Illinois Had No Indians

Reference to the Univeristy of Illinois decisiong to ban the Indian/Native American mascot:

So I guess there were never Indians in this state of Illinois which gets it's name from Indians (of course, "Native American's" today under the PC banner). Huh, that is one wide sweeping politically correct eraser that is being wielded and is scary just like a "book burning session".................What history will be erased next?

Perhaps next in line, renaming all the states that have Indian names ( because of course we referred to Native American's as Indians back then so States were given "Indian Names" - therefore all would have to be renamed to be PC to erase the inappropriate "Indian" history - scrub it scrub it scrub it):

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming.....................

State Names

Watch out Indiana things don't look good for you, given obvious reasons (Suggested new State name: Nativeamerica?)..................You could always go with a name that is "really offensive & politically incorrect" to Anglo Americans (penitence for former sins) like "Hoosiers"..................Sorry "Fighting Irish" is already taken by the golden dome university in your state Nativeamerica's. The folks down in Bloomington probably would not be good with the whole "Fighting Irish" thing anyway......................

They are talking it over on the STLToday blog

STL Blog

McCaskill's Anti-War Dilemma

The NYTimes ran a story today on Hillary Clinton and how the rabid anti-war core that controls her and McCaskill's party want Clinton's head on a stick unless she publicly proclaims that she was wrong to vote for war with Iraq. John Kerry's former senior adviser provides McCaskill a glimpse into what the demand from today's Democratic party will be related to Iraq with this statement addressing Clinton's vote for war with Iraq:

said Robert M. Shrum, a senior adviser to Mr. Kerry in 2004. “I think there’s this tremendous desire in her campaign not to get into a position where you’re identified with traditional Democratic views. But this is now a party that is strongly antiwar.......................


NYT Link

A hard-core anti-war agenda defines today's Democratic party and it grows daily, confirmed from the 2004 Dem candidates own senior advisor. Not a good tent for a blue dog Democrat from a moderate Midwestern state like McCaskill to be in one would think, regardless of public polls on Iraq. If the anti-war agenda reaches the point of the Dem controlled Congress promoting voting to cut-off funding for the troops (and such a strategy is in the works), that will be a very bad place for McCaskill to find herself in politically. To stay a "true" blue dog she could not vote for such a measure. If she remains a blue dog and votes against such a measure then the rabid anti-war radicals who control her party will come after her just like they are coming after Clinton right now for her vote....................

Her vote on this non-binding resolution today related to increasing troops in Iraq was easy for McCaskill. The future votes McCaskill will be asked to vote for to maintain her parties anti-war position, will become much more difficult for her politically back home................................

Parents Charged for Loaded Gun Brought to School by Second Grader

I'm a strong "second amendment - right to bear arms" advocate, however, this story is disturbing. Per the STL PD:

A Moscow Mills couple who kept more than 80 firearms in their home were charged Thursday with child endangerment after the woman's 8-year-old son carried a loaded handgun in his backpack all day at school.

The gun was discovered after the child showed the gun to a fellow student and a third student overheard the conversation and told school authorities. The hand gun was loaded and the safety was off. The child's parents have been charged with "easy access to weapons":

Charged in the case are Tina C. Powell, 41, and David Himmel, 43, both of the 600 block of Rolling Meadows Drive. Himmel and Powell were arrested and released after posting $25,000 bond each.............."We're holding the parents responsible for this because of the easy access to weapons," said Lincoln County Prosecutor John Richards................

All 80 guns were legally owned and none were confiscated. According the report the child is remorseful and understands that he made a really big mistake:

"He understands that what he did was wrong, but I don't know if he understands the magnitude of what could have happened," he said (Sheriff Dan Torres) .

Well it's reassuring that the child understands what he did was wrong and I hope that the story educates many on the potential for the huge disaster that we could have seen. No word yet on whether the parents understand the magnitude of error here. The right to own and possess guns is a guaranteed constitutional right via the second amendment, for those who meet the legal requirements. Its a very important right that also carries an equally important responsibility that it would appear was not adhered to by the parents of this child.............

Better custody and care are required of both the guns and the child I'd say.............

Good Technology in Bad Hands

News that terrorists in Iraq use Google Earth to get the blue prints for their attack points. Via The Telegraph UK:

Terrorists attacking British bases in Basra are using aerial footage displayed by the Google Earth internet tool to pinpoint their attacks, say Army intelligence sources. Documents seized during raids on the homes of insurgents last week uncovered print-outs from photographs taken from Google. The satellite photographs show in detail the buildings inside the bases and vulnerable areas such as tented accommodation, lavatory blocks and where lightly armoured Land Rovers are parked...................

Miracle Ending to Kidnappings: Two Boys Rescued - Abducted Four Years Apart

Two Missouri teenagers who were kidnapped four years apart, were both rescued today from the same location per the STL PD:

Ben Ownby, the 13-year-old Franklin County boy missing since Monday, has been found alive in Kirkwood -- as well as Shawn Hornbeck, a boy from Washington County who has been missing since 2002.

Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke said officers located both boys today in an apartment in Kirkwood. He said the case broke when two Kirkwood police officers went to serve a warrant last night and noticed the white pickup truck that had been the object of an intense search in the Ownby case. Officers went to the apartment today and found both boys inside. Hornbeck identified himself as the boy who has been missing since October 2002. Both boys appeared to be in good health, Toelke said.

The abductor in custody has confessed per the Post:

One person has been charged in the case, identified as Michael Devlin, 41,Toelke said. He was being held in lieu of $1 million bond and being questioned as the news of the boys' recovery was announced. Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Parks told reporters that Devlin had confessed in the case.

How amazing that they not only found recently abducted Ben Ownby but also Hornbeck who has been missing four plus years, together and they both are alive.............truly an amazing and wonderful development.....................

Local STL Fox 2 has video and pictures, NBC 7 also,


A local radio station is reporting that a Michael Devlin apparently posted a comment on the Shawn Hornbeck webpage which if true makes a sick-o an even bigger sick-o monster.............The webpage isn't coming up because of current traffic I'm sure.........................The evil facts on who Devlin is and exactly what he has done will unfold over the next several days and that will be a terrible story to read, but the important thing right now is both children have been found and both are alive. A picture of the monster responsible for this is below.............



Not to minimize or take away from the absolute joy the Ownby's are obviously experiencing, but my goodness how overwhelmed Harnbeck's parents must be after four years to have this joyful ending. Word on the local radio was that Harnbecks parents were being interviewed by Fox about the Ownby abduction when they got the call that their son had been found, alive...............Wow, what an amazing and great ending to this story............................................

Dems Bail on 100 Hour Plan Due to Iraq Spending

Prediction, the Dem leadership that now controls the Senate & House will attempt to use the Presidents decision to increase the troop size in Iraq to bail them out of their 100 hour agenda promise after taking power. Via NYT:

The office of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House, followed with an announcement that the House would also take up a resolution in opposition to a troop increase. House Democrats were scheduled to meet Wednesday morning to consider whether to interrupt their carefully choreographed 100-hour, two-week-long rollout of their domestic agenda this month to address the Iraq war.

Here is what it will probably sound like: we can't pay as we go because the President is irresponsibly spending money in Iraq, we can't enact the 911 commission recommendations because Bush is spending irresponsibly in Iraq, we can't address the ethics problem in Washington because Bush is spending all the damn kick-back/ pork money in Iraq and oh yea that whole refrigerator cash thing down in New Orleans.....................

President Bush's Iraq Speech

This quote from the President's speech I think sums it all up (full text):

The challenge playing out across the broader Middle East is more than a military conflict. It is the decisive ideological struggle of our time. On one side are those who believe in freedom and moderation. On the other side are extremists who kill the innocent, and have declared their intention to destroy our way of life. In the long run, the most realistic way to protect the American people is to provide a hopeful alternative to the hateful ideology of the enemy – by advancing liberty across a troubled region. It is in the interests of the United States to stand with the brave men and women who are risking their lives to claim their freedom – and help them as they work to raise up just and hopeful societies across the Middle East.............

Lets hope the pessimists don't win, because I don't think this is a battle we can afford to quit and walk away from because it's messy, hard and has not been wrapped up within a couple years......................

Cindy Sheehan "We Put You In Power - We Own You"

I'd hate to be a dem as they take power of congress. Per the Bussiness Journal:

House Democrats tried to unveil their lobbying reform package today, but their press conference was drowned out by chants from anti-war activists who want Congress to stop funding the Iraq war before taking on other issues.

Led by Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a slain soldier, the protesters chanted "De-escalate, investigate, troops home now" as Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., began outlining the Democrats' plans to ban lobbyist-funded travel and institute other ethics reforms. The press conference was held in the Cannon House Office Building in an area open to the public. Sheehan says she has nothing against lobbying reform, but she and her fellow anti-war activists want Democrats to know they will keep pressuring Congress to end the war in Iraq.

"We wanted the Democrats to know they're back in power because of the grass roots," Sheehan says.

Not a good gang to sleep with I say...................................

Judge of Judges Has Ethics Problems

The new chairman of the Judiciary Committee admits he has possible ethics violations, per the Hill:

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) has "accepted responsibility" for possibly violating House rules by requiring his official staff to perform campaign-related work, according to a statement quietly released by the House ethics committee late Friday evening...................The Hill reported last March that two former Conyers’ aides alleged that he repeatedly violated House ethics rules by requiring aides to work on local and state campaigns, and babysit and chauffeur his children. Deanna Maher, a former deputy chief of staff in the Detroit office, and Sydney Rooks, a former legal counsel in his district office, shared numerous letters, memos, e-mails, handwritten notes and expense reports with The Hill............

House Speaker Pelosi is standing by Conyers:

A spokesman for Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Conyers will remain chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Conyers is the "Impeach Bush Whip" and this should become interesting over the next few days:

Conyers had alarmed Democrats, poised to recapture the House after 12 years in the minority, by indicating that he would begin impeachment proceedings against President Bush. In May, a spokesman for Pelosi, said that she told her Democratic colleagues in a closed meeting, "that impeachment is off the table; she is not interested in pursuing it."

Should someone who holds such an important position in government and who steers the qualification of federal judges have such issues of integrity, regardless of their party affiliation or yours? Conyers has no stone throwing latitude in my opinion...........

Video of Saddam Hanging

The cell phone video of Saddam Hussein hanging from the gallows, via Google:


VIDEO Here


------------------> Update <----------------------(10:52PMCST)

The left & right bloggers are hammering away on the merits of the "hanging". Gateway Pundit (right of center blogger) highlighted several (left of center blogger's) reactions:

Gateway Pundit post

Crooks and Liars, Unqualified Offerings, American Street, and The Huffington Post, and the comments are flying after the post on whether Saddam's hanging is good, bad, or of no impact.......................................Strange to me how the hanging of Saddam by Iraqis and their legitimate government could be divisive, strange perspective indeed..............