About
Captain Ed is a father and grandfather living in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, a native Californian who moved to the North Star State because of the weather. He lives with his wife Marcia, also known as the First Mate, their two dogs, and frequently watch their granddaughter Kayla, whom Captain Ed calls The Little Admiral.
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The Crows Nest
Would Early Primaries Allow More Donations?
Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot believes that candidates will benefit if primaries and caucuses get pushed into 2007. A loophole in campaign finance regulation appears to allow an extra $2,300 per donor for candidates if those elections are held this year. Be sure to check out Jim's analysis, and the surprising candidate that may benefit the most.
When Tom Met Jeralyn
One of the interesting aspects of politics is finding out that opponents are people, too. Jeralyn Merritt of TalkLeft met Rep. Tom Tancredo backstage at NBC's studios, and found him more likable than she had anticipated. Perhaps it was their mutual interest in Dog, The Bounty Hunter ...
Joe Lieberman A Right-Wing Nut?
That's what CAIR says, according to Joe Kaufman. He has a link to a CAIR official's blog post that calls Lieberman, along with John Bolton, former CIA director James Woolsey, and the Heritage Foundation's Peter Brookes as "extremists". Affad Shaikh also calls Dick Cheney a "fat bastard of a liar," apparently not meant as a pop-culture reference to the Austin Powers movies. (via Let Freedom Ring)
Broadband Homelessness
The Japanese have made homelessness more efficient, and more Net-friendly, too. Their Internet cafés have become homeless shelters for the struggling manual-labor sector. The problem has grown into such a problem that government intervention will shortly become a political priority.
Found My Law Firm
Power Line links twice to this story regarding an attorney at Faegre & Benson who refused to become a victim and helped capture a very dangerous man. Keith Radtke is a partner in the firm as is Power Line's John Hinderaker. Radtke is listed in satisfactory condition after getting shot in the back, but that didn't keep him from locking up his attacker in a wrestling grip until police could arrive. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of man I'd want as my counsel ....
Don't Click That YouTube E-mail
The latest in spam seems to be redirections from YouTube links in e-mail to IP addresses without domain names. They attempt to entice people by making it seem that they have been inadvertently YouTubed. I'm sure most people can see through this scam, but just in case, you've been warned ....
Rick Moran Escapes The Floods
Rick Moran has kept us up to date on his travails along the Algonquin River. Yesterday, the police showed up to get him evacuated before the river flooded his home -- but today, Rick finds that a minor miracle has taken place, and that his house survives ... at least for now. Keep Rick in your prayers, and keep checking in at Right Wing Nut House for updates.
Rule 1: Drag The Corpse On Over First
If I've learned anything in four years of blogging, don't try to be out in front of the death rumors, especially with the villains of the world. Saddam died a hundred deaths before we caught him alive in his spider hole, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi almost as many before his demise last year. Osama may or may not be alive, but everyone's avoided speculating on his fate for a while now. Maybe Val at Babalu Blog will get luckier with his "Castro Is Dead" story. We all hope so. I'll wait for the announcement ....
Hobbs Choice
Volunteer Voters is holding its annual "Best of Nashville" on-line polls, and one of the categories is for the best political writer. Our friend Bill Hobbs, now posting at Newsbusters, and he'd like his on-line fans to cast their votes. Drop by and put one in for Bill if you get a chance!
Murtha Getting Backlogged On Apologies
Gary Gross of Let Freedom Ring sees another case collapsing on the Haditha charges. He's called for Murtha to apologize earlier, and adds another reason to the tally.
No Such Thing As 'Moderate' Islam?
Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan told a television interviewer that he finds the label "moderate Islam" offensive. Shrink Wrapped has a lot more on this, but at least in the same interview Erdogan acknowledged that "radical Islam" exists, and that it's been a catastrophe. Be sure to read the whole post.
MS-NBC Gets Punk'd
Power Line has a great post on a lack of journalistic effort on the part of MS-NBC. In covering the Michael Vick story, they reported on what they thought was Al Sharpton's website proclaiming Vick's innocence. I guess Alex Johnson and two other MS-NBC reporters couldn't bother to read the title bar of the site, which proudly proclaims it as a "parody site".
New Instapundit Podcast On Pharmaceuticals
I just caught this e-mail from Glenn Reynolds about his new podcast with Richard Epstein, the author of Overdose: How Excessive Government Regulation Stifles Pharmaceutical Innovation. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but the topic is important enough to make sure I carve out time for it tomorrow. Get their first and tell me what I'm missing ....
Fed Trying A 'Stealth Easing'?
The Federal Reserve seems to have conducted a quiet campaign to steady markets that started spinning out of control, according to King Banaian at SCSU Scholars. He thinks that the Fed has conducted a "stealth easing". Be sure to read his explanation and follow his lnks.
A Shameless Bit Of Sel-Promotion
Gateway Pundit and Val at Babalu Blog note a crass PR move by Hugo Chavez. Venezuela has responded to Peru's eathquake disaster with food shipments -- and with Hugo's smiling picture on the cans. He also uses the tuna-can label to undermine President Garcia of Peru, who narrowly defeated Chavez' pal Ollanto Humalla, whom the labels extol for his "solidarity" with Chavez.
Tacky beyond belief.
Comments (34)
Posted by bulbasaur | August 8, 2007 1:34 PM
Imagine you want democrats to win elections.
Imagine the democrat party is weak on terror and weak on defense.
Imagine you're in charge of headline.
Posted by Lyle | August 8, 2007 1:41 PM
My favorite quote of the whole story was the ending:
"Bedier also says the FBI has told him there is not a terrorist investigation and there will be not be federal charges filed. That contradicts what neighbor Sherri Jackson told us."
Yup, if *I* wanted an authoritative word on what the FBI was doing, I'd definitely ask the spokesman for CAIR. And the neighbors. Definitely the neighbors.
Posted by RBMN | August 8, 2007 1:57 PM
They were probably just two eager students doing some chemical research for their senior jihad project.
Posted by viking01 | August 8, 2007 2:09 PM
Whenever I see a lack of headlines I naturally assume it is the press reporting on the latest accomplishments of San Fran Nan and Dingy Harry Reid with a hefty dose of blank space.
Posted by Scratches his Head | August 8, 2007 2:43 PM
Hmmm, the FBI is not pursuing an investigation?
Imagine you are a neo-con demagogue.
Imagine that you can't understand that where the FBI is either not investigating or decling to state their results that there might be more information to be had.
Now imagine that you simply can't pass an opportunity to label the majority in Congress as weak on defense.
Posted by bulbasaur | August 8, 2007 3:24 PM
RBMN, careful with your sensitivity, calling them students is a little too concrete.
I feel more comfortable with a descriptor like hooligans.
Posted by dave | August 8, 2007 3:33 PM
From wire reports:
"Bomb technicians exploded an item found in the car about 2:45 a.m. Sunday. The item made a loud bang, similar to a firecracker, when it was demolished."
A loud bang! Oh my God! Kill them!!!
Posted by viking01 | August 8, 2007 3:42 PM
Just because they're inept doesn't mean they're not dangerous.
Someone (perhaps blissfully unaware of it) is getting too close to the "robbed the bank but the gun wasn't loaded" defense!
Posted by dave | August 8, 2007 3:58 PM
viking01:
They had some homemade fireworks in their car, which they made with supplies bought from WalMart. They voluntarily gave the FBI the keys to their house, the father allowed the FBI to search the house unsupervised, and they found nothing. Yeh, I guess I'm just nieve.
Grow up, people!!!
Posted by swabjockey05 | August 8, 2007 3:58 PM
Viking,
Not really...the shyster wannabe is only upset that the lunatics aren't more successful at killing/maiming people in the US...In case you don't know, the yellow commie looks forward to the violent overthrow of the US government (that is...as long as HE doesn't actually have to get his hands dirty).
Posted by mrlynn | August 8, 2007 4:35 PM
Who arrested them? Local police? For what?
Let us hope the FBI is on top of the case and knows whether they are part of a terrorist cell or freelancers.
Is it possible the FBI has asked the media to keep quiet?
/Mr Lynn
Posted by dave | August 8, 2007 5:34 PM
I heard that when the FBI searched their house, they found sparklers and a slingshot also.
Posted by Ray | August 8, 2007 5:48 PM
"They had some homemade fireworks in their car, which they made with supplies bought from WalMart."
Posted by dave at August 8, 2007 3:58 PM
That, in itself, is a felony. People are not allowed to make explosive devices without a license. Whether those devices are used as simple homemade fireworks or pipe bombs is immaterial, it is still illegal. I doubt that these men had a license to create class C explosive devices.
Posted by dave | August 8, 2007 5:59 PM
Ray:
"That, in itself, is a felony."
Relax, Barney Fife. You never made any homemade fireworks? When I was a kid, we would grind up the solid model rocket engines and do all kinds of fun stuff with it. We made are own gunpowder as well. If a Muslim does the same thing today, he'll end up in Guantanamo. Times change.
Posted by negentropy | August 8, 2007 6:14 PM
Is it possible the FBI has asked the media to keep quiet?
That would ensure the media run the headlines and this story would be splashed on every front page. Asking the media to keep quiet is like asking a child left alone with a cookie jar not to eat any cookies.
Posted by Ray | August 8, 2007 7:41 PM
Dave,
You're lucky you didn't hurt or kill yourself or someone else when you played with explosives. Had you been caught making and transporting your home-made fireworks you would have faced federal charges, just like these men are facing.
Just because you think there's nothing wrong with making your own fireworks, it doesn't mean that it should be allowed. People have been hurt and killed because of home-made fireworks, and that is why such laws exist.
As my father once said to me: Intelligence may have it's limits, but stupidly knows no bounds.
Posted by billyoblog | August 8, 2007 8:02 PM
I'm surprised at the number of people here who are so willing to dismiss this as "Ahmed and Mohamed's Excellent Adventure". I've followed this story since it broke and the question Ed asks is spot on. Drudge , for example has NEVER had a mention of it but yet they are all over the Pop bottle attack on a Mosque in Arizona.
These guys are dirty. The word 'fireworks' originated from THEM when asked by the polce what was in the trunk. It was actually potassium nitrate, sugar, pvc tubing, fuses, and gasoline.
Their 'story' about heading up to North Carolina from Tampa on 30-40 bucks worth of gas doesn't hold water either, unless of course you count the extra gasoline in the trunk. Plus, they accidentally found themselves SO FAR off the beaten path to North Carolina that they probably just decided to see what a Navy installation that houses 60 million pounds of ordinance and is home to enemy combatants looks like.
Closing the laptop when the police approached wasn't enough, they tried to hide it.(probably to avoid the embarrassment of downloaded porn, right guys)
There's more. Mr. Mohamed is apparently studying GPS mapping. Downloaded waypoints of targets comes to mind but hey, these guys are just wayward kids, Right(?)
Now don't get me wrong, the POSSIBILITY exists that they are a couple of bumbling bedouins, but in the times we live, after the eviceration of 3000 Americans, and the fact we're at war (we are still at war aren't we) I wouldn't be so quick to give them a pass.
There is much more to this story that I haven't even touched on. (ie:oxygen canisters, roomates fleeing to Canada on Monday, etc, etc,) Frankly, from what I have read the past three days I could wite a book. It's out there, check the local news reports in Charelston AND Tampa. Check JAWA, Jihad Watch, Debbie Schlussel. CNN actually broke the story and have since almost grudgingly report updates.
Of course the POSSIBILTY also exists that these two were working for the FEDS to infiltrate a cell and the local cops dropped the fly in the soup, but I doubt it. This thing has feathers, quacks, and waddles. You figure out what you think it is. I have a pretty good idea.
This is
Posted by Dave Thul | August 8, 2007 8:15 PM
Th evidence cited here is pretty thin-possible explosives and a nosy neighboor-but it is certainly enough for the media to report on further. 1 hour and 27 minutes after the 35W bridge collapse, KSTP TV reported that a Homeland Security vehicle was on the scene. "Two young muslim men with expolsives" should be an instant news alert.
Posted by NahnCee | August 8, 2007 8:19 PM
Every. Single. Time. Something weird happens, the FBI announces that there's no cause for concern, that it was not terrorist-related. Can anyone remember the last time Muslims acted up in America and the FBI issued something saying , "Yeppers, they're up to something and it looks like this. You guys out there should be watching your backs."
I really think that the FBI has taken a page from the Air Force's strategy of denial about UFO's; i.e., what we don't know won't hurt us. And deny deny and call everything either a coincidence or a weather balloon.
I wonder whose brilliant idea it was to go in that direction, and willingly mislead the majority of Americans, for the sake of the hurted feelings of a few beady-eyed Muslims. I guess the FBI must think that if that same majority of Americans support Bush even after he "lied and troops died", then we must be comfortable with being lied to about EVERYthing, including airline test runs, fake acid attacks, and cars full of explosive fireworks.
Posted by viking01 | August 8, 2007 8:23 PM
My vote goes for Dave being naive.
North Korea tried a nuclear weapon test several months ago. It fizzled and probably didn't make much noise. Therefore we should all believe Peanut Carter's assessment (emphasis first syllable) that North Korea is not a threat.
A building in Oklahoma City was brought down with readily available farm chemicals. Terrorists have used our passenger planes and aviation fuel against us. WalMart has lots of things which could readily be put to destructive use. It doesn't take much in a confined space if expertly placed. That's as much detail as I will post here because as Investor's Business Daily reported today there are those in our midst whom have already forgotten 9/11 especially, in their words, Al Qongress.
Posted by jaeger51 | August 8, 2007 9:26 PM
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty convinced that being an active Muslim in this country...depending on what's being said in your local mosque...is pretty darn close to being a member of the German American Bund before WW2. They should ALL be scrutinized.
Posted by the fly-man | August 9, 2007 6:13 AM
I don't beleive the aquital of Sami-AlArian on 20+ charges or the aquital of Muhammed Salam got much news either. BTW, the Salam charge that stuck was a perjury charge, none for the original underlying crime, hmm that sounds familiar.
Posted by Kim | August 9, 2007 6:41 AM
It's policy. Bush doctrine states clearly that one must not upset day to day life. The "mall" must have its dose of consumer traffic. Business is not to be have its routine negatively changed. Only the airline industry is to be made to suffer, no choice. Is there a serious war preparedness on the continent? Or does WalMart etc.have to give government the go sign first as part of a marketing plan.
Posted by swabjockey05 | August 9, 2007 6:42 AM
Viking, he's NOT naive. He's posted her a lot in the past. He's an admitted Communist who wants the corrupt (Dem and Repub) elected Government of the US to be violently overthrown. Says it's been corrupted since WWII and is unsalvageable. Menace to the “real” freedom loving world etc etc. Needs to be overthrown so that his commie pals can move in and create a utopian society. He's on record.
He really does want the Lunatics to start blowing stuff up in the US.
I point this out so that you don't waste too much time on him...save you some pain. The shyster lawyer wannabe likes to babble away.
Posted by dave | August 9, 2007 7:49 AM
billoblog:
"...the local news reports in Charelston AND Tampa...."
I did that. This is from the Tampa Tribune:
"Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington, told Reuters on Sunday that the men had 'some materials to make some pretty good-sized homemade fireworks, but not bomb stuff.' "
They were going on the trip to celebrate a birthday. Bringing fireworks to a birthday celebration? Now that's suspicious.
Swabjockey:
You're really obsessed with me. Do you have a crush on me?
Posted by viking01 | August 9, 2007 9:43 AM
Thanks swabjockey.
I remember his addled anti- US Army rant a couple weeks ago in weird defense of that nut, uh, fired nut Ward Churchill. It is odd how often the loners obsess that others must have crushes on them. As though they have an "I'm so pretty" post-it note on the bathroom mirror!
Reuters has become nearly as untrustworthy at misquoting as the New Republic's recent non-denial denial and typical AP activist dreck so no surprises there.
A dry run with fireworks counts as practicing for the real thing with the Islamofascist element which finds glory in blowing themselves up. What the fanatical Left in this country repeatedly fails to or refuses to grasp is that if suicide bombers fail they simply keep on trying to win those 72 virgins. The 9/11 perps had nearly 4 years to practice while Bubba was busy getting serviced under the desk as he chatted with Arafat. All the while Slick was busy ignoring Khobar Towers, the bombed US Embassies, the USS Cole, not to mention the first World Trade Center bomb in 1993. The burden of complacency while BJ Clinton was busy "feeling our pain."
Posted by billyoblog | August 9, 2007 10:22 AM
Dave,
The earth is flat. That used to be the party line too until someone found evidence to prove otherwise. I noticed the quote you pulled from the Tampa Trib is from Sunday. Today is Thursday. A few things have happened since then that I'm sure you must be aware of but have choosen to ignore, including backing off that statement . Just because there a 'journalists' repeating that ,EVEN TODAY,doesn't support your arguement, hey're just lazy. Nice try though, now, dig deeper, the truth will set you free.
Posted by swabjockey05 | August 9, 2007 10:54 AM
No problem, Viking. But maybe the shyster is right about one thing...I'd give 2 months pay to meet him sometime....maybe I do have a crush on him.
obtw, Viking, you're not an S-3 "Hoover" driver by chance?
Posted by benning | August 9, 2007 11:43 AM
Well, we certainly don't want to see innocent Muslims being lynched, do we? The MSM is merely supressing what could be a horrible trigger of redneck Conservatives once again hanging Muslims from lamposts all across America! They've done it before, haven't they? Isn't that why we let the MSM ignore the facts?
It isn't?
Never mind.
Posted by viking01 | August 9, 2007 1:08 PM
I certainly wish I were piloting one of those swabjockey! How I envy those who can follow the meatball in total darkness heading toward a pitching deck and glide 35 tons of Super Hornet or whatever aircraft is under them like a fly onto a sugar cube. Sheer guts and tremendous talent just like those on deck and below decks bringing them home safe.
Bravo Zulus to you and yours.
(Viking refers to my Nordic moontan.)
Posted by FedUp | August 9, 2007 1:18 PM
So... what's wrong with racial profiling? Just because there are groups who don't want to be scrutinized and they've whined to judges and the ACLU (American Communist Lawyers Union) and gotten a lot of push back, doesn't mean it's wrong!!!! So, you stop someone who fits a description of a possible suspect - if wrong, apologize and move on. I'm sick of all this PC crap!
It's like... searching a little old lady who can barely walk in airport screenings but NOT anyone who looks like he might be 'suspicious' .
The inmates are running the asylum!
Posted by dave | August 9, 2007 9:02 PM
billoblog:
"Nice try though, now, dig deeper, the truth will set you free."
You're right. I re-read the news reports, and now I realize that these two were going to use their firecrackers to break their Islamofascist friends out of prison so they could plan the next 9-11, all so they can get their very own 72 virgins. The clincher for me is how the one guy closed his computer. That is obviously a terrorist move. I'm learning a lot. I hope these guys never get out of prison. Better yet, we should just torture them to death. Damn Islamofascists.
Posted by billyoblog | August 10, 2007 11:44 AM
Dave,
Earth to Dave. Pipe Bombs, not firecrackers. Pipe Bombs wthin a footballs throw of 60 million pounds of ordinance. Hiding the laptop, not closing the laptop, big difference, read a more current article. Ahmed, GPS mapping, now hiding the laptop doesn't seem so innocuous, does it?
Have you hugged your Quran today?
Posted by dave | August 10, 2007 2:34 PM
billy:
The damn Islamofascists probably said they had GPS to use for directions on their road trip, but we know it was to pinpoint the location of the Navy's weapons storehouse of 60 million pounds of weapons (which happens to be within throwing distance of a public location). They're not fooling me.
I don't care if they were headed in the opposite direction of the Navy site when they were caught. I know they were just leaving in order to finalize their plans for an attack on the next day. They probably needed a day to practice throwing a football to in order to increase their accuracy for when they returned to throw that pipe bomb the next day.
Islamofascists.