Random Thoughts

Scottish values

There are many reasons why Scotland never has been and never will be a world power. Why it was rolled over by England. Why it–despite persistent calls for Scottish independence–is of no substantive worth in terms of global politics.

This is one big reason:

The release from prison Thursday of the only person ever convicted in the 1988 bombing that killed 270 people aboard a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland angered and outraged victims’ relatives, who said they were left feeling wronged again.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was released Thursday after serving eight years of a life sentence in a Scottish prison. Scottish officials said the former Libyan intelligence officer’s prostate cancer was advancing and that they were bound by Scottish values to release him. He was recently given only months to live.

“Scottish values?” What the heck would those be, I wonder. Apparently making sure that a mass murderer has a comfortable death at home is “Scottish values.” Apparently “Scottish values” come down firmly on the side of a convicted felon who gave no comfort nor mercy to 270 innocent travelers. Apparently Scottish values include trampling on the law that demanded a life sentence for the murderer, figuring that 8 years served was enough. That would be about ten and a half days served for each murdered passenger.

Cohen and other relatives said they believe he was released so world leaders could appease Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi because access to his nation’s oil is so important….The Times of London reported that al-Megrahi was to return to Libya in Gadhafi’s jet — something else the victims’ families saw as an affront.

Gadhafi will be visiting New York in September, where he will address the UN immediately after Obama. We can look forward to the photo op of the two men smiling and shaking hands like old friends. Nobody is as cordial to dictators and thugs as the current US President.

Obama and good buddy Hugo Chavez

“Twenty years later, this is the last sad chapter where government leaders have no moral backbone,” said Bert Ammerman of River Vale, whose brother Tom was killed on the flight.

Certainly Scottish leaders have no moral backbone. I suppose in that way they’re no different than any other politicians.

Obama was bold enough to call al-Megrahi’s release “a mistake.” Mr. President, putting a tablespoon rather than a teaspoon of salt in the stew is a “mistake.” Letting a convicted murderer go scot-free (pun totally intended) is a disgusting travesty of justice.

In other news…

The MSM is determined to brush off concerns about Obamacare. Gateway Pundit offers startling insight into the mentality behind end of life care and the Obama health care plan. When they say “You don’t need to worry,” that’s when you ought to really start worrying.

The creator of the Obama Joker posters is 2009′s answer to Cool Hand Luke. H/T Brutally Honest.

And this ought to be mandatory reading for anyone even remotely curious about the whole Cash for Clunkers program. H/T Flopping Aces.

No bread for you, infidel!

Never mind my own petty personal financial problems. I read stuff like this, and I feel like my head’s about to explode:

A Saudi Arabian widow aged 75 has been sentenced to 40 lashes and four months in prison for mingling with two young men who were reportedly bringing her bread.

Khamisa Sawadi, a Syrian who was married to a Saudi, breached rules barring women from meeting with male non-relatives, a court ruled.

The two men, including Sawadi’s late husband’s nephew Fahd al-Anzi, were also found guilty and sentenced to prison terms and lashes.

Mrs Sawadi argued she saw 24-year-old al-Anzi as a son and even breast-fed him when he was a baby.

But the court, which had acted following a tip-off from al-Anzi’s father, dismissed her evidence.

…The court verdict read: ‘Because she said she doesn’t have a husband and because she is not a Saudi, conviction of the defendants of illegal mingling has been confirmed.’

Sawadi commonly asked her neighbours for help after her husband died, said Saudi journalist Bandar al-Ammar, who reported the story for Al-Watan.

…Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islam prohibits men and women who are not immediate relatives from mingling and women from driving. The playing of music, dancing and many movies also are a concern for hard-liners who believe they violate religious and moral values.

A special police unit called the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice enforces these laws, patrolling public places to make sure women are covered and not wearing make up, sexes don’t mix, shops close five times a day for Muslim prayers and men go to the mosque to worship.

H/T Rachel Lucas. This lady’s 75 freakin’ years old–what possible harm can there be in her meeting with ANYONE? She should have just gone without the bread, starved to death if need be, and upheld their asinine virtue laws. And how dare those two men bring an old lady bread; what were they thinking?! They must be punished.

If ever there was a reason to drill for our own oil and become utterly independent of Arabian oil, this is it. This cruelly ridiculous crap that enslaves and tortures an entire gender. If it weren’t for their oil, the Saudis wouldn’t have jack to sell to the world, and they be reduced again economically to the primitive barbarians they still are socially.

Not that I have an opinion, or anything.