Straw Poll - Even though I never have carried one before. . .

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by the way, I contribute to a number of sites that are not mine. Here's a list, just in case you are curious about what I have to say elsewhere:

American Pundit
Conservative Crusader
Heading Right
My Point Radio
Pig Dip
Sky Dive Rick
Wide Awakes Radio
Without a Voice

Second Blast in Iraq in two weeks plays into Left's hands

58 people are dead after a car bomb exploded in the Shiite holy city of Karbala. This came shortly after a separate announcement by the U.S. Military of nine American troops being killed, including three deaths on Saturday. Sunni insurgents are being blamed for the violence.

On April 14th 47 people were killed and 224 wounded in a car bombing in the same area. Many of the locals blame lax protection from the security forces of Karbala according to the Associated Press.

This is more fuel for the Democrat's call for a withdrawal.

Military sources state that the bombings are designed to provoke retaliatory violence by Shiite militias and political pressure to push for an American withdrawal. The Democrats, as expected, are falling for it, preferring to run behind a wall of cowardice as they wave their white flag of surrender.

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For those that missed the Political Pistachio Radio Show yesterday, I announced that Political Pistachio has been mentioned in a Nationally published magazine. Comments regarding the possibility of an accomplice in the Virginia Tech shootings by me on Political Pistachio is on page 35 of the May 7th issue of the National Inquirer.

Tabloid or not, it's a start. Surely Time Magazine, American Conservative, or perhaps Newsweek is next. Perhaps.

When A Soldier Comes Home. . .

The above link is a photo journey that brings what our soldiers go through and how they must feel into perspective. After going through the pictures it brought my own experiences to mind.

My dad served in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam. One of his jobs while in that war torn country was transporting supplies. Later, he became a door gunner on a helicopter. I was raised under a firm hand of discipline and the expectancy of honor and respect. He taught me how to be a man, using techniques I am sure were ingrained upon him in the USMC. It is because of his strong leadership in the household and his strict character regarding his raising of me that I have turned out to be the man that I am, and I thank him for it.
Having him as a dad sure made boot camp easier - but if I was to say it was a complete piece of cake, I'd be a liar. I was eighteen, nervous, but eager. I had never been yelled at so much in my life. I was stupid, a maggot, a sissy, unworthy, etc. And I was alone. I had only been married a week and I was on the other side of the country from my bride. That was the hardest part. Not being with the one I love.

And so I think about these soldiers risking their lives for our freedom. But it goes beyond that. They are alone, far from home, away from their loved ones. What a sacrifice to have to make. I respect them for it. I thank them for it. I appreciate their sacrifices. If the military would have me back (I was let out with a service-connected injury) I would gladly be there beside them, fighting to secure the freedoms that I want my children and future grandchildren to enjoy.The one thing my dad says about Vietnam is that it really bothered him that after all he had been through his reception was far from warm. Like our men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, he endured hardships that those of us without combat experience will never understand. Freedom has a different flavor for them. All we can do is thank them, and show our appreciation when we can.

My dad fought in Vietnam, my grandfather was in France during World War II, and our troops currently serve overseas so that we may enjoy our liberty, and so that people like my wife may pursue the American dream as an immigrant. She took the oath of citizenship last Thursday. She is now officially an American. She refuses to call herself a Mexican-American, or Hispanic, or anything else that doesn't reflect how she truly feels. If you ask her what her nationality is, she will tell you, "I am an American."

Today at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern on Political Pistachio Radio we will be talking about what it is to be an American, what patriotism truly is, and how it feels for Mrs. Pistachio to have taken the oath. Tune in live, or listen to the archive later. If you wish to congratulate Mrs. Pistachio on the air, call in at (646) 652-2940.

God Bless America.

God Bless you.

The Iraq War Bill

The bill passed by Congress provides more than $90 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, it also calls for a cut and run, surrender, or call of defeat (whichever you want to call it) demanding a beginning of the troop withdrawal by this coming October 1st. There is a stipulation in the bill that if Bush doesn't tippy-toe over the Libs and if the Dems don't feel Iraq is pulling their weight, troop withdrawal would begin by July 1. The bill also restricts aid to Iraq if benchmarks aren't met, allows limited security forces to remain in Iraq for the sole reason of training Iraqi troops, further restricts deployment of new troops, adds more that $20 billion in pork not requested by Bush and not having anything to do with the War on Terror, and raises the minimum wage to $7.25.

Talk about sneaking things in through the back door.

I admire Bush's resolve to refuse signing any bill calling for a pullout date. Think about it. If you were the enemy and a pull-out date was announced, what would you do?

However, I wish Bush would get a little bolder, telling the Dems to get their act straight and quit sending him B.S. bills. And I wish he's take away the rules of engagement that are handcuffing our troops and let them fight this war the way it should be fought: to win.

Oh, and Mrs. Pistachio thanks you all for the congratulatory comments on this site, via e-mail, and on the other sites such as Right Angle and Heading Right.

The idiot libs, this bill, and Mrs. Pistachio's experience at the ceremony to become a citizen of the United States will all be addressed at the next episode of Political Pistachio Radio Saturday at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern. Call in at (646) 652-2940 to chime in, or to tell Mrs. Pistachio congrats on the air. Looking forward to hearing from you.

And like last week, My Point Radio is once again following PPR on BlogTalk Radio. Dave and Jenn's show is definitely worth listening to, and one of the fastest growing shows on internet radio. I respect them greatly (even if Dave doesn't like my shirts!)

Political Pistachio has the sharpest readers and listeners on the web. Let's make the show sizzle!

American Pride

John McCain pledged that if elected he would restore competence to foreign and domestic policy and welcome compromise with Democrats.

Dennis Kucinich has called for the impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

Nancy Pelosi has consorted with the enemy and pushed a bill that places our troops into immediate peril by further damaging our image as a superpower and filling our budget with pork and unneccessary additives.

Hillary Clinton is heading the Clinton Dynasty back toward the White House as she demands a pull-out from Iraq.

Harry Reid has proclaimed that the war in Iraq is lost.

Congress has passed a bill calling for an Iraq withdrawal to begin by October 1st.

And the biggest news shouted out by the mainstream media as being utterly ridiculous is Rudy's statement that if the Democrats get into the White House we will suffer from a terrorist attack that will dwarf 9/11.

Imagine that it is World War II. Nazi Germany, like the Islamofascists, is quickly gaining ground

in Europe as Japan takes over island by island in the Pacific. A political figure not unlike McCain accuses Roosevelt of being incompetent, and proclaims that he would be willing to compromise with those that are against our involvement in the war if he were president. A political hopeful like Kucinich calls for Roosevelt's and Truman's impeachment because the war didn't turn in the allies favor the moment we entered into the conflict and believes that the administration is politicizing Pearl Harbor and the spread of Nazism. The Speaker of the House pays a visit to Hitler, telling him that the American Government may be wrong in their decision to join the fight, and then returns to America to push a bill that has an "exit strategy" in it that basically says regardless of how the war is going, troops will begin to exit the European and Pacific Theaters within the next 6 months (emboldens the enemy). The wife of the previous president is calling Roosevelt a liar and a murderer of German and Japanese babies, proclaiming that she is going to run for president on the platform that if she is elected we will abandon our allies, and leave Europe to be savagely overrun by the Nazi war machine. The highest ranking senator proclaims that due to the strength of the fighting versus the Nazis and Japanese, the war is lost, and because of that we must pull out of Europe and the Pacific Theater at the earliest opportunity. Then, in opposition to the administration, Congress passes a bill calling for a pull-out, well knowing it will be vetoed, but does it so that they could perhaps get the people behind them. Then, as that is happening, Nazi meeting halls are allowed to be set up in the United States under the guise of free speech. The public is required to allow the Nazis in America to goosestep in the airport and straight arm salute each other in public. If any American claims that they were offended or frightened by this, they are accused of being narrow-minded, and accused of a hate crime. The newspapers simultaineously publish articles that print the numbers of Americans dead, and show pictures of damaged towns, but fail to report the numbers of the enemy soldiers killed. In these articles they also state that the war is wrong, Roosevelt is guilty of pushing American democracy on Germany and Japan, and that he should be impeached for getting us involved in such a horrible war.

Or how about this. It's 1775, and. . . well, you can imagine where I'm going next.

Where's our Patrick Henry of today? And why are the Republicans being wimps and allowing the liberal left to pull this crap, and then dancing around it as if they are afraid to offend someone?

Today I accompanied my wife, Mrs. Pistachio, to Los Angeles for her Naturalization Ceremony. Over 4,000 people took the oath in that ceremony. Over 8,000 that day (there were also two other ceremonies) became citizens. They waved small American flags enthusiastically, tears running down their faces, proud to be able to truly call themselves "Americans."

My wife was grinning from ear to ear. "I can vote, now!" she said to me as we met up after the ceremony. "I can vote!"

After the swearing in, we recited the pledge of allegiance (one nation under God included), sang the Star Spangled Banner, watched a video of Bush welcoming the new citizens to the melting pot known as America, and then listened to (and watched a video of) God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood. The person next to me whose wife was also taking the oath looked over at me with his eyes filled with tears. I nodded. My eyes had filled up as well. (By the way, after talking politics with him, he received a Political Pistachio Radio business card and bumper sticker - I have a couple stickers tucked into the book I'm reading by Robert Spencer - if you want one,

e-mail me at politicalpistachio@yahoo.com).

I've seen these ceremonies on television before, but this was truly emotional.

"I can vote," she said. "I can vote!"

Rosie, Gun Control Nuts, and Becoming an American

Rosie is a loser. She disgusts me. Now, news has broke that Rosie O'Donnell will be leaving "The View" in June. The show will be better off without her, but I don't believe this is the last we will see of that slob. A "Rosie Attacks The Right" show, starring her fat mouth, is surely in the works.

And I support her right to pursue such a show.

Huh?

After all, this is America, and though she is a voice of idiocy, in this country you have the right to voice your opinion. Or at least for now, we do.

Don't get me wrong. I still can't stand her positions on politics and homosexuality and the environment and. . . . you get the picture, but I will always support hers, or anybody else's, right to proclaim what they believe. (and for those of you on the left that consider this a contradiction since I've banned you, it is not. I said you can't comment here, but you are entitled to open your own blog or comment elsewhere. Your right to spew your brand of idiocy is still intact. You still have freedom of speech - I just don't want to hear it in my house, especially when it is nothing more that troll-fodder designed to disrupt.)

As a result of the Virginia Tech shooting the media is demanding new gun control laws. The Democrats are afraid to touch the issue, for the most part, so instead they are promoting a "mental health clause" to the right to own a weapon.

In other words, if you're nuts, you can't buy a gun.

That makes sense. However, in most cases, nutcases that have been proclaimed to be crazy don't normally go on shooting sprees. And I wonder if the gun-ownership exception would fall under abuse. I can see it now. Liberal judges using the psychology tools at their disposal to proclaim perfectly sane people nuts just to keep them from owning guns for the hell of it.

It could happen.

Anyway, I am wondering how such a clause would affect our personal freedoms. You see, I don't believe that the village has a right to tell individuals how to run their lives. Don't get me wrong, laws are in place to protect individuals, but individual rights to certain Constitutional provisions is kind of important to me, and I'd hate for the Left to twist this in a way so as to take more rights away from law-abiding citizens (And they have the ability to twist it anyway they want. Look at what they've done to the War on Terror). We'll see how this one pans out down the road, I am sure.

And finally, you all know that I despise the fact that Democrats and Republicans alike are allowing our borders to bleed as they have. I have no problem with immigration. I have a problem with people circumventing the legal path to immigration to America (in a sense cutting in line) and coming into this country illegally. The administrative process of becoming a resident alien is exhaustive for a reason. It weeds out the diseased and criminals. Besides, I wonder how many Islamic Jihadists have crossed into the United States over our weak border. It's not just a matter of illegal immigration. The issue is a matter of Homeland Security.

My wife is Mexican born. Her parents immigrated here legally when she was just a baby. She was raised in an environment of Mexican pride and culture. She was also hammered by the concept of the "us versus them" attitude that seems so prevalent in the Mexican culture.

She spent her life, and most of our marriage, claiming that she would never naturalize because she didn't want to lose her culture.

Then something happened. She began to look around and observe. She began to grow uncomfortable with "La Raza" and claims that the white man was holding them down. She began to recognize liberalism in the political arena as well, and one day decided that President Bill Clinton was not what was best for America. She voiced her complaint about him to me, and I replied, "Honey, no offense, but you don't have room to complain. You don't vote."

For years that statement ate at her.

Mrs. Pistachio is like a sponge. She ingests information as much as she can, considers all of the angles, sometimes will ask me my position on certain issues, and then comes to her own, well thought out conclusions. Sometimes her conclusions change over time. Sometimes we disagree. Usually we are on the same page. Her conclusions most often eventually wind up consistent with conservative thought. Finally, a couple years ago, she decided she wanted to be able to make a difference. After playing with the idea for a year, last year she took the plunge and began the process of naturalization. The process has been long and arduous, but now it has come to its culmination.

Tomorrow, April 26, 2007, Mrs. Pistachio will raise her right hand, with her left hand resting solemnly on a Holy Bible, and proclaim her allegiance to the United States of America. She will enter that court building in Los Angeles, California as a resident alien. She will exit the doors of that building as an American Citizen.

I congratulate her for her decision, and appreciate her companionship as a wife.

Perhaps I'll be able to get her to talk about it on this Saturday's Political Pistachio Radio Show.

How to lose a war

9 American paratroopers were killed when a suicide car bomb hit an American patrol base northeast of Baghdad. 20 soldiers were wounded.

The mainstream media simultaneously decided that the blast walls that are planned to be erected around Baghdad nighborhoods are a bad idea, and claim that there is a growing outcry from Iraqis that the barriers will fuel sectarian discord.

The liberals, backed by the liberal mainstream media, and powered by the Democratic Party, are doing whatever they can to enable the United States to lose the war in Iraq and abandon the region.

The flag I support is the Stars and Stripes. It seems that their flag is the solid white flag of surrender.

And the Left through their onslaught of defeatist propaganda, and socialistic agenda, have created a set of rules of engagement that handcuff our troops and make them unable to wage this war as it should be fought. Our brave troops are being court-martialed for doing their job (Haditha is a great example of that) and are being killed because of the restrictions that have been placed on them by a politically correct ideology that rivals Islam in regards to how dangerous it is. This idea of sacrificing our troops through these restrictions are fueled by the Democrats and the activists who would rather see us lose this war and become dependent upon the socialists of Europe and the Islamic ideological machine, than remain the free Republic we have been for over 230 years.

The Democrats are winning the political battles when it comes to this war and our young men and women of the military are dying as a result. And what disgusts me most is that the Republicans are quickly becoming soft in their position versus the Liberals. They are essentially allowing the Democrats and liberal Anti-America machine to dictate what happens in Iraq as they push for their final goal, a complete pull-out.

The Republicans have forgotten that wars need to be fought to be won, and penalizing our troops, and downgrading them to policemen in the streets of Baghdad is not the way you win a war.

And another way a war is lost is by listening to the idiots of the left try to convince you it is lost using the exact same psychological warfare used by Tokyo Rose during World War II.

They wish to convince you that the President lied to you, the war is illegal, and the war is unwinnable. They wish to make you believe it is a quagmire, and to support such an undertaking is foolish. And like Tokyo Rose, at the end of the application of their defeatist agenda, they claim they support the troops.

Their latest attack calls for Cheney's impeachment.

Hey, idiots, you impeach people for illegal activities, like lying under oath as Bill Clinton did. You don't try to impeach people for conducting their duties in ways that you wouldn't.

I, for one, believe that if the Liberal Machine gets its way, we will see a black helicopter rising from the roof of the American Embassy in Baghdad with people hanging from it as we pull out of the region, and a bloodbath in Iraq led by Iran and Syria will ensue. This nightmarish possibility is a definite, if we continue to allow the Liberal Left to have their way.

Even Traitors Like John Walker Lindh Are Getting the Liberal's Tears

Remember John Walker Lindh? He's the P.O.S. sometimes known as the "American Taliban." He served as a Taliban Soldier and faced charges that should have sent him to prison for life, but in a plea deal the government dropped the most serious charges and his sentence was dropped to 20 years.

Now, the MSM, the liberals, and his family are crying that the twenty year sentence is too harsh.

John Walker Lindh's father, Frank R. Lindh, said, "He was a victim of a hysterical atmosphere post-9/11."

The dude is a traitor, serving as a soldier with the enemy, and he's a victim?

The claim is that John Walker Lindh did not commit terrorism, or support terrorism, and that he did not fight Americans nor conspire to kill Americans.

Now, they are saying that his crimes (the ones he's guilty of minus being a traitor) deserve a lighter prison term.

Look, I am all for a fair justice system, but any idiot who takes up arms with the enemy and remains a soldier of that enemy's army during wartime, in my book, is a traitor, and a life sentence would even be too light of a sentence. Marching with the enemy in this brave new world means you support terrorism, and that should not be tolerated. Back in the days when this nation struggled for its identity, traitors were shot. This one ought to be as well. The punishment should fit the crime, and being a traitor should be me with the penalty of death.

Birthdays and a question or two.

Runnin' out the door to go to the Angels game (that would be baseball for those that don't know), and it's my birthday, so I'll keep this quick.

Genocide and Darfur seem to be synonomous to each other. The Democrats are crying out "We must go into Darfur with our troops and stop the genocide."

We may do just that.

However, why is it good to go into Darfur to stop the genocide, but a mistake to unseat a violent dictator who had a history of commiting genocide, and the goal to annihilate the Kurds and the Jews in Iraq?

And, will the Democrats suddenly think it's a mistake to go into Darfur the moment the Republicans are all for it?

Things that make you go, "Hmmmmm."

Navy Blue Angel Jet Crash in South Carolina

A Navy Blue Angel jet crashed during an air show today. The plane completed its plunge to Earth into a neighborhood of small homes and trailers and killing the pilot.
It has been reported that metal and plastic wreckage, a good amount of it on fire, struck homes in the neighborhood the plane crashed into. Several homes were damaged, and eight people on the ground were injured.
The crash took place in the final minutes of the air show while the planes were in the middle of a maneuver involving all six planes joining from behind the crowd to form a Delta triangle. The fallen plane failed to rejoin the formation.
The name of the pilot has not been released, and won't be until his family is notified of the death. A Navy statement said the pilot had been on the team for two years — and it was his first as a demonstration pilot.
The possible causes of the crash are under investigation, and it could take at least three weeks for an official cause to be released.
The Blue Angels fly F/A-18 Hornets at high speeds in close formations. The pilots are considered the Navy's elite.
The last Blue Angel crash that killed a pilot took place in 1999, when a pilot and crewmate were killed while practicing for air shows with the five other Blue Angels jets at a base in Georgia.

The last show on BlogTalkRadio has archived. Listen at your leasure and enjoy. Use media player in sidebar, or go to the site at Blog Talk Radio.

How Alec Baldwin and Partial-Birth Abortion dominated PPR

Political Pistachio Radio thanks the callers that added so much to the discussion regarding Alec Baldwin's abusive voice message to his daughter, Ireland, and regarding the touchy issue of abortion.

Touchy? It's not touchy with me, and for those that heard the show, you know what I mean. I have no problem declaring that the slaughter of innocent lives is WRONG - and abortion is one of the factors that has led to our society taking such a cheapened viewpoint of life. This has become a disposable society, and now even life has become something to be discarded if it is inconvenient to our selfish lives.

Jenn says she's a firm believer in "Responsible Choices."

Yep. That's exactly right. And until we pry the disease of Liberalism from our society, and change our societal ills fueled by socialistic progressivism, the problem will get worse.

You can't smoke a cigarette anywhere but in your car with the windows up (not that I smoke - - - anymore), you can't say Christmas in December or Easter in the Spring, the left wishes to take your ability of owning a weapon away from you. You are not capable of being self-reliant, according to the left. You must be protected from yourself.

And if you disagree, you are an insensitive, unenlightened, narrow-minded person.

But, it is okay to slaughter millions of unborn children - and now the libs are up in arms because the ban on partial-birth abortions has been upheld.

What?

I don't care if you're pro-life, pro-choice, or inbetween, killing a child that late in term is infanticide!

The procedure is disturbing. Convicted criminals are executed more humanely.

Makes me sick.

The left believes that we are unable to live up to our responsibilities, we are unable to be self-reliant, and we on the Right must be silenced. Only the defeatist elitists know what's best for us.

Kiss my . . .

And we wonder why idiots like Alec Baldwin thinks abuse is not what it looks like when it comes out of his mouth (and it's everyone else's fault other than his own, anyway). Remember, whatever you do, it's not your fault (if you listen to the liberalistic junk).

Bunch of Marxists.

NASA Gunman kills hostage and self

Houston, we have a problem.

A NASA contract worker, armed with a weapon at the Johnson Space Center fatally shot his hostage before killing himself. A second hostage he had held wound up escaping with minor injuries.

The weapon was a snub-nosed revolver. Somehow the gunman got it past NASA security and then barricaded himself inside the building.

The gunman was identified as 60-year-old William Phillips. The claim is that he had a dispute with the hostage he wound up killing.

Will this be yet another puzzle piece in the Left's push for gun control?

Remember, these liberals are the same people against the death penalty, demands humane methods be used when executing these people when the death penalty is applied, but also condones the slaughter of innocent unborn children.

And don't forget - - - - - > ATLAS SHRUGS WILL BE MY POINT RADIO'S GUEST after the end of my show. You can't miss it!

The best two hours on Internet Radio.

Saturday at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern is Political Pistachio Radio with yours truly and Mrs. Pistachio - Then at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern will be My Point Radio starring Dave and Jenn with their special guest Atlas Shrugs (and Gunny John will chime in as well).

Points Taken and Alec Baldwin's rant against his daughter (audio clip included)

I am one to admit I am wrong (or mistaken), though Mrs. Pistachio will tell you I never admit when I am wrong (or mistaken).

Like how I'm throwing that "mistaken" into it?

A number of commenters have brought it to my attention that the photos I alleged as being taken by another party of that crazy gunman At Virginia Tech, Cho, may have been sliced and diced by the media so that they could be presentable. I felt that if the photos had been skewed and non-centered they would have published them that way to show more evidence of Cho being nuts or acting alone. It was just a theory, anyway. Sky Dive Rick reminded me that before I jump to conclusions I need to consider ALL of the possible variables, and the point is taken.

My dear Kris, out there in the United Kingdom, has brought it to my attention that I should welcome opposing opinions on my site as I once did before, and not make Political Pistachio an echo chamber of my views.

I respect Kris, and I am glad she has shown concern, especially since she has a few views that are not completely in-sync with mine, as does a few other people.

Mudkitty and Tom were not banned for having opposing views. They were banned for being disruptive. Rather than give a topic-laden comment filled with intelligence and thoughts to ponder, they design their comments to be disruptive, and I, for one, finally got sick of it. That being said, any comment laced with what I feel to be distastful or disruptive language, or seems to be written for the sole purpose to incite rather than add to the conversation or debate, will be deleted, no questions asked. I will not delete a comment for the sole reason of it disagreeing with me - but I will no longer tolerate trolls. I prefer not to have to talk about this again, so liberal trolls who are here for the pure reason to disrupt and incite, bug out of here.

Finally, Alec Baldwin has considered himself a political compass and beacon of tolerance. He likes to slam us with his socialistic views, and proudly proclaims himself as a socialist.

Alec has forgotten that the public has an eye on him, and oh did he mess up on this one.

He tore into his daughter on the phone (in a voice mail message) that bordered on abuse. I've yelled at my kids, but this was downright despicable.

Alec said: "Once again, I have made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone, you've made me feel like shit and you have insulted me for the last time...I'm going to straighten your ass out"

His daughter is 12 years old.

And as the message progresses, he goes on to call her a pig, among other things.

You've got to listen to the clip to believe it.

Listen to it here.
Audio Clip is courtesy of Smoke Signals Blog.

This rant and rave against his daughter will be discussed by Mrs. Pistachio (who is 2 months from receiving her Psychology Degree), along with a dissection of what happened at Virginia Tech, the U.K.'s decision to ban the term "War on Terror," and the ban on Partial Birth Abortions being upheld by The Supreme Court, on Political Pistachio Radio.

And ATLAS SHRUGS WILL BE MY POINT RADIO'S GUEST after the end of my show. You can't miss it!

The best two hours in Internet Radio.

Saturday at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern is Political Pistachio Radio with yours truly and Mrs. Pistachio (who rocks!) Then at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern will be My Point Radio starring Dave and Jenn with their special guest Atlas Shrugs (and Gunny John will chime in as well).

Virginia Tech Gunman had an accomplice

It is said that the photos and video sent to NBC by Cho Seung-Hui moments before he slaughtered 30 innocents at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus were taken with a cell phone. If that's the case, Cho did not act alone. He had help.

And you may ask, "How, Doug, did you come up with such a crazy hypothesis?"

Look carefully at the pictures.

See how centered they are? See how perfectly framed they are? Ever done that on your own with your cell phone, much less any photo taking device?

Somebody took those photos of Cho. Someone knows more about this. That person may have assisted, or was too scared to come forward after realizing what Cho was up to or what he had done.

I pray for those victims that died at the hands of this madman.

And for those out there (specifically, the commenters on the last post) that thinks I'm off my rocker for my position on this - Are you nuts?

Political Pistachio - The world has gone nuts, and you are siding with it.

To shame.

BTW Sky Dive Rick has opened a blog, and asked me to contribute to it. I accepted. Whew, that makes half a dozen. Hope I can keep up with it. Visit his new blog here: Sky Dive Rick.

The Right To Bear Arms

The mass murderer of 32 innocents at Virginia Tech has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui. He is South Korean, here on a resident alien card. After murdering two people in a dormitory, he mailed NBC a package of his manifesto on 28 video clips, and 43 photographs, many of which show him aiming handguns at the camera. He, at one time, was declared mentally ill by a U.S. Court, considered to be a danger to others, then released by our touchy-feely "he's just a poor soul" courts.

After the first two killings, and mailing his package, he returned to the campus to slaughter 30 more people.

He should have been deported the moment they decided he was nuts.

And if he was here legally, just imagine what may be crossing the borders illegally!

And the liberal scum has come out of the woodwork over this. Mudkitty, who has been banned, left her two cents, which was worth much less, and some anonymous idiot claimed that the U.K. has been better off since they banned guns in that country.

Hey, idiot in the U.K. - since the gun ban the number of people injured by firearms in England and Wales has gone up drastically from 2,378 in 1998/99 to 4,001 in 2005/06. The number of homicides has remained the same (not dropped). Also, the number of crimes involving firearms has increased during the same period from 13,874 to 21,521. In 2003/04 the number was 24,094 (very close to what it was the year before as well).

Oh, yeah, the gun ban is doing a wonderful job.

Jackass.

Anyway, what happened on Virginia Tech's campus comes only a year after a complete ban of guns on campus (including security and law enforcement). Think about it. Had security been armed, or anyone in the cross-fire who knew how to use their weapon, the death toll would have been much lower.

Ever read about Nazi Germany or Castro when he took over Cuba? What did Hitler and Castro have in common? Their first order of business was to eliminate private gun ownership.

I wonder why?

Hey, liberal idiots, put two and two together.

Never mind, you are too brain damaged.

It's because an armed populace can be dangerous to madmen!

My book, The Way of Deception, is about what would happen if the Islamofascists were to take the war to us here in the states, and to give away the ending, it's the fact that the citizens are armed that it doesn't work!

That's why the second amendment exists (for you idiots that try to throw the militia word into it). What is a militia? Armed citizens taking down the enemy. Can't be armed if you don't own a weapon.

But this is only a part of the liberalistic agenda. They are attacking us from all directions.

Talking about Christ has become Hate Speech, and Pornography is no longer considered to be pornography! But wait, there's more!

During the convocation Allah is brought up, but not Christ. You don't have to be a Christian to see something wrong with that. It's the liberalistic agenda. Silence Conservatives, silence Christians. The argument is that there is no argument, and if you disagree with them you are a whole treasure trove of names, and none of them are complimentary.

We are supposed to turn our back on Christianity, the Constitution, and our sovereignty (by not stopping the leaks springing all over the borders), yet we are supposed to bend over backwards to accommodate Muslims?

And are they worried about offending, say, Christians, in their countries? I think not.

Liberals, don't comment on my site. That includes you, Mudkitty.

Mentally disturbed individuals give me the willies.

As for Cho the gunman, rather than be touchy-feely with out-patient care and drugs, they should have thrown him into a mental hospital with bars and locked doors at the first sign of his sickness.

Oh, wait, that's right, the liberals have closed all of those facilities over the years. Now we pat them on the back, hand them a drug, and say "Good Luck."

That's right, liberalism, I blame you for the deaths of 32 innocent people in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Political Pistachio Radio will talk more about this on Saturday (4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern). Then listen to My Point Radio after that with Dave and Jenn. The two best hours of radio on the internet.

By the way, I am trying to secure a retired police officer as a guest on the show to talk about what happened, and what could have prevented this tragedy. I am sure the idiotic idea of taking away my guns so that I can't protect myself in case an idiot comes into my home will be discussed too.

Virginia Tech Massacre is just what the Gun-Control Lobbyists were hoping for

As I opened my newspaper this morning, home from work due to illness, one of the headlines stated that the survivors of Columbine were not surprised by this shooting, blaming the event on the current gun laws.

The idiots on the Left seem to think that if we take guns away from everybody the murderers and criminals and mass-shooters like the one in Virginia won't be able to get their hands on weapons.

I have a message for the liberal-left. Stop thinking - and let that idiotic thought go.

Fact is, by placing gun-control laws upon us that essentially takes weapons away from law-abiding citizens unconstitutionally, you place the citizen, and this nation, at a disadvantage. The criminal and violent element in this nation will always find a way to get its hands on guns. Fact is, robbers don't enter homes if they know the owner is armed, and shooters don't shoot at somebody with a gun pointed at them. And if they do, they deserve to go down.

As for me, if a member of the criminal element comes into my home, threatening to steal my private property or harm any member of my family, he is leaving in a bodybag.

This brings to mind a story I heard on the radio a few weeks ago. Up in Sacramento a man shot another man who had been stealing property from him. The criminal sued the homeowner and won the case because the homeowner was found to not have shot the man in self-defense.

Idiotic.

Honestly, in Virginia, part of the problem was the delayed response as well. All I can do is pray for the victims, their families, and everyone else that was affected by this tragedy. The answer to the problem, however, is not the personal ownership of guns. Perhaps the fact that we live in a society that glorifies violence may be a factor, but killers will always find a way to get a gun, whether you are allowed to have one or not. Might as well even the odds a little, and let us keep our weapons. The Constitution guarantees our right to bear arms. The need in light of this massacre is not to take guns away from the citizens, but to find a way to keep weapons out of the hands of evil people.

As for me? If you break into my house, or threaten to harm my family, I have a bullet with your name on it.

Prayer for those in the crossfire

I spent most of my day yesterday behind the wheel of a big rig transporting equipment between Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County in Southern California. When days like this come up where I spend most of my day driving, it enables me to spend a lot of time listening to the radio. I was shocked at the events developing at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

A gunman went on a rampage, reportedly killing 32 plus himself, and injuring twenty plus, in the most horrific and worst mass killing in the history of the United States. This campus shooting began, authorities believe, with a killing of two in a dormatory, and then two hours later, equipped with a 9mm and .22 caliber weapon, and a jacket of clips, the gunman went from class to class at Norris Hall killing at will.

On Michelle Malkin's site, an e-mail from a student at Virginia Tech that had been trapped in one of the classrooms, baracaded as the shooter fires shots through the door they blocked only seconds before, gives a chilling first-hand account of the events.

I have no opinion on yesterday's events other than that they are chilling, and that thoughts of my wife who goes to a local university in pursuit of her bachelors degree, and my children who are roughly the same age as the students at Virginia Tech, came to mind. My prayers go out to those slain, to the parents of those gunned down, and to the students who survived, but will be affected by this for the rest of their lives.

Pray with me for their healing.

this post has been cross-posted at all of my sites.

60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Debut

For those of you that don't know, I am an avid baseball fan. Being in the Los Angeles area, but not living in the chaos and cramped quarters of the big city it is only natural that I am an Angels fan, rather than a follower of the Dodgers. However, since I live in an area known as the Inland Empire, which is close enough to Los Angeles that we can see its river of smog flow along the foothills, and smell the stench of the heavy industry there, we have to acknowledge that Los Angeles is there. However, even though the Dodgers have become an embarassment to Southern California, and we can't convince them to move back to Brooklyn, I must acknowledge the most important Dodger ever to play the game because of how much he changed the game in such a positive way.

The Dodgers, yesterday, lined up along the third-base line, each and every one of them wearing No. 42, which was Jackie Robinson's number. He broke baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and yesterday baseball celebrated the 60th anniversary of his debut throughout the country. More than 200 players, managers and coaches wore his number today.

Jackie is an American hero and the ultimate barrier-breaker. He endured threats to his life, yet took everything hate-mongers had to offer him, facing the adversity with class, and advancing the African-American cause for equal rights, and uniting our nation rather than dividing it. Rutger's basketball ought to take a lesson.

Jackie has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame not only for his barrier-breaking participation in Major League Baseball, but for his excellent play as a second baseman for the Dodgers. Yesterday, Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson threw out ceremonial first pitches, and fellow Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Dave Winfield were on hand, joined by actors Courtney B. Vance and Marlon Wayans. Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Also at the Dodger game for this event were Robinson's widow, Rachel, and two Dodgers who knew him. Dodgers legendary broadcaster Vin Scully paid tribute to Rachel Robinson, and Don Newcombe, Robinson's former teammate and a longtime Dodgers executive, looked on.

Ten years ago at the 50th anniversary ceremony, at New York's Shea Stadium in 1997, then-President Clinton (the male version) spoke and baseball's Commisioner Selig announced Robinson's No. 42 was being retired by all major league teams. The only player wearing No. 42 then who remains active is New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera. After Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. asked for permission to wear the number Sunday, Selig invited others to use No. 42 for the day. The response was overwhelming.

Though this year's national celebration was centered at Dodger Stadium, not far from where Robinson grew up in Pasadena, all of baseball paid tribute and honored Jackie Robinson. And his great deeds was not limited to baseball. Jackie Robinson was also the first athlete to earn letters in four sports at UCLA, and he served in the U.S. Army during World War II before making his debut with the Dodgers at age 27 after some years in the Negro Leagues.

Selig presented Mrs. Robinson with the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award for her work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation, formed in 1973 to raise scholarship money for qualified minorities. Robinson died in October 1972 at age 53.

Robinson played at a time when segregation was the norm. "Whites only" signs littered the landscape back then, and his admission to the Major Leagues was met with racist remarks from players and fans alike. Jackie Robinson was the player chosen to break the color barrier because he was mature enough and tough enough to survive and thrive.

Robinson retired following the 1956 season. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962.

Robinson's impact on the game has been lasting, and black players of today attribute Jackie with paving the way that provided them the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues as well.

Ceremonies were held at 10 of the 15 big league ballparks where games were scheduled to play yesterday. The other five sites, including Boston where the Angels were set to play the Red Sox, were washed out due to inclement weather.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers honored Robinson by having all their players outfitted in No. 42.

Jackie Robinson was one of those people who, when met with the insensitivity from people bent on trying to bring him down, moved forward, holding his head up high. He was an example of what being an American is all about. He wasn't just successful integrating the game. He was a great American. He was more than a player destined for the Hall of Fame. He was a man that wouldn't allow himself to fail, despite the obstacles.

The Dodgers won the game, 9-3, over the San Diego Padres.

(by the way, at my PPR blog, closing notes about Saturday's radio show have been posted, where I thank OBOB, Dave, and Phil for calling in, etc.)

Terrorism in North Africa

Today in Rabat, Morocco two suicide bombers blew themselves up. This suicide attack occurred near an American cultural center in Casablanca. The bombing comes three days after another attack in Algiers, and four days after other bombing near Casablanca. The bombing in Algiers killed 33 people and injured more than 200. The attacks have been claimed by an Al Qaeda linked group. Admidst these latest attacks new fears of terrorism in North Africa have emerged.

Morocco is a longtime Muslim kingdom that has remained relatively stable despite ongoing internal strife in neighboring Algeria. Morocco's stability was originally broken when in May of 2003 five suicide bombings around Casablanca killed 45 people, including a dozen bombers. Since then, authorities have launched an unprecedented crackdown on suspected militants, arresting thousands of people, including some accused of working with al-Qaida and its affiliates to plot attacks in Morocco and abroad.

The attacks in Algiers were the deadliest attacks by al-Qaida since the hotel bombings in Amman, Jordan in November of 2005 which killed 60 people. These latest examples of terror are threatening to send Algeria back into a crisis like that which broke out in 1992 where an estimated 200,000 people died in the violence, which tapered off as the millinium approached.

The group claiming responsibility is an al-Qaida linked group with is the only organized armed group still known to be operating in Algeria's insurgency. A statement from the group claimed that the killings were a gift "to our Muslim brothers in Chechnya."

By the way, today on Political Pistachio Radio, Mrs. Pistachio kicked butt, the show was the best yet, and Mudkitty was muted and banned.

*Note: Mudkitty, you are hereby banned from commenting on this site. All comments by you will be deleted. If you persist, I will change t0 moderating comments. No begging to return, please.

One last jaunt with Mudkitty over Imus and his nappy-headed ho remark

Mudkitty pisses everyone on the right, and some folks on the left, off. Often, she pisses me off. So why in the hell have I extended an invitation to her to call into Political Pistachio Radio?

In fact, I have received a number of e-mails telling me that continuing to allow her to continue to comment on the site, and inviting her to the show, is suicidal (in consideration to numbers).

Proof?

My daily hits at Political Pistachio are half what they were tail-end of last year since the fiasco with Liberal Tom, and since Mudkitty has started commenting again, they have gone down even further.

So back to the original question. Why have I asked Mudkitty to call into the radio show?

This week we have seen in the news a bombing in Algiers, a bombing at the Iraqi Parliament in the Green Zone, an earthquake in Mexico, and rallies defending the illegal alien invasion. Yet, amidst all of these issues, the top two news stories have been the finally reached unveiling of Anna's baby's dad (of which I have not posted on, and really don't give a crap about) and the remarks made by shock-jock Don Imus. The story regarding Imus is huge in terms of where our nation is headed.

In the black community the opinions regarding this issue follows all ends of the spectrum. On Rush Limbaugh I listened to a black woman call in and agree with me fully. On the far other side of the issue I listened to a New Black Panther party member prove he's a bigger bigot than Imus. On My Point Radio Victory Waters gave a great presentation as to why such statements are hurtful. Whites, however, have been very specific on their position (for the most part), either agreeing with me, or being very upset over the comments as was the young women of the Rutgers Basketball team. Here at Political Pistachio, however, and among the people I know personally, the only character in strong disagreement with me on this issue is Mudkitty.

But why?

I am, honestly, curious if she truly even knows why herself. This is why I invited her to call in. However, and I hope you are reading this, Mudkitty, understand that it is my show, and my finger will hit that mute button on you if you get out of hand.

One of my questions is this: If it is so wrong for Imus to say something that is being claimed as being something that can only be said in the black community, then why is it okay for blacks to say things that are despicable about women in general (like rappers do), or about whites (like some black comedians do)?

And what about Mrs. Pistachio? She's Mexican. She has endured a lifetime of racist language against her. She knows what it is like to hear things racially charged all her life. Yet, she believes that even though Imus was wrong in what he said, the reaction by the black community is over the top.

We are all God's children, created equal, and should be united against enemies of America, rather than dividing because some idiot opened his mouth and said something stupid. It's shocking to me that we even have this kind of double standard where some people can say something and others can't. It's shocking to me that a bunch of people can yell out loud enough and get someone fired for it. It's shocking to me that we give more face time to hypocrites like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson than to folks like Larry Elder, Thomas Sowell, Harry R. Jackson and Angela Winters?

How long before America becomes an Orwellian society, and we are chastised for thought crimes?

Tune in Saturday to Political Pistachio Radio 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern to hear what happens in this mess - and call in to join the discussion at (646) 652-2940. I'd love to hear from you - even if Mudkitty pisses you off.

My Point Radio and Victory Waters

Last night I was listening to My Point Radio and the subject matter was regarding Don Imus and his "nappy-headed ho" remark. Dave's guest, Victory Waters, has her own show as well. Sharp gal, enjoyed listening to what she had to say, but I think she misses the point.

Huh?

I will never pretend to know what is like to grow up feeling the sting of bigotry and racism. I am a white male. I have felt the sting of hate by members of other races, and by members of my own race. I have been beaten to the ground by a dozen idiots, and kicked in the ribs until I stopped moving. However, even in that circumstance, I refused to give my attackers the power they were searching for.

By reacting the way they did the Rutgers Womens basketball team gave Don Imus power. Had they responded, "Yes, I heard about what he said, and he is obviously someone filled with either ignorance or hate. I know who I am, and I know that I am not a nappy-headed ho, and as a young black woman I feel sorry for people like Don Imus that is still living in a fantasy world inside his mind where statements like that are still okay," Don Imus would have looked the fool, and these young women would be regarded as strong, independent, and above such foolishness. Instead, they decided to give Don Imus power, and whine and cry and play victim.

Yes, Ms. Waters, I understand the pain of hearing it all your life, and it is okay to be upset and angry that idiots like Don Imus still spew such insensitivity in this world, but please, rise above it, show us that you are stronger. Don't give him the power to take away your joy with his foul mouth.

This Saturday Political Pistachio Radio will address this subject. Mrs. Pistachio, being a minority, and living through her own bouts with insensitive people will talk about her take on it. And I even invite Mudkitty (I may regret this) to call in and challenge what I am saying. It may get loud, it may get nasty.

And then, in an unprecedented move, My Point Radio will follow PPR. Political Pistachio Radio will broadcast at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern, and My Point Radio will follow at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern. Two great shows back to back. Tune in to My Point for their version of hammering the idiot left after listening to me get into it with Mudkitty. It will be a great pair of shows.

Gotta love it.

McCain's habits in the political forum

McCain delivered a speech that energized the conservative base. He layed it down nicely regarding the Iraq War in such a way I almost found myself willing to support him.

Almost.

McCain was also critical of those that jumped on the "slip a noose around Imus' neck" bandwagon. In fact, McCain even said he'd be willing to go on Imus' show in the future - ooops, too late, NBC cancelled it over his less than considerate (and yes, downright despicable) remarks regarding the Rutgers Women's Basketball team. Those crying girls at Rutgers did the worst thing they could if they wanted to lash out at Imus, because like other shock jocks, all this will do is put his name out there for more people to recognize, which will lead to a more widely syndicated show with a larger audience. Look out Howard Stearn, here comes Don Imus!

Granted, had a conservative host said something like "look at those nappy-hoes", he'd have gotten a lot more than what Imus receieved. Could you imagine if Rush or Hannity had said this? Whew, the upheaval would have been a lot worse.

Back to McCain. He's been a consistent pro-lifer, and right now he's acting conservative, sort of. But that comment so long ago that "We've wasted a lot of our precious treasure, which are American lives, over there," continues to burn in my brain. And he doesn't sit well with me on other issues, like the fact that he's on board with the Global Warming Lies issue (click here for a fascinating article on Global Warning by a publisher I am aquainted with), opposes tax cuts, and has a habit of breaking ranks for the sake of breaking ranks.

Maverick? or Jackass?

Don't get me wrong. I am not totally in agreement with all things Republican, either. And McCain is a lot more appealing than Rudy (who should just change over to the Democratic Party now, since his only conservative viewpoint is regarding the war on terror), and more consistent than Mitt Romney.

I have other reasons for my reservations about McCain, as well. He has this thing about big government regulation, and a certain anger against free-marketers. But one thing is for sure, if Duncan Hunter or Tom Tancredo don't step up and start making gains in the Republican race for presidential nomination, McCain is a lot more appealing than Rudy.

The Ruckus over Imus' Nappy-headed Hoes

Today the Rutgers women's basketball team held a news conference at which they blasted radio host Don Imus for what they consider to be racist and sexist remarks. I agree with the fact that what he said was deplorable and despicable. However, if these young women had their joy taken away by a guy they never met on some show airing in another state because of something he said, they need to grow spines.

Give me a freakin' break! I am so sick of this politically correct bull!

The players believe that his comments were insensitive and hurtful.

They are hurtful if you allow them to be. There are those people out there looking to be offended. It's what they do, and now they have everyone else crying everytime something wrong is said to them. Understand me, I am not defending Imus, I am saying that as a person, why would anyone allow a person to have power over them like this with what they say? This response by the players is over the top, and this situation is serving as a great opportunity for the political correctness activists out there to get their fifteen minutes of fame.

One of the Rutgers players said, "Unless they've given `ho' a whole new definition, that's not what I am."

Exactly. If you have enough self-confidence that you know that, then why be offended? Who gives a crap what some foul-mouthed radio host said? Welcome to life. People say mean things. They shouldn't, and I am not condoning it, but if you cry everytime someone says something mean, then you'll be crying every day for the rest of your life; and if we succumb to the politically correct agenda, nobody will ever say anything again because whatever we say can always be misunderstood and found offensive by someone, somewhere.

"We haven't done anything to deserve this controversy, and yet it has taken a toll on us mentally and physically."

BECAUSE YOU ALLOWED IT TO!

The head coach said her players "are the best this nation has to offer ... young ladies of class, distinction. They are articulate, they are gifted. They are God's representatives in every sense of the word."

Another player said, "It kind of scars us. We grew up in a world where racism exists, and there's nothing we can do to change that, I think that this has scarred me for life."

I don't allow anything anybody says to scar me for life. That is just ridiculous.

And here's where I really get mad. There was at one point actually consideration of firing Imus for this! Why? Because you lost the championship game to Tennessee and now you want someone to blame?

Look, the comments took the luster off of an incredible season because the players, the liberal media, the activists, and all of the other idiots out there allowing this to be more than it is are allowing them too. Didn't mama teach you "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me"?

And, Sharpton and Jessie Jackson are chiming in as well. Those double-standard hypocrites have done nothing but set black America back. They are hypocrites and frauds, who have more racist comments under their belts than I can count (primarily of the anti-semitic kind).

Sharpton appeared on "Today" and called the suspension given to Imus (rather than a firing) "not nearly enough. I think it is too little, too late."

Jackass!

Look, nobody will ever make me feel like I am less of who I think I am with their words. I will never give anyone that power. By making a big thing out of this, the racists got what they wanted - a reaction. Play your basketball, hold your heads up high, and ignore the idiocy people sometimes spew.

And for God's sake, grow a spine!

Iran's Defiance

Now that Iran is claiming that it is capable of industrial-scale uranium enrichment, which defies two U.N. resolutions, the West is claiming that Iran's claim has more to do with political posturing than technical progress. In the speech yesterday by Ahmadinejad where he made this declaration, the Iranian President also warned the West to end its pressure against Iran regarding the production of uranium, or else Iran would reconsider its policy of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Sounds like a threat to me.

It is possible that Ahmadinejad's statement was a threat to withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as North Korea did four years ago.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad resembles a child pushing the limits, seeing how far he can push the envelope before it's too far. His actions are unacceptable, and are nothing less than the next step towards a clandestine weapons program.

Give a petulant child a big firecracker, and he's liable to blow his hand off, or he may throw it at you.

The Irony Of It All

Justin H. of Right on the Right reminded me last Saturday that it is important to be careful when it comes to the language we use, and how sometimes what we say may not mean what we mean it to say.

Confused?

I'm a writer, so I am supposed to know how to use language properly. Sometimes I fail in the proper application of language, perhaps out of not thinking about it, or maybe because societal tendencies have affected me that much.

Justin instant messengered me (if you want to add me, I'm at Yahoo Messenger, ID: douglasvgibbs) asking if I wanted to play checkers. At that moment, my wife and I were in the midst of a heated game of backgammon, and the coincidence made me laugh, so I said to Justin "How Ironic."

Being the sharp kid that he is, he immediately corrected me, stating that it was not ironic. Perhaps coincidental, but not ironic. I sheepishly grinned, agreed, and then beat Mrs. Pistachio mercilessly again at backgammon.

That was my second lesson for the day regarding the language we use.

The first came at the end of the radio show when I proclaimed (and on the air without knowing it) "What a great freakin' show."

I work in the construction industry, so I am no stranger to profanity. I try to keep my mouth clean, especially at home, but sometimes I goof and the words pop right out. When I realized that my proclamation of how great the show was wound up on the air (at the very end on the archived version of the April 7th show in which I interviewed Gary W. Moore, author of Playing With The Enemy - live listeners missed it), I thought to myself about the biblical teachings of our works, and how important it is to be careful of what you say because you never know who's listening. And I was really glad that I didn't use that other word that starts with an "F".

Then I got to thinking about how the left loves to twist things so out of shape that they can make you sound like an idiot with a few, well placed, comments.

Irony is not coincidence. In fact, the word irony is so misused in the English language, folks have trouble understanding what it really means. It is commonly confused with coincidence. True irony involves parallels. Similarity with a twist, I suppose. But not coincidence.

If I was to visit a construction jobsite, for example, known for being dangerous, with the intention to figure out why it is such a dangerous place to work, and while standing there calculating the risks involved at the site a beam fell and knocked me cold, that would be ironic.

Anyhow, I think that is where the left misses it. They are so busy looking for contradictions, or anything happening slightly outside what was originally proclaimed by the Right, that they miss the whole point of everything.

Example: My daughter, since we said that we would probably get home by five in the evening on Easter from visiting family considered me a liar because we didn't get home until 6:30. She failed to take into account that we live in an imperfect world, and sometimes things happen outside your control that alters the plans. As sensible humans, we adjust, and then continue on to finish the job. Just because it was taking longer than expected did not mean that we should not visit the second family. We said we would visit with both families, and we were going to do so, even if it took a little longer. That's not a lie. That's adjusting to the situation when unexpected variables arise.

Sort of like with the War in Iraq.

See the parallel?

Should I have spoken more carefully in a way so that she understood that it may take longer? Perhaps. But common sense dictates that the obvious is that sometimes things don't go exactly as planned, and so it did not need to be stated.

And the thing is, I think the language used for entering the Global War on Terror (a phrase the left is now trying to eliminate - I suppose if it's a duck, it's okay to vote to call it a tweety bird as to not offend all the ducks) was clear and precise. Bush said from the beginning it would be a long war, and we would not leave until the job was finished. Clear enough language if you ask me.

Perhaps I should send dictionaries out to every lefty I know.

Ahh, the Irony of it all.

He Is Risen - Happy Easter

Luke 24:1-6

NOW upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen...

Should I laugh or cry?

On Political Pistachio Radio I interviewed Gary W. Moore (author of Playing With The Enemy) on April 7, 2007. The show was a rousing success. Gary was a fantastic guest, Tisha from Brussels called in revealing the show's international appeal, and Phil called in near the end which turned out to be good since I was at rope's end with my questions.

What could go wrong?

Growing up in a household run by a United States Marine war veteran, and myself serving in the United States Navy, taught me to pay special attention to detail. Sometimes I drive Mrs. Pistachio nuts with my nearly obsessive attention to the little things in life. And when people around me don't worry about little things that I find important, it drives me up the wall.

I don't squeeze the toothpaste in the middle, I roll it from the bottom up. I fold my towels and shirts with two folds. I don't leave the refrigerator open for any length of time. And I hang up the phone when I am finished speaking on it.

So, after the fantastic episode of Political Pistachio today with Gary Moore as my guest, I was enthusiastic. Excited. Vocal about my feelings.

And Mrs. Pistachio had set down her phone and walked out of the room as the show concluded, without pushing the button on it which would disconnect it from the line.

Little did I know, when I hung up mine, that her line was still active.

And I said, "That went soooo freakin' well."

Now, to my surprise, my reaction is forever archived at BlogTalk Radio, because Mrs. Pistachio's phone picked up my exhuberance.

What kind of person finishes a phone call, sets down their phone without hanging it up, and walks away?

And when I twisted in confusion regarding how to react to this revelation, my wonderful wife looked me in the eye, and began to laugh.

Perhaps my belt's too tight.

By the way, there are still plenty of Political Pistachio bumper stickers available. E-mail me if you want one, and I will send it out immediately, at no charge to you.

As Expected, the liberals once again prove they are idiots

As expected, the truth about the 15 British service member's detainment is far different than the Liberal Left tried to proclaim. The Brits were coerced to make the statements on Iranian TV that they were being fairly treated, and they were psychologically pressured during their time in Iranian hands. For more, Click Here.

As expected, the Left (Alan Colmes for one) is trying to shift the blame of the capture of these British sailors and Marines to the United States. They are stating that our capture of 5 Iranian diplomats on the battlefield in Iraq caused Iran to take these 15 Brits illegally, in Iraqi waters. Typical.

As expected, Pelosi has proven once again that she is a traitor. Her recent visit to Syria (remember, foreign relations is the responsibility of the Executive Branch, not Congress, and definitely not the responsibility of the Speaker of the House) has drawn jeers from many Americans, but the San Francisco speaker's controversial trip to Syria is receiving cheers from Palestinian terror groups, praising the Democratic leader's questionable Mideast jaunt. Hmmm, the enemy likes what she did? The proof is in the pudding.

As expected, because I designed it as such, I have been accused of contradicting myself in the last post because I admit in the first paragraph that we all compromise sometimes in our lives, but when it comes to certain things we should not compromise. This is a basic failing of the liberals. They are unable to recognize the obvious. So, let me spell it out for you. When your spouse wants seafood, and you want steak, every once in a while, you compromise because you love your spouse. When your buddy and you are arguing over who picks up the bill at the restaurant, sometimes you compromise, and share the bill. That is how we sometimes compromise in life. It is not a perfect world, and on occasion it is necessary to compromise. That does not make me or anybody else a hypocrite. You choose your battles, and you choose your compromises. However, there are some things we should never compromise on, be it matters of faith (abortion, homosexuality, etc.), or like believing the enemy (Iran) before our own allies (the British). This is why I will not vote for official that is dead-set against three moral issues I feel strongly about, i.e. Rudy's pro-choice, pro-gay, pro-gun control positions. I swear, sometimes I think that liberals have their heads so far up their butts that it would take an oversized shoe-horn just to pry their heads loose.

As expected, the next Political Pistachio Radio Show is going to be a good one. Mrs. Pistachio and myself will be joined by Gary W. Moore, author of "Playing With The Enemy." Tune in. It will be a great show. Remember, Saturday at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern for the live show, or you can listen to the archive later.

Compromise

Compromise is a multi-faceted word. Sometimes, compromise is good. Sometimes, compromise is necessary. When it comes to my own personal life, compromise does nothing more than get me into trouble.

A reader sent me an article on his site by e-mail he thought I would find fascinating. It refers to a recent fundraiser in Los Angeles for Rudy Giuliani and a founder of an Evanglical Church as one of the people involved with supporting Rudy. Apparently, according to the writer of the e-mail, "Christian Conservatives are willing to look the other way on Giuliani's progressive social positions."

Rudy is Pro-choice, Pro-Gay Marriage, and Pro-Gun Control. However, aside from the fact that he curbed crime in New York, has a strong position on the Global War on Terror (a phrase by the way the left is trying to eliminate), and is America's Mayor, it seems conservatives are forgetting that position on those libertine issues is not what conservatism stands for.

Voters compromised last November, as well. In an attempt to send a message to the current administration, voters voted the Democrats into Congressional power, and now look what we have gotten ourselves into. Now, to the surprise of these so-called conservatives, the House's budget recommendation includes a proposal that will surpass Clinton's largest tax increase in history in 1993. Newt Gingrich details the increase in his article at Human Events Online.

Compromise, my friends, can be a dangerous thing. We have compromised over the years with little things, and our society has responded in ways that has given birth to Political Correctness, and the Secular Progressive Agenda. Compromise destroys governments, and brings down civilizations. Don't compromise, stand up for what you believe, and ask yourself if Ronald Reagan would approve of Rudy, or even give liberal commenters airtime on a conservative blog.

Freed British Hostages Arrive at Tehran Airport

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad decided that war with the West looming on the horizon over fifteen British hostages was too much to risk, and defused the growing confrontation with Britain by surprisingly releasing the fifteen British sailors being held captive by his government. He then called it an Easter gift.

After arriving at Tehran's airport they are expected to fly out of there to London on Thursday morning.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair proclaimed that he felt "profound relief" over the peaceful end to the 13-day crisis. "Throughout we have taken a measured approach _ firm but calm, not negotiating, but not confronting either," Blair said in London, adding a message to the Iranian people that "we bear you no ill will."

The crisis had escalated since March 23rd, raising fears of military conflict in the volatile region. The move to release the sailors suggests that Iran's hard-line leadership decided it had shown its strength but did not want to push the standoff too far.

Syria claims played a part in the release.

The announcement of the release came hours after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with President Bashar Assad in Damascus, trying to show that a U.S. dialogue with Syria which had been rejected by the Bush administration according to the mainstream media could bring benefits for the Middle East. The British sailors were not part of their talks, and it was not clear if the release was timed to coincide with her visit. The Democrats will undoubtedly consider this a feather in their cap, and will probably milk it for all it's worth.

Ahmadinejad's announcement of the release was companioned by a quip that the British government was "not brave enough" to admit the crew had been in Iranian waters when it was captured. Britain, the United States, and the United Nations still claims that the sailors were in Iraqi waters when captured.

Ahmadinejad then declared that even though Iran had the right to put the Britons on trial, he had "pardoned" them to mark the March 30 birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and the coming Easter holiday.

"This pardon is a gift to the British people," he said.

My, isn't he a nice guy? (sarcasm intended)

Ahmadinejad beamed on the steps of the presidential palace shaking hands with the Britons.

"Your people have been really kind to us, and we appreciate it very much," one of the British men told Ahmadinejad in English. Another male service member said: "We are grateful for your forgiveness."

Ahmadinejad responded in Farsi, "You are welcome."

Why do I smell B.S.?

Three other members of the crew were later interviewed on Iranian state-run television, apologizing for the alleged incursion into Iran's waters and again thanking Ahmadinejad for their release.

We will find out later if they were coached.

Understandably, the U.S. welcomed Iran's announcement with caution. Vice President Dick Cheney said "it was unfortunate that they were ever taken in the first place."

Interesting how the release suddenly happened after the U.S. and Britain beefed up their military presence in the Persian Gulf in response to the kidnapping.

These tensions coincide with U.S. accusations that Iran has been sending weapons to Shiite militias in Iraq. When the British sailors were taken, many speculated that the Iranians seized the Britons in retaliation for the detention of five Iranians by U.S. forces in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil in January. Iran has denied any connection.

Cut and Run ignores the U.S. Constitution

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced today that they are introducing legislation that will effectively end the current military mission in Iraq and begin the redeployment of U.S. forces. The bill requires the President to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq 120 days from enactment, as required by the emergency supplemental spending bill the Senate passed last week. The bill ends funding for the war, with three narrow exceptions, effective March 31, 2008.

“I am pleased to cosponsor Senator Feingold’s important legislation,” Reid said. “I believe it is consistent with the language included in the supplemental appropriations bill passed by a bipartisan majority of the Senate. If the President vetoes the supplemental appropriations bill and continues to resist changing course in Iraq, I will work to ensure this legislation receives a vote in the Senate in the next work period.”

“I am delighted to be working with the Majority Leader to bring our involvement in the Iraq war to an end,” Feingold said. “Congress has a responsibility to end a war that is opposed by the American people and is undermining our national security. By ending funding for the President’s failed Iraq policy, our bill requires the President to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq.”

The language of the legislation reads:

(a) Transition of Mission - The President shall promptly transition the mission of United States forces in Iraq to the limited purposes set forth in subsection (d).

(b) Commencement of Safe, Phased Redeployment from Iraq - The President shall commence the safe, phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq that are not essential to the purposes set forth in subsection (d). Such redeployment shall begin not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Prohibition on Use of Funds - No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after March 31, 2008.

(d) Exception for Limited Purposes - The prohibition under subsection (c) shall not apply to the obligation or expenditure of funds for the limited purposes as follows:

(1) To conduct targeted operations, limited in duration and scope, against members of al Qaeda and other international terrorist organizations.

(2) To provide security for United States infrastructure and personnel.

(3) To train and equip Iraqi security services.

Now, the Constitution of the United States of America, Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 Reads:

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

"The President shall be Commander in Chief." Congress has the right and the power to defund the effort in Iraq, but they do not have the Constitutional power to tell the Commander in Chief how to deploy, whether to deploy, or any other command by the President.

This direction the Democrats are taking is placing our nation in danger, as well as its allies and our troops in the field. And, as for the polls that the Democrats keep quoting, how about these:

A Bloomberg poll last month found that 61% of Americans believe withholding funding for the war is a bad idea, while only 28% believe it is a good idea.

March USA Today/Gallup poll, 61% of Americans oppose “denying the funding needed to send any additional troops to Iraq" and only 20% of Americans, according to that poll, want to withdraw the troops immediately.

Public Opinion Strategies (POS) recently reported that a majority of voters (54%) oppose the Democrats imposing a reduction in troops below the level military commanders requested.

A POS poll in February found that 59% of voters believe pulling out of Iraq immediately would do more to harm America’s reputation in the world than staying until order is restored.

That POS poll also finds 57% of voters support staying in Iraq until the job is finished and “the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security for its people.”

According to a Time magazine poll also taken in March, only 32% want to withdraw the troops within the next year no matter what happens.

Congress is prohibited by the seperation of powers from telling the Commander In Chief how to conduct war making, and are unconstitutionally taking these actions they now embark upon. Their misuse of power, and misunderstanding of their allowances will surely place the United States in eminent danger, and place the troops in Iraq and the Iraqi people on a collision course with a bloodbath.