Michael recently wrote a post criticizing the contents of a letter concerning events that transpired between Ottoman Muslims and Armenians during WWI written by Matthew Reynolds, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for legislative affairs to Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  As Michael so aptly pointed out-

 What’s missing in this letter and in all other letters relating to this event some call the ‘Armenian genocide,’ are Turkish Moslem victims. For some reason, Western politicians do not seem to care much about the tremendous loss of life among Turkish Moslems; about how they were butchered, raped, vilified, tortured, drowned, suffocated, beaten or burned to death. This letter is no exception in this regard.

The post suggests that politicians readily overlook the suffering of Ottoman Muslims, and let’s not forget that there were also Ottoman Jews who suffered as much, for money and votes.  One commenter, seems to insinuate that Michael’s hypothesis is inaccurate.  So why don’t we take a closer look? (more…)

“Killing is to continue until the unbelievers pay jizyah (subjugation tax) after they are humbled or overpowered,” the radical Pakistani cleric wrote in his book, “Islam and Modernism,” which in 2006 was translated from his native Urdu into English.Usmani advocates spreading sharia law in America and the West — the barbaric legal code that not only justifies holy war, but the stonings, floggings, amputations and even beheadings for petty crimes seen in Muslim nations such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Sudan.The aim of Muslims, he wrote, is to “take out people from the rule of people and put them under the rule of Allah.”

You can be sure Usmani will make a case as being a victim of criminal Islamophobia. About his obvious Infidel-a-Phobia, however, no one will say a word! No doubt the multicultural crowd will claim that the capitalist Dow Jone has overreacted and will urge us all to be more understanding. At any moment I expect to see a statement from CAIR (although they seem to have their own little problem right now), and the various Muslim associations in the US, condemning Dow Jones move. While you are expecting the usual reactions… don’t hold your breath waiting for the UN Human Rights Council to condemn Infidel-a-Phobia, or to declare it a crime like they did in the case of Islamophobia.

Read the rest at: Freedom’s Cost

At the Washington Post, Kevin Phillps compares financial and business trends in the U.S. to those of other, failed global empires and finds our situation unenviable:

The U.S. economy faces unprecedented debt levels, soaring commodity prices and sliding home prices, to say nothing of a weak dollar. Despite the recent stabilization of the economy, some economists fear that the world will soon face the greatest financial crisis since the 1930s.

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The main reason that California’s fires are such a problem is because of the proximity of housing enclaves to the repeat burn zones.  Firefighters do extraordinary work saving homes each and every year in California.  But should they have to?

It might be time to decide.  Fire season seems to be starting early in the Los Angeles area this year.  When/if it does, we’ll all be getting a hefty bill to pay for the damage. 

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That’s what Shaun Mullen of the Moderate Voice says. His justification? Gramm, the former Senator from Texas, played in instrumental role in dismantling decades-old banking regulations during the Clinton administration. Terrorist. We’d better lock Gramm up as a matter of national security. Imagine the gall, doing away with obsolete rules from a by-gone era. Evidently Mullen’s idea of government is one that simply continues to grow without ever being pruned back. Typical far-left think, and anything but moderate, as Karl explains.

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If you’re in the mood to get good and hacked off at Congress for failing to live up to its responsibility to ensure that citizens’ views are aired to in its chambers, read Elizabeth Warren’s piece on the House’s credit-card hearings.

The first panel was four regular people who wanted to give first-hand information about their experiences with their credit cards. While the reps from Cap One, Chase and Bank of America went on for hours about their customer friendly policies and how much value they provided free to consumers, the people who had different stories were never allowed to utter a single word.

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Investing in markets, stock, real estate, and otherwise, is a gamble and with all such bets there are inevitably going to be winners and losers.

At the NY Times, David Leonhardt writes that the Federal Reserve’s “great moderation” may have been a mere illusion fueled by stock and land rushes over the last 16 years. (more…)