Every once in a while you hear about someone so good and decent it just must be shared. (Thank you, Bear)
An artist named Kaziah Hancock of Utah paints portraits of fallen soldiers free of charge for their families as part of Project Compassion.
CNN Nic Robertson tears in to Fox News over human shield reporting
Nic Robertson says he expect lies out of governments in that part of the world but that he doesn’t expect them out of other journalists.
From Huffington Post:
Fox News’ defense correspondent, Jennifer Griffin, reported on Monday that the British army had been due to fire seven missiles at Gaddafi’s compound. But the attack was held off, she said, because Libya had brought journalists from CNN, Reuters, the AP, the Times of London and other news outlets to the compound for what, in the government’s words, was a press tour. According to Griffin, the actual reason for bringing the journalists to the compound was to “effectively use them as human shields.”
Speaking to Fox News’ John Roberts, Griffin said that Fox News had kept its correspondent in the region, Steve Harrigan, away from the tour because the network was “concerned they could be used as human shields.”
In an interview with Wolf Blitzer later on Monday, CNN’s senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, who was one of the reporters on the tour, lashed out at Fox News. He called the report “outrageous and absolutely hypocritical,” and said that, when you come to somewhere like Libya, you expect lies and deceit from the dictatorship here. You don’t expect it from the other journalists.”
Robertson’s report certainly differs a great deal from Faux News’ report. Why would they lie?
Checking out the legality of polygamy–Post Big Love
I never understood the difference in bigamy and polygamy until I went to Utah for the first time about 15 years ago. I was reading the paper and saw that some man had been arrested for having 2 wives. Then on the front page there was so big arrest made to a polygamist but it was for beating his daughter. So naturally I had to give up all my pride and ask my hosts.
And yes, my hosts were all Mormons, but maybe not practicing ones. After they laughed and carried on over my ignorance, they explained it. Polygamist only have one state marriage as we saw in Big Love. Barb was the legal wife. The others, Margene and Nikki, were ecclesiastical wives. That is not illegal. It is taboo, however, in the official Mormon Church, otherwise known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Barb has been excommunicated because she was living in polygamy. Bill, Nikki and Margene had never been in the mainstream Mormon Church so they were not excommunicated.
So I got an email from a friends asking me what was the difference in living together and polygamy. I would say there is none legally. The legal problems of polygamy center around child abuse and statutory rape. Amongst consenting adults, what is the problem? There has also been a problem with many of the polygamist men not supporting their children and costing the state lots of welfare money. The Juniper Creek class polygamists ran in their own little world and lived by their own laws. However, if people are living like the Hendricksons or those seen on the reality show Sister Wives, why does it concern us?
Any opinions or comments?
Open Thread ……………………………………………Monday, March 21
Welcome Spring. It’s been a long, cold winter.
This week we have Japanese nuclear reactors and a new war. It’s always something!
Libya No-fly Zone
Washington Post:
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen provided an update regarding the military situation in Libya. “I would say that the no-fly zone is effectively in place,” said Mullen, outlining the ultimate goal as being threefold: successfully establishing the no-fly zone, arresting Gaddafi’s ability to massacre his own people, and making possible the entry of humanitarian assistance into Libya. “While the United States leads this right now,” said Mullen, “we expect in the next few days to hand that leadership off to a coalition-led operation, and the United States recede somewhat to the background in support.”
So where do we stand? What do we hope to achieve? Are we leading the pack or are we part of a coalition? Who is the boss? Who pays the bills? Humanitarian assistance sort of says ‘boots on the ground’ doesn’t it? Are we trying to take Gaddafi out or not? If not, then why are we bombing his compound?
All of this is very confusing. Don’t we think most wars will be over in a week or 2?
Another Virginian considers U.S. Senate bid
Timothy E. Donner, a Northern Virginia television production company owner, is considering challenging George Allen for the Republican nomination in the 2012 U.S. Senate race, Politico reports.
Donner, founder of Horizons Television Inc. and a member of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, is a couple of weeks away from a decision, an adviser told Politico.
If the wealthy conservative from Great Falls in Fairfax County does jump into the race, he could be one of many trying to defeat Allen, a former U.S. senator and Virginia governor.
Jamie Radtke, a tea-party activist, and David McCormick, a Hampton Roads attorney, are already seeking the nomination along with Allen.
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart and state Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, have also hinted at runs, along with others.
The Republican ticket for the elusive Webb seat has become quite crowded, hasn’t it? There is no reason at all for Tim Kaine to announce his intentions. He can just sit back and let the Republicans devour each other, then decide what he is going to do. Kaine has said he will announce his intentions towards the end of the month.
