Chuck Baldwin receives Constitution Party nomination.

From the Kansas City Star.

Convening its national convention in Kansas City today, the Constitution Party picked radio talk-show host Chuck Baldwin over former Ambassador Alan Keyes as its 2008 presidential candidate.

The pick was seen as something of an upset, given Keyes' higher national profile. Known for his fiery stem-winders, Keyes is a two-time GOP presidential candidate who abandoned the Republican Party this month to join the Constitution Party, which believes in limited government and is committed to ending abortion and bringing American troops home from Iraq.

But Baldwin's roots in the Constitution Party run deeper. He was the party's 2004 vice-presidential candidate, and party members said his stands were more in line with party thinking. "Chuck is the real deal," said Jim Clymer, the party's national chairman.

Ok, first of all -what do you think of the party's pick? Second, I am considering supporting Baldwin, but I want to know what you think. This is probably aimed more at my fellow Ron Paul supporters, but the rest of you, please weigh in too...

I really don't want to see Ron Paul's vote split between the Libertarian and Constitution parties. That being said, I also really want to be able to really, truly get behind someone for President again. When people ask me who to vote for, I need an answer beyond "write-in", because - honestly - nobody but hardcore Ron Paul'ers agree with, or even listen to that.

I do agree with a great deal of what he says, but my mind isn't made up. Chuck Baldwin has previously endorsed Ron Paul, and is pro-life, anti-Iraq war and speaks out against things like the NAU, which is rare. At the same time, I'm very, very Libertarian on Church-State issues and would feel wary supporting a Pastor for a political office. I don't want to vote for a Mike Huckabee with Ron Paul's political views, if you know what I mean. I'm not saying that's what Baldwin is, I'm just wary.

What are your thoughts?

Creepy much?

From FoxNews.

What's got a 500-foot wingspan, flies at 90,000 feet and stays up in the air for five years without ever touching the ground?

If the Pentagon has its way, it'll be the Vulture, its planned long-, long-, long-range unmanned surveillance and communication aircraft.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency last week awarded contracts to Manassas, Va.-based Aurora Flight Services and top defense contractors Boeing and Lockheed Martin to develop working prototypes of the Vulture, according to the aerospace news service Flight.

Thoughts?

ABC News Questions Gore's Use of Computerized Images in "Inconvenient Truth"

From ABC, hat tip to Infowars.com.

Al Gore's "traveling global warming show," the award-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," includes a long flyover shot of majestic Antarctic ice shelves. But this shot was first seen in the 2004 blockbuster "The Day After Tomorrow." Sculpted from Styrofoam and later scanned into a computer, the ice shelf "flyover" looks real.

Karen Goulekas, the special effects supervisor for "The Day After Tomorrow" said the shot is a digital image. She was glad Al Gore used it in the documentary since "It is one hell of a shot."

And it looks like ol' Al isn't giving up the lie-peddling... as Infowars.com reports, a sequel to Inconvenient Truth is in the works. The media, Congress, and President are eating it up too, passing taxes and restrictions on carbons, and in effect placing the the environment higher than American taxpayers. All the while, questions about the truth of the global warming theory are being resolutely ignored or silenced, while public hype grows.

And we wonder why we get idiots into office? People assume that listening to Al Gore and his band of celebrities will get them all the information they need.

Wake up people!

John McCain vs. John McCain

President Bush to meet with Canada, Mexico's leaders

From the AP: Bush seeks to cement legacy of ties with Canada, Mexico.

WASHINGTON - President Bush, joining the conservative leaders of Canada and Mexico for one final time, is eager to expand a trading relationship that has been lucrative for the United States and both of its neighbors.

Bush joins Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Monday in New Orleans for his fourth and final North American Leaders' Summit.

While the MSM sees- or would like you to see- a harmless meeting about trade agreements, others see the meeting as a continuance of the plans for a North American Union. Plans have been on the table for several months, so this innocuous meeting might not be so harmless in truth...

Research the NAU, and the forces behind it.

The untold casualties of a war...

WASHINGTON - Some 300,000 U.S. troops are suffering from major depression or post-traumatic stress from serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 320,000 received brain injuries, a new study estimates.

Only about half have sought treatment, said the study released Thursday by the RAND Corporation.

“There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Terri Tanielian, the project’s co-leader and a researcher at the nonprofit RAND.

“Unless they receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be long-term consequences for them and for the nation.”

No time for a real post...

Just a quick note before I run. I have oodles of homework to finish tomorrow, and three tests next week, eek. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I had church today, but the rest of you - hope you have a good Sunday ;). See y'all Monday afternoon!

McCain's VP?

So, there's a lot of talk lately about who McCain should pick as his running mate if and presumably when he earns the nomination. I highly doubt he'd choose a socially-moderate-to-liberal like Romney, but more likely candidates have been brought up, including my Governor, Charlie Crist (not a big fan of his, myself) and others. Rest assured, even if McSame picked Ron Paul himself, you'd have a hard time convincing me to vote for him, but I'm just curious - who do you think he should choose?

Charlton Heston dead at 84

"Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played," Heston's family said in a statement. "No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country."

US Government using drones to track Marijuana growers

The U.S. Forest Service has bought a pair of flying drones to track down marijuana growers operating in remote California woodlands.

Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey, who oversees the Forest Service, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the pilot less, camera-equipped aircraft will allow law enforcement officers to pinpoint marijuana fields and size up potential dangers before agents attempt arrests.

The purchase of the two SkySeer drones, for a combined $100,000, reflects rising interest in remote-controlled aircraft among law enforcement, science and other government agencies.

Wow...

First of all, the 10th Amendment states: "Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." So if California wants to legalize pot, they have every Constitutional right to! The Federal government has no right to step in and control what a State does, unfortunately it's something that happens all the time. I don't, nor will I ever, smoke Marijuana (or drink, for that matter) but I don't think that the government - especially the Federal government - should outlaw something just because I disagree with it.

And the larger issue here - does it bother anyone but me that the Government is so readily using remote tracking? It doesn't directly affect me now, because the Government doesn't consider me a lawbreaker. But is our Government incapable of making mistakes?

In ridiculous news...

First-Grader Labeled a Sexual Harasser

Randy Castro, 7, who likes recess and soccer, now has an alarming red flag in his school records. It started on the playground with a first grade classmate.

"I saw another kid like hitting her butt so I did it," Castro said.

His Potomac View Elementary School then called the police and wrote him up as a sexual harasser. Woodbridge, Md. school officials described the incident as "Sexual Touching Against Student, Offensive," in their report.

Dems: Iraq report "too rosy"

Story link.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senior Democratic senators challenged a new intelligence report's assessment of President Bush's "surge" strategy Friday, saying the troop increase in Iraq has failed to achieve its strategic goals.

A Shiite fighter aims at Iraqi government troops in the Sadr City area of Baghdad during fighting this week.

The classified National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, which was distributed to key lawmakers this week, sets the stage for the latest public progress report on Iraq that will be delivered Tuesday and Wednesday to congressional committees by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the top U.S. diplomat in Baghdad.

"In my judgment, it's too rosy, but there are parts of it that are not so rosy, and both pieces need to be declassified," Sen. Carl Levin said, pointing in particular to the portion of the report describing Iraq's political progress.

A few things about this article bother me, as a Conservative who doesn't support the war. First of all, the hypocracy on the Democrats part is repulsive. If you recall, many Democrats have been staunch proponents of the war in the past, including Hillary Clinton. I find it hard to believe that many lawmakers are against Iraq on anything but political grounds. Then again, I suppose that's just politics.

Another issue that bothers me - and this is more against both parties - is the matter-of-fact way the deaths of soldiers is portrayed. Let's not mince words folks; when we say "troop surge" we're talking about more soldiers dying for Iraq, more soldiers being kept away from home for an un-Constitutional war, and more soldiers being used as political pawns! And this goes both ways. Even notable non-politicians, like Angelina Jolie have come out in support of the surge because of the "humanitarian efforts" in Iraq. Somebody tell me, when did it become the job of the American soldier to die for far-flung foreign nations? Soldiers sign up to defend America, not Iraq!

The Democrats are probably right about things not being as "rosy" as they're portrayed, but I see this as a non-issue. Our objective in Iraq, to get rid of the tyranny of Hussein, was finished four and half years ago. We cannot stay until the region is completely stable, even Ronald Reagan spoke about the irrationality of the middle east. We just marched in and we can just march out. It's way past time.

Well, there's my rant for the week. I have a feeling that most of my fellow Conservatives are going to take issue with my views...but anyway.

What do you think?

Florida House Committee passes Abortion bill

From Fox 7 in Miami and Medical News Today.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- All women seeking an abortion would first have to have an ultrasound and be given the opportunity to view the results under a measure approved by a Florida House committee Thursday.

But a more controversial requirement that would have forced women to wait 24 hours before having the procedure was dropped in the face of opposition from moderates in the Legislature.

Florida already requires ultrasounds on any women seeking abortions in the second or third trimester. The bill would require ultrasounds before all abortions, and compel abortion providers to tell the woman she has the option of viewing the sonogram.

The woman wouldn't have to view the image under the legislation.

Read the entire bill here.

Well, I'm obviously in favor of this bill, but I wish that it could be passed with stricter restrictions so it could directly challenge Roe v. Wade. Either way, I'm glad Florida's taking a few steps to protect the rights of the unborn. Of course, this has just passed committee, it still has to be passed by the entire House and Senate and then be signed by Governer Crist, but this is an important step.

But speaking of the Court, do you think 2008 could be like 1973? Several landmark, bad cases and laws were decided or passed by the more liberal-leaning Supreme Court and Congress in that year (Roe v. Wade, the War Powers Resolution,) and if more States would step up and take advantage of the 10th amendment, we might get long-standing bad case law overturned.