Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Beijing Game on Economics
Games and Multimedia Materials has a good list of resources. One could be handy for international economics on Voyage Beijing.
American Taxpayers Fund Victory Mosque Imam on Trip: Taxation for Islamization
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is heading up the Victory Mosque effort at Ground Zero, is traveling to the Middle East at the American taxpayer's expense. According to State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley, when asked about the journey, stated: "I think we are in the process of arranging for him to travel as part of this program [to bring greater understanding about Islam], and it is to foster a greater understanding about the region around the world among Muslim-majority communities." Rauf is traveling to the Muslim Middle East, at the taxpayer's expense, amongst the same people he is suspected of raising money from for the Victory Mosque at Ground Zero.
Obama is promoting Islam as part of his transformation of America to change the course of American-Islamic relations. For example, yesterday John Kerry introduced legislation to bring young Muslim workers to America in an exchange program. The Islamic program as advocated by Obama is to promote a Sputnik-era like funding initiative to promote education about Islam and Muslims.
"The State Department has no responsibility to send fruitcakes around as if they are representatives of America," says former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton, who told Fox News that Imam Rauf should be dumped from the trip and that the State Department should investigate how he was included in the first place.
"I am just amazed that he could be selected to represent our country speaking around the world," Bolton observes.
Imam Rauf has been a lightning rod for many.
While Time magazine called him "The Moderate Imam Behind The 'Ground Zero Mosque,'" he recently refused to call Hamas a terrorist organization and he has said that the United States was partly to blame for the terrorist attacks on 9-11.
In an interview with "60 Minutes," in 2001, Rauf claimed that U.S. policies were quote, "an accessory" to the 9-11 attacks.
He also was quoted in a 2008 interview for "Malaysia Matters" saying that "when people feel they've been humiliated, when people feel they've been frustrated, when people feel they've been ignored, when people feel justice is not meted, then they feel the need to conflagrate."
The controversy over the Mosque, and the Imam's views, haven't stopped the Obama administration from planning to send him soon as part of a special State Department cultural program, that reportedly includes stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi.
Crowley praised the Imam, calling him "a distinguished Muslim cleric," who is part of a program where "we send people from Muslim communities here in this country around the world to help people overseas to understand our society and the role of religion within our society."
Crowley also said that fundraising on the Imam's trip for the Islamic Center would not be allowed.
It turns out that this government supported trip will be the Imam's third with the State Department. Crowley said the first was in 2007, during the Bush administration, and that Rauf went to Egypt this past January.
"We have a long term relationship with him," Crowley explained. "His work on tolerance and religious diversity is well known and he brings a moderate perspective to foreign audiences on what it is like to be a practicing Muslim in the United States."
But Bolton points to the Imam's controversial comments as proof that he should not go.
"Many of his statements support terrorism in effect. He has blamed terrorism on frustration and said it causes people to 'conflagrate,' a new word that he has apparently invented. That is the classic justification for radical terrorism. It is unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of American people and really civilized people around the world."
Bolton says "The idea that U.S. tax dollars are putting somebody who is prepared to defend terrorism on the road internationally, on behalf of the United States, is just inexplicable."
Bolton also thinks the cultural program should be reviewed.
"This is not a question of repressing religious freedom or anything like that," he says. "It's a question of making sure that a program that's intended to show America to the rest of the world, in fact is doing that instead of being used as a propaganda device by a highly radical, very tiny fraction of people in this country."
A request for an interview with the Imam about the trip was not answered, but his office has told Fox News that he is currently abroad.
Cf. 911 Mega Mosque Imam: ‘I Don’t Believe in Religious Dialogue’ ....Cue Up the Daisy Khan Lies
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Seventies with a Short interview from Swedish television
The Mott The Hoople/Ian Hunter piece starts at around 4.15 and goes on till 14.10.
Flying Drone Google?
The report comes amid earlier allegations about Google looking a bit too closely at what people considered their private domain.
Google Street View Cars Spied On Users’ Wi-Fi
Wiki Stats September 2009-June 2010
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Three Muslims from the UAE become first non-U.S. citizens to train at NASA
Nine more Emirati students are slated for training at Nasa this autumn.
What is the U.S. getting out of this?
Friday, August 6, 2010
State Dept. Concludes U.S. Role Creates Terrorists
“I do think that that is something that is very much at the center of our policy making and our deliberations,” Benjamin said. “It very much affects our thoughts regarding our presence in particular parts of the world where we may not be wanted as much as we might think or might like.”
“It will certainly condition how we view any use of force and kinetic action because I think we have a more precise understanding about the relationship – I won’t claim we’ve fully cracked the code on this but we have a better understanding of the relationship between the use of force and the radicalization of those watching it,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin said the strategy depends on the relationship the United States has with a particular country or government, and each entity’s ability to fight terrorism on its own or in partnership with the United States.
“There’s a wide range of different circumstances in which we find terrorists, but the question is, ‘What’s the appropriate way to deal with them?’” Benjamin said. “What threat do they pose to us, what are the long-term implications for our security, but also for our ability to work with countries in that region?”
Benjamin said actions taken by the United States could have an impact on whether more people are radicalized around the world.
“We really just have to ask the question, ‘What’s the best way forward and how do we minimize the likelihood that we’re going to see more terrorists down the road?’” Benjamin said.
Reporters Attack Black TEA Party Leaders at Press Conference 8 4 2010
Black Conservatives Say Black Liberals Are Using Race to Discredit the Tea Party Movement
National Black Conservative Press Conference Speakers:
Herman Cain, National Radio Talk Show Host,
Kevin Jackson, author of Amazon best-selling book, The BIG Black Lie, President of the Black Conservative Coalition and The Black Sphere, LLC,
Ambassador Alan Keyes-Chairman of Conservative Majority PAC,
Mary Baker, Conservative Moms for America,
Mychal S. Massie Chairman Project 21-The Nation Leadership Network of Black Conservatives,
Niger Innis, National Spokesman Congress of Racial Equality. Co-Chairman Affordable Power Alliance, William & Selena Owens-Higher Standard Publishers,
Frantz Kebreau-National Director, NAACPC (National Asso. For the Advancement of Conservative People of ALL Colors),
Timothy F. Johnson, Ph.D.-The Frederick Douglass Foundation,
Bob Parks, Member, National Advisory Council, Project 21; Video Producer, Media Research Center,
Ruth Bryant White, Editor In Chief of BreakingNewsJournal.Net, Leader on Conservative Moms For America and author of “Life Through The Eyes Of An Interracial Couple”,
Alfonzo Rachel, rapper/Commentator, PJTV,
Our white brother, Jim Martin of 60 Plus (the conservative alternative to AARP). (Pat Boone is the National Spokesman for the group)
And myself, Lloyd Marcus, author of “Confessions of a Black Conservative”, president of the NAACPC and singer/songwriter of the “American Tea Party Anthem”.
Lloyd Marcus, (black) Proud Unhyphenated American
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Reason Enough for McChrystal to Resign? Almost Half of U.S. Fatalities in Afghan War Took Place Since Obama Took Office
The point here is that in 18 months of Obama's misunderstandings we have lost as many U.S. lives as in 7 years of Bush's leadership. The politics of the parties should be set aside and the resolution of the war decided on now. Our troops deserve our support.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Store Manager Witnesses to Robber
On July 23, 2010 20-year-old cellphone store manager Nayara Goncalves persuaded a would-be armed robber to put away his gun and leave her store in the name of the Lord. Every moment of the more than five-minute exchange between a calm Goncalves and the nervous, unidentified robber was captured on a store camera. He exchanges pleasantries with Goncalves, asking whether she was keeping dry, then asks to see a phone. Moments later, he reaches into his coat, apparently showing her a gun. He apologizes: ``I really hate to."
Candidate Sues Obama, Pelosi and Reid and asks Citizens to Join the Lawsuit
Van Irion, a GOP Congressional Candidate from Tennessee's third house district has brought a lawsuit against Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the Federal Government over Obamacare. He recently hand delivered the lawsuit in Washington,DC (see below video) He is also asking regular citizens to join him:
To join the lawsuit (Van Irion is covering all costs) you can visit his web site:
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Kagan: Anti-Military, Guns, Pro-Abortion, and Pro-Illegal Immigration
Sen. Sessions gave an overview of the issues that will be a focus of this week's floor debate on Elena Kagan's nomination.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Mosque is fine; convent not in Auschwitz
As a bit of historical perspective, the Pope ordered nuns out of their convent in Auschwitz so as not to offend Jewish sentiments. The same consideration could be extended to the Americans out of sensitivity to their feelings.
Lt. Col. Lakin Arraignment scheduled for Aug. 6
The court will convene for the purpose of taking Lakin’s plea to the charges which consist of “missing movement” and of refusing to obey orders. Lakin is seeking Obama's documentation. If Obama "is a natural born citizen then the American people deserve to see proof, and if he is not, then I believe the orders in this case were illegal.”
Cf. http://blogsmithconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/07/retired-army-major-general-jerry-ralph.html
http://blogsmithconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/07/lakin-appeals-armys-fitness-report.html
http://blogsmithconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/06/lt-col-terrence-lakin-obama-not-natural.html
http://blogsmithconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/04/retired-army-general-lt-col-lakin-has.html
http://blogsmithconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/03/american-patriot-foundation-ftc-terry.html
Britain Plans to Decentralize Health Care
England is reorganizing the National Health Service, as the system is called, since its inception in 1948, to decentralize and localize health care delivery. Rationed health care, as the U.S. recently adopted, does not work. In addition, the British also had the advantage of spending money on health care as opposed to defense since World War II because of American military might. We do not have the luxury of someone else protecting our country.
AGENDA: Grinding America Down (Trailer)
James Simpson wrote a Patriot’s Handbook
a Practical Guide to Restoring Liberty to assist Americans in maintaining life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Congressman at Town Hall: ‘The Federal Government Can Do Most Anything in This Country’
Rep. Pete Stark misunderstands the Constitution at a town hall meeting.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Zuhdi Jasser - Oslo Freedom Forum 2010
Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser is the founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, whose mission is "to provide an authentic Muslim voice advocating for the preservation of the founding principles of the U.S. constitution: liberty and freedom through the separation of mosque and state." His parents emigrated from Syria to the United States, where majority rules but minorities are protected like no other place in the world. America presents opportunities for learning an unfiltered history, expressing all opinions, questioning authority, and creating ideas without censorship—an environment Dr. Jasser believes is consistent with the Islamic faith. The democratic idea that every citizen, blind to race, faith, and creed, has equal access to government is a cure for the pathology of extremist Islam. The freedoms offered by a democratic society can be a laboratory for Muslim reform, allowing for open interpretation and debate, and thus the evolution of philosophies. Dr. Jasser considers the Muslim world currently trapped in a binary choice between Arab secular dictatorship and militant political Islam. However, he argues that there is a third option: universal liberty. Islam must be reinterpreted in modernity, which is only possible in an environment where people are free to debate and discuss it without fear of dangerous consequences. The intolerance of radical Islam is a threat to everyone, East and West, and Dr. Jasser argues, "it is incumbent on us to defeat it for our children."
Who is Barry Soetoro? Stanley Ann Dunham, et. al.?
Stanley Ann Dunham Obama Soetoro Passport Application File Strunk v Dept of State FOIA Release: more questions than answers emerge from this Some of Stanley Ann (Dunham) Obama Soetoro's Passport Application Records Are Released due to Strunk FOIArelease.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Obama's Vietnam
July is deadliest month of Afghan war for US. McChrystal was right. Obama is not engaged in this fight.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
AlJazeera English reviews the American financial crisis.
AlJazeera English reviews the American financial crisis.
The American History Guys trace the modern day concept of unemployment back to the era between the 1870s and 1880s - a period of recession they say closely mirrors the current economic climate.
-----
BackStory is the American history-themed public radio show hosted by University of Virginia History Professor Peter Onuf, University of Richmond President Edward Ayers, and Miller Center GAGE Chair Brian Balogh.
The show's theme is "Looking for Work: A History of Unemployment," and explores themes such as joblessness, immigration, and internal migration through three centuries of American life. - Miller Center of Public Affairs
In July 2007, Edward Ayers assumed the presidency of the University of Richmond. Previously Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia, where he began teaching in 1980, Ayers was named the National Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2003.
Brian Balogh is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of Virginia and Director of the GAGE National Fellowship Program. Before coming to U.Va., Brian Balogh taught history at Harvard University. Trained as a historian at The Johns Hopkins University, his specialties are 20th century American history, political history, history of science and technology, and environmental history.
Peter S. Onuf is Thomas Jefferson Foundation Professor of History at the University of Virginia, and author of Jefferson's Empire: The Language of American Nationhood (Virginia) and co-author (with Nicholas G. Onuf) of Nations, Markets, and War: Modern History and the American Civil War.
Anti-Free Speech Obama; Pro-Islamic Obama
Jonathan Turley noted in an important article that Obama has sided with a U.N. Muslim effort to stifle free speech. In his advocacy of restricting free speech Obama joined Egypt in sponsoring the non-binding admonition not to criticize Islam. As Doug Mataconis points out at Below the Beltway, there is no room in a free society for laws restricting freely expressed or held views against any religion, as the Supreme Court made clear in the 1952 case Burstyn v. Williams:
[F]rom the standpoint of freedom of speech and the press, it is enough to point out that the state has no legitimate interest in protecting any or all religions from views distasteful to them which is sufficient to justify prior restraints upon the expression of those views. It is not the business of government in our nation to suppress real or imagined attacks upon a particular religious doctrine, whether they appear in publications, speeches, or motion pictures.
It is very disconcerting that a sitting American president would join hands with a Muslim military dictatorship to stifle free speech.
RealCatholicTV.com Produced "Obamageddon!"
RealCatholicTV.com produced this video entitled "Obamageddon!"
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