I was chatting with a friend online today when he offered up the following wonderful thought:

Any idiot can take something crucial and make it complicated. It takes genious to simplify the complex without losing essential detail in the process. The trick is figuring out what to keep and what to disregard.

I couldn't say it any better.

It pains me to see one of the world's greatest belief systems being maltreated and perverted by fascists within in the religion.

Religion is about TOLERANCE, folks...

By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor

PARIS (Reuters) - After backing calls by Muslims for respect for their religion in the Mohammad cartoons row, the Vatican is now urging Islamic countries to reciprocate by showing more tolerance toward their Christian minorities. Roman Catholic leaders at first said Muslims were right to be outraged when Western newspapers reprinted Danish caricatures of the Prophet, including one with a bomb in his turban. Most Muslims consider any images of Mohammad to be blasphemous. After criticizing both the cartoons and the violent protests in Muslim countries that followed, the Vatican this week linked the issue to its long-standing concern that the rights of other faiths are limited, sometimes severely, in Muslim countries.

Vatican prelates have been concerned by recent killings of two Catholic priests in Turkey and Nigeria. Turkish media linked the death there to the cartoons row. At least 146 Christians and Muslims have died in five days of religious riots in Nigeria. "If we tell our people they have no right to offend, we have to tell the others they have no right to destroy us," Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican's Secretary of State (prime minister), told journalists in Rome. "We must always stress our demand for reciprocity in political contacts with authorities in Islamic countries and, even more, in cultural contacts," Foreign Minister Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo told the daily Corriere della Sera.

Reciprocity -- allowing Christian minorities the same rights as Muslims generally have in Western countries, such as building houses of worship or practicing religion freely -- is at the heart of Vatican diplomacy toward Muslim states. Vatican diplomats argue that limits on Christians in some Islamic countries are far harsher than restrictions in the West that Muslims decry, such as France's ban on headscarves in state schools. Saudi Arabia bans all public expression of any non-Muslim religion and sometimes arrests Christians even for worshipping privately. Pakistan allows churches to operate but its Islamic laws effectively deprive Christians of many rights. Both countries are often criticized at the United Nations Human Rights Commission for violating religious freedoms.

"ENOUGH TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK"

Pope Benedict signaled his concern on Monday when he told the new Moroccan ambassador to the Vatican that peace can only be assured by "respect for the religious convictions and practices of others, in a reciprocal way in all societies." He mentioned no countries by name. Morocco is tolerant of other religions, but like all Muslim countries frowns on conversion from Islam to another faith.

Iraqi Christians say they were well treated under Saddam Hussein's secular policies, but believers have been killed, churches burned and women forced to wear Muslim garb since Islamic groups gained sway after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Christians make up only a tiny fraction of the population in most Muslim countries. War and political pressure in recent decades have forced many to emigrate from Middle Eastern communities dating back to just after the time of Jesus.

As often happens at the Vatican, lower-level officials have been more outspoken than the Pope and his main aides. "Enough now with this turning the other cheek! It's our duty to protect ourselves," Monsignor Velasio De Paolis, secretary of the Vatican's supreme court, thundered in the daily La Stampa. Jesus told his followers to "turn the other cheek" when struck. "The West has had relations with the Arab countries for half a century, mostly for oil, and has not been able to get the slightest concession on human rights," he said.

Bishop Rino Fisichella, head of one of the Roman universities that train young priests from around the world, told Corriere della Sera the Vatican should speak out more. "Let's drop this diplomatic silence," said the rector of the Pontifical Lateran University. "We should put pressure on international organizations to make the societies and states in majority Muslim countries face up to their responsibilities."

Yes, right now the president is going through a momentarily lapse of insanity (not to mention those when it comes to dealing with the U.S./Mexico border.

It would seem that he has TOTALLY forgotten about the 3000 Americans who lost their lives at the New York World Trade Center, and that the hijackers/terrorists came through Dubai.

Bush Says Ports Deal Will Stand

By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer

Lawmakers determined to capsize the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates said President Bush's surprise veto threat won't deter them.

Bush on Tuesday brushed aside objections by leaders in the Senate and House that the $6.8 billion sale could raise risks of terrorism at American ports. In a forceful defense of his administration's earlier approval of the deal, he pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the agreement.

The sale's harshest critics were not appeased.

"I will fight harder than ever for this legislation, and if it is vetoed I will fight as hard as I can to override it," said Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. King and Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) of New York said they will introduce emergency legislation to suspend the ports deal.

Another Democrat, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, urged his colleagues to force Bush to wield his veto, which Bush — in his sixth year in office — has never done. "We should really test the resolve of the president on this one because what we're really doing is securing the safety of our people."

The White House and supporters planned a renewed campaign this week to reassure the public the sale was safe. Senior officials were expected to explain at a press conference Wednesday what persuaded them to approve the deal, the first-ever sale involving U.S. port operations to a foreign, state-owned company.

The sale — set to be completed in early March — would put Dubai Ports in charge of major shipping operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. "If there was any chance that this transaction would jeopardize the security of the United States, it would not go forward," Bush said.

Defending his decision, Bush responded to a chorus of objections this week in Congress over potential security concerns in the sale of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

Bush's veto threat sought to quiet a political storm that has united Republican governors and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee with liberal Democrats, including New York Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Schumer.

This is not what liberalism is not supposed to be about....about being downright rude. From Richard Dreyfus to Alec Baldwin and even Former President Carter who saw fit to launch into a political screed against President Bush at Coretta Scott King's recent funeral. Now Chief Justice Scalia is at the other end of liberal rudeness:

(AP) Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia grew tired of a persistent heckler Tuesday and asked organizers of a legal seminar to do something about the outbursts _ gently.
"Don't use force," Scalia told American Enterprise Institute workers as they grabbed the young man's arm and nudged him toward the door. The workers then let go and the man walked out. It was unclear what Aaron Yule, 23, of Boston, was asking when Scalia turned to organizers and said, "Can you, somebody ..." Earlier, a microphone had been snatched from the man's hand when he tried to engage the justice in debate. Scalia had asked him whether he had a question, "apart from insults."

After the man left, Scalia answered questions for about 15 minutes but repeatedly declined to engage anyone who asked questions, even of an apparently friendly nature, that he felt were not related to his topic _ the use of foreign law by U.S. courts. "I feel really bad about it," said Veronique Rodman, an AEI spokeswoman. "There's no excuse for rudeness."

Topics raised by questioners ranged from U.S. policy in the Middle East to Vice President Dick Cheney's recent hunting expedition during which he shot at a quail but wounded a companion. Scalia and Cheney have hunted together. Scalia generally bars television cameras and sometimes other press from his events. Allowing the talk to be televised live on C-SPAN was a rare move for one of the court's most conservative justices.

All good things, I guess, have to come to an end.

Judge Sides With City In Battle To Evict Boys Choir Of Harlem


The final note may have sounded in the battle between the city and the Boys Choir of Harlem, as a Manhattan judge on Friday refused to issue a restraining order to block the Department of Education from evicting the choir from its school offices and rehearsal space. Judge Karla Moskowitz says she could find nothing illegal about the decision to kick out the choir. The city locked the group out of the Choir Academy of Harlem on Tuesday. The choir has been practicing in the school rent-free since 1993 in exchange for providing choral instruction. Lawyers for the city say choir officials didn't live up to a January 2004 agreement to make administrative changes after a sexual abuse scandal. The choir said on Thursday it would start looking for a new rehearsal space.

The parents of Boys Choir students filed a civil rights lawsuit against the DOE earlier this week. The lawsuit accuses school officials of trying to destroy the choir academy, acting out of "petty jealousy and issues of control." To help get the choir's financial house in order, former Mayor David Dinkins and Congressman Charles Rangel have raised more than $1 million. However, donors only pledged the money with the understanding the Boy's Choir of Harlem would stay where it was, and choir supporters say the eviction now puts that money, and perhaps the choir's future, at risk.

I am such a man of contradictions.

On one hand after a week since the SuperBowl was played, I still don't know what teams played or who won. I don't understand when guys (and gals) go into a football stadium with their faces painted the colors of their favorite team...or wear fan paraphenaila like a loaf of cheese.

Tonight my face is maroon, white and maroon -- the colors of Latvia's flag.

Tonight...the Latvians forced the US hockey team into a draw at the Winter Olympics in Italy....YAY!!!!!!!!!

U.S. Men Stumble in Opener, Tying Latvia

By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer

With a full roster of NHL players, it took a late goal by Jordan Leopold to salvage a tie against Latvia in an opening game for the U.S. hockey team that felt more like a loss. When the final horn sounded, the Latvian players raised their arms in triumph while the Americans slowly gathered around goalie John Grahame. "We were not expected to win or even get the tie," said former NHL goalie Arturs Irbe, who made 39 saves — 18 in the third period for Latvia. "We were big-time underdogs in this game in everybody's eyes except our own people. "You can say that this probably means more to us than to the American team."

Latvia, with only two current NHL players, rallied from an early two-goal deficit and proved U.S. coach Peter Laviolette had every reason to be worried about this opening matchup in Olympic Group B. Latvia had the luxury of playing mostly as a team in recent weeks, while the U.S. squad was scattered around North America. Only two American players were in Italy by Monday, and the team had just one practice before hitting the ice Wednesday night. On the flip side, their opponents — who finished ninth in Salt Lake City four years ago — had practiced together since Feb. 5. "A lot of guys just got off the flight yesterday. There's no excuses but that's the reality," Grahame said.

The United States will play Thursday against Kazakhstan. Latvia will face Slovakia. Latvia's biggest offensive star was Anaheim defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, who had two assists in his first game since November. He was sidelined by a knee injury and then was in the league's substance-abuse program until being reinstated Tuesday. "I was pretty excited," he said. "Just the usual feelings."

The Latvians had a chance to win the game in the third when Mark Parrish took a 4-minute high-sticking penalty, but their power play was cut short by a penalty. Then they just had to hang on as the United States charged. "The game was going full speed, and they turned up all cylinders," Irbe said. "It was very hard for us to survive a game like that, but that's why there was good news that there were only three periods." Grahame, who made 22 saves, got the start despite not being invited to the Americans' orientation camp in September.

All seemed right for the United States early when Brian Gionta scored a power-play goal 9:44 in, and Craig Conroy doubled the lead and made Irbe look bad just 54 seconds later. Atvars Tribuncovs cut Latvia's deficit to 2-1 with a power-play goal in the first period, and Latvia took over in the second. Poor defensive coverage by the United States yielded numerous odd-man rushes. Grahame was forced to dive on his stomach in the crease to grab the puck and stop the pressure with just less than 6 minutes left in the second period. Brian Rolston was sent off for tripping, and Latvia — in the Olympics for just the third time — took advantage.

Dressed in road whites, the Latvians moved the puck from side to side high in the United States zone. Tribuncovs finally slid a shot past heavy traffic and under Grahame to tie it. That sent the Latvian fans into a frenzy as they rose en masse behind each goal. They were still standing 40 seconds later when their team took the lead. "We're not happy with the outcome, obviously," Grahame said. "We're just going to keep playing. We're trying to stay positive." The 1980 U.S. team also started its run to the gold medal with a tie, against Sweden.

It is kind of funny for me to watch how the Democratic party is seemingly trying to isolate and tip-toe around my gal pal pearl-of-a-girl Cindy Sheehan by nicely asking her to "step aside" and keep on playing and give lip service to her whacked out left-wing dingbat followers.

Washington -- California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer today urged anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan not to challenge the state's senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, in the June Democratic primary. Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, has been actively considering a campaign after criticizing Feinstein for refusing to call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

But Boxer, a liberal former Marin County supervisor who strongly opposed the war in Iraq, said Sheehan might actually hurt her anti-war cause by jumping into the race against her fellow Democrat who is entering her 14th year in the Senate. "I don't think having her in the Senate election helps her at all," Boxer told a roundtable of California reporters this morning. "I think it might have the opposite effect."

"Maybe she's more valuable out there not as a candidate," Boxer said of Sheehan and her anti-war effort. Feinstein and Boxer were both elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 - the "Year of the Woman" in national politics - but they have not always seen eye-to-eye on issues. Feinstein voted for the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq if the country refused to comply with U.N. weapons inspectors, while Boxer was one of 23 senators who voted against it. But Boxer defended her Senate colleague today, saying Feinstein has been a critic of the administration's war policies and favors withdrawing troops as soon as possible. "Sen. Feinstein and I are very involved in trying to figure out a way to get the troops back," she said.

Sheehan, who was arrested and removed from President Bush's State of the Union speech last week for wearing an anti-war T-shirt, spent part of her time in Washington asking Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, whether she should run for the Senate. A former Vacaville resident who now lives in Berkeley, she told the Chronicle she was leaning toward entering the race.

"What I hope to do with it would be to energize other anti-war candidates," Sheehan said in an interview before the State of the Union speech. "If I entered it, it would bring attention to the fact that there are many, many races where pro-peace, anti-war candidates are running."

It is usually recognized that President Jimmy Carter was the WORST president ever. It is so sad to see that he is quickly becoming known for the WORST ex-president. Just look...when it came to aiding the victims of the Indonesia Tsunami or fundraisers for the victims of the Katrina Hurricane, it was President Bush (the elder) and President Clinton who were at the forefront of fundraising....not President Carter who was for some reason snubbed. Now good ol' peanut brain is once again trying to get his 15 seconds of fame by ragging and spouting off about President Bush.

Ah yes...President Carter...the one American president who embarrased two nations simultaneously when he spoke in pidgin Polish about his "carnal love" for the Polish people. Despite being a self=professed professional Christian, President Carter is really coming off as a mean, sour, and crotchety old bitch who still doesn't understand the modern world....yet there has been proof that he allowed wiretapping during his administration.

HENDERSON, Nev. - Former President Jimmy Carter criticized the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program Monday and said he believes the president has broken the law.

"Under the Bush administration, there's been a disgraceful and illegal decision — we're not going to the let the judges or the Congress or anyone else know that we're spying on the American people," Carter told reporters. "And no one knows how many innocent Americans have had their privacy violated under this secret act."

So this is what this guy lived for...the ultimate in a life achievement...

Incredible.

UPDATE

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. - An alleged attack at a Massachusetts gay bar, the killing of an Arkansas officer and the slaying of a mother of three — Jacob D. Robida left a streak of unexplained violence that ended in a fatal shootout with authorities.


Robida, 18, was mortally wounded when he opened fire on officers following a chase through the Arkansas hills at speeds in excess of 90 mph. He was shot twice in the head and later died at a hospital Sunday.

GASSVILLE, Ark. - Two days after a violent rampage at a gay bar in Massachusetts, authorities said the teen suspect fled 1,500 miles to Arkansas where he fatally shot a police officer and a 33-year-old woman.
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Jacob D. Robida, a high school dropout who friends said glorified Naziism, was shot twice in the head in a gun battle with police Saturday, officials said. He was critically injured.

After Thursday's hatchet-and-gun attack at Puzzles Lounge in New Bedford, Mass., which injured three people, police said the 18-year-old fled in a green Pontiac and picked up Jennifer Rena Bailey, at her Charleston, W. Va., home.

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing worth war is much worse.

A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight: nothing he care about than his personal safety:

is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

(John Stuart Mill)

It is interesting how the leader of a minority group who just can't get themselves together -- riddled with self-imposed poverty -- black-on-black violence -- drugs -- just to name a few problems dares to complain about others about their self-imposed enslavement. So many black Americans have achieved so much, yet Julian Bond goes on criticizing them...

As a side note...this morning San Diego news reported that there had been no murders in South Central LA in the month of January -- compared to 67 last year... A dubious achievement, to say the least.

Civil rights activist and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond delivered a blistering partisan speech at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina last night, equating the Republican Party with the Nazi Party and characterizing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her predecessor, Colin Powell, as "tokens."

"The Republican Party would have the American flag and the swastika flying side by side," he charged.

Calling President Bush a liar, Bond told the audience at the historically black institution that this White House's lies are more serious than the lies of his predecessor's because Clinton's lies didn't kill people.

What about the lies being perpetrated and the issues not confronted in the hierarchy of the black political movement, huh?