Now, there's some tolerant individuals, there.

The Taliban, now based in Pakistan, have demanded that all girls' schools in the area they control be closed, and that no girls are educated. If the people in the area refuse, or simply don't move fast enough, the schools will be blown up. Likely with the girls and teachers still inside.

Such kind, tolerant, gentle, religous men, they are.

Finally.

Somebody admits it: "the poles remain defiantly icebound and those polar bears fail to drown. All those hysterical predictions that we are seeing more droughts and hurricanes than ever before have infuriatingly failed to materialise."

Even better: "hundreds of proper scientists, including many of the world's most eminent climate experts, have been rallying to pour scorn on that 'consensus' [that the earth was warming at a catastrophic rate, fueled by human pollution] which was only a politically engineered artefact (sic)," designed to allow the liberal Brahmins to keep control of the plebeian masses.

Thank God somebody has some sense.

Of all the stupid...

Here's how a major, national bank goes under.

"As a supervisor at a Washington Mutual mortgage processing center, John Parsons was accustomed to seeing baby sitters claiming salaries worthy of college presidents, and schoolteachers with incomes rivaling those of stockbrokers. He rarely questioned them."

Dumb idea. However, with the Fairness in Housing act forcing banks to make loans to people who did not qualify financially simply because of race, why not lend to everybody, regardless of whether or not they were an "oppressed minority"?

As if that wasn't enough, the individual mentioned above was serving time in prison. For theft.

"'I'd lie if I said every piece of documentation was properly signed and dated,' said Parsons, speaking through wire-reinforced glass at a California prison near here, where he is serving 16 months for theft after his fourth arrest - all involving drugs.

While Parsons, whose incarceration is not related to his work for WaMu, oversaw a team screening mortgage applications, he was snorting methamphetamine daily, he said."

Maybe his incarceration wasn't related to his job, but with that kind of a drug addiction, and the theft that he was imprisoned for, there's no guarantee that there was no embezzlement going on. It just means that there was none caught or proven.

"'In our world, it was tolerated,' said Sherri Zaback, who worked for Parsons and recalls seeing drug paraphernalia on his desk. 'Everybody said, "He gets the job done."'"

Seriously, do they live in a different world from the rest of us? How is rubber-stamping bad mortgages "getting the job done"?

"If [Dana Zweibel, a former financial representative] doubted whether customers could pay, supervisors directed her to keep selling, she said. 'We were told from up above that that's not our concern," she said. "Our concern is just to write the loan.'"

Write the loan. No matter what, write the loan. Don't take it to the loan officer. Don't call the lendee's bank for verification. Just write the loan.

"Martine Lado, an agent in the Irvine, California, office, said she had coached brokers to leave parts of applications blank to avoid prompting verification if the borrower's job or income was sketchy.

'We were looking for people who understood how to do loans at WaMu,' Lado said."

So, the ability and willingness to defraud stockholders was what WaMu was looking for in employees? 'Fraid so.

"By the time shareholders joined WaMu for its annual meeting in Seattle last April, WaMu had posted a first-quarter loss of $1.14 billion and increased its loan loss reserve to $3.5 billion. Its stock had lost more than half its value in the previous two months. Anger was in the air."

I don't doubt it. I'd be a little . . . irritated, too.

Some shareholders were irate that Killinger and other executives were excluding mortgage losses from the computation of their bonuses. Others were enraged that
WaMu had turned down an $8-a-share takeover bid from JPMorgan.

Well, duh. They were writing themselves bonuses on capital lost by the investors. Of course investors were pissed, especially at the refusal to stop the cash hemorrhage.

It gets worse, of course.

In September, Killinger was forced to retire. Later that month, with WaMu buckling under about $180 billion in mortgage-related loans, regulators seized the bank and sold it to JPMorgan for $1.9 billion, a fraction of the $40 billion valuation the stock market had given WaMu at its peak.

Billions that investors had plowed into WaMu were wiped out, as were prospects for many of the bank's 50,000 employees. But Killinger still had his millions, rankling laid-off workers and shareholders alike.

This is the picture of what happened at only one failed, major bank. This is what we, the public, has funded with the partial nationalization of the banking industry. I know Killinger and company's "millions" is far from enough to pay back what he FUBARed, but it's a start.

And I, and probably thousands of stockholders and employees, think we should start with the millions defrauded out of investors' pockets with unearned (to say the least) bonuses.

Seven deadlies: Gluttony

Over the past few weeks, I’ve discussed many of the seven deadly sins. So far, I’ve written about wrath (one I struggle with), greed, envy, sloth, and lust. This week’s sin is gluttony. Given the way everyone overeats on the holiday we’ve just passed, I can think of only one more appropriate time to write about this particular sin.

So, what is gluttony? The Catholic Encyclopedia defines it as “the excessive indulgence in food and drink.” So, how is that a sin, and more importantly to this discussion, how is it a mortal sin? Two ways: if one

“absolutely and without qualification [lives] merely to eat and drink, so minded as to be of the number of those, described by the Apostle St. Paul, "whose god is their belly" (Philippians 3:19)…Likewise a person who, by excesses in eating and drinking, would have greatly impaired his health, or unfitted himself for duties for the performance of which he has a grave obligation, would be justly chargeable with mortal sin.”

Many Americans are guilty of at least the latter. All we have to do is look at the obesity rates, and the sizes of the meals that restaurants serve. Not to mention the "all you can eat" specials that buffet restaurants specialize in. The way Americans have been trained to eat by the public sector definitely falls under the heading of "overconsumption."

As for impairing one's health to the point that he or she can't work, consider one of the newer, government declared, disabilities for which one can get a government check: obesity.

The former is a bit more problematic, in my opinion. It seems as if the former way gluttony is a deadly sin includes psychological comfort eating, something that most obese people do as a matter of course.

For those who don’t know why people comfort eat, imagine if you’d never had a friend. Never had the approval of your parents, or teachers, or anyone else, for that matter, for most of your life. The only thing in your life that hasn’t implied or said that it’s disappointed in you is food. So, you eat. While you eat, your brain releases little feel-good chemicals that last for a little while. And then, when you start to feel bad again, you go eat some more. Eventually, you’ll gain a little weight, and start to feel worse about yourself. So you go eat some more. It turns into a vicious cycle that’s really hard to break. In a lot of ways, this is a more severe, more insidious addiction than drug addiction. Everyone has to eat, after all, and you can’t quit.

Another reason some people might comfort eat is because that’s the way they were raised: if they were upset, their parents loved them with food. No time is this more apparent than the feast days in American holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter (to a lesser extent), and some of the secular holidays that involve eating too much at barbecues or picnics, or drinking too much waiting for midnight. Families celebrate with overabundant amounts of food, because “well, we see you so seldom, and we love you so much.”

Again, this isn't one of the sins that really appeals to me. I never found comfort in food or drink; however, my family and many of my friends do. And, as I love them, I understand how and why they overindulge. And, while I don't think that comfort eating would fall under the mortal sin category, I can see why the early church would: you're turning away from God for comfort.

However, I'll leave you this week with a question: why do people turn to food instead of God? Whose fault is it, the individual's, or the people around them that either drive them to it by cruelty, or simply don't care enough to notice their pain?

Merry F^@#ing Christmas, Infidels

One of Britain's television channels will air a Christmas message from Iran's Ahmadinejad.

If it's actual good wishes and not a "fuck you, Infidels," message, I'll faint.

In any case, it doesn't matter what the nut says. Merry Christmas, everyone. I've got all I've ever wanted--my own family, my own home, and my son's health. I'd like peace on earth, or at least amongst my family, but I'll take what I can get.

May you receive God's blessings today, and every day, and may you never forget the Gift He gave us on the First Christmas Day.

Global warming is to secular humaninsm and athiesm what the devil is to Christianity

The Left is blaming global warming for "everything from beasts gone wild to anorexic whales to the complete breakdown of human society this year..." because there is no outside evil that they believe in to be able to pin stuff on.

If enviornmentalism wasn't a religion followed by secular humanists and athiests, they wouldn't sell indulgences like the Medieval Catholic church did.

Next thing you know, they'll be blaming global warming for the record snowfalls clogging Seattle streets (that the city refuses to salt), people freezing to death, women giving birth in snowbanks, and train travel being delayed by frozen plumbing.

More signals

Splat. Housing prices are still falling.

Splat. Oil prices are still falling.

Splat. Consumer spending is still falling (though shoplifting is increasing).

Splat. Unemployment is rising.

Looks like we're getting a recession for Christmas this year, and likely a full-on depression next year.

Anything you can do, I can do better...

China recently announced that it would be sending naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden to protect its shipping interests from the Somali pirates. The ships should depart before the end of the month.

Japan just announced that they'd be sending naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden to protect its shipping interests from the Somali pirates. No Japanese vessels have yet been taken, but three have been shot at.

Does anyone else see a case of oneupsmanship here?

Wow. I hope we still have the testicular fortitude to deal with this.

If anyone still doubts that Russia is a clear and present--and growing--danger, this should change their minds.

Anyone reasonable would have believed it when they invaded Georgia. Or sold arms to Syria. Or began building a nuclear reactor in Iran. Or became chummy with our enemy to the south, Venezuela, and offered to help them acquire nuclear power. Or began harassing our airspace in Alaska.

Really, there are any number of provocations that should have convinced people that Russia is maneuvering us into a corner. Unfortunately we've been too monofocused on either Iraq, or on our own economic problems.

We cannot afford that monofocus anymore.

Cool.

David Spade is an ace in my books. Seriously, dude, way to put your money where your mouth is.

Thank you for the donation to the Phoenix law enforcement.

Now let's see if he ever works in Hollywood again.

It's about time someone stood up to these punks.

A group of animal rights extremists in England have been convicted of blackmail.

About time, I say. I hope the testicular fortitude to go after the rabid environmentalistas and PETA hypocrites crosses the pond.

And this shows why, when I begin to believe that we're better than that, I'm always disappointed

A woman was recently gang raped by four men in California.

As if that wasn't traumatic enough, she didn't even like men in the first place.

The authorities are investigating it as a hate crime, since her car had rainbow and gay pride bumper stickers prominently displayed, and since she said that the rape was accompanied by taunts about her orientation.

There is no justification for this. She didn't "ask for it," as some of the commenters on the news story have said. She didn't set herself up for it by setting herself apart. She did not deserve it, and she will be a long time recovering from it, if she ever can.

However, I don't really like the idea of labeling it a "hate crime."

I don't think the four rapists targeted that woman, specifically, because she was gay. It's just as likely that any woman showing up at that particular place at that particular time would have been attacked in the same way by the four goons who are never described well enough to be found and arrested (i.e., probably racial minorities, which the media won't report on because it's racist).

I don't think that proposition 8 sparked it, either. Some gay rights activists say that anti-gay individuals see such legislation as justification. I don't know but what it might; however, I think it's as likely (if not more likely) that it's the gay lobby's own violent reaction to proposition 8 and similar legislation that sparks such violence.

After all, proposition 8 won mostly on racial minorities' votes.

Whatever the case, again, the victim was just that: a victim. She did not deserve the attack. She did not provoke it. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I'm praying for her recovery.

I'm also praying that her attackers are quickly found and punished, if not by legal means, then by divine retribution.

Unfortunately, much can be learned from failure, with the right people doing the analysis

Russia's new submarine-based strategic missiles have failed in the booster phase in about half the tests, according to sources.

Apparently, what happens is that the missiles, which have an effective range of about 5,000 miles, go catastrophically off course soon after launch. It sounds, to me, like a computer guidance system glitch, something that it will only take enough hours of looking at code to fix.

In other words, something easy, if tedious, to correct. I don't like the idea that they could sneak a submarine that carries missiles with up to ten warheads each sneaking up to our coast. With a range like this, if they can fix the guidance glitch, they could land a warhead pretty much anywhere in our country. I'd much prefer that the tests showed that the estimated range was overly optimistic--say, only about a quarter to a third of the range.

Russia has learned a lot about functioning economies, and about quality weapons systems, in the years since they lost the first cold war, whereas we seem to have forgotten most of what we learned.

It goes to show that more can be learned from failure--if the loser survives it--than from success.

Thank you, oh masters of the obvious

Vice President Elect Biden said Friday that the economy is in danger of "absolutely tanking." President Elect Obama further said that it will take years in recovering, and that government action must be bold and swift to prevent it from taking longer. People are blaming President Bush for failed policies that attempted to place anyone who applied for a mortgage into a house, no matter whether they qualified or not.

To Vice President Elect Biden: well, duh. Where have you been? The economy has been "absolutely tanking" for a few months, now. I guess you were too busy on the campaign trail with President Elect Obama to see the truth behind the poisonous rhetoric you were spewing.

To President Elect Obama: yes, it's going to get worse before it gets better. Yes, it will take years. And yes, the government must act boldly and swiftly to prevent it from becoming worse than it might, or taking longer than it should; HOWEVER, the swift, bold action you've already articulated was the same swift, bold action that prolonged the Great Depression in the 1930s! The action that the government should be taking is to lower taxes, on individual income, on businesses, and on capital gains. Along with that, the government should force the breakup of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Sallie Mae (student loans), and all of the banks that mergered to become "too big to fail." Remember the cliche about all your eggs in one basket.

To those blaming President Bush for the mess: yes, there should have been more oversight. However, "oversight" doesn't mean "regulations" that choke the business model, merely preventing Clinton alumni from looting the mortgage giants that the government created and turned loose. And speaking of the Clintons, it was their policies, not Bush's, that pushed banks into sub-prime lending. It was their administration that disastrously expanded the Fair Housing Act to force the issue with threats of prosecution of racism.

Granted, the Fair Housing Act was expanded with the best of intentions, and no one expected banks to charge leg-breaker interest, but you know what they say about good intentions.

I have an idea...

MTV is worried about ratings falling, and are planning sixteen new reality series. I have a better idea, though: why don't they take some of the reality shows off MTV, and try putting, oh, I don't know, music videos on?

Slow cycle in the reactor

I dare Al Gore to explain, in a coherent, scientifically sound manner, how he thinks the current winter weather hitting the entire U.S. disasterously hard is a symptom of global warming.

Seven Deadlies: Lust

I have been and will be (for a few more weeks, at least) dealing with the seven deadly sins, and their applications in the modern world by those who give lip service to being Christian, and those who declare that sin doesn’t exist. The seven deadly, or serious, sins are wrath, greed, envy, sloth, lust, gluttony, and pride. So far, I’ve written about the first four; today, I’ll discuss lust—one of the easiest to see in our modern, sexualized culture.

To reiterate, Thomas Aquinas’s definition of mortal sins is “something said, done or desired contrary to the eternal law, or a thought, word, or deed contrary to the eternal law.” The Catholic Encyclopedia online further clarifies that as “an aversion from God” caused by a “preference given to a mutable good.”

With this definition, it’s easy to see how lust is one of the mortal sins. Sex seems pretty harmless, and is considered holy when confined to the marriage bed. I cannot say that I have fully lived my beliefs, but I can say that the only people I’ve ever slept with were people I intended to marry (the first one was, obviously, not the one I married, but that’s a whole different episode of Jerry Springer). I have not, however, allowed my lower nature free reign to the detriment of my higher nature and my relationship with God.

And it’s when the lower nature takes over, causing the individual to pursue sex—whether with the opposite sex, same sex, or both—that the sin becomes mortal.

Look at our current culture. Anybody watch MTV lately? Wait, I forgot: they don’t play music anymore; nor does VH1. However, if you can find a station that does play popular music videos, what do you find? Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” among other things. Many of today’s popular songs are blatantly sexual—and the videos border on pornographic.

And speaking of pornography, ever noticed how easy it is to find? How hard (no pun intended) it is to protect our children from it? I have no objection to a married couple using it in private, but when it damages or replaces relationships, it’s certainly problematic. Also problematic is how it can numb people to the joy God intended the marriage bed to bring.

Ever taken a look at the girls walking around on college campuses? Seriously, there are times I want to pull some of them aside and explain that they don’t want to advertise what they do to pay for college like that. They’re desperately chasing momentary pleasure, hoping that it’ll turn into a lifetime with one partner without realizing that, by participating in the culture of casual sex, they’re both implicitly approving of the culture that mocks commitment, and damaging their chances to find the love they’re longing for.

Everyone has a lower nature that seeks out pleasure. Most of us understand, and are tempted by, this particular sin. However. I’ve said it before, and I cannot overemphasize it here: humans are unique amongst the animal kingdom only in that we can fight, and overcome, our lower natures. Once again, yes, it is a fight, but it’s well worth it.

News flash: global warming driven by nuclear fusion.

Finally! Some sense on global warming: Chad Meyers, CNN's meteoroligist, has stated that he thinks it's arrogant to think that humanity could significantly change the climate.

Seriously, I'm beginning to think that Human-Caused Global Warming is a nihlist religion rather than any type of scientific theory or inquiry. Just watch: Meyers will be harassed/punished/fired for his statement, since it doesn't fit with CNN's world view.

Not surprising.

Nobody's getting raises this year, not where I work. Not deans, heads of department, tenured professors, adjuncts, staff, or student help. The economy sucks all over.

I should have run for congress.

At least someone's doing something.

China is putting together an anti-piracy fleet.

The lesson to be taken from this is that it's best to be willing to act with or without U.N./NATO sanction.