Part-Time Pundit: March 2006 Archives

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March 30, 2006

DNC to Canvass in all 50 States

Here's the email I got from Mad Howard.

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Dear John,

Are you ready to make history?

Thanks to the overwhelming support from thousands of Democrats, who donated to get the literature for the canvass printed and shipped, we're on schedule and gearing up for the unprecedented Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day on April 29th.

On that Saturday, thousands of volunteers will recruit hundreds of thousands more Americans committed to changing the status quo this year during door-knocking events in communities across America.

Democrats have a clear vision for America, and we're going to get the word out by making personal contact with our neighbors. And along the way we will build new relationships among volunteers on the ground, a network that will have an impact beyond a single day.

Whether you've never volunteered or you're a seasoned door-knocking veteran, it is crucial that you take part in this historic organizing push.

Please RSVP for an event near you:

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/find

In many states, Democratic Party staff on the ground have already put together staging areas for massive voter contact events on the 29th. Thanks to donations from people like you, hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature are being printed and shipping in bulk to those locations right now.

If there isn't an event near you, don't worry. Some state parties will have canvassing events on alternate dates, or have other important events planned for that weekend.

You can still plan your own canvass in your community. Our online tool makes the planning process easy, and if you create your event before April 10th, we will get doorhangers to you in time for your canvass on the 29th.

You can create your own event here:

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/create

Whether you're attending an event or hosting your own, we have also put together materials on the web to help you make your canvass as effective as possible.

The online package includes tips on canvassing, a suggested script for when you get to the door, and the doorhanger itself in various formats for you to print extras on your own.

Here is the online resource center:

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass

Two-thirds of Americans reject this president and the Republican leadership -- and they are waiting to hear from us.

We are all members of one American community and it's up to us to make sure that our country has a government as good as its people.

Democrats have a big task in November. We will only win if every one of us takes responsibility for the outcome of the election now -- while there is still time to build our operation.

Thank you for being a part of this extraordinary grassroots push.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

Posted by John Bambenek at 7:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

DI Column Up : Do The Math

The latest column I have done for the DI is up Do The Math. It's a point-counterpoint against Eric Naing who believes that seperation of Church and State means we cannot allow people to choose any religion.

Posted by John Bambenek at 5:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Stop the ACLU - History of the ACLU Part 1

A History On The ACLU Part 1

Originally Appeared On Gribbit's Word April 14, 2005

I researched the Congressional Record dated Wednesday, September 20, 1961. Very important information relating to the ACLU and it's Communist/Socialist ambitions.

Dr. Fredrick Schwartz, executive director of the International Christian Anticommunism Crusade, "Communist Legal Subversion," page 75, House Committee on Un-American Activities: "Any attempt to judge the influence of Communists by their numbers is like trying to determine the validity of the hull of a boat by relating the area of the holes to the area which is sound. One hole can sink a ship. Communism is the theory of the disciplined of few controlling and directing the rest. One person in a sensitive position can control and manipulate thousands of others."

FBI Director, J. Edger Hoover called Communists, "Masters of Deceit". He continues, "Fronts probably represent the party's (communist) most successful tactic in capturing non-Communist support. Like mass agitation and infiltration, fronts espouse the deceptive party line (hence the word "front"), while actually advancing the real party line. In this way the party is able to influence thousands of non-Communists, collecting large sums of money, and reach the minds, pens, and tongues of many high-ranking and distinguished individuals. Moreover, fronts are excellent fields for party recruitment." The FBI director, people!

And how does this tie into the ACLU? I'm getting to that. The two co-founders of the American Civil Liberties Union are Roger Baldwin and Crystal Eastwood, both confessed socialists. Roger Baldwin was on the record of over 100 Communist front affiliations. In an article that he wrote for "Soviet Russia Today"(September 1934), "When the power of the working class is once achieved, as it has been only in the Soviet Union, I am for maintaining it by any means whatsoever." He goes on to say, "The class struggle is the central conflict of the world, all others are coincidental." He also wrote in a book commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Harvard graduating class of 1905 (in 1935), "I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and sole control of those who produce wealth: Communism is the goal."

Dr. Harry Ward, the first chairman of the ACLU, was linked to over 200 front affiliations of the Communist Party. And was the chairman of one of the largest front organizations in this country, "The American League for Peace and Democracy." Which was placed on a list of subversive organizations by the Attorney General of The United States on June 1, 1948. Dr. Ward authored two pro-Soviet books, "Soviet Democracy" and "Soviet Spirit", which garnered him an investigation by the California State Senate Fact Finding Committee on Un-American Activities. The Committee stated on page 246 of their report, "The Communist affiliation of Dr. Harry F. Ward is indicative of the Communist sympathies of the members and sponsors of the 'Friends of the Soviet Union.'"

Since this history is far reaching, I will continue this subject in tomorrow's main posting. I don't wish to overwhelm my readers with too much information. But should you wish to read up on this subject further, you can read the entire Congressional Record for September 20, 1961, by clicking on the title of this post. It is rather eye opening.

This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us, please email Jay or Gribbit. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 180 blogs already on-board

Posted by John Bambenek at 5:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 26, 2006

Quest for Swag: Sun Microsystems

I used to have this fantastic coffee mug with a Sun logo. It was black ceramic and could hold about a gallon of coffee which is essential for net/sysadmins who don't want to refuel every 5 minutes. Well, it disappeared and I think the janitorial staff liberated it, but that's not the point. I was left without my favorite coffee mug. So in a fit of obnoxiousness, I email Sun to get a replacement. The e-mail trail is below as is the swag they sent. The coffee mug is average, it's basically a standard travel mug. But the leather case of misc. USB/Firewire adaptors, a mouse, and an earbud-mic thingy and such is pretty neat and highly useful, so I give Sun high marks.

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From: XXXX@Sun.COM [mailto:XXXX@Sun.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 10:36 AM
To: me
Subject: [Fwd: SESWEB - Questions regarding courses.]]

Dear Mr Bambenek-

Wake up! Off the couch! Snap out of it please! And please know that a Sun education marketing manager has taken pity on your situation. Our fulfillment house should be contacting you soon for your address, so that we can send you a Sun-logoed item. I can't promise it will be a coffee mug, but rest assured you will have a treasure from Sun to brighten your days.

We can only hope you will be a trifle more careful with things you receive from us in the future, otherwise we will worry incessantly about your welfare.

Cheers,

XXXX

p.s. Contact me if you don't receive an item.

QUESTION
*********************************************************

For the past week I've been feeling a nagging vacuum that has been present in my life. I've been lethargic and unmotivated to handle life's challenges. It was only until recently I have discovered the cause of this crisis, I had lost my Sun Ed coffee mug!

Much to my shock and horror, this mug has simply disappeared leaving me in an uncaffeinated state of dismay rivaling that of postal workers. It is the lack of this highly prized item, the black extra-large mug that enabled me to at once consume copious amounts of caffeine and to render poor service to my users with my trademark wit and disdain for humanity.

Without this mug I am left with the expressionless demeanor of your standard DMV desk clerk.

I appeal to your sense of decency and justice to fill the void in my life that has been left in the wake of my lost mug and find it in your heart to send me a replacement.

Lethargically yours,
John Bambenek

Posted by John Bambenek at 10:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 24, 2006

Comment and Trackback Spam

I just went through and junked all the trackback/comment spam and noticed a few legit comments in the mix. Hopefully the updated filter will help lower the noise, sorry for anyone I missed.

Posted by John Bambenek at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 20, 2006

Guard the Borders Blogburst: A Call to Action

CALL TO ACTION!

On Thursday, March 16, the Senate Judiciary Committee told their staff to meet behind closed doors to construct an immigration bill that would include provisions from the Kennedy-McCain bill. Known as S. 1033, the McCain-Kennedy bill includes an amnesty for illegal aliens, a massive "guest" worker program that leads to citizenship, and an estimated one million additional permanent immigrants each year.

Millions of illegals to become citizens?
Kennedy-McCain immigration reform bill likely to pass Senate committee after recess

A bill that would give millions of illegal aliens in the United States the opportunity to earn citizenship is closer to becoming law today as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee signaled likely passage of a proposal by Sens. Edward Kenney, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz.
Though a committee vote will not be held until after a week-long congressional recess, likely March 27, committee members appeared ready to back the Kennedy-McCain bill.

"The votes are there," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

Congress is working to pass a reform bill that includes enforcement, a policy on dealing with illegals already in the country and a guest-worker program pushed by President Bush.

Under the legislation, illegal aliens in the United States would obtain six-year nonimmigrant visas under which they could work in the country and travel outside the country. The aliens would have to pay a $1,000 fine and undergo background checks.

After six years, the aliens would be able to meet certain requirements and then apply for a green card, or permanent residency.

Besides voting on the bill after the recess, committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said the panel also would vote on a bill by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that would give illegal aliens up to five years to leave the U.S. After returning home, they could then apply to return, either as temporary workers or for permanent residency.

"Our intention is not to strand anyone outside the country," Kyl said, according to an AP report. But he asserted the McCain-Kennedy plan would give an illegal alien allowed to stay and work in the country a "huge advantage" over a person having to wait for years in his or her own country for a green card.

The McCain-Kennedy bill would start off with offering 400,000 of the new visas.

To compare the various bills please click here to view a .pdf chart created by NumbersUSA.org. You will be able to see for yourself that what the spin-meisters are telling us about the various bills clearly does NOT match the actual provisions of the bills themselves.

Although Sens. McCain and Kennedy adamantly deny that S. 1033 is an amnesty for illegal aliens, it clearly spells out a path to jobs and residency for illegal aliens. Among the significant immigration-increase provisions of the bill are: a new visa category (H-5A) for 400,000 low-skill foreign workers (this cap can be adjusted upwards); a new temporary 6-year visa category (H-5B) for illegal aliens (and their spouses and children) already in the country; an amnesty for illegal aliens who apply for an H-5B visa and pay a $2,000 fine; a provision for the H-5A temporary workers to apply for permanent resident status after four years; and an exemption of immediate relatives (spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens) from the annual level of 480,000 family-sponsored immigrant visas thereby providing additional visas to the family preference categories.

Supporters claim S. 1033 contains measures to increase border security, yet it contains virtually no such provisions. Aside from creating a Border Security Committee and requiring a few reports, the main "enforcement" provisions are aimed at helping Mexico control its borders!! S. 1033 does, however, require machine-readable immigration documents, and create a new electronic work authorization system that would eventually replace the current "I-9" system. S. 1033 would require the federal government to reimburse states for the cost of providing emergency health care to H-5A and H-5B workers.

Aside from the fact that any guest worker plan would be nothing more than a disastrous amnesty deal tied with a big red bow for lawbreakers, there is another reason to reject it: Our government can’t handle it!

Our government is not capable of handling roughly 13-20 million temporary worker applications when our illegal alien population suddenly becomes eligible through guest worker legislation - USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service) simply cannot handle the administration overload it already has. The only solution would be to massively increase the government. The link above outlines a report from the GAO that shows how the USCIS is already irrevocably buried under a backlog of immigration adjudication. It's a whole other perspective on the various administrative amnesties proposed by the Senate. Mundane? Perhaps. Crucial to the overall scope and size of our bloated and sprawling federal government? Absolutely.

This Guard the Borders Blogburst is a CALL TO ACTION!

1. If you care about the careless increases in immigration as proposed by our Senate, please send a fax - today. It's fast, it's easy - and it's free. NumbersUSA has an amazing way to help us stay involved, and helps us get our voices heard. Their basic faxes are pre-written, and will take less than one minute to send. But, even better, once you register, the faxes are fully customizable to say what you specifically find important to say, if you so choose. The site is an incredible free resource for immigration issues. You can also opt-in for timely updates on issues coming before Congress, and take action on every single on, if you desire.

2. Email the permalink from this article to others you know who care about the impact of illegal immigration. Together, we can all have a voice. The more Americans that respond - the bigger the impact.

Please take a moment, and send a fax today. The Senate Judiciary Committe is behind closed doors as we speak. The McCain-Kennedy bill will come to a vote by next Monday. They and their staffs are smugly confident that they have the votes - let's convince our Senators otherwise.

Take action! We can still be heard!

__________________________________________ This has been a production of the Guard the Borders Blogburst. It is syndicated by Euphoric Reality, and serves to keep immigration issues in the forefront of our minds as we’re going about our daily lives and continuing to fight the war on terror. If you are concerned with the trend of illegal immigration in our country, join the Blogburst! Send an email with your blog name and url to euphoricrealitynet at gmail dot com.

Posted by John Bambenek at 9:24 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

March 18, 2006

Book Review: Google Advertising Tools by Harold Davis

Google Advertising Tools is a sorely needed reference for anyone trying to make money with Google online. The documentation Google provides is minimal and the online resources are difficult to determine which are the real deal and which are the scams.

The book is separated into four parts, with the first part being a basic primer on the world of affiliate programs, pay-per-click systems, and online advertising. At first glance, a new user can quickly become overwhelmed at all the programs to advertise online. This book simplifies them and puts it all in terms that are easily digestible.

The second part gets right into the meat of Google's programs starting with AdSense. Many websites (including this one) use Google AdSense to sell advertising space on their web pages. The book is clear and concise in not only how to best set this up on your own website, but how to organize your website and content to maximize AdSense revenue.

The third part moves on the AdWords for those looking to launch advertising campaigns leveraging Google's services. The books takes you step-by-step in creating and managing campaigns and provides the tools and insight to help the novice succeed in their very first campaign.

Last, the book goes into Google APIs and how these can be used to write applications to interact directly with Google's servers. The author takes what could be very heady material and breaks it down to make it accessible to even the less sophisticated web programmer.

All in all, the book takes what can be a dizzying world of online advertising with Google and makes it simple. The author is concise and to-the-point providing examples and snippets of code to drive the point home. The book is a must for anyone looking to make money online and maximize their returns.

Posted by John Bambenek at 5:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 16, 2006

So how long til my CC info hits the web?

I was in a Washington Post article today in which I basically was quoted calling all the online credit card thiefs n00bs. I'm starting a pool, how long til they DoS me...

John Bambenek, a security incident handler at the Bethesda, Md.-based SANS Internet Storm Center, which monitors hacking trends, agreed.
"The reason there is often a delay is that a lot of the people who actually install a lot of these keylogger programs are not that sophisticated," Bambenek said. "In most cases, they're teenage hackers who flip the information to more organized criminal groups for some quick cash."

The scourge of keylogger programs is pervasive and growing, Bambenek said. He recently conducted an analysis for SANS estimating that nearly 10 million U.S. households own a computer that is infected with some type of keystroke logging program. Although not every PC user whose keystrokes are being logged has experienced financial losses -- perhaps because hackers are busy sifting their illicit logs for rare kinds of data -- Bambenek estimates that organized-crime groups have access to roughly $24 billion in bank assets from accounts associated with the owners of those infected machines.

Then there is this article where the reporter only mentioned my comments about porn sites. Awesome.

John Bambenek, a research programmer for the coordinated science lab at the University of Illinois, said some segments of retail on the Internet are not as trustworthy as others. "Porn is particularly bad," he said. "They'll take your credit card information and sell it to someone else. Since they're a dime a dozen, you have no idea who you're dealing with."

Posted by John Bambenek at 9:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 15, 2006

Column up: The Politics of Belligerance

You can read it here.

Posted by John Bambenek at 1:11 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

March 12, 2006

Book Review: Dreamweaver 8 – The Missing Manual

Coming in at over 900 pages, this is not a book to read cover-to-cover. In the process of going through the functionality of Dreamweaver, the book imparts a good deal of knowledge in the basics of web development and web technology all together, making it a useful reference for experienced Dreamweaver developers and complete beginners alike.

Dreamweaver 8 is the latest version of the popular web design and development application used by millions to create some of the world's best websites. As far as web development software goes, it is the gold standard. The only shortcoming is the lack of documentation and discernible instructions in how to use it. This book fills that gap.

The book begins with the basics of how to navigate the software as well as the basics of web design and progresses to advanced features like database integration, CSS, XML, and XSLT. For the novice user, it gradually steps them up to the ability to make full-featured high quality websites. For experienced users, the book is compartmentally designed to provide quick access to the information you are looking for. Because the book covers not only Dreamweaver functions, but web design basics and other background skills, it can easily be used as one-stop-shopping for anyone wanted to be proficient in web design.

The tips and notes provide useful information that isn't available elsewhere and hands-on tutorials help readers to develop and learn the skills as they read along. The author is particularly helpful in pointing out not only the lesser-known shortcuts and tips, but valuable extensions available to make the developer's life easier. The writing is short and to-the-point which is welcome in a world of rambling non-coherent technical books.

The book is well-written and easy to access, making it an indispensable desk reference for novice and experienced Dreamweaver developers alike.

Posted by John Bambenek at 7:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Book Review: Within the Market Strife

During the 2004 election cycle there was much discussion on the Catholic vote and which way it would go. Are Catholics more liberal or more conservative? Where do Catholics stand on economic and social issues? These questions had no real answers to them.

Schmiesing's book provides some insight into these questions by looking to a period when Catholic thought in America started to come into its own. The book proceeds systematically from the period beginning with Rerum Novarum and ending with Vatican II showing the diverse schools of thought between many of the prominent Catholic thinkers of the time. What is immediately noticeable is that there was rarely complete consensus about what policies to adopt despite coming from the same theological viewpoints in a time where "theological dissent" was properly defined as heresy.

The book is very approachable to those who do not have a great understanding of economics or theology and expounds on the views held at the time in a manner that is easy to digest and understand for the non-practioner. He goes generation by generation describing the views of the principal players about the big discussions of the time. One can understand what could motivate those with the same general moral viewpoints to diverge on issues like right-to-work laws and the living wage.

At a time when it seems that all parties are reevalutating their beliefs, it is helpful for Catholics to go back and see where we have come from and the development of social and economic thought that has occurred. This book provides an excellent point of reference from which to begin to move towards applying Catholic principles to present-day problems.

Posted by John Bambenek at 6:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack