All good things come to a close, and since the world did not end the other day there's no risk of an egregious faux pas in referring to the "end of an era."

The Puppies Era, that is.

When you last saw us, we had two chihuahua-pomeranian male puppies tormenting their chihuahua mother who no longer had the proportional body mass to comfortably nurse her progeny. Mother had begun the weaning process in earnest because the little bruisers were collectively larger than her, so she was staying away for longer and longer periods of time.

The smaller pup left early in the week, given to the owner of the pomeranian/father, leaving the big brother to spend a few days alone here while his fate was being decided. Finally, we decided the boy needed more time and attention than he'd get around here. I got a few photos of his last night at home.

He is one sweet little dog, no question about that.

But it's no mystery why momma would have wanted him gone. Footnote: Momma is not exactly depressed with the empty nest situation.

I think this would make a good blog header graphic for the Puppy Forum (not "Puppy Burger Forum" mind you).

How do you spell "chihuahua + pomeranian = adorable"? I spell it like this:

We'll be able to say "I remember him when he was too small to climb the steps to the deck."

Here's the main thing puppies do: Chew on everything. You don't want it with power cords, though, no matter how cute it is.

Besides, they are just as content to eat wood, paper, bark, hamburger wrappers and bits of linen. Why try to stifle this natural curiosity?

So, as you must be wondering, what is the narrative logic of this post? There is no logic. It's just puppies. Everyone loves 'em and they'll visit here for no other reason. Google note: "Chihuahua and Pomeranian." Y'all come back now, y' hear?

Posted by John Climacus at 03:43 | Permalink

Here is the message the U.S. State Department should convey immediately prior to the expiration of the 72-hour deadline set by the kidnappers:

TO: The captors of Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig

If either of these men are harmed, a thermonuclear device will detonate at ground level in the center of the city of Medina, Saudi Arabia. At the same moment, four thermonuclear devices will detonate at ground level in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 10 miles apart in the corners of a square at the center of which is the stone known as the Ka'bah. Neither city will be inhabitable for many generations and, in fact, neither city will be permitted to exist ever again.

More frankly, it is unfortunate the above action was not carried out on September 12, 2001.

Posted by John Climacus at 02:24 | Permalink | Comments (2)

The world didn't end yesterday, which is all fine and good, but a bigger issue is that I've had zero time to blog. Unless you call this blogging. In any case, more puppy pictures are coming soon so please check back.

Posted by John Climacus at 04:38 | Permalink

We've seen lots of this type of thing before, I realize:

Washington is keeping a sharp weather eye out for Tuesday, August 22, which this year corresponds in the Islamic calendar to the date on which many Sunni Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on his winged horse Buraq to “the farthest mosque”, which is traditionally identified with Jerusalem.

According to the Muslim legend, on that day, a divine white light spread over Jerusalem and the whole world.

DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources report that information rated “highly credible” has reached US undercover agencies of a secret report presented to Iran’s supreme ruler Ali Khamenei by Abdollah Shabhazi, one of the heads of the Supreme National Security Council. He claims to expose a mega-terror plot against Jerusalem scheduled for August 22, which aims at killing large numbers of Jews, Arabs and Christians.

This atrocity will reportedly arm the United States and Israel with the pretext for hitting Iran’s nuclear installations, as well its capital, Tehran, and other big cities.

Shabhazi says the US and Israel need to launch a military campaign to restore the deterrent strength they lost in the Lebanon war.

UPDATE: This is a good overview of all the crazy shit that makes you want to be a little more alert than usual the next day or so. I would add to it the various people here in the U.S. who got caught buying large numbers of cell phones in the last couple weeks and the fact Iran is in the midst a major military maneuvers.

Posted by John Climacus at 10:32 | Permalink

If you wonder why it seems somehow inappropriate to view mosques in America as equivalent with other religious properties, and Islam as of a kind with other religions, read this interview with a former imam:

Soloman speaks with knowledge, credibility and conviction. He has memorized large sections of the Koran and tells me, "There's not a single verse in the Koran talking about peace with a non-Muslim, with the Jews and the Christians. Islam means submission. Islam means surrender. It means you surrender and accept Islamic hegemony over yourselves..."

I ask him about the best strategy for fighting it: "It cannot be combated simply by force. It needs to be combated ideologically, spiritually (as well as) through arms."

Soloman says the outlets for Islamic ideology are religious - seminaries, the madrassas (Koranic schools) and especially the mosques. "From the beginning, Mohammed used the mosque to propagate this ideology. It was in the mosque that jihad was declared (and) that troops were sent to conquer the rest of the world. The mosque was the seat of government and Americans are right to be concerned about (their growth)."

He asks Americans to inform themselves about the real teachings of Islam and not to fall for what various Islamic groups say it teaches. Soloman says, "The simplest Islamic book you open" teaches that all unbelievers (in Islam) are profane people. "Because of the (Koranic) text and what it says, it incites violence."

Heaven knows I am no evangelist, so I don't have much standing to complain about the lack of conversions or the secularism of American culture. So I don't know about the liklihood of winning that battle.

Ideologically, there are some concrete steps I know we can take. Number one is to educate Americans about Islam doctrine and practice. Read the Koran, learn about how it is taught and learn about the function of your local mosque.

Read MEMRI daily. Also read:

• Islam Undressed
  
• Dhimmi Watch
  
• FaithFreedom International
  
• Gates of Vienna
  
• Anti-CAIR
  
• Dhimmitude
  
• Daniel Pipes
  
• Clarity and Resolve
  
• Right Truth
  
• Melanie Phillips' Diary
  
• The Religion of Peace
  
• and the entire site and blogroll at Jihad Watch.
  

Posted by John Climacus at 03:34 | Permalink | Comments (1)

If this is true, we need to clean house:

The Department of Homeland Security took a Muslim group with known past ties to terror organizations on a VIP tour of security operations at the nation's busiest airport at the same time British authorities were working to break up a plot to blow up U.S. airlines.

On June 21, a senior DHS official from Washington personally guided Muslim officials from the Council on American-Islamic Relations on a behind-the-scenes tour of Customs screening operations at O'Hare International Airport in response to CAIR complaints that Muslim travelers were being unfairly delayed as they entered the U.S. from abroad.

Everyone in this country should be required to read The Age of Tolerance (and everything on the TROP Web site, for that matter. Thanks to Debbie for that referral).

If the Bush administration is truly this clueless then let's see what the Cheney administration can do for a couple years. It can't be any worse.

Posted by John Climacus at 11:43 | Permalink

It's grueling work, chronicling the puppy saga, but someone's got to do it.

Here at week 6, we see a certain pattern developing: a rather cuddly pattern.

As our eldest daughter stated very matter-of-factly: "Well that's just the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life."

Alas, such it is.

But before we get carried away with the warm, squeaky furballs of it all, let's bear in mind one thing: Might there be an ominous underside?

Oh yes, there might be indeed.

But more imminent battles brew at the Climacus household. Existential conflicts. Rites de passage, if you will. The puppy blood feud we know as weaning has reared it's ugly puppy head.

When does the Momma decide to cut them off? Likely, when the little ones are big enough to literally eat her. Momma ain't no fool.

In keeping with the overall spirit of the puppy chronicles, I think Momma also might be saying, "I'm shooing away these overgrown canine brutes: When will you be booting all of the treasonous Muslims off of U.S. soil?"

The weaning will certainly take place this week. The booting should start very soon after.

Posted by John Climacus at 01:27 | Permalink

This is a new logo we're going to unfurl whenever another person on the planet realizes this basic truth:

Islam needs to be changed and Muslims need to enact the change - or else they need to get the hell out of our country.

Click to see who's today's smart guy of the day:

Posted by John Climacus at 05:58 | Permalink

When I'm not out trying to round up backwards-thinking interlopers and ship 'em off to Saudi Arabia, you can be pretty sure I'll be here at the ol' homestead doting on our furry little bundles of love:

Posted by John Climacus at 02:26 | Permalink | Comments (2)

I can't make it to this event on August 12, unfortunately:

A radical anti-war coalition is joining forces with a U.S. Islamic lobby organization to stage a demonstration in front of the White House to protest "the current predicament of Muslims abroad and at home."

A.N.S.W.E.R., a coalition led by socialist and communist activists, and Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation are co-sponsoring the "National Emergency March" Aug. 12 at Lafayette Park at 12 noon.

A third co-sponsor is the National Council of Arab Americans.

A number of leaders for A.N.S.W.E.R. – Act Now to Stop War and End Racism – were members of the Workers World Party and now belong to the Party for Socialism and Liberation , a Marxist-Leninist organization founded in 2004

Along with the "plight of the Palestinian people and the recent atrocities in Gaza and Lebanon," the Muslim group says it will focus on the war in Iraq and "the continuous violation of civil rights and civil liberties within the American Muslim community."

If you are interested in participating in the counter-protest, just show up at Lafayette Park around 11:00 am and look for the people who are NOT treasonous weasels or harbingers of the new dark age. The good guys should stand out.

If you have an appropriate, pointed "message" t-shirt, go ahead and wear it. Good choices include:

"Real men don't stone rape victims."

"Sharia Sucks."

"Go back to the 7th century where you belong."

"My Holy Book doesn't tell me to cut people's heads off."

"Freedom of religion for all, not including death cults."

..and, maybe, a special one just for this occasion:

"Islam is not the A.N.S.W.E.R. for America. Go create Hell-on-Earth somewhere else, please."

If you are involved with Protest Warrior or Free Republic you're probably way ahead of me on this.

I don't have details about the counter-demonstration except there will be one. I will post whatever I find out.

Posted by John Climacus at 01:05 | Permalink