01 September 2006

UN Declares Self Defense NOT a Human Right

H/T to Michale Bane.

And we wonder why the UN puts dicatators and thugs in charge of their human rights divisions?

Un-freaking believable.

Self-defence is sometimes designated as a “right”. There is inadequate legal support for such an interpretation. Self-defence is more properly characterized as a means of protecting the right to life and, as such, a basis for avoiding responsibility for violating the rights of another.


That's right, boys and girls. Your tax dollars are supporting an organization that gives greater rights and privleges to those who would wish you and yours dead.

No more Miller Time

Before you go buy your beer for the Labor Day Holiday, consider that Miller is financially supporting illegal immigrants. Speaking for myself, I've had my last Miller product.

Fortunately, there's plenty of other good beer to drink. H/T to Michelle Malkin. (is there anyone else out there doing a better job of documenting the ongoing illegal alien flood??)


Here's the article, I inlcuded it as it requires registration....


Why this immigrant rights march is brought to you by Miller
By Oscar AvilaTribune staff reporterPublished September 1, 2006

Marchers had to duck into fast-food restaurants for water when they first took to Chicago's streets in support of illegal immigrants five months ago. At the next two marches, family-owned grocery stores offered free bottled water from trucks emblazoned with their names.This time, as demonstrators march from Chinatown to House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-Ill.) Batavia office this weekend, they will have Miller Brewing Co., as a sponsor. The brewer has paid more than $30,000 for a planning convention, materials and newspaper ads publicizing the event.

The support of a major corporation for a controversial political cause shows how fierce the competition has become to woo the growing market of Latino consumers.For Miller, the march offered a special chance to catch up. This spring the brewer drew the ire of pro-immigrant forces over contributions to U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who sponsored legislation that would crack down on illegal immigrants. That prompted a short-lived boycott by some Latino groups.Now, march advertisements feature not just the organizing committee's trademark blue globe but Miller's logo and a Spanish translation of its "Live Responsibly" slogan, a company effort to build goodwill among Latinos.

But this march is no Cinco de Mayo parade. The politically charged event will promote a controversial plan to end deportations and offer legal status for all 11 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants. That creates potential pitfalls for any businesses lending support, experts say.At the same time business sponsorships have forced activists to confront whispers that they are commercializing their movement when they accept much-needed donations."We would love to have 20 corporate logos. It doesn't mean we are selling the movement out," said Jorge Mujica, a member of the March 10 Committee. "The principles and demands remain the same. They are helping out this movement and we are happy with that."Labor unions remain the movement's backbone with four major unions bringing at least 600 marchers on buses from throughout Chicago. Religious groups have been key too. Some marchers will bed down in churches and a mosque.

But businesses have become vital to this weekend's Immigrant Workers Justice Walk, which will cover 45 miles to Hastert's district office. Hundreds of marchers plan to cover the entire span from Friday through Monday, and organizers need food and water for them.Sometimes political and commercial messages are mingled.At a July march, Chicago-based food producer V&V Supremo printed signs with its logo that urged "Moratorium Now, Legalization Yes."Jimenez Market, an area chain, had its sign on display as workers passed out more than 5,000 bottles of water and other supplies worth nearly $17,000. Co-owner Jose Perez acknowledged it is good publicity but stressed that "we are supporting our people. Without them, our business would go downhill.

"This weekend, the Los Comales restaurant plans to donate 500 tortas, Mexican sandwiches filled with steak, ham and other toppings. The Laredo Bakery is donating bread while other restaurants are donating water, fruit and other supplies, organizers said.Those businesses are natural allies--"part of the same brotherhood," as one marketer put it.But the presence of Miller at a welcoming reception the day before the Aug. 12-13 planning convention raised eyebrows.

The convention brought together labor unions, anti-war groups, immigrant service organizations and even socialist political candidates.Hours before bashing NAFTA and U.S. foreign policy, participants at the Aug. 11 reception mingled with the Miller Girls, the company's public relations ambassadors, amid a display of Miller logos.That Miller was involved in the first place is one measure of the growing power of immigrants. After the boycott announcement, the company approached march organizers to try to find common ground, and agreed to back the march organizers' efforts.

Miller is also bankrolling informational ads in Voces Migrantes, or Migrant Voices, a community newspaper in Chicago, and has promised scholarships for area Latinos.

Mathew Romero, the company's local market development manager, said Miller felt it was important to speak out against Sensenbrenner's legislation, though his campaign was one of many the company supported.Romero noted that company founder Frederick Miller was a German immigrant and many current executives are foreign nationals. Miller is now part of London-based SABMiller.

Romero said he wasn't worried that some opponents of illegal immigration would be upset at the company's support of "the free movement of people, labor, goods and services."

"As long as you are stacking facts against facts, they are free to make their own decisions. We will stand by our positions," he said.George San Jose, president of the San Jose Group, a Chicago-based marketing company specializing in the Hispanic market, said he understands why companies chase Hispanic purchasing power, which tops $700 billion annually in the U.S. Brewers, he said, have been especially aggressive.

But San Jose would advise clients that there are better ways."A company sponsoring one of the two sides of the immigration debate is no different than a company sponsoring groups for or against abortion [rights]. It's one of those heated political debates that companies should stay clear of," he said.At the request of march organizers, media executive Robert Armband sent e-mails to thousands of business contacts, asking if they would consider helping the March 10 Committee."It certainly is an opportunity to reach the masses, but it might not be the right vehicle to come out as a sponsor," said Armband, publisher and chief executive of La Raza, a Chicago newspaper.March organizers say they have not made any full-fledged sales pitches to major corporations and are having internal discussions about whether they should make a real push. That can be a tough decision, according to march organizer Gabe Gonzalez.Gonzalez said he represents those in the movement--maybe half the total, he thinks -- who don't even consider themselves capitalists. Many have been involved with labor campaigns targeting specific companies.

March organizers shot down a suggestion that they approach Coca-Cola, for example, because of what they perceive as the company's labor abuses in the developing world, a cause celebre among liberal activists.

Although immigrant activists see legalization as an issue of social justice, Gonzalez said corporations might back the idea as a way to protect their bottom line. Whatever the motivations, Gonzalez said he would cooperate with almost any company willing to back the cause."That's the nature of politics. You form coalitions based on mutual self-interest," Gonzalez said. "So will we work with corporations? We will work with anyone who will work with us."

----------oavila@tribune.com

Ian Fleming is rolling in his grave

We know that the new James Bond can't:
shoot
swim
tan
fight
drive

We can now add one to the list that you never thought you'd see a Bond do. EVER.

He now kisses boys.

Gads.

I mean, really - could you see Sean Connery, Roger Moore, or ANY of the other Bonds, under ANY conditions, kiss another guy in a movie??

Jen breaks her Year 12 date

Remember the dork who asked Miss Universe to the prom? She broke the date.
But she said she had been concerned her appearance might overshadow the event for the other students.

"I still have those concerns and it's for that reason that I contacted Daniel and asked if it would be possible to change our formal date to a lunch date instead and he agreed."
Lunch, huh? I bet I could come up with a better payback than that.

31 August 2006

Underground HipHop 4 Dummies

Okay, I laughed. Out loud. A sample:
Lyrics:
First I talk about how I dress and this
And diamond necklaces - stretch Lexuses
The sex is just immaculate from the back I get
Deeper and deeper - help ya reach the
Climax that your man can’t make
Call and tell him you’ll be home real late
Let’s sing the break

TRANSLATION:
I prefer to open the conversation with light banter about my wardrobe and jewelry, then I like to discuss my collection of expensive cars. This is more than enough to convince you to have sexual intercourse with me. I am able to insert my penis further into you when I enter you from behind. Furthermore, you will be able to reach orgasm. I understand this to be a problem with your current sexual partner. He needn’t be concerned about your whereabouts. Please phone him and inform him that you won’t be home for a while. By the way, please sing the chorus of the song for me also.
I can't wait to share my newfound knowledge with my teen children.

Bluetongue virus spreads to France

OH, NO! Bluetongue virus is spreading! No, you don't get it from making out with Smurfs. It's a horrible, contagious disease!

I just wanted to be one of the first bloggers to panic. Bird flu/SARS/mad cow/monkey pox/etc. were such letdowns, I thought I'd get a jump on the new fearmongering.
The insect-borne disease, which is fatal to sheep but not contagious or known to affect humans, was identified in a cow
Yeah, not contagious to humans - yet. You mark my words - you've not heard the last of blue tongue.

30 August 2006

All of North Texas owes me

Yes, you read that right folks.

I haven't broken down and totally detailed my car all summer. Just a California dusting here and there and the occasional wash to knock the dust off.

Well, I spend about 3 hours washing, drying, waxing and detailing my car thinking it's never going to rain so why not?

2 days later it rains like hell.

You people owe me.

28 August 2006

Daniel wins Miss Universe

This dorky kid asked Miss Universe to prom. And she said yes.
"When I saw the letter from Daniel, I thought "that's cute", he went to that effort and he was nice and I've never been to Bathurst," Hawkins said.

"I didn't have anything in my diary for that day and I love doing random things - and school formals rock."
I guess you don't know until you ask, huh?

Too bad the kid looks like he styles his hair by sticking his head in the toilet and flushing.

Let Me Show You How Stupid Kalifornia Is.

The lawyers in California are at it yet again.
AB 352 would “expand the definition of unsafe handgun to include semiautomatic pistols that are not designed and equipped with a microscopic array of characters, that identify the make, model, and serial number of the pistol, etched into the interior surface or internal working parts of the pistol, and which are transferred by imprinting on each cartridge case when the firearm is fired.”
I'm loathe to even dignify this stupidity with commentary. However, once again, their illogic simply penalized the law-abiding citizen, and makes it easy for the criminal to circumvent. The blog that this link goes to does an admirable job of fisking this red herring, so enjoy.

27 August 2006

Saddam's cartoon torture

Leave it to the Jarheads to come up with true entertainment: making Saddam Hussein watch Southpark: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. Repeatedly.

Hoo-rah.

If you've not seen the movie, well...Saddam is not portrayed kindly. In fact, he's Satan's gay lover. But don't worry - it just gets worse from there. A classic.
Today's match report

Here's me ripping through a quick 16 round stage at today's DAPS match at Elm Fork.
3 targets on the left and right, close together in the shape of a pyramid, with a no shoot smack in the middle of both arrays partially covering all three targets. Two low targets were through the middle port. All targets were between 7-10 yds out.

And yes, it was still stinking hot.
Dan shooting turtles!

Dan tore up this run on some "classic" ipsc targets. (why they are called classic is beyond me...) One minor little issue at the end where he took an extra shot on a Virgina Count stage - earned him two penalties, which messed up an otherwise great run.
Dan's making the switch to shooting a real gun after ditching the drastic plastic.
The Fish at Wichita Falls, Saturday's match report

Here you can see the difference between having a dot and not having a dot. Compared to the Girl's run, I had to plant and shoot at the targets rather than flow through like she did.
JR at Wichita Falls

Here's our blog father JR at work on a stage. Smoking stage for the stick boy, watch him hit that reload!! A little of a let down because the stage wasn't re-set properly, hence the little temper tantrum. The reshoot went just as well, a tad quicker, better hits, and no pouting.

The Girl at Wichita Falls


Here's the girl tearing up a stage with her open blaster. Just a little mis-timed issue on her reload, but otherwise this was a smoking run. It won't be long till she's challenging the big boys. Or girls. Or whatever...