Check Out Some Great Local Sound - Q Public

If you're like me, you tire of your current music collection from time to time and welcome a fresh new find. A couple months back I picked up a CD from a local band, Q Public, that has stayed towards the top of the stack ever since. I purchased one for Young Master Nordeaster and he gives it the thumbs up as well.

I have thank my most loyal reader and commenter, Surfergrrl for clueing me in to the band. Full disclosure - in a very real way, she's a big part of it, but that's not the reason I'm plugging them. I will not endorse something unless I can be totally honest in my support.

Q Public is playing at the Fine Line Music Cafe this Friday. If you're looking to get out and do something this weekend, check them out. Avoid the crowds, the overpriced food and the over-the-hill bands at The Taste of Minnesota. If you can't make it Friday, check out the Q Public website, get on their mailing list and see them another time.

At the very least, check out their CD, Bedroom Light. At $12.97 including shipping and handling, it's a bargain. The CD is very well produced, particularly the title track which also features the renowned The Sounds of Blackness. It's hard to describe the band's sound exactly. I'll leave that for Surfergrrl in the comments.

I haven't had the opportunity to see Q Public live for some time. Seems they always play on dates when I have Young Master Nordeaster, but I love the CD and hope to see them soon. When I do, maybe I'll see you there.

Busy Days

Yesterday and today are again days where blogging has to take a back seat. I have a couple of posts that will be going up early this evening. Thanks!

UPDATE:

The stuff hit the fan pretty good for this week and next so blogging is going to be very light for the next few days. Why does this always seem to happen when there is so much big news happening? Add another to Murphy's Law.

Murtha -- U.S. "More Dangerous to World Peace" than North Korea or Iran

John Murtha is at it again...

MIAMI — American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said to an audience of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon.

Murtha was the guest speaker at a town hall meeting organized by Rep. Kendrick B. Meek, D-Miami, at Florida International University's Biscayne Bay Campus. Meek's mother, former Rep. Carrie Meek, D-Miami, was also on the panel.

War veterans, local mayors, university students and faculty were in the Mary Ann Wolfe Theatre to listen to the three panelists discuss the war in Iraq for an hour.

On Haditha...

The killings, which sparked an investigation [not yet completed, my ed.] into the deadly encounter and another into whether they were the subject of a cover-up [the investigation is complete and showed there wasn't, my ed.], could undermine U.S. efforts in Iraq more than the prison abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib in 2004, Murtha said.

One gets the feeling that attribution should say "Murtha hopes", instead of "Murtha said".


"(The United States) became the target when Abu Ghraib came along," Murtha said.

Oh, really? We weren't the target when the terrorists tried to blow up the WTC in 1993 and succeeded in 2001? The sailors on the U.S.S. Cole weren't a target? What were those? Accidents? The U.S. first became a jihadi terror target in Iran under Jimmy Carter and have been one ever since.

Murtha continually shows his ignorance of history and world events. Remember, Benedict Arnold was a U.S. war hero at one time too. Murtha must go, click here to help...

They All Look Alike to CBS/AP

The infamous CBS "fact-checking" department was hard at work again, yesterday (via Little Green Footballs). A fitting error on Dan "fake but accurate" Rather's last day...

What's wrong with this picture? At least two people at CBS completely missed the fact that the flag is Japan's flag, not China's. Junior high level geography is evidently not a requirement to work in the CBS newsroom. Why should it be? Reporters aren't required to have a basic grasp of history or journalistic ethics, either. The error has since been corrected.

There are a couple of minor errors that have not been fixed. First, if you look at the lighting, the shadow should be to the upper right, not the lower left. Second, a LGF reader pointed out that this isn't even a picture of Earth's moon, but Dione, one of Saturn's moons.

Righteous Anger

Like many of us, Chief is feeling some righteous anger today. In his impassioned rant, he spills a little bile on the page, but there is much needed honesty, frankness and wisdom in his words.

Read it! Comments and all.

An Infuriating Morning

I turned on the news this morning to this horrible news, which the military has not yet confirmed...

The bodies of two U.S. soldiers reported captured last week have been recovered, and an Iraqi official said Tuesday the men were "killed in a barbaric way." Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility for killing the soldiers, and said the successor to slain terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had "slaughtered" them, according to a Web statement that could not be authenticated.

The report even mentioned the possiblity that the men were tortured. I sat for a moment filled at once with anger and repulsion towards the vermin who would do this and extreme sympathy for the families of these two brave young men.

I went away from the TV for about 20 minutes while I got ready for work. I walked back into the bedroom just in time to see a clip of John Murtha saying something like "these weren't roadside bombs, these were cold blooding killings". I thought, well good, at least he's denouncing the scum who did this. Then I realized it was an earlier clip where Murtha was talking about our boys. Infuriating!

Murtha has to go. To help make that happen click here...

World Cup Death Toll Update #3 - 12 and Counting

The body count is rising fast. So far, 9 murders, 2 heart-attacks and a suicide, bringing the known total to 12.

1. Two armed gangs clashed over control of a generator to see the World Cup, leaving six people dead, sources close to the United Nations mission in Haiti said last week.

The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) of Haiti plans to distribute battery-powered televisions, footballs and Haitian flags during the World Cup, which opened Friday in Germany.

Who says the UN has outlived it's usefulness.


2. Two football fans collapsed and died in their homes in South Trinidad on Saturday while watching the Soca Warriors make their World Cup debut in Germany, police reports said yesterday.

Acting Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ronald John, of Point Fortin; and accountant and preacher Vishnu Lall, of Palmiste, near San Fernando, were both pronounced dead at hospital, police reports indicated. Both men are suspected to have succumbed to heart failure, investigators said.


3. A Scot has died in England after being stabbed in a row over football. Robert Whiteford - known as Rab C because of his Glaswegian accent - died after a fight on Friday, hours before England kicked off their World Cup campaign.

4. It can be suicidal to place your bets on teams in the World Cup, as an Ecuadorean fan demonstrated after he predicted Poland would defeat his countrymen. He killed himself.


And this is just plain wrong...

Churchgoers in Germany and other parts of the world have enticed their followers to watch matches on giant plasma screens within the sacred walls of their worshipping houses.

Yep.

Just as I stated in my introductory post...

ACCORDING TO YOUR ANSWERS,
You fall exactly on the border
of two political philosophies...
.
CONSERVATIVE
LIBERTARIAN

From Residual Forces via Hugh Hewitt. Take Quiz Here. It is a somewhat loaded quiz. I don't quite agree with the creator's representation of the various positions.

World Cup Death Toll Update #2

I found this site, WFMU. It's an odd site, but they have a great page dedicated to World Cup 2006 Death Watch. Check it out.


With this find, there's a World Cup related death update...

Football fever hit China over the weekend as the 2006 World Cup kicked off.

Fans across the country crammed into bars and open-air venues to watch live coverage of the opening matches, despite the six-hour time difference between China and tournament host Germany.

Doctors however last night warned against the dangers of excessive drinking after a 24-year-old man surnamed Wang, from Changsha, capital city of Central China's Hunan Province, collapsed and died two hours after watching the opening match.

Police said that he had been drinking excessively throughout the evening.

And, of course, a riot broke out after the match between Germany and Poland. Germans vs. Poles, neo-nazi's involved, and police in intimidating black outfits. I see, it's a nostalgia thing...

Police had earmarked the match between the historical rivals as a potential flashpoint for trouble....trouble began when police tried to arrest neo-Nazi thugs....Eventually, special police units wearing black body armour and balaclavas were drafted in to clear the streets....More than 300 people were arrested in Dortmund by the end of the night.

Kerry Still Clueless

On Monday, John Kerry introduced senate resolution S.2766, the stated purpose of which is "To require the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq and urge the convening of an Iraq summit. " A couple of excerpts...

(a) WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM IRAQ. --

(1) SCHEDULE FOR WITHDRAWAL. -- The President shall reach an agreement as soon as possible with the Government Iraq on a schedule for the withdrawal of United States combat troops from Iraq by December 31, 2006, leaving only forces that are critical to completing the mission of standing up Iraqi security forces.

(2) CONSULTATION WITH CONGRESS REQUIRED. -- The President shall consult with Congress regarding such schedule and shall present such withdrawal agreement to Congress immediately upon the completion of the agreement.

And of course it wouldn't be a John Kerry resolution if we didn't include a "Global Test".

(b) IRAQ SUMMIT. -- The President should convene a summit as soon as possible that includes the leaders of the Government of Iraq, leaders of the governments of each country bordering Iraq, representatives of the Arab League, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization representatives of the European Union, and leaders of the governments of each permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, for the purpose of reaching a comprehensive political agreement for Iraq that addresses fundamental issues including federalism, oil revenues, the militias, security guarantees, reconstruction, economic assistance, and border security.

Yeah, let's let all the countries who were stealing billions from the Iraqi people through the Oil-For-Food scam have a say in oil revenue distribution. Let's let the countries of the Arab League like Syria have a say in Iraqi border security issues.

Senator Kerry has learned absolutely nothing. This was a losing strategy in 2004 and it still is.


I think the different outlooks can be summed up like this...

The Left wants a premature pull out from Iraq because they believe it will be as "SUCCESSFUL" as it was in Vietnam, while the Right does not want a premature from Iraq because they believe it will be as DISASTEROUS as it was in Vietnam.

History and reality are on both on the right side of the aisle. The killing ramped up dramatically after we pulled out of Vietnam. Anyone who is honest with themselves know the same will be true in Iraq. A premature pullout will be an open invitation to another Pol Pot, or many smaller Pol Pots that will cause much bigger problems for the U.S. down the road than we face now.

World Cup Death Toll Update #1

A couple of weeks ago I posted a British story about how heart attack deaths in the UK double during World Cup matches. Then there was the post about the large number of drunk driving deaths that occur during the World Cup. Each team had only played one game and we already have our first two documented World Cup related murders...

Thai police are searching for a gunman who shot and killed two soccer fans at a beach resort after complaining they were cheering too loudly during a broadcast of Italy's World Cup opener against Ghana, officials said Wednesday.

The two men, both Thais, were watching Italy's 2-0 win over Ghana at a restaurant Monday at the Thai beach resort town of Pattaya, and erupted in roars when Italy scored its first goal, said Panipha Wattakul, a girlfriend of one of the victims.

A man seated at a nearby table asked them to quieten down, prompting a heated argument during which the man pulled out a handgun and shot the football fans at point blank range, said Police Col. Somnuek Chanket, the Pattaya police chief.

This is the first, but likely won't be the last. WCW will keep you posted. Tell me again about how the World Cup brings people together.

Science/Religion Very Compatable for Genome Code Lead Scientist

Science and religion are in conflict. That's what we so often hear from the "intellectual elite." However, the lead scientist on the human genome project, and former atheist now has a different take. "I’ve found God," says Francis Collins, the director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute. He claims there is a rational basis for a creator and that scientific discoveries bring man “closer to God”. From the London Sunday Times...

His book, The Language of God, to be published in September, will reopen the age-old debate about the relationship between science and faith. “One of the great tragedies of our time is this impression that has been created that science and religion have to be at war,” said Collins, 56.

For Collins, unravelling the human genome did not create a conflict in his mind. Instead, it allowed him to “glimpse at the workings of God”.

“When you have for the first time in front of you this 3.1 billion-letter instruction book that conveys all kinds of information and all kinds of mystery about humankind, you can’t survey that going through page after page without a sense of awe. I can’t help but look at those pages and have a vague sense that this is giving me a glimpse of God’s mind.”

Collins joins a line of scientists whose research deepened their belief in God. Isaac Newton, whose discovery of the laws of gravity reshaped our understanding of the universe, said: “This most beautiful system could only proceed from the dominion of an intelligent and powerful being.”

Although Einstein revolutionised our thinking about time, gravity and the conversion of matter to energy, he believed the universe had a creator. “I want to know His thoughts; the rest are details,” he said.

Among Collins’s most controversial beliefs is that of “theistic evolution”, which claims natural selection is the tool that God chose to create man. In his version of the theory, he argues that man will not evolve further.

“I see God’s hand at work through the mechanism of evolution. If God chose to create human beings in his image and decided that the mechanism of evolution was an elegant way to accomplish that goal, who are we to say that is not the way,” he says.

“Scientifically, the forces of evolution by natural selection have been profoundly affected for humankind by the changes in culture and environment and the expansion of the human species to 6 billion members. So what you see is pretty much what you get.”

His epiphany came when he went hiking through the Cascade Mountains in Washington state. He said: “It was a beautiful afternoon and suddenly the remarkable beauty of creation around me was so overwhelming, I felt, ‘I cannot resist this another moment’.”

Collins believes that science cannot be used to refute the existence of God because it is confined to the “natural” world. In this light he believes miracles are a real possibility.

I read another statistical analysis that said the odds of what we have on Earth happening randomly was 10 to the 100th power. As a statistician, I can appreciate the rarity of those odds. Just from statistical standpoint, it seems that the odds of there being an intelligent creater have to be better than that. It also points out that it takes just as much faith in absence of evidence to believe everything just happened randomly. This is why the intelligent design debate cannot be swept aside.

72 What?

Al Zarqawi goes to his afterlife. As soon as he gets to his room he is pummeled by George Washington. While Washington is working him over, Thomas Jefferson joins in the pounding. Not one to miss a good fight, Patrick Henry joins the fray.

After a while these patriots leave. In walk Booker T. Washington, Robert E. Lee, George Mason and James Monroe. They pick up the severe butt kicking where the others left off...

A look of horror comes over Zarqawi's face as he realizes....

"OH NO! IT'S 72 VIRGINIANS!!!"

Ain't He A Cute Little Devil

The 6/6/06 superstition didn't bother one UK couple. In fact, they embraced it in an unusual way...

A baby born on the 6/6/06 - and weighing 6lb 6oz - has been named Damien after horror film The Omen.

Not only was the baby born on the apocalyptic day, but he was born six days after his mother was induced.

"The Omen is one of our favourite films and that's why I was keeping my legs crossed for a birth on the 6th," Suzanne, 36, told The Sun.

Husband Michael, 35, of Cleveland, Somerset, said: "It took a bit of persuasion for Suzanne to call him Damien but it seems fitting considering the date."

Let's hope the kid doesn't develop a sullen look and an intense stare.

World Cup Tidbits

From a collection of articles on Sky News...

There has been plenty of drinking and chanting outside bars, but there has been no violence and police have not had to step in.

Supporters have been warned that making Nazi salutes is an offence in Germany, but police have indicated that singing songs referring to the Second World War will be tolerated.

That should be interesting...

British uniformed police will be patrolling with their German counterparts to keep an eye on the crowds.

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said: "The symbolism of British and German officers working together is very important. It sends a message to the fans."

....

A World Cup anti-drink drive campaign is being launched …the campaign involves TV adverts to be shown around screenings of World Cup matches.

In 2004, 590 people were killed in drink drive accidents, the highest figure since 1992. [in the UK, alone, ed.]

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "The police know when the games are on and will be alert to the risk.

"With disqualification, £5,000 fines and six months in prison it is a risk just not worth taking."

&#@$^ Blogger

Huge news day yesterday -- Zarqawi blow'd up real good, the last cabinet posts filled in Iraq and no Blogger all day. I had a good post, but it's all been said by now. I know, I know it's my own dang fault for continuing to use this service, but it is easy to use for someone as technologically retarded as I.

Day of Days

Today is the 62nd Anniversary of D-Day. I have no poignant commentary. There is nothing I can say that would add to the impact and meaning of what these brave men endured and accomplished on this historic day. I only want to say, "Thank you!" and to remind others to not only to remember, but also to learn about the events of the day. Only through history can we put the events of today in proper perspective.

For example, did you know that the British press knowlingly ran fake stories in order to assist the government in executing the invasion effort? Picture that happening today.


Below are some great D-Day links from around the world...

Informational & Media sites...

http://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan/speeches/dday_pdh.asp (Reagan's speech commemorating the 40th anniversary - a fantastic speech)

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/normandy/Pictures.htm

http://www.dday.co.uk/ (UK)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/

http://www.britannica.com/dday

http://www.cbc.ca/news/dday/ (Canada)

http://www.junobeach.org/main.html (Canada)

http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/dl/DDay/ddaypage.html (The Eisenhower Library)

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0206/sights_n_sounds/media2.html


Touring and museum sites...

http://www.normandie44lamemoire.com/ (France)

http://www.ddaymuseum.org/

http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk/


By the way, for those looking for a great father's day gift idea -- The Band of Brothers boxed set. It is the finest 12 hours of television ever.

Catching the Same Fish Twice

Amy "Catch and Release" Klobuchar is trying to reel in a big fish. One who committed murder. One she landed earlier this year on another shooting charge at a Super America, but opted to throw back. Via Ramix...

The Minneapolis Police SAFE Unit is looking hard for suspected Wendy's shooter Courtnay Maurice Mitchell. This blog previously reported on the violence here. The crime for which this criminal is being sought was actually the second recent shooting at the same Wendy's, as noted in my post. Was he also involved in a previous shooting?Here are the particulars:

On 5-22-2006 an arrest warrant was issued for Courtnay Maurice Mitchell. This is in connection with a shooting that occurred at the Wendy’s Restaurant at 221 W Lake Street. Mitchell has been charged with 2 counts of Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree.

“Mitchell is wanted in connection with the shooting at the Wendy’s at 221 W. Lake St on April 10, 2006. Mitchell has been arrested with guns in the past and is the suspect of a shooting at the SA in January of this year (County Declined to charge)

He hangs in the area of the Wendy’s and associates with primarily Bogus Boys” Mithcell’s birthdate is 8-14-83, he is 200 lbs, brown eyes and black hair.

A Portent of This Weekends Events?

Captain Ed has an insightful, but depressing story about the races in Pennsylvania. I have a feeling this is an omen for what lies ahead at the State GOP Convention this weekend. It seems the races aren't polling well for the GOP in Pennsylvania and one of the big reasons are the party faithful.

When Rick Santorum only has a 67% support among Republicans, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. My feeling is that two things are driving this. One, general frustration among the base with anything status quo. Two, Santorum's support for Spector over Toomey. Below is the comment I left on the Captain's site...

Cut off nose. Spite face.

This is a sign that the base is so fed up they are rejecting anything that is part of the current GOP status quo. In large part I suspect this is Toomey backlash. We see the same in Minnesota with the group that supported Sullivan for Governor 4 years ago rather than Pawlenty.

When Santorum can't satisfy the conservative base, there's trouble ahead.

This all-or-nothing, I'm going to take my ball and go home attitude will accomplish two things. One it will lead to many more conservative candidates getting support of the party activists. Two it will lead to a lot of those candidates getting defeated and a Democrat majority.

While I still think the conservative movement is growing, what the hard-liners don't realize is that they alone can't carry the vote. However, they certainly can kill it. In a small degree, some talk radio hosts fuel this by over-inflating their perception.

I've talked with so many conservative activists that say they would rather have a Democrat win and "teach the GOP a lessson" than have a moderate Republican in. If anyone can explain how that makes one iota of sense, I'd like to hear it. I see it as a completely selfish exercise. It may make you feel better, but it will be damaging to U.S. policy.

This is no different than the Dems who are trying to force out an experienced senator like Lieberman or those who say Hillary is "too moderate".