11/27 Morning Report

Right after I found out JR had honored me at A Keyboard and a .45, I found an article I really enjoyed. It seems an anti-gun Mayor was arrested on weapons charges! Now, the gun was probably legal, registered, and so on. So, technically his membership in Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) wasn’t violated. But, in principle, it really was a hypocritical thing to do. I also discovered that, while I was away for the holiday, I missed JR’s post about a school in Alaska giving firearms training. That sounds like a valuable education to me!
(…I bet JR and company really enjoyed these reports…they really should have, if they didn’t…by the way, JR is a pretty good read…you should check it out…)

In other news, I spent some time checking out the NY Times and the BBC. Yeah, I hear all the cat calls and booing even over the internet. I know how biased they are. In fact, I know how biased they say they are (see my BBC thoughts here). Having spent my time lately pretty much focused on things here in the states, I thought I would check out other parts of the world.

The NY Times reports that, here in the states, timely detection of Bird Flu cases may not be possible. Given the similarities between the Bird Flu and the flu pandemic of the early 1900s, that is not comforting news. On the other hand, the BBC is reporting that UK banks could withstand an outbreak without major disruption of business.
(…well!...I feel much better…don't you?...)

The Times also reported on the Terror Trial of militant Islam. The article is traces the path of Islamists currently on trial in Britain. There is a lot of good info on how these groups operate—and how they go about their denials. Well worth reading through.

The Italians are investigating possible election fraud issues. It seems Left Wing groups are claiming Right Wing groups tried to rig the election with blank ballots. Assuming it’s true, how dumb does the system have to be for blank ballots to even be available to count? Alternatively, assuming it’s false, how dumb do you have to be to claim something involved blank ballots?
(…and the video being given out to “prove” the fraud is entitled Kill Democracy…sound like something the left would do here, too…)

Reuters reports that thousands protested the Pope’s coming visit to Turkey. Among other things, protesters are blaming Christians in general for the situations in Palestine, Iraq and Chechnya. I find it interesting that much of the current suffering is being caused by Islamic instigated violence, yet they blame others. And, of course, politics come into play as well:

Turkey's ruling AK Party government has kept a low profile in preparations for this visit, with talks still in progress as to whether Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, a pious Muslim, will meet him before leaving for a NATO summit in Riga. With a general election due next year the AK Party, which has roots in political Islam, must balance a rise in nationalism as well as their support base among conservative Muslims.

(…violent protests…intolerance of others…unforgiveness…whatever happened to the Religion of Peace…)

Jordan’s King Abdullah believes there are three civil wars looming in the Middle East: Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel. I can see the possibility of Lebanon and Iraq. Given the recent assassinations in Lebanon, and the cabinet boycotts by Hezbollah, it would not be a surprise. And, like many commentators, I actually see the increasing probability of one in Iraq. I’m at a loss to see how Israel could drop into a civil war. I could see an international conflict with the various Islamic groups that surround her. But, that is not the same as civil war.
(…of course, there’s no bias involved…nnnaaahhh…course not...)

And, I was going to write something on the Israeli-Palestinian cease fire. Unfortunately, Yid With Lid beat me to it. Fortunately, he did a much better job than I would have.