By
There’s not much commentary necessary in describing the cut-and-run agenda in the upcoming movie release, “Lions for Lambs,” starring Tom Cruise (in a bid to rehab his damaged image by attacking America), Robert Redford (who also directs), and Meryl Streep. The trailer tells you what you need to know. But I’ll add this comment from reader Jason:

Looks like Tom’s playing a sleezy congressman, and Meryl and Robert are out to stop the war. “World War II only took 5 years, yet here we are, six years later…” Trying to keep from gagging.

Here’s the IMDB plot summary posted by the production company:

Simultaneously: 1) a Senator on Capital Hill debates a current crisis in Afghanistan, with the Reporter who made his career … 2) a Professor teaching Political Science tries his best to convince a good student not to give up his studies, using two former students who passionately enlisted in the Army as an example … 3) both of which (coincidentally) are currently under fire in Afghanistan — the very same crisis the Senator and Reporter are debating over.

A better title for the film, “Cut & Run: The Movie.” Coming soon to a theater near you.
Well, no wonder Michael Moore didn’t do a sequel to He didn’t have to.

By
In case you are one of the American taxpayers who doesn’t mind the gazillions in foreign aid that you are paying to Rival Palestinian Terrorists, Inc. er . . . the “Palestinian Authority,” perhaps this little shukran (Arabic for “thank you”) from HAMAS founder and chief Dr. Mahmoud Zahar (yup, a Medical Doctor) might change your mind. In an interview with Der Spiegel, Zahar, MD confirmed and Carl in Jerusalem has also repeatedly written:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The militant wings of Fatah and Hamas have been fully armed over the last few months. Are these weapons still in circulation?
Zahar: There are naturally very many weapons around now. Two years ago, one bullet in Gaza cost around $3.50 — now it would cost 35 cents. The American aid money has been translated into weapons. Thank you, America!

HAMAS’ Mahmoud Zahar: Thank you, America, for Subsidizing Our Weapons!
Tell your Congressmen and Senators–and most of all the President who insists on keeping our tax money flowing into the Palestinian Authority (hint: his initials are GWB and the chick who’s urging him on is nicknamed “Condi Clueless)–to STOP GIVING OUR TAX MONEY TO ISLAMIC TERRORISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enough already. It’s the money, stupid. Who said this?: “You’re either on our side or the terrorists’ side.” Guess what? He made his choice, and he’s not on our side.
Oh, and by the way, for those of you AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) blind supporters and donors who frequent this site, the impetus for that money is AIPAC. AIPAC lobbied for billions in foreign aid to the Palestinians, even to UNRWA–which finances HAMAS terrorist development in refugee camps, from cradle to 72-ugly-virgins martyrdom. And AIPAC continues to insist on no cuts in foreign aid–because, after all, the Palestinian Authority’s aid is morally equivalent to, say, Israel’s aid. Right?
Thanks to reader “S” for the tip.

By
As readers–and anyone watching the news, yesterday–know, Joey Chestnut and America reclaimed the Mustard Belt from Takeru Kobayashi and Japan in yesterday’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition. Chestnut ate an average of one hot dog for every 10.9 seconds and ingested over 20,000 calories and 1400 grams of fat in the 12 minute contest. (Did not know that “competitive eating” has its own version of baseballs RBIs: HDBs–Hot Dogs and Buns eaten.)

Photos By “ThereIsNoSantaClaus”
But what you didn’t see in ANY media outlets (except this one) is that PETA–or as I prefer to call them, People for the Unethical Treatment of Animals and humans (PUTAh)–was there and got defeated, too. PETA protesters signs were lowered to the ground and stood upon, like Saddam’s statue. Why must these anti-Meat jihadists ruin every fun event? Our loyal reader and correspondent, “ThereIsNoSantaClaus,” was there, yesterday, with his wife and gives us photos (below) and this report:

Hi Deb! I’m writing from midtown Manhatten. My wife and I went to Coney Island today for the big hot-dog-eating contest. What fun!
PETA was there to protest the event. Nobody really got upset but their signs were blocking the view. So just before the event started, they took the signs from the PETA people and put them on the ground where the crowd stood on them. Everyone took it in good sport.
And of course, Joey Chestnut brought the trophy back to America with a world record.
It was a great show. You gotta go to one of these some day.

Attention, PETA: Meat. It’s what’s for dinner.
***
FYI, If you were watching CNN, however, you got to see the anchors bummed out that America recaptured the hot dog eating crown. Reader Brian says that CNN anchors couldn’t believe America won and declared Japan’s Kobayashi the winner. They were stunned when the results were otherwise. He writes, “CNN is the Borat of televised news.”
Yup.

By
In mid-May, I and described the case of a by deliberately refusing to treat him. Several pan-Arabists and pan-Islamists, lefties, and assorted other clueless vessels who love to shroud themselves and Muslims with the generally false adjective “moderate” cast doubt on me.
As usual, I felt like Cassandra, the persona from Greek mythology, who always predicted in advance what was going to happen and warned others who laughed at and doubted her. When it was too late, they saw that her predictions and warnings always came true.

First, Do Harm
Now, we learn not only that all eight suspects in the attempted British Islamic terrorist bombings from last week are Muslim doctors, but that 45 Islamic doctors planned terrorist attacks on the U.S.
Call me Cassandra Schlussel (with all due apologies to my friends at the great site The Cassandra Page).
Now, the British are changing their policy of recruiting and not scrutinizing Islamic medical professionals they’ve brought to their country. And they’ve pledged to tighten the system and crack down on this problem.
But, here in America, we’re NOT doing the same. Michael Chertoff a/k/a “Mr. Burns” has sent ZERO directives to Citizenship and Immigration Services to re-evaluate medical visas for Muslim doctors. Unfortunately, many Muslim doctors come here on special visas to work in small towns and at big universities, when we actually have no shortage of either. And the DHS Serpenthead looks the other way, despite past front page stories on this in the Wall Street Journal.
And a question for my friends in the FBI offices in Detroit and Chicago, who I know read this site. When will you re-open your stalled investigation into the large group of Syrian medical doctors in Detroit who raised money for HAMAS and other terrorists? You know you have wiretaps and financial records documenting this, but you did nothing and shut it down. Why?
Will it take them killing their American patients or killing other Americans for you to finally do something?
Actually, I think you will never do anything, no matter what. The episode (see also, ) speaks volumes.
And that’s why you’re Famous But Incompetent. The street level agents are good, but they’re working for FBI supervisors who engage in PC Orthodoxy with the “Religion of Peace and attempted British bombings by Doctors.”

By
Over the years, MTV has broadcast various specials and incantations about the virtue of diversity and accepting those who are different, including the disabled.
But that’s apparently just “do as I say, not as I do” gibberish, when it comes to the network, itself.
Just ask Darius Weems, the subject of the new documentary, “Darius Goes West.” The charming, wheelchair-bound 15-year-old from Athens, Georgia suffers from the fatal degenarative disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and dreams of getting his wheelchair “tricked out” (customized) with gadgets and decor by MTV’s famous “Pimp My Ride” show. He wants to be on the show to help spread awareness of his disease, and travels cross-country with college students in an RV to do so.

Darius Weems Shows Drawing of Dream WheelChair, Ignored by MTV
But when Weems and company get to Los Angeles, MTV ignores them and won’t have anything to do with Darius. To the rescue, an L.A.-area Lamborghini dealership, which does “Pimp Darius’ Ride,” when MTV wouldn’t.
Shame on MTV. The channel could have done a lot of good by helping Darius Weems. The next time the network and its “Choose or Lose” crew preach to you and your kids about diversity, tell them to quit Pimping America. Darius–and the rest of us–can take care of our own rides . . . and lives, ourselves, without any morality lessons from the hypocritical cable channel.
Despite MTV’s dissing of Darius, he sees the U.S. for the first time in his life–he’d never been outside of Athens, Georgia–and gains comraderie and friendship of the college students who transport him to L.A. So he has gained far more than he’d ever get from the phonies at MTV.
I don’t agree entirely with one of the messages of the movie–about how many sites in America are not wheelchair accessible. We are more disabled-friendly than almost any nation on earth (except Israel, which at one recent point had the most amputees per capita, because of war wounds and terrorist attacks). While I understand that there are many obstacles for the handicapped and we should have compassion, some ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements have put small businesses out of business.
You can watch the whole story in “Darius Goes West”–at movie festivals around the country now, and at arthouse theaters soon. The trailer is here:

Read ABC News/Nightline’s story on Darius Weems. Visit the Darius Goes West website for a lot more info.

By
Quote/Lie #1:
In its self-manufactured “humanitarian” photo op, yesterday a/k/a the release of pan-Islamist BBC “reporter” Alan Johnston, HAMAS claims it’s turned over a new leaf. Said terrorist medical doctor and HAMAS leader Dr. Mahmoud Zahar:

It’s a new era. We will not allow illegal activities against anyone.

Uh-huh. Sure.

“Pimp My Soul”: BBC Propagandist Alan Johnston Sups at HAMAS Leader Dr. Mahmoud Zahar’s Table (w/HAMAS PM Ismail Haniyeh)
Translation: We will continue with our illegal existence. And we will continue to murder countless innocent Israeli AND fellow Palestinian civilians. What we won’t allow is for our fellow terrorists to cause more problems like this, in siezing our favorite infidel puppet reporters. They shall enjoy the utmost protection in helping us destroy the Great Satan (America) and the Evil Zionist Empire (Israel).
Quote/Lie #2:
BBC pan-Islamist regurgitating puppet Alan Johnston on his release from Army of Islam, yesterday:

I think I need a break.

Translation: I need hudna (temporary ceasefire used by Muslims to regroup and re-enter Jihad activity re-energized) a nap and a vacation. Then, I will return, re-energized to help my buddies in HAMAS, Islamic Jihad, etc. to propagandize against Israel and help cause its destruction.
Such great guys. Cue Rodney King: “Can’t we all just get along?”

By
Need a sign that the girlie-man apocalypse may be upon us?
Today’s Wall Street Journal features fashion advice for men on how to wear your “man bag.” But don’t worry, though the paper recommends having different bags to go with different outfits (I think I’m the only woman in America who doesn’t do this; one or two purses is enough, thanks), it says that evening bags are off limits for men . . . for now. Well, thank Heaven for small favors. And tell that to actor Terrence Howard (see pic, below).
This needs little more commentary. Just try reading it with a straight (double entendre intended) face:

Mastering the Man Bag
By STACY MEICHTRY
James Ferragamo, head of Salvatore Ferragamo SpA’s handbag division, is no stranger to the anxiety some men feel in abandoning their accordion briefcases for the more feminine contours of a calfskin bag — a “man bag,” as some call it.
Even the word, a portmanteau that seamlessly melds the word “man” with “handbag,” carries connotations that Mr. Ferragamo, 35, carefully sidesteps. “We simply call it a ‘bag,’ ” he says.
But the growing number of hand-held gadgets that men these days carry around everywhere, he says — citing “BlackBerry, cellphone, iPod plus keys, wallet and quite possibly a laptop, camera and sunglasses” — have led him to embrace the man-bag phenomenon. “Whenever a guy struggles to fit his daily necessities into his pockets, it’s time to upgrade to a bag!”
Mastering the man bag, Mr. Ferragamo says, is a subtle art. The relationship between man and bag should not be monogamous, like that of man and wallet. A man should feel free to mix it up, rotating bags to fit the rest of his attire. Since he owns a number of different bags, he says, “I tend to let the shoe style dictate the kind of bag I carry. Suited up with lace-up, cap-toe shoes for a business meeting, I’ll choose a more structured briefcase. More dressed down in a sport coat and loafers — a messenger bag.”
The one time when men shouldn’t carry a bag is in the evening. Then, he says, “men should pare down their necessities to only what can fit neatly into their pockets.”
Men shouldn’t feel ashamed of doting over their bags. If a leather bag is exposed to water, feel free to blot it with a soft cloth, says Mr. Ferragamo, grandson of the Florentine shoemaker who founded the namesake brand. Bags should also be stored away from sunlight and direct heat, preferably in a felt bag, to keep the leather from cracking.

Like I said, no commentary necessary. Just a handkerchief for your eyes, which are–no doubt–tearing up after uncontrollable laughter.

Actor Terrence Howard Totes Evening Man Bag at Oscars

By
It appears that book-buyers are “Hillary-ed out.” Is this an omen for her Presidential chances? Let’s hope so. Clinton fatigue is my favorite disease. May it spread nationwide. USA Today’s “Book Buzz” reports that there’s little buzz for Hillary on the bookshelf:

The publishers of two books about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton rushed to get them into print, but are book buyers Hillary-ed out? Her Way by Jeff Gerth and Don Van Natta Jr. (out June 8; 175,000 in print) had sold 11,000 copies as of June 24, according Nielsen BookScan, which accounts for 70% of books sold. A Woman in Charge by Carl Bernstein (out June 5; 300,000 in print) is faring a bit better with 31,000 copies sold, according to BookScan. Bernstein’s book entered USA TODAY’s list at No. 50 on June 14. Her Way never made the top 150, and neither bio is in the top 150 this week. But the presidential season is still unfolding. “Both (books) will chug along as long as Hillary is a potential winner,” says Barbara Meade, co-owner of Washington, D.C.’s Politics and Prose Bookstore.

By
I love the stories of American invention and ingenuity. The only other place where you’ll find such pioneering and creativity is in Israel. You certainly won’t find it in Islamic countries, where they have few discoveries (if any) and even fewer patents from scientists. They’re too busy focusing on hating and destroying us–infidel non-Muslims–to worry about inventing and discovering new things that make life better and more convenient for all people and even save lives.
Take Stephanie Kwolek.

Kevlar Inventor, Stephanie Kwolek
You’ve probably never heard of her, but if you have indestructible luggage or you’re a member of law enforcement of a soldier, she made your life better. (Ditto for millions of moms and others who use oven mitts to avoid burning her hands.) And she saved thousands of lives. The 4’11”, 83-year-old scientific pioneer discovered Kevlar for DuPont.
Kwolek, who was 42 at the time, had little advanced science education. She has only a bachelors degree in chemistry. But this real-life Mother of Invention did more for America than scientists with Ph.Ds. And her success highlights that we have fewer and fewer like her, today, as American kids avoid studying and pursuing science.
We need more of them to grow up to be like her and develop and discover new technologies, which will–as she did–save thousands of lives of Americans fighting to keep us safe.
Feminists accuse me of hating women when I attack Oprah or the amateur hoopsters in the WNBA. Absolutely false. What I hate is that America celebrates, promotes, and worships these empty vessel-ettes for contributing nothing to America and for their anti-achievements. Instead, we need to celebrate more of the truly great women in America–people like Kwolek. You don’t see the Gloria Steinems of the world trumpeting Kwolek’s incredible contribution. Kwolek impacted our lives for the better, and yet, we’ve hardly heard of her.
More on this incredible woman:

In the mid-1960s, Kwolek was a researcher at the DuPont Co. in Wilmington when she stumbled on the discovery that became the chemistry that led to the strong, lightweight fiber known as Kevlar. Pound for pound, Kevlar fiber is five times stronger than steel.
More than 3,000 law enforcement officers have survived potentially fatal or disabling injuries because of the golden-colored fiber that is spun into the sheets used in vests, helmets and shields, according to DuPont research. Since the first Gulf War in 1991, nearly every U.S. combat soldier has worn a helmet of Kevlar, according to DuPont data.
“She’s one of my heroes,” said Ron McBride, a consultant to the Kevlar Survivors’ Club of Richmond, Va., a nonprofit partnership between DuPont and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. “I was a police officer for 35 years, and there are people walking around because of her.”
While the news of the death and destruction in Iraq makes Kwolek feel “sick,” she hopes her work has done some good for the men and women serving in the military there.
“At least, I’m hoping I’m saving lives,” Kwolek said. “There are very few people in their careers that have the opportunity to do something to benefit mankind.”
One of those whose lives Kwolek helped save in Delaware is Master Cpl. David E. Spicer, a Dover police detective. Spicer was shot four times in the line of duty March 24, 2001. One shot made a 10-inch cut in the right side of his vest.
“I would have been dead, without a doubt,” Spicer said.
Besides body armor, the fiber is used in products ranging from oven mitts to tires, from airplane parts to mattresses.
Kwolek is scrupulous about taking credit only for the initial discovery of a technology that was used in the development of Kevlar. She credits the team of scientists who worked on the development, particularly DuPont scientist Herbert Blades. . . .
Kwolek was a 42-year-old scientist in search of a super-strong fiber to reinforce radial tires at DuPont’s Experimental Station when she invented a thin, milky solution of rigid-chain polymers that flowed like water from her lab spatula. It wasn’t exactly a “eureka moment,” but she felt she might be on to something.
Most polymers have the viscosity of molasses. Because the solution was so watery, the research technician didn’t want to put it into the machine that spins fiber, she said.
It spun beautifully. And the physical test results were off the charts in terms of strength and stiffness.
Initially, Kwolek said, she was afraid to tell her managers. She tested and retested to make sure no mistakes had been made.
“I didn’t want to be embarrassed. When I did tell management, they didn’t fool around. They immediately assigned a whole group to work on different aspects,” she said.
During that period, Kwolek said, they all worked under tremendous pressure.
“It was very exciting, let me tell you,” Kwolek said.
She recalled how excited she was when former DuPont scientist Paul J. Flory visited the Experimental Station. Flory won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1974.
“He came and talked to me, and he told me that I had proven his theoretical conditions for the formation of polymer liquid crystals,” Kwolek said.
In technical terms, Kwolek invented a liquid crystalline solution of synthetic aromatic polyamides, from which she spun a very strong and stiff fiber.

Her advice to young American girls who are, indeed, interested in science:

For young women interested in science careers, Kwolek suggested they get a doctorate and have at least two majors — for example, chemistry and math. If she were doing it all over again, Kwolek said, she would get into biochemistry.
“There’s some pretty horrible diseases that we need more advances” in treating, she said.

Stephanie Kwolek, a great American. We need much more like her.

By
Happy Birthday, America! 231 years. As I said at this time last year, we hope for an endless, infinite number of repeats and an endless supply of freedom and liberty. The more we keep kissing the rears of those who would destroy us (you know, from a certain “Religion of Peace”), the less likely that will be.

Here are some 4th of July items of interest, starting with the bad and ending with the good:
* Patriotism must be in short supply at USA Today’s “Life” Section. Movie critic Scott Bowles, while giving a thumbs up to (in New York and L.A. theatres, today; in the rest of the country, the next two weeks), he simply can’t understand why American soldiers shot down in an enemy country would have the will to survive a brutal prison or why they’d continue to be loyal to America. He finds it bizarre that , the late real-life American hero who emigrated here from Germany to “get his wings,” would feel this way about America and calls it “military jingoism” and “simple stereotypes.”
Whenever you hear the word jingoism, it’s generally a left-wing attack on American patriotism. Sorry, there’s nothing “simplistic” or “stereotypical” about this great man’s refusal to sign documents denouncing America, while being tortured in a Laotian POW camp. His bravery and loyalty are to be admired and emulated, not dismissed with the lazy lexicon of the left. Stay tuned for my review of “Rescue Dawn.”

* While everyone else is celebrating America’s birth and hopefully reflecting on how lucky we are to live in this great country, the Arab American National Museum wants to make sure that you know it’s just another business day for them. Unlike all other museums, the heavily federally-subsidized anti-Israel museum is open for business today, and sent an e-mail out letting us know. Nothing American about that.

Oliver Stone with Arafat, HAMAS’ Hassan Yussef
* HAMAS is smarter than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regarding Western Infidels: While terrorist group HAMAS was smart enough to release their biggest Infidel fan and tool, Alan Johnston of the BBC (one of the terrorist group’s biggest media ass-kissers), the Iranian leader is not as savvy. He rejected anti-American American Oliver Stone’s boot-licking, jilted lover pleas to make a pro-Ahmadinejad movie, saying he’s very Orthodox about all Infidels: They are all part of the “Great Satan,” including Stone, and he, therefore, rejects them all, including Stone. Glad Mahmoud doesn’t play by the HAMAS meda-savvy playbook. The filmmaker of the lefty “Born on the Fourth of July” doesn’t really give a damn about what happened on the 4th of July, apparently.

“Miss Manners,” Judith Martin:
Loves Multi-Culturalism for New Immigrants, Scolds Us Who Don’t
* “Miss Manners” columnist Judith Martin tells a patriotic immigrant that she’s wrong to be appalled that so many current immigrants to America won’t embrace our culture and absorb themselves (that means you folks from the “Religion of Peace” and the rest of you who won’t speak English or want the Mexican flag to replace ours). Martin attacks the immigrant and tells her that instead of “grousing,” she has no right to question hostile immigrants’ loyalties, and should instead, help smooth the way for “the newcomers.” G-d help us if the new definition of good manners is kowtowing to those that come to America with not always the best of intentions and want us to adapt to them.
* The Freedom of Information Act turns 40 today (signed into law in 1966), but it’s failed miserably. Disclosure requests under the Act are not being complied with. I’ve made FOIA requests to the Justice Department, for example, about some of their pan-Islamist polices and events. Three years later, still no response. But most Americans don’t have the wherewithall to fund lawsuits to make the government comply instead of hiding. And they know that. The law must be tightened, with severe penalties for evasive government officials.
* Too many American flags are foreign-made. I’m all for the free market and against far-reaching protectionism, but something’s wrong when we cannot even make what Betsy Ross made in our own country. $5.3 million worth of flags were imported from other countries, last year. It sends the wrong message to the world, and a satisfying message to the followers of V.I. Lenin, who predicted such folly on our part.
Minnesota passed a strong measure, in effect at year’s end, prohibiting stores in Minnesota from selling flags made other than in America. Arizona, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have either passed or are considering similarly restrictive American flag legislation. Will they be able to enforce it? We’ll see. “Made in America” often means very little of the product was actually made here.

* I love John Trumbull’s famous painting, “The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.” The Wall Street Journal, Saturday, had an interesting read about the painting and the Signers. Apparently, Trumbull was a talented artist despite being blind in one eye.
But I’m not sure we really needed this painting to be so critiqued and taken down. Sometimes it’s better to believe in the image and the mythology:

The common understanding, of course, is that the painting portrays the birth of the nation at the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, on July 4, 1776. And certainly the official title would seem to confirm that. But the common understanding is wrong. The signing of the document (which was indeed dated July 4) did not begin until August 2, and even then not all delegates to the Continental Congress were present. Those who were absent did not sign until weeks, even months later. One man did not add his signature until 1777.
What the scene appears to depict is the moment on June 28 when a committee of five named to draw up a declaration of American independence-John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin-presented Jefferson’s unedited first draft. But again no such ceremonial moment with all present took place. And besides, nearly everything about the setting is quite inaccurate.
The idea for the painting was hatched by Jefferson and Trumbull in Paris 10 years after the fact, in 1786, while Trumbull was a guest at Jefferson’s mansion on the Champs-Elysees.

* Read “Five Things About the Declaration of Independence” from the Detroit Free Press, which says that Jefferson wrote the first draft beginning on June 11, 1776.
* Though I’m no fan of his, I think it’s great that Spike Lee is doing a movie on the Buffalo Soldiers and how these Black American soldiers fought valiantly in World War II to help liberate Europe from the Nazis. I’m hoping and thinking this will be different from Lee’s usual fare, and I look forward to reviewing it for you. More on this later in the week.
* Read USA Today’s touching account on 22-year-old wounded Marine, Lance Cpl. Salvador Gonzalez, who sings the National Anthem all over. He had aspirations to become a professional singer and lost his leg during fighting in Iraq in October 2004. It’s trite, but true. Freedom isn’t free. He sings all over America, now, complete with his prosthesis and his unwounded patriotism.
* Today, Lowe’s shows its appreciation for our military, giving a 10% discount on purchases up to $5,000, today through July 8th, for all active, reserve, and retired military personnel and their immediate family members. To qualify, present a valid military ID or other proof of service, such as a VA card, VFW card, veteran’s ID or discharge papers.

* Yes, the Fourth of July is not about hot dogs. It’s about freedom. But, still, hot dogs are a major part of Fourth of July culture and American summer living. So, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention today’s big 91st annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, with the big showdown between world record holder, American Joey Chestnut, and Japanese-champ-with-an-arthritic-jaw, Takeru Kobayashi. Love that. (Shown on ESPN at high noon.) **** UPDATE: American Chestnut beats Japanese Kobayashi, 66-63 hot dogs, a new world record. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! (Thanks to reader Ari for the update–he had faster results than even ESPN, which aired the mustard-covered showdown.) ****
* I often disagree with USA Today’s editorials. They are usually stupid and written for a 6th-grade audience. But not the one from yesterday, which tells us about the sacrifices we can make for America and its troops (and it has nothing to do with Sheryl Crow’s and Laurie David’s prescription of one-square of toilet paper per bathroom visitation):

When PBS NewsHour host Jim Lehrer asked President Bush in January why he hadn’t called on Americans to “sacrifice” for the war in Iraq, the president immediately assumed that Lehrer meant raising taxes.
Bush said he strongly opposed higher taxes, and he insisted Americans were sacrificing already. “They sacrifice peace of mind when they see the terrible images of violence on TV every night,” Bush said.
In the spirit of the July 4 holiday, let’s suggest the president just missed an opportunity. A quick Google search reveals plenty of ways to “sacrifice” for the troops that have nothing to do with taxes (though paying for the war instead of charging it to future generations would be a very good idea). Many organizations have sprung up since the war began to help make life a little better for troops and their loved ones. Just a few examples:
* For $25, anyone can send a USO Care Package to a servicemember in Iraq that includes things such as prepaid phone cards, snacks and a personal message of thanks.
* The president signed legislation in 2004 that made it possible to donate unused frequent-flier miles from 10 airlines to the “Hero Miles” program to help families fly to see wounded troops in distant military hospitals.
* The Fisher House program offers places to stay for families visiting sick or wounded troops.
If you’d like a longer list, look for “Iraq” at www.networkforgood.org.
No matter what you think of the Iraq war, it’s worth remembering that a lot of Americans won’t be spending their July 4 like the rest of us, taking a midweek break with family and friends. Instead, they’ll be trying to avoid getting killed in a place where just going outside can make you wish you were somewhere else.
There are myriad ways to help, and not all involve organized programs. We like the story that a Washington, D.C., radio host told about a soldier home on leave having dinner with his girlfriend at a restaurant. When the soldier asked for the check, he found out a man across the room had already paid it. When the soldier looked over, the man simply gave him a salute.