So Much for Freedom of Speech, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Creates Furor and Riots in the streets

Venezuelan dictator, Hugo Chavez, has little by little taken control of all private sectors during his reign of power. First it was the judiciary, the army and most recently the oil industry. However, his most recent efforts to control the media have caused riots in the street.  Hugo Chavez will be hard pressed to blame the recent riots by the Venezuelan people on the US and President George W. Bush. This one belongs all to Hugo.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan troops have seized an anti-government television channel’s broadcast equipment, the station said on Sunday, ahead of a controversial midnight EDT/0400 GMT takeover by President Hugo Chavez that will take the broadcaster off the air.

Chavez sparked international criticism with his decision to not renew RCTV’s license and to replace Venezuela’s most-watched channel with a state-backed network that will promote the values of his self-styled socialist revolution.

 Watch the video of the riots below

Daily Commentary – Tuesday May 29th, 2007 – Al Gore Critizing How Media Not Only Covering His Pet Causes

Dana discusses:

• Al Gore Critizing How Media Not Only Covering His Pet Causes

Duke Lacrosse Loses National Championship Game to Johns Hopkins as Fallen Dukie James Regan Honored

Duke Lacrosse may have lost this afternoon, but their was more gained in defeat. As the MSM focused on the Duke – Johns Hopkins match up to proclaim a story book finish, a greater and more special story took place in Long Island, NY.  Sgt. Jimmy Regan, 26, who joined the armed services following 9–11 was honored. A true American hero.

American Legion Post 304 Announces Parade Plans

LI school honors hero alum

The brass bell tolled 37 times — once for each of the Special Operations soldiers who died in Iraq during the past year — after their names were added to a memorial wall at Fort Bragg.

One soldier honored at Thursday’s ceremony was Sgt. Jimmy Regan, 26, a 2002 Duke University economics graduate and lacrosse player from Manhasset, N.Y.

“It’s a special day. It’s very good closure for the family,” said his father, James Regan. “He was raised a patriot.” (Fox)

This type of selfless service is was is praised today and should never be forgotten the other 364 days of the year. Let us never forget what is truly important. It is not sporting events or those that the media wishes to make heros of even though they are partially at fault for their circumstances. It is about true heros … like Jimmy Regan. Duke alumni and all Americans can be proud of a guy like this. God bless and thank you for your service.

The younger Regan served double tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, earning a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and several other medals. He was killed by a roadside bomb on Feb. 9. (NewsDay)

This afternoon in the 2007 NCAA Lacrosse championship game Duke lost 12–11 to perennial power house Johns Hopkins. In a way I am happy that this outcome was not the “story book” ending that the MSM so wanted for a couple of reasons. One, many in the MSM have forgotten that although Duke and its players were handed a raw deal from DA Nifong, they were guilty of behaving badly. Duke lacrosse had quite the reputation on campus which made it more than possible in many students minds that they false allegations made could be true. Also, the fact that even though there was under age drinking and the hiring of strippers, former coach Mike Pressler did nothing to suspend or sanction players.

However, the reason why I am happy that Duke lost is that its players will have learned a greater lesson than in victory. The Duke second have comeback from a 10–4 halftime deficit to tie the game at 11 was a true gut check and character builder. Duke and all their supporters should be proud of the effort put forth by the Blue Devils.  It is a proven fact that greater lessons are learned in loss than they are in victory. The lesson learned is carved in granite because of bitter emotional loss.

A Duke victory would have meant another MSM circus doing interviews with players and coaches that this some how meant vindication for what they had all gone through. Forgetting the fact that the Duke program was not completely innocent. The false allegation charges against Duke lacrosse acted as a wake up call to get their act in order and straighten up. Trust me Duke … you earned more respect today in loss than you would have in any victory.

Memorial Day 2007 … Thank you for your Sacrifice

On this 2007 Memorial Day please take a moment out of your day and give thanks to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Let us remember what this day is all about.

To all those that have served in our armed forces and gave their lives for our freedom, we say thank you.

Bush pays tribute to fallen U.S. troops

Speaking of the more than 368,000 buried through history at Arlington National Cemetery, Bush said, “Nothing said today will ease your pain. But each of you needs to know our country thanks you and we embrace you and we will never forget the terrible loss you have suffered.”

“The greatest memorial to our fallen troops cannot be found in the words we say or the places we gather,” he added. “The more lasting tribute is all around us.”

America has never lacked for heroes, men and women who exemplify patriotism, honor, duty, and sacrifice. (Captains Quarters)

Freedom is never without cost. Thank you to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice and a prayer for their families that have lost loved ones while serving to protect the United States of America.

God Bless and Thank You.

On a personal note I say thank you and you are missed to my uncle who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Thank you from your namesake, Red.

Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick Betting on Dog Fighting … The Story Gets Worse Day by Day

The story initially began that Falcon’s QB Michael Vick was some how involved with betting on dog fighting. 66 dogs were taken off the estate of Vick and now appear  they have to be euthanized as they are too aggressive to be adopted. Dick has initially denied any involvement; however, this story is getting much worse for Michael Vick. The NFL thought it had PR problems with other previous players behaving badly like Pacman Jones, Ricky Williams, Chris Henry and others. We are all quite tired of “NFL Players Gone Wild”. Its about time their are consequences to their actions.

Does anyone think that the Falcons are wishing they could replay the 2001 NFL draft over? Does anyone thing that the Falcons wish they could play this past off season over? The Atlanta Falcons fired their head coach, Jim Mora,  in  a Vick or Mora must go battle and they  traded their back up QB Matt Schaub to the Houston Texans. All this while the Michael Vick saga and dog  PR nightmare continues for the Falcons and the NFL.

Now it appears that it was much worse than initially speculated. A police informant has stated that Michael Vick was involved in gambling on dog fighting as far back as 2000.

Read more

Daily Commentary – Monday May 28th, 2007 – Remembering and Finding Jennifer Kesse

Dana discusses:

• Remembering and Finding Jennifer Kesse

TES: Hogs & Horses, Mission for the Missing pictures, Part 3

Texas Equusearch: Hogs and Horses, Mission for the Missing

(Above: Ofir Engel)

(TES members, Tim Miller & Dave Holloway; center)

(The beer crew, entertaining the faithful)

(Left, Gene Robinson, TES member)

(Cheryl Lawless, TES member)

FOX NEWS THE LINEUP (5.26.2007) Natalee Holloway Investigation (Guest:Dave Holloway)

Dave Holloway on The Line Up discussing the upcoming two year mark of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

(Hat Tip: Carpe Noct-O-Vision)

Netherlands Television – Making People Beg For Kidney Transplant

Leave it to the Dutch to create the most tasteless television known to mankind. A primetime show is going to feature a terminally ill woman who will quiz on primetime television 3 people who are suffering from kidney failure and are desperate for a kidney transplant.

The winner will get the kidney, the other two will have their hearts (and lives) broken on national television as they know their chances for success are limited. The Netherlands is suffering from a shortage of organs for transplant. In most of the civilized world, there would be appeals to the humanity of people, in the Netherlands it is a primetime entertainment show.

Sick, just sick…

Viewers will be able to advise the 37-year-old woman, known as Lisa, via text messages which of the candidates to pick, the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper said.

The show is scheduled for next Friday in a prime time spot.
BNN, whose former director died from kidney failure after spending years on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper that the show wanted to highlight the acute shortage of donors in the Netherlands.
The show is produced by Endemol, the Dutch entertainment powerhouse that invented the Big Brother television show in 1999. via  NEWS.com.au.

Jack Kevorkian, Dr. Death Himself, To Be Paroled Next Week

After 8 years in jail, Doctor Death is being released from jail. The man who assisted in more than 100 suicides and created a national outcry is now being paroled. Jack Kevorkian is one of the more controversial figures in the past 20 years. His actions created a national conversation about the ability for medical professionals to participate in a suicide and what the ramifications were.

Kevorkian, whose health is failing, says he will not participate in assisted suicides, but has said he will continue his advocacy for the process.

His attorney told ABC News’ Law & Justice Unit that Kevorkian would not participate in any more assisted suicides. And he said that Kevorkian, who turns 79 Saturday, is in seriously declining health as he prepares for his parole next week.

For years, Kevorkian was at the center of a national debate around the highly controversial questions surrounding physician-assisted suicides or “mercy killings:” Do the terminally ill have the right to choose when and how they die? Do doctors have the ability, even an obligation, to help them die as they choose?
Polls suggest that a majority of Americans are in favor of physician-assisted suicide. Kevorkian’s attorney, Mayer Morganroth, said his client looks back with qualified regret at the more than 100 suicides he said he assisted throughout the 1990s. It was the assisted suicide of Thomas Youk, who had Lou Gehrig’s disease, whose story was broadcast on “60 Minutes” in 1998, that earned Kevorkian a prison sentence of 15 to 20 years for second degree murder.

“He realizes now that breaking laws are not going to help,” said Morganroth. Instead, “he has to speak out” for the legalization of assisted suicide, “and that’s it. He feels he’s lost over eight years of his life. That’s certainly something he’s not pleased with, but he looks at it as he did something that required him to be punished. He broke a law.”   via ABC News