GOP Vixen

Cindy Gets A Pass

Cindy Sheehan writes this today [emphasis mine]:

And, should I dare say "global warming?" and be branded as a "conspiracy theorist" on top of everything else the reich-wingers say about me.

No conservative using that kind of rhetoric would or should get a pass from the MSM. But she'll continue to be treated as the Rosa Parks of our time.

Flood Waters Continue to Rise

FOX is reporting that with the levee's gone the water in New Orleans continues to rise and is expected to rise to 15 feet. Unless the levees are repaired the flooding won't stop until the city water level is level to the the lake and Mississippi River. That means complete devastation.

20% of New orleans residents didn't evacuate (that 80% did surprises me). Things are so bad that the immediate goal is to get those remaining hundred thousand or so out.

Michelle Malkin and Glenn and The Anchoress are doing superb round ups of the news and looting. Check them regularly.

How Low Can They Go?

Pretty low.

Yeah, Dems, blaming the hurricane on Haley Barbour and Bush will win you elections. And do it the day after. Do it while chaos reigns and bodies float.

Unbelievable.

Chaos in New Orleans: Looters

When the 1992 Los Angeles riots were happening, a shopkeeper stood in front of his neighborhood store and tried to protect it from looters. "It's not right! It's not right what y'all doing here!" he yelled as people ran past with their treasures, his voice choked with tears as he saw the darkest side of his neighbors.

Sure enough, chaos has broken out in New Orleans as stores are looted in full view of television cameras, with perhaps one police officer to vainly try to guard the store. This Associated Press story details the Wal-Mart rampage that was captured on camera:

... One man was packing his van so full of computers, televisions, and DVD players that he had trouble closing the rear doors. ... People said they'd heard that Wal-Mart had opened its doors to provide supplies for law enforcement agencies sheltering the 10,000-plus people in the Superdome. ... But when law enforcement officials went to get their goods, others -- people of all ages and races -- followed. ...

... Most streets in New Orleans were empty yesterday except for the hub around the Wal-Mart, in a section of the city that remained dry. ...'Is everything free?' asked a woman who pulled up in a red car. Hearing 'yes,' she started to chant, 'TV! TV! TV!' Inside, a teenager held up a pair of blue lacy panties and snickered, 'I want to see somebody in these so bad,' before tossing them in his basket. Another man used a table to break into one of the last unscathed jewelry cases. A little girl balanced atop a cart filled with cases of beer. ...

... But the overwhelming feeling was one of chaos -- angry shouting, carts ramming, fast grabbing. When a teenage girl passed out face down between the baby clothes and a women's sock display, people pushed past or stepped on her. ... "

On Tuesday, Wal-Mart announced that it was donating $1 million to the Salvation Army. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you -- or stealing from it.

Another AP story:

"Around the corner on Canal Street, the main thoroughfare in the central business district, people sloshed headlong through hip-deep water as looters ripped open the steel gates on the front of several clothing and jewelry stores. One man, who had about 10 pairs of jeans draped over his left arm, was asked if he was salvaging things from his store.

'No,' the man shouted, 'that's EVERYBODY'S store.'

Looters filled industrial-sized garbage cans with clothing and jewelry and floated them down the street on bits of plywood and insulation as National Guard lumbered by.

Mike Franklin stood on the trolley tracks and watched the spectacle unfold. 'To be honest with you, people who are oppressed all their lives, man, it's an opportunity to get back at society,' he said."

Would you like to pick a better time to get back at society than when your city is crumbling around your ears, your neighbors are dying and people need your help?

One New Orleans police officer was shot in the head by a looter, and is thankfully expected to recover. The governor has wisely ordered the city evacuated, and no doubt there are some who will try to stay and grab what they can. Hopefully enough security will be in the city soon to stop those taking advantage of Mother Nature's fury and tearing the city apart even more. Because it's just not right.

Our prayers are with all those in the afflicted areas in the face of this tragedy. Once again, here's a list of ways to contribute to hurricane relief efforts.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: I regret that all I posted on the hurricane last night were flip comments on press coverage. Then I went to bed and after that the levees broke, basically destroying New Orleans. No insensitivity was intended toward Katrina's victims; my apologies if it seemed that way.)

Handy uses for Gitmo inmates

So 510 detainees have been sitting in U.S. detention in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a few years, providing intelligence and security for us and the latest scream-fest topic for the ACLU ilk. But surely these bad boys can be put to better use than sitting around all day reading Harry Potter, soaking up the sunshine and daintily dining on orange chicken.

And whaddya know... GOP Vixen came up with some handy uses for Gitmo goobers -- inmates, detainees, unlawful enemy combatants, you name it!

• Picking up trash at Camp Casey. Because if you've ever seen a park after an Earth Day rally, you know that lefties' environmental consideration only applies to Halliburton and global warming. Leaving soy-chip bags on the grass apparently is not littering, but just their way of reminding everyone to eat organic.
• CalTrans workers. Hey, they already have the orange garb. And the training program is simple: Lean on your shovel -- a jauntily crooked arm is a nice stance -- and stand still. Learn about the great American tradition of paying $10 million and taking five years to install a half-mile of carpool lane.
• Suge Knight's bodyguards. Our stateside version of the "human shield."
• Wildfire crews. Always needed during the fire season. And can be blended with interrogation: Send your particularly untalkative inmate to battle a 40-acre canyon fire in 30-mph winds armed only with a squirt bottle. Guaranteed he'll clamber up the canyon and have some tales to tell.
• Chaperones at back-to-school dances. Those Taliban Gitmo-ites won't stand for any of that canoodling or butt-baring skirts. Whereas teachers may stick a ruler in between couples to note proper dancing distance, they'll grab the yardstick. And the dance will effectively be over when R.Kelly's "Bump and Grind" begins to play.
• Liberal think-tank fellows. After all, if we're going to promote sensitive understanding of the terrorists' -- excuse me, "freedom fighters'" -- motivations, might as well get the sad story straight from the horse's mouth.
• Wal-Mart greeters. On second thought, it's bad business to call someone a dirty infidel while handing them a shopping cart and advising them of sale Irish Spring on aisle 12...
• U.N. Goodwill Ambassador. This is the hot new fallback career, having overtaken handbag designer and perfumer. Though the only goodwill our Gitmo bro's will sow is bringing the casserole for potluck suppers at training camps in Lodi.
• Telemarketers. This may be the most appropriate fit. Really.
• Movie extras. Who knows -- Oliver Stone may have inked deals with some of them already!
• TSA screeners. This falls under the "takes one to know one" adage. Seriously, if a man walks through airport security and your Gitmo screener says "Marhaban, Bob! Allahu akbar!" you have your suspect.
• New York Times editorial page writers.
• Reality TV stars. There are many options here, ranging from a show covering Gitmo 24-hours a day with candid cameras and airing on Bravo (the show that would make the ACLU way too excited) to makeovers a la "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" or transplanted to a small Arkansas farming town a la "The Simple Life." That's hot.
• Pat Robertson's Crack Assassin Squad. Sorry, I couldn't resist!
• Ladling lima beans for homeless on Skid Row. And you thought the food sucked in Gitmo? Hey, you get food. You get fruit crepes. And a library. And don't sleep in a cardboard box next to a stinky dumpster. Quit whining.
• Seat fillers at the Oscars. They could make some new friends. Talk politics with Sean Penn. Have him take notes back to the fam on his next sojourn.
• Group activity leaders in California prisons. Then again, maybe not.
• Scab workers at Boeing. Again, maybe not the brightest idea. They would have been more handy during the grocery strike. Even a Gitmo inmate can scan Cheerios.
• Kelly Clarkson roadies. Another valuable interrogation technique. After months on the road, lugging the popstress' luggage in and out of a hundred hotels, and hearing "Miss Independence" for the 8,325th time, every single inmate will be ready to talk and begging for the serenity of Gitmo.
• "American Idol" judge. And Paula Abdul has to keep her hands off them.
• GOP Vixen guest movie reviewers. How many times can we make them watch "True Lies"?
• Pooper scooper / manure shoveler. Then they'll have some inkling of how we feel every time we have to watch another crappy tape from their al-Qaida bigwigs.

Cindy Sheehan's daily briefing

Today's special note to Cindy is combined with a Shameless Self-Promotion Update. After all, my L.A. Daily News column today was inspired by the upcoming war protests in D.C., which Sheehan will be attending. Part of the "surround the White House" demonstration Sept. 24 will be in Lafayette Park, which led me to ponder: What would Lafayette think of the war protesters in his namesake park?

"... It's interesting to note as war protesters gather to proclaim that we liberated Iraq for 'absolutely nothing' that Lafayette considered liberating the ragtag colonial Americans to be absolutely everything.

During the Revolutionary battle at Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777, Lafayette jumped off his horse to grab soldiers' shoulders and push forward a line that was faltering in the face of a staggering enemy assault. If alive today, I believe he would see the line similarly faltering and rush to rally the troops -- us. ..."

Read the whole thing.

Heads and tales

The highlights and lowlights of the headlines for August 31, 2005:

• Bush Expected to Visit Storm-Ravaged Areas, AP -- Does Mama Sheehan plan to follow?
• Poll: Fewer See Dems As Religion-Friendly, AP -- Hmm... Howard Dean's pretty fire and brimstone, actually. Except in his sermons, George W. Bush is Satan.
• Boeing Union Advises Machinists to Strike, AP -- The brilliant labor machine strikes again. In their quest to teach Boeing a lesson, there's a good chance they won't have jobs to go back to. Business will go to Airbus.
• Mayor criticized for welcoming S&M festival, Reuters -- Germany. 'Nuf said.
• China takes advantage of the Russian riches, Pravda -- Wait, just days ago the two bosom buddies were happily engaging in military exercises together, thumbing their noses at the West!
• Family to curb misuse of Che photo, Reuters -- "'We have a plan to deal with the misuse,' Guevara's Cuban widow Aleida March said in an interview. 'We can't attack everyone with lances like Don Quixote, but we can try to maintain the ethics' of Guevara's legacy." Paraphrase: Killing everyone like Che would have wanted isn't logistically possible, so we'll settle for a sleazy lawyer and a bunch of lawsuits.

I'm sorry ... is this a misuse?

Katrina: How to help

Hat tip to the San Francisco Chronicle for a list of relief agencies that are accepting donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina. We're reprinting it here:

American Red Cross: (800) 435-7669

Salvation Army: Donations can be made via the group's Web site, www.salvationarmyusa.org; by calling (800) 725-2769. The organization expects to serve 400,000 meals a day to victims and first responders.

Operation Blessing: (800) 436-6348.

America's Second Harvest: (800) 344-8070.

Adventist Community Services: (800) 381-7171.

Catholic Charities USA: (800) 919-9338, or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: (800) 848-5818.

Church World Service: (800) 297-1516 or online at www.churchworldservice.org.

Convoy of Hope: (417) 823-8998 or www.convoyofhope.org.

Lutheran Disaster Response: (800) 638-3522.

Mennonite Disaster Service: (717) 859-2210.

Nazarene Disaster Response: (888) 256-5886.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: (800) 872-3283.

United Methodist Committee on Relief: (800) 554-8583.

In addition, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is accepting donations at its 3,800 stores and Web site, www.walmart.com. (Heads up to all who whine about Wal-Mart building new stores and freaking out about capitalism in general... note that Wal-Mart always steps up to the plate when needed in situations such as this. Not like they aren't impacted too: 123 of its stores are closed because of Katrina.)

There Really Is A Wolf

After hurricane after hurricane of cable news screaming wolf it's finally and sadly happened. Had I lived in New Orleans and after years of hearing cable news hyping every gust of wind off the Gulf I probably would've stayed assuming there "they go again." 

But this is complete devastation and with the levee's gone in places and water pouring in, it can only get worse. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of New Orleans.

Michelle Malkin is doing a marvelous job rounding up coverage.

CNN: DOA

CNN's final gasp that they remain relevant has been the spike in ratings they've enjoyed during major news events. In other words they found shelter in the idea that, "when it matters people turn to CNN." Yeah, well, final gasp no more. For Big Events people are now turning to FOX by nearly 2 to 1. MSNBC's numbers are just laughable.

And is it any wonder that during Hardball we're seeing commercials for Tony Orlando and Dawn? The ad rates must be next to nothing. Can't you just see Chris Matthews' face watching the rerun and seeing the ads his abysmal ratings are attracting? Of course seeing Tony Orlando and Dawn may make him feel better: Yes, Chris, there are even more obscure people on television than you.

These numbers are stunning:

Total day: FNC: 2,341,000 / CNN: 1,086,000 / MSNBC: 497,000

Primetime: FNC: 4,073,000 / CNN: 2,279,000 / MSNBC: 1,021,000

25-54 demographic:

Total day: FNC: 610,000 / CNN: 325,000 / HLN: 111,000 / MSNBC: 189,000 / CNBC: 50,000

Primetime: FNC: 1,000,000 / CNN: 564,000 / HLN: 122,000 / MSNBC: 350,000 / CNBC: 69,000

NOTE: Some other blogger mentioned the Tony Orlando and Dawn commerical. I just can't remember who to give credit. If you know let me know.