You Didn't Really Think They Were Going To Play Fair Did You?

Outrage!… After Demanding Refund From City, Richmond Tea Party Gets Letter – “You’re Being Audited”

In late October the Richmond Tea Party sent a letter to city officials demanding a refund for the $10,000 the group spent on permits, portable toilets, police presence and emergency personnel for three rallies held at same plaza where the Occupy Richmond squatters set up their camp. Now the tea party is being audited.
Right Side News reported:

"Two weeks after the Richmond Tea Party delivered an invoice to Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones for costs incurred for previous rallies; we received a letter from the City of Richmond formally stating that the city is auditing our Tea Party.

Coincidence? This audit is an obvious attempt to intimidate and harass us for standing up against the unfair treatment and discrimination against our Tea Party.
As reported on the front page of the Richmond Times Dispatch, the Richmond Tea Party delivered an invoice for charges incurred in our previous three Tax Day rallies at Kanawha Plaza because Mayor Jones chose to allow Occupy Richmond protesters to convene in the same park for two weeks.

The Mayor not only allowed the Occupiers to break the law, but he visited them in the city-owned park. “Jones said that as a ‘child of civil rights’ and protests, he had allowed the group to remain in the park but understands his mayoral responsibility to uphold laws of the city,” reported the Richmond Times Dispatch"

Read the rest at Gateway Pundit and if you look at the right side of that image, about half-way up, that would be your humble servant, Moi.

Busted!!!

If White House Was Surprised by Applause at Tucson Pep Rally…

Why Did They Ask For It On Jumbotron?

Posted by Jim Hoft on Saturday, January 15, 2011, 10:40 AM

On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that they were surprised by the applause at the memorial pep rally on Wednesday for the victims of the Tucson shootings.

I will say that I read the speech several times and thought that there wouldn’t be a lot of applause if any. I think many of us thought that. But I think there was a celebration, again, of the lives of those who had been impacted. Not just at that grocery store but throughout the country. And I think that, if that is part of the healing process, then that’s a good thing.

Oh really?
Then why was it printed on the Jumbotron?

They Only Change the Rules When It Suits Them

They were planning on shoving it through anyway.

H/T FreeRepublic
From Gateway Pundit

Dems Announce Plans to Ram Through Obamacare with 51 Votes if Scott Brown Wins
Friday, January 15, 2010, 7:58 PM
Jim Hoft

Democrats tonight announced that they will likely ram Obamacare through the US Senate using the reconciliation process. This would allow democrats to nationalize one-sixth of the US economy wiith only 51 Senate Democrats voting for the bill.

Bloomberg reported: Even if Democrats lose the special election to pick a new Massachusetts senator Tuesday, Congress may still pass health-care overhaul through a process called reconciliation, a top House Democrat said.

That procedure requires 51 votes rather than the 60 needed to prevent Republicans from blocking votes on President Barack Obama’s top legislative priorities. That supermajority is at risk as the Massachusetts race has tightened.

“Even before Massachusetts and that race was on the radar screen, we prepared for the process of using reconciliation,” Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said.

You Want Unprecedented, Here it Is

If this happens the backlash against the US Government by its citizens will be historic. We will not stand by and allow our Warriors to be tried as criminals for protecting us from terrorists. This is unconscionable.

No; wait a minute...you know what this is?

UNPRECEDENTED. Zero appears to have adopted that word for his latest round of Bravo Sierra, and it never seems to apply adequately to anything he uses it for.

It certainly applies here. UNPRECEDENTED!!!!!!!!!!!

UNREAL. Obama May Allow US Soldiers to be Tried in the Hague
Gateway Pundit

Unreal. Team Obama may allow US soldiers to be tried in the Hague for war crimes. The Wall Street Journal reported, via Jihad Watch:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed “great regret” in August that the U.S. is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This has fueled speculation that the Obama administration may reverse another Bush policy and sign up for what could lead to the trial of Americans for war crimes in The Hague.

The ICC’s chief prosecutor, though, has no intention of waiting for Washington to submit to the court’s authority. Luis Moreno Ocampo says he already has jurisdiction—at least with respect to Afghanistan.

Because Kabul in 2003 ratified the Rome Statute—the ICC’s founding treaty—all soldiers on Afghan territory, even those from nontreaty countries, fall under the ICC’s oversight, Mr. Ocampo told me. And the chief prosecutor says he is already conducting a “preliminary examination” into whether NATO troops, including American soldiers, fighting the Taliban may have to be put in the dock.

“We have to check if crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide have been committed in Afghanistan,” Mr. Ocampo told me. “There are serious allegations against the Taliban and al Qaeda and serious allegations about warlords, even against some who are connected with members of the government.” Taking up his inquiry of Allied soldiers, he added, “there are different reports about problems with bombings and there are also allegations about torture.”

It was clear who the targets of these particular inquiries are but the chief prosecutor shied away from spelling it out.

Asked repeatedly whether the examination of bombings and torture allegations refers to NATO and U.S. soldiers, Mr. Ocampo finally stated that “we are investigating whoever commits war crimes, including the group you mentioned.”

Safe Schools Czar

Remember the outcry and fury over the revelations that the Catholic Church hid abuses from 20-30 years ago....Remember the outrage that erupted over the fact that these priests were not prosecuted but were either transferred or "treated" as was the mantra back then....

So, how much outrage is the left going to muster over this man, who seems to be one step up from your average NAMBLA pervert?

President Obama's "safe schools czar" is a former schoolteacher who has advocated promoting homosexuality in schools, written about his past drug abuse, expressed his contempt for religion and detailed an incident in which he did not report an underage student who told him he was having sex with older men.

Gateway Pundit has the story and the link to Fox News.

Liberal Medical philosophy: Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath too seriously

Hey Baby Boomers! Wake the Hell UP!

Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath too seriously?

Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath too seriously?
Via Gateway, re WH medical care advisor Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel (Rahm's brother)

Savings, he writes, will require changing how doctors think about their patients: Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath too seriously, “as an imperative to do everything for the patient regardless of the cost or effects on others” (Journal of the American Medical Association, June 18, 2008).

Yes, that's what patients want their doctors to do. But Emanuel wants doctors to look beyond the needs of their patients and consider social justice, such as whether the money could be better spent on somebody else.

That's why they want Docs to be government employees instead of your privately-hired professional.

h/t Synthstuff, Maggie's, and Gateway Pundit

Iranian Freedom Fighters - updated

These brave, brave people. Stones vs rifles. Bare courage and honor against thugs. If only they had their own rifles so that they could fight back properly.

Do we have people in this country like this anymore? Would we be willing to take to the streets? Or the rooftops?


If you are interested in Iran, Gateway Pundit has been following this since the beginning. Just keep scrolling

Obama has declared that the WAR is over.

All actions now will be considered law enforcement. Captured enemy combatants will be given Miranda warnings.

The Obama Justice Department has quietly ordered FBI agents to read Miranda rights to high value detainees captured and held at U.S. detention facilities in Afghanistan, according a senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. “The administration has decided to change the focus to law enforcement. Here’s the problem. You have foreign fighters who are targeting US troops today – foreign fighters who go to another country to kill Americans. We capture them…and they’re reading them their rights – Mirandizing these foreign fighters,” says Representative Mike Rogers, who recently met with military, intelligence and law enforcement officials on a fact-finding trip to Afghanistan.

We are SO screwed. Can we impeach this son of a bitch yet? For providing aid and comfort to the enemy?

QandO and Gateway Pundit have more.

I'm too angry and disgusted to follow up on this.

The Story of O

Do not be afraid. We are with the government. We are here to help you.



h/t Gateway Pundit

Other TEA Parties

UPDATE: Pajamas TV has a TON of links

Here's a few from around the web....


GREAT article!

We got HOT Protest Party Babes! Scroll down for more ACE goodies.

Gateway Pundit has more links.

8 Pages of video!

Santa Ana Partiers were very creative.

Michelle Malkin just has a BUNCH'A STUFF.

Founding Bloggers has a GREAT VIDEO of that stupid simulation of a CNN reporter. Hey Congress, listen to the protester. "Vote them ALL out!"


Have fun!

Now you know why I'm teaching the Squidette how to shoot.

From a commenter at Gateway Pundit:

shotgun preteen vs. illegal alien Home Invaders :

Butte, Montana November 5, 2007

Two illegal aliens, Raphael Resindez, 23, and Enrico Garza, 26, probably believed they would easily overpower home-alone 11 year old Patricia Harrington after her father had left their two-story home.

It seems the two crooks never learned two things: they were in Montana and Patricia had been a clay shooting champion since she was nine.

Patricia was in her upstairs room when the two men broke through the front door of the house. She quickly ran to her father's room and grabbed his 12 gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun.

Resindez was the first to get up to the second floor only to be the first to catch a near point blank blast of buckshot from the 11-year-old's knee crouch aim. He suffered fatal wounds to his abdomen and genitals.

When Garza ran to the foot of the stairs, he took a blast to the left shoulder and staggered out into the street where he bled to death before medical help could arrive.

It was found out later that Resindez was armed with a stolen 45 caliber handgun he took from another home invasion robbery. That victim, 50-year-old David Burien, was not so lucky. He died from stab wounds to the chest.

Ever wonder why good stuff never makes NBC, CBS, PBS, & MSNBC, CNN, or ABC news........an 11 year old girl, properly trained, defended her home and herself.... ...against two murderous, illegal aliens ......and she wins, she is still alive.


Thought for the day:
Calling an illegal alien an 'undocumented immigrant' is like calling a drug dealer an 'unlicensed pharmacist’.
.
George Smathers | 03.02.09 - 1:07 pm | #

Change for the Worse

Bumper sticker at Zazzle.

This should go well with my "Don't Blame Me, I voted for McCain/Palin sticker.

GOP member objects to Rush Limbaugh description of the GOP leadership.

And for that reason, conservatives will continue to be in the minority. Rush opined that President Obama is more afraid of him than he is of the Republican Congressional leadership.
Representative Gingrey objected.

From the Politico:

Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., did not take kindly to this assessment in an interview with Politico Tuesday.

“I think that our leadership, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, are taking the right approach,” Gingrey said. “I mean, it’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks. You don’t have to try to do what’s best for your people and your party. You know you’re just on these talk shows and you’re living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing. But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders, they’re not in that position of John Boehner or Mitch McConnell."

Rush responded to Politico, "I'm sure he is doing his best but it does not appear to be good enough. He may not have noticed that the number of Republican colleagues he has in the House has dwindled. And they will dwindle more if he and his friends don't show more leadership and effectiveness in battling the most left-wing agenda in modern history. And they won't continue to lose because of me, but because of their relationship with the grassroots, which is hurting. Conservatives want leadership from those who claim to represent them. And we'll know it when we see it.”

Perhaps Boehner and Cantor have gotten the message, however. They are urging Republicans to oppose the "stimulus pork, um, package."

Democrats seem nervous about a lack of support from the GOP. There are 56 Democratic Senators and 255 Democratic Representatives. They have no need for GOP support. Why are they seeking GOP support for something that they could take COMPLETE credit for. Unless, of course, some Democrats either won't support their new President or they expect the results of the "stimulus package" to be a failure.

Democrats are warning that Republicans will continue to be pegged as obstructionists and the “party of ‘no’” if they are unwilling to negotiate. (If the Democrats have a full majority, how can the GOP be obstructionists?)

“The American people rejected the Bush economic policies of the past eight years that resulted in millions of jobs lost and Republicans now have an opportunity to work with the President and Democrats to move our country forward,” said one Democratic aide. “It would be a shame if Republicans choose to promote the same policies instead of listening to the overwhelming majority of Americans who support swift action on the House bill.”

The Democrats continue to use revisionist history to bolster their agenda. Nobody was complaining about the Bush economy during the housing boom. It was only after the DEMOCRATS took power that the economy nose dived. I have not heard of any majority that wants "swift action" on ANY bill. It is the Democrats that are supporting Bush's recent failed policies of bailouts and governmental interference.


Update:

Top 20 Fast Facts about the House Democrats Trillion Dollar Spending Plan

From the House Republican Leader John Boehner comes information that you won't find in the news:

For a taste of just how badly Capitol Hill Democrats have strayed from the vision of a bipartisan plan to get our economy moving again, take a look at these 20 fast facts about their bloated plan:

1. The $825 billion package slated for a House vote later this week will exceed more than $1.1 trillion when adding in the interest ($300 plus billion) between 2009-2019 to pay for it.

2. The Capitol Hill Democrats’ plan includes funding for contraceptives; regardless of where anyone stands on taxpayer funded contraception, there is no question that it has NOTHING to do with the economy.

3. The legislation could open billions of taxpayer dollars to left-wing groups like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which has been accused of voter fraud, is reportedly under federal investigation; and played a key role in the housing meltdown.

4. Here are just a few of the programs and projects that have been included in the House Democrats’ proposal:

· $650 million for digital TV coupons.

· $600 million for new cars for the federal government.

· $6 billion for colleges/universities – many which have billion dollar endowments.

· $50 million in funding for the National Endowment of the Arts.

· $44 million for repairs to U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters.

· $200 million for the National Mall, including $21 million for sod.

5. The plan establishes at least 32 new government programs at a cost of over $136 billion. That means more than a third of this plan’s spending provisions are dedicated to creating new government programs.

6. The plan provides spending in at least 150 different federal programs, ranging from Amtrak to the Transportation Security Administration. Is this the “targeted” plan Democratic leaders promised?

7. Even though the legislation contains at least 152 separate spending proposals, the authors of the plan can only say that 34 have any chance at keeping or growing jobs.

8. Just one in seven dollars of an $18.5 billion expenditure on “energy efficiency” and “renewable energy programs” would be spent within the next 18 months.

9. The total cost of this one piece of legislation is almost as much as the annual discretionary budget for the entire federal government.

10. The House Democrats’ bill will cost each and every household $6,700 in additional debt, paid for by our children and grandchildren.

11. The bill provides enough spending – $825 billion – to give every man, woman, and child in America $2,700. $825 billion is enough to give every person in Ohio $72,000.

12. $825 billion is enough to give every person living in poverty in the United States $22,000.

13. Although the House Democrats’ proposal has been billed as a transportation and infrastructure investment package, in actuality only $30 billion of the bill – or three percent – is for road and highway spending. A recent study from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that only 25 percent of infrastructure dollars can be spent in the first year, making the one year total less than $7 billion.

14. Much of the funding within the House Democrats’ proposal will go to programs that already have large, unexpended balances. For example, the bill provides $1 billion for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – a program that already has $16 billion on hand. States also are sitting on some $9 billion in unused highway funds – funds that Congress is prepared to rescind later this year.

15. All board members of the “Accountability and Transparency Board” created by this legislation are appointees of the President; none will be appointed by Congress.

16. A scant 2.7 percent, or $22.3 billion of the overall package, is dedicated to small business tax relief.

17. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the legislation increases by seven million the number of people who get a check back from the IRS that exceeds what they paid in payroll and income taxes.

18. The “Making Work Pay” tax credit at the center of the plan amounts to $1.37 a day, or about the price of a cup of coffee.

19. Almost one-third of the so-called “tax relief” in the House Democrats’ bill is spending in disguise, meaning that true tax relief makes up only 24 percent of the total package – not the 40 percent that President Obama had requested.

20. $825 billion is just the beginning – many Capitol Hill Democrats want to spend even more taxpayer dollars on their “stimulus” plan. In fact, the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. David Obey (D-WI), told Roll Call earlier this month, “I would not be surprised to see us go further on some of these programs down the line.”

Furthermore, an update at Gateway Pundit posts this from Read the Stimulus.org:
(Tell me again how the Democrats aren't weak on national security.)

Kristen wrote this after scanning the 1588 page piece of legislation:

What caught my eye on first pass was how embarrassingly miniscule is the spending for Homeland Security items as compared to spending on things related to climate change and the environment, for example, but also the multiple billions in other areas to set up more entitlement programs for Democratic constituencies.

A TOTAL of 1.1 billion is allocated for only 4 Homeland Security areas (starts 1/2 way thru pg. 103, goes to start of 105):
Customs/Border
100 million for seaports, non-invasive equipment/salaries
150 million for land border entry ports, repair/construction of facilities
TSA/Aviation
500 million for explosive detection equipment
Coast Guard
150 million to remove obstructive bridges, if they have projects ready to go
FEMA
200 million for emergency food and supply distribution
(total of 1.1 billion)

This is in contrast, for example, to....

650 million allocated for additional digital-to-analog TV converter boxes for the states (BTW, this is on top what the states already allocate themselves for this....Chicago, where I live, has a current program in place, my daughter just got a $40 box for "free"). See page 51.
Or, 400 million for ocean habitat restoration and mitigation (page 52)
Or, 600 million for addl satellites with climate sensors to mitigate climate change (52)
or, 140 million for climate date modeling equipment (52)
(total of ~1.8 billion on pages 51-52 alone)

Small peanuts, I know, compared to the multiple billions being allocated to other depts. but it does give you an idea of the mindset of Democratic House members.... "Let's use the media to lambast Bush on his FEMA debacle, his lack of attention to "our nations port security," etc., but when given the opportunity to actually improve these areas..... no priority spending needed!

Arggghhhhhh.

200 million for FEMA? Isn't FEMA that agency about which they complain couldn't get the job done? Don't they think that FEMA needs more help? Or could those complaints have just been more hot air added to the hurricanes....

Al-Arabiya gets the word from The One.

President Obama has given his first formal interview as President to the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya network, presenting a conciliatory image to the world and backing away from any confrontation.




Excerpts from the transcript:
And so what I told him is start by listening, because all too often the
United States starts by dictating -- in the past on some of these issues --and we don't always know all the factors that are involved. So let's listen.

Right, the US has been dictating to the Middle East whenever we have been involved with the numerous peace proposals. We never listen...that's our problem...Carter "dictated" that the Shah should be replaced by a terrorist ayatollah and then, of course there was all that dictating at Camp David. Reagan, Bush, Clinton, all dictators of peace.....

I think Hillary Clinton has expressed this in her confirmation, is that if we are looking at the region as a whole and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world, that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest, then I think that we can make significant progress.

I think its clear by now that the Muslim world has little "respect" for the US. And as to "mutual interest", how does one have mutual interests with absolutist organizations like HAMAS?

My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect. But if you look at the track record, as you say, America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that.

If the Muslim world does not understand that yet, then THEY are the ones that refuse to understand. 50,000,000 Muslims liberated. Tyranny fought on behalf of Muslims from Croatia to Afghanistan. And relationship with the Muslim world 20-30 years ago was TERRIBLE. 1979? Remember a certain hostage crisis brought about the missteps of another President that refused to see reality? 1989? Conflict with Libya, terrorism, and Salman Rushdie under threat of death.

I think that you're making a very important point. And that is that the language we use matters. And what we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations -- whether Muslim or any other faith in the past -- that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name.

This answer was based on a question about the term "islamic fascism.: Of course the language we use matters. He implies that Bush "painted with a broad brush," which of course, he did not. Bush was very careful in stating that the majority of Muslims were peaceful. He bent over backwards trying to demonstrate his belief that Islam was "peaceful" against all evidence. Even with a five year decrease, over 100,000,000 Muslims approve of "suicide bombings."
And then, Obama has to bring up "other faiths." Yep, I've been following the new about those suicide bomber nuns and murderous Buddhists.

Peace will arrive when the jihadists renounce the intention to rebuild the caliphate. Until then, this is all smoke and mirrors. When the Muslim world agrees with the Western world on the same definition of peace, then we will see the end of terrorism. Jihadists have the long view. They believe that the West will eventually capitulate and Islam will be the dominate force/religion in the world.

And with refusal of the West to stand up to the Muslim demands for separate sharia-based communities, and for Muslim demands that western communities adapt to them instead of the immigrants assimilating into their new countries, I believe that they may be right.

Unless the West starts to take the words of the faithful as spoken, and the words of the Koran as written, the West will continue to misunderstand. "Radical" muslims are nothing more than faithful Muslims that believe that the Islamic faith must be exercised as it was under Mohammad. They believe that if Muslims "return" to the pure faith, mu slims will triumph. Arafat said such things. HAMAS and Hezbollah and Al Qaeda say such things. The Muslim Brotherhood says such things. And the "moderates" do nothing. Because they cannot dispute the "fanatics" with writings from the Koran. The Koran backs up the "fanatics" and the moderates do not wish to be ostracized and targeted. Even if a small percentage of Malaysians agree with the "radicals", that's 19 million people.

Negotiation does not work when a) one side does not negotiate in good faith, which in fact, is based on Koranic instructions to the faithful when negotiating with non-believers and b)one side wants nothing more than your death or capitulation.

Obama is living in a dream world. If he was a Muslim while living abroad, then he will be considered an apostate. And if he was not a Muslim, he's just another infidel. Treaties and negotiations are allowed, but, only with the goal of advancing Islam.

While the majority of Muslims want to live in peace, unless they assimilate in their new countries, even peaceful Muslims want their communities to change to a sharia based community, and thereby destroying the very western ideals and freedoms that originally let them move to that country.

Until the Islamic world rejects the ideals of Jihad or the West loses, there will be no peace.

h/t Gateway Pundit and Politico

UPDATE: The Palestinians respond to the One's message of Al-Hopiya, Al-changiyah

Support Israel in New York City

Support Israel against the terrorists!

Rally:
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
5:00pm - 6:30pm
Outside of Israeli Consulate in NYC
Corner of E42nd & 2nd Ave.
New York, NY

h/t Gateway Pundit

How Obama got elected

I was going to put wonderfully insightful comments with this blog entry, but, I think the video speaks for itself.



Hat tip to HowObamaGotElected.com and to Gateway Pundit

Georgia on my mind

The Russo-Georgian War has begun.

Most Americans know little, if anything about the country of Russia, much less the country of Georgia.

Georgia Country profile:

• Area: 69,700 sq. km
• Population: 4.7 million (July 2004 est.)
• Population growth rate: -0.36% (2004 est.)
• Net migration rate: -4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
• Life expectancy at birth: 75.62 years
• Ethnic groups:
  • Georgian 70.1%,
  • Armenian 8.1%,
  • Russian 6.3%,
  • Azeri 5.7%,
  • Ossetian 3%,
  • Abkhaz 1.8%,
  • other 5%.
• GDP per capita: purchasing power parity $2,500 (2003 est.)
• Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)
• Main trade partners: Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, US, and Germany.
• Internet users: 73,000 (2002)

(Source: CIA - World Factbook 2004)

In a nutshell:
1) Georgia has a problem with two provinces that demand independence: South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Both are supported by Russia. Both have conducted armed rebellion against Georgia. Because Russia arbitrarily gave Russian citizenship to anyone that wanted it in South Ossetia, any military attacks against rebels could be said to be against Russian citizens.

2) Georgia (and Ukraine) tried to join NATO, but were rebuffed, with Georgia being told to deal with the breakaway provinces first. So, Georgia did. And Russia responded.

3) Russia realizes that Georgia will only build closer ties to the West as time moves along. Putin is demanding the replacement of the Georgian government with a more tractable one. Russia is also trying to corner the market on the energy supplies in the former provinces of the USSR. You didn't think the war in Chechnya, just next door, was about muslims, did you? Chechnya, like others wanted to be independent. Too bad its chock full of hydrocarbon goodness. Georgia allowed a pipeline through its country for oil and gas delivery to Europe, thereby limiting the effectiveness of Russia's near monopoly of supplying energy to Europe.

4) Russia is miffed about the Western support for independence of Kosovo from Serbia. Serbia is a long time ally of Russia. Its possible that they feel that this would be "tit for tat".

Two Maps of the Caucasus: Wiki's (click for a closer view.) and Encarta, (also interactive)

Since there are many others covering this situation, here's a round up:

Michael Totten - on the ground and in the thick of things: The Explosive Caucasus
Just as I’m ready to board a plane for Azerbaijan in the former Soviet Caucasus region, Russia invades South Ossetia in Georgia next door. (Please hit his tip jar if you like his work.)

Michael points us to Joshua Kucera at Slate .com: Travels in the Former Soviet Union

Tigerhawk has been following the situation closely: BearFood, On the Prowl, Georgia at War (with a map!) In fact, just start at the top and scroll. Read the comments. And there are too many links to count. Oh, and there's a great article about the not so surprising absence of the "anti-war" movement. I mean, this IS a war for oil..... One commenter wondered what would happen if a "protester" showed up in front of the Russian Embassy with an anti-war A.N.S.W.E.R. sign. Hmmmm?
Oh, and wonders if this is a "3 a. m." moment and who had the most appropriate response?

A "former spook" at In From the Cold posts some interesting information about the conflict. Just start at the top.... He also has a great post about a genuine hero and inspiration for a movie star: Digger Dowling of "The Great Escape". RIP

Gateway Pundit reveals the politics behind the war. “Saakashvili must go.”
Keep on scrolling for blogging goodness. Too many to post.

BlackFive lets us know that our troops in Georgia, training the Georgian military have been accounted for.... The good folk at that site are keeping us informed with a number of posts: This Can't Be Good; While the EU and NATO Fiddle; No, Its Not Good At All; and The Devil Went to Georgia.
Shades of 1938...... Please visit their site for great links and more info.

Powerline informs the public with its usual clarity: War in Georgia, Russia Broadens its Attack

Belmont Club speaks plainly. "They plan to conquer it."

Obama: I was for bigoted elitism before I was against..., well, I'm still for it....

That Senator Obama! Such an articulate, well spoken man! Never slips up! Always means what he says! You're never confused as to his meaning.....

Well, then. Apparently he has allowed his true feelings to come out. Let's see if this gets as much airplay as the infamous "maccaca" event by a conservative that we all know.

Make sure that you read the comments at these posts. Well, maybe not all of them...TalkLeft has hundreds. But, if you have nothing else to do.......

Obama Round up:

Everybody's favorite blogger (at least around here....), Michelle Malkin has a great set of...links. (Get your minds out of the gutter.....) Bitter, religious xenophobes

Michael Goldfarb over at The Weekly Standard points out that Senator Obama believes all of the other issues are just attempts to distract the public from seeing how he is just trying to help those in need. I think they are distractions....from Obama's campaign strategy of vapid empty rhetoric. Oops, reality!

Marc Ambinder's article at The Atlantic has generated a great set of comments that show the how the people of this country can read the exact same words and get a 180 degree separation in meaning.

Talk Left has it all at Obama's Gaffe, Obama's Response, and Late Night: Small Town. Their comments are running into the hundreds......

And Jennifer Rubin has a comment at Commentary.com in the blog: Contentions
John Podhoretz also weighs in on the kerfuffle at Contentions.

Jonathan Martin at Politico mentions John McCain's response.

Gateway Pundit has all sorts of blogging goodies about Obama's outreach to Pennsylvania's poor, downtrodden, religious, gun-toting, bigots, including video of Obama's "non-apology."

The Ace has a great post (And a flaming skull!) on this issue. Of course he has a link to a great authority on race AND small towns, the Sheriff from Blazing Saddles.....

And there are great links over at Just One Minute.