for?

Tags: Gun Control , Gun Rights , 2nd amendment , NRA

Michigan Castle Doctrine Bill Going Before State House

Click here to read the text of the bill known as the "Castle Doctrine" - don't worry, it is easy-to-read and brief.

From NRA-ILA

Michigan "Castle Doctrine" Package Moving Forward!

Your Help Is Needed!

This week the House Judiciary Committee passed HB 5142, sponsored by Representative Tom Casperson (R-108), HB 5143, sponsored by Representative Rick Jones (R-71), HB 5153, sponsored by Representative Leslie Mortimer (R-65), and HB 5548, sponsored by Representative Tim Moore (R-97), which make up the important "Castle Doctrine" package.

This legislative package will help the citizens of Michigan by clarifying the rights and duties of self-defense and the defense of others within ones home and/or occupied vehicle and provide immunity from civil liability for self-defense actions.

The "Castle Doctrine" package is scheduled to be heard by the full House on Tuesday, April 25.

Please contact your State Representative and ask him or her to support HB 5142, HB5143, HB 5153, and HB 5548 as passed by the House Judiciary Committee.

If you don't already know him/her, FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE HERE.

Tags: Gun Control , Gun Rights , 2nd amendment , Castle Doctrine , Self Defense

Power to the People?

From Reuters Headlines:

Nepal king handing power to the people.

You know, I am somewhat ed-u-kated; I even knew every nation-state on the earth at one point in my life (for a political science class - thank God it was before the collapse of the Soviet Union or I'd be stuck with all those "-stans").

But I never knew that Nepal had a king. In fact, for some reason it is hard for me to accept that any nation on earth has a king or queen - except Great Britain. It is just some stereotype-thing I picked up somewhere along the line. Doesn't the concept of Royalty sound, um, like something that ended two centuries ago?

Where else is there a king or queen? Sweden, right? Anywhere else (Zamunda isn't real, for all you "Coming to America" fans).

New Michigan Gun Law

On Thursday, March 23, Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) signed House Bill 4642, which allows an individual licensed to carry a concealed firearm to legally carry, possess, use, or transport a firearm belonging to another individual licensed to carry a concealed firearm, as long as the individual's firearm is properly licensed and inspected under this act. This new law goes into effect until July 1, 2006.

From NRA-ILA

Gun Rights

Michigan Will Ban Protests At Military Funerals

It is now a felony in the State of Michigan, thanks to the 102-1 vote on Tuesday. The vote now moves on to the State Senate, and is expected to be signed into legislation by Governor Granholm (after all, it is election year in a state watching what is left of it's economy flushing hopelessly down the toilet).

The legislation is aimed at the Rev. Fred Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, who have protested at military funerals around the nation and in Michigan with chants and signs saying that the deaths of soldiers killed in Iraq are God's vengeance for acceptance of homosexuality, promiscuity and adultery in the United States.

"When you are burying your child, you stand on the edge of sanity and insanity," said Mike Kilpela, the father of a slain Marine from Fowlerville, who said he believes the law will not only protect families but the protesters, too.

"It wouldn't take much for a comment to be made that would push someone over the edge," added Kilpela, whose son, Lance Cpl. Andrew Kilpela, 22, was killed last year in Iraq by a roadside bomb.

Protesters planned to attack the funeral for Mr. Kilpela's son, but missed it because they were delayed by police.

The lone holdout was Rep. Leon Drolet, R-Clinton Township. He has some concern because of the First Amendment "rights."

Drolet said courts have struck down efforts to distance protesters at abortion clinics.

"The 500-feet standard has never been upheld anywhere," Drolet said. "This is not whether I want to stand up and protect the right of some subhuman pig protester at a soldier's funeral. It's to make sure he doesn't beat us in court. And I'm afraid this kind of legislation is going to be found unconstitutional."

Well, Leon, here's how it should be - funerals are private affairs. They are not public affairs (in most circumstances). Some slime ball "pastor" and his slime ball "flock" do not have the right to interrupt a private ceremony (almost always held on privately-owned land) to berate a grieving mother and father, wives and children. Not to sound cruel, but the serviceman is dead - he can't care about it. The family members are the ones who are alive, and it it HARASSMENT of the family member.

Plus, let's say "Reverend" Freddie's boys and girls have to sit a few nights in the slammer, but get some fancy attorney to take the law to court. Say the court does declare it unconstitutional. At least these people behaving like pieces of pig excrement will have to be in jail for some period of time. At least they will have to spend their money and time on legal defense.

Another option, and perhaps much more fun to watch, would make it mandatory for any police officers take a 10 minute break during a funeral and letting the Patriot Guard handle the sanitation duties during the break.

Let's hope the Michigan Senate will speedily pass the funeral bill - and if not this one, then at least require the 10 minute breaks.

Tags: Patriot Guard , Military Funerals , First Amendment

The "Changing Face" of the Terrorist Threat?

The AP had an interesting article on a new security concern: "White Muslims."

Terrorists have been working to recruit non-Arab sympathizers - so-called "white Muslims" with Western features who theoretically could more easily blend into European cities and execute attacks - according to classified intelligence documents obtained by The Associated Press....

Bosnia has become a breeding ground for terrorists...

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, evidence has emerged that extremists have been trying to carve out a beachhead in the Balkans. The region is home to 8 million Muslims, roughly a third of Europe's Islamic faithful, and arms and explosives are easily obtained in what Dragan Lukac (deputy director of SIPA - Bosnia's equivalent of the FBI) calls "a kind of El Dorado" for criminals.

Several Islamic militants who fought in the former Yugoslavia went to Spain, bringing back new military skills and expertise as well as access to contacts throughout Europe...

This is interesting - the AP making a distinction between Muslims and "white Muslims."

I never thought of Muslims as Arabs. I've seen Muslims of all different races - after all, Islam is a religion, not a race of people. Very non-PC of the AP. But I guess it comes from the same kind of thinking that lumps anyone who is a Christian into the "white-male-redneck-oppress-women-and-all-minorities" stereotype during election season.

Back in my U of Michigan days, I knew several Muslim men quite well. One was from Sweden - a white guy. Many were from the Middle East and from different parts of Africa (both North Africa and from other spots on the continent). But most of the Muslim guys I knew were from Asia. I just find it interesting that there was a media perception that Muslims are Arabic. It isn't so.

Wierd Science

California has lately experienced some strange pheonomenon where giant hail stones randomly fall.

In Loma Linda, Calif., Thursday a chunk of ice the size of a microwave oven came crashing through the roof of a recreation center, the San Francisco Chronicle reported...

April 8 in Oakland a similar ice ball plunged to earth in a field at a park, making a 2-foot crater in the ground.

Dang - a 2-foot crater in the ground? A chunk of falling ice the size of a microwave? That's bad stuff. I wonder what could be causing this? Fortunately, Jesus Martinez-Frias of the Planetary Geology Laboratory in Madrid has the explanation, and before I offer it, I just want to affirm that he did indeed suggest this:

global warming has caused a new, steeper temperature difference between warm and cold air in the upper atmosphere that generates turbulent up-and-down winds, repeating the hail-formation process, even without a thunderstorm.

There you have it. We have expected drought conditions over much of America, expected record high temperatures, and this all produces ice the size of microwaves that smashes into the ground to create 2-foot craters.

Unbelievable.

Side notes: these giant hunks of ice are called megacryometeors. Cool name for a big hailstone. Martinez-Frias pioneered research on megacryometeors back in 2000 after ice chunks weighing almost 7 pounds rained on Spain for 10 days during a period of cloudless skies.

The heaviest megacryometeor recorded fell in Brazil (according to the wikipedia), weighing in at a hefty 220 kg! In Americanese, that is 485 freaking pounds!

Megacryometeor picture from misterije.org

Tags: Global Warming

Some People Hate God and are Proud Of It

I wrote about a certain "gentleman," Brian Flemming, just before Easter.

Now he's everywhere. I can't get away from the onslaught of foolish advertising. And it is anything but compelling.

Bowling for Columbine did it to the gun culture.

Super Size Me did it to fast food.

Now The God Who Wasn't There does it to religion.

Holding modern Christianity up to a bright spotlight, this bold and often hilarious new film asks the questions few dare to ask...

See the movie the Los Angeles Times calls "provocative - to put it mildly."

Gee, obnoxious as Michael Moore. And the LA Times calls it "provacative" (translation - offends anything Holy). Why would I pay for this kind of blasphemous
"entertainment"?

Have we degenerated so much as a nation that people who hate God so badly, and those who follow God through Jesus, that trash like this is common place and funny? Are we really that far along? This stuff doesn't offend me badly - certainly it annoys me, one of Mr. Flemming's goals, I am sure.

But much more than annoy me, I feel bad. I feel bad for this man who hates God and Believers so much that he targets the holiest day of the Christian year to push hate literature in the churches... then blitzes with these ads. I feel bad for this man, who has nothing better to do than chastise others for living their faith.

No Protests at Military Funerals - Pending Legislation

Finally, a congressman who introduces some worthwhile legislation.

Michigan Congressman Mike Rogers (R) wants to end this nonsense of "protesting" at a funeral.

Rogers' measure would prevent disruption of military funerals at national cemeteries from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after the service, and keep protesters at least 500 feet away from mourners. It also includes a recommendation from Congress that all 50 states adopt similar legislation affecting military funeral and burial sites...

"These people were not just picketing,'' he said. "They were taunting, harassing and saying 'we're glad he's dead.' That's not first amendment rights, that is harassment, that is interference. (Family members) have a right to mourn and bury their dead,'' the congressman told his audience.

Rogers, who has received national media attention over the legislation, said it does not preclude people from protesting, but places restrictions on their activities.

I am glad a politician finally had the fortitude to declare this funeral "protesting" is not a 1st amendment right.

We'll see how this all pans out. I imagine most of the Dems will crap on this proposal, but what the heck - they also blame the US for terrorism.

Tags: Patriot Guard , Military Funerals , First Amendment

Sadly, Patriot Guard Rides Again in Michigan

Unfortunately, the Patriot Guard is riding once again here in Michigan. Spc. Andrew Waits of Waterford died on April 13, 2006.

Spc. Waits was killed by an improvised explosive device that detonated near his HMMWV. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Comabt Team, 101st Airborne Divison (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Patriot Guard will be taking care of sanitation duties if the standard riff-raff tries to interrupt as planned.

For further info, please see their website. For information specific to Spc. Waits funeral, click here.

This is the itinerary for the Patriot Guard Mission to honor Spc. Andrew Waits who gave all on 04-13-06. It is a go and all contacts have been made.

Services will be held at the St. Perpetuas Church at 134 Airport Rd. in Waterford at 1100 Hrs. on Saturday April 22nd.

STAGING: Staging will start at 9:15 A.M. at the old Franks Nursery Parking Lot located at 5919 Highland Rd. (M-59) in Waterford. We will leave the staging area no later than 10:15 A.M. Parking is going to be a major concern so please plan on the possibility of having to park some distance away.

The lead Ride Captain will be Zach Chandler (Thor). He can be reached at (586) 321-3173 if you must get in touch with him. Other Ride Captains will be present.

The weather forecast for Saturday is partly cloudy with a high of 66 degrees.

Please remember that our mission is to respect and honor this fallen soldier and his family. Bring your flags and display them proudly.

IMPORTANT: Please remember to monitor this website for any last minute changes that may occur.

Bill Kaledas
PGR Michigan State Captain.

Tags: Patriot Guard

Michigan Residents - Here is the Castle Doctrine Bill

Introduced as Michigan Senate Bill 1046, the bill is House Bill 5143, Michigan's version of the Castle Doctrine.

It doesn't have a lot of legalese, and as you read, you can see for yourself this is good and reasonable legislation. Notice that, unlike the "this will turn Michigan into Tombstone" threatens, this bill also clearly defines when lethal force may not be used in self-defense.

Please note some other self-defnse bills:
House Bill 5142,(a simple amendment to current state law),

House Bill 5153, House Bill 5548.

HOUSE BILL No. 5143


February 15, 2006, Introduced by Senator CROPSEY and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

A bill to clarify the rights and duties of self-defense and the defense of others; to provide for criminal and civil immunity under certain circumstances; to regulate the investigation of incidents involving self-defense or the defense of others; and to provide for certain remedies.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

Sec. 1. (1) A person is presumed to have held a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another when using defensive force that is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm to another if both of the following apply:

(a) The person against whom the defensive force was used was in the process of unlawfully and forcibly entering, or had unlawfully and forcibly entered, a dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle, or that person had removed or was attempting to remove another person against that person's will from the dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle.

(b) The person who uses defensive force knew or had reason to believe that an unlawful and forcible entry or unlawful and forcible act was occurring or had occurred.

(2) The presumption set forth in subsection (1) does not apply if any of the following apply:

(a) The person against whom the defensive force is used has the right to be in or is a lawful resident of the dwelling, residence, or vehicle, such as an owner, lessee, or titleholder, and there is not an injunction for protection from domestic violence or a written pretrial supervision order of no contact against that person.

(b) The person sought to be removed is a child or grandchild of, or is otherwise in the lawful custody or under the lawful guardianship of, the person against whom the defensive force is used.

(c) The person who uses defensive force is engaged in an unlawful activity or is using the dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle to further an unlawful activity.

(d) The person against whom the defensive force is used is a law enforcement officer who enters or attempts to enter a dwelling, residence, or vehicle in the performance of his or her official duties and the officer identified himself or herself in accordance with applicable law or the person using force knew or reasonably should have known that the person entering or attempting to enter was a law enforcement officer.

(3) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or to another person or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

(4) A person who unlawfully and by force enters or attempts to enter a person's dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle is presumed to be doing so with the intent to commit an unlawful act involving force or violence.

(5) As used in this section:

(a) "Dwelling" means a building or conveyance of any kind, including any attached porch, whether the building or conveyance is temporary or permanent, mobile or immobile, that has a roof over it, including a tent, and that is designed to be occupied by people.

(b) "Residence" means a dwelling in which a person resides either temporarily or permanently or is visiting as an invited guest.

(c) "Vehicle" means a conveyance of any kind, whether or not motorized, that is designed to transport people or property.

Sec. 2. (1) A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another person when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that the conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other's imminent use of unlawful force.

(2) A person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty under this section to retreat if either of the following applies:

(a) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.

(b) Any of the circumstances enumerated under section 1.

Sec. 3. (1) A person is justified in the use of force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that the use of force is necessary to prevent or terminate the other person's trespass on or other tortious or criminal interference with real property, other than a dwelling or personal property, that is lawfully in his or her possession or in the possession of another person who is a member of his or her immediate family or household, or of a person whose property he or she has a legal duty to protect.

(2) A person is justified in the use of deadly force only if he or she reasonably believes that deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony. A person does not have a duty under this section to retreat if the person is in a place where he or she has a right to be.

Sec. 4. (1) A person who uses force as permitted in section 1, 2, or 3 is justified in using that force and is immune from criminal prosecution and from any civil action for the use of that force, unless the person against whom force was used is a law enforcement officer who was acting in the performance of his or her official duties and the officer identified himself or herself in accordance with any applicable law or the person using force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer. As used in this subsection, "criminal prosecution" includes charging or prosecuting the defendant.

(2) The court shall award reasonable attorney fees, court costs, compensation for loss of income, and all expenses incurred by the defendant in defense of any civil action brought by a plaintiff if the court finds that the defendant is immune from prosecution as provided in subsection (1).

Tags: Gun Control , Gun Rights , 2nd amendment , Castle Doctrine , Self Defense

Castle Doctrine Coming to Michigan? Residents - Contact Your State Legislator

From the NRA-ILA on April 14:

Michigan "Castle Doctrine" Legislation has upcoming hearing!

The Michigan House Judiciary Committee will be hearing important self-defense legislation on Tuesday, April 18 at 10:30 a.m. It is important that law-abiding citizens contact Chairman William VanRegenmorter and fellow committee members and ask him or her to pass HB 5143 and companion bills that are part of the Castle Doctrine package.

The "Castle Doctrine" legislation that has already passed in Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, and South Dakota will also help the citizens of Michigan by clarifying the rights and duties of self-defense and the defense of others within ones home and/or occupied vehicle.

Please contact the House Judiciary Committee as soon as possible!

Your voice needs to be heard by this committee!

Contact information for the House Judiciary Committee members can be found below:
William VanRegenmorter (R-74), Committee Chair: (517) 373-8900;
Email: wmvanreg@house.mi.gov

Tonya Schuitmaker (R-80), Majority Vice-Chair: (517) 373-0839;
Email: tonyaschuitmaker@house.mi.gov

Alexander Lipsey (D-60), Minority Vice-Chair: (517) 373-1785;
Email: alexanderlipsey@house.mi.gov

Stephen Adamini (D-109): (517) 373-0498;
Email: stephenadamini@house.mi.gov

Steve Bieda (D-25): (517) 373-1772;
Email: stevebieda@house.mi.gov

Paul Condino (D-35): (517) 373-1788;
Email: paulcondino@house.mi.gov

Kevin Elsenheimer (R-105): (517) 373-0829;
Email: kevinelsenheimer@house.mi.gov

Rick Jones (R-71): (517) 373-0853;
Email: rickjones@house.mi.gov

David Law (R-39): (517) 373-1799;
Email: davidlaw@house.mi.gov

Bill McConico (D-5): (517) 373-0144;
Email: repbillmcconico@house.mi.gov

Gary Newell (R-87): (517) 373-0842;
Email: repgarynewell@house.mi.gov

Mike Nofs (R-62): (517) 373-0555;
Email: mikenofs@house.mi.gov

Tory Rocca (R-30): (517) 373-7768;
Email: toryrocca@house.mi.gov

Virgil Smith (D-7): (517) 373-0589;
Email: virgilsmith@house.mi.gov

John Stakoe (R-44): (517) 373-2616;
Email: johnstakoe@house.mi.gov

For more information about "Castle Doctrine" and other legislation in Michigan and around the nation, please go to the "action alerts" feature at http://www.nraila.org/.

Tags: Gun Control , Gun Rights , 2nd amendment , Castle Doctrine , Self Defense

Iran, Again

So, Iran is at it again. As the AP reports:

Iran's president has thrown a new wrinkle into the nuclear debate by claiming his country is testing a centrifuge that could be used to more speedily create fuel for power plants or atomic weapons.

But some analysts familiar with the country's technology said Monday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could be deliberately exaggerating Iran's capabilities, either to boost his own political support or to persuade the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency to back off.

Prediction: President Bush has used up all his political capital. The Dems are too wimpy to treat this threat with the methods necessary to end the danger. The Israelis will have to go in and do the deed. Prime Minister Olmert needs to form the new government and look good in the process. His platform includes giving up the West Bank to Hamas. He needs to look tough somewhere, especially after the bombings during this Passover season. According to Arutz Sheva (Israel National News):

A suicide blast in Tel Aviv that killed at least 9 Israelis and wounded over 60 others is not an isolated PA terror incident, but rather part of a larger-scale war against Israel organized by Iran...

"Iran is the paymaster for Hamas, as well as for Islamic Jihad and Al Aksa Martyr’s Brigades..."

In addition to funding Hamas’ rogue regime, Ahmadinejad has been continuously calling for the eradication of Israel. This week the Iranian President referred to Israel as a "rotten tree," pledging to remove the "threat on the Islamic world" posed by Israel.

The IDF will come in and strategically remove all suspected sites before June 30 this year.

Iran , Israel

Why Does "Science" Care?

Most people, non-Christians included, know that the Bible teaches that Jesus walked on water. The Gospels (Matthew 14, Mark 6 and John 6) relate the story of Jesus walking out to the disciples as they battled bad weather on the Sea of Galilee.

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus did this because He was, and is, God's Son.

"Science," though, has a different explanation.

Florida State Prof. Doron Nof explains that Jesus walked on ice, not water.

Using statistical models to examine the dynamics of the Sea of Galilee (now known as Lake Kinneret) and records of surface temperatures of the Mediterranean Sea, Nof determined there was a period of cooler temperatures in the area between 1,500 and 2,600 years ago. He says this could have included the time in which Jesus lived.

Had the temperature dropped below freezing, it could have created ice to form in the freshwater lake that was then called the Sea of Galilee. And that ice would have been thick enough to support the weight of a man. What's more, it might have been impossible for distant observers--especially in the dark as the Gospel of John reports--to see that it was actually ice surrounded by water and not just water.

I've talked to many scientists over the years, and I've read the writings of many more. There is a common theme among most (certainly not all, though). Most scientists - shocking news coming up - don't believe in Jesus as the Son of God, nor do they believe in God at all.

Knowing this, I wonder why they waste their time and prestige coming up with silly theories like this. Come on, He walked on chunks of ice? If you don't believe the story, can't you do better than that? Why not just say, "you know what, in my professional scientific opinion, this never happened."

Why scientists continually feel the need to explain away Biblical stories that are "myths and legends" in their minds is beyond me. I just wish they'd do a better job than "walking on ice."

Jesus

War on Easter

It is that time of year, again. Time for all the people who absolutely hate Christians to get out and mock.

A media company that produced a best-selling documentary asserting that Jesus Christ never existed today launches its "War on Easter," encouraging volunteer atheists to plant copies of the film "The God Who Wasn't There" in churches across the United States.

Dubbing the effort "Operation Easter Sanity," Brian Flemming, a self-described "former Christian fundamentalist" and president of Beyond Belief Media, hopes to covertly place 666 copies of the documentary in churches by Easter Sunday, April 16...

"People go to churches to hide from the truth," Flemming said in a statement. "At no time is this more apparent than Easter, when Christians get together to convince each other that a man died, stayed dead three days, rose from the dead and then flew into the air above the clouds...

"Our nonviolent campaign sends the message that nowhere in the country is safe from the truth. Wherever Christian leaders are indoctrinating children with 2,000-year-old fairy tales, the truth may just find its way there."

I am amazed at the people who absolutely hate Christians or Christianity. They seem so bitter. There is certainly a group of non-believers who don't spew forth venomous stuff like this. Still, that group seems to be shrinking in size.

I celebrate Passover, not Easter. Easter is well documented to have a pagan background that was "adapted" by the State Church several hundred years after the Messiah walked the earth. Still, I have no desire to attack someone for celebrating Easter, or Lent, or anything else. There is no way I would go into churches and rant on Easter, or spread out tracts or DVDs against Easter in this clandestine manner.

Such hatred is more and more acceptable every year.

Easter

Why Hack Illegally? - Just Go to the Government

We hear all the time of these brilliant hackers breaking into super-secure databases and stealing information for their identity theft schemes, netting them millions and ruining the lives of others.

Now, apparently, there is a better way to commit identity fraud. Just go to a government web site. Specifically, Broward County, Florida, because the public servants in that county are bent on posting sensitive data on their website.

The Social Security numbers, driver's license information and bank account details belonging to potentially millions of current and former residents in Florida's Broward County are available to anyone on the Internet because sensitive information has not been redacted from public records being posted on the county’s Web site.

A county official said the information available on the Web is in full compliance with state statutes that require counties to post public documents on the Internet.

The information has been available on the Internet for several years and poses a serious risk of identity theft and fraud, said Bruce Hogman, a county resident who informed the Broward County Records Division of the problem about two weeks ago.

The breach stems from the county’s failure to redact, or remove, sensitive data from images of public documents such as property records and family court documents, Hogman said. Included in the documents that are publicly available are dates of birth and Social Security numbers of minors, images of signatures, passport numbers, green card details and bank account information.

“Here is the latest treasure trove available to identity thieves, and it is free to the public, courtesy of the Florida state legislature in its great Internet savvy,” Hogman said. The easy availability of such sensitive data also poses a security threat at a time of heightened terrorist concerns, he said.

crime , computer security , identity theft

Ethical Computer Hackers

As reported in Business Week:

Thrill or no, this is boot camp, and there's a big task at hand: earning the right to be called a "certified ethical hacker," a distinction bestowed by the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants. The e-commerce trade group has been administering the program for several years, but the need for IT professionals who know how to think -- and code -- like the enemy is as urgent as ever.

Time was, companies that wanted to fight hackers would go out and hire the bad guys themselves. But as hackers proliferate and get smarter, companies increasingly want homegrown experts, so-called white hats.

Another shift they're responding to: Increasingly, attacks are financially motivated. These are no longer mere "hacktavists" who spread viruses to take down Corporate America or spread social and political commentary. Nor are they out to make a name for themselves. Today's hackers want to fly under the radar (see BW Online, 1/23/06, "Coming to Your PC's Back Door: Trojans"). According to the latest Interne threat report by Symantec (SYMC), attacks that have the potential to give bad guys confidential information rose 74% in the second half of 2005 to comprise 80% of all threats.

And here's what may be the scariest part: to be a hacker, you don't even have to be a hardcore techie or particularly good at writing code. Take me, for instance. I'm an English major who hasn't written a line of code since third grade when I wrote a BASIC program that quizzed you on state capitals. Camp got started at 9 a.m., and within an hour, I was hacking into fictional banks' Microsoft databases and retrieving credit card numbers.

It's a matter of knowing tricks and what to look for. For instance, the default Microsoft database user name is "SA" and there's no default password. An alarming number of administrators never change these settings, so once hackers get into a system, they often try this first -- successfully.

Here's another trick. Put a single quote mark in the user name line of a password. If you get a particular error message, you know that site is vulnerable to a technique of stealing database contents called "sequel injection." "Pretty cool, huh?" Whitaker says to the stunned crew. "You guys want to see some more scary stuff?"

There is more to the article, but basically, it reinforces in my mind this thought I've had for years: I can't believe how easy it is for some hackers to steal sensitive data.

crime , computer security

Crime Fighting in England - Wouldn't Arrests Work Better?

Photo (AFP/File/Joshua Roberts)

Actual Caption From the Sunday London Express:

Police in northeast England have resorted to a more traditional method for crime-fighting, by enlisting the help of a town cryer, the Sunday Express reported.
Here's what he says whilst ringing a handbell:

"Oyez, oyez, Beware! Burglars, thieves and vagabonds are operating in this area.
"Keep all windows and doors locked. Shut it, lock it, don't give them the opportunity!"

I guess it's cheaper than actually arresting the crooks.

- as reported at Mullings.


In a related note - the London Express also reports that the government is simply "cautioning" - not arresting - at least 40 rapists annually.

crime , England

Too Bad This Guy Didn't Have a Gun

A dog in the UK attacked a kid and had to be shot.

Police marksmen called to save a two-year-old child from the jaws of a bull mastiff had to pump 17 bullets into the dog before it would die.

The animal had already been stabbed four times with a bread knife by its owner in a desperate effort to make it drop his son.

When police marksmen arrived, they initially fired a 50,000-volt Taser gun in a vain attempt to stop the frenzied attack by three-year-old family pet Mitch.

They then emptied the entire clip of a Glock 17, 9mm pistol into the dog before it finally collapsed and died.

Now, I know that guns are "bad" in the UK, but come on. Some freaking dog is mauling a kid, it has been stabbed four times with a bread knife, and you decide to use a taser?

And isn't it a shame that they had to use a 9mm instead of a real round? Come on, a 9mm? No wonder it took 17 rounds to put down the dog.

I just don't understand the thinking behind police in the UK when they whip out tasers instead of taking out the dog. Miraculously, the kid only had to stay overnight in the hospital.

By the way, there is an interesting side note to all of this. These officers were from Scotland Yard's CO19 specialist firearms squad - trained in counter-terrorism to place a single bullet on a would-be suicide bomber that severs the spinal cord and prevents him/her from detonating the explosives.

Scotland Yard had this to say about these crack shots:

"The officers used 17 shots because the dog stayed alive that long. They fire and then assess if the threat is still there - and this animal was still alive and they had to fire again.

"It's not something that is going to stay still the minute it is shot. No one can say what impact a bullet will have on a human or an animal - and the animal was still a threat. The officers did what they were trained to do. Unfortunately, that's what it took to kill the dog. The officers had no option."

gun , police

Nanny State Can't End High Unemployment

France is dealing with another set of riots - this time from students upset about the high unemployment first-time job seekers (say, people 26 years old and under) face.

So, d'etat Nanny decides to make changes to workplace rules (through the CPE, which translated, is the "First Employment Contract")in order to encourage the hiring of this age group. But they decide to do this through greater regulation.

What exactly did they try to pass?

The CPE is a new work contract for under-26s with a two-year trial period. In that period, employers can terminate the contract without having to offer an explanation.

The CPE says that after the first month employers have to give two weeks' notice for severance of contract, and after six months the notice period is extended to one month.

For other employees, the trial period is usually only one to three months.

After the two-year trial period for under-26s, the CPE reverts to a standard full-time contract.

Of course, employers balked at these rules. But the real protests came from students and others in the 26-and-under crowd because it would undermine "job-protection."

I know this isn't France (thank God), but based on the French problem du jour, I'd like to make a couple observations.

First, there is no such thing as job security or job protection. If the market dictates you are the best buggy whip, you will only outlast all the other buggy whip manufacturers. Don't plan to go on forever making buggy whips.

Second, you make your own reality. Don't rely on the government to live life for you or to make your decisions. Government wants everyone to be equal - therefore we will be equally miserable if we allow them the power to make us that way. Step up to the plate and pull out of it through smart, efficient, hard work.

Third, if you are in the under-26 crowd, realize that you don't rule the world, that you are not wiser or smarter than your older-worker counterparts. You won't realize this for another five years or so, but you really have no clue how the world works. And as a general rule, your attitudes stink. Do something to make yourself valuable to an employer. No one gives a rip where you went to college or what cute little degree you have. It isn't worth toilet paper if you are too "good" to do your job. Lose the attitude, roll up your sleeves, and get to work.

Fourth, the best "job protection" is to be a good worker, honest and productive. Even so, crap happens, so always have a backup plan... or two, or three.

Fifth, when it comes to ballot box issues, a lot of people like to stick it to those who they feel are in a better position than themselves. Business owners, bigt busienss, etc. Here is some raw truth - if you stick it to those guys, you are sticking it to yourself. Government can create jobs, but they cannot create wealth. Those in business can create wealth. If you oppress them, they have fewer opportunities or incentive to do so - and it ultimately goes to haunt those that thought they should be punished in the first place. This also screws people who are not in the business owner class, but have that great idea or product that will create wealth for themselves and any employees they hire.

This isn't a comprehensive list, just a few observations. But I think they hold true.


economics , France

About the Cross

It is interesting to note that the image of Jesus on the cross that we've seen since the sixth century or so may be wrong.

This means there is legitimate dispute as to the accuracy of Jesus' crucifixion on a small-case "t" type cross. There is no dispute that he was crucified.

The Romans had several cruel methods of crucifying people. According to popular church legend, Peter (Kefa) was crucified upside down, at his request, because he wasn't worthy of suffering the same kind of death as the Messiah. Whether or not this is true, upside down crucifixion was indeed one of the cruel Roman inventions.

There were other types of crucifixion as well, including an x-shaped cross, a cross resembling a capital "T", and a stake that someone would be crucified to, either with hands up above the head, or with hands at the sides.

The Romans would vary their nailing also. Sometimes they'd tie arms to a cross, sometimes they'd make a person stand a little platform while nailing their wrists to a cross... and several other nasty items we won't go into.

The Gospels never tell us exactly how Messiah was crucified (t-shaped cross, etc.), but they make it clear that He was indeed crucified, that He physically died, and that He physically came back to life. There are other possible hints from other scriptures, though, that would indicate the traditional image may not be accurate.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
- Acts 5:30 NIV

"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree."
- Acts 10:39 NIV

When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
- Acts 13:29 NIV

Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse.
- Deuteronomy 21:13 NIV

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
- Galatians 3:13 (quoting Deuteronomy 21:23)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
- I Peter 2:24

Update: 10 April
Tom from MuD & PHuD asked what the wording was in the Greek. Thanks to Elijah Z. for pointing me in the right direction:

According to Strong's, the word for "tree" in the New Testament passages is:
G3586
ξύλον
xulon
xoo'-lon
From another form of the base of G3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance: - staff, stocks, tree, wood.

The Strong's reference in Hebrew from the Deuteronomy passage is:
H6086
עץ
‛êts
ates
From H6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence wood (plural sticks): - + carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.

Yeshua , Jesus Christ , cross

Trouble on the Auto Front

Man. It really stinks being Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Company. As the Detroit Free Press shares, poor Bill Ford, Jr. is experiencing falling pay.

Ford Motor Co. Chairman and CEO Bill Ford, who told shareholders in May that he would not take any salary, bonus and other awards until the company's automotive operations were profitable, received other compensation totaling $13.3 million last year, according to a regulatory filing today.

That's down 40 % from the $22.2 million that Ford, the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford, earned in 2004. It reflects the challenging times that face the Dearborn-based automaker.

Challenging times? Like watching every manufacturing and technology job in the State of Michigan go to other states or go to India and China?

The fact of the matter is that dinosaurs like Ford and GM are not only experiencing "challenging times," they are close to extinction. These bloated beasts have placed small businesses in jeopardy for years by artificially raising salaries and benefits, stealing employees, and just plain not paying their bills.

In another few years, they will not exist in their current incarnation. It will be for the better. These companies are reaping as they have sowed.

Where Do They Come Up With This Stuff?

In case you don't know what to read during this Easter or Passover season, you may be interested to know that the National Geographic Society is making availableThe Gospel of Judas.

The document portrays Jesus as giving Judas a special revelation: that he would help liberate the son of God by helping Jesus get rid of his physical body.

If you work at a liberal university and hate Christianity, what can you do with your work life? Translate stuff found in the sand.

The "Gospel of Judas," one of several ancient documents found in the Egyptian desert in 1970, was preserved and translated by a team of scholars, who date it to around the year 300.

You mean Judas was really a good guy? That's news to me. It sounds a lot like heresy. Oh, wait, it is.

The "Gospel of Judas" was first mentioned around A.D. 180 by a bishop of the early church who condemned it as heresy. It's one of a number of ancient documents that were deemed unworthy of inclusion in the New Testament.

Heresy Bible

Hamas Becomes Even More Dangerous

Israel National News quoted a French newspaper report that Hamas is opening it's doors to all terrorists.

Actually, what Sa'id Siyam, the Palestinian Authority's interior minister, said was that Fatah, the previous ruling party, implemented a cooperation with Israel that is not acceptalbe newly ruling Hamas government. As such, that Hamas will not arrest terrorists, even al-Queda terrorists.

Another element of the Oslo Accords down the drain. By the way, if I remember correctly, it was this particular element that sealed the deal on the agreement and created the Palestinian Authority in 1993.

And, as reported by Israel National news,

Siyam's belligerent statement was moderate in comparison with statements he made upon taking office last week. He said then that not only would he not order the arrest of terrorists who attacked Israel, but that Hamas would try to coordinate all military activity against Israel. He even appointed an Al-Aksa Brigades terrorist commander, Abu Hilal, as his ministry's spokesman.

Palestinians Hamas

Some Problems with Society

In many ways, I am a typical guy. Typical guys think things like baby showers are boring. Apparently, they are not. At least, in Springfield, Massachusetts, where the mother-to-be was beaten, one man was shot and three men were arrested.

How did the altercation start? The AP reports that an argument escalated into a brawl when Aristotle Garcia (sidenote: very cool first name) got into a fight with Antonio Santiago, who is now dating his ex-girlfriend. Sounds like a standard issue thing, doesn't it? No one likes the guy who is going out with their ex. Yet this gets better - the argument was over whether the ex-girlfriend let their 5-year-old daughter drink beer.

The shower's hostess attempted to put a stop to the fight when another man, Jazz Rivas took a large stick and starting hitting some of the guests, including the seven months pregnant mother-to-be.

Then another man, named Juan Velazquez, fired a gun into the party crowd and hit Garcia in the stomach.

According to the Springfield Police Department,

It was a baby shower gone bad.-
Springfield Police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney

Wow - that is an understatement.

The legal stuff:
Velazquez - arrested and charged with assault and battery
with a dangerous weapon and armed assault with intent to murder. Plead not
guilty. Held on $100,000 bail.

Santiago - arrested on same
charges. Plead not guilty. Held on $50,000 bail.

Rivas -
arrested and charged with three counts of assault and battery with a
dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery on a pregnant
female. Plead not guilty. Held on $10,000 bail.

How have we come to the point where this junk seems common? I have a couple observations, although they are certainly not exhaustive.

First, we as a society tolerate crap like this. Sure, most of us who read such an article and shake our heads in condemnation. Yet, as a whole, there is not any widespread outrage.

Second, anti-gunners will look at this and say things like, "well, this wouldn't have happened if guns were banned," totally forgetting that it is illegal to shoot people out of the bounds of self-defense, and it is illegal to beat people up - including a special crime when pregnant women are beaten. It will soon be the "fault" of the gun - even though a stick was used to beat the woman. Personal responsibility will be thrown out. Guns will be demonized. The politicians will do their thing in front of a camera.

Third, laws are in a state of disarray. On one hand, we have abortion laws that, in effect, say that a fetus isn't a human. Then we have laws when dealing with abuse of pregnant women that say a fetus is a human and protected. Don't see a correlation? There is. We can't have it both ways.

This is nowhere near exhaustive, but the same problems are at the root of a lot of common lawlessness getting the press these days.

Muslims Set Bible Ablaze

Four Muslim men in Pakistan burned a Bible on a pile of garbage Tuesday. Some Christians allegedly wanted to "attack the accused," but the Muslim town elders protected the men.

As a result of the burning, 1,500 Christians staged a protest. No one called for the murder of these four men or any other Muslim. No one wanted them pulled into pieces and then burned.

It isn't much of a story, but we all know what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot.

Oh, incidentally, five churches in the same area have been attacked by Muslims in the last two months.

Islam Bible

Good Link on Flag Bandemonium

Ordinary Everyday Christian has a great post that is anything but ordinary on this ban-the-flag-and-anything-patriotic leftist act du jour.

More Banning of Eeeeevil Flags

It looks like the San Diego area schools do not have a monopoly on banning patriotic clothing. Now Shaw Heights Middle School, in Colorado, is getting in on the act.

"When you're running a school, your first concern is always going to be on the safety of the students and keeping the focus on learning."
Principal Myla Shepherd.

I didn't know flags were dangerous contraband.

"The Mexican flag, the U.S. flag, were no longer representing pride in where we're from ... but started to be used as symbols of negativity and racism," she said.

I learned, back in my publik skuul days, that the American flag represented evil and racism and every wrong "ism" known to mankind - oops, humankind... sorry, I was staring at my American flag proudly waving outside my window before writing this sentence. As I was saying, the libs have been teaching "the evil American flag" garbage for decades. Since when did it recently become an issue of "negativity and racism?"

Immigration , Censorship , flag

Banning the Flag?

The Oceanside United School District is banning patriotic clothing and all flags, due to last week's immigration protest.

According to school officials, some students are using the garments and flags to taunt classmates... School officials in Oceanside now say that flags -- whether they are U.S. or Mexican or any other country's -- have now become a divider on campuses, saying that some students are using them to taunt other students.

Give me a break. This is just liberalism at an appalling level.

And since when is a flag a "divider" in the sense it is making students face off against each other?

Some critics of the move are calling it a violation of free speech protections guaranteed by the Constitution.
The American Civil Liberties Union points to the landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines. In that case, school officials attempted to stop students who were protesting the Viet Nam War from wearing black armbands.

"The school has to be able to show a strong likelihood that there is going to material and substantial disruption of school, and if they don’t meet that standard, then they can't censor student speech," said Kevin Neenan of the ACLU.

Ain't it scary when you have to agree with the ACLU? The ACLU is right on this issue - is this a biblical sign of the apocolypse?

Immigration , Censorship , flag

Same Old... Stuff

The Palestinian Authority’s new foreign minister, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, is spouting off again. The leader of the extremely successful hate-group/terrorist organization/political party, Hamas, blabbed to a Chinese newspaper that:

I dream of hanging a huge map of the world on the wall at my Gaza home which does not show Israel on it.

This, right after Iranian Prime Minister Mahmoud Ahmadinejad swore he would "wipe Israel off the map."

This along with a nice new twist in suicide bombing. An Arab terrorist of Fatah's Al-Aksa Brigade, dressed up as a religious Jew. He hitched a ride from four Jewish men. Then, the terrorist hitchhiker blew himself along with the Jewish men.

In the US, we read stories like this and shake our heads and say something like, "this is too bad... why do people hate each other so much?" Then we go on watching our NASCAR or listening on our IPODs, never realizing that this is typical Islam and the US could see such attacks soon. They've happened all over the former Soviet Union. Remember the elementary school taken over last year by Muslim terrorists? The first day of school, and they go on a killing spree after a siege. Remember the bombs in the trash bins around Moscow? If it can happen there, where there is considerably less interest in religious rights, it can certainly happen in the US.

Iran , Israel

Remembering John Paul II

It seems amazing that one year has passed since John Paul II died.

While I am not a Catholic, I admired the man, his charisma, and his genuine love for people. Growing up in a highly Catholic neighborhood, he was the only Pope I really remembered. I remember his trips two trips to the Detroit area as more exciting than when Presidents would visit.

There is something intangible about men like John Paul II. Something in them reaches out beyond religious borders and captivates people. It is a rare trait, and a powerful trait when used for good, as John Paul did for his 26 years as Pope.

There was something else appealing about him, something very human about him. Something that, even though he was the Pope, at the same time made him "one of us." The man faced Nazi oppression, even working in a forced-labor camp. He later faced down the Communist Party worldwide, as a Cardinal in Krakow and later as Pope. He was a man who met scary challenges and left the world remarkably better off as a result.

He was a good man and his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, seems like a good man too.

Goodbye, Buck

I grew up watching Buck Owens on Hee-Haw. Silly show, but a great showman and musician. Buck died on March 25, and his family, friends and fanssaid their goodbyes this weekend.

Owens influenced the sound of country music from outside of Nashville with such hits as "Act Naturally" and more than 20 No. 1 records, most released from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. He also brought the genre to TV on the long-running show "Hee Haw."

Buck certainly had a unique sound and did a lot for country music. Godspeed, Buck.

Iran's New Torpedo

What would the week be like without another story out of Iran.

Iran conducted its second major test of a new missile within days on Sunday, firing a high-speed torpedo it said no submarine or warship can escape at a time of increased tensions with the U.S. over its nuclear program. The tests came during war games that Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have been holding in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea since Friday. On the maneuvers' first day, Iran said it successfully tested the Fajr-3 missile, which can avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously using multiple warheads.

The Iranians could have naval supremacy in the Persian Gulf - a major artery for oil shipments. This can't be a good thing for oil supplies.

Gen. Ali Fadavi, deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards' navy, said the ships that fire the Iranian-made Hoot had radar-evading technology and that the torpedo - moving at 223 miles per hour - was too fast to elude.

"It has a very powerful warhead designed to hit big submarines. Even if enemy warship sensors identify the missile, no warship can escape from this missile because of its high speed," Fadavi told state television.

The Hoot's speed would make it about three or four times faster than a normal torpedo and as fast as the world's fastest known underwater missile, the Russian-made VA-111 Shkval, developed in 1995. It was not immediately known if the Hoot was based on the Shkval.

Most people, even Democrats, acknowledge that Iran is going to be a problem that won't go away on its own. I imagine President Bush dreamed of Benjamin Netanyahu winning the Prime Minister spot in Israel, as Netanyahu seems to be one of the few politicians with the intestinal fortitude to put an end to this menace. Ehud Olmert and Kadima party, with their victory at the ballot box last week, put an end to this dream.

The U.N. Security Council has demanded Iran give up uranium enrichment, a crucial part of the nuclear process. Washington is pressing for sanctions if Tehran continues its refusal to do so, though U.S. officials have not ruled out military action as an eventual option, insisting they will not allow Iran to gain a nuclear arsenal.

Iran's hard-line president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has warned that the United States will "suffer" if it takes action against its nuclear program. Some have seen that as a threat to increase militant action in the region or turn to the oil weapon, though Iranian oil officials have ruled out any squeeze in supplies.

It should be an interesting spring and summer.

Iran

Phil Mickelson

I'm not in to golf, but Phil Mickelson just got my attention.

Phil Mickelson just played the tournament of a lifetime.

Mickelson's final-round 65 gave him a 28-under 260 total - a tournament record and also a personal mark - and a 13-stroke victory.

If that isn't enough,

Mickelson shot the fourth-best score in relation to par in PGA Tour history.

Not too many players have shot a better tournament:

Mickelson was three strokes away from the PGA Tour-record 31 under by Ernie Els in the 2003 Mercedes Championship on a par-73 course.

Good luck next week at the Masters, Phil.

Golf