Obama causing international crisis?

President Musharraf of Pakistan has pondered whether or not to issue a state of emergency for his country due to danger foreign and domestic. Partly due to Barack Obama's statements made a week or so ago. It doesn't look like he will, but he's certainly under a lot of pressure right now.

An interesting editorial details possible issues related to Obama's comments.

Banning the Koran in the Netherlands

Check out this story. If I was this guy I'd be afraid for my life.

Facebook mourners

This is a great piece by Travis Kavulla at the National Review.

I have been faced with a similar situation. It is interesting how the Internet and social networking sites have changed our lives in every facet.

Russia reengages

Russian long range sorties have been resumed...could this be shades of the Cold War? You be the judge. I just wish that Russia would just concentrate on their own country and leave the rest of the world alone.

Bible saves GI

Yeah you heard me right. I'm talking about The Bible. This is one of those stories that you wouldn't believe if it didn't happen. Read and enjoy.

Fake boobs lead to suicide

No, that's not a typo. There is a new "study" that shows that women who have fake breasts commit suicide 3 times more often than women who do not have them.

I thought fake boobs were supposed to make women feel better about themselves. This just goes to show that when men say "you're fine just the way you are," you should probably listen.

Worker status, what does it mean?

I am getting so fatigued trying to figure out all of the terminology associated with illegal aliens and what is politically correct at the time. This WSJ article makes some sense of what is going on in the legislative side of things.

I remember when I was younger living in Northern Ohio my parents would point out migrant workers that used to come all the way up from Mexico to the Midwest to help harvest the bountiful Ohio crops. Then just as soon as they came, they left. There was something about the fact that they traveled so far and long that made you respect those people. What ever happened to migrant workers? I wonder if they still exist.

Iran helping Iraq...yeah right

This is a funny story. It's not meant to be, but it is. Iran has pledged to help Iraq with security issues. Their pledge and the security of Iraq is of course contingent on the "American occupying forces" leaving Iraq (at least, according to Iran).

Iran is so delusional.

Some political tidbits

Some interesting stories from David Miller at CBS News:

The Latest Newt-O-Meter Reading: Every time former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks, political observers sift through his words to figure out whether he plans to seek the Republican presidential nomination. Lately, the odds of such a run seem to have fallen. But a Gingrich speech on Tuesday at Washington's National Press Club may set off a new round of speculation.

According to inside-the-Beltway publication The Hill, Gingrich said there's still a chance he will enter the race — and still a chance that the front-runners in the Republican race will falter. "I try to remind people, three weeks before the Iowa caucus in 2004 the Democratic front-runner was Howard Dean. He had raised more money, he had gotten more magazine covers — everybody though he was the front-runner," Gingrich said. "He had the biggest online contributor base."

Gingrich also flatly said he was "candidate material," which is a little more bold than the former speaker has sounded lately. It's possible that the delay in the launch of Fred Thompson's campaign — now expected in early September, less than a month before Gingrich says he'll make up his own mind — and Thompson's reported fundraising and staff troubles have renewed some of Gingrich's vigor.

Sensing An Opportunity: Republican Rep. Ron Paul raised some eyebrows when his second-quarter fundraising put him in fourth place in the money race against his fellow GOP candidates. Now, with the Iowa Straw Poll only days away, the candidate whose libertarian views have won him a significant Internet following is putting that money to use on a more traditional medium: television.

The campaign is airing its first ad in Iowa this week. The spot notes that Paul has never accepted a congressional pay raise, never voted to raise taxes and is running to "protect our liberties and save our Constitution."

It's unlikely Paul would spend money on the ad if he didn't think he had a chance of pulling off an Ames surprise. Conventional wisdom says that if anyone is going to benefit from the bickering between Sam Brownback and Mitt Romney, it will be former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. But for now, Paul is the only Republican candidate, aside from Romney, on TV in Iowa. It's possible it's too late for the ad to have any impact on the poll results, but it shows that Paul is a candidate who deserves attention heading into this early test of GOP strength.

The truth from Newt

I hate the current presidential campaign process. I don't hate many things in life, but I hate how the campaign process works. It is the most convoluted, corrupt and unhelpful period of time in American politics.

Newt Gingrich spoke to this recently at a National Press Club event. Read, enjoy, understand.

We need major campaign reform. The sooner the better. The US government cannot function much longer the way it is right now. Do you realize that we elect people on how they look and what they said in 10 second soundbites? We are in serious trouble.

The check's in the mail

Fewer Mexicans are sending money back to Mexico from the Estados Unidos. Some say it's because of increased border security, some say it's because of anti-immigrant sentiment, some say it's because they are unsure of their futures.

I don't know what it is, but it's an interesting trend.

Shiite pilgrimage to Baghdad

The Shiite pilgrimage in honor of an 8th Century Imam is pretty much over and there were no real terrorist attacks. Could this be a good sign?

The reason why I write about these events is because I want to let everyone know that there are positive things going on in Iraq. I am optimistic and I will continue to be that way because our troops and our country deserve that from American citizens.

Newark murders

You have probably heard about the execution-style murders of three college kids in Newark, NJ. They have arrested a 15 year old that was picked out of a line up by the lone survivor of the attack. This is an awful chain of events.

The thing that surprises me the most out of this whole thing is that some of the residents of Newark are not that surprised. Remind me not to live in Newark.