Let's Make New Cartoons Of The Prophet

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I have quietly watched this mindless and unnecessary controversy stirred up by a dumb, controversy-seeking, "edge-testing" Jyllan-Posten Denmark Editor and some cartoonists. They are all now giving the explanation of "free speech" related to "current events" to cover their hateful speech so clearly created to inflame and hurt people - while they seek police protection. Nice going Mr. Editor. Try yelling "Fire" in a crowded theatre next time. It's free speech, after all.

Their choices to run cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad really poorly were designed to convey and spread hate. This is even more appalling as it is coming to light that the same people refused to print some anti-Christian cartoons because they would be would upset the local population! But, they went ahead and printed even more insulting ones targeting not even Muslims, but the Holy Prophet.

Muslim extremists, and many otherwise peaceful Muslims, predictable as they are, are playing right into what Islam-bashers say about their being intolerant, close-minded people - not "suited for democracy" or modern life. Nice going, Muslims.

So, let us examine this idea and the cartoonist/editor's excuse of "free speech" related to "current events". Please work with me in making some new and nasty cartoons of the Prophet....

But before you threaten me with death (which is in God's hands) and Hell (also in God's hands, not yours)... please read on.

The truly dumb analogy even intelligent people supporting the cartoonist deliberately make is that Arabs print cartoons about ugly, miserly, Jews - so they should not be upset at these cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. Sorry, totally wrong analogy.

Arab cartoonists caricature Jews no more than Jewish and American cartoonists make ugly fun of Arabs/Muslims. Arabs ridicule Jews even less compared especially to how Jewish producers of Hollywood comedies and action flicks ridicule Arabs and Muslims. Idiotic Muslim terrorists, stupid Sheikhs, ugly Arabs are all often shown as stereotypical characters in Hollywood movies. But, for now, we can call both sides even on that score of ridiculing each other.

The correct analogy related to the offensive, and actually pretty poorly drawn, cartoons of Prophet Mohammad being "free speech" related to "current events" would be this.

Would all these "fair and balanced" media and publications, from Denmark to France to the USA, publish cartoons (in the name of free speech if not on merit) showing Prophet Jesus Christ as a nasty, pedophile, Homosexual telling his homosexual apostles and followers to become Christian priests and rape little boys in Churches?

After all, this is a constant "current events" topic, especially in America and who knows in how many other countries, where the church is constantly hiding and protecting abusive priests who molest children. Even this week more scandals have been exposed of how priests have continued to be protected by the Church which KNEW of their molesting children. Talk about some Muslim leader calling Christianity an "evil religion" as Christian leaders call Islam all the time.

To be fair to the major religions, can we also have a cartoon of Prophet Moses teaching Jews to make miracles like "Jewish lightning" (when a failing Jewish owned business "accidentally" catches fire and the Jew gets insurance money)?

Come on. It's not bigotry or hate-speech, it is just a funny look at current events and topics that we read about in papers here every day. But, you are right. I also don't think either cartoon would get published - at least in America or Europe because they would be considered "offensive" or "bigoted" .... Sorry, free speech is not so free and it depends on what country you are in and what group you dare to attack. Shameful double standards!

Ironically, Muslims would dislike these cartoons as well, because we revere these same Prophets of God, and would consider all of these cartoons to be blasphemy. So much so that even though the Virgin Mary is NOT a prophet, no Muslim would accept a cartoonist showing her to be some sleazy prostitute who got pregnant and claimed God made her pregnant despite being a virgin. Would any paper that published the anti-Muhammad cartoons print this one? No, I didn't think so.

But, there is a difference. Many Christians/Jews would be offended if such cartoons were published. Many would try to drive such an artist out of business or out of work. Some would even send threatening notes, but there would NOT be violent, murderous, rioting by Christians or "Westerners". (That usually requires a soccer game in England or SuperBowl party in the USA).

If we, people of the free world, want to claim free speech as the issue, we should see how many of these papers would publish the cartoon examples I give. Free speech speeches will fly out the window free as a Big Bird with a rocket stuck on its back.

The truth of the matter is, the cartoons against Prophet Muhammad were meant to inflame and incite violence, knowing that Muslims do have a more "extreme" reaction to blasphemy. And, unfortunately, most Muslim societies are NOT the best examples of tolerance and free speech. (How the USA and the US government helps keep dictators in power in Muslim countries is another story).

A lot has to do with the greater (supposed) importance of religion in daily life to Muslims. Even though, just like other religion's believers, my fellow Muslims hypocritically continue to steal, rape, murder, smuggle drugs, evade taxes, steal from the poor, look the other way when people are killed in the name of Islam, etc. Shameful hypocrites.

The other problem is a more fundamentalist approach to religion among Muslims most do not recall was and is actually financed by George Bush's family friends, the Saudis and Wahabis.

Fanatic fundamentalist Islam (the kind that was created by CIA and George Bush Sr. / Reagan in Afghanistan - and not solved by Clinton, in case you think I will give him a free pass) is a threat to everyone. Like many other things, George Bush does not seem to get this. "They" do NOT hate "us/US for our freedoms".

They Type 1(AlQaeda types) hate everyone who does not follow them. They Type 2 (Muslim masses) want to be like us, but WE keep dictators over their heads while we ignore the issues important to these majority of frustrated and often illiterate Muslims. So, when Type 1 stands up to the the USA, Type 2 either sign up to burn flags, or looks the other way - even when fellow Muslims are massacred by AlQaeda. It is so much easier, after all, to burn American flags and loot a KFC or Citibank than fight extremists to liberate Islam from their evil clutches.

In case you have not noticed, more Muslims are being killed by Al-Qaeda than "heathens" or "crusaders". The shame is that few, if any, Muslims are going around protesting those killings.

I did not see any Muslims taking out processions against Zarqawi or even the people who caused so much Muslim-on-Muslim Shia-Sunni bloodshed. How exactly did the Jews and George Bush cause that, my dear Muslims? Did Ariel Sharon walk by the procession and detonate a bomb? Did some Zionist pig blow himself up inside a mosque in Iraq?

The problem is that many illiterate and frustrated, religious but NON-fundamental, Muslims are turned On to Bin Laden's message - that "the West is out to get us". Dumb Editors and cartoonists like these Danish guys simply add fuel to the fire while falsely claiming free speech. And of course the morons running Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay torture camps taking pictures of the Iraqis/Arabs/Muslims they torture are even dumber than dumb.

So, the question remains, would the nasty cartoons about Prophet Jesus and Moses be printed by their newspapers? I don't think so. I would love to be proven wrong by these papers.

For example, people cannot even openly discuss if the holocaust happened as much as the Jewish media claim - without losing their jobs. Try writing a test article sounding like you are supporting Adolf Hitler and his final solution and see how far free speech gets you in Europe or the USA. Even native born White Christian Americans are afraid to discuss Jewish issues - or even question US support for ISRAEL - lest someone accuse them of being "anti-Semitic". What nonsense and manipulation of society and media.

So, to my fellow Americans and writers of the world I say, Freedom of Speech is a double-edged sword. Hypocrites ensure that the sharp end cuts only others and not themselves. So, either use it responsibly, knowing the sword cuts both ways, or do not cut others and then hide under the guise of free speech when the blade turns.

If you have something hateful to say, say it as it is - and as you are, a bigoted hatemonger abusing the power of the pen. But, then, please don't go crying looking for police protection when some nut-jobs come looking for you.

After all, I have the right to wear a swastika-emblazoned "Time For A Final Solution For Jews" T-Shirt to a synagogue in Israel. I am just not sure if I will come out alive. Does that make Judaism a terrorist, murderous religion? I can easily wear a T-shirt saying "LetÕs Lynch Blacks To Prevent Crime" and walk into Harlem, New York. I do not know how many pieces you would find me, and my freedom of speech, in. Does that mean Blacks (sorry, African-Americans, though they have no idea what or where Africa is) are barbarians?

If you are an Editor and have printed - or plan to print - these cartoons in a public newspaper, I will defend your right to free speech, as long as you will be fair and run the cartoons equally offensive to other groups as described here. Otherwise, you are a bigot, and just getting cheap publicity at the expense of one group.

My fellow Americans, and non-Muslim friends, please remember this.

The actions of these fanatic, idiotic, moronic Muslims destroying embassies represent Islam and Muslims as much as Christian priests repeatedly raping young boys represent Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him) or as much as the Nazi Germans Christians killing Jews (while the Church and the Pope looked the other way) represented Christianity.

And, my fellow Muslims, who are so upset about these cartoons, I say "So Bloody What?"

YOU and your actions are both giving the cartoons MORE exposure and media coverage than they would ever have gotten. Did you not learn a lesson from the stupid Salman Rushdie "Satanic Verses" controversy? How stupid is it to demand that Denmark (or Israel or America) apologize for the cartoons? So, if I make an offensive cartoon showing Jesus Christ raping little boys, and some Christians are upset, should PAKISTAN or SAUDI ARABIA have to apologize to Muslims for MY actions? Should Christians in America or Europe go out burning down Muslim-owned shops or Muslim embassies because I made fun of the Virgin Mary? How stupid IS that logic?

Even more importantly, Does the value of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) become LESS to you because someone made a cartoon about him? Is Islam so weak that if a cartoon is made or if some lesbian Muslim woman writes a book about it you lose yourgrip on your own faith? Then, I am sorry, shame on you. It is your weak faith in your Faith that is the problem and you do not deserve any sympathy or support, from me or anyone else.

Just remember, it was Prophet Muhammad himself who put up with far more hatred and violence when he went out with his message of ONE GOD, 1400 years ago. He is the one who forgave the very people who had not just insulted him but actually heaped filth and garbage on his back when he bowed down in prayer!

Prophet Muhammad forgave the poets who wrote against him and those who actually ridiculed and caricatured HIM, the HOLY PROPHET? And YOU, hypocrite in your actual practice of Islam's social lessons, too afraid to speak out against the dictators you live under, not even Muslim enough to stand up and save your/our religion from the violent extremists who kill your fellow Muslims EVERY DAY... you are the one the Prophet would need to defend his name?

Ha. He really must be shaking his head in Heaven at your not doing God's duties towards fellow man, but being violent in the guise of protecting his name.

Sorry, but he does not need you, or your kind to "defend" his name. You are an insult to him and to Islam. So, before you leave to blow up the next Embassy or Western office, ask yourself this.

How do your actions in every day life and in this issue compare to His actions and teachings?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Bush Burning (In) The Holy Land, And Adding Fuel

Sorry. I missed it. I watch all the major news channels, but I admit I still must have completely missed the news. I must have been sleeping. How else could it have happened?

It was only from follow up news reports in the media that I guessed how Laura Bush must have been elected to office, or perhaps been appointed a special envoy to the Middle East. Or something.

Imagine that. All this time, I merely thought she was a squeaky sounding teacher married to someone who can barely speak English, with daughters who can barely stay sober.

Yet, there she was, right on my TV screen, and in news photos, apparently on some God-given mission passed on by her crusading husband to go to the Holy Land. Forget about honoring a burning bush, this Bush went off – on whose advice, I do not know – to burn up the Middle East.

This is a time when the world’s 1.3 Billion Muslims are still reeling in anger at reports of desecration of the Holy Koran by US troops or officials. American foreign policy is looking more and more like a Crusade to Muslims. US soldiers guilty of murder and homicide of Muslim prisoners are getting away scot-free or serving meaningless 3-month sentences (shorter terms than people get for minor crimes even in America).

President Bush has turned decades-old American policy on Palestinian Occupied Territories on its head, showing how not to win friends or positively influence people around the world. We have clamored for “regime change” in Muslim countries that did NOT attack us, while protecting the most egregious examples of dictatorships, like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and even Pakistan.

The Central Asian Republics are on the verge of exploding into their own versions of Taliban like fundamentalist revolutions. Muslims in Kashmir, Thailand, and many other countries are ripe for falling into the arms of Bin Laden and his henchmen.

In this geo-political situation, the White House has sent the wife of the most-hated recent American President (which in itself is no small feat) worldwide right into the most sensitive spot, Jerusalem. A crusader’s Christian wife going in with Jewish Israeli troops into an internationally recognized disputed territory would be bad enough. Sending her off, black headscarf notwithstanding, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque seemed almost like some White House lackey’s answer to “How can we make things even worse?”

What amazed me next was Laura Bush, apparently now an “instant expert” on Middle East and world affairs, commenting on the pace of democracy there, ironically Egypt in particular.

Apparently someone asked a rhetorical question, “How can we show the world and Muslims how transparently hypocritical we are?”

Laura Bush, and the White House answered in unison.

In the same time period the US is condemning Iran’s fundamentalists for disqualifying some moderate candidates in their upcoming elections.

Yet, the wise and all-knowing Laura Bush, unelected and un-appointed representative of the United States government, Americans and good people around the world, praised the “pace of democracy” of pro-American Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak.

This was praise for his announcing elections towards a sham democracy - where his appointees will basically get to choose the candidate who can run against him!

I wondered what is next? How can we make things even worse?

Perhaps Laura Bush can hold a press conference and commend Pakistan’s General Musharaff, who, it is said, plans to remain in power well past any false promised dates for free and fair elections there?

While she is at it, why not go all the way, and commend the rulers of Saudi Arabia for being the beacon of democracy, religious freedom and especially women’s rights? That ought to ensure every bush in the Middle East is burning – just not the way that will help light the path to democracy, world peace or religious reconciliation.

My flippant question was, unfortunately, answered. ‘Second Lady’ Lynne Cheney has declared that Laura Bush should be our next President!

I really should be careful asking rhetorical questions considering the answers our government is capable of giving.

What do I know? I am not an expert like Laura Bush, I mean, President (unelect) Laura Bush.

Since this piece was written, here is progress on Democracy, Laura & George Bush style:

In reality, Saudi Arabia continues to export fundamentalism but remains safe from democracy as long as the royal family remains friends with the Bush family. Egypt has actually fomented some of the unrest related to the Danish cartoons about Prophet Muhammad that have caused so much unrest. Pakistan's dictator says he will remain Army head even after 2007, meaning, for life.

These were three countries that we could easily have had real democracy.

But, these are the ones the Bushes like, and one can only imagine how Laura and George see, hear and speak no "evil" of democracy to these tyrants.

In the meantime, Hamas has actually won an election in Occupied Palestine! And, the White House is surprised, and now unhappy. So, we have democracy that we do not want, while we prop up tyrants and Laura beams and George.. well, George Bush just "be's" George Bush.

Editorial Cartoon By Peter Welleman

Bush Makes World Safer - For Bin Laden!

Terrorists were driving around in the USA prior to 9/11 and nothing was done. Bush was informed 9/10 of such a possibility, nothing was done. 3000 Americans were killed by Bin Laden, nothing was done to focus and at least get that one man.

Instead, US troops are STILL in Afghanistan. Cost $1 BILLION Per month.

We attack IRAQ, no relation to Bin Laden. Cost $5 BILLION Per month.

North Korea makes a nuclear weapon while Bush wrings his hands and his oil friends wring our necks with $36 BILLION profits and nothing's done.

Now Iran had a choice. Be like Iraq, do nothing and be attacked, or be like North Korea, and make the bomb. Guess what they chose to do.... ?

They know that the US can't send in troops and start a 3rd World War from that region and that the US does NOT have enough troops or patience in the American public for such a stunt.

The US can't just bomb the place either. We would see a Pandora's Box of terrorism explode worldwide AND we would see the oil price shock wipe out our economic recovery.

So, Bin Laden must be sitting laughing in his cave.

Bush makes the world so much safer - for Bin Laden.

Tell us, HOW MANY of US were spied on?

It is unbelievable that Bush still does not get it.

He is NOT above the law. This is AMERICA, not Russia, not Iraq. And now he has these tyranny seeking people like Gonzales as Attorney General (if anyone could be as bad as Ashcroft, it's him) and now Judges Robber(t)s and Alito {aLieTo(ld)} coming in to destroy the constitution.

I cannot stand George W. Bush, cannot wait for him to be out of office (and praying for minimum damage to be done to us, the US and the Constitution) but, I COULD cut him some slack on this issue of spying within the country on Americans.

I can be more understanding (though not very supportive) IF we can get an answer to a VERY simple question.

HOW MANY OF US AMERICANS WERE SPIED ON?

30? No problem. OK, it's still not legal, it's not the right way, but acceptable/tolerable to do something "in an emergency" to find 30 bad guys in 300 million.

300? OK, that's a little more worrisome, but still within tolerable limits. One person per million is sure to be found to harbor ill intent towards the USA - especially if we consider and include searching for gun runners, drug smugglers and those smuggling illegal criminals from the Cuba and Mexico endanger America almost as much as AlQaeda.

3000? 30,000? Is that the number? Is that why they won't tell us? That is not the number of people sympathetic to AlQaeda. It is more likely the numbers of people that oppose the tyrannical Presidency Bush wants and they are looking to shut up dissent.

What, are we living in the USSA? As I said, the numbers will tell a story.

General Hospital(ity) Can Be Murder

I just read the news story of how yet another "high ranking" military man has basically gotten away with murder. Do you know what rank he had? Chief Warrant Officer Lewis Welshofer is literally the hightest level officer so far held accountable even to this pathetic non-standard of military injustice. (Anyone want to bet me, he will not spend even the 3 years in jail that is possible for that crime?)

Anyway, he has been found guilty of "negligent homicide" but NOT even guilty of manslaughter, much less murder, even though he personally murdered an Iraqi prisoner of war.

Let's think about this for a second. This murderer is a "high ranking" officer. (Though we never hear of Generals and high ups, who give the orders to torture and kill prisoners, being prosecuted).

But the story says, this officer was confused about the rules. Hmmm... he was confused? He stuffed something in a prisoner's mouth to choke him, shoved him into a tight bag to sufocate him and then SAT on the victim's chest.

How could he POSSIBLY have known the prisoner could die? I mean, he's a military officer, not a Doctor. He was just trying to make the prisoner feel warm and secure. He was just being kind, in general, hospitality is what he was showing.

Phew. Thank God he is just another man in our uniform, defending us against people choking to death in a sleeping bag. He commands our troops and weapons but at least he is not our President.... yet. So, notch one for winning hearts and minds, one dead prisoner at a time.

Mr. Reagan, Tear Down This Wall (Of Economic Blackmail)

One month to the day I originally posted this article, the MTA workers rejected the very generous contract they were offered by the MTA. I had even been pretty annoyed to hear how there were hidden refunds that the union workers were being given. But, apparently, in an economy where people are doing more for less pay, the MTA, like other union shops, wants to do less, earn more and have somene else foot the bill --- even if their employer is unprofitable. Now they are back, basically begging to be given that same offer again!

This is what I wrote on 12/20/2005.

As you are probably aware, the workers of New York City's transit system started a strike. This is something they regularly threaten to do, especially at this time of year, when a huge number of people is relying on the subways, trains and buses for holiday shopping and visiting.

If you heard what "unfair" and "harsh" conditions they are fighting, you'd start laughing. They do not want to pay 1% towards the cost of their medical care. They do NOT want to pay towards their retirement funds. They do not want to work past 55 years of age. All this while they have jobs that do not really require rocket science degrees.

In the meantime, the United States is full of people who have lost jobs, are barely hanging on to jobs or are desperately seeking jobs. People who have to have far greater skills, for much loner work hours in the private sector, pay much more to have health benefits, without an entitlement to cushy retirements at age 55.

So, I think the time has come not to exploit the working class, but to save the economy and the hardworking consumer from the unions that build a wall of blackmail around the economy.

Now, President Reagan, he was the man for this occassion.

What we need is for National Guards and other such service people trained to take over such essential services when these kinds of union thugs hold up the nation, and the economy. From the numbers I have seen NYC will lose hundreds of millions of Dollars in revenue because of the strike.

If I recall correctly, part of Bin Laden's mission was to cripple us economically.... these guys are mini-economic-terrorists in the impact they knowingly want to have on the city.

Here's a thought.... teach illegal immigrants to operate trains (not that difficult and fairly automated) and buses (not much harder to learn than operating a tractor on a farm in Texas)....

Then we will see how quickly these blackmailing Unions will show up for work. AND will be happy to pay 1% for healthcare. AND will be more than willing to work until the age of 70. Then watch the transit fares remain steady, service improve and never hear of a strike again.

Long Live Reagan's union-busting legacy, and may we have such leadership that breaks this vice of vice, incompetence and corruption from the neck of consumers and the American economy.

President Bush, pull out some troops from Iraq, and send them into the tunnels of NYC! That's where the latest economic terrorists are operating. Now, that's a war on (economic) terror that I would support.

Imran

PS: See what that means for "State Of The Unions" today and tomorrow.

Unbelievable: Smokers Sue For CAT Scans

Crain's excellent reporter Catherine Tymkiw reported a story that had me groan and mutter "Unbelievable" under my breath. No, there was nothing wrong in her reporting, but the content of the story. "New York state Marlboro smokers want Philip Morris to pay for a new CT scan that can detect early-stage lung cancer. "

While I have no sympathy or affection for tobacco companies, big or small, I have even less sympathy for these smokers. They CHOSE to smoke. The KNEW the risks. They STILL smoked. They want someone ELSE to pay for THEIR choices. Many of these people are long term smokers, which shows that they did not "do something stupid once" but are "long term stupid idiots".

I do not want anyone to suffer cancer, or any other disease - BUT, if these guys (and gals) are so worried about getting cancer, they should have thought about it when they started and chose to continue to smoke. I hope not only does Phillip Morris refuse these idiots' claims, but that the courts throw out any such stupid lawsuits.

Smokers who can afford to spend $1200 annually on smoking ought to be able to pay $500 to get their own CAT scans.

Numbers (Will) Tell The Story

As a Muslim, Pakistan-born, outspoken critic of the Bush administration, who also happens to fly planes, I would not have been surprised to discover that I was spied on by the US government.

As a matter of fact, especially with a court order behind it, especially as an American, I would have welcomed their checking me up as well as others. I would feel the government was doing the right thing to find out if there were more 9/11 type terrorists here.

However, as an American, I am now more scared of what George W. Bush is doing to us, our country, our rights, and our Constitution, than I ever worried about Bin Laden.

It is amazing that Bush and his administration CHOSE to break the law, when there are even special judges tasked with issuing orders approving spying on people. What that says about Bush and his Henchmen and Benchwomen's desire and hunger for power is a separate discussion for some other day.

What I am more concerned about is, how MANY people were spied on?

THAT is the question to ask. THAT will tell us what the Bush administration was looking for.

If the number of people is "a few" then we can and must ask, why not use a judge?

So, I say to Bush and Bushies, why not tell us what the NUMBER of people spied on is?

For example, spying on 300 people would at least be understandable (even though the spying was still illegal). In a country of 300 million one could assume there are 300 people who ought to be kept an eye on.

However, if the number of us that Bush and his CIA/FBI/NSA spooks were spying on is 10,000 or 100,000 or any number like that, then:

A- we are pretty much screwed if that is the number of AlQaeda supporters here in USA, or
B- we have become a fascist state where the dictator and his party can spy on anyone to curb dissent and curtail freedom.

In either case, we are screwed. Bin Laden must be smiling as much as his family friend George Bush is grinning. That's just, in my humble opinion. What do you think?

IMRAN's "Gotta Love It", You Gotta See It

As many of my web site's regular visitors know, I used to have a very popular section where I posted only the best of jokes, etc. that I used to get in my InBox. Over time, I did not keep that current but finally have restarted it with a whole fresh set in a blog. Check it out. I will add to it regularly, and you will enjoy it --- but of course not as much as MY writing and comments here. :-)

It's Just(Ice) Cold In The United States of Amnesia

I cannot believe that this is happening. The more things change, the more they remain the same. Or, is it a sense of deja vu all over again? Or, whatever appropriate cliche should go here.

Just about 80 days ago (October 20, 2005) I wrote about Judge Roberts (now Chief Justice) happening to forget various things he was asked about during his nomination process. Now we had Judge Samuel Alito, the latest Supreme Court nominee from the administration of George W. Bush, who can remember every dissent he has written but just cannot happen to remember that he PROUDLY belonged to a bigot organization at Princeton University. How convenient. This is a man who feels the Preisdent should have powers of an emperor. He feels blacks, minorities and women are not deserving of the jobs they get. He does not believe in one person one vote. He did not recuse himself from dealing with cases of a company he had invested money in. In other words, he is a perfectly good candidate to be on our Supreme Court! NOT!

He did save me some time.... I do not have to write a new article... just please read this one and assume I would have done a search/replace of Judge Samuel Alito for Roberts... the facts remain the same.

Extreme conservatives are being put on the Supreme Court, yet they are liars and bigots or unethical. In the 3-way system of balances in our government, we have reached the lowest point. An absolute idiot is President. The scummiest crooks comprise Congress. And, now, liars and unethical, extremist, bigots are on or on their way to the Supreme Court.

Long live the memory of the United States of America that the founders had envisaged.

So, here we go, on the supreme tragedy as we court disaster in our future as a nation free of tyranny.....

I was going to write a truly great article. But, as I've started typing these lines, I just cannot recall what it was going to be about! It's just not fair. Maybe, it's getting Just so cold, I cannot think or remember what it was.

Normally, I would worry, thinking my forgetting something interesting (even if not that important) was going to be a problem. I mean, how can I try to be a guest on a talk show or even run my own small company if I can forget things so easily? But, then, I realized, I am now living in the United States of Amnesia.

If I recall correctly (what with memory being such a fickle thing these days) I had just written a small piece about Bull In A China Shop John Bolton, President Bush' ideal candidate to represent us at the United Nations. The guy who conveniently forgot important facts when he "truthfully" filled out the forms for his nomination. The guy who is our Ambassador to the UN, an organization he hates.

A guy who cannot remember if he was ever questioned in a serious government inquiry is now going to deal with representatives from 200 countries. How will he remember WHO they are, much less WHAT country they came from, or even WHY they love or hate us?

But, then, I smiled and relaxed.

I think the world is MUCH safer if a forgetful, rude, obnoxious, power-hungry, vindictive, laughably stereotypical bureaucrat like John Bolton is an Ambassador at the lame duck United Nations, instead of being at his last job responsible for controlling nuclear proliferation.

I mean, I can imagine this President Bush going to war.... I am sorry, did I say GOING to war?... sorry, we know he and his type do not GO to war, they START wars. Anyway, I can imagine our Draft Dodger Commander In Chief starting a couple more wars, simply if Bolton forget which country is developing nuclear weapons and gives the wrong country name to Bush. Like Bush needs any help starting more wars that have nothing to do with nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction.

So, I really should not have made fun of Bolton. I cannot even make fun of George W. Bush either. I mean, he too is middle-aged and that must explain his forgetting Bin Laden - the man who attacked the USA on 9/11, and who had nothing to do with Saddam or Iraq.

But, there is a more sinister explanation. Some super secret enemy is attacking us, turning us into the United States of Amnesia.

Why do I say that? Well, quite honestly, I forgot why I say that. But, I can make up something that people will believe. OK, yes, yes, this is it. I am hearing from spy agencies, scientists and even my two cockatiels, that global cooling must have something to do with it. We are apparently not burning enough oil and the cleaner, cooler air is making us forgetful.

That, or the "liberal media" must be broadcasting some dangerous waves into the Washington DC area, which cause selective amnesia among the President and his team. It all started since Al Franken went on air, so he must be behind it. But, don't worry about the Democrats. They are actually not impacted. They already forgot that they were a strong political party so long ago, that there is nothing more for them left to forget.

Whatever this weapon is, Bolton was probably hit by a bolt of it. Bush probably got zapped with such weed, I mean, bicycling by weeds and bushes. Who knows who else is a target or, more likely in the current state of our society, a "victim" of this syndrome.

I have two proofs for this theory of mine.

One is that now Judge Roberts, President Bush’ rather mysterious appointee to the SUPREME Court of this great nation, was also hit by this Dreddful, (sorry, Sylvester Stallone), I mean dreadful, virus or secret weapon. These are Just(Ice) Cold Facts that we have to learn to deal with, and make up the new Roberts' Rules of Order(ly) Forgetfulness.

Justice Roberts did not remember if he was actually a member of certain conservative organizations, which the media had no problem in digging up information and proving that he belonged to. But, even more beautifully, he completely forgot, honestly, he really just forgot, that he actually was a hired LOBBYIST for the cosmetic industry.

And, he did not realize what he was doing was LOBBYING, and not “legal services.”

OK, at least, the guy is a creative enough liar to be a make-up artist. If it was funny, instead of slapstick, it could be called "lipstick comedy." But, it's not funny. Is this the man we want to be interpreting the most intricate laws and complex issues of the Constitution if he cannot tell apart lobbying and legal services? But, now, we have no choice. Justice has been served... dead, frozen, on ice, for decades to come.

Anyway, The second proof I have is……. Hmmm, what was it, let me think, errrr..... honestly, I forgot.

But, now I don't worry that I am getting more forgetful by the minute. I just try to remember that my forgetfulness should now make me a perfect candidate to be part of George W. Bush’s inner circle. Or is that square?

You tell me. You be the Judge....

But, I forget, what were we discussing?

Imran

Did You Give GOOGLE (or Microsoft) The Right To Sell You Out To China?

I had posted this on 12/23/05 but several people said I was assuming the worst and companies like Google (e.g. Microsoft) would not do what I said you and I are giving them the right to do, often without reading the agreements we click ACCEPT on.

I even gave the specific example of how Google could edit or modify someone's postings or video or message to please the Chinese government. How ironic to see that Microsoft did exactly that... in shutting up a critic of the Chinese regime. Sorry, I told you so.....and it will only get worse.

My comment is NOT an attack on Google, which actually is a company I like, respect, admire and consider a great leveler of the technology world. In some cases they have been much better in at least trying to protect us from a snooping, prying, invasive government than all the others, from ISPs to Yahoo and Microsoft, from telephone companies to some librarians, who are all protating themselves in front of illegal government demands for private information on users. So, the comment below is about almost any company that has overly aggressive user agreements people sign/click without reading.

Here is what you should think about. This was titled: GOOGLE Grabs Oodles Of Rights To Your Content!

Did you just give Google the right to MODIFY the video movie or documentary you made as they like? No? Are you sure?

I have not seen anything about this on other forums, but I just got an email from Google's video hosting service. They have made some changes to their terms of service.

Most of the time I sign up for services (like everyone else) and just click Accept. That is much like most of us throw out the modified (meaning more fees and money extorting) credit card agreements we are sent every few months from the behemoth banks merging to take over our financial lives.

Anyway, I got the Google TOS email at about 0415AM and went on and actually read it. Now, this is the part that really got me thinking, and wondering.

----
3. Use of Content. By entering into this Agreement and
uploading, sending or otherwise making available Your Authorized
Content to Google, you are directing and authorizing Google to,
and granting Google a royalty-free, non-exclusive right and
license to, host, cache, route, transmit, store, copy, modify,
distribute, perform, display, reformat, excerpt, facilitate the
sale or rental of copies of, analyze, and create algorithms
based on the Authorized Content in order to...........
----

Generally, I have watched with mild amusement as people using free services (like 2GB email) from Google have complained about their privacy, that Google's system will scan their emails (supposedly only for the email owner's use) to come up with relevant ads to display next to the free email so Google can make money and offer the service to us for free. This is supposedly a pretty well known fact so if anyone does not like it, they can choose to buy their email service elsewhere.

However, it seems that the kind of imperial hubris that at one time only was seen in Washington, DC or Redmond, WA has now taken quite a hold of Google's "Do No Evil" leaders.

I see this turning even more insidious. First they started scanning our emails (sure, with our knowledge), then they started scanning our books (if we are authors, without waiting to ask us) and now, they have given themselves the right to actually MODIFY something YOU or I create.

Here's what I mean.

You create a video or movie. You take up Google on its offer to HOST your video for free.

Sure, maybe they will transcribe it also so the content becomes searchable in text browsers. But, does that mean it is OK for GOOGLE to take YOUR video and, hence, your content and your message, MODIFY it's message?

Well, in some cases it would not be a problem. e.g. if the video I uploaded is 320x240 in size and it is sent by GOOGLE to a cell phone screen one can understand it being MODIFIED to a smaller SIZE. But YOU still control the content. It is still YOUR message.

But, what if it was NOT specified WHAT kind of modification a host can do to your content? Then what?

I ask that because the quote from their new TOS actually use the word REFORMAT to basically cover the kind of changes needed to display the video but the word MODIFY is in addition to the word REFORMAT. That should worry us all.

What if your video in support of DEMOCRACY is "modified" and shown to Chinese users making it sound like supporting COMMUNISM, so that Google can keep China's government happy?

Am I reading too much into it, or is this an obvious and dangerous attempt by Google to also control our content and one day change it anyway it likes? What do you think?

Imran

Conservatives - "Swinging" In(to) Action?

I was born in Pakistan, a conservative country if ever there was one. But, I am always amazed at how in the USA, our great land of the free, land of freedom of speech and expression, that prudishness reigns supreme.

I had a chuckle when I read the news story about some people getting all bent out of shape because they were at a hotel that also had a "swingers ball" type party going on. Darn, I should make a mental note of the location of the hotel. OK, seriously, I am not in that "lifestyle" but this hotel needs all the support they can get. :-)

Apparently, there were some people dancing (legal), showing some skin (legal), wearing sexy outfits (legal) and changing couples as they danced (legal). It would be obvious that there was no public sex and swinging (changing sexual partners) going on (or they would all be arrested).

So, a group of conservative parents complained that it had put him in a tough spot, and one said he had to have a talk with his kids and had to explain to them about what "swingers" do.

But, my question is, WHY did the issue of SWINGING have to come up with the parent's talk with his kid? Did they see swingers actually SWINGING (i.e. people have sex, moving on to change partners and then having some more sex)? Probably not. (If they did, I would be curious as to how long these people actually stood there, watching WHILE being offended!).

So, the question is, why did the parent have to go into discussing swinging? If they only saw somewhat sexily dressed people dancing, then, guess what, swinging is not the issue, nudity or the human body is. If that is a problem, then these people should avoid trips to Europe at all costs. They should also consider moving to Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia.

The complainants also expressed shock that the hotel had conservative guests AND guests of the swinging kind.

As far as this STUPID complaint that two kinds of people are being hosted in the same hotel... I do not drink or smoke or do drugs or use prostitutes. But, when I check into a hotel room, I have no way of knowing, controlling or complaining if the person in the next room is getting drunk, having sex or watching a porno movie (as long as he is not banging the walls and noisy enough to keep me awake. :-) ).

A good point was also made by a person on a Yahoo discussion board about how, in the same hotel, and with these same type of parents, it would be OK for kids to play violent video games, showing ripping heads off human bodies, but heaven forbid if a breast is seen in a see-through dress..... Where's Janet Jackson's wardrobe when you need it?

Is that the sound of all hell breaking loose? Nope, just the thunder of running feet as oglers line up to see the swingers in action. :-)

Your comments are welcome.

Imran

PS One of my regular readers Imran Farooq made some good observations below, which I am addressing in this note added on January 10, 2006:

Yes. I can understand a parent's concern if someone actually does expose their child to blatant or criminal sexual behaviour.

The problem is that these people are asking for a level of political correctness and pandering to different groups' whims. So what if they saw a thong. It is LEGAL to wear a thong WITHOUT pants on in Florida so why did this thong bother these parents? Do they refuse to go to the beach because people wear thong bikinis there? Now, if any of these swingers exposed kids to specifically sexual situations, that is a different story.

But, what do we want, every time we call a hotel to make a booking we have to be read a list of all the types of guests who have booked there? So if a group does not like Blacks or Muslims or gays or big busted women, can they require a hotel to have to provide details of every "type" of guest? How would we like to be typecast in a "group" so that others can decide if they want to be in the hotel when we are there or not? Do guests have to declare on a form if they are going to have sex, wear a thong bikini, watch a porno movie, get drunk in their room, or whatever LEGAL thing they want to do, just to placate some groups? That big picture is what I am speaking for. Thanks.

Mining The Mine Tragedy: Turning Grief Into Greed

It is very sad news about how the hardworking miners, trapped in a coal mine, died. I am sure the first (false) news of everyone surviving, and then finding that almost every single one of them died, must be very devastating to the families. I have heard some news items of some people wanting to sue someone or the other for the initial incorrect news of the miners' survival. This is just incredible and in poor taste.

These were people trapped inside a mine. It's a dangerous profession, and, sad, but true, death is a constant risk.

If the people want to sue because the mining company did something deliberately negligent in safety, fine, they SHOULD do that. But, suing people for not knowing what the facts were deep inside a mine? I don't know. That is, like turning coal into energy, plain, simple, turning of grief into greed.

I hope the families of the lost souls find closure. If there was gross negligence on the part of the mine owners, I hope they are made to pay a high price for it. But, one hopes we do not turn our already litigious society into a place where people are even afraid to share any information, any news (good or bad), because they could be sued for it.

On the topic of dumb and scummy lawsuits, I will post a comment later on another recent story. Until then, stay safe... don't get sued!

Imran

'Sharon A Man Of Peace' - Bush... Huh?

Arial Sharon, the man even Israelis accused of being a war criminal, for the massacre of Palestinians, is a man of courage and peace, according to President Bush in his latest statement after news of Sharon's stroke.

George W. Bush then went on to say David Duke is a great champion of equality and that Stalin was a friend of freedom. He declared that Hosni Mobarak in Egypt and Musharaff in Pakistan are excellent democratically elected leaders (because Bush cannot spell 'dictator').

President Bush then commended the Saudi Royal Family for its support of women's rights and freedoms of choice, speech and driving.

Imran

Dictionary Defined Dominoes, Free Falling Fraudsters

Jack Abramoff, the Washington lobbyist crook, who had friends in high places, and who donated money, among others, to George W. Bush' re-election has pleaded guilty to fraud charges.

Bush's people have offered to return (or give to charity) $6000 that Abramoff gave them, but I did not see anything about the at least $100,000 Abramoff raised for Bush's reelection. Even if the tainted money is returned or given to charity, the fact remains that the corruption of the election process is so ingrained that there is no way to undo the actual long term damage it does.

If the same thing happened and such a crook had raised $10 MILLION for Bush, or a future dumb idiot or known crook, would the election be null and void? No. So, in my humble opinion, the laws need to be stronger in dealing with lobbyists, crooks, special interests, all buying the politicians and political parties - BEFORE something like that happens.

In the meantime, I am hoping that with the guilty plea of Abramoff, he will be providing prosecutors plenty of ammunition against other crooks, like Tom DeLay. Hopefully, as they line up to sell out each other out, we will have the dominoes falling effect. I did a quick lookup on the word domino/dominoes in the dictionary and this is what I found.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Domino \Dom"i*no\, n.; pl. Dominos or (esp. the pieces for a
game) Dominoes. [F. domino, or It. domin[`o], or Sp.
domin['o], fr. L. dominus master. The domino was orig. a hood
worn by the canons of a cathedral. See Don, Dame.]
1. A kind of hood worn by the canons of a cathedral church; a
sort of amice. --Kersey.
[1913 Webster]


How appropriate... a hood, as could be worn by some religious right wing fanatics, which we see gaining plenty of power in this administration. Additionally, Hood could also be used for hoodlum, or crook, which we too are seeing plenty of.

2. A mourning veil formerly worn by women.
[1913 Webster]

That would probably be the mourning veil we all should wear for the slow but steady murder of our Constitutional rights taking place under Bush and his fascist henchmen. Pretty soon you will not be able to tell the difference between living in the USA or the USSR. That happens with the government listening to all your calls WITHOUT court authority, checking what you read in the library, and putting you on a no-fly list because of what you read or say, regardless of whether you are a terrorist or just a free thinking American exercising your right to criticize the government.


3. A kind of mask; particularly, a half mask worn at
masquerades, to conceal the upper part of the face.
Dominos were formerly worn by ladies in traveling.
[1913 Webster]

What we have in Washington right now is really Haliburton's 8-year masquerade ball, where they are having a ball and we the people are having our balls busted at the gas station, with lives being lost in Iraq for Cheney and friends to get rich.

4. A costume worn as a disguise at masquerades, consisting of
a robe with a hood adjustable at pleasure.
[1913 Webster]

and then it goes on to say:

fall like dominoes. To fall sequentially, as when one
object in a line, by falling against the next object,
causes it in turn to fall, and that second object causes a
third to fall, etc.; the process can be repeated an
indefinite number of times.

This is the most appropriate description of all... The process has started. Abramoff. DeLay. Now let's see who's the next one to fall. What's your guess?

Imran

To Buy Or Not To Buy: QuickBooks Pro {Mac 2006}

This is a review/comment I provided on Amazon's comments page for Mac QuickBooks Pro 2006. Since one never knows if they will find something to complain about and not publish a comment, it is provided here to help potential buyers.

A Company Merely Coasting On It's Laurels,
January 1, 2006
Reviewer: Imran Anwar (Heron Pointe, NY United States) - See all my reviews

Some background will help you understand my rating and comment.

As a MacUser I have been a Quicken user since version 1 or so. Every upgrade has been money I spent hoping for better software, removal of older bugs, but that has never been the case. At the most basic level, what I have in my Quicken 2006 for Mac is the same use as I had in several years older versions --- while most of the bugs remain.

I purchased PeachTree Accounting 2006 from Office Max for $199 with a rebate of the same value, so basically Free. But, instead of just using that on a PC I figured I would still give Quicken/Intuit/Quickbooks another look before I open and install that PC software.

It was all very heartwarming to read some top guy's letter at their web site about how committed they are to the Mac, how his family of 5 have 5 Macs (Big deal. My family of one {happily single :-) } has 12 Macs, as older Macs tend to get assigned menial tasks (like fax, voicemail, Chess, kitchen internet access, etc.).

Yet, the features of the Mac version are clearly less than the PC versions. The company does not even have a proper navigable page for the product on their own web site. Several LEARN MORE links lead to non-existent / Not Found pages.

I still went ahead to the Pruchase area to see what Upgrade pricing may exist either as a competitive upgrade or version upgrade. A link on the Purchase page asks something like "What if I am upgrading?" . Click on that, a fancy little window pops up on your screen, and then nothing.

Viewing the source of that window page shows no text, and no visible links to even try to indirectly get the info. I tried 2 other browsers, just in case the problem was with Safari. No such luck. So I decided to waste my time and inform their webmaster but their Contact Us page is a jumble of links to everything but what I was seeking.

Based on how shoddy a job they do of presenting their own product for sale to potential buyers, I shudder to think what quality to expect from the product. I think I will just go ahead and install that free Peachtree 2006 product, which seems more feature rich than Quickbooks anyway.

I have used their 2005 version and it was OK, nothing to get excited about. So, the 3 star rating is given for at least having a product available on the Mac platform. Hope this helps you in buying (or not buying) Intuit products. Thanks.

Imran

Happy New Year 2006

A Salute To Klute: 1 Man 1 Vote, But 6 Men 1 "Whore"?

A Salute To Klute? One Man One Vote, But Six Brave Men & One "Whore"?

Imran Anwar Comments On American Soldiers' Rape Of Young Filipina

I am sorry that this is a tongue in cheek look at something that is a terribly serious issue. I hope this calls attention to the seriousness of the crime, while the tongue in cheek comment exposes the hypocrites and defenders of rapists.

As you all know, I generally support the vast majority of our brave US troops. Most of them unflinchingly and unquestioningly serve our country, wherever our greedy and currently clueless leaders send them, even while I criticize and oppose the Bush government's policies in places like Iraq.

But, there are times when it's not all Pride and Glory. "A Few Bad Men" (starring Tom Screws?) can show their true colors, and embarass us all.

In many cases their actions are actually driven by, if not approved, condoned and enjoyed by, vile power hungry leaders above them. In such cases, even though the soldiers are guilty of their own evil actions, they usually get away with murder or some of them become the only ones to take the fall.

Abu Ghraib prison abuse, the torture and beating deaths of Iraqi and Afghan prisoners without soldiers being punished for murder and many deaths of people who were not even charged with a crime, are some recent examples.

On the other hand, we can have people who are just low life, scumbags, who just happen to join the Army, show their true colors, do nasty things, embarras our military and our nation.

One such possible example was the recent rape (a girl passed out and sexually attacked by six soldiers is probably rape in most languages in the world) of a Filipina student by six (or at least four) American soldiers at Subic Bay, in the Philippines. The US military has not even handed the soldiers over for prosecution by law enforcement.

But, there are many here in the United States, who are actually attacking the victim! For example, on a Yahoo message board, under the title "SHE WAS LIKELY A PROSTITUTE", someone called jamesrobertdupree so philosophically contributed to the discussion, by saying that the girl must obviously have been a prostitute. "A hooker is a hooker" he wrote with great flourish.

That makes me worry about many other things. I will not even try to argue with that imbecile. Thankfully many other fellow Americans (including apparently an American female soldier) are putting him in his place.

But, if he is right, then I wonder, are these six soldiers, wearing our nation's uniform, such low life slime that Six of them can't find their own dates, or even six HOOKERS - one for each of them?

Is there a shortage of hookers in the Philippines? Can we send in Haliburton to set up a few new brothels?

Or, are these men so pathetic that they have to share one hooker? Yuck. I hope they at least take baths after raping, I mean, serving and protecting, such "hookers" in a country that has been our ally and strong supporter. We are supposed to win hearts and minds, not arms and legs, of our allies' citizens. And, even IF the girl had been a prostitute, does that make raping her OK?

You know me, I get to analyzing things. Now I am worried about our soldiers.

They had to share one "hooker"? Does this mean we need to increase our soldiers' salaries, so they can at least get one hooker each? Democracy would require that.

Would we have to give a Hooker Allowance based on the country they are stationed in, because, one would presume that, a hooker in Germany would cost more than a hooker in the Philippines?

Does the military have to set up a Tribunal to decide the Cost Of Hooking Allowance? Is it based on the length of service - or the length of something else?

Is there an annual change? Does it always go up (the allowance, I mean)?

What heading does that go under in the national defense budget? Could it be the Foreign Undocumented Communal Kinship account?

Then I wonder about the fairness of it all. We are just not being fair to such proud warriors as we have in these six soldiers. We promote the concept of One Man One Vote around the world, so our soldiers deserve One Man One Whore. It's only fair, even if the "hookers" are dark. And, I am sure to these soldiers they all look the same anyway, especially in the dark.

Then, I am also curious about the safety of our soldiers. Who knows what danger they put themselves in so you and I can sleep (separately!) safely at night, or do whatever we like to do at night.

To imagine six brave men are taking on this dangerous passed out hooker who was probably a grave threat to our national security and to your home and mine. I shudder... but that's all.

Did these soldiers use protection? I mean, did they use PROTECTION? Yeah, that's what I meant.

So, do they carry condoms among other "protective" equipment in the backpack?

Does the military get volume discounts for Trojan? Is Durex now a military supplier?

Are condoms carried by the US soldiers "weapons grade", because these brave men are obviously "battle hardened"?

I am sure for safety reasons, "Glow In The Dark" condoms must be forbidden, in case the enemy sees and targets them. (Though there would be no protection from a heat-seeking missile, I think).

After all that, I have to think about the social issues. Do these soldiers have wives here at home? What kind of "souveniers" are they bringing back home to their families? "Look honey, I picked up this hot case of gonorrhea" ?

And, finally, their parents must be proud of them, as we all should be, for their raising our flag "pole" so proudly INSIDE another country's "dark territory".

I am sorry, but I don't want to get hooked on this discussion.

In the end, it's probably best just to march on ---- after a Salute To Klute.

That's jsut In My Humble Opinion.... What do you think?

Imran

Holiday Is Not War

Sunset At Old Inlet, Fire Island, Long Island, New York © Imran Anwar
---

On this great evening, let me say to you:

A Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Great Kawanzaa, Good Divali, Eid Mubarak, and Happy New Year to you and everything else that you may celebrate.

Even as a Muslim living in America, I have no problem with Merry Christmas being said when it IS Christmas time. But, obviously, it does not make sense for me to say that to my Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim friends. So, Happy Holidays is pretty safe and especially when greetings people whose religion you do not know, or when emailing several people, for example.

I cannot stand the dumb political correctness of some quarters calling a Christmas Tree put up on December 25 as a HOLIDAY TREE. I also have a problem with the other extreme of political correctness (and being fair too) of including every group in every greeting.

SO, for short, Happy Holidays is fine, smart, and convenient, as long as it's not done for PC reasons. So, what's the problem with THAT?

Saying HAPPY HOLIDAYS is not some sort of "War against Christmas" but simply common sense and convenient. I think it is DUMB when people say Christmas is under attack, as if there is some group of people waiting to have this fun time of year banned in the USA.

What IS and SHOULD be under attack is religion and its symbols being shoved into government, where they do NOT belong.
The Government should not be putting up Christmas Trees. If a Borders Book Store allows the local Jewish community to hold functions at their holy days inside the store's premises, one would like to believe they would extend the same courtesy to Muslims, if asked. (I am looking into that right now actually).

In the meantime, Happy Holidays everyone, everywhere! Don't forget to check out the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center!

Imran

USSR Style Gulaglopoly Government, Now In USA

The whole world knows how stupid and how un-American the behavior of the Bush government has been towards people it detains, whether in Iraq or in Guantanamo Bay. It is even worse to find out that the vast majority of detainees are NOT a threat. NO credible information to prevent terrorism has been found there.

The latest news item really shook me. It relates to two Chinese minority Muslim detainees who have been found to be completely innocent, no threat to national security or any kind of problem, but according to a judge, the court does not have the authority to free them.

I remember growing up in Pakistan, reading about the kinds of "permanent limbo" critics of the evil Soviet empire would fall into, and never be able to get out of. And, I remember reading how strong and freedom-protecting American law was. Well, that was then, this is now.

Let's be clear on one thing. I don't have any sympathy even for AlQaeda / Al-Qaida sympathizers.

But to have innocent people put away into a black hole from which they are not let go even when they are innocent makes me shudder. Amazing, sad and scary that this gulag mentality governemt is running today in the USA and not the USSR.

ADDED: The biggest laugh I got this Christmas was not from some fat Santa saying Ho Ho Ho but from reading a New York Times news report that the US will not hand off Iraqi detainees to Iraqi authorities, "officials are satisfied that the Iraqis are meeting United States standards for the care and custody of detainees."

Oh, yeah. THAT is what we want. Everyone else should follow the great standards and lessons of prisoner treatment at Abu Ghraib prison, prisoner rights abuse at Guantanamo Bay and prisoner "rendition" and flying around the world to be tortured.

The Bush government is definitely the shining light of how to treat prisoners.

Imran

Better Never Than Late, Better Late Than Now

The simple fact of the matter is, the Patriot Act has done little (if anything) to prevent Bin Laden or his henchmen from plotting our destruction, regardless of what country we live in or come from. Yet, our Constitution and civil rights are being shredded, every day, not by AlQaeda but by George Bin Bush.

The latest news reports say that the US Congress temporarily extended the so-called Patriot Act (what its highly un-American nature has to do with Patriotism can only be explained by some Bush-whacked fascist or neo-con) until February 3, 2006, thereby avoiding the pressure for some people to make it permanent.

This delay is a good thing. The way this Act is written or being pushed, it's Better Late Than Now, and Better Never Than Late.

One hopes there will be some serious debate on the dangers it poses to AMERICAN values, and how little it does to stop AlQaeda from killing people around the world.

Imran

Grady's White Is Black?

You already know that MORE than 2125 Americans are already dead in Iraq while George Bush & his henchmen celebrated Mission Accomplished with his dumb stunt aircraft carrier landing. An apparent supporter of George Bush, Grady, actually posted a reasonable comment in reponse to my commentary on the topic.

He disagrees with me, but the reason it is worth mentioning is that it is actually different from the usual "Support Bush or You Are a Traitor" 'logic' that neocons and Bush supporters, as well as modern day crusaders, spout in the name of "patriotism".

Even though the vision of Grady's White (sorry, couldn't resist), where Black still pervades, is wrong, I respect the sincerity. He seems hung up on my being "hung up" on the words "Mission Accomplished".

But I am not hung up on "Mission Accomplished" but the fact(s) that

a) Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
b) regime change was NOT described as the mission (check a great posting found online on how many dozen times WMDs were mentioned in Bush' speech before attacking Iraq compared to ONE mention of democracy)
c) end of bombing a place does not make a mission complete
d) MORE Americans died since then by Bush's CHOICE
e) almost 2200 MORE Americans are dead and no end is in sight
f) Haliburton is making all the money while American lives pay for it
g) NO WMD were found as they did not exist
h) Iraq went from secular to Shiite pro-Iran dominated
i) Iraq went from stable to an ALQAEDA HQ
j) MORE terror attacks have happened since then worldwide
k) Americans are STILL at risk even AT HOME despite 9/11 and the 9/11 Commission's recommnedations NOT being put in place.

The only one whose Mission seems to be Accomplished is Bin Laden, and that Thanks To Bush.

Imran

Howard's End. Siriusly speaking

I am all for free speech (something I complain about all the time as the Bush administration tries to turn the USA into a dictatorship ripping Constitutional freedoms to shreds). But I also do not think someone just being obnoxious or vulgar on-air makes them some sort of hero.

What amazes me is this. Howard Stern, the "shock jock", whose shows on radio and TV have merely or at least mostly consisted of rude, vulgar, obnoxious, borderline pornographic, profanity laced insignificant drivel, is being considered a martyr or some sort of hero for being "pushed out" of FM radio.

On top of that Sirius Radio is reportedly paying $500 million (over several years) basically to have Howard Stern all to themselves. Good for them, and Good Riddance from Radio and TV that everyone else enjoys.

I admire him for learning to play the media to his own ends, and something a lot of people try to copy. I do respect him for openly criticizing George W. Bush before the election.

But how impotent, politically speaking, Howard Stern is, was proven when George Bush actually WON this last election - despite Stern's calling to his "huge" audience to oust Bush.

I was amazed to read this "article", on AOL, basically sucking up to Howard Stern - as if Nelson Mandela had been sentenced to life in prison by the South African government.

What's next? An article crying that Paris Hilton is a great actress who does not get good movie parts (except the kind she makes herself) because she is being discriminated against?

Sorry, but that kind of idolizing of Stern does not make any sense.

I can put anyone on air with 1000 F-words per hour, and transvestite midget guests who love to have sex with their 7 feet tall sisters, and you would basically get a Howard Stern replacement show.

With Sirius paying $500 MILLION for that, I made sure to pick XM Radio as my satellite radio provider. I would not want my subscription money going to finance pure crap and trash. So, if Sirius wants to pay an obscene amount of money to start up Howard's obscenities again, more power (and Watts) to them. But, In My Humble Opinion, it will not last long.

To me this is not a new start but just a certain Howard's End. Siriusly speaking.

What do you think?

Imran

Ford's Hot New Slogans (Caution, Racy Language)

You have already seen the earlier posting on this topic of Ford's decision to stop advertising in gay media and now reversing that decision also. Now that we have seen Ford cave in twice, first to the fundamentalists, and now to the gays, it's time for some hot new slogans for Ford. Please ignore this if you find commonly use racy language offensive. Thanks.

- Ford: Quality is (blow) Job 1
- Built Ford Soft
- Ford Bends Over For You
- Ford We Try (But Can't Get) Harder
- Ford: I'm Shoving It
- Ford Model 8: We'll Leave The Blinkers On For You
- Ford: We Cave In To Both Sides

Bronco tagline: Ford Bucking The Trend,
or wait, is it: Bored Fvc#ing The Rearend ?

As I said, sorry for the crude language but Ford remains a joke of a car company.

Anyway, wherever you stand on the issue of gay rights, at least Ford made a business decision based on business, not the demands of some religious or fundamentalist group. What do you think?

Dictator Saddam Or Daily Death? What A Pick(le)!

Iraqis go to the polls today, while George Bush finally mentions that about 30,000 Iraqi CIVILIANS have died since his elective war for oil began. Who knows what the actual number of casualsties is. We already saw how well the Iraqi insurgents greeted the US as liberators.... We already saw how Bush declared Mission Accomplished... We already saw how Cheney said the Iraqi insurgency was in its dying throes... We already saw how Iraq went from a dictator run stable secular country to a breeding ground for terror, on the verge of civil war.

What I hope we never get to see is the return of Saddam Hussain.... How sad that an evil man like Saddam Hussain would get elected if he was allowed to run for Iraqi elections.

Iraqis who hated and feared him probably think at least they were not getting blown up taking their kids to school....

Saddam killed his opponents (as every dictator in the world and some elected rulers do too, with the blessings of the USA) but the rest of the country was safe. Now, no one knows if they will make it back home alive on a daily basis.

Give them Saddam or give them daily death? They'd sadly pick Saddam. So, Bush would have killed 30,000-100,000 for nothing but oil company profits and Dick Cheney's Haliburton friends. What do you think?

Imran

You go, gays... I mean, guys!

This is an interesting news issue. Some radical Christian and anti-gay activists have been pressuring American businesses, like Ford, Wells Fargo bank, etc. to pull advertising from "gay" publications.

On the one hand, even as an independent, not tied to "I cannot accept this as a Republican" or "Everything goes, because I am a Democrat" points of view, I can see SOME logic, as discussed here in this blog, to religious institutions' tryig to stick to their century old traditions and values when it comes to dealing with sexuality-related issues. e.g. the Catholic Church and its (somewhat strange and illogical) stance on gays in the clergy.

On the other hand, I think it is borderline fascism, reminiscent of the Taliban in Afghanistan, to have religion-driven neo-con Bible-thumpers attacking and pressuring legitimate businesses, like Ford or Wells Fargo, from marketing to legitimate customers, in legitimate media, using legitimate ads, which do not in ANY way get in the face of these nut-case religious fanatics.

It would be one thing for these Bible-thumpers to condemn Ford (which I do not much care for anyway, and it seems which consumers don't much care for either) if Ford was showing two gay men kissing in an ad for a Ford FOCUS ;-) in, say, a "general/family" magazine. But, if Ford is catering to a demographic group, gays, by advertising to them in "THEIR" media, much like they could marked their lousy cars to Hispanics in Spanish media, or in local Indian/Pakistani publications read by engineers with jobs in Silicon valley, WHAT is the problem? It is merely intolerance of the right wing fanatics, doing its best to impose its will on the nation and society.

Quite frankly, I support gays having the right to live together in official relationships especially when the bast majority of people in gay relationships are not about "in your face" statement-making. Yet, I do not agree with their demanding such a relationship being officially called "marriage". (Check out the podcasts at http://imran.com/media/podcasts/ for more on that).

I somewhat understand, if not agree, with the Church or religious organizations limiting how they deal with openly gay people (or women) in the clergy. But, I think this attack on businesses by right wing fundamentalist Christians should be unacceptable to all Americans, gay, straight or confused.

This is one slippery slope that will lead to the eventual erosion of religious and social freedoms that make this country the greatest place in the world to live, no matter what we believe, no matter what we practice.

I am told by a commentator that Wells Fargo did NOT cave in. But, if Ford and others are caving in, Shame on them. What valid customer group will they pull back from next based on some (a)moral religion-thumping non-majority's demands? What will be the next pullback criterion? Color? Race? Marital Status? Religion?

This is an important issue for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation. What the gay community needs to do is show their own clout, by boycotting Ford and closing their accounts at any vendor that sells them out as a group. You go, gays, errr, guys, I mean, people ....!

Imran

Sellout Judy Miller Sells Out Even More

Yes, it is true, sometimes I cannot stand Ariana Huffington's huffing and puffing commentaries, but her blog has been a pleasant surprise. I had seen a very interesting piece she wrote (and on which she got flak but was proven true) about the world famous sellout from the New York Times, Judy Miller.

Judy Miller, if you recall, was the person who was in bed (figuratively, but I would not be surprised if there was something more literal to the story) with Hailburton, I mean, US Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief Of Staff, Scooter Libby. She was helping spread lies about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that Iraq never had! She chose to go to jail rather than say what she was up to. But she made it sound like it was a great sacfrifice for journalism. No such truth. She has a lot of financial rewards lined up after she got out of jail.

That there is a book deal at the end of Ms. Miller's great "mission" and "sacrifice" and "stand on principles" is not the surprise. It is that she claimed she was standing on principle when in fact it was personal glory and (if this news item is true) financial benefit she was fighting for.

I am all for standing by one's word. I am all for protecting your sources.

But, if I have a source that tells me about a murder that has been committed would I not have to divulge the details to law enforcement?

If the law is clear on protecting US operatives undercover, why would Ms. Milller have the right to choose to break and ignore the law?

So, I am not surprised by the news/claims I am hearing about Ms. Miller, and I am not surprised at how the whole issue of outing a CIA operative is being minimized by the administration to protect M/s Libby & Rove.

I am just surprised that things can be so blatantly done all around, and we, living in the most informed society in the world, can merely express ourselves on blogs?

Imran Anwar

2125 More Americans Dead, Mission Accomplished?

Update: Number of American War Dead In Iraq Approaching...OOOOPs, PASSED 2000...OOOPS 2125

I wonder when George W. Bush will do his next carrier landing --- when the number of Americans killed in Iraq & Afghanistan exceeds those killed on 9/11 by non-Iraqi terrorists?

And what will the banner say behind him next time?

"Bring It On"? "Mission Accomplished version 3000"?

Imran
http://imran.TV

Blog, Or Not A Blog? That is the question

Not long ago, I had read an article in a newsweekly magazine, which mentioned some of the more popular Blogs out there. It included mention of some that were getting lots of traffic (and hence revenue too).

One that was mentioned was Wonkette. I went to that site, and enjoyed the witty, sarcastic and biting humor of that team. What I could not find, for the life of me, was a place to comment on any entry.

Eventually, giving up, I wrote to them by email. I did not get a response. I wrote again, and asked, something like, Is this a blog and if so where can I comment. And, I got a short, curt, reply saying that there was no place to comment and they/he/she guessed Wonkette was not a blog.

That got me thinking. (Yes, I know, a dangerous activity).

What exactly is the most common perception of what we Bloggers are as a group? Are we individuals or are we just one small aspect of a whole big media opportunity to control another form of communication with the public?

How important is it for a what most people consider a person's BLOG to be driven by that person (with maybe a few helping hands for HTML, promotion, etc.)?

How essential is reader/writer interaction for a web page or web site of commentaries to be called a Blog? If there is no reader input, no comments area, then, sure, it is still a "web log" of someone, but how different is a site like Wonkette with a team of 15-20 people from an opinion site like a conservative or liberal magazine's web site with 20, 30, or 300 staffers?

Does a Blog not conjure images of us as solo-fliers expressing opinions for all (or no one) to see and read?

Is a Blog still a Blog if 30 people put it together? Should such a site's revenues be considered money going to "bloggers" or to "medium-sized" or big-media?

A good example (though non-Blog example) is Maureen Dowd of the New York Times. She does not have a blog (at least I could not find it) but ype in MaureenDowd.com in your browser and you are taken to the New York Times' site. So, if she wrote a blog, and it generated revenues for the New York Times, is that money considered revenues of "us" bloggers or more money going to big media.

What do you think?

Imran

(Let's just) PLAN FOR VICTORY

George Bush made yet another speech, and we got yet another "plan for victory". Maureen Dowd wrote a great piece in the New York Times about it today. After Bush's speech and the events of the last two days, where do we stand with this new plan?

Let me see...

- The Iraqis are so well trained that they are losing more SOLDIERS than insurgents every day.

- We (the US) are executing on our plan so well we lose like 15 soldiers as soon as Bush's speech is over.

- SECULAR Iraq under evil Saddam is now ETHNIC Iraq under incompetent leaders.... and falling deeper under the influence of Shiite Iran....

Could Khomeini and Bin Laden COMBINED have planned it better than Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld?

I wonder.

Imran

WHO wants to encourage censorship!?

The other day I read a posting on a Yahoo message board, where some lame-brained RIGHT-WING neo-con was accusing the liberal LEFT of promoting censorship.

And, I had to say, How IDIOTIC to say that the LEFT wants to encourage censorship.

I am no fan of often Democratic AND Liberal led POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.

But the real enemies of freedom of speech, and liberty, are now the RIGHT WING, mostly Republicans now backed by fundamentalist Christians.

They would not want anyone to question any government policy set up by Bush, Cheney and their gang of secretive, court-constitution-congress-bypassing war-mongers. They would shove the constitution into a museum, and would insist that questioning torture, corrupt government, Haliburton driven wars etc. should not be allowed. Yet, we are expected to do that, and BE PATRIOTIC by giving up the VERY BASIC rights that this country gives us, the right to speak freely AND to hold our government accountable.

These RIGHT wingers are censoring facts, truth and even the news (when they are not planning to bomb Al-Jazeera TV!), yet they ARE adding another kind of speech... where it does not belong..... RELIGION in SCHOOLS and GOVERNMENT places.

Don't forget to say your prayers before doing your government court or school job, or teaching Adam & Eve to SCIENCE students.

Imran

Hang 'em High, and on PPV TV

It is expected that the United States of America will carry out its 1000th execution of a convicted killer since the death penalty was reinstituted. There are many who oppose the death penalty (mostly people who have not lost a loved one to violent murder).

I always felt the death penalty, as meted in the USA, is too gentle for some of the worst violent killers.

I mean, they are allowed to basically doze off to permanent sleep with a lethal injection. Where's the fun in that? Where's the justice in them suffering what they did to their victims?

I believe killers should be killed in exactly the same manner as they killed their victims in.... and, if that is too complicated, then just Hang 'em high, in Giants Stadium.. and put it on PPV (pay per view television).

Let's give the money to victims' families, or, if there is no next of kin, to pay the cost of having tracked and proesecuted the killer. $9.99 paid by 100,000 viewers oughta be a good start.

Imran

For Sale: Slightly Abused Government

High torque rhetoric, lots of power to abuse at will, including NUCULAR power. Moderately used military muscle. New In Box completely unused Intelligence.

2004 model operates without need for Shame, Ethics, Honesty or any such old technologies.

Requires lots of oil and blood but mostly provided by American citizenry, no cost of ownership to Washington operators.

Fly-by-"hire" lobbyist-driven system proudly built in Texas, removes need for owners' manual (Constitution). Completely self-contained unit, blocks light totally, ensuring Zero forward vision. Convenient no-bid systems ensure smooth transfer of funds to excutive's former company without interruption. Proudly offered to highest bidders by the sales team of Cheney, DeLay, Abramoff, and more.

Serious inquiries only. Curious? George @ 202-456-1111.

Liberal Muslim Agrees With Catholic Church's Conservative Stance?

You probably think a Muslim commentator, especially a liberal one, is least likely to support a tougher conservative stance of the Roman Catholic Church on a socio-political issue.... But, in this particular case, where the Church is taking a harder, I mean, tougher, line on limiting or refusing gay clergy in the Church, I do. I do. I do.

OK, OK, I was just kidding on the last two "I do"s. I am not married to this issue!

Back to the topic at hand. Yes, I somewhat agree with the Catholic Church on one of its recent decisions. Here's why.

Like most major religions, Christianity in the Catholic Church is not a free-floatin', easy-goin', come 'n hang out, everythin's cool commune or open-air concert.

It is a system of beliefs, values, traditions and rules. You and I may disagree with those beliefs, values, traditions or rules, but no one is forcing us to JOIN the Church.

Unlike a place like, for example, Saudi Arabia forcing (my religion) Islam down everyone's throats (except the rich and Royal family members), No one is forcing anyone, in America, or Italy, or Pakistan, to BECOME a Catholic or Christian.

So, if someone wants to be a CATHOLIC the way the Church and other Christian Catholics define it, (and as long as it does not require them to kill others, or burn people at the stake, hold inquisitions or bombing nations the way George Bush seems to be doing "the Lord's work") then they ought to abide by the rules of the Catholic Church.

If they disagree with some of the things that are fundamental to Catholic values, they should consider joining another denomination, or a different Church, or a different faith that tolerates, accepts or celebrates whatever it is that the Church does not accept. But, I disagree with politically correct changes being shoved upon a religion and its followers, even though I do not personally belong to that religion.

It is one thing to have religions "change" with the times, e.g. having web sites, TV sermons, etc. but it is a whole different thing to try to change the fundamentals of that religion just because certain things are more socially acceptable today than 2000 years ago.

So, I can accept and support gays having equal rights as citizens of a nation, members of society, workers in a company, etc. but forcing established institutions or a few Billion people to give up their fundamental beliefs, whether right or wrong, just to placate a "a few thousand" members of a certain sexual orientation is definitely not right.

At the same time, my main concern still remains.

The Church has still not done enough to address the serious issue of pedophile priests. It amazes me how some of the worst sexual predators and offenders still enjoy positions of power and prestige --- even after their roles in sexual abuse of children and protecting guilty priests became publicly known.

Punishing decent gay people who may be good Christian human beings, while protecting "straight", but truly evil, child-raping priests.... now that's a crime that ought to be dealt with more seriously.

What do you think?

Imran

New Reality Movie: CWI - Civil War Iraq

Bush Father & Son Present
A Cheney Rumsfeld Production Of

:::::: CWI - Civil War Iraq ::::::

Based On A False Story By Colin Powell
Screenplay By Wolfowitz & Rice

A Cost Of Billions, A Cast Of Millions, Body Count Of Thousands.

Coming daily to a cemetery near you.

Church & Science: Hey, who're you callin' 'Infallible'?

I read with interest an Associated Press story about the Vatican's stand on the Intelligent Design vs. Evolution (non) debate going on in some Retarded States of America. But the story left me quite confused.

I am sorry, but after reading this story the Church sounds more like Senator John Kerry than I could imagine. Kerry is Catholic, maybe that explains his self-contradictions!

The current Pope says intelligent something is at work here, his Science official says intelligent design is not science, the previous Pope seemed to support evolution but some other papal figure says what the Pope said was not important. Huh? ..... So, which one is the Infallible one?

A poster on the Yahoo message groups, from a rather irate Christian writer declared how the Church has always been the one to promote science, and I was amused and amazed by that. I think history books are full of examples of then religious figures in Christianity persecuting people of science who dared say the Earth was NOT the center of the solar system, etc.

As a Kerry inspired Church statemet would say....

We persecuted science before we promoted it?

So, am I right, or am I correct, or am I not wrong, or am I not incorrect... dare I say it, by that token and logic am I always right, and thus, infallible? ;-)

Imran

Some Great Reasons For More Tax Cuts

It is so nice to hear that a new tax cut has been approved. OK, let's see. We have nation-wide devastation by hurricanes. We have schools without teachers for lack of funds. We have the biggest deficit. We have all good jobs going overseas. We have high rates of uninsured people. We have ONE big oil company making $10 BILLION in PROFIT in ONE QUARTER. We have a war draining our resources...

Coooool, plenty of good reasons to hand out some more tax cuts.

Oh, and let's make sure not to tax any of that windfall profit because the oil companies finance people like Bush and Cheney. So what they screwed everyone in the USA to achieve those profits.

Imran

Is Musharaff On Drugs, Delusional Or Just Stupid? - Really....

I posted this on November 13, and 2 days later this was proven true with AlQaeda or someone immediately carrying out a terror attack in Pakistan. I did not see any more claims like this from Busharraf. Did you?

Imran

Is Musharaff On Drugs, Delusional Or Just Stupid?

I am flabbergasted that Parvez Musharraf, Dictator of Pakistan, would make such a DUMB statement...

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The president of Pakistan said Sunday it was highly unlikely his country would have to deal with the kind of terrorist attack that killed 57 people last week in Amman, Jordan."

I am not sure if he is on drugs (as just drinking too much would make his speech slurry) or just delusional from all the Yes men around him, or if he has (being a military man) actually become more and more stupid with time in power.

His statement has the kind of dumb bravado that His Master's Voice quality as when the Other Idiot In Power, George W. Bush, made a landing on an aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" banner in the background, and asking AlQaida to "bring it on".... only to see 2000 more Americans get killed in Iraq.

It is almost like Musharraf is asking for AlQaida to conduct such similar stupid, easily carried out, murderous attacks as we saw in Jordan. Maybe he is.... What do you think?

Imran

George Washington & George Bush

How sad to have gone from an "I cannot tell a lie" President named George to the "I cannot tell the truth!" George.

Bush is getting buried in the polls, but sadly it is American soldiers dying for his lies.

Here is a living epithet, "Here LIES Our President".....

Imran
http://imran.tv

Incredible Exclusive News From Iraq & War On Terror

IMRAN.TV reports these exclusive news items from Iraq today.


President Bush Guarantees Bin Laden's Death

President Bush announced another victory in the war on terror, when Saddam's aide died in hiding, never having been caught. Bush felt that the stress of running must have killed Izzat al Douri. According to President Bush, this proves his plan to BORE Bin Laden and his team to death is working. Bush said he can guarantee that this will cause Bin Laden to die within the next 100 years and the war on terror will be won.

UN's Kofi Annan In Iraq Seeking....

Since UN Secretary General Koki Annan sees little hope for peace in Iraq after the war Bush started, he felt it was his duty to visit Iraq. He is there seeking not peace but a piece, of the action.... He is there to find any opportunity.... to get some Hailburton contracts for his own son.

How To Treat A Wannabe Suicide Bomber Iraqi Woman

OK, let us get one thing established. I abhor violence and torture, and would never condone hitting a woman. However, now that we have this live specimen of human filth Iraqi wannabe suicide bomber woman under arrest, here are some ideas I have for her treatement.

I disagree with blowing her up. :-) Blowing up her sorry ass on global TV would be a waste... I mean, that is what SHE wanted in the first place.

Much better TV ratings (and ad revenues) would come from a pay-per-view on-air special of putting her in the camp with the 600 sex starved men in Guantanamo Bay.

The real "jihadis" among them can get one non-virgin right there to meet their needs to blow something, and the others, who may be incorrectly held by the US can get some much deserved free sex. If suicide bombers think they get 72 virgins somewhere above, a woman suicide bomber should get 72 virgin terrorist men have their way with her right here on earth.

After that, I consider this woman perfectly suited for being tortured in EVERY known way to make her talk, to get information on where other terrorists are hiding, planning and preparing for more murder of innocent people around the world.

THEN, finally, I would like to see her blown up on TV, but, to make the show longer, thereby increasing the opportunity to get more advertising sponsors (like Kevlar, Hummer, Smith & Wesson, Haliburton, CIA, US Army) I suggest strapping mini-explosives to her body so she is blown up, bit by bit.

First the left middle finger, then the right middle finger, then the right big toe, then the left shoulder, then the right ear, and so on.... You get the idea. And, hopefully, any other wannabe volunteers to suicide bombings will get the idea of what awaits them.

What do you think.... am I being too soft? :-)

On Immigration, Assimilation, Technology & Riots

FREEMUSLIMS.ORG sent out an interesting email today, titled "Why is France Burning? Is America Next?" by Kamal Nawash.

It made some good points but one of them caught my eye. "Unlike past immigrant generations who quickly assimilated, today's immigrants take much longer to assimilate if they assimilate at all. This is due to technology. In the past, immigrants were generally cut of from their mother countries which made assimilation much easier. Today, satellite technology brings movies, news and culture from an immigrant's home country to the living room of his adopted country via TV, the internet and other forms of media."

In response, I wrote to them stating that I am proud to be a Muslim from Pakistan and proud to be an immigrant and proud American. I can HATE American POLICIES but still LOVE America, and its people. I am more American than many Americans in how I believe in true American values (not the Bush-Cheney-Rice-Rove-Haliburton version) and am an "assimilated patriot" yet remain dedicated to helping Pakistanis and Muslims achieve progress and socio-economic success in the future.

Your posting below has many good points but I seriously disagree that Technology is to blame for the LACK of assimilation of immigrants, in Europe or America. Assimiliation is a CHOICE, and younger people in well off, educated families/cities will assimilate better than un-educated, down-trodden, unemployed youth who may also have poor, uneducated and unemployed, possibly overly religious parents.

Contrary to the writer's opinion, I feel immigrants today have a CLEAR picture of the kind of society they will have to live in, thanks to cable and satellite TV and the Internet, before they ever buy a fake visa or crawl over the border or float into Miami.

They can see that if they move to Miami, FL, they should expect to see lots of thong-wearing babes. They cannot claim to not have known the cultural differences, that they could easily have seen in ANY TV show, if nothing, then Baywatch! If they move to Nice, France, they should expect (and probably look forward to) nude sun-bathers thronging the beaches that they will ogle, all the while complaining about the "evil and shameless" Western culture.

So, the real problem is people coming "HERE" (whether Europe or America) and CHOOSING to still live in a little mental and geographic ghetto that looks (and usually smells) like where they came from..... Such immigrants should not come "here" and if they hate it so much "here", they ought to go back where they came from..... Those that do come here, and have the requisite drive and skills, do not need to make an effort to assimilate. Success is assimilation in this culture. Doing well is assimilation. We/they can stay true to their cultural values as immigrants, whether it be saying prayers or not eating pork, speaking Urdu or wearing shalwar kameez, yet be considered assimilated simply by being productive, proactive, ACTIVE members of the society we CHOOSE to make our (new) home.

Blaming the host for everything, or blaming technology for the choice of people not to move into the mainstream, are not the answer. That's just In My Humble Opinion. Comments welcome.

Regards

Imran
http://imran.com

From Enron To Exxon, How Bush Supporters Screw US

Hmmmmm..... let me see, its them damn Saudis pushing up the price of oil and them damn Chinese and Indians and others buying up all the oil and US oil companies are only passing on the additional cost to customers..... except... oooops, damn, unlike Bush-supporting Enron's FAKE profits, these Bush-supporting oil companies are making $10 BILLION+ in REAL PROFIT in ONE QUARTER alone for just ONE company.... Whose side is Bush on?

From Enron to Exxon, Americans get screwed by greedy corporate America, and Bush provides the screwdrivers.....

More at http://imrananwar.blogspot.com

Imran

How Do You Say "Distraction"?

Just who are they fooling? It sometimes amazes me how transparently and blatantly our politicians can put politics above ethics, or duty to the Constitution.

It appears some in Congress want to investigate the leaked news of our government keeping ILLEGAL prisons to keep and likely torture anyone they want. They are doing it obviously to deflect attention from the Valerie Plame CIA agent outing leak investigation, which should possibly bring down Dick Cheney at the least; and to divert attention from the actual fact that such prisons would be illegal by OUR laws.

My opinion is quite simple.

Leaking a CIA operative's name to PUNISH her husband for DOMESTIC POLITICAL reasons is as bad as treason.  

Someone having the courage to let US AMERICANS know that, AGAIN, our government is breaking OUR LAWS, is also a LEAK…. but instead of treason, it would qualify as an act of patriotism in my humble opinion.  

If such a leaker had leaked info as to how AlQaeda could attack such illegal prisons or kill American guards there then it would be treasonous. Otherwise, it was a great American who believes in what our values are (Hint: They are not what George Bush and Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, Haliburton or the CIA represent).

What do you think?

Imran

To Buy Or Not To Buy: Lexmark Printers

Forbes magazine (web site) has an interesting analysis/article by Danit Lidor, asking Why Aren't Consumers Buying Lexmark?

Since I get asked by friends and family on what gadgets to buy or not to buy, here was my comment related to that story/question:


In one sentence, a company cannot give away crap, and expect to make money on crap add-ons or supplies.

Lexmark is NOT the only one hurting for that reason.

SO many companies think they can make money using the Razors and Blades business model. Well, guess what? No matter how many free razors you give away, no one will buy blades if the razor is ugly, cheap looking, poor performing, and the blades are more expensive than buying yet another new and better razor from someone else.

I HAVE "bought" Lexmark printers.... each time ONLY when I got them free as a rebate item on an Apple Macintosh or PowerBook purchase. Each time I have thrown or given them away even before the first ink cartridge ran dry....

The product felt cheap, looked cheap, printed cheap looking prints and inks were more expensive than fancy colognes.... Thanks, but No, Thanks.

What do you think?

Imran