Tocha's Wind.

So I’m on Drudge this morning and I see that Iran shot down one of our drones. I’ve been saying since 2001 that Iraq and Afghanistan are just a platform for Iran. (I know it’s not that simplistic, but you get my point) Since we’re putting a second carrier strike force it seems to me war with Iran is Imminent. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this scary scenario.

Iran shoots down U.S. spy drone amid growing military pressure




www.chinaview.cn 2007-01-17 08:41:25



Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
by Liang Youchang
TEHRAN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian troops have shot down a U.S. pilotless spy plane recently, an Iranian lawmaker announced on Tuesday as the Islamic Republic was facing increasing military pressure from its arch rival -- the United States.
The aircraft was brought down when it was trying to cross the borders "during the last few days," Seyed Nezam Mola Hoveizeh, a member of the parliament, was quoted by the local Fars News Agency as saying.
The lawmaker gave no exact date of the shooting-down or any other details about the incident, but he said that "the United States sent such spy drones to the region every now and then."
SECOND U.S. AIRCRAFT CARRIER
The announcement came amid reports that the United States is increasingly flexing its muscles to counter Iran's growing regional assertiveness and put more pressure on Tehran over its controversial nuclear programs.
It was reported Tuesday that a second U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS John C. Stennis, will arrive in the Middle East in about one month, the first time since the U.S.-led Iraq war in 2003 that the United States will have two carrier battle groups in the region.
The USS John C. Stennis, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carrier that has a capacity for 5,000 sailors, is scheduled to sail Tuesday from its home port of Bremerton, Washington, said Commander Kevin Aandahl of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain.
In about one month, the USS John C. Stennis, including an air wing of more than 80 tactical aircraft, will join Fifth Fleet forces that includes aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
"This demonstrates our resolve to do what we can to bring security and stability to the region ... (and) dissuade others from acting counter to our national interest," Aandahl said.
U.S. President George W. Bush announced earlier this month that the United States was taking other steps to beef up security of Iraq and protect U.S. interests in the Middle East, such as sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Gulf and deploying Patriot air defense systems to the region.
HARSH REMARKS AGAINST IRAN
The latest move comes just one day after new U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates made harsh remarks against Iran, indicating that Iran's perception of U.S. vulnerability in the region was part of the reason the Pentagon sent the aircraft carrier and the Patriot missiles.
"The Iranians are acting in a very negative way in many respects," Gates told reporters on Monday after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels.
"The Iranians clearly believe that we are tied down in Iraq, that they have the initiative, that they are in a position to press us in many ways," Gates said.
Gates also said that the deployment of Patriot air defense systems and the second aircraft carrier in the Gulf region indicated the Bush administration's "reaffirmation" of the importance of the region, adding that stability in the region is in "long-term, strategic, vital interests" of the United States.
The United States accuses Iran of using its influence to meddle in the region, especially in Lebanon and Shiite-majority Iraq, besides seeking a nuclear weapon, which has been rejected by Iran.
In an interview with Fox News earlier the month, Vice President Dick Cheney said that Iran was "fishing in troubled waters" in Iraq, adding "we think it's very important that they keep their folks at home."
Meanwhile, U.S. forces are still holding five Iranians arrested in northern Iraq last week, who the United States says have been connected to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard faction that arms insurgents but Tehran says are merely consular staff.
In a show of defiance, an Iranian government spokesman said on Monday that the country was pushing ahead with its plan to install at least 3,000 centrifuges for nuclear fuel production.

Where is Big Bore? We haven't heard from him in days? Should we contact Sheriff Joe to see if he's downtown, or activate an Amber Alert?


HAVE YOU SEEN ME?

WOW!

I knew this place would eventually come around, but did it ever! One month ago we were seeing 45 or 46 people online, and now it’s six or seven hundred. I admit, I split for awhile, yet lurking. Props to Kim and the Fox 10 moderators on a job well done. (did I miss a free dinner thing for logging on or somethig?) This place has a great feel, I do believe I’ll be a regular once again, (or as regular as I can. lol). It’s also great to see the Fox 10 news folks finally being an active part of this community. Keep it up, it means alot that people can correspond with you guys, even if you don’t know them, they very much feel they know you. So don't stop.

Hi to my fellow blogger’s, and especially hi to all you newbies. Remember that it takes all of us to make this thing work properly, so let's have some fun doing it shall we?

Tocha

Guacamole lawsuit: Where's the avocado?

The Associated Press
Posted November 30 2006, 8:24 AM EST


LOS ANGELES --

That's the issue in a fraud lawsuit filed Wednesday against Kraft Foods, Inc., by a Los Angeles woman who claims the company's avocado dip doesn't qualify as guacamole.

"It just didn't taste avocadoey," said Brenda Lifsey, who used Kraft Dips Guacamole in a three-layer dip last year. "I looked at the ingredients and found there was almost no avocado in it."

She is seeking unspecified damages and a Superior Court order barring Kraft from calling its dip guacamole. Her suit seeks class-action status.

The Kraft product contains modified food starch, coconut and soybean oils, corn syrup and food coloring. It is less than 2 percent avocado, which in traditional recipes is the main ingredient of the Mexican dish.

The government doesn't have any requirements on how much avocado a product must contain to be labeled guacamole, said Michael Herndon, a spokesman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft said it had not seen the lawsuit but believed it was not deceiving anyone.

"We think customers understand that it isn't made from avocado," Claire Regan, Kraft Foods' vice president of corporate affairs, told the Los Angeles Times. "All of the ingredients are listed on the label for consumers to reference."

However, the company will relabel the product to make it clearer that the dip is guacamole-flavored, Regan said.

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SOMEBODY PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! I'm so sick of lawsuits like this. JEEPERS!

avocadoey, lol

Current headlines from the Debkafile:

[Quote] US ponders withdrawing US troops from embattled Anbar province as Bush arrives in Amman Wednesday night, Nov. 29, for key talks on Iraq. The Shiite premier is under fire to step down and make way for a stronger leader acceptable to Sunni community [end]


[Quote] Five radical Shiite Moqtada Sadr ministers suspend membership in Maliki government in protest over his meeting with Bush[end]


[Quote] Saudi Arabia will intervene to save Sunni Muslims once US begins Iraq pullout[end]


[Quote] Lebanon’s pro-Syrian factions threaten mass street action within 48 hours to topple the pro-Western Siniora government[end]


http://www.debka.com/
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This is what happens when we play checkers with chessmasters. The ragheads have the most evil and diabolical leaders on the planet. And our leaders are pampered little rich kids and/or degenerate limosine-liberals. I wouldn't be surprised to see the US attacked on a large scale sometime within the next 30 years. Our leaders are total wusses.

Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense



Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and Maybe it was my fault.


Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).


His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 -year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.


Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Calpol, sun lotion or a band-aid to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.


Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

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I got this from my Sis. Thought many of us around here could relate. It's not only sad, but it's really true. Too bad, Mr. Common Sense is dead.

Spend a couple of hours with your family this saturday to give thanks to the most important people in our land.

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Saturday, November 11, 2006 is Veterans' Day. Phoenicians will be honoring our veterans at many events around the Valley of the Sun, including the annual VA Medical Center's Veterans Day Parade. This year’s parade theme is "America's Veterans - Heroes Through the Decades." The parade starts at Montecito and travels north on 7th Street, west on Camelback, and then north on Central Avenue to the North Phoenix Baptist Church. There is no charge to come and watch and cheer. The parade begins at 11 a.m.

Following the Veterans’ Day Parade downtown, there will be a Post Parade Party at Turf Paradise in north central Phoenix. There will be live entertainment including a Dixie Land Band and activities for the kids. If you are a veteran or active military bring your ID to have the $2 admission charge waived.


There are nearly 100 entries in this year’s parade including:

Five Color Guards
10 Marching Units
13 Novelty Units
18 Floats
Three Historical Units
11 Military vehicles
Eight Bands
Two Equestrian Units
Miss USA 2006 Kayla Downs
Three helium balloons: a 47-foot Uncle Sam, a 35-foot Bald Eagle, a 40-foot Rosie the Riveter
Nine Red, White and Blue Star Balloons…., and much more.

To all Soldiers who might read this. First of all thank you for your service on behalf of my wife, our two little girls, my Country and myself. Most Americans don’t have the wherewithal, or more simply put, the courage and guts to do what you do, a sincere thank you. You are always in my family’s thoughts and prayers. HOORAH!

It hurts me when I see derogatory statements about our Soldiers not being very smart, the wars they are fighting in is somehow their fault, and their behavior is continually deemed contemptible, and I'm not just talking about the Dems or the MSM. But people who are just simply uninformed and or naïve about who exactly the United States Soldier is.

We have a Soldier in our family, this is his story, just his. There are ten of thousands of stories about Soldiers, just like this Soldier, the only thing that separates them? Their names are different.

My wife and I have pretty much raised her nephew Bobby from the time he was eight years old, he was in custody of Child Protective Services in Colorado when he came to Arizona, long story. But today she is known as Auntie Mama, and I’m Uncle Daddy. Recently Bobby graduated from Thunderbird High School here in North Phoenix. During his four years at T-Bird he participated in ROTC and was the rifle drill team Captain during his Sr. year. Twice his ROTC unit earned best in the country, (not one of the best, THE BEST!!!!…TWICE!) He was on the T-Bird Wrestling Team for all four years in HS, his Sr. year T-Bird won the State Championship in wrestling for their first time ever.

He graduated with honors and could have gotten a full-ride scholarship to pretty much any university he wanted, with four years in honors, four years ROTC and four years wrestling, plus his outstanding SAT scores he could have done anything, especially taken the easy way and had it pretty cushy. He had lots of cute girlfriends, good buddies from way back in elementary school, a good paying job, his own car and so on. Instead - he joined the Army.

My wife and I flew out to see Bobby graduate boot camp at Ft. Knox Ky. a few months ago, he graduated as a PFC, his four years of ROTC elevated him to E-3, or PFC. Upon graduation. He told us how, ”he had a blast, it was a lot of fun, a great challenge, learned a lot, can’t wait for AIT.” (Advanced Individual Training) at Ft. Lenoardwood in Missouri. My wife and I went Ky. for a few days and fortunately got to spend a lot of time with him and the kids in his graduating class at Ft. Knox. These kids (they are kids) were top notch, any decent person would be proud to call any one of them their own. It seemed we all bonded instantly, I guess because we are Bobby’s family. The guys all were really good buddies; it was awesome to see the comradery amongst them as they pushed each other around calling each other names, just having a good time playing together. In what seemed to be too short of a time they all left for AIT, my wife and I sadly, yet very proudly flew home next day, not just proud of him, but proud of all of them.

A couple of weeks went by and Bobby called home, he told us after about the first week or so he was designated Platoon Leader, he maintained that position for the entire sixteen weeks of AIT, there were 127 Soldiers in his Platoon ages 17 through 36. At AIT graduation he earned the Army Achievement Medal and was the only Soldier in his platoon to receive it. He graduated 2nd out of the 127 Soldiers (I asked him why he didn’t get #1 being so close to it? He not so politely told me he will never tell me because it was so stupid, he did say he lost #1 by only a few points and it sucks. I won’t push him on it he was pretty upset. He did say, “10th or something like that would have been easier to swallow, It’s a bummer being the first loser.” We laughed about it.) He is now back home and enrolled at ASU pursuing a degree in Aeronautical Engineering while continuing college ROTC and his Army reserve responsibilities. (However, we have been doing ALOT of talking lately as he’s thinking he want’s to go active duty now and get on the ground in Iraq and start mixing it up. He says “what good is it being a Soldier when your country is at war and you’re not fighting.” I had to agree, what could I say? He’s right!) I told him I would support and stand with him in whatever decision he makes, time will tell. Upon college completion he will continue with the Army in an active duty status, because of college ROTC he will then be an Officer. He wants to be a Professional Soldier and work with the military on surface effect vehicles, missiles, weapons systems etc. and retire at 20 years. Upon retirement from the military he’s talking about taking his degree and experience and go have some fun working for a pro racing car team or manufacturer as an aerodynamic engineer or design specialist in Formula One or Indycar. He’s keeping that open for right now though. (I keep telling him that the space tourism industry is in it’s infancy right now and in 20 years it should be in full swing, he’s starting to like the sound of literally being a rocket scientist, he thinks the chicks would dig it….. kids!) He want’s to completely retire at 57 years old. This plan of his has been in his mind since he was in middle school.

OH! Did I mention that he just turned eighteen last month?

One more thing I want to say about our Soldiers. My wife and I were in Fort Knox for four days, we were on the base for two and spent alot of time in the town of Radcliff, it’s just off the base. While we were there we were constantly surrounded by U.S. Soldiers and I’m here to tell you I didn’t meet one Soldier who was remotely stupid, not saying there aren’t any, we just didn’t happen upon any. These guys and girls were extremely friendly, unbelievably respectful, very intelligent and wickedly funny, they must have sense of humor classes in the military, it was a non-stop giggle. My wife will never have as many doors held for her or be called mamm in the rest of her life combined than she did in those four days at Ft. Knox. Everybody should spend time with some of the finest people that this great land of ours has to offer. The American Soldier. Truly, they are an inspiration of whom we all should be very, very proud to call our own. I know my wife and me are.

Do you have a Soldier; do you want to share his or her story? They’re such great people they make it easy to brag.

A Russian tourist went to North Korea and took a bunch of unauthorized pictures. This guy translates his comments into English.



http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8
2755

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA .

Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title "C"ntarea Americii, meaning "Ode To America") in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei "The Daily Event" or "News of the Day".
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Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs. Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.

Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, and the secret services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about. The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.

After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing.

On every occasion, they started singing their traditional song:
"God Bless America!" I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.

How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being?

Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.

What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their galloping history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace.

I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles.

Cornel Nistorescu

September 18, 2006

BY MARY LANEY Chicago Sun-Times

Somethings wrong. As I thumb through the pages of newspapers and magazines and flip through newscasts on radio and television, it seems that something is terribly wrong.

While the overwhelming majority of Muslims in America are peaceful citizens, their voices are not ringing out.

We are at war. Islamofascists have declared war on the United States and stated that they intend to kill all Americans. And they've shown us that they mean business.

We've just passed the anniversary of the worst attack on America in history, 9/11, when Muslim terrorists killed nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children as they turned passenger planes into missiles. Yet the news is filled with stories of Muslims -- not loudly condemning the Muslim murderers -- but complaining of their treatment here and demanding Americans change their attitudes.

We Americans should change our attitudes? Terrorist cells have been discovered here. Plots to blow up bridges and the Sears Tower have been uncovered. Bomb-making supplies carried by Muslim terrorists have been stopped at our borders. A plot to bomb 10 airliners bound for the United States was foiled. Yet we Americans should change our attitudes?

America has opened its doors and universities to Muslims from foreign countries -- perhaps the best way for these students to see our freedoms and develop a new respect for our country. But where, I ask, is the returned show of support?

Pope Benedict is calling on moderate Muslims to speak out against the violent strain of Islam, calling jihad a movement against the nature of God. But where are the moderate Muslim voices here? Why aren't they speaking up to repudiate the kidnappings, suicide murders and beheadings done by Islamofascists?

For an answer, I went to the Web site of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR. But the CAIR site highlights a workshop on how to "Know Your Rights"; a section on "Political Empowerment"; a demand to put a Muslim holiday on all school calendars.

This past spring, Muslim students at Michigan State University held a protest -- not to decry Islamic terrorists -- but to speak out loudly against Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed as a terrorist. What's worse is this: When a tenured professor, I.S. Wichman, sent an e-mail to a student, the school's Muslim Student Association made the letter public and demanded that the professor be officially reprimanded.

What had Wichman written? He wrote that, more than being offended by the cartoons, he was offended "by beheadings of civilians, cowardly attacks on public buildings, suicide murderers, murders of Catholic priests (the latest in Turkey), burnings of Christian churches, the continued persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt, the imposition of Sharia law on non-Muslims, the rapes of Scandinavian girls and women, the murder of a film director in Holland, and the rioting and looting in France."

He went on to write, "If you do not like the values of the West -- see the First Amendment -- you are free to leave."

It seems that the students believe they have the right to protest cartoons, but professors don't have the right to speak out against murderous atrocities. Something's wrong.

To Michigan State's credit, the professor will not be reprimanded as he was exercising his right to free speech.

We are at war. Our soldiers are following the rules of war -- but their opposition is not.

CIA counterterrorism officers are buying private insurance to cover legal costs in case they are charged with a crime, as is being hinted at by some members of Congress who feel their interrogation techniques might be too "tough."

In Iraq, Americans have been kidnapped, tortured, beheaded, burned, hanged from bridges, dragged through streets. But the CIA's method of questioning a terrorist in a cold room while playing loud music is too "tough"?

We're fighting a war for civilization against an enemy bent on destroying it and creating an Islamic world based on a warped view of what true Islam is -- yet where are the voices of American Muslims condemning this enemy?

Something's wrong.