Dan Hare is the creator and producer of the documentary film “Iraq and Beyond” which was just released and is to appear on the CW channel 6. Dan appeared on the Nov. 29th, 2008 show to talk about the documentary and his outlook of the Iraq war and the overall Global War on Terror. You can view the film and buy a copy here.
This is from Bill Roggio, a friend and occasional guest on the show. He has some amazing insight into the Asiatic theater and the Global War on Terror.
Bill, you provide an amazing service. God bless you.
Photo courtesy of rediff.com
Alex McPherson is our guest tonight on the show. Here is his op-ed in the LA Times, which we will be talking about.
It’s little more than politically correct indoctrination.
By Alexander McPherson
November 21, 2008
Four years ago, the governor signed Assembly Bill 1825 into law, requiring all California employers with more than 50 people to provide sexual harassment training for each of their employees. The University of California raised no objection and submitted to its authority.
FOR THE RECORD:
Harassment: A Friday Op-Ed article on sexual harassment training said employers with more than 50 employees had to provide the training to each employee. Only supervisors are required to take the training. —
But I didn’t. I am a professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at UC Irvine, and I have consistently refused, on principle, to participate in the sexual harassment training that the state and my employers seem to think is so important.
For a while, it didn’t seem to matter much that I had refused. I (and fellow scofflaws) were periodically notified that we were not in compliance, and we were advised to get with the program like everybody else. Then the university began warning me that my supervisory responsibilities would be taken away if I did not promptly comply.
Last month, the university finally followed through, sending me a letter announcing that my laboratory and the students I oversaw were to be immediately turned over to other university officials and faculty. I continued to refuse to take sexual harassment training, and do so now.
I am not normally confrontational, so I sought to find a means to resolve the conflict. I proposed the following: I would take the training if the university would provide me with a brief, written statement absolving me of any suspicion, guilt or complicity regarding sexual harassment. I wanted any possible stigma removed. “Fulfilling this requirement,” said the statement I asked them to approve, “in no way implies, suggests or indicates that the university currently has any reason to believe that Professor McPherson has ever sexually harassed any student or any person under his supervision during his 30-year career with the University of California.”
The university, however, declined to provide me with any such statement, which poses the question: Why not? It is a completely innocuous, unobjectionable statement that they should have been willing to write for any faculty member whose record is as free of stain as is my own. The immediate reply of the administration was that if I didn’t comply with the law, I would be placed on unpaid leave.
So why am I am being so inflexible on this issue? Why not simply take the training and be done with it? There are several reasons.
First of all, I believe the training is a disgraceful sham. As far as I can tell from my colleagues, it is worthless, a childish piece of theater, an insult to anyone with a respectable IQ, primarily designed to relieve the university of liability in the case of lawsuits. I have not been shown any evidence that this training will discourage a harasser or aid in alerting the faculty to the presence of harassment.
What’s more, the state, acting through the university, is trying to coerce and bully me into doing something I find repugnant and offensive. I find it offensive not only because of the insinuations it carries and the potential stigma it implies, but also because I am being required to do it for political reasons. The fact is that there is a vocal political/cultural interest group promoting this silliness as part of a politically correct agenda that I don’t particularly agree with.
The imposition of training that has a political cast violates my academic freedom and my rights as a tenured professor. The university has already nullified my right to supervise my laboratory and the students I teach. It has threatened my livelihood and, ultimately, my position at the university. This for failing to submit to mock training in sexual harassment, a requirement that was never a condition of my employment at the University of California 30 years ago, nor when I came to UCI 11 years ago.
Interestingly, I have received many letters of encouragement — about 25% of them from women. The comments have been rich with words like “demeaning,” “oppressive,” “politically driven” and “indoctrination.” Other phrases included “unctuous twaddle” and “sanctimonious half-wits.”
Sexual harassment is a politically charged issue. The people of California have granted no authority to the state to impose narrow political and cultural opinions on individual citizens.
Alexander McPherson is a professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at UC Irvine’s school of biological sciences.
(It can also be found on PatDollard.com here)
A beyond the headline news look at the complexities of the war in Iraq. Examining the “U.S. Joint Resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed forces against Iraq”. Understanding the mistakes made, the corrective action and the way forward for America in the world.
You can view the film and read more about the film at their website here.
Update: Iraq & Beyond will be airing TONIGHT on the CW channel 6 at 8pm Pacific time!! Tune in!
Alexander McPherson is a professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of California at Irvine. Alex appeared on the Nov. 29th, 2008 show to talk about his 30 years in the U.C. system and how UCI is forcing him to take a sexual harassment class. He posted an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times. You can read it here.
Here is the Eight of the State for this week, November 29th, 2008:
1. Wayne W. Thomas and Collin H. Jacobson – Can them! Can them!
2. Black Friday shoppers in Palm Desert – I bet they were two white guys with conceal carry permits! NOT!
3. Brian Nichols – “He is just a victim! Let him go! She was a secret agent for the slave masters!” WTF?!
4. Holy Land Foundation – No surprise here!
5. Planned Parenthood in Indiana – Seriously? Christmas is the time for cheer and baby killing!
6. General Motors Corp. – And you expect to get help from me?!
7. Black Friday shoppers in Long Island – More like Black Friday looters!
8. Lois Feldman – It’s called “Consequences for your actions”!
The Blue Falcon of the Week
The Blue Falcon of the Week for this week, November 29th, 2008 is:
Andre Shepherd! Congratulations, shitbird! You are our Blue Falcon of the Week!
Sheperd is an Army specialist who, while holding a desk job, that he couldn’t continue to serve because he realized that the war in Iraq was “illegal”. It seems no one told him that there was a U.N. mandate to remove Saddam and establish a stable government there. “When I read and heard about people being ripped to shreds from machine guns or being blown to bits by the Hellfire missiles I began to feel ashamed about what I was doing,” our Blue Falcon said in a press conference. WTF! Does this guy even know what the hell he is talking about? I know for a fact that Walter Reed is filled with guys that got ripped to shreds by….oh, wait. They got hit from IEDs, not enemy machine guns. This guy is a fake and a pansy!
He decided to file for asylum in Germany because they hold people responsible for their own actions due to the legacy of the Nuremburg trials of Nazi officials. Germany has had a stellar track record of holding people accountable like arresting parents trying to be responsible and home school their kids, and interferes in a U.S. election by promoting same sex marriage in california because America is not responsible enough to decide these types of things for themselves.
The funny thing is that Sheperd is trying to escape the consequences of his own actions! By VOLUNTEERING to join the Army in 2004 and then reneg on that agreement makes Andre Sheperd a Blue Falcon. The simple fact is that Sheperd is a coward. The guy is an aircraft mechanic! Oh, I can sympathize with him though…it is really tough to fix that hydraulic leak when you are clearing rooms in a mussie stronghold firing your M-16 and turning a wrench at the same time! Ass!
It makes one wonder about why the President would pardon some of these folks listed below and not people convicted of not filling out paperwork related to them defending the country. So I guess a cocaine dealer is more important than a border patrol agent. We live in interesting times.
Will Bush Pardon the Right People?
By DEB RIECHMANN
Nov 24, 6:20 PM (ET)
WASHINGTON (AP) – President George W. Bush has granted pardons to 14 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of two others convicted of misdeeds ranging from drug offenses to tax evasion, from wildlife violations to bank embezzlement, The Associated Press learned Monday.
The new round of White House pardons are Bush’s first since March and come less than two months before he will end his presidency. The crimes committed by those on the list also include offenses involving hazardous waste, food stamps, and the theft of government property.
Bush has been stingy during his time in office about handing out such reprieves.
Including these actions, he has granted a total of 171 and eight commutations. That’s less than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their time in office. Both were two-term presidents.On the latest pardon list were:
_Leslie Owen Collier of Charleston, Mo. She was convicted for unauthorized use of a pesticide and violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
_Milton Kirk Cordes of Rapid City, S.D. Cordes was convicted of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits importation into the country of wildlife taken in violation of conservation laws.
_Richard Micheal Culpepper of Mahomet, Ill., who was convicted of making false statements to the federal government.
_Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer of Fort Worth, Texas, for reporting or helping cover up a crime.
_Andrew Foster Harley of Falls Church, Va. Harley was convicted of wrongful use and distribution of marijuana and cocaine.
_Obie Gene Helton of Rossville, Ga., whose offense was unauthorized acquisition of food stamps.
_Carey C. Hice Sr. of Travelers Rest, S.C., who was convicted of income tax evasion.
_Geneva Yvonne Hogg of Jacksonville, Fla., convicted of bank embezzlement.
_William Hoyle McCright Jr. of Midland, Texas, who was sentenced for making false entries, books, reports or statements to a bank.
_Paul Julian McCurdy of Sulphur, Okla., who was sentenced for misapplication of bank funds.
_Robert Earl Mohon Jr. of Grant, Ala., who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
_Ronald Alan Mohrhoff of Los Angeles, who was convicted for unlawful use of a telephone in a narcotics felony.
_Daniel Figh Pue III of Conroe, Texas, convicted of illegal treatment, storage and disposal of a hazardous waste without a permit.
_Orion Lynn Vick of White Hall, Ark., who was convicted of aiding and abetting the theft of government property.
Bush also commuted the prison sentences of John Edward Forte of North Brunswick, N.J., and James Russell Harris of Detroit, Mich. Both were convicted of cocaine offenses.
Under the Constitution, the president’s power to issue pardons is absolute and cannot be overruled.
Some high-profile individuals, such as Michael Milken, are seeking a pardon on securities fraud charges. Two politicians convicted of public corruption – former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, R-Calif., and four-term Democratic Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards – are asking Bush to shorten their prison terms.
One hot topic of discussion related to pardons is whether Bush might decide to issue pre-emptive pardons before he leaves office to government employees who authorized or engaged in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Some constitutional scholars and human rights groups want the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama to investigate possible war crimes.
If Bush were to pardon anyone involved, it would provide protection against criminal charges, particularly for people who were following orders or trying to protect the nation with their actions. But it would also be highly controversial.
At the same time, Obama advisers say there is little – if any – chance that his administration would bring criminal charges. From http://apnews.myway.com
A witness to the purpose of our 2nd Amendment
Our latest show on BlogTalk Radio is in the archive. Check it out here! Semper Fi!
A Marine platoon was moving through the city of Shewan in the Farah Province of Afghanistan, a known safe haven for Taliban insurgents, when a large Taliban force decided to ambush the Marines. For many of the seasoned Taliban fighters, this would be the last attack they would make against American forces. The cost outweighed the profit.
This Military.com article described some of the events of the fight, “During the battle, the designated marksman single handedly thwarted a company-sized enemy RPG and machinegun ambush by reportedly killing 20 enemy fighters with his devastatingly accurate precision fire. He selflessly exposed himself time and again to intense enemy fire during a critical point in the eight-hour battle for Shewan in order to kill any enemy combatants who attempted to engage or maneuver on the Marines in the kill zone. What made his actions even more impressive was the fact that he didn’t miss any shots, despite the enemies’ rounds impacting within a foot of his fighting position.”
The designated marksman was a young Corporal who asked not to be identified. One of the comments below the article is from a friend of this young Corporal. It appears that DM is up for the Silver Star for his actions that day.
All I can say is “Semper Fi!” and job well done.
Today’s guest starred in over 60 movies and has been on countless more TV shows. Robert Davi, best known for his role as Franz Sanchez in James Bond’s License To Kill (1989), has a new film premiering across the country.
The Dukes features Robert Davi, Chazz Palminteri, and Peter Bogdanovich as three older doo-wop rockers trying to find a little money where ever they can. The group takes a wrong turn when they decide that the money would be easier to get by stealing it.
Here is what Lisa De Pasquale wrote about the movie:
“I had the chance to talk to Davi about his views and it’s clear that he has just as much passion for politics as he does for acting. Occasionally, the two intersect. While promoting An American Carol at the Republican National Convention, Davi gained even more credibility as someone with a deep understanding of international issues and conservative principles. Davi did many of the voiceovers for the convention videos and McCain-Palin campaign ads.
In an interview prior to the election, Davi told me, “The polarizing discord has grown… The press is bamboozling the American people. We’ve become a nation of Keith Olbermanns.”
Davi recently told the online site, The A.V. Club, “Hollywood is a very liberal community, for the most part. There are a lot of guys that are also conservative that are frightened or fearful of being able to come out. I’ve been a little more outspoken than most, but the fear of it is that you get marginalized…”
Despite pressure from the cocktail party crowd, Davi has been a strong advocate against Islamo-fascism and has appeared on numerous political talk shows. Davi told me that many people that do understand the threat of Islamo-fascism still put party above country. Davi talked about a liberal friend that read Oriana Fallaci, the now deceased Italian writer that dared to tell the truth about Islamo-fascism despite numerous threats against her life. “In spite of that, the Democratic Party trumps concerns he has over the threat of radical Islam,” said Davi.
Many actors simply parrot liberal talking points and are considered intelligent or deep without ever having to defend their views. Davi actually participates in the policy debate on higher level. He sits on the Board of Directors of the David Horowitz Freedom Center and the Steering Committee of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University. He is also a confirmed speaker for the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February.
Davi’s The Dukes, which opens nationally on November 21, has racked up numerous awards, including the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay at the Monte-Carlo Film Festival, the Queens Spirit Award for Best Producer and Best Director, among others. Rarely is a movie with this pedigree able to be enjoyed by such a broad audience, but The Dukes tells a wonderful story. Its message is universal – if you wait for perfection, you’ll miss your chance.”
You can visit The Dukes website here and see a trailer of the film.
You can also read what Michelle Malkin wrote about the film here.
Robert Davi appeared on the November 22nd show to talk about his new film “The Dukes” which he directed and starred in. The film has won many awards and some really incredible actors in it. It is one of the ‘feel good’ films of this year. We were very proud to have Mr. Davi on the show.
This is Mr. Davi’s bio:
From his portrayal of James Bond villain Franz Sanchez to FBI profiler Bailey Malone in “Profiler” (1996), Robert Davi is one of the film industry’s most recognized tough guys, whether on the big screen or on television. His tough exterior masks a powerful inner sensitivity, which he calls upon for his most notorious roles. A stickler for research, Davi contacted Quantico and arranged to meet Bill Hagenmeyer, the real-life FBI profiler. Davi received critical acclaim within the industry for his provocative and smoldering portrayal of Bailey Malone. The show, currently in syndication, struck a chord with audiences, paving the way for such shows as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000), “Without a Trace” (2002), “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (2001) and many others.
His work as a Palestinian terrorist Salim Ajami in an award-winning TV movie brought him critical acclaim and caught the eye of legendary James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli, who cast Davi as Colombian drug lord and lead villain Franz Sanchez in the Bond film Licence to Kill (1989). Davi studied with the legendary Stella Adler, who became his mentor, and he was also a member of the Actors Studio, where he studied with Lee Strasberg. His big break came when he was cast opposite Frank Sinatra in the telefilm Contract on Cherry Street (1977) (TV), and he has gone on to work in projects with Marlon Brando, Roberto Benigni, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Benicio Del Toro, Danny Glover and Adam Sandler, to name a few.
Among his many notable film credits are Die Hard (1988), The Goonies (1985), Son of the Pink Panther (1993), Licence to Kill (1989), Raw Deal (1986) and Showgirls (1995). He has worked with such directors as Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner, Blake Edwards, John McTiernan and Paul Verhoeven, among others. He is equally adept at comedy, also, as is evident by his work in a Rodney Dangerfield romantic comedy, as a con artist (once again a very funny and believable character), and he can be seen in the Rob Schneider/Adam Sandler comedy The Hot Chick (2002). He recently produced and is starring in Hitters (2002), a film that takes a realistic look at the struggles that occur within a neighborhood mob crew.
Besides working and raising his five children, Davi stays busy volunteering his time in such charities such as The Dream Foundation, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, Heart Of A Child Foundation, The National Italian-American Foundation, Unico, and he is the national spokesperson for I Save America.
The Broken Common Bond
