Jill Greenberg hoses The Atlantic over McCain cover shot.

Media: From a professional standpoint, Jill Greenberg is an unprofessional piece of garbage, but the McCain camp should have been on alert if the Atlantic sends someone to take a cover shot of him. Whatever they paid her, stop the payment.

After getting that shot, Greenberg asked McCain to “please come over here” for one more set-up before the 15-minute shoot was over. There, she had a beauty dish with a modeling light set up. “That’s what he thought he was being lit by,” Greenberg says. “But that wasn’t firing.” What was firing was a strobe positioned below him, which cast the horror movie shadows across his face and on the wall right behind him. “He had no idea he was being lit from below,” Greenberg says. And his handlers didn’t seem to notice it either. “I guess they’re not very sophisticated,” she adds. The Atlantic didn’t select the diabolical looking McCain for its cover. Greenberg is hoping to license that image to some other magazine (she negotiated a two-week embargo with The Atlantic so she could re-license images from the shoot before the election). Warned that the image is just the kind of thing that will stir up the anti-media vitriol in the conservative blogosphere, Greenberg said, “Good. I want to stir stuff up, but not to the point where I get audited if he becomes president.” That said, she goes on to explain that she’s thought about replacing McCain’s mouth with bloody shark teeth and displaying the image on a billboard with the message that the candidate is a bloodthirsty war monger. Given her strong feelings about John McCain, we asked whether she had any reservations about taking the assignment in the first place. “I didn’t,” she says. “It’s definitely exciting to shoot someone who is in the limelight like that. I am a pretty hard core Democrat. Some of my artwork has been pretty anti-Bush, so maybe it was somewhat irresponsible for them [The Atlantic] to hire me.”

I wonder how The Atlantic feels getting suckered. But again you see the actions of liberal, sneaky, unprofessional and too immature to see it.

Conservatives know liberals are predictable.

Culture: Useless nonsense for the most part by Judith Warner except this last part which is true.

But Jonathan Haidt, an associate professor of moral psychology at the University of Virginia, argues in an essay this month, “What Makes People Vote Republican?”, that it’s liberals, in fact, who are dangerously blind. Haidt has conducted research in which liberals and conservatives were asked to project themselves into the minds of their opponents and answer questions about their moral reasoning. Conservatives, he said, prove quite adept at thinking like liberals, but liberals are consistently incapable of understanding the conservative point of view. “Liberals feel contempt for the conservative moral view, and that is very, very angering. Republicans are good at exploiting that anger,” he told me in a phone interview. Perhaps that’s why the conservatives can so successfully get under liberals’ skin. And why liberals need to start working harder at breaking through the empathy barrier.

We know the enemy better than they know themselves.

Non-Muslim workers allege threatening fliers

Nation: Previous posts on the Somali Muslims and Swift plant in Greeley here and here. Someone brought out the old standby sign from the Mohammed cartoon protests a couple of years ago in the UK to allegedly threaten the non-Muslim workers.

About 100 Muslim workers fired Wednesday by JBS Swift & Co. in Greeley stayed "low-profile" Thursday in recognition of the victims of the 9-11 massacre seven years ago, according to one of the workers' leaders. The day was not without controversy, however, as some non-Muslim Swift workers alleged threatening fliers were left in the company's cafeteria Wednesday night. Kaise Egal, a leader of the local Muslim workers, said the fired workers were staying low-key "in respect to the 9-11 victims." "We told the people to be low-profile and not to demonstrate," Egal said in a phone interview. The weeklong dispute between the Muslim workers at JBS Swift flared Wednesday with about 100 workers receiving termination notices when they reported to the plant in mid-afternoon for the late shift. The dispute took another nasty turn on Thursday as someone left threatening pictures on the tables in the Swift cafeteria. The pictures appeared to be from a protest and feature people holding signs that say things like "Behead those who insult Islam." Tamara Smid, a JBS Swift spokeswoman, told Tribune media partner FOX 31 that inappropriate materials were found at the plant and Swift was investigating to see where they came from. The official would not say exactly what the inappropriate materials were. La Salle resident George Pruner, 23, has worked at Swift for 11 months. He said a coworker gave him the fliers. According to Pruner, a second-shift worker, there were about five fliers on each of the 50 tables in the cafeteria breakroom. Pruner He didn't personally find the fliers, a co-worker gave them to him, he said. "This is the stuff that really bugs me," he told the Tribune. He said he plans to quit his job because of the situation at Swift. Graen Isse, a spokesman for the Muslim workers, said he did not think the Muslim workers were behind the fliers. The fliers come a day after about 100 Muslim workers were fired. Isse the workers who lost their jobs could not have been behind the fliers. "The people that got fired, they can not get in the building," he said. There are still some Muslim workers at the swift plant who were not fired. "

Obama's epic fail McCain is old ad.

Politics: This is self-ownage not seen in a long time.

1) McCain can't use a computer normally due to his injuries as a P.O.W.

2) McCain was the first to use the Internet way back in 2000 to fuel a campaign that led to the likes of Howard Dean and Obama.

3)A simple Google search would show at least two stories one from Boston Globe and one from Forbes back in 2000 that would have given Obama who said he manages his campaign a huge red flag this is the wrong angle to take on McCain.

In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the U.S. Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits.

In one ad, Obama opens himself up to ridicule by lying about McCain's computer knowledge, why he can't use computers/web as a fully healthy person can in normal circumstances and paints a bulls eye on himself as being a bitter coward who likes to mock people with disabilities.

Black Jesus has a Judas among his campaign team because this is just ridiculous.

More from Instapundit and Hot Air.

A sign of the dying Sun-Sentinel paper.

Media: Had to pop down to Fort Lauderdale today and saw this and as much as I dislike the Fort Lauderdale Sunsentinel its sorta sad.







Yeah, that is the Sun-Sentinel headquarters. Talk about symbolic.

69 political reporters listed their favorite blogs.

Media: What liberal bias?

As part of a Brodeur study of reporters and social media, 69 political reporters listed their favorite blogs. Their top five: The Huffington Post Real Clear Politics Talking Points Memo Daily Kos Townhall.com - compiled by Melanie Lidman

I am convinced Townhall was put in there because the AJR realized how bad it would look when so many political reporters lists deranged liberal sites as their favorites. Realclearpolitics is a great news gather and poll summary site but the rest is just nutter country.

AP and Washington Post lies about Palin over Iraq remarks.

Politics: If it was just one I would call it stupid but two different sources trying to pull a stunt like this is just deliberate lying to push their own agenda.

Washington Post's Anne E. Kornblut: Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would "defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans." The idea that the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein helped al-Qaeda plan the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a view once promoted by Bush administration officials, has since been rejected even by the president himself. But it is widely agreed that militants allied with al-Qaeda have taken root in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion. "America can never go back to that false sense of security that came before September 11, 2001," she said at the deployment ceremony, which drew hundreds of military families who walked from their homes on the sprawling post to the airstrip where the service was held.

AP's BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE:

"At a deployment ceremony on the seventh anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, she spoke in her capacity as governor and not as a political candidate. She had been invited to speak long before GOP presidential candidate John McCain chose her as his running mate. In her speech to the troops and their families, she linked the terrorist attacks to the Iraq war — a claim no longer supported by the Bush administration. She told the troops headed to Iraq that they would "be there to defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced from the death of thousands of Americans." Claims that Iraq shared responsibility for the attacks with al-Qaida were once promoted by administration officials, but have since been rejected, even by President Bush. "You'll be there because America can never go back to that false sense of security that existed before Sept. 11, 2001," she said. "You will be there to win, you will see victory."

Did I miss the declaration of war against the Iraqi government? She is clearly talking about terrorist attacks by Al Qaeda. You can tell Kornblut and Blackledge took the remarks and ran with it, evne Kornblut acknowledges the "militants" but still threw in the Iraq connection which makes zero sense in context of Gov. Palin's remarks.

First Read filed those remarks and did not make such a stupid link.

Gov. Sarah Palin said goodbye to about 4,000 troops bound for Iraq Thursday, including her eldest son, at a deployment ceremony for the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. “You’ll be there to defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans,” she said. “American can never go back to that false sense of security that came before Sept. 11, 2001.”

Update# What is even worse is the Kornblut passage is a revision of an even worst hit job.

The original: The idea that Iraq shared responsibility with al-Qaeda for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, once promoted by Bush administration officials, has since been rejected even by the president himself. On any other day, Palin's statement would almost certainly have drawn a sharp rebuke from Democrats, but both parties had declared a halt to partisan activities to mark Thursday's anniversary."

Update#2: NYTIMES pulled the same stunt but they were a lot more slick about it than Wash Post and AP.

Obama uncomfortable at 9/11 ceremony.

Politics: Its not Obama's Barzini-like flower toss that annoys me but the curt nod to the people that McCain was talking too before hand. At least be image smart to realize just walking away would look foolish.

Black school superintendent run out by Cuban school board members.

Edumacation: The original title of " Miami ousts nationally recognized school leader" didn't capture the full flavor of this moronic move. If you want to know why Miami is known as a banana republic, this is a good example. The man gets results but because he didn't kiss the local officials asses he gets a buyout. Added bonus of Cubans vs Blacks angle.

Seven months ago, Rudy Crew's peers named him the nation's top school superintendent, bolstering a long-standing reputation as an education innovator. Student achievement in Miami-Dade County's schools has improved during his four-year tenure and the district is consistently a finalist for the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education. But this week the school board effectively fired Crew by voting to buy out the remainder of his contract, with critics saying the hype never matched Crew's actual deeds leading the nation's fourth-largest school district. The district's $5.5 billion budget is in shambles and there is a racial undertone in the nasty and sometimes comical war between Crew, an African-American, and the mostly Cuban-American board. The televised school board meetings became so tense and explosive that they are one of South Florida's hottest reality shows, drawing record audiences as the former New York City schools chancellor and his supporters exchanged barbs with his detractors. ``He is viewed highly as a respected authority in the field of education,'' said Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, the organization that honored him last winter. ``Maybe it would be best for him if he was not as outspoken, but that's who he is.''

Almost immediately, Crew put the district's 39 lowest-performing schools in a ``School Improvement Zone'' where students were kept an hour longer each day and given intense reading instruction in small groups, among other opportunities. He also tried to lure the best teachers to these schools by increasing their salaries. ``Dr. Crew made an effort and a plan to bring equity to our community,'' said Rev. R. Joaquin Willis, a member of the program's board and a pastor in Liberty City, a predominantly African-American community where many of the targeted schools are located. Other initiatives followed: An academy where mothers and fathers could take courses on child development, nutrition and financial development; the opening of 29 new or replacement schools; and the creation of 84,000 new classroom seats. The programs won Miami-Dade national recognition and helped increase the number of competitive grants the district received. But locally, even those who supported Crew say he didn't spend much time in the community. Those frustrations came to a head in 2006 when a Cuban-American parent sought to have a book called ``Vamos a Cuba'' pulled from library shelves because of its cheerful portrait of communist life. Crew followed the recommendation of two committees that voted against banning the book and proposed a compromise that would have placed a disclaimer inside. But some in the Cuban community felt that didn't go far enough in showing sensitivity to exiles. ``Since that day forward, the Cuban community has been adamantly against Dr. Crew,'' said Manny Anon Jr., an attorney who tried to unseat one of Crew's board supporters after the controversy.

In an interview with The Associated Press a few days before his ouster Wednesday, Crew said he was ready to leave. He called Miami, ``the most horrific political landscape to try and navigate any of these ideas through.'' ``The fights are not over whether or not one kind of strategy for teaching math is better than another,'' he said. ``It's really much more smaller than that. It's human. It's, 'I want to be board chair.' ``Step back and ask yourself what kind of governance structure would, if it's gotten better...why would you lose your job over that?'' Crew said.

Any other district would be glad to have him.

Why baggy pants and running from the police never works.

Crime: plus the bonus taser shot pose.

CAIR gets involved in the Swift/Muslim debacle.

Nation: Right on cue. I still think that CAIR uses the Somali Muslims who practice a stricter version of Islam as some sort of stalking horse to get their way in the workplace.

Dem Compares Obama to Jesus, Palin to Pontius Pilate

Politics: People are coming late to Black Jesus meme which I take full credit for and he is doing it wrong.

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn): "Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus, who our minister prayed about. Pontius Pilate was a governor."

$54 Million 'Pants' Lawsuit Headed Back to Court

Nation: You have got to be kidding me.

The multi-million-dollar legal battle over a pair of missing pants that put a D.C. dry cleaner out of business is headed back to court, shocking many in the dry-cleaning and legal communities. A three-judge appellate court panel has agreed to hear an appeal of the case next month, more than a year after a judge ruled against the plaintiff, former D.C. Administrative Law Judge Roy Pearson. Pearson sued the owners of Custom Cleaners for $67 million in 2005 after it misplaced a pair of his pants. Pearson demanded the family pay $1,000, the cost of the entire suit, according to Pearson. The family refused initially, but eventually offered him $12,000 to settle the case. Pearson refused that, but later reduced the amount of his lawsuit to $54 million. The case ended in June, 2007, when a judge ruled against Pearson and in favor of the Chung family, which owned the cleaners. The judge also ordered Pearson to pay the Chungs' legal fees. The Chungs ended up raising money to cover legal costs. The family's attorney was shocked by the appellate court's decision. "Now, a year later, we have a new mountain forming -- all in relation to one pair of pants," said Chris Manning, the Chungs' attorney. "We are hoping that we are victorious in appeal, but the important thing to take away is that no one wins, everyone loses in a case like this."

Obama 57 states crack actually an OIC slip?

Weird: I really want to pull a Sullivan and go into just asking mode like the nutters do with Gov. Palin. But remember earlier this year Obama made remarks about visting 57 states.



The joke was he was tired but if McCain had said it all hell would have broken loose. But with people grabbing on to his "my muslim faith" slip on ABC this sunday, this has popped back up( I missed it the first time) because there are 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Actually found this on Gay Socialites on google news.

Just stop. The muslim faith was a memory lapse given the context of the Q&A, 57 members I am willing to chalk up as yet another memory lapse.

Somali Muslims win the right to prayer at work and refusing to work with pork.

Nation: This may have ramifications on the Swift firings a couple of posts down but for it to be a federal backed agreement is inviting trouble for companies and resentment by other religions.

In a landmark settlement that could change the way Muslims are treated in the workplace, St. Cloud-based Gold'n Plump Inc. has agreed to allow Somali workers short prayer breaks and the right to refuse handling pork at its poultry processing facilities. The federally mediated agreement is among the first in the nation that requires employers to accommodate the Islamic prayer schedule and the belief, held by many strict Muslims, that the Qur'an prohibits the touching and eating of pork products. "For this group of Americans at this time in our nation's history, this is a very important outcome," said Joe Snodgrass, a St. Paul attorney who represented workers in the case. The agreement follows a year-long examination by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and a class-action lawsuit brought in October 2006 on behalf of nine Somali immigrants who worked at Gold'n Plump's poultry processing plants in Cold Spring, Minn., and Arcadia, Wis. An EEOC attorney said both sides have reached a settlement in principle. The settlement will include an undisclosed sum of money for some employees; and some workers may receive new offers of employment at Gold'n Plump.

Muslim cabbies lose round in court over carrying alcohol.

Nation: I thought this was settled but is now just stupid, any learned Muslim will tell you there is no such ban in Islam that you can't drive someone who is carrying alcohol. This is either stupid drivers or something else is at work.

Muslim cab drivers whose religious beliefs go against driving passengers who carry alcohol have lost another round in court. The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday against the cab drivers' attempt to block penalties for refusing service. An ordinance adopted by the Metropolitan Airports Commission last year revokes a cab driver's license for 30 days for refusing a fare at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. A second refusal brings a two-year revocation. A large share of the cabbies who serve the airport are Somali Muslims, and many of them believe that Islamic law prohibits them from giving rides to people carrying alcohol. Since the commission began keeping track in 2002, there have been over 5,200 recorded instances of cabbies refusing service to passengers at the airport, including a "significant percentage" of passengers carrying alcohol, which is sometimes visible through bags or in wine boxes, the appeals court noted. The issue had simmered for several years before the commission decided the penalties were needed to ensure that customers would get reliable taxi service at the airport, and that compromises proposed by the drivers were impractical.

Swift lays off 100 Muslim workers over walk out.

Nation: The saga reaches a climax! Previous stories here, here and here.

A meatpacking company Wednesday laid off about 100 Muslim immigrant workers who walked off the job last week in protest of the firm's refusal to give them time to pray during the holy month of Ramadan. When Ramadan began Sept. 1, workers said supervisors informally gave them time to break their daylong fast at sundown. But non-Muslim employees protested, and on Friday, JBS Swift & Co. officials refused to give workers break time to pray and eat. About 400 workers left the company's meatpacking plant, which dominates this city of 90,000. By Tuesday, 250 had not returned, and Swift warned that those who didn't come back faced immediate termination. "This action is a direct violation of our collective bargaining agreement," Swift said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. Greeley police were called as angry workers who had arrived for the 3:15 p.m. shift were given their layoff notices. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7, which represents workers at the meatpacking plant, said it would fight the firings. "The workers weren't given enough notice to get back to their jobs," said union spokesman Manny Gonzales. "We don't feel this was a terminable offense to begin with." The Muslim workers, mainly Somali immigrants, have recently flocked to the plant, replacing many of the 262 workers, mostly Latinos, who were detained as illegal immigrants following a federal raid in late 2006. Many of the Muslim employees who walked off their jobs last week had been in Greeley only a few months. ....Some other Swift workers, however, were angered by the Muslims' requests for extra prayer time. "Somalis are running our plant," worker Brianna Castillo told the Greeley Tribune. "They are telling us what to do." Non-Muslim workers complained they had to do additional work when Muslims went to pray, which devout followers do five times a day. Aziz Dhies, a local nurse who represented Somali workers in negotiations with Swift, said he believed workers of all creeds should share in the breaks. He added that Muslims had no choice in the matter. "This is not something we're making up ourselves," Dhies said. "This is something written in [holy] books that we have to do."

Palm Beach County voting meltdown continues.

Politics: Dem runned Palm Beach County still can't figure out this voting thing.

A meltdown at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office is stoking concerns of even bigger problems for November's presidential vote. With fingers pointing now at Gov. Charlie Crist, a coalition of political groups from across the county held a rare, joint news conference Wednesday to demand "emergency action" by Crist and other top state officials. Leaders of the groups, including the chairman of the county's Republican Party, said they worry about the accuracy of vote counting for the Nov. 4 general election given that nearly 3,500 ballots from the Aug. 26 election are missing. They said state officials must take steps to reassure voters, including personal visits and deployment of election equipment experts to bolster Supervisor of Elections Arthur Anderson. But aides to the governor reacted tepidly to those calls Wednesday. Their message: It's your problem, Palm Beach County. "We wouldn't want to have the appearance of running the election when that's not something we are authorized to do," said Jennifer Krell Davis, a spokeswoman for Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning. Demands for action have been pouring into Tallahassee offices for days, Davis said. But new urgency came Wednesday with requests for help from leaders of the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County, the nonpartisan Florida Voters Coalition and both the Democratic and Republican parties of Palm Beach County. "We are all together because we need help, and we don't have confidence," said Sid Dinerstein, the county GOP chairman.

Obama touts his amnesty immigration plan.

Immigration: Open border WSJ is happy Obama has gone back to it.

Barack Obama spoke on Wednesday night about a subject that often gets short shrift on the 2008 campaign trail: immigration. The Democratic candidate made the speech to a crowd of Hispanic leaders at black-tie dinner capping the end of a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute gathering in Washington. After spending a few minutes talking about his opponent and his other policy proposals, Obama got his loudest cheers with these lines: “This election is about the 12 million people living in the shadows, the communities taking immigration enforcement into their own hand. They are counting on us to stop the hateful rhetoric filling our airwaves, and rise above the fear, and rise above the demagoguery, and finally enact comprehensive immigration reform.” Obama complimented John McCain for championing the comprehensive immigration package that died in the Senate last year — and that helped (temporarily) sink his primary campaign. The bill, which would have created a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, inflamed widespread anti-immigration sentiment. Congress was deluged with calls, emails and faxes expressing opposition. .....Obama ended his speech with the words “si se puede,” the Spanish version of his campaign chant “yes we can.” His words were not so much a translation as much as a return to a native tongue — the phrase was used widely in Spanish before Obama adopted it, most often for protest marches and demonstrations.

EU "expects" Ireland will hold a second referendum

EU: Oh yes, you Irish thought you could stop the Lisbon Treaty Express? Hells no! You will hold a second vote and you will pass it! The voting will continue till result is secure!

Biden: Hillary a Better Pick Than Me

Politics: A gift that keeps on giving and in this case makes for a swell campaign ad.

At a rally in Nashua, N.H., a man in the audience told Biden how glad he was that Obama picked him over Hillary, "not because she's a woman, but because, look at the things she did in the past." "Make no mistake about this," Biden responded. "Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Let’s get that straight. She’s a truly close personal friend, she is qualified to be president of the United States of America, she’s easily qualified to be vice president of the United States of America, and quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me. But she’s first rate, I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate, so let’s get that straight."

Roger Ebert whines about Gov. Palin.

Politics: Sweet mother mary, when did Ebert think anyone gave a damn what he thought outside of thumbs up or down? Again full of the elitist snob attitude where going to Europe makes you a savant or something. But it again like Matt Damon below shows a liberal true nature when it comes to the general population. We are smarter and you are too stupid to make your own decisions. At least George Clooney had the right idea in shutting his hole.

Palin is a shallow, chirpy person with those vaguely alarming eyeglasses. Now her fans all want a pair. Remember back when women wore glasses that departed their ears in plastic swoops and swirls? My theory is, anyone who wears glasses that look weird is telling me something I don't want to know.

Matt Damon snarky condescending remarks about Gov.Palin.

Entertainment: The Hollywood liberals are the latest segment of Black Jesus to panic over Gov.Palin as Matt Damon who spews out lines and talking points that have already been debunked and shows this curious thought of John McCain dying in office. Just another example of someone who thinks because he played a smart guy he actually is a smart guy. But keep it up as it might do wonders for your future earnings as an entertainer.

Muslims and Swift talks break down.

Nation: Swift is standing firm so far on prayer time breaks saying people will be fired if they took unauthorized breaks and those suspended if they have another work related incident would be gone as well if they came back.

Previous posts here and here.

Talks between JBS Swift & Co. officials and Muslim workers seeking prayer breaks during Ramadan broke down Tuesday afternoon and turned into calls of breach of contract. The roughly 250 workers, who've been suspended since walking off the job Friday night, say they will not return to work and may take legal action. They also acknowledge they may face mass terminations. A mid-afternoon meeting between the Muslim representatives and about 80 of the suspended workers grew heated in a downtown Greeley park when the representatives relayed information to the crowd. When workers learned the company would not allow break times for prayer, many shouted and crowded around a gazebo from which the representatives spoke. Within 30 minutes, workers split into smaller groups and milled around the park. Graen Isse, an African Swift worker, and several other Muslim workers met with company officials and a union representative for a few hours Tuesday, looking over a two-page list of grievances the Muslims presented. He said company officials verbally agreed to some items, such as requests for more African/Somali supervisors and improved translation for non-English speaking employees. But Isse said the requested prayer breaks -- a major issue for Muslims at all times but especially during Ramadan -- was rejected by management. "The thing they didn't agree with was the prayer (breaks)," Isse said. "And that was the whole problem from the start." Upon hearing that news, a group of disgruntled Muslim workers clustered around Isse and said, "No prayer, no work."

The worse thing is to just make up positions based on color and ethnic group instead of merit. That will only enrage more the non-Muslim workers who are already pissed off because of what they feel is special rights given to the Somali Muslims before all this blew up.

This week's actions are rooted in events at the plant on Friday. That afternoon, about 150 non-Muslim Swift workers protested the company's break-time accommodation of the Muslims. Manny Gonzales, spokesman for the UFCW Local 7, said Tuesday the union objected to what company officials did because it felt "the company was trying to sidestep the union to make this deal with workers. ... It's sort of how you get these sort of disagreements." While some Muslim workers said their complaints to union representatives have been ignored, Gonzales said the union will support them. He said if the Muslim workers are terminated in a way the union deems unfair, the union will step in to protect their rights and employment. "Obviously, we want to accommodate the workers so they're able to observe their religious freedoms, and we believe the contract already has language in it that protects the workers' religious freedoms of Ramadan," he said. The current contract was passed in 2004, when Swift had scant, if any, Muslim workers, and expires in late 2009. Sam Wantings, a Nigerian who worked for Swift for four months earlier this year, said he saw frequent racial tensions between Latinos and African workers. He said Africans were regularly discriminated against by Latino supervisors. "It's like two blind people leading each other -- you don't understand them and they don't understand you," Wantings said.

Secret killing program is key in Iraq, Woodward says

Iraq: I would hope we have a terrorist killing program in Iraq, but the way he describes what little he can makes it sounds ground breaking.

The dramatic drop in violence in Iraq is due in large part to a secret program the U.S. military has used to kill terrorists, according to a new book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bob Woodward. The program -- which Woodward compares to the World War II era Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb -- must remain secret for now or it would "get people killed," Woodward said Monday on CNN's Larry King Live. "It is a wonderful example of American ingenuity solving a problem in war, as we often have," Woodward said. In "The War Within: Secret White House History 2006-2008," Woodward disclosed the existence of secret operational capabilities developed by the military to locate, target and kill leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgent leaders.

Now take it to Afghanistan.

Chevy Volt revealed..Where is the sexy?

Nation: So Chevy goes from the concept car model that everyone was happy about to this thing.


Where is the sexy to it, it looks like any other goofy looking matchbox eco car to save the world. There is no character to it. Bah.

UK writer warns Americans to vote for Obama or ELSE!

EU: One of the many self-righteous pricks that populate the CIF site, Jonathan Freedland has hit upon a way to scare Americans to vote for Obama. Vote for him or the world will hate us.

"....But what of the rest of the world? This is the reaction I fear most. For Obama has stirred an excitement around the globe unmatched by any American politician in living memory. Polling in Germany, France, Britain and Russia shows that Obama would win by whopping majorities, with the pattern repeated in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. If November 4 were a global ballot, Obama would win it handsomely. If the free world could choose its leader, it would be Barack Obama. The crowd of 200,000 that rallied to hear him in Berlin in July did so not only because of his charisma, but also because they know he, like the majority of the world's population, opposed the Iraq war. McCain supported it, peddling the lie that Saddam was linked to 9/11. Non-Americans sense that Obama will not ride roughshod over the international system but will treat alliances and global institutions seriously: McCain wants to bypass the United Nations in favour of a US-friendly League of Democracies. McCain might talk a good game on climate change, but a repeated floor chant at the Republican convention was "Drill, baby, drill!", as if the solution to global warming were not a radical rethink of the US's entire energy system but more offshore oil rigs. If Americans choose McCain, they will be turning their back on the rest of the world, choosing to show us four more years of the Bush-Cheney finger. And I predict a deeply unpleasant shift. Until now, anti-Americanism has been exaggerated and much misunderstood: outside a leftist hardcore, it has mostly been anti-Bushism, opposition to this specific administration. But if McCain wins in November, that might well change. Suddenly Europeans and others will conclude that their dispute is with not only one ruling clique, but Americans themselves. For it will have been the American people, not the politicians, who will have passed up a once-in-a-generation chance for a fresh start - a fresh start the world is yearning for. ....Of course I know that even to mention Obama's support around the world is to hurt him. Incredibly, that large Berlin crowd damaged Obama at home, branding him the "candidate of Europe" and making him seem less of a patriotic American. But what does that say about today's America, that the world's esteem is now unwanted? If Americans reject Obama, they will be sending the clearest possible message to the rest of us - and, make no mistake, we shall hear it.

Whatcha gonna do about it if America rejects Black Jesus, Mr Freedland? How pathetic the life of a leftist has to yearn for the approval of others. America doesn't need or want the approval of the world when it comes to our affairs. Deal with it.

Obama calls Gov.Palin a pig and wait till tomorrow.

Politics: Lets cut the crap and call it like it is for once. I can't believe Jake Tapper who is usually a bit smarter would deny this subtle meme. It started with Biden campaign stop and ended with Obama with jabs at McCain as well.

Barack Obama and his Democratic allies are intensifying their attacks on Sarah Palin, as her sustained and surprising central role in this race is upending Obama’s strategy and often overshadowing McCain. Democratic Congressman Russ Carnahan on Tuesday – introducing Joe Biden at a campaign event – ripped into Palin’s record and punctuated it with this snarky jab. “There’s no way you can dress up that record, even with a lot of lipstick,” he said. Later in the day, Obama used a variation of the lipstick line, though he was clearly talking about the McCain-Palin reform rhetoric. "You can put lipstick on a pig," he said. "It's still a pig."

ABC NEWS: "LEBANON, Va. -- "That's not change," Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said of what Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is offering. "You know, you can put lipstick on a pig," Obama said, "but it's still a pig." The crowd rose and applauded, some of them no doubt thinking he may have been alluding to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's ad lib during her vice presidential nomination acceptance speech last week, "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick." "You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called 'change,'" Obama continued, "it's still gonna stink after eight years."

The problem with Obama is he has no clue how to attack in this fashion without coming off looking like a tool. More from Hot Air.

Exit question: I defended him when he took heat from women for the “likeable enough” comment and his Annie Oakley goof on Hillary, but then came “sweetie” and now this. How come The One keeps running into these funny little misunderstandings with comments aimed at women politicians?

If you want to see this lipstick meme blowup, I would take a listen to the liberal Black Radio(Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey and Michael Baisden) shows and you will hear this and much worse as they have lost their minds about Gov. Palin.

Roundup by Instapundit.

How about I get a government bailout?

Business: You bailout Freddie Mac, Fannie, the auto industry(upcoming) the dumb homeowners that got homes they couldn't afford in the first place. This nation has gone over the edge where no one has a clue what personal responsibilty is about in business. It's made up of parasites and suck monkeys.

They all know the Feds will bail them out especially in an election year with taxpayers money.

I got bills too. How about someone bail me out?

How bad is the D.C. public school system? This bad.

Edumacation: 88% of 8th graders can't read and 92% have zero math skills. Money is not the problem.

Census figures show D.C.'s public schools spend more than $13,000 per student. That's the third-highest figure in the nation when compared among states. A report released Tuesday shows that on average, school districts nationwide spent about $9,100 per student in fiscal 2006, which is about 5 percent more than in 2005. D.C. spent about $13,400 per student in 2006, which was only exceeded by New York and New Jersey. Despite the city's high per-student spending, scores on math and reading were the lowest in the country last year, according to results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests.

Good luck to Michelle Rhee.

Matt Yglesias out moonbats George Monbiot.

Stupid: You know how insane you have to be to pull off that feat?

As you’ve probably noticed, there’s just about nowhere in the United States where you’re allowed to drive faster than 80 miles per hour. And yet cars can drive much faster than this. And of course the reason you’re not allowed to go super-fast is that it isn’t safe. A large proportion of car accidents are related to people driving too quickly. Thus, via Ezra Klein comes Kent Sepkowitz’s suggestion that we design cars so as to make it impossible for them to drive over, say, 75 miles per hour. This seems reasonably sensible to me.

Even his commentators think he has lost his mind.

Hillary basically tells Obama fight your own damn battles.

Politics: She is no one's attack dog.

Black Jesus and Michelle Obama mocking Gov. Palin?

Politics: As the nutters panic over some bouncy poll results, Obama seems to be trying a new tact of mocking Gov.Palin as a joke. Question is why is the #1 guy aka Black Jesus going after the #2 Woman? That seems rather stupid.

Obama told the crowd that McCain and Palin spent most of the convention talking about their biographies. Palin's bio is "compelling," Obama said. The crowd booed. "No, it's an interesting story." More boos. "No, no, it is. I mean that sincerely. Mother, governor, moose shooter." The crowd broke out in laughter. "That's cool. That's cool. That's cool stuff," Obama said.

Now in his arugula tainted world this is seen as an insult but anyone who can do all three should be considered a badass.

Now Michelle with a slight nose in the air crack or inadvertent slam at Biden

Obama then moved on to politics, where she first brought up her husband’s vice-presidential choice. “I think it was a really good pick—Senator Joe Biden,” she said, and later added, “People say they have amazing chemistry, and it’s true.” Obama continued with talk about Biden when she said, “What you learn about Barack from his choice is that he’s not afraid of smart people.” The crowd softly chuckled.

Now Muslims at Swift plant protest Ramadan fasting breaks being taken away.

Culture: The long version of what happened is here.

The short version.
1) Muslims at the plant after a protest got permission to change around break time in time with the daily end of Ramadan fasting.

2) Non Muslim workers at the plant got pissed and protested what they saw as preferential treatment and one even accused the mostly Somali Muslims of running the plant.

3) Swift reversed themselves and now the Muslims are protesting.

More than 100 Muslim workers planned to march a couple miles to a Greeley meatpacking plant Monday afternoon in protest of what they called JBS Swift & Co.’s sudden reversal of accommodation for their religious fasting. The workers, mostly Somalis but also from several other East African nations, said they were told by Swift management on Friday not to report to work Monday until the matter of changed break times to accommodate their fasts was settled. On Friday, about 350 Muslim workers left work mid-shift — about 9:30 p.m. — when they were told they were not to break at 7:30 p.m. when their roughly 12 hours of daily fasting for Ramadan ended. Earlier in the week, the workers had negotiated with Swift to get the earlier break to allow them food and water after their fast. Mohammed Osman, a Swift worker and one of the Somalis gathering in a downtown Greeley park Monday morning, said the company fired 10 to 15 Muslim employees on Friday. He said three female Muslim workers were also let go after they went into an employee locker room at about 7:30 p.m. Friday. Omar Clarke, who is not Somali but described himself as “a white-and-black” Muslim, said workers at 7:30 p.m. Friday were told not to leave their work lines. He said the company closed bathrooms to the workers at that time. “At 7:30 Friday they did not accommodate us on our religious beliefs,” he said. “… After they told us we couldn’t pray, we all walked out.” .....One non-Muslim worker told the Tribune Friday, “the Somalis are running our plant. They are telling us what do to.” Aziz Dhies, who doesn’t work at Swift but said he is a local representative of the Somali community, said the Somalis are trying to peacefully receive what they believe is a rightful concession to their religious beliefs. “We are very peaceful people. We don’t hate anybody,” he said. “… We love everybody here.” On Friday, JBS Swift’s global human resources director Jack Shandley said U.S. law requires companies to “when they can, make reasonable accommodations.”

The saga continues!

Automakers want $50 billion to retool plants.

Business: If you think I would be happy with them getting loans, I am not because I can see them getting the loans, wasting the money then asking for a true bailout or loan forgiveness.

Let pupils abandon spelling rules, says academic

World: Now for anyone who has read this blog for any length of time, this would work wonders for me. But as a general rule this is just pandering to the snot nosed little brats who are too pampered in the education system.

Children are being held back at school because they are forced to memorise irregular spellings and learn how to use the apostrophe, a leading academic will claim this week. John Wells, Emeritus Professor of Phonetics at University College London and president of the Spelling Society, will use the society’s centenary dinner this week to call for a “freeing up” of English spelling. “The teaching of literacy in schools is a major worry. It seems highly likely that one of the reasons Britain and other English-speaking countries have problems with literacy is because of our spelling and the burden it places on children. “It seems to be a great pity that English-speaking countries are holding back children in this way. There are lots of other things that are neglected in class because so much time is spent on spelling,” he said. Professor Wells said that the apostrophe was an equal waste of time. “Instead of an apostrophe we could just leave it out (it’s could become its) or leave a space (so we’ll would become we ll). Have we really nothing better to do with our lives than fret about the apostrophe? “Let’s allow people greater freedom to spell logically,” he said. “It’s time to remove the fetish that says that correct spelling is a principal (principle?) mark of being educated.” Professor Wells pointed towards the emerging technologies that are leading to a reevaluation of spelling, saying: “Text messaging, e-mail and internet chat rooms are showing us the way forward for English.”

I am not learning lolcats spelling. This is the 2008 version of the people who wanted black children to learn ebonics. This is not a fetish to learn how to spell correctly or is taking cues from text messaging/chat/email. Learn proper spelling instead of insisting to make everything easy. That is not how the world works.

Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews kicked off election coverage.

Media: Chris Matthews has to be angry because if it was just him I don't think he would be kicked off the coverage but add in Olbermann and his ego then it became an untenable situation for everyone.

MSNBC tried a bold experiment this year by putting two politically incendiary hosts, Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews, in the anchor chair to lead the cable news channel’s coverage of the election. That experiment appears to be over. After months of accusations of political bias and simmering animosity between MSNBC and its parent network NBC, the channel decided over the weekend that the NBC News correspondent and MSNBC host David Gregory would anchor news coverage of the coming debates and election night. Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews will remain as analysts during the coverage. The change — which comes in the home stretch of the long election cycle — is a direct result of tensions associated with the channel’s perceived shift to the political left. “The most disappointing shift is to see the partisan attitude move from prime time into what’s supposed to be straight news programming,” said Davidson Goldin, formerly the editorial director of MSNBC and a co-founder of the reputation management firm DolceGoldin. Executives at the channel’s parent company, NBC Universal, had high hopes for MSNBC’s coverage of the political conventions. Instead, the coverage frequently descended into on-air squabbles between the anchors, embarrassing some workers at NBC’s news division, and quite possibly alienating viewers. Although MSNBC nearly doubled its total audience compared with the 2004 conventions, its competitive position did not improve, as it remained in last place among the broadcast and cable news networks. In prime time, the channel averaged 2.2 million viewers during the Democratic convention and 1.7 million viewers during the Republican convention. ...But as the past two weeks have shown, that success has a downside. When the vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin lamented media bias during her speech, attendees of the Republican convention loudly chanted “NBC.” In interviews, 10 current and former staff members said that long-simmering tensions between MSNBC and NBC reached a boiling point during the conventions. “MSNBC is behaving like a heroin addict,” one senior staff member observed. “They’re living from fix to fix and swearing they’ll go into rehab the next week.”

Here is where the blame goes to Olbermann for this incredibly stupid quote.

In an interview on Sunday, Mr. Olbermann said that moment — and the perception that he is “not utterly neutral” — restarted months-old conversations about his role on political nights. “I found it ironic and instructive that I could have easily said exactly what I did say, exactly when I did say it, if I had been wearing a different hat, and nobody would have taken any issue,” he said.

That is the point you twit, if you were just some commentator everything is kosher but you are anchoring the coverage. When Peter Jennings in 1995 whined that the nation threw a temper tantrum he caught hell for it because he went from anchor guy to commentator guy. There is a difference something that Olbermann is incapable of figuring out on his own. The other issue is the NBC chant must have been the last straw because when you do a media slam and the crowd instead focuses on one network you have a problem.

The Media even hates Piper Palin putting her brother's hair in place.

Media: As if you need any more evidence of how out of touch and pseudo elitist media people think they are in America. Via NYTIMES.

In the press galleries at the convention, journalists wrinkled their noses in disgust when Piper, Ms. Palin’s youngest daughter, was filmed kitty-licking her baby brother’s hair into place. But to many Americans — including some I talked to in the convention hall — that looked like family church on Sunday, evidence of good breeding and sibling regard.

Gwen Ifill going to be biased for Palin/Biden debate?

Media: When PBS viewers take you to task for being bad towards Republicans you must have been horrendous. COnsidering her bias towards Obama, don't be surprised as she plays setup woman for Biden as the moderator.

Michael Getler: Some of the comments about Ifill deal with how she appeared on screen when asked by Lehrer to sum up the reaction on the convention floor after the powerful speech delivered by Palin. I don't know whether Ifill was tired after a long night, or simply trying to talk over very loud noise and music in the background, or struggling to hold her earpiece in place the whole time. But she clearly reported that delegates "exploded with excitement" over Palin's speech and that they "couldn't have been happier." Apparently, that's not enough for some viewers. You have to smile and reflect enthusiasm in order to avoid being painted as biased. Ifill, who played a solid, in my view, and central role in PBS coverage of both conventions, will be the moderator of the vice-presidential debate on Oct. 2 which now promises to be one of the most heavily watched events of this long campaign season. The Washington Post published this article about her on Thursday.

Following the speeches on Wednesday evening, when the perspective shifted to Gwen Ifill on the convention floor, her disgust with the proceedings was barely concealed and her comments clearly defined her bias towards Obama and the Democrats. If a professional news person cannot maintain at least a surface level of objectivity then perhaps she should seek employment at CNN or MSNBC who make no pretense at being unbiased. Public Television should represent the American public, no matter what their political position is, and public TV more than any other outlet should be unbiased and objective. Very disappointing. Christopher Spilker, Royal Oak, MI I was appalled by Gwen Ifill's commentary directly following Gov. Sarah Palin's speech. Her attitude was dismissive and the look on her face was one of disgust. Clearly, she was agitated by what most critics view as a well-delivered speech. It is quite obvious that Ms. Ifill supports Obama as she struggled to say anything redemptive about Gov. Palin's performance. I am disappointed in Ms. Ifill's complete disregard for journalistic objectivity. I have come to expect more from PBS. Brian Meyers, Granby, CT PBS's coverage this week of the RNC has been a continued decline, and clearly biased view from those within PBS who most definitely want to "convince" the public that the RNC has nothing to say. The absolute horrible comments and appearance from Gwen Ifill after Sarah Palin's speech last night should be an embarrassment for PBS. She looked clearly disappointed, she appeared bothered and could not come up with one positive or objective comment. Pittsburgh, PA I am shocked at questioning by Gwen Ifill on the MacNeil/Lehrer Report about whether Sarah Palin can be both a VP and a mother. That question is so far out of line it's in the stratosphere. Gwen Ifill attempted to justify the question by saying Palin said she was a hockey mom. Lame, and she knows it. AND your viewers know it. Questions about Palin's experience are obviously OK, but whether she should run as VP with a family? Was Barack asked that question? I think not! I expect that line of questioning from NBC, but not PBS. I have been a MacNeil/Lehrer viewer for years and until this evening always thought the program's staff were professionals. Now I'm not so sure. That line of questioning should never have happened. Once it did, it should have been on the floor of the cutting room. I understand you want to elect Obama, but interviews like that lose votes for Obama. You all could use a week off for ethics training. Dennis Hughes, St. Petersburg, FL

Fashionistas go crazy over Gov. Palin's glasses.

Politics: Rimless glasses are hot!

Are vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's rimless eyeglasses the new Hillary Clinton pantsuit? The glasses, created by Japanese designer Kazuo Kawasaki, are becoming a bipartisan must-have fashion accessory. The company that manufacturers Palin's eyeglasses says its phones have been ringing off the hook. "We began hearing from our authorized dealers and they wanted to stock multiple pairs of the exact same frame and style and color that she had," said Amy Hahn, the vice president of Italee Optics, Inc. The Palin look is "smart, sophisticated and put together," said one woman browsing for frames. Lara Decanps, who works at Artsee Eyewear in New York, said women are asking, "Where did she get those glasses? They look so good on her. I want to find them." While Palin's not the first famous woman to sport eyeglasses -- think Sally Jesse Raphael, Tina Fey and Velma from Scooby Doo -- insiders in the optical business say it's been a while since anyone has given their industry such a shot in the arm. The frames, which cost about $375 without lenses, are even part of the buzz at New York's Bryant Park Fashion Week. "Like Jackie Kennedy wore with the pillbox hat her glasses will be a revolutionary thing to wear," said one designer.

Obama will take away your guns.

Politics: Flareup over some comments a couple of days ago regarding a question about Obama will take away your guns.

The Obama campaign talks a lot about new ideas and expanding the political map, but in the swing state of Pennsylvania, which the campaign has focused on almost exclusively since the Democratic convention, old-school issues still rise to the fore. The latest example came Friday during a small political event at SCHOTT North America Inc., a glass factory in Duryea, Pa., where even a hand-picked crowd threw Barack Obama a curve ball. A woman in the crowd told Obama she had “heard a rumor” that he might be planning some sort of gun ban upon being elected president. Obama trotted out his standard policy stance, that he had a deep respect for the “traditions of gun ownership” but favored measures in big cities to keep guns out of the hands of “gang bangers and drug dealers’’ in big cities “who already have them and are shooting people.” “If you’ve got a gun in your house, I’m not taking it,’’ Obama said. But the Illinois senator could still see skeptics in the crowd, particularly on the faces of several men at the back of the room. So he tried again. “Even if I want to take them away, I don’t have the votes in Congress,’’ he said. “This can’t be the reason not to vote for me. Can everyone hear me in the back? I see a couple of sportsmen back there. I’m not going to take away your guns.’’

Ontheissues points out all of Obama's stances on guns and they are all bad if you believe in the 2nd Amendment. I have pointed out how Obama on his own website via the AP only counts guns as being for hunters and target practice.

A white paper on his website states: “As a former constitutional law professor, Barack Obama … greatly respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms” as well as “the passion that hunters and anglers have for their sport.” It says: “He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport and use guns for the purposes of hunting and target shooting.”

He is very clear on this, do not be fooled by his dodgy answers as he stated above. Notice he doesn't say that he wouldn't restrict the purchasing of guns and he was in favor of the Washington DC ban on guns.

Obama is a gun grabber.

Non-Muslim workers outraged at Swift's Ramadan deal.

Nation: The Swift plant is Greenly has an interesting recent history. It first got into the news for illegal immigration raid in 2006. The entire Swift company got sold to a Brazilian company a couple of months later. During that time as had happened before at other food plants with not enough workers, they reached out to the refugee network which brought in Somalians and other groups to work at the plant.

Well as with Tysons Food who caused a slight ruckus when they added the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr but took away Labor Day, the Swift plant decided after the Somali workers complained they didn't get enough break time for Ramadan fasting they would move shifts around to accommodate them.

Muslim workers, mainly from East Africa, and their employers, JBS Swift, appear to have reached at least a short-term compromise allowing some shift workers to observe the holy month of Ramadan after a brief show of strength from the workers Wednesday outside the Swift plant in north Greeley. As part of the religion, Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset every day of the month. Second shift workers would not have a chance to break the fast until about 9 p.m., according to a swift worker and Ibrahim Mohamed, the case manager at Lutheran Family Services, which has helped Somali refugees in the United States. Ibrahim said he had met with several Muslim workers who had asked their supervisor on Tuesday if they could break early because of the Ramadan fast. The workers were initially refused. Workers collected on site Wednesday before their shift to talk with plant officials. Repeated messages left with several JBS Swift officials at their offices and on cell phones seeking comment from the company were not returned Wednesday. Supervisors later told the workers they would accommodate the schedule change that night and would have a formal policy announcement today, Ibrahim said. "They made their voices heard," he said. Ibrahim said he advised several people against quitting their jobs or protesting. He told them it was important to work with Swift supervisors. "Everything is negotiable," he said.

That just pissed off the rest of the workers.

A day after a show of strength from Muslim workers at the JBS Swift plant in north Greeley prompted company officials to accommodate second-shift workers who needed a break as part of their Ramadan fast, some non-Muslim workers were not happy, and the union has filed a grievance. "A lot of us are upset," said Swift worker Dominic Musquiz, 18, who said he was a Catholic. "It makes the day feel a lot longer." The accommodation Swift apparently agreed to involves moving the lunch break up to 7:30 p.m. for some second-shift workers. Muslims fasting for Ramadan must break their fast at 7:30 p.m. throughout the month. ....(Union director)Rodriquez said he has heard from upset Muslim and non-Muslim workers. "I've heard that their religious rights are being violated," he said. Rodriquez said the union's job is to make sure that the contract, which was negotiated in 2004, is adhered to. Ibrahim Mohamed, the case manager at Lutheran Family Services, which has helped Somali and East African workers in the United States, said he had spoken to several Muslim workers on Thursday and they were happy with the company's decision. He said second-shift workers were allowed a break at about 7:30 p.m. He said this gave the Muslim workers what they needed. "They told me everything worked well," he said. Some non-Muslim workers said the Muslims received special treatment. "They should have to work the same, regardless of race," Swift employee Anita Nunez.

and on Saturday they decided to protest about it.

A complaint by Somali workers earlier this week that they weren't getting early enough break times to accommodate religious fasting snowballed into worker protests at the JBS Swift & Co. plant Friday. Employees from both early and late shifts converged in the afternoon in front of the human resources office at the north Greeley plant. About 100 employees, some of whom were supposed to be working, protested company officials accommodating Muslims by moving their break time to accommodate those fasting for Ramadan, a Muslim holy month. The company allowed Muslim workers to take their breaks about an hour earlier than normal to break their fasts. The peaceful crowd milled about behind the plant gates signifying its frustration. "They have no respect for the Spanish or white people," said Brianna Castillo, a Swift employee of four years. "Many times we are forced to pull extra count... I don't feel that is right." Castillo, who is white, said every race was represented in the protest with the exception of Somalis. Castillo said employees are frustrated by what they feel is a double standard when it comes to other races and Somalis. "Somalis are running our plant," Castillo said. "They are telling us what to do." Swift security guards paced the parking lot helping to break up the crowds. Joann Lopez, who finished her morning shift, said she was threatened with her job if she didn't leave, which didn't happen to Somalis when they protested earlier in the week.

Swift should have never agreed to change the shifts and breaks around just for the Somali Muslims and just tell everyone else to follow, of course it would upset people. Just like the complaints at Tysons Food and other plants where the company has bent over back for Somali Muslims it ends up being counterproductive.

Either treat everyone equal or the backlash will get bigger.

Hillary Clinton limits Palin criticism.

Politics: I am thinking this is not what Obama expects her to do everytime.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton marched for labor and stumped with Democrats on Saturday, but sidestepped questions about the woman who has taken her place as the nation's most-talked-about female leader. Clinton brushed aside questions about Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin during appearances at New York City's annual Labor Day parade and later during a stop on Staten Island. "This election is about issues, and that's what's going to matter to people at the end of the day," she told reporters who asked her about the Alaska governor at a rally for a Democratic congressional candidate at Wagner College.