DINAH LORD

It's official: I've moved!

2009-01-26T21:12:00.005-07:00

Parting is such sweet sorrow.Find me here now.

Check it out.

2008-11-13T08:16:00.002-07:00

I've been contemplating a move to Typepad.The New Dinah can be found here.What do you think. Easier on the eyes?

WTF? Deportation proceedings halted to protect Obama's Auntie???

2008-11-12T07:04:00.002-07:00

That's what Michelle Malkin is saying this morning in Dubya and Zuni.According to my sources, the Bush administration issued a 72-hour cease-and-desist order to all fugitive apprehension teams to spare Obama embarrassment over his Kenyan half-aunt, Zeituni Onyango. The Associated Press reported on November 1 that Onyango was a deportation evader — one of an estimated 700,000 illegal alien

I love the smell of hostage rescue in the morning...

2008-11-12T06:44:00.001-07:00

Special Ops rescue American Hostage in nighttime raid.Militants from the Hezb-i-Islami (Party of Islam) kidnapped the man and an Afghan business partner August 20 on a road west of Kabul, according to the Army Times. He was treated "reasonably well" and was even allowed four cell phone calls to his wife, to whom he passed information in English, which the kidnappers did not understand.

The UN: A Spectacular waste of money and air...

2008-11-11T23:47:00.001-07:00

Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo works in 'Hall XX' at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.I'm all for art and all, but this is ridiculous.United Nations diplomats searching for bright ideas will soon be able to look to the ceiling for inspiration. Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo has just completed a mammoth redecorating job - using 100 tons of paint - at its

More captionworthy shots from the Glamour WOTY awards

2008-11-11T23:08:00.001-07:00

New Do for ChangeSame old, same old.

The Murmuration of the Starlings.

2008-11-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

Mushroom MurmurationWinter must must be coming... because the starlings are flocking. Here are many thousands of the birds wheeling together in the afternoon sky near Gretna Green yesterday, as they prepare to roost together for the night. A starling flock like this is called a murmuration, a word that

Somalia: Another day, another ship hijacked by Pirates v.2

2008-11-11T21:07:00.001-07:00

I'm glad to see that the Financial Times agrees with me. Well, except for that international court business. That's just crazy talk. I say we catch 'em and give them a choice. Walk the plank or hoisted from the yardarm? And those "experts that argue that we lack the legal basis on which to arrest and prosecute?" They can take a long walk off a short pier.Even so, the problem is far from

Out, out damned leak...

2008-11-11T19:19:00.004-07:00

Everywhere I look there are leaks...Now Mohamed el-Baradei is miffed because someone with"political motivation" leaked the info about the Syrian nuke plant. But get this! He's not miffed because the information isn't true! No, he's miffed because it might jeopardize Syrian co-operation. What a weasel he is.The IAEA did not challenge the substance of Monday's revelations about the uranium

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T16:44:00.003-07:00

In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on rowThat mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If

Get a load of this latest Muslim shakedown...

2008-11-11T12:27:00.002-07:00

giving me apoplexy. (hat tip to Weasel Zippers - the hardest working zippers in the blog business)Muslim Workers Receive $150K for Being Asked to Sign Form Acknowledging They Have to Handle Pork, $215K to Workers Fired for Taking Too Many Prayer Breaks....Under a settlement to a federal lawsuit, up to 100 Somali Muslims who are current or former workers at Gold'n Plump Inc. will receive a total

Yemen's Most Famous Divorcee

2008-11-11T12:07:00.004-07:00

Nujood Ali and Human Rights lawyer Shada Nasserwins Glamour's Women of the Year award. You remember 9 year old Nujood Ali. Her 30 year old Muslim husband raped her on her wedding night and she took herself to court and asked for a divorce.At first glance, you’d never guess that Nujood Mohammed Ali is Yemen’s most famous divorcee. She is slight, with a shy smile and coffee-color eyes. Ask what

Obama Administration: Leaking like a sieve. Already.

2008-11-11T11:03:00.005-07:00

First, we had the leaking of the top secret al Qaeda order... Now we have leaks coming out of the one on one meet between Senator Present Obama and President Bush. And gee, what a surprise! It's in that leaky gray bucket, the NY Times. Obama asks Bush to Provide Help for Automakers. Their source? "People familiar with the discussion." Unh-huh.The President is irked. And is quick to point

Islamics Bakri and Choudary mock the UK and it's weenie hate laws

2008-11-11T07:17:00.005-07:00

Looks like Anjem Choudary and the whole Al-Muhajiroun crowd are whipping it up again in London. The event, billed as a conference to "rise to defend the honour of the Muslims", had been advertised on several extremist websites with links to the Islam For The UK website, which calls for Sharia law to be introduced into Britain. Beyond a kiosk selling home-made curry and Coca-Cola for £3 and a

Syria: Well, well, well, what have we here????

2008-11-10T19:35:00.003-07:00

per The Jawa Report:IAEA reportedly finds traces of enriched uranium in Syria."The IAEA has alledgely found traces of enriched uranium at the same site which was bombed by Israeli jets back in September 2007." "The agency clearly thinks it has something significant enough to report to put Syria on the (nuclear safeguards) agenda right after North Korea and Iran,"And get this:"Diplomats close to

Iraq: 13 year old girl becomes youngest suicide bomber.

2008-11-10T19:19:00.003-07:00

What is wrong with these people?A 13-year-old girl became the youngest suicide bomber to wreak havoc in Iraq yesterday, killing five Iraqi guards in a town that has become notorious for deadly attacks by women bombers. The girl blew herself up in Baquba, on the same day that a car bomb exploded in Baghdad, killing about 30 people and shattering a fragile sense of calm in the capital. The

Bali Bombers: There's got to be a morning after...

2008-11-10T18:25:00.005-07:00

May they rot in hell.Bali Bombers left to rot as fanatics desert them.A SMALL black sign proclaims it as the graveyard of Islamic heroes. The message in Arabic is even more of a lie: "To fight for good against evil." But evil lurks here at the final resting place of of the Bali bombers, brothers Mukhlas and Amrozi, who were instrumental in the murders of 202 innocent people in October 2002. Just

One week Obama's team gets a security briefing...

2008-11-10T14:38:00.003-07:00

the next week the existence of a 2004 secret order allowing the hot pursuit of al Qaeda suspects gets leaked. A secret so top secret that no White House spokesperson will confirm or deny it's existence. And all of a sudden it gets leaked. Like that.Coincidence? I think not.The United States military since 2004 has used broad, secret authority to carry out nearly a dozen previously

Piracy on the high seas...an update.

2008-11-10T08:07:00.007-07:00

Aaarh, me mateys! Will the Pirates ruin Christmas this year? There's talk of that in the UK: Pirates Threaten Christmas ShoppingThe rate at which ships are being taken has led the British Chamber of Shipping to warn customers that all supplies that come to the UK and other western European countries from Asia could be put at risk. Gavin Simmonds, head of international policy at the chamber,

UK: "Somali Taliban" behind stoning gets UK funding.

2008-11-10T07:16:00.005-07:00

We've talked in the past about the high ranking Somali officials living part time on the dole in the UK and spending the rest of their time in Somalia getting busy with war crimes and such.But now we have this revelation:Sums thought to be totalling tens of thousands of pounds a week are being sent to the Shabaab militia, a fundamentalist Islamic group blamed for sentencing a 13-year-old girl to

UK: Abu Qatada gets busted

2008-11-10T07:04:00.005-07:00

Get this bumwad off the streetsHah! Here's the kind of thing we like hearing out of the UK... Radical 'preacher' Abu Qatada arrestedAbu Qatada, once described by a Spanish judge as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, has been arrested in Britain, supporters said.The Palestinian-Jordanian preacher was arrested for breaching his strict bail conditions after the authorities received a

US: Obama planning US trials for Gitmo terrorists

2008-11-10T06:07:00.004-07:00

Club Gitmo: There's a new sheriff in town.Well, isn't this special? President-elect Obama's advisers are quietly crafting a proposal to ship dozens, if not hundreds, of imprisoned terrorism suspects to the United States to face criminal trials, a plan that would make good on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison but could require creation of a controversial new system of justice.Obama

Lucky for you...

2008-11-09T11:32:00.005-07:00

My navel isn't that interesting. That, and there comes a point when I just have to laugh at myself and how silly I can get. Then I smack myself upside the head and say, 'Snap out of it! It's a fricking blog for crying out loud. It isn't dying of cancer or being blown up by an Islamofascist. Get real, girl.'I am happy to announce I am over myself now. Here are a few things I found

Time in...

2008-11-08T07:25:00.003-07:00

Sort of.Well possums, just because I've been gone doesn't mean you haven't been in my thoughts. I have been AWOL because I was back east tending to my friend while her daughter went home to spend some time with her young children. None of her docs can believe it, but my girl is still hanging in there. She remains very sick and is more miserable than you can imagine. Believe me when I say

Time out

2008-10-15T07:04:00.002-06:00

My best friend is in ICU and not doing well. All I seem to be able to do is worry about her as I walk around in circles with a sick feeling in my stomach. Keep fighting the good fight, possums.

Happy Columbus Day

2008-10-13T19:44:00.006-06:00

I spy with my little eye.Hope you are enjoying your day, possums.Here's a little known fact for your cocktail chatter fun - Columbus's sailor, Rodrigo de Triana, was actually the first person on the ship to eye-spy-with-his-little-eye the new world. "He found the island the natives called Guanahani at approximately 2:00 AM on 1492. The exact location of this island is unknown, though it was

Back to work

2008-10-13T08:06:00.003-06:00

making calls at the local GOP HQ this am...

Somalia: A pu-pu platter of Pirate info from Hawaii

2008-10-11T10:18:00.005-06:00

Just checking in, Possums before heading out to the beach for the morning walk. It's another beautiful day in Paradise here. The wedding was beautiful and the Hawaiian ceremony was interesting. We've got the Luau thing under our belt and it was great fun. But, it's back to the Mainland (and reality) on the redeye tonight. What else has been going on? The MV Faina remains locked in a

Aloha Malihinis

2008-10-08T09:12:00.004-06:00

Nice, huh?Well, I can't tell you how beautiful it is here. Right now -it's like 5 AM and I'm on haole time so I'm awake and looking for something to do in the dark... I could be going down to the 24 hour Fitness Center - but NAH! I'm going to check in with my peeps, instead.It is incredibly beautiful here, possums. The Kea Lani is just beautiful and the island weather is so silky and seductive.

We're going to the Hukilau!

2008-10-07T03:50:00.001-06:00

My favorite Hawaiian Song. Hope to pick up a few moves for it while I'm gone.The Hukilau Song Jack Owens © 1948 Oh we're going to a hukilau A huki huki huki huki hukilau Everybody loves the hukilau Where the laulau is the kaukau at the lû`au We throw our nets out into the sea And all

It is not looking good in Iceland...

2008-10-06T23:08:00.004-06:00

Why a government should never act as a hedge fund.Going down.Address to the Nation by H.E. Geir H. Haarde, Prime Minister of Iceland 10/6/08 Fellow Icelanders I have requested the opportunity to address you at this time when the Icelandic nation faces major difficulties. The entire world is experiencing a major economic

"After hopefully things settle down..."

2008-10-06T20:05:00.001-06:00

"Pull!"In "Throwing the bank babies out with the bath water" I pondered today's Global Market Meltdown, the Net Capital Requirement rule and wondered who in the *&%$# had been responsible for changing it.I just couldn't believe that there would be ANYBODY that ...irresponsible.Well, I found her. Yep. I found the person involved in the change of the Net Capital requirement rule on Wall Street.

The Pirates of Somalia: Hostages get to make an appearance

2008-10-06T15:10:00.009-06:00

I wouldn't do well as a hostage, I don't think.US Says crew on hijacked ship off Somalia appear okay.The remaining crew appeared fine in a photograph taken Friday, when the pirates granted a request by the U.S. Navy to have the crew step out onto the deck. The picture, released by the Navy, shows the men, mostly expressionless, with gunmen nearby. The crew of Ukrainians, Latvians and Russians are

Ring-ring-ring! Dinah's calling!

2008-10-06T07:43:00.003-06:00

I'm voting for McCain-Palin. How about you?This morning I'm heading off to the local GOP HQ to work the phones for McCain-Palin. Wish me luck and remember! Be nice if you get a call - it could be me...I hope to twitter from there and have a full report later, as well.Cheers, Dinah.

Egypt: Sexual assaults mar Eid - Again. Still.

2008-10-06T07:27:00.004-06:00

Happy Eid Unless you happen to be a woman in Egypt, that is. Then it's happy sexual assault day. (But then again, pretty much every day is happy sexual assault day if you're a woman in Egypt.) Oh yeah, Islam honors women and the veil guards your modesty, that's right.The Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan was once again marred by sexual harassment in the streets

Muslim world: For women it's a special place in hell...

2008-10-05T17:00:00.003-06:00

Safia Amajan.Don't believe me?"Three years ago, Kim Sengupta interviewed five women who wanted to build a new Afghanistan. Today, three are dead and a fourth has fled..."Here is just one of their stories. "Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, is the scene of particular brutality towards women. "It is much worse down there than it is for us here [in Kabul], you must go down there," Shaima had

Afghanistan: More troubles for Karzai.

2008-10-05T16:00:00.000-06:00

Ahmed Wali KarzaiFirst, the Taliban tell him to go shi% in his hat about the peace neotiations and now a drug dealing brother? Karzai's brother suspected of involvement in drug trade.It's not the same brother who is the luxury villa real estate developer in Kandahar who is under a death threat from the Taliban. No, it's brother, Ahmed Wali, who asserts a political motivation to the charge and

US: Paulson plan shaping up

2008-10-05T13:10:00.005-06:00

Weighty Problem [Starting at the Bottom] (1962), a pin-up illustration by Gil ElvgrenIt looks like details are continuing to trickle out.Paulson lays bailout implementation.Among the firms under "consideration to lead the implementation" of the plan: Legg Mason, PIMCO, Black Rock and MKP Capital Management. When PIMCO speaks I listen...Mohamed Erian, co-chief executive of the giant asset

Across the pond and around the globe...

2008-10-05T10:34:00.004-06:00

Financial institutions continue to list and take on water...And the leaders of the EU have ruled out a Eurobank rescue pool. But I'm sure you'll be happy to know they're all going to have a "global economic summit to examine whether overhauls are needed for the existing World War II-era international financial system."French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Prime Ministers Gordon Brown of Britain and

Somali Pirates: Follow the money, matey. Or the hawala. Or the freshly butchered halal cow.

2008-10-05T06:46:00.006-06:00

Somali Islamists want MV Faina weapons. And their cut of the loot.Are the Somali Pirates and al Qaeda's team, the Somali Islamists, getting ready to mix it up? Pirate squabbles since the beginning of time have usually centered around the dividing up of the spoils and the women. This appears to be no exception. The Islamists and the SOMALI GOVERNMENT are all lining up with their hand out to

Taliban mighty miffed about latest missile attack.

2008-10-05T06:09:00.005-06:00

We heard about this missile strike the day before yesterday...and now we have this news today.Taliban mad over alleged U.S. strike. And not only are they mad - they're unusually mad. (I think that's meant as "mad" in the angry sense, not "mad' in the nuts sense. Although both would probably apply in this instance.) The Taliban are unusually angry about the latest suspected U.S. missile

Afghanistan: Taliban to Hamid Karzai...up yours!

2008-10-04T20:55:00.003-06:00

Taliban commander rejects peace talks with 'Afghanistan's puppet government'.Mullah Brother is back from the dead and calling Reuters on a satellite phone from an undisclosed location. And Mullah Brother must have been watching Whoopie Goldberg on the View while he's been recuperating."We reject an offer for negotiation by the Afghan's puppet and slave President Hamid Karzai," Mullah Brother

UK: I just like the sound of this headline...

2008-10-04T20:34:00.002-06:00

From the Daily Mail: Minister who infuriated Muslims put in charge of immigration policy.It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Pigs are flying and feminist heads are exploding. Heh.

2008-10-04T19:56:00.006-06:00

Sarah Palin in Carson, California hiding from the press.From Gretawire. Hat tip to the ever delicious Miss Velvet Hammer.Just got this email from FNC embed producer….as soon as it came in and I saw it, my eyes popped out!! I know this woman!! I read it to my husband…and he agrees! This endorsement is going to really going to cause a storm!! Hang on to your seat! Read! From: Gomez, Serafin

Al Jazeera goes to Say it ain't so Joe's hometown

2008-10-04T19:41:00.003-06:00

What a bunch of happy horse shi& this is..."On Thursday night, millions of television viewers around the globe caught a glimpse of something Northeast Pennsylvanians can see any night of the week: Scranton voters talking politics. However, local residents themselves will likely never see the footage of the live news show, broadcast on Al-Jazeera English from the upper room of Cooper's Seafood

Throwing the Bank babies out with the bathwater...

2008-10-04T07:20:00.006-06:00

You scrub my back, I'll scrub yours.We have a good deal of comfort about the capital cushions at these firms at the moment.” — Christopher Cox, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, March 11, 2008.I've been sitting here this week watching this whole market mess, scratching my head and trying to figure something out. How did these damn banks get so over-leveraged in the first place?

Iran: US Think Tank to 'open in Tehran'

2008-10-04T01:01:00.000-06:00

However, I don't think it's such a good idea myself.Washington has given rare approval for a research body to open an office in Iran, although it stressed United States policy had not changed. The American Iranian Council was given a licence to establish a presence in Tehran by the US Treasury Department. The Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control enforces US sanction on Iran. The AIC is a

Somalia: Kenyan Government charges maritime official

2008-10-04T00:01:00.000-06:00

Their ship has come in.With making false statements and possession of marijuana. Dude!On Thursday, the maritime official appeared in court in Mombasa, charged with making false and alarming statements to the media. He was also charged with possessing $3 worth of marijuana and ordered to be held until his next court appearance on Tuesday. We're talking about Andrew Mwangura, the go to guy, the

Kenya: Fine young cannibals...and terror scumbags come home.

2008-10-03T20:17:00.004-06:00

whee-doggiesOkay, they're not really cannibals, (that I know of) but the thought did come to mind after seeing these guys pictures. Yikes.Connections with the 1997 Nairobi Embassy bombing mastermind. Nice, real nice.Nine Kenyans who trained under fugitive terrorist Fazul Abdullah were discretely flown back early yesterday (Friday), following months of protracted row with human rights

What now, my loves?

2008-10-03T19:07:00.003-06:00

Dusting off the old crystal ball.The bailout bill passed. So why did the stock market experience a 457 point swing and its worst week since 9/11? Because passing that piece of crap sandwich of a rescue plan was the easy part. The bailout's passage was already priced into the market and the traders are already looking ahead. What did they see today? Economic indicators that suck. Jobless

Pakistan: Another missile strike

2008-10-03T17:47:00.002-06:00

A US missile strike on alleged havens for al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters left at least 12 dead yesterday.A pilotless drone aircraft targeted two Pakistani villages near the Afghan border. One TV report said 21 died. American strikes from Afghanistan have angered Pakistan, straining ties between the allies. But the US claims Pakistan is unwilling or unable to eliminate rebels on its territory.

Delaware: The corporate tax haven of the USA

2008-10-03T17:15:00.005-06:00

Another Joe Biden patriotic moment.Say Joe, what was that about taxes being patriotic again? Delaware is the country's corporate tax haven, with over half of its publicly held corporations registered there, including 58% of the Fortune 500. Corporations are attracted by Delaware's exemption from taxation of the subsidiaries of holding companies (so the holding-company headquarters are located in

Putting lipstick on a power pump...

2008-10-03T12:28:00.006-06:00

Call me a silly girl, but I thought that the Governor's choice of footwear for last evening's debate made a powerful statement. You go, girl. But then again, I also thought that Joe Biden found himself succumbing to the Palin charm about mid-debate. He looked at times like he was quite taken with her. Smitten, in fact. I remarked to the L&M, 'If these two were having this debate in a bar,

Saudi Arabia: Cleric favors "One-eyed" veil for women.

2008-10-03T12:01:00.005-06:00

No more come hither looks from you, Missy. (with a wink and a nod to our friends at the Religion of Peace)A Muslim cleric in Saudi Arabia has called on women to wear a full veil, or niqab, that reveals only one eye. Sheikh Muhammad al-Habadan said showing both eyes encouraged women to use eye make-up to look seductive. Damn hussies!

Somalia: Ukraine drawing up plans for hostage release scenarios?

2008-10-03T10:07:00.002-06:00

"Ukraine will never negotiate with pirates, terrorists, other criminals." says the First Vice Premier. He then goes on to discuss the negotiations between the ship owners with mediators. Oh, and those tanks belong to Kenya. Honest Injun."The Cabinet of Ministers ordered a number of agencies, including the military intelligence, SBU, to elaborate scenarios of hostage release in case of force

From coast to coast the gears of Government starting to grind to a halt...

2008-10-03T09:38:00.005-06:00

As if they could grind any slower...From the Sunshine State: The State of Florida has not been able to borrow money for three weeks.The nation's credit crunch has frozen Florida's ability to borrow money, but that isn't yet causing problems for the state, a top state money manager said Tuesday. Florida has been unable to borrow money for nearly three weeks, said Ben Watkins, director of the

Watching the wheels come off...

2008-10-03T08:08:00.006-06:00

Not only do I have a BIG love of the American automobile, I also have immense fondness for the Big 3 automakers. I hail from the rust belt and automobile manufacturing is a huge part of our daily lives there. In fact, if the L&M and I hadn't decided to strike out into the larger world and seek our fortunes, we would have ended up on the assembly line of a car plant. So when I heard

Dubai: No thanks, Sharia. Count me out of Cat Fight Central.

2008-10-02T23:19:00.003-06:00

Dubai builds women only high-rise.Hydra Properties, one of the leading real estate developers in the UAE, has completed excavation work on what is being billed as the world's first tower exclusively for businesswomen, the Abu Dhabi-based developer said as reported by Arabian business online. Evés Tower, located within Dubaìs Business Bay development, will be the first tower where only

This is why Harry Reid should be sent back to Searchlight, NV

2008-10-02T11:03:00.003-06:00

You know this isn't my blog's focus here at Dinah Lord, but I'd just like to point out to everyone how that fool Harry Reid's big mouth is wreaking havoc in the US insurance market. Thanks a lot Harry, you ass. This is JUST what the jittery markets needed."Reid also warned that a member of the Democratic caucus had warned a major US firm was among those at the risk of foundering if a bailout

Somalia: MV Faina ransom back at $20 million

2008-10-02T09:32:00.004-06:00

The Somali standoff continues. And the government of Kenya is still loudly proclaiming their ownership of the ship's cargo. (Methinks they are starting to protest too much.) Andrew Mwangura is still under arrest for his statements that the cargo was intended for the Sudan and the Islamists are telling the pirates to burn the ship, cargo and crew to the waterline if they are not paid."If they

Iraq: Big Ramadan blowout at Shiite Mosques

2008-10-02T09:20:00.002-06:00

I guess all that fasting makes them peckish. Maybe that's why they strap on bombs and blow themselves up like crazy during the festive holiday season??? Twin suicide bombings near Shiite mosques in Iraq's capital killed 20 people on Thursday as worshippers celebrated Eid al-Fitr, which ends the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, officials said.Another six people were shot dead in an ambush north of

Meanwhile, back in Pakistan

2008-10-02T07:57:00.003-06:00

Zardari vows to suck the oxygen from the Taliban system. I'll believe THAT when I see it.From Long War Journal: Hizb ut-Tahrir Pakistan advocated for the government to cut diplomatic and military ties with the West and deploy its nuclear weapons if the US continues to violate Pakistan’s territorial integrity. In an earlier release, Hizb ut-Tahrir urged Pakistan to attack US bases in Bagram and

Gwen Ifill: Debate moderator and author breaks leg on eve of historic debate

2008-10-02T06:55:00.003-06:00

MADAM CHAIR WOMAN: Moderator Gwen Ifill, who broke her ankle, inspects from a wheelchair the debate set in St. Louis yesterday.Evidently the injury occurred as she was crawling into the tank for Barack Obama.

Al Qaeda in Iraq: 24 child suicide bombers in 24 months

2008-10-02T04:30:00.000-06:00

Muslim Family values writ large. (hat tip: The Religion of Peace)Al-Qaeda has over the past two years used 24 children to carry out suicide bombings in Iraq, the director of military operations for the Interior Ministry, Abdelaziz Mohammed Jasim, told pan-Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat."Of the 24 children, five had a mental disability. From analysing the others' remains, we established that they

UK: Sham Bride busted at the altar...

2008-10-02T01:35:00.000-06:00

and it couldn't have happened to a nicer gal!Dressed head to toe in white, the bride certainly looked the part. The only thing missing when she left the church after exchanging vows with her new husband was - her new husband.This unlikely scenario gave police enough reason to pounce on the pair. And this was the moment the bride found herself hitched to the wrong side of the law accused of

WTF? Publication of Jewel of Medina 'suspended' after firebomb attack???

2008-10-01T22:18:00.004-06:00

You have got to be kidding me.Plans for the British publication of a controversial novel about a young wife of the Prophet Mohammed have been postponed following a firebomb attack at the publisher's London office.Martin Rynja of Gibson Square books intended to publish 'The Jewel Of Medina' by U.S. writer Sherry Jones. But following the attack on his London home, his plans are now said to be "in

Muslims ask 6 Flags employees not to wear shorts on Muslim day.

2008-10-01T22:07:00.002-06:00

I kid you not. (courtesy of Islam in Action)This Saturday is Muslim Day at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles.Six Flags spokeswoman Sue Carpenter has said that Six Flags employees have been asked not to wear shorts that day out of respect for Islam, although she said it is not mandatory.Read the whole damn thing.

Somalia: Kenyan police detain Maritime Official over Piracy Saga

2008-10-01T19:36:00.005-06:00

Andrew Mwangura: What's his story?Yikes. When I saw this I knew exactly who it referred to:Andrew Mwangura of the Seafarer's Assistance Program. When it comes to the Somali pirates, Andrew Mwangura is the man. He is widely quoted and seems to be pretty much the expert on the topic. Is he also a labor organizer, journalist, activist and socialist? Pretty much.I knew the Kenyan authorities

Somalia: Life in Somali's pirate town

2008-10-01T19:00:00.001-06:00

I'm about through with these Pirates, aren't you? It seems like ever since Talk Like a Pirate day, it's been pirate, pirate, pirate - nothing but pirates around here. If it's not the pirates of Somalia, it's the pirates of Wall Street.Too bad I appear to be fixated on them.Here is a verrry interesting article from BBC News. It gives more insight into how the pirates operate and the cottage

Somalia: Okay, you won't give us $35mil, or $20 mil, how about $5mil?

2008-10-01T15:24:00.002-06:00

Pirates decrease ransom amount for MV Faina.Negotiations over the arms-laden freighter hijacked by Somali pirates intensified on Wednesday and several people close to the talks said the showdown had come down to price.The pirates, who seized the ship last Thursday, initially demanded a $35 million ransom, then dropped it to $20 million and now it seems they are willing to settle for much less. “

Somalia: Forget Johnny Depp. This is how the pirates do it.

2008-10-01T14:05:00.005-06:00

Pirate pic courtesy of Salty Dog over at the Midnight Sun.How does a ragtag, scruffy band of pirates take over a big ocean going freighter?That's what Miss Angie and I were wondering the other day in the comments section.Well, Miss Angie, here's some insight on how they do it. The Chilling Innocence of Piracy.I spoke recently with several U.S. Navy officers who had been involved in anti-piracy

Does the Oracle of Omaha know something we don't?

2008-10-01T12:33:00.005-06:00

Okay, I was feeling pretty cool, calm and collected about this whole market meltdown until I heard that Warren Buffett, aka the Oracle of Omaha, was pumping $3 billion cash into General Electric in advance of a $12 billion stock offering because GE is having trouble raising money in the capital markets. Hearing this gives me pause, possums. General - freaking - Electric people! General

Somalia: Russia prepared to use force against MV Faina pirates?

2008-10-01T10:02:00.002-06:00

I sure hope so.From Eye On the WorldAn official at Somalia's foreign ministry says foreign powers may use force to free a hijacked ship carrying tanks and other heavy weapons.Mohamed Jama Ali, the ministry's acting permanent director, said his government granted permission on the condition that foreign powers coordinate with Somalia beforehand."The international community has permission to fight

Somalia: Tearing down all churches and putting up mosques.

2008-10-01T07:16:00.006-06:00

But it's such a tolerant, peaceful religion!Islamists began demolishing an old Roman Catholic church in southern Somalia on Tuesday to replace it with a mosque, and vowed to do the same with all other non-Muslim places of worship they find in the area. The act – and the threat – were the latest show of strength by the growing Islamic insurgency in and around the southern port of Kismayo.

UK: BBC gets grief for showing Muslim snacking during Ramadan

2008-10-01T04:00:00.000-06:00

Allah Snackbar BBC inundated with complaints after EastEnders shows Muslim snacking during Ramadan The BBC has received more than 100 complaints after EastEnders showed a Muslim breaking their Ramadan fast by eating a snack on the soap opera. It is believed that a large number of Muslims were angered by the recent storyline involving character Masood Ahmed claiming it insulted their religion.The

Canada: Will they have to make a pinky promise, too?

2008-09-30T22:36:00.001-06:00

Veiled voters must swear oath.Canadians who wear coverings over their faces will not be required to remove them to vote if they swear a special oath to affirm their identity and eligibility, a spokesman for Elections Canada said on Tuesday. "We offer them a choice," John Enright said of the administrative procedure, which has been in place without incident for the seven federal byelections held

al Qaeda and the Pirates

2008-09-30T21:35:00.000-06:00

Well possums, I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for this moment.For years, the party line about the Somali pirates has always been that they were just gangs of marauding bandits who just happened to be Muslim Somalis. There was no terror connection. Nope. No, siree.(And if you believe that, I've got a credit default swap I'd like to sell you.)"Fighters who aspire to establish the

Hallelujah! It looks like public opinion is catching up with the success in Iraq.

2008-09-30T20:24:00.002-06:00

How sweet it is. For the first time since Rasmussen Reports began polling on the issue, a plurality of voters in September say the U.S. mission in Iraq will be viewed as a success in the long term. In a national telephone survey Monday night, 41% said history will rate the war in Iraq a success versus 39% who said it will be seen as a failure, with 20% undecided. These findings echo those of

The Talibanization of Pakistan's biggest city

2008-09-30T19:52:00.003-06:00

Pro Taliban marchers in Karachi - back in 2001It's worse now.This is how the Taliban do it, how they move into an area, subdue the local populace and then take over. The conflict has chased them out of the tribal region and they are landing in major Pakistan cities, like Karachi. And... If Karachi is being ‘Talibanized,’ Pakistan is in real trouble, and so is everyone else. In the back of a

Egypt: European hostages speak about their ordeal.

2008-09-30T17:50:00.004-06:00

There's no place like home.Deny that a military raid even took place."At a certain point we thought it was all over," Walter Barotto, an Italian among a group of 19 people kidnapped in Egypt, told La Stampa newspaper.They say they were suddenly released by their kidnappers, not rescued in a raid that involved a gunfight, as Egyptian officials earlier claimed. "Shots? We didn't hear any," 70-

Putting window dressing on a dead cat.

2008-09-30T15:12:00.004-06:00

Stocks enjoy a dead cat bounce. Credit Markets just dead, dead, dead.“The money markets have completely broken down, with no trading taking place at all,” said Christoph Rieger, a fixed-income strategist at Dresdner Kleinwort in Frankfurt. “There is no market any more. Central banks are the only providers of cash to the market; no one else is lending.”The problems in the credit markets could

Afghanistan: Karzai wants to make nice with Mullah Omar?

2008-09-30T14:57:00.003-06:00

Say it isn't so. Afghans use Saudis to broker peace with Taliban. The Brits are in on it, too. For crying out loud, even the Italians are waving the white flag around.Mr Karzai said he had asked King Abdullah, the Saudi monarch, to help broker a settlement with the extremist religious movement, which was ousted from power by a US-led coalition in the wake of al-Qaeda's terrorist attacks on

Target Rich Environment

2008-09-30T11:28:00.003-06:00

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims performed the early morningEid Al-Fitr prayers at the al-Haram Grand Mosque in Mecca this morningHappy Hajj.(This sight just gives me the creeps.)A breathless report from the Daily Mail."Awesome spectacle as hundreds of thousands of Muslims converge on Mecca. It's one of the most awe-inspiring sights in religion. A duty for every able-bodied Muslim at least

Somalia: 3 MV Faina pirates dead in Eid shootout?

2008-09-30T09:04:00.003-06:00

It's unconfirmed, but wouldn't be surprising now, would it?Disagreements between Somali pirates holding a ship laden with tanks and heavy weapons escalated into a shootout and three pirates are believed dead, a U.S. defense official said Tuesday. The pirates denied the report.The official in Washington who reported the shootout spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to

No one is rolling the dice today...

2008-09-30T07:04:00.008-06:00

Back in the day, a bunch of guys I knew from work used to set up a private casino in the presidential suite at the Vista Hotel in the World Trade Center. Roulette, baccarat, poker, craps, the whole shooting match. It was always a wild and fun scene. The cigar smoke was thick in the air, the room was full of men in their bespoke dress shirts, with their ties loosened and sleeves rolled up.

Somalia: MV Faina. They've got her cornered.

2008-09-29T20:57:00.002-06:00

Pirated Arms freighter cornered by US Navy. Secret arms deal still alleged.American warships on Monday surrounded an arms-laden freighter hijacked by pirates, sealing off any possible escape in a standoff near the craggy Somalia coastline. Lt. Nathan Christensen, a Navy spokesman, said that “several destroyers and missile cruisers” had joined the American destroyer that was already

JBS Swift and Muslim prayer: The Tanc speaks

2008-09-29T13:56:00.003-06:00

Tom Tancredo tells it like it is. Pray on your own time.Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado) regarding Muslim prayer-time accommodation at the JBS Swift plant in Greeley, Colorado."The fact is that, if you take a job that requires your attendance on an assembly line from a point certain to a point certain, and if your religious views do not allow you to do that, then don't take the job,"

Somalia: Tanks, but no tanks...

2008-09-29T13:10:00.003-06:00

Confirmation that the tanks on the MV Faina were indeed headed for Sudan - not Kenya. A US Navy spokesman says a weapons shipment on a Ukrainian ship hijacked by Somalian pirates was headed to unknown buyers in Sudan, not Kenya. Lt. Nathan Christensen, a deputy spokesman for the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain, says it is not known whom exactly in Sudan the

6 months of Pakistani honor killings = 225 dead women

2008-09-29T11:34:00.003-06:00

Women killed for other reasons? 722.The Religion of Peace. Unless you're a woman, that is.Two hundred and twenty-five women have been killed in incidents of Karo Kari (honour killing) in the past six months across Pakistan, according to a survey conducted by the Aurat Foundation, BBC Urdu reported on Friday. The organisation said that though honour killing has different names in different areas

UK: More threats for Jewel of Medina publisher

2008-09-29T10:58:00.003-06:00

"Fundamentalist".Muslim radicals today warned of further violence after a firebomb attack on the London home of the publisher of a book on the prophet Mohammed. Fundamentalist Anjem Choudhary said repercussions would be "severe" for those involved with the Jewel Of Medina, a fictional account of the prophet's relationship with his 14-year-old wife Aisha. -snip-Those fears were fuelled as Mr

Remember the UK family barred from Saturday burial because they weren't Muslim?

2008-09-29T10:48:00.002-06:00

Well, it looks like someone changed their mind.Council U-turn on non-Muslim Saturday burialsSHEFFIELD Council has announced a dramatic U-turn after a policy allowing only Muslim burials to take place at the weekend caused outrage. The council has admitted they "got it wrong" and is working out a new policy to offer people of every faith living in the city the same service. But it comes too late

Egypt: European tourists released

2008-09-29T06:14:00.002-06:00

As a result of "international collaboration."Well, that and yesterday's killing of 6 of their captors, including the leader of the group who kidnapped them. And today's secretive military ops that isn't being discussed until the hostages are well clear of the area. The good news? No ransom was paid. All 19 hostages, including five German and five Italian tourists, who were abducted in

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled...

2008-09-28T20:00:00.009-06:00

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew,And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was trueThat All is not God that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four...From Rudyard Kipling'sThe Gods of the Copybook HeadingsA copybook was an exercise book used to practice one's handwriting in. The pages were blank except for horizontal rulings and

Pakistan: Fatwa for Palin Flirt

2008-09-28T19:06:00.003-06:00

"filthy remarks and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt is un-Islamic"When Asif Ali met Sarah. The prayer leader of the infamous Lal Masjid in the heart of Islamabad has issued a decree against President Asif Zardari for publicly making indecent gestures towards the American Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin during their Washington meeting, saying the act

Egypt: 6 kidnappers of European tourists killed.

2008-09-28T14:25:00.003-06:00

Hostages are now believed to be in Chad. There has been no official comment from the Chadian government at this time. Who has assumed command since one of those killed is believed to be the group's leader?Six of the alleged kidnappers of a group of tourists were killed by the Sudanese army in a high speed chase across desert, but the missing Europeans are still being held in Chad, Sudan's

UK: Pole dancing daughter in hiding after Muslim death threats.

2008-09-28T13:53:00.003-06:00

You just had to know this was coming. ( a quick twirl around the pole as thanks to the Weasel Zippers )Extremists threaten to kill Bakri's pole dancing daughter. The terrified pole-dancing daughter of radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed is in hiding after death threats from Muslim extremists. Yasmin Fostok, 27, who has a three-year-old son, is said to feel suicidal after it was revealed she

Somalia: Okay, how about $20 million? say pirates.

2008-09-28T13:16:00.003-06:00

Pirates hanging around the MV Faina. They should be hanging from the mizzen mast.Ransom for MV FAINA decreased to $20 million. Funny how the amount went down when the pirates and their ship full of tank booty suddenly found themselves surrounded by three warships.Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian freighter carrying Kenyan military weapons defiantly demanded 20 million dollars in ransom

Afghanistan: Taliban kill high profile female police officer

2008-09-28T13:08:00.003-06:00

"She was our target, and we successfully eliminated our target."Taliban gunmen shot dead the most high-profile female police officer in Afghanistan on Sunday as she left her home to go to work on Sunday, officials and the militia said.The attackers were waiting outside the home of Malalai Kakar, head of the city of Kandahar's department of crimes against women, and opened fire on her car,

Egypt: European hostages - they're running out of food and fuel.

2008-09-27T19:21:00.004-06:00

What you're missing at Gilf Kebir - that and being kidnapped by savages.Once again, the thought occurs to me that anyone that travels to Egypt as a tourist is a fool. The adventure-tour operator Explore will decide in the next few days whether to go ahead with trips to the remote western desert of Egypt, where 11 tourists were kidnapped on September 19. Explore says the 11 clients booked to

UK: Jewel of Medina publisher set on fire.

2008-09-27T19:02:00.005-06:00

Care to hazard a guess as to their religious persuasion?Police arrested three men on Saturday in connection with a fire at the offices of the publisher of a book about the Prophet Mohammed and his child bride. The men, aged 22, 30 and 40, were arrested in north London under anti-terrorism legislation after the fire on Saturday morning at Gibson Square's offices. Police were also searching four