Santa Can't Hide

NORAD is tracking Santa for the 50th year in a row. I hope you have been nice. If you haven't....ooohhh, tell me when it's over!

Speaking of Evie

Evie (my niece, remember) was also very kind in pointing out that the U.S. economy is in horrible shape and that I was the only one who thought that it wasn't. Coincidently, there is an article from AP, that supporter of right wing politics, that seems to disagree with her.

According to the commerce department, the economy is expanding at an annual rate of 4%. Now I'm not an economist or anything, but I seem to recall that a rate of 3% is the sign of a healthy economy. That would make 4% growth more of an economy on Viagra!

Evie, I wish you could celebrate this good news with me, but I guess it's just for me.

The Christmas Debate

From the-how-long-are-we-going-to-keep-calling-it-that kerryspot, Jim Geraghty answers Hugh Hewitt's call to tackle a bigger target than E.J. Dionne. Hugh suggests Jeff Jarvis' column "And God rolled his eyes II".

Jim does a good job of answering Hugh's call and Jeff's claims right down the line. I suggest you read Jeff's column before Jim's rebuttal.

I had this discussion at an after party family Christmas party in Minnesota over the weekend. I'm sure my points on politics would have been taken better by the room full of blue relatives (by marriage) if I were not shot so full of holes from self-inflicted vodka wounds, or wearing a T-shirt showing the red vs blue counties, but I digress.

I have a beautiful niece (yes Evie, I'm talking about you) that I have a history of having political discussions with, and she brought up this same old separation of church and state issue that always seems to make the rounds this time of year. I have no problem with the intent of the separation of church and state, but it sure isn't school choirs singing Christmas carols, or a nativity scene at city hall. The original intention was that there was not to be a national religion such as with England, with whom we were separating from at the time.

We also have this little thing about freedom of religion in this country. If Christmas cannot be openly celebrated because it offends someone who is Jewish, then we can't openly celebrate Hanukah. Now we are going to be running into some real problems with the laws that our fore-fathers gave us.

Of course all of this is only hurting us as a nation. There is room in this country for all people to celebrate their various religious holidays, unless of course you are an athiest, in which case you will have to make something up, get it notarized and then send it in to the various calendar makers to have it included for next years edition (try not to make it in December, it's getting really full and my liver can't take it).

Light Blogging at Best

There will be little to no blogging over the next couple of weeks as Mrs Scar and I are in and out of town. I will try to check in as often as I can.

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Peggy Noonan is Dreaming

Peggy Noonan has an article in WSJ's Opinion Journal inviting the democratic party to stop the persecution of Christmas.

Always in politics it comes down not to words but to actions. It's not poetry but policy that claims support and wins. Allow me to prove this, for I think I can. I know something the Democratic Party can do right now that will improve its standing and increase its popularity. It can be done this week. Its impact will be quick and measurable.

It is this: Stop the war on religious expression in America. Have Terry McAuliffe come forward and announce that the Democratic Party knows that a small group of radicals continue to try to "scrub" such holidays as Christmas from the public square. They do this while citing the Constitution, but the Constitution does not say it is wrong or impolite to say "Merry Christmas" or illegal to have a crèche in the public square. The Constitution says we have freedom of religion, not from religion. Have Terry McAuliffe announce that from here on in the Democratic Party is on the side of those who want religion in the public square, and the Ten Commandments on the courthouse wall for that matter. Then he should put up a big sign that says "Merry Christmas" on the sidewalk in front of the Democratic National Committee Headquarters on South Capitol Street. The Democratic Party should put itself on the side of Christmas, and Hanukkah, and the fact of transcendent faith.

Personally I think she is living in a dream world, and I'm not alone. Jim Geraghty at NRO's kerryspot has a look at what the left leaning bloggers have to say.

Chatting on left-of-center blogs, this faction is quite open about their views on religion:

“I strongly feel that religion is primarily and perhaps only a force for repression in society. Organization religion in this country tends overwhelmingly to stand on the side of backsliding, of superstition, and outright bigotry.”

“Religious adherents [sic], you need to get a clue. There are plenty of secular humanists out there who reliably pull the lever in the voting booth for the straight D ticket. When you force your man-in-the-sky beliefs down our throats, you make us throw up.”

“Because, of course, all people who believe in religion are at one of the childhood levels of moral development.”

There are of course Christian democrats, but they are by far the minority in the party. I have said it before and I will say it again. You (democrats) are not going to win any votes by discriminating against the majority of the people in this country, and you will lose a good deal of your base as they find the republican party is the true party of inclusion.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Zell on Fox

AP is reporting that retiring Georgia senator Zell Miller is joining Fox News Channel as a contributor.

"I am excited to be joining Fox News Channel and am eager to contribute to the continuing success of the network," Miller said in a network release.

In a raucous interview last fall on "Hardball with Chris Matthews," Miller, 72, angrily told Matthews, "I wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a person to a duel."

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to seeing some of his contributions.

Kerry Loses Electoral Vote

I know I am just a dopey red state guy that doesn't have the intelligence or the class to even hang around a savvy, elite blue state guy, but I find this article in The Minneapolis Star Tribune, my old home town newspaper by the way, to be quite amusing.

Basically it says that one of the 10 electors mistakenly voted for John Edwards instead of for Kerry. As a matter of fact, he didn't exactly vote for Edwards either. The actual vote cast was for "John Ewards".

I guess I'm not nuanced enough to appreciate the intelligence here.

Tip of the hat to KerrySpot.

President Bush Awards Medal of Freedom

The President awarded the medal of freedom, the highest civilian honor, to former CIA Director George Tenet, former Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer and retired Gen. Tommy Franks.

All three of these men are deserving of the honor, but to hear the democrats talk you wouldn't think that is the case. Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, the highest ranking democrat on the armed services committee said he "would have reached a different conclusion" and that "I don't think (Tenet) served the president or the nation well".

The truth is that the CIA was emasculated under democratic control and Tenet did the best he could do under the staff and budget cuts that took place.

David Wade, who is the mouthpiece for John Kerry (did you know he is a war hero...he'll tell you so himself) was full of flattery for Tenet and Bremer. "Did George Tenet get the Medal of Freedom for his 'slam dunk' case for war based on weapons of mass destruction that didn't exist? Did Paul Bremer clinch this honor for speaking out against the administration's bungled war planning only after he'd left the job?"

The democratic party just doesn't get it. As long as they continually malign the character of people they don't necessarily agree with, they will lose election after election. You can disagree with a persons ideology without character assasination. Personally, I think this country needs two strong party's in order to keep it moving in the right direction, but I don't see it happening until the Michael Moore and Barbra Streisand crowd is removed from the front lines of the party.

Fed Boosts Rates

After encouragement from the performance of the economy, the federal reserve boosted interest rates by 1/4 percent today. It is the fifth time this year they have done so.

The economy "appears to be growing at a moderate pace despite the earlier rise in energy prices and labor market conditions continue to improve gradually," the Fed said.

It figures. As soon as I decide to move, Greenspan gets me with another quarter point (not that mortgage rates necessarily mirror this movement)>

More on Peterson

I have a few thoughts regarding some of the jurors statements to the press since the monster got the chair (it's a figure of speech, I know they just push the goodnight button).

Richelle Nice, the juror with the natural looking bright red hair complained that he didn't show any emotion. Michael Belmessieri said he showed no remorse. Steve Cardosi said that losing his wife and child didn't seem to faze him, and that he was romancing his girlfriend while all this was going on.

All of this may well be true, but it should have no merit on the decision making process of the jury. The job of the jury is to listen to the evidence as it is presented, and then to make their decision based on that evidence. That's it. Nothing more.

The same jurors are also saying that Scott Peterson didn't say anything during the trial. Not only is that his right, it also isn't exactly true. If he was represented properly, and I'm not sure he was, he did all his talking through his attorney as he should. Personally I think Geragos did a pretty poor job of refuting the prosecutions largely circumstantial case.

Do I think that Peterson killed his wife and unborn child? Yes. I just don't think the prosecution did a good enough job of proving it. Then again, I wasn't there listening to it day in and day out.

Not Payment Enough

Scott Peterson is California's newest resident on death row. The unanimous decision was read just moments ago. More details as I get them.

Peterson Update

The jury in the Scott Peterson case have come to a decision on his fate. One thing for sure, it won't be long enough or painful enough. The decision will be read at 4:30.

More to come.....

Slow Blogging

Sorry for the lack of blogs lately, but I have been out of town quite a bit. I will be taking off again Saturday for a quick visit to Minnesota. Things will get back to normal once the Christmas season is over.

Imagine

Today is the 24th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon. I remember my brother waking me up to tell me that he had been shot. We sat in the living room listening to the radio all night long.

I grew up listening to The Beatles and The Doors (coincidently this is also Jim Morrison's 61st birthday) so naturally he was a hero to me. Not politically of course, but musically he and Paul McCartney left a catalog of beautiful melodies and great rock n' roll. Imagine how much more music he could have brought to the world.

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. 2,388 men, women and children were killed during the sneak attack which targeted our naval vessels on the morning of December 7, 1941.

The attack on Pearl Harbor rallied a nation that had previously been divided over the United States involvement in WWII, but it came with a heavy price tag not only of the loss of life, but equipment as well. In the initial attack we lost the USS Arizona, Oklahoma, California, West Virginia and Utah while the Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Nevada were heavily damaged. Also lost were hundreds of aircraft which hindered our ability to retaliate. Amazingly, all of the ships, with the exception of the Arizona, Utah and Oklahoma were salvaged and returned to action.

On a personal note, my father volunteered for the navy and fought in the pacific theater in 1944-45. He was one of the fortunate ones who escaped without physical injury. I'm quite sure, however that he saw visions of the war throughout his too short life. Say a prayer for our fallen heroes of yesterday, as well as for our heroes of today and tomorrow.

Also, go to anysoldier's website or to soldiers' angels and help out our men and women in uniform any way you can.

My Nephew "The Artist"

My brother Chris called me last night. He wanted to inform me that my nephew Austin (aka The Artist) is part of a new reality show on Bravo called Project Runway. Here is his short bio from the website. Now, I haven't seen Austin since he was a small boy but I am very excited for him and of course will check out the show this coming Wednesday at 10:00 Eastern time (shameless plug). Apparently Austin won the competition on the first episode. Congratulations Austin, and good luck the rest of the way!

UPDATE: Apparently Bravo is going to run the premiere episode tonight at 9:00 eastern time.

I'm back

Well, kinda, sorta anyway. I haven't had a chance to really look at any of the current events of the past 10 days or so. Give me a little bit to look over the newspapers and websites and I will, of course, relay my opinion on the varying topics.