Today our attention is focused on those we lost 6 years ago, as well as on Capital Hill and the Petraeus/Crocker testimony. But let us not forget we have thousands of troops in Afghanistan who are doing the things required to make sure that that country never again serves as a safe haven for al Qaeda scum. They do this by building up the country and its people while also bringing the heat and making sure the virgin factory has to work overtime to keep up with demand.

(Below are two videos which are safe for work but the occasional F-bomb is mixed in with the real bombs in the first one)
more...

Posted by: DrewM. at 07:32 AM | Comments (4)
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For those who need a good cry, the FoxNews LiveStream has live events going on in New York and the Pentagon. They're doing the roll call of the dead at Ground Zero right now.

My memories of 9/11, aside from the day itself, are of the months that followed. For a while there it was impossible to turn on FM radio without hearing popular songs remixed with 9/11 audio. I have a CD around here somewhere in which I saved all the ones I could get my hands on.

For now, here are some that I found attached to YouTube videos. I'm still amazed that these played on the radio for months. more...

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 06:42 AM | Comments (10)
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In all the news reporting on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I have yet to see images or video from that day. There has been a quiet embargo of sorts, a hesitance to remind Americans of the horrors that were inflicted on us.

I believe the embargo has allowed us to quiet the anger we felt that day, a righteous anger that David Rusin says we should maintain.

Every September 11, I make it a point to watch the news coverage from that day. Not to renew my anger, although it does that, but to make sure I never forget what happened - that I always remember the nature of the enemy we fight.

Below are videos that compile the news reports from that day. more...

Posted by: Slublog at 06:17 AM | Comments (42)
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ItÂ’s hard to imagine itÂ’s been that long.

Posted by: DrewM. at 06:04 AM | Comments (25)
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A. First successful attack by the Hunter UAV, tracking, then attacking and killing two bomb-planting insurgents.

B. Designed and built in Israel.

from H/A headlines

Posted by: Dave In Texas at 05:32 AM | Comments (8)
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Dan has the scoop on this. The bottom line here is when John F'ing Kerry says you've gone too far, you done gone too far Hoss. I checked the link Dan had and its deader than chairman Mao.

I seriously hope the MoveOn crowd remains tone deaf enough to continue this line of attack. It will be entertaining to see the dem candidates distancing themselves from MoveOn.org.

Update: the ad continues to be available via other avenues at the MoveOn web site.

MoveOn really screwed the pooch with this one though. Some of their bashing goes back prior to Petraeus' confirmation as commander -- which means senate democrats were aware of that before the confirmation vote. So in effect, MoveOn is bashing senate democrats "judgment" at the same time they bash Petraeus.

Kerry getting prickly is interesting too since he didn't actually vote to confirm Petraeus -- he was a no-show on that vote. It would have been easy for him to say "I didn't vote for the man" and have it be the truth. Then again, JK is one of the biggest no-show senators we got.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 08:19 PM | Comments (30)
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I get drunk about once every two years.

This is that once.

Since I cannot just post something saying, "I'm drunk," here is a good link I got off Instapundit, which you've already read, because face it, the only things I link are from Instapudnit and AllahPundit.

You will say this makes me stupid.

I will say: "Who is the fool, the fool or the fool who reads the blog of the fool?"

I love you guys. Shhheriously, I love you guys, man. You're the best. Each and every one of you, every man Jack of you (except Jack M., whose blogging privileges I will revoke presently), including A. Gaspari, who is a hell of a guy, and who can suck my balls anytime he likes.

Here's the deal: Not to tell tales out of school, but I know for a fact that certain bloggers blog drunk all the time.

They are obviously better at it.

But what does that prove? Only that they're no-good stinking drunkards, that's all.

I'm normal. You can tell when I'm wasted. Unlike some bloggers I could name, who are so inured to the anesthesia in a bottle you can't even tell.

YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME?

(For those who don't know: Yeah, the whole Ace of Spades wildman thing is a scam. I stole it all from Boston Irish, who himself is straight-edge, and who in turn stole it from someone else (who is right fucked in the head, and once pointed a shotgun at me for no good reason except for a giggle). I barely drink, when I do drink I keep it to three or less, and once every two years I get sloshed.)

I'm going to declare an Open Blog. Whatev's.

PS: JeffB. is a homo but he only comments anymore when I specifically note he's a homo. So maybe this will finally get him to come out and be what he must be.

PPS: Here's that creepy stalkerazzi message I got from a liberal troll earlier.

I didn't want to post it because I didn't want to freak people out, but it is... unsettling.

Eh, we'll kick his ass.

'Sides, we have an agreement with the bar. He acts like a douche, we get the bouncer to toss him.

Posted by: Ace at 07:07 PM | Comments (75)
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Following last week's revelations about Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, Clinton announced that she would give $23,000 donated by Hsu to charity. That is the amount Hsu directly gave to her presidential and senatorial campaigns and to her political action committee.

Now, Clinton has announced that all 260-or-so donors who contributed money due to Hsu's efforts will be receiving a refund. The amount comes to $850,000.

I think Clinton is in preemptive damage control. She fears (or knows) the results of the FBI investigation into straw donors. When the story breaks, she'll already be in position to distance herself from the fraudulent contributions.

The campaign claims that it is stepping up its efforts to do background checks on fundraisers, but I'll believe that when I see it. Republican candidates better be doing a good job screening their fundraisers. You can be sure that they are getting increased scrutiny from media types anxious to be able to say "See, Republicans do it too."

Clinton has been leading the Democratic response to the Hsu problem She announces that she's giving his donations to charity; 24 hours later most Democrats across the country announce the same. If Hsu did fundraising for any other campaigns, I expect they will continue follow her lead.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 06:33 PM | Comments (24)
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Amazing video downloadable at this web site. The pics of the small airplane that set this FAI speed record are interesting too. Totally asymetric sidewinder, tuned pipe.

The video is totally wild. The engine splutters around for a few laps and the dude is whipping the plane to get it moving -- then the motor comes "on the pipe" and all freaking hell breaks loose and the dude is hustling like a gopher on crack.

On Saturday 13 October 2001 at Fairmile Common near Cobham in Surrey, UK, Paul Eisner made an attempt on his existing World Record for Control Line Speed (1.0 to 2.5cc) which he had held at just over 194 mph since 1987. In unseasonably warm conditions (24C) the best run of the afternoon registered a provisional speed of 208.28 mph. This beats his existing record by the considerable margin of around 14 mph. The model is powered by an Irvine 15 "special" and uses a single-blade carbon fibre prop - as is usual with models of this type...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 06:26 PM | Comments (15)
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If everyone weren't so distracted by the events on Capitol Hill, Fred Thompson's remark in South Carolina today that Osama bin Laden should receive due process if he is captured would be getting more discussion.

A Thompson spokesman later clarified the Senator's position:

"he same rules ought to apply to him as to everyone at Guantanamo Bay, and there ought to be due process through a special military court or commission.''

"For anyone to suggest that we shouldn't squeeze out every last bit of intelligence information has absolutely no understanding how to fight a long term global war on terrorism,'' spokesman Todd Harris said. "It would be very dangerous for the long-term security of our country to not try to milk bin Laden for every ounce of information he has.''

Thompson's support for upholding the due process rights of Osama bin Laden is not inconsistent with his spokesman's clarification, the protestations of Leftists notwithstanding. Bin Laden, should he be captured alive, remains subject to the law, its obligations, and its protections.

It is easy to slip into the trap of thinking that such a self-evidently evil man should be summarily disposed of, law be damned. But that is not the American way, and it is no way to show our enemies that they have been thoroughly beaten by the West.

Bin Laden wanted to subject the world to Islamic tyranny and Sharia law. I can think of nothing more appropriate than seeing him a bowed and broken subject of American law. He thinks he is outside of our laws; as a symbolic matter, I see no reason to grant him any exceptionalism. He is murderous scum; let him see how the law treats his kind.

Questions over the due process of terrorists always make me think of Robert Jackson, a Supreme Court justice who, after World War II, went to be the Chief U.S. prosecutor at Nuremburg. At the end of the tribunal, Jackson told the court:

The future will never have to ask, with misgiving: “What would the Nazi’s have said in their favor?” History will know that whatever could be said, they were allowed to say. They have been given the kind of trial which they, in the days of their pomp and power, never gave to any man.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 06:18 PM | Comments (18)
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