wow

Oui, "again."

chirac, true to form

au revior frogs!

Pffft...we knew this was going to happen.

obviously

Just like the sun rising in the east.

merde!

i really hope this ban goes through in england

[Link: www.msnbc.msn.com...]

Are there any in France that are becoming "un-restful" with all of this aquiescing to "restless youths" and hooligans? Are there any of the older citizenry in France that sees the long-term ramifacations, here? Or is Fance operating only on the desire to make the 40 and under happy? Or is it 30 and under? 20 and under?

Mazel Tov Joel on the HT. I just got done posting to the open thread about this.

Shocking!

Throw out your hands
Stick out your tush
Hands on your hips
Give 'em a push
You'll be surprised
You're doing the French Mistake!
Voila!

/Blazing Saddles

A dangerous precedent has now been set.

There was a time when French people who valued life more than any one ideology actually resisted evil. Now private citizens must employ thieves, gang members, Jihadists and con men thanks to the current governments' lack of moral courage.

Wow, the French students "won" the continued right to chronic double-digit unemployment and inexorable economic decline. Bravo, kids.

To paraphrase Churchill: You were given a choice between security and opportunity. You chose security. And you shall have neither.

What this report doesn't mention is that the amendment to replace the CPE apparently has provisions to help with job searches and also training if someone is let go.

It won't solve the problem and neither would the CPE.

The problem is the sclerotic labor market. Over 50% of French GDP comes from the public sector. About 70% of the students currently in university say gov't positions are their preferred career path.

The French rejected the constitution primarily out of fear of the Polish plumber boogey man. Concern over Turkish admission to the EU was secondary.

Even before you toss the gasoline of fluid, global labor markets on the French fire, you still have the problem of huge class envy and distrust among the French themselves. It's almost axiomatic that the French don't like anyone who isn't French, but they don't much like each other either. The Ecole National is not a mechanism for metitocracy, it is one of the many institutions for maintaining class hierarchy.

Chirac scrapped a youth job law on Monday after weeks of angry unrest

I thought he already had, and the spoiled angry yoots were still chanting and marching just for the hell of it...

Sooo... in France, the more you act like a thug, the more your desires will be catered to by the government? I don't see how this dynamic could be harmful in any way.

When the French are completely overrun by lunatics and muslims (redundancy?) what will become of their military apparatus? Is it possible that someday a military base could be taken over by rioters? Would they fire on the crowds to defend it? Could it be possible they could take control of the weapons and airplanes?
And what of the nukes? If their country is taken over politically, what becomes of all the nukes?

I was talking online to a French friend last night who is close to a person he described as one of Sarkozy's people at the Interior Ministry. Here was his take on events, paraphrased:

The youth contract law will be scrapped because the level of opposition it engendered is not worth the tiny pinprick of reform effect it will have. This was and is the basis of Sarkozy's opposition to the law.

Sarkozy realizes that massive reform is essential to France's survival. Therefore, he is against piecemeal legislation. His goal is to win the presidency next April and then to introduce, immediately, a massive reform pacakage that will radically change the country's "social and labor model" laws.

This will, of course, spark unrest and demonstrations. However, Sarkozy, then in office at the beginning of a long 7-year term, will hold firm and jam it down the throats of the people, claiming his election mandate as the right to do this.

Sarkozy is betting that by the end of his term, the French will be reconciled to his changes and the benefits of the changes will then have begun to be felt.

That, according to one Sarko fan, is the plan.

For French youth, a true Pyrrhic victory.
"Another such victory and we are undone."

Past French practices are indicative of future French actions (or inactions)

I think the analogy of overindulgent parents fits here:

* parent makes rule that demands responsibility
* child whines, cries, stamps feet, has hissy fit
* parent says, "Non! Rule stays in place."
* child continues hissy fit, louder this time
* parent capitulates just because they can't stand the noise anymore
* child takes advantage of no rule; continues down selfish path to eventual destruction and embarrassment of parent

consequence=ruined child, trodden down parent

Sacre bleu, but that was a close call. France almost took a step towards salvaging its economy. Can't have that, can we?

I am so glad we have Bush. Love him or hate him, agree or disagree with him, he will stick by his guns for something he believes in and feels is right.

Redshirt-

That is a non-trivial concern.

When the Islamique Republique de la France is announced, any remaining sane Western powers must have the guts to reenact the Mers el Kebir.

This July 1940 naval engagement, off Oran, Algeria, occurred after the French surrendered to Hitler and the Vichy government put France's military in service to Nazi Germany. Churchill sent the Navy to bottle up the French fleet and sink it if it refused to come over to Britain and continue the fight, or to declare neutrality and cease hostilities.

It would do neither, and the British Navy sunk the French fleet with tremendous loss of life. But those French ships were unavailable to the Axis, who at the time were sinking any merchant ship it could find in the Atlantic.

I'm starting to think that I'm a sap for not rioting in the streets every time I don't like what the gov't is doing.

#21 "Could it be possible they could take control of the...airplanes?"

Well, we know that don't care about landing them.

Well, I guess that's not very surprising. I just hope the U.S. Congress doesn't follow suit and surrender to the illegal immigrant protestors...

#22 KevinV:

His goal is to win the presidency next April and then to introduce, immediately

"Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense; benefits ought to be handed ought drop by drop, so that they may be relished the more. "

--N. Machiavelli

Smart guy, ol' Nick.

Let see, crappy employment laws and hostility towards successful businesses. I know, lets invest in France.

Don't underestimate the French. They do have problems with their labor laws and very little market flexibility, but their economy is very, very advanced and most (clearly not all, but most) French live a very good economic life.

A lot of the differences are to do with cultural values and the relative value they place on certain social goods. For example, they know that grocery stores could be more efficient and make more money if they were centered in supermarkets and were open 24 hours, but they do not like that idea at all (this is changing nowadays, but this view held for a very long time). So, they pass laws that discourage the formation of supermarkets and limit hours.

We see this as a foolish attempt to rein in the market while the French person sees this as a rational way to "correct" a market-driven phenomena that otherwise would produce a culturally unwanted outcome.

The result was very frustrating for me when, as an American, I wanted to go shopping at 10pm on a Saturday night and could not find a store open, or when I had to visit five stores to buy bread, fruit, meat, wine and apples.

On the other hand, the stores I bought them in were much nicer than our supermarkets and the foodstuffs themselves were so much better than the swill we are used to it makes you wonder what the hell you've been eating and calling "apples" all your life.

When the French are completely overrun by lunatics and muslims (redundancy?) what will become of their military apparatus? Is it possible that someday a military base could be taken over by rioters?

Yes, it is. See my other post about this.

Maybe most of Europe can be saved, but France as we know it is finished. I guess there is some poetic justice in the fact that the country that initiated and has led the creation of Eurabia now gets consumed by its own Frankenstein monster, but we should not gloat over this. The downfall of France is very bad news for the rest of the West. As you say, what happens to their nukes and military resources?

I think back to my first job, fresh out of college, and I can't even begin to imagine having that job for the rest of my working career.

To the French yoots, would you be willing to trade job mobility career advancement for the guarantee of aparticular job? Unfortunately for you, the answer is yes.
Fortunately for America, the answer to the same question is a resounding NO.

#22 KevinV:

Let us pray that is true and will go down as planned. It is the only hope they really have at this point.

However I am not holding my breath. Until people are willing to beat back violence with violence they will forever be enslaved.

#16 Occasional Reader: As usual you nail it one :)

# 32 - Occasional Reader

Exactly, mon ami. The older I get the more I realize that there isn't anything new to say about politics than that old Machi told us ages ago.

Right now there are approximately 400,000 French under age 35 living in Greater London. Many of them work in The City. Many are entrepreneurs, who got tired of the red tape in France. This law will make even more leave. I would also expect to see more French companies expand into Eastern Europe. France is in danger of losing an entire generation of its most resourceful people. I hope Sarkozy wins next year and brings in some real reform. If he doesn't, expect France's standard of living to fall to Balkan levels within a few more years.

At least they lasted longer than they did against the Germans in 1940.

French industrial output slumps

[Link: news.bbc.co.uk...]

#8 lilrepubgirl

The interactive map there is typically PC, and talks about how poor all the [bigoted word] immigrants in Europe are. They even get the date of last year's London bombings wrong. They have "July 11, 2005", not 7/7.

#28 Former CNN Watcher

Thanks for that historical note, I didn't know that. That was obviously the correct action at the time. But today, when there is no declared war, would the civilized world be justified in taking out the French military should it be taken over by radicals? Seems the world frowns on "preemptive" action.
And the question remains, What would the soldiers on the bases do in this circumstance? Hand over the keys, or enact basically a military coup?

France surrenders... to France?

OT

Hamas: Israel severing security ties with PA is 'declaration of war'

The Palestinian leadership reacted furiously Monday to Israel's decision to sever ties with the Palestinian government, with Hamas calling the move "a declaration of war," and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accusing Israel of breaking international law.

Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israel would end relations with the PA, which it now viewed as a "hostile" entity, and would act to prevent Hamas from becoming an established government.

The decision comes two weeks after the new Hamas-led Palestinian government was sworn in by Abbas, and several days after Hamas offered Israel "quiet for quiet."

Funny, the people whose charter (and religion) is a declaration of war accusing anyone of declaring war. Irony, thy name is Hamas.

Well, I honestly don't know what to add. There must be some good people left in France who are really undone today. May God have mercy on them.

This isn't as jaw-droppingly absurd as when he said "It's our fault for not enfranchising them enough" after the jihadists burned down half the country, but it's still pretty laughable.

#34 KevinV.:

We see this as a foolish attempt to rein in the market

Actually, my preferred examples of that French phenomenon would be:

"I know, let's mandate a 35-hour workweek, and that way the labor pie will be divided more evenly and there'll be less unemployment!"

and;

"I know, let's prohibit self-service gasoline pumps, and that way there'll be more employment for gas station attendants!"

As for French supermarkets, etc., in my admittedly limited experience with French grocery shopping, US "high end" supermarkets (e.g. Wholefoods) compare favorably with French ones, and tend to be priced the same or better.

# 44 - redshirt

would the civilized world be justified in taking out the French military should it be taken over by radicals?

I think you can rest easy on that front. It is much, much more likely that the French military would intervene to prevent a future emerging radical Islamsit majority from taking power than becoming hostage to such radicalism itself.

We Americans tend to look at the French Army through the lens of 1940. This is understandable, but it produces a distorting effect.

The French Army is good, highly professional, well motivated and passionately committed to the Republic. (Ask any U.S. Army person you know who served in a NATO command which, next to ours, was the best Euro military and you'll be surprised to hear the answer).

But, in my house it goes like this

* parent makes rule that demands responsibility
* child whines, cries, stamps feet, has hissy fit
* parent says, "Non! Rule stays in place."
* child continues hissy fit, louder this time
* Dad tells the little sidewinder to go in her room, come out when she's better. Dad knows the screaming will knock the wind out of her sails.
* Said little terrorists continues to scream, Mommie and sisters look at Dad, thinking said child is stressing out. The Girls can't stand the screaming, Dad laughs.
* Child exhausted, finally realizes Dad isn't going to cave, begs to come out. She runs to Dad and says she sorry.
* Dad gives her a big hug, tells her she won't get what she wants from throwing fits.

Dad refuses to negociate with Terrorists.

#49 - Occasional Reader

"I know, let's prohibit self-service gasoline pumps, and that way there'll be more employment for gas station attendants!"

Believe it or not, OR, that is the rule here too in my beloved Oregon where, yes, self-service gasoline is against the law.

Imagine my native Californian bemusement at this.

Speaking of which, I'm dropping out of the Blogosphere today and concentrating on work: I am quite sure my mental state right now cannot stand the sight of hundreds of thousands of protestors in the streets demanding that our borders remain wide open.

Forget France! We have our own problems! In any case, I am certain France will take care of her own in the end.

My, my, its sho gonna take a catastrophic failure to wean those Frenchies off of the Socialism tit. Gonna hurt too. Pretty soon, the few who still work for a living are going to get tired of supporting the majority of the walfare parasites. Why should anyone work at all, why not just lay around and suck the welfare tit, just like a tick on a dog's ass.

#50 KevinV
So, to answer my last question in the post, you think there would actually be a military coup? How do you think global support would line up?

#22 KevinV
That, according to one Sarko fan, is the plan.

Sarkozy's has to win first. I don't think the Socialists have selected their candidate yet, but my money is on that Royal woman.

The Socialists will promise more socialism. That is what the French want. If Sarkozy thinks he's going to run on market reform, he'll lose.

As far as unwanted cultural outcomes, if the cultural outcomes were unwanted, market workforces would take care of that, n'est pas?

These are people who even regulate when retailers can put their goods on sale in order that one cannot 'unfairly' compete with others.

This is a society with envy bred in its bones.

This is stupid.

And I thought the French were know as great diplomats.

Declare unemployment a job class. Then taut statistics showing their dominance in the EU's main industry.

There's a good side to all this.

Though Villepin is described as "center-right" by the MSM, in truth he's a true Euro-weenie and led the European opposition to the Iraq War. He's as anti-Bush as anyone in France, and a classical "Chauvinist" in the original sense of the word -- which translates to anti-American in the contemporary climate.

According to the article Charles links to,

The prime minister's [Villepin's] poll ratings plunged as opposition to the measure mounted, damaging his chances of becoming the ruling UMP party's candidate for president in elections in 2007.
...
"The presidential hopeful Villepin is practically dead, the prime minister Villepin is in big difficulty," said Christophe Barbier of the L'Express magazine. "Villepin the man, as we have seen, seems quite hurt, worn out."

So it looks like Villepin has lost his front-runner status because of this job-law crisis.

But who is to replace him? Here's where the good news starts. According to Wikipedia,

President Chirac is said to have turned his eye on Villepin as a possible successor, should he himself decide not to enter the 2007 presidential contest. However, Nicolas Sarkozy would probably be in a better position to secure the endorsement of the centre-right UMP party; a bitter rivalry is thus said to exist between Sarkozy and Villepin.
...
However, as of 2005, the lead candidate for the UMP party is the head of UMP, the ambitious Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy and Villepin are increasingly seen as direct competitors, even though they put on a diplomatic face of harmony.

...and the original article also said

The opposition Socialist Party has yet to name its candidate for the 2007 elections and has failed to translate popular anger at the right-wing UMP into solid gains in opinion polls.

So the end result is that Sarkozy is suddenly the frontrunner to become President of France.

Now, Sarkozy is not perfect, but he takes no guff from the Socialists and the Muslim radicals, and is much much more likely to back American policies in the future.

So, the upside is that, due to Chirac's and de Villepin's blundering on this job issue, France will get much better leadership in 2007 and perhaps begin to get back on the sane side of history.

So now France is officially no longer a nation of law. All you need to do, apparently, is get an ugly and unruly mob, prone to committing, at least, property damage and voila - change the law or don't pass a law.
I really hate to say this but it's going to take a near complete collapse of the French economy for France to reinvent itself. And a collapse of the French economy would have extremely unpleasant ramifications, world wide.
Shame on Chirac. Shame of Villapan. And shame on the French people who apparently need a new Napolean or at least a Knight on the proverbial White Horse to whip them into some semblance of a civilized nation.

Yes KevinV, but the French as always had to have it both ways. If the French were so important to NATO, why did they pull out of SHAPE? It seems like the only thing the French (like the UN) can occupy is office space.

redshirt -

So, to answer my last question in the post, you think there would actually be a military coup?

Absolutely. As Mark Steyn once said:

Take Fiji - not a comparison France would be flattered by, though until 1987 the Fijians enjoyed a century of peaceful stable constitutional evolution the French were never able to muster. At any rate, Fiji comprises native Fijians and ethnic Indians brought in as indentured workers by the British. If memory serves, 46.2 per cent are Fijians and 48.6 per cent are Indo-Fijians; 50-50, give or take, with no intermarrying. In 1987, the first Indian-majority government came to power. A month later, Col Sitiveni Rabuka staged the first of his two coups, resulting in the Queen's removal as head of state and Fiji being expelled from the Commonwealth.

Is it that difficult to sketch a similar situation for France? Even in relatively peaceful bicultural societies, politics becomes tribal: loyalists vs nationalists in Northern Ireland, separatists vs federalists in Quebec. Picture a French election circa 2020, 2025: the Islamic Republican Coalition wins the most seats in the National Assembly. The Chiraquiste crowd give a fatalistic shrug and Mr de Villepin starts including crowd-pleasing suras from the Koran at his poetry recitals. But would Mr Le Pen or (by then) his daughter take it so well? Or would the temptation to be France's Col Rabuka prove too much?

There are a ton of French "Col Rabuka" types who, when push comes to shove, will defend the Republic.

Well, this goes to how Groundskeeper Willie and Jonah Goldberg have long described the French. Cheese eating surrender monkeys. Whatever the issue, you can be assured the French will cave. Good luck keeping your country out of the Third World, Jacques.

France surrenders: France scraps youth job law. (Hat tip: Joel.)

(Do I need to say “again?”)

All you needed to say was "France". We could have filled the rest in ourselves.

/snark

#50 KevinV - IIRC (and I'm sorry I don't have a link) something like 20% of France's military today is Muslim. That is to say that 20% if the French "troops" are Muslims and that number has been going up over the last 7-8 years at a fairly high rate.
While I'd like to think the that French military would not enable a truly Muslim or Muslim controlled State to take over the nuke weapons, I wouldn't bet the ranch on it.

What the French have learned is: any time a new law that does not fit most people's socialist agenda is proposed, they can shout it down. This will perpetuate the problems. Once a beautiful and important country, the power and attractivity of France will decline more and more.

the truth is that chirac was pressured by the "white flag" factory owners and also by the HUGE union of workers at this traditional french business

Kevin you nailed it on the head.

The ultimate guardians of france is its military. The one thing generals crave more than war (french Generals usually lose these) is POWER.

France is now on the Fifth Republic, it really has been all downhill since just after the Revolution.

The lesson, France collapses, a new government is created and eventually it all turns to merde again.

[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

#45 NuclearTinkerbell

France surrenders... to France?

There was no one else available at the time.

#50 KevinV 4/10/2006 10:03AM PDT

I thought I read somewhere that the French military was currently about 40% Muslim and rising. If this is true, your idea of the French military coming to save the day is way off target.

Actually, the entire idea of the French military saving anything is good for a laugh. They seem to have their own quagmire going on in the Ivory Coast.

OT: Mexican Constitution's Solution to US Immigration Policy

Mexico's Glass House

For example, according to an official translation published by the Organization of American States, the Mexican constitution includes the following restrictions:

• Pursuant to Article 33, "Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country." This ban applies, among other things, to participation in demonstrations and the expression of opinions in public about domestic politics like those much in evidence in Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere in recent days.

• Equal employment rights are denied to immigrants, even legal ones. Article 32: "Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners under equality of circumstances for all classes of concessions and for all employment, positions, or commissions of the Government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable."

• Jobs for which Mexican citizenship is considered "indispensable" include, pursuant to Article 32, bans on foreigners, immigrants, and even naturalized citizens of Mexico serving as military officers, Mexican-flagged ship and airline crew, and chiefs of seaports and airports.

• Article 55 denies immigrants the right to become federal lawmakers. A Mexican congressman or senator must be "a Mexican citizen by birth." Article 91 further stipulates that immigrants may never aspire to become cabinet officers as they are required to be Mexican by birth. Article 95 says the same about Supreme Court justices.

• In accordance with Article 130, immigrants — even legal ones — may not become members of the clergy, either.

• Foreigners, to say nothing of illegal immigrants, are denied fundamental property rights. For example, Article 27 states, "Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters, and their appurtenances, or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or of waters."

• Article 11 guarantees federal protection against "undesirable aliens resident in the country." What is more, private individuals are authorized to make citizen's arrests. Article 16 states, "In cases of flagrante delicto, any person may arrest the offender and his accomplices, turning them over without delay to the nearest authorities." In other words, Mexico grants its citizens the right to arrest illegal aliens and hand them over to police for prosecution. Imagine the Minutemen exercising such a right!

• The Mexican constitution states that foreigners — not just illegal immigrants — may be expelled for any reason and without due process. According to Article 33, "the Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action."

I see USA Today has their priorities in order. The McPaper probably doesn't give a fat rat's ass about Israelis or other civilized people. But now they're worried that the Rise of Hamas Concerns Brewers

Normally, I'd hold off on beer news for a drinking thread, but it's Monday afternoon, and while I'd like to sit back a quaff a cold one, I have work to do.

What side would the Foreign Legion take in our imaginary coup/civil war? I get a kick out of historical "What Ifs?"

# 68 BIG

I thought I read somewhere that the French military was currently about 40% Muslim and rising.

That seems a bit high to me, but let us assume you are correct. Of that percentage, how many are officers? Knowing the French, I would guess the number is close to that of the number of Muslim deputies in the French National Assembly: zero.

Actually, the entire idea of the French military saving anything is good for a laugh. They seem to have their own quagmire going on in the Ivory Coast.

We could use a little of that "quagmire" ourselves. Note that when the French were fired on they kicked out the international press, completely destroyed the country's air force and generally kicked ass all over the place.

No one has shot at the French there since.

What's the difference between France caving to the demands of a bunch of lazy, self absorbed, shortsighted protesters and our leaders caving to the demands of a bunch of illegals with their hands out protesting for free goodies on our dime?

Sorry for the run-on sentence.

O/T:

Ben Affleck:

Still dumber than the Aflac duck.

The gift that keeps on giving to the LLLeft is that the more they screw things up the more crises’ they create. They then must demand more power and money to address them. Before long simply living becomes a crisis.

Create a need and fill it.

Muslims in French military

I've heard figures up to 20%, but not 40%.

[Link: www.thedissidentfrogman.com...]

If I had any photoshop skill I would change this picture (from the Frogman-PBUH) from French Diplomacy to French economic policy.

And speaking of Affleck, has any "A-list" actor been involved in more truly horrid films?

Surviving Christmas (2004) ... Drew Latham

Jersey Girl (2004) ... Ollie Trinke

Gigli (2003) ... Larry Gigli

Daredevil (2003) ... Matt Murdock/Daredevil

The Sum of All Fears (2002) ... Jack Ryan

Pearl Harbor (2001) ... Capt. Rafe McCawley

Bounce (2000) ... Buddy Amaral

Reindeer Games (2000) ... Rudy Duncan

Forces of Nature (1999) ... Ben Holmes

i mean, seriously, that list has some of the worst movies (Gigli, Reindeer Games, Surviving Christmas) this side of Freddy Got Fingered. Pauly Shore is more reliably entertaining.

How dare employers fire people who aren't doing their job.

/sarc

I like to work. If I was French and was able to get a job, I'd hate to be working with substandard co-workers. If an employee isn't carrying his weight, get him away from me.

Why we here in the US should do exactly the opposite of anything France/Chirac does. Luckily for now, we do.
and it is why we evil Americans enjoy low unemployment and prosperity.
If we elect someone like Hillary, then we must all be prepared for a more Chirac/European socialist model, and the pathetic standard of living that comes with it. But at least in the superior whiney socialist model, we can all strive for equality and be equally miserable.

#78 Jheka

I found myself wondering that even before I knew about Affleck's politics. His best role was in "Mallrats", where he played a pretty-boy asshole who tried to screw women in a very uncomfortable place, and it wasn't the backseat of a VW Beetle. He may not have been acting.

"Affleck, you da bomb in Phantoms, yo!"

So much for the future of France.

Evidently in a poll of 'youth' recently, 75% said they wanted a job in the civil service. What ambition!

Wow, to be able to say, "I am a government clerk" as being an expression of the height of your vision.

Let them eat cake.

cn

#50 KevinV and
#68 BIG and
#76 Beagle Please see my #63; I think Beagle and I are much more accurate with our recollections; but also, Kevin especially, see my
#58 as to what I anticipate happening - a new Napolean after the collapse of the French economy.
A coup is not only not out of the question, I think it's the leading contender for France to survive.

Sad. Grim. Pathetic.

#28 Former CNN Watcher

If we can't clearly see that Hamas is our enemy what makes you think we will see a Sharia France as an enemy?

More Imams Needed In Fwench Army To Serve Growing Muslim Numbers in the Ranks

OT = BUT very interesting:

Lieberman Won't Rule Out Independent Bid

By STEPHEN SINGER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
April 10, 2006 10:25 AM EDT
HARTFORD, Conn. - Sen. Joe Lieberman, facing a challenge from within the Democratic Party, said Monday he has not ruled out running as an independent in his bid for a fourth term.

Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential candidate in the 2000 election, said he is not upset with fellow Democrats for opposing the war in Iraq. He said he also has criticized certain operations of the war and the Bush administration's handling of postwar Iraq.

"I feel very strongly the world is safer without Saddam Hussein in power. We have to complete the job in Iraq," Lieberman said.

[Link: enews.earthlink.net...]

Kinda wants to make you go "Hmmm". If Lieberman wins re-election to the Senate on an Independent Platform (cause his own party is challenging him in the primary) wonder how a Giuliani/Lieberman ticket would sell?

France might have scrapped THIS jobs law but they are going to have to do something. The bottom line is that companies do not want to build plants in France.

KevinV

On the other hand, the stores I bought them in were much nicer than our supermarkets and the foodstuffs themselves were so much better than the swill we are used to it makes you wonder what the hell you've been eating and calling "apples" all your life.

That's funny because when my in-laws from Belgium visit us in the US, one of our first stops is our supermarket (Whole Foods) because the array of organic produce and the prices are mind blowing to them. They've never seen anything like it. And, trust me, Belgium has the same approach to food as France...

#87 WriterMom - GRRR! (not aimed at you!) but how can someone write an article like that, and NOT guesstimate the number of Muslims in the French Military!
Rats!
Nice linky though for other matters and ideas (e.g., there are 30 Jewish Rabbi's in the French Military as "Chaplains" for Jews in the French Army and the artilce you linked to was about trying to get one Imam as a Chaplain for Muslims in the French Army).

Thanks for the hat tip Charles. Is there anyone here who is surprised at the French capitulation?

France might be able to kill two birds with one stone by simply hiring all unemployed youths as riot police.

This is a sad day for Europe with the apparent defeat of Silvio Berlusconi in Italy and more proof that France is a spineless jelly fish.

Were "French (i.e. Muslim) youths" seething or just restive?

It's just a matter of time till the French economy collapses. You can't have that kind of unemployment and lack of productivity and have a growing real GDP or standard of living.

Assuming that the natural rate of unemployment with current technology is about 5%, and applying Okun's law on the effect of unemployment on real GDP to this example, that means the French real GDP is about 34% under potential GDP as it applies to the youth unemployment rate.

I just saw this post by TFK and, for the record, I think it's disgusting (and not for the first time ... not nearly):

fag news liar , pants on fire... looser.

It was at the end of a dead thread and that is probably why no one called him on it before.

I'm doing it now.

Arghhh.. I just put on some French lotion...

Chirac has his restless youths and America has its restless illegal immigrants. I don't see how Chirac being spineless about that is any different than how the illegals in our own country are being catered to.

It's been really easy to point the finger and laugh at how gutless every other country in the world is, because it takes the focus off what's going on here.

#97 Jheka 4/10/2006 11:31AM PDT

I just saw this post by TFK and, for the record, I think it's disgusting (and not for the first time ... not nearly):

fag news liar , pants on fire... looser.

I am with you on this Jheka.

#96 3 wood

Phil won the Masters!

God's in His heaven. All's right with the world.

France makes wonderful soap too.

/bummed

#88 realwest:

I don't know what Lieberman adds to a Guiliani/Lieberman ticket that Guiliani doesn't already bring. If anything, it might drive away right wingers who would already be uncomfortable with Guiliani. I like Lieberman but I don't think that he would be a good addition to a Guiliani ticket. If Guiliani manages to win the nomination, he'll want a running mate like Cheney (though not Cheney himself) ... a Washington insider who can help him avoid election gaffs and who can be seen as a steadying influence ... he'll also probably want a Southerner or someone from the midwest to help win close states such as Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Virginia, Tennessee and New Mexico. Lieberman would not help with any of those (except maybe Florida).

#102 Bubble Girl

Yeah, but do they use it?

#87 WriterMom

The French Muslims are trying to get nukes too. In true Muslim fashion, rather than create their own, they're just going to take what someone else already made.

#104 BeerDrinking_VictoryMonkey 4/10/2006 11:40AM PDT

#102 Bubble Girl

Yeah, but do they use it?

Good question...

#101 Obi-wan

Yes, obviously Lefty has spent a lot of time at the range and in the buffet line.

For a hot second I thought Lumpy had learned to hit lefty.

But it's nice to see some competition for Woods. It was also nice to see two guys who obviously are good friends enjoying the day (Mickelson and Couples) while still trying to beat each other. That is what sportsmanship is all about. Els needs to rehab his left knee so he can shift his weight forward onto it. He played the whole weekend swinging with just his arms and wrists, hanging his weight back on his right side casue of the bad knee. If he gets healthy again he can play straight up with these guys.

105 tfk

No matter the circumstance, using the word, fag, doesn't fly. And you, my man, know this to be true.

#108 3 wood

I also thought Mediate hurt his leg when he slipped and his right leg came out from under him on his swing.
He hung in as long as he could, but the 10 he had sunk his chances.
I think Lefty has finally learned to play within himself instead of trying to put the ball in the hole on every shot. This may be the beginning of the "Phil" era.

Yea but reposting something makes it that much harder for Charles. Please consider this.

Roger

Do you mean my post?

#109 Bubble Girl, your correct but I do know a bit during a Dennis Leary roast the circumstances were perfectly right;-)

Actually what do you think of the definitions at [Link: www.thefreedictionary.com?...]

OT

Inside ‘Islam’s political insurgency’ in Europe

LONDON — Merely a radical Islamic political party or a “conveyor belt for terrorists”?

That is the question British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government hopes to answer when it decides whether to join Germany, Russia and many Muslim-majority states in formally banning the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation) for allegedly inciting violence.

Hizb ut-Tahrir says it is a nonviolent political party, but critics assert it is deeply divisive and potentially dangerous -- especially in Europe -- because it is openly anti-democratic, calls for a new world order based on uniting the world's 1.2 billion Muslims in a new state and shares a worldview, if not methodology, with some violent groups.

#113 Bubble Girl, nope. You are simply discussing it.

114 Roger

The Free Dictionary?

Um, why do you ask?

#105 taxfreekiller:

Calling you out in public, like I just did, is not tattling or "back shooting."

You're a noxious little bigot who likes to throw around slurs like "fag" and "Chink." Over and over again, actually.

#103 Jheka & realwest

I don't know what Lieberman adds to a Guiliani/Lieberman ticket that Guiliani doesn't already bring

exactly. And behind closed doors the so-called true Republican conservatives are backing George Allen. McCain is going to have a fight on his hands.

Pataki also wants to run. That won't happen. He's totalled the party in New York.

Also, keep an eye out for Lindsay Graham. I'm starting to hear rumbling about him.

#117 Bubble Girl

I was surprised by some of the definitions. Didn't see them before.

TFK,

Calm down and take a breath!

We know you are a nut job, but you're one of our nut jobs. kind of like the crazy uncle, but not the dirty one. just the nutty one.

Keep it clean. Charles has enough trouble without us craping in the pool. Don't be the Baby-Ruth bar!

Remember the EU constitution that was voted down in several countries? Democracy is dead in Europe unless the European Union gets destroyed:

Berlin wants EU constitution adopted under new name

Germany wants to have the EU constitution ratified across the EU by 2009, suggesting a change in the name of the charter to "Basic treaty for Europe," according to a German daily. Die Welt reports that German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has indicated Berlin will present a "strategic plan" for ratification of the constitution at the end of its EU presidency, in early summer 2007.

I'm sure after this, the radical elements won't feel like imposing their will on the government!

TFK,

When Bill Murray empties the pool in Caddy-Shack, picks up the Baby-Ruth bar, and takes a bite, he replies...

"It's alright. Nothing wrong here."

#112 Roger:

By reposting it I am purposely drawing attention to it. Whether or not this ultimately makes it harder or easier for Charles depends on Charles, I think. Certainly, it's better that he know about it than to have that nasty bit of bigotry floating around at the end of a dead thread for some lefty troll to scoop up and use against Charles, LGF and LGFers at a later time.

And I'm posting about it publicly because TFK needs to know how people feel about it. It would be silly and unfair to expect him to change otherwise.

A French surrender? What a surprise!

Frankly, the gov't should have held out a little longer. I read a wire story about the "protests" in my local rag which pointed out that "spring break" was starting this week, meaning that the protesting deadbeat students would not miss the opportunity to go on vacation from their vacation. That would, of course, leave the ordinary working people to continue to strike for the right of those not working to go on vacation. One would have thought that such a series of events might even have been too much for the French socialists.

But apparently not. Heck, if Daddy will support me if I go on an endless vacation from responsiblity or reality, they why should I wake up?

#119 grayp:

Also, keep an eye on Mitt Romney ...

#119 grayp

I hope McKennedy gets torpedoed in the Republican Primary, because I will not vote for him to be president. Where does Allen stand on this disaster of an immigration bill his cohorts in the Senate have put together?

tfk, yes, please, let's leave using fag and retard as slurs to the libs, OK

On Guliani--I had been super enthusiastic about him until he made a recent pro-Amnesty statement. Horrible!

#129 TFK:

sit on it

Great. Ralph Malph is posting at LGF.

#111 Obi-wan

I also thought Mediate hurt his leg when he slipped and his right leg came out from under him on his swing.

Mediate long has had a bad back. He generally uses a long putter to save his back, but I noticed he used a short putter at Augusta for the touch. He slipped the first time on the 15th hole during the third round, but managed to finish without much of a problem. Then when he waited between rounds his back really tightened up on him and gave out on the 12th. He took a 10 with 3 balls in the water. All he could do was flip the club at the ball with his hands. Brutal. He needs to either get some surgery or call it a career. A normal golf swing happens with the shoulders, if you can't rotate your shoulders you can't hit the ball well. Watch the brutal hackers at your local muni on the weekend and you will see their swings are all arms and hands.

I always try to watch the group playing infront of me tee off in the first tee so I can tell if it is a going to be a long day or not. If I see a swing that is all arms and hands, I know it will be a death march. They might be able to keep it together for a few holes, but once they get a little tired the ball will be flying sideways. And of course, they are always playing from the Championship tees.

Roger @ 120

Well, where the definitions not true? Or just more informative than say a "Websters?"

I wonder if the French will stand up when the Muslims try to take over -

and try to ban pork and wine! Sacre-bleu!

#126 Jheka, yea, I know. Just how clean can blog comment sections be made? Long discussions by posters(including me) who don't effect folk's pay check have little influence. I remember seeing Roger L. Simons discuss it once but haven't seen anything recently.

#132 Jheka

Remember who you're talking with. TFK is a loon and if it weren't for the topic he would be more at home @ DU.

He's our tin-hat member...and his writing skills illustrate that.

small note for TFK...There are plenty of other "Veterans" out here and I'll match my DD214 against yours.

TFK, stop lecturing and begin making a sound, lucid argument. Otherwise, you are wasting your time and ours.

#130 templar

I heard Allen on the radio with Sean Hannity last week. He leans more toward the House version than the Senate version. He's at odds with W on "reform".

#133 3 wood

I always try to watch the group playing infront of me tee off in the first tee so I can tell if it is a going to be a long day or not. If I see a swing that is all arms and hands, I know it will be a death march. They might be able to keep it together for a few holes, but once they get a little tired the ball will be flying sideways. And of course, they are always playing from the Championship tees.

LOL!

Jheka,

You're a noxious little bigot who likes to throw around slurs like "fag" and "Chink." Over and over again, actually.

On a thread last week TFK called Cynthia McKinney a "Sambo".

You're right, he is a noxious bigot and an embarassment to this blog.

#137 BulgarWheat

The term "Village Idiot" comes to mind.

Interesting to learn that there are people here who still read TFK's posts, instead of scrolling by when the triple commas enter their peripheral vision.

Islam: Muslim Laws Encourage Family Abuse

In SIngapore, a 45-year old Muslim man has been accused of raping six of his teenage daughters, and is on trial at Singapore's High Court. He had fathered several children by various "wives", and had been abusing six of his offspring over a period of six months, before his arrest in June 2005.

3 wood -

I, for one, was disappointed that Chad Campbell from Lewisville couldn't hold 'em off yesterday.

But then I've always liked Phil, and am happy that he now has two majors (and two Masters' at that).

#134 Bubble Girl, not much different than Websters(which I use less because it doesn't always show you definitions and does get popups past Firefox)

Just that it has legitimate definitions I did not know about. Which adds confusion.

#141 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

But definitely not his apprentice;-)

#137 BulgarWheat:

Thank you for the constructive comment but my motivation isn't really to help TFK (though that's a fond hope) but, rather, to help LGF. We all know that the LLL's scour this blog to look for comments to use to call Charles and the rest of us bigots. The only way to combat that is to:

a. Not make bigoted comments and

b. Expose such comments ourselves when we see them (especially if they're by a regular).

#136 Roger:

It is impossible (or at leas very, very difficult) to keep a blog with thousands of comments a day "clean" and I certainly do not favor heavy handed censorship. On the other hand, all of us, as part of this community (and that's what it is) are judged by the posts of the rest of us and it is our responsibility to speak up when we see something that damages our reputations or be seen as agreeing through our silence, just as it is Charles' responsibility to set the standards for discourse on this blog as he sees fit.

#140 Ringo the Gringo 4/10/2006 12:19PM PDT

Jheka,

You're a noxious little bigot who likes to throw around slurs like "fag" and "Chink." Over and over again, actually.

On a thread last week TFK called Cynthia McKinney a "Sambo".

You're right, he is a noxious bigot and an embarassment to this blog.

Okay... this is not cool at all.

#140 Ringo the Gringo:

Yup, now that you mention it, I remember that. I normally scroll over his nonsense ... it's usually only when he smears all of us through his bigotry that I'll say something about it.

#146 Roger

True

145 Roger

Just that it has legitimate definitions I did not know about. Which adds confusion.

I guess it just depends on if you want to take the time to do some cross referencing to make sure they are legitimate definitions. Otherwise it might be a good site.

Bubble Girl,

What's not cool, my comment about TFK or his use of racial slurs?

OT: And spyware spreads to cellular phones

[Link: www.f-secure.com...]

Bubble Girl?

What the heck happened to Amalie?

I gotta get out more!

Bwahahahahahahahaha

Les Fwogs surrender yet again.

Is anyone really surprised?

I didn't think so.

If nothing else, tfk does provide for some interesting commentary.

#137 Bulgar Wheat

If I may quote from Billy Madison re TFK

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic
things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent
response were you even close to anything that could be considered a
rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having
listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your
soul."

#139 Ward

Guy in front of me yesterday was just like that. I watched him tee off on #1 at 12:45 and immediately called the wife and told her I'd be late for dinner. By the 7th hole they fell 1 and 1/2 holes behind the next group and they would not let us play through. on the 9th hole he hit a house, on the 15th tee he hit the ball sideways and hit a guy on a tee box of a different hole coming back the other way. On the 16th he hit another house, jumping out of his shoes every time he swung. I was falling over laughing. 5 hour round. In the clubhouse I overheard him say he shot a 86. On the front 9, maybe.

Not only are the Stalinist goons from ANSWER organizing the great illegals marches of 2006, but the Democrats are actively registering them to vote.

As usual, the left overplaying their hand, and I sense a huge backlash brewing.

Either we are a nation of laws for all, or we will have anarchy.

Here is the immigration report card for George Allen:

[Link: grades.betterimmigration.com...]

#157 PresterJohn

I missed him when he was gone - but it does seem that he's been, how shall I say, a little more TFK'ish since his return

Jheka,

I saw your post last night about the handful of people who post here that use racial slurs and leave racist comments. Most of them are trolls but some are regulars and I think it's time that other regulars called them on it rather than simply scroll past.

119 grayp
Rudy Giuliani would make a very good President. he was terrific in New York (outisde of his infantile Yankee boosterism). Pataki was a total fiasco for Republicans in NY (outside of his first term). I want to win in 2008, not stay 100% ideologically pure and lose.

152 Ringo

Ringo! The slur... I'm not around that much.. so I missed this.. am glad you pointed it out..

I am getting tired of the "lockstep" crap too.

TFK wants attention, well, now he's got it.

From me.

#158 BeerDrinking_VictoryMonkey

Hey, thats gimmick infringment.

#157 P.S. That is not to say I condone or approve of any of his ignorant racial comments.

Aladin Sane

Hi Aladin...

BBL

#144 Ward

But then I've always liked Phil, and am happy that he now has two majors (and two Masters' at that).

Actually, he has 3 majors. He also won the PGA Championship at Baltusrol last year.

3 wood,

In the clubhouse I overheard him say he shot a 86. On the front 9, maybe.

You were playing behind Bill Clinton?

Crap! As soon as I show up the pretty girl leaves...

#171 Aladin Sane, welcome to the ogre club!

#88 Realwest

Kinda wants to make you go "Hmmm". If Lieberman wins re-election to the Senate on an Independent Platform (cause his own party is challenging him in the primary) wonder how a Giuliani/Lieberman ticket would sell?

Don't think it would sell. Lieberman is a nice guy, but before him and Gore got together, he was against killing babies.(Abort)
During his run as VP he changed his mind to win over his party.

We have enough of them in Congress already.

172 Roger

#171 Aladin Sane, welcome to the ogre club!

Wasn't that started by Ogre Winfrey?

Just got back from lunch here in Portland, Oregon, and, let me tell you, there are thousands of Mexicans (ethnically..don't know if they are Mexican nationals or Mexican-Americans by looking of course) out here. This demo is massive. The crowd noise is very loud.

There are entire families down here, walking hand in hand to the demo. This is obviously a show of ethnic solidarity.

This is our future. Ethnic politics.

Forget France. We have our own problems.

#171 Aladin Sane:

Coincidence?

It works now?

#170 Jammie

Now that you mention it, he was lefty.

#174 Aladin Sane, at the very least associated like the Kevin Bacon game.

160 Jammie - wouldn't it be delicious if the backlash produced a federal law mandating proof of citizenship to register to vote, and state photo ID every time you vote?

#159 3 wood

I'm not even a golfer and I find that hilarious.

BTW, when I was a teenager, the postman who delivered the mail in our neighborhood (in East Dallas) was the brother of the 1939 Masters champion, Ralph Guldahl.

Ward Cleaver,

I was rooting for Chad. He's an incredibly nice guy; and oddly enough a Yankee fan, so that wins points in my book. Said it goes back to his dad being a Mickey Mantle fan. He indicated the cold morning affected him; then again so did the three-putt on 11 and the ball in the water on 15. But he should hold his head up.

3 wood--one more thing before I leave: Mickelson is very popular in the NY area, and it will be interesting seeing him go for three in a row at Winged Foot in Westchester. I was going to volunteer at that event but my cousin said not to bother as his company will have a tent there. Now I'm going to call and remind him. I'll have to get over there at least a day or two. It should be a raucous crowd, unlike the subdued "patrons" at Augusta.

#169 3 wood

See, I told you I wasn't a golfer!

This "golf" that you speak of ... it is the ball and stick game?

Like croquet?

180 scott in east bay 4/10/2006 12:44PM PDT

160 Jammie - wouldn't it be delicious if the backlash produced a federal law mandating proof of citizenship to register to vote, and state photo ID every time you vote?

Yes Scott, it is nice to dream.
The Dems have been using illegal voters for ages. They live by different rules.

Joel

Rudy Giuliani would make a very good President.

Maybe, but that's irrelevant. His personal life has been, shall we say, irregular.

Jheka, as for Mitt Romney - superficially attractive, but that health care plan he just passed will kill him - too much like Hillary-care.

Gingrich may make it back. Longshot, but he just might.

Hey, no sweat. France is out of the competition. To paraphrase a certain famous radio host: "...the best thing for us is to export liberalism...that way the competition won't ever be able to compete..." Liberalism/socialism, coupled with the normal French ability to turn cake into sand, will insure that the Eurocrats can be safely ignored...until they become Muslim. Then we can start thinking about target practice.

#137 BulgarWheat - with all due respect, without knowing what your DD214 shows, I'll venture that you were not medically discharged for two head wounds incurred in combat in Vietnam, nor do you have to take a truly vile combinaton of drugs to combat the effects of same. So much for his lucid posts, many of which are lucid. And many of his less lucid posts provide gems for those patient enough to work their way through them.
If his posts annoy you, I'm sorry.
I believe LGF is the only real community TFK has.

If he uses words or terms which you (and frequently I) find inappropriate I simply suggest you complain to Charles - it is after all his blog. Charles does know about TKF and has not chosen to ban him. I believe TFK is what we used to call a good man, who, in the service of his country, got some of his wiring crossed up.You can obviously scroll past his comments if they offend you.
It's still Charles blog and I still think it appropriate for Charles to make the decision as to whether or not a poster is good or bad for LGF.
And please note, I'm not trying to start a flame war, or get into a pissing contest with you, Jheka or Bubble Girl; I just understand what TFK has gone through and goes through every day of his life and I'd hate to see him banned from the one community in which he feels safe.

#180 scott in east bay

wouldn't it be delicious if the backlash produced a federal law mandating proof of citizenship to register to vote, and state photo ID every time you vote?

Don't bet on that happening. The LLLs claim that "intimidates" voters. Ooooh! Some states are already beginning to require it (I think AZ just passed a law - somebody correct me).

179 Roger

at the very least associated like the Kevin Bacon game.

Sorry, I missed that.

#186 grayp:

Gingrich?

Absolutely no way. He has a Carol Mosely-Braun chance of ever getting into the White House without an invitation or a tour group. Way too many hard feelings towards him from both sides of the aisle ... and his personal life isn't exactly an example for the kids either.

As for Rudy's personal life, 90% of the country doesn't care and most of those that do wouldn't have voted for him anyway because of his positions on certain domestic issues. Clinton sure did lower the bar (or open up the field, depending on how you look at it) in that regard.

fag is not a racial slur
and
a chink can be in your armor

TFK ruffles the fur
but his heart is filled with honor

#189 Ward Cleaver
Its funny how you need to show more ID to rent a movie at BlockBuster than you do to vote.

OT - Breaking News! Silvio Now In Lead in Italian Elections!
hehehehehe..if this holds, the Left in Europe is going to go BONKERS.

Berlusconi Overtakes Prodi in Italian Election (Update1)
April 10 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi overtook former European Commission President Romano Prodi in Italian elections and now leads in voting for both houses of parliament, projected results showed. The final outcome is too close to call.

Berlusconi had a narrow advantage of 0.3 percentage point in voting for the Chamber of Deputies that would give him 340 seats in the 630-seat house, projections based on a partial count of votes showed. Berlusconi's coalition also held a narrow majority in the Senate.

Initial exit polls showed Prodi winning the Chamber and a 20-seat majority in the Senate. Italians voted using a new proportional voting system similar to the one that produced 52 governments in 48 years until it was abandoned in 1994.

Official counting of the votes continues. With a third of the votes for the Chamber counted, that tally gives Prodi a lead over Berlusconi with 52 percent to 47 percent.

It's funny; we have an open thread today, but this seems to have become the open thread.

#194 KevinV

Hang in there, Silvio.

#188 realwest:

How about the fact that TFK pisses on this community and Charles and everyone else in it several times a day, every day? He's done so a couple of times just in this thread. Any relationship is a two way street.

Just wait until the perpetually unemployed youths get a little older. They think they have riots now? Heh. Buh-bye France. Can't say I feel too sorry for you.

193 Black George Bush

Its funny how you need to show more ID to rent a movie at BlockBuster than you do to vote.

Where's the outcry over the disenfrachised video renters?

194 Kevin V
I just posted that story in the thread about Silvio from earlier today.

#195 Ward Cleaver
Good Point. Probably due to the lack of shock of Chirac rolling over.

#199 Aladin Sane
Yeah, what about the rights and human dignity of undocumented video renters?

#191 Jheka

Gingrich?

Absolutely no way. He has a Carol Mosely-Braun chance of ever getting into the White House without an invitation or a tour group.

That's what I thought 3 mos. ago. But put him side by side with Guilliani & McCain - he's still one of the most articulate, formidably intelligent people out there. Conceivably, he could make people forget.

#188 Realwest..

TFK has gone through and goes through every day of his life and I'd hate to see him banned from the one community in which he feels safe.

I'll stand along side you on that one Realwest

#194 KevinV:

But the exit polls! The exit polls!

Diebold!

/Khaaan!

In other news, Karl Rove was spotted enjoying a gelatto on Rome's Spanish Steps ...

#190 Aladin Sane, if she didn't start the club it is only six degrees away from her by folks who have been in her book club.

/Maybe it didn't work for humor.

186 grayp
If Clinton could have been President then Rudy can. As for Gingrich there ain't no way in hell he willl get the nomination or be elected (unless Howard Dean is the nominee). He is way too polarizing and only people who insist on ideological conformity would propose him. He would lose and that is it. There are too many people who expect to have a candidate who is 100% lcokstep pure. If you think that the MSM tried to stop W. wait and see what they would do to the Ging. Pam on AtlasShrugs even propsoed CHeney who has even less of a chance then Gingrich. I would vote for Cheney and Gingrich but I am more intrested in winning.

202 Black George Bush

Yeah, what about the rights and human dignity of undocumented video renters?

They were probably renting "Brokeback Mountain" and didn't want to show their IDs

Jewnami,

fag is not a racial slur

No, it's not, it's just rude and unnecessary...especially considering that this blog never deals with gay issues.

Jheka

In other news, Karl Rove was spotted enjoying a gelatto on Rome's Spanish Steps ...

Heh.

Seriously, if Silvio wins what will the Iraq War coalition's re-election record be?

U.S.? Bush won.

U.K.? Blair won.

Australia? Howard won.

Okay, I'll grant you Spain, but that's an exceptional case.

Meanwhile how are the opposition doing?

Chirac? Toast and powerless.

Gerhard? History.

Putin? A dictator.

Not at all how the Left predicted. Surprise.

203 grayp
Remember that dumb idea Gingrich had of shutting down the government? I like the man but his judgement is questionable. Gingrich reminds me of Netanyahu in Isreal, better as a spokesman on TV then actually leading a poltiical party!

France is on a downward spiral. It's also known as "eating your own young".

What I like about LGF is the wide variety of posters here. If we all agreed on every issue, this would be a very boring site.

I usually scroll over tfk's posts, but he is a member here and it is up to the man in charge to deal with him. When my daughter comes running to me complaining about something her brother said or did, I listen to her to find out what it is and always tell her she should work it out with him before coming to me because I'm not gonna bother finding the facts and just discipline both of them.

BTW, I think Bush is wrong on immigration, that he hasn't prosecuted the war on terror to it's fullest, and continues to send money to those that murder Jews. But even after saying all that, I'm still glad I voted for him over Kerry.

#191 Jheka "As for Rudy's personal life, 90% of the country doesn't care and most of those that do wouldn't have voted for him anyway because of his positions on certain domestic issues. Clinton sure did lower the bar (or open up the field, depending on how you look at it) in that regard."
Quite frankly until he committed perjury, I thought what Clinton did with Lewisnky (who was over 21 at the time) was between Clinton, Lewinsky and Hillary.
Rudy, whom I loved as a Mayor and for whom I'd vote in a hearbeat, however, affected a lot of voters here in NYC (pre 9/11)by very publically romancing a young woman while still married to Donna Hanover. His lack of discretion (more than his fooling around)and I mean lack of discretion turned off a lot of voters in NYC and not just female voters, either.
He acted very much the Cad where his wife and son were concerned.
Mind you I'd still vote for him, and with entusiasm, but that "affair" will be an albatross around his neck during any presidential run and not just in NYC, but in the heartland, as well, IMHO.

214 Realwest
Donna Hannover was no bargain either. She did not even say if she voted for him when he ran in 1997. Appearing in a play called "The Vagina Monologues" was not exactly dignified of her either. Rudy telling that Saudi prick to shove his $10 million up his ass aced it for me. R.G. is no Teddy Kennedy or Bill Clinton.

I don't want to get invovled in the tfk imbroglio but his posts always to me read as if he wrote them drunk.

I just don't like the idea of having a president with the first name of "Newt".

Realwest

I never called for TFK to be banned.

I asked TFK himself to not use the word, fag... this is my right.

#215 Joel
Rudy G. is a gun controller, nuff said.

#214 realwest

What's NBL (from the open thread)?

Ringo I agree. I just think he has the right to be an asshole.

#219 maddog44

Rudy G. is a gun controller, nuff said.

With all respects Rudy G. made my city a safer city then his predecessors and has more courage then most potential candidates regarding fighting terrorism. He stood up to the racial arsonists such as my former classmate Al Sharpton as well.
George W. Bush whom I voted for is soft on illegal immigration and spends money like a drunken sailor. His supprot of the Dubai porst deal and his nomination of Harriet Miers to the S.C. turned me off. I still am glad I voted for him and thatKerry lost. No candidate will be 100% perfect in my eyes or yours. Gingrich would be a disaster as a candidate as would nominla Republcians like Lindsey Graham and Chuck Hagel.

#181 Ward

Guldihal (I think) was a great pro. My maternal Grandfather was a friend of Leo Deigel. I have an old wooden shafted driver of his from the 30's. I had a full set of them but I broke them hitting rocks when I was a kid and did not know any better.

#182 Jammie

Chad has the game to challenge again. And I can't wait for Winged Foot. Should be fun, I envy you.

#184 Jheka

This "golf" that you speak of ... it is the ball and stick game?

I heard several years ago it described as a good walk spoiled. Also, that in ancient times when men beat the ground with sticks and cursed they called it witchcraft. Now they call it golf.

I love the sport cause it's just you and the ball and the hole is not moving. There is no one to blame but yourself and your lack of talent for a bad result, no umpire to point fingers at. Plus, as beat up as my body is from 40 plus years of various injuries and damaging pursuits, it's about all this old body can handle. My golf buddy swears he can hear my shoulders rattling from 50 yards away when I hit a shot, says it sounds like a bag of unshelled peanuts being shook.

#214 realwest:

entusiasm - was that a wee bit of Brooklynese coming thru? :)

If the next election is about national security and defense, Rudy is perceived quite favorably over most everyone else who might run, even though he actually hasn't done anything on foreign policy - it's the law and order/no nonsense persona that carries the day.

If it's about more mundane issues, like health care or education, then his personal background becomes more significant, though people will remember him more by what he did in the days after 9/11 than what he was or wasn't doing with his wife, his gf, and his kids.

Come on folks, get with the fucking CHANT!
Repeata after mwa, Chavez is the greatest,

USA, USA, USA, USA, fuck USA!

PIMF: nominal, Port, Republicans
I should not type with sticky fingers (I was eating an orange).

Today we march...
Tomorrow we vote, FUVK Whiteye?

#215 Joel "Donna Hannover was no bargain either"
I never said she was; she did however keep her affair so quiet that I didn't even know about it until about a year after Rudy left office.
And her appearing - for a very brief period of time in a play called "The Vagina Monologues" was not exactly dignified of her either but it was not something I or apparently the critics, thought very much of; but she was a TV Talking Head and my best guess is that she did that to see if she had a future as an actress. Fortunatley for all of us, she realized she did not.

#194 Kevin

..but,but,but the exit pollls said that John Kerry would win.

Oooops,wrong election,same point.

214 realwest

Quite frankly until he committed perjury, I thought what Clinton did with Lewisnky (who was over 21 at the time) was between Clinton, Lewinsky and Hillary.

And the American people who pay for and essentially own the Oval Office. He wanted hummers, then he could have gotten them on his own time, and in his own hotel room or private place.

What enraged many like me is not some supposed prudishness about sex. It is the total lack of judgement and personal recklessness. And I suspect his intoxication with power was part of the aphrodisiac.

There was something in Clinton that gloated in being in the Oval office, and then in a teenage fantasy, shitting on the whole world in a smirking debasement of authority. He just had to get a blowjob in the office representing the greatest concentration of temporal power on the earth.

Something beyond sex in all this, something pathological, the same exists in his crazy wife. These people are dangerous and have caused untold harm to this country and the world. Examine the outcome of Bill's foreign policy. (Genocide in Rwanda and Congo, Terrorism unanswered for 8 years, N. Korea goes nuclear and so much more)

This is beyond a simple choice of sex. It is about when and where, and the fact he is a powerful man with a subordinate.

Nobody, but nobody, would have forgiven an Army General, or a CEO of a large corporation for the same behavior, least of all the baying moonbats who drove out men such as Senator Robert Packwood for far less.

The dual standard is unbelievable, how can you buy into that?

201 joel

Guiliani would be strong but I'm not convinced I could vote for him. He gets major props for defence but he's a social liberal (not that its a bad thing its just not my cup of tea, being pretty socially conservative myself). It looks like even Allen has been a bit wobbly on immigration but we may be able to bring him around. He appears to be the most capable candidate being bandied about by the pundits thus far. Still, 2008 is a long way off yet.

I wish those clowns in the beltway would wake up and realize that they are alienating a good deal of the Republican base over this assinine amnesty plan. What good is pandering to a projected group of voters if the people putting you in office today decide to stay home.

Of course, this amnesty plan cuts both ways, and the unions and NAACP don't seem to be thrilled with it at all. How's this for a scenario. The House bill (which is the only sensible one out there) gets passed, with a veto overide if possible. The Republicans lose the La Raza vote, but make substantial gains with union workers, blacks, and legal hispanics (who are really at the short end of the stick with this one). Wouldn't that just be peachy?

The GOP is losing my vote, Eh!

Ha, ha, ha, Ha, ha, ha,... puke...

#211 Joel

"Remember that dumb idea Gingrich had of shutting down the government?"

No, the budget was submitted but Clinton didn't like it and refused to sign. The stand-off insued and the party-line-drum-banging media sure let everyone know who the scoundrel was. Your post alone proves the conditioned response.

Doris DePaze is a non speaking de english WHORE!

228 realwest
Also Donna Hanover (when Rudy had prostate cancer) woke him up with her 5:00 AM work out exercise in Gracie Mansion when he was sick from his radiation treatments. Judi Nathan (Rudy's girl friend at the time) stood by him when he had cancer and he did marry her. Rudy is no Lothario. Also I think that RG might finally get the largest percentage of Jewish voters that any Republican candidat ever got (although given the Jewish peoplea automatic identification with the Dems, who knows?). He took over a demoralized city in 1994 in which businesses and people were fleeing in droves due to crime and high taxes and proved that NYC was not ungovernable as the Left kept saying, only that it wasn't being governed. Was he perfect, hell no! His dispute with Police Commissioner Bill Bratton was childish. However all in all Rudy did a great job as Mayor and if he was Mayor now insted of Mayor Milquetoast aka Mike Bloomberg, he would have done a Ronald Reagan and fired the asshole transit workers for their illegal strike last December. In 2001 when they last threatened to strike he said he would fire them and they did not strike. Does one want to win in 2008 or not?

OT:

Kadima's strategy is being shaped in the course of setting up its coalition government:

Meretz representatives to the coalition negotiations told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that Kadima delegates had told them Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert intended to evacuate all 68 settlements on the far side of the security fence.

The meeting between Kadima and Meretz delegates was the last meeting for Kadima's coalition negotiators with potential coalition partners.

I wouldn't totally discount this report, but Meretz is clearly angling for being a part of the coalition government. Yisrael Beitenu opposes the plan, which means that Meretz could force bigger concessions from Kadima. This might be a signal of Meretz' intentions more than Kadima, though given that Sharon called for disengagement, it's only logical to assume that withdrawal behind the Israeli-drawn line is where this is headed.

Stupido Americano's, yee,yee,yee,yee,yee, yee, yee,yee,yee,yee,yee, yee,...

Dont mind me Im watching C-ommunistSPAN.-

#237 beavereater

Is that you, tfk?

233 Buckey Abroad
The fact is that Clinton outmaneuvered Gingrich on that and Gingrich got the blame. There was a reason why Gingrich was forced to resign as Republican leader. His public perception (rightly or wrongly) was way too negative.

Here comes the swimmer, ya haaa!

I'd gladly vote for Guiliani but I'm afraid I'll have to vote for whoever the Republicans put up, not because I'm a "lockstepper" (TFK) but because the alternative (Hillary, Biden, Feingold, God knows) will be worse.

I wish it wasn't that way, but it is.

That's just reality.

If I wrote the headlines:

Ted Kennedy and other oxygen thiefs who have also violated the law.

How cum we had no translator for Doris?

Newt endorses Hillary. 'nough said.

Im sorry Doris, Kennedy's the WHORE!

#197 Jheka - I'll only repeat what I said in my comment #188 - I'm not looking to get into a pissing contest with you or Bubble Girl or anyone else over TFK. The only thing I will add is in reponse to your " TFK pisses on this community and Charles and everyone else in it several times a day, every day?"[emphasis added, realwest] is that you are wrong about that.
You are right that this is a two way street and anytime anyone is upset with TFK they should certainly feel free to say so for themselves.
I also know you to be a truly decent and honorable guy and would ask you to please re-read my #188 and maybe just think about it a minute or two longer.

#239 Ward Cleaver

Dont think so, this guy is semi-coherent, if demented.

well, kiddies i know it's confusing, but it turns out that making it so that your employers can fire you means that they're willing to give you jobs in the first place!

/3 year old teacher

#240 Joel

"His public perception (rightly or wrongly) was way too negative."

I'm more than aware of that, but your last statement made it seem Newt was the one to crucify for it.

BTW- Rudy should stay in NY where he'll do the most good. He is nothing but democrat-light in outside of the NE and the west coast.

Others have said this before, but our leaders had better not go all French CHIRAC on us because of anti-legal thugs in the street.

Since when do nonvoting inmates run the asylum?

CHAOS better not rule in the USA, no matter how much our leftists foment it.

So the headlines in the NYTimes tomorrow will say:
A) Bush imposes hiring freeze in France because of their anti war stance

B) Howard Dean reports record numbers registering as Democratic voters

C) Iran promises to nuke somebody; UN urges restraint

Since the French are fighting themselves, does this count as a loss, or is it a draw?

#249 dmjboose

MADNESS

#253 hogman

Hell, its the only time they can even attempt to declare a win.

#234 Beav

Doris DePaze is a non speaking de english WHORE!

You having a rough day?

I did like Giuliani's "Broken Window" theory--behind his clean up of New York (along with its Disneyfication).

Of course lefty PBS told me recently that New York City was "saved" by the musical "A Chorus Line."

Kiddies, don't learn your history from Public Broadcasting~they wouldn't tell you it was liberals who sunk NYC in the first place!

The board has been quiet today. I wonder if a bunch of the regulars are out participating in the Walk Across America that is going on today.
So long as it doesn't mess with my drive home I frankly could care less.

this guy is semi-coherent, if demented.

I can agree with that.

Late to the thread,
probably been said,
but I'll go ahead,
sorry if retread.

Last time the French won a war was the French revolution. They are their own worst enemy.

#257 alegrias
What do you think the broken glass theory means?

Looking at our country today, we're all going to become French.

#261 x-ray
PIMF
Read your comment I did't like Giuliani's "Broken Window" theory
Sorry I'll shut up know here in the corner.

#222 Joel
You want to see NYC violent crime drop dramatically? Pass a right to carry law. Ha, ha, ha, what do you spose the chances of that happening in New Jack are? So many liberal heads would explode they would think it was another major terrorist attack!

#262 moonsbreath

Gee. You're mean.

I feel dirty just watching this trash on CSPAN...Responda por favour!

I'm really shocked, I mean, doesn't Chirac realize this is going to make the French look like a bunch of cowardly, self defeating, unmanly people, who surrender at the drop of a hat (or burning car)?

What if this sets a president?

#188 Realwest.

Thanks for setting me straight. I just emailed you. As promised in my email, I had no business talking smack about DD214's before I've walked in someone else's boots.

TFK, what I said was wrong and I am sorry I said it. Thank you for your service.

I was wrong and apologize. Realwest was correct for pointing this out to me.

"Realwest:

I gotta admit you're right there. Offering to match my DD214 against anyone other than Al Gore (he doesn't have one) is idiotic on my part.

TFK, I apologize and will post this as well."

Only nation on the planet that puts 1 gear forward and 5 in reverse on their tanks.

#268 Bulgar Wheat

TFK, I apologize and will post this as well."

It's take a BIG MAN to admit when he's wrong.
Your one of a few I have met in my life.

You have my greatest Respect!
I too know of TFK and what he deals with.

#270 Dust-off

I go back to the Nashville VA and visit one of my buddies 3 times a year. He's been there since '92. I've seen my own Dad about 5 times in the last 10 years.

They're rioting in Africa. They're starving in Spain.
There's hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain.
The whole world is festering with unhappy souls.
The French hate the Germans.
The Germans hate the Poles.
Italians hate Yugoslavs.
South Africans hate the Dutch
and I don't like anybody very much!
But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud
for man's been endowed with a mushroom shaped cloud.
And we know for certain that some lovely day
someone will set the spark off and we will all be blown away.
They're rioting in Africa. There's strife in Iran.
What nature doesn't do to us will be done by our fellow man.

The Kingston Trio 1956
Sound familiar?

#269 You forgot Egypt.

#271 Bulgar Wheat

I go back to the Nashville VA and visit one of my buddies 3 times a year. He's been there since '92. I've seen my own Dad about 5 times in the last 10 years.

I'm glad to hear that. Like all of us who came home from war, it's good to have friends NO-matter what.

I like TFK, I too am VET from many years ago.

You can pretty much tell what I did in my service days by my LGF name.

Again. Thanks...

#272 Mike in GA

for man's been endowed with a mushroom shaped cloud.

Neutron? Peace through superior weapons? If Newt spelled his name Neut he'd be more threatening, less reptilian/slimy.

We tried wimping out as our liberal singer-songwriters recommended--Dhjimmah made "peace" not war with Khomenei's thugs.
Thanks a lot liberals, you've brought on the mushroom nightmare through your anti-war weakness.

Dust-off, was a pathfinder, I didn't always ground properly.

I was the dumb-ass trying to sling load that you guys laughed at flying through the air.

"always properly ground...always properly ground..."

Back from increasing America's oil production in SW Wichita County, and then attending the Samsung/Radio Shack 500.

Did I miss anything good?

BTW, I listened to Rush Limbaugh on drive down for first time in a few weeks.

He hasn't exactly gone Michael Savage on us yet, but I think even he realizes that Bush is not at all serious about border security.

He also played some grad student female, with, IIRC, and Anglo name, from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced Foreign Relations (or something like that), who asked Bush if he knew that the Prophet Mohammad introduced the first constitution based on democracy and equal rights for all? She went on to ask if Bush would try to spread the message to ordinary Americans that democracy is an inherent part of Islam.

I had no idea that a school with such a rep for medicine as the Johns Hopkins could have such a complete moonbat program in other areas.

#276 Bulgar

was a pathfinder

Now that's a interesting job! (-:

I'm out of here take care.

#277 Ed Mahmoud abu al Qahool Martyr Brigades

I heard part of the "conflict resolution studies" (or something like that) segment on Rush too. Funny bit if it weren't so real life right now. A real jaw dropper.

#277 ed mahmoud

Welcome back.

Johns Hopkins sits in innercity gritty Baltimore Jack. Maryland, where felonious dem operatives stole black Republican Michael Steele's social security number to access his credit report to try to sink his Senatorial campaign.

Democrat ethics to keep a good man down. But they looove democrat Joseph Wilson IV's whining "no yellowcake in Niger--Bush Lied and outted My wife the former spy."

Maryland, where they give kids school credit to attend rallies against legal immigration!

im with realwest, i enjoy reading most of TFK's posts. i think of him like my grandpa. dont always agree with gramps and i cant repeat what he said in public but i still want to hear what he has to say. anyway i understand that what he says is not always PC but do we really want to start the PC ball rolling?

/when you point your finger there are 3 more fingers pointing back at you (my mom says)