MAKING A BIG DEAL OUT OF MISSION SPACE

Over eight and one-half million people have taken the Mission Space at Disney World. Of that eight and one-half million, about six have required medical treatment after the ride.  Work out the percentages for yourself.  By any standard an amusement park ride that can carry over eight million people with only six people treated by doctors is safe .. not a threat. 

Now we have a four-year-old who has died after riding Mission Space.  Tragic, to be sure.  But now here comes the sensationalism. 

This morning CNN was hammering the story.  To be fair, they did have a physician who had actually ridden Mission Space saying that he did not believe that the ride could cause anyone to die.  The character who bothered me was the CNN guest who called for some sort of "standardization" of amusement park rides. 

This is so typical of 21st century America.  Millions of people go to an amusement park and ride a ride.  A few people throw up.  That happens with roller coasters around the country.  One small child dies after the ride.  Medical experts say that the death could not be blamed on the ride ... and here comes some character calling for standardization of amusement park rides.  That, of course, means federal standardization.  Another job for government.  What does this man envision?  Some sort of federal agency, perhaps under the Department of Homeland Security, that will pass on all plans for rides in amusement parks across America?

There's a free market solution here.  But those who love government don't like free market solutions.  The free market solution is insurance.  Theme and amusement parks buy insurance policies.  The insurance companies who write those policies spend millions on testing and experts to make sure that the rides they insure are safe.  This free market solution works .. and it works without the participation or involvement of some federal agency that sets standards for amusement park rides.

Day after day .. in virtually every community around the nation ... you will find someone calling for yet more federal control of some aspect of our lives ... whether it's amusement park rides, your health care, or what kind of label they have to put on your underwear.

ANOTHER 9/11 CONSPIRACY

A story has hit the wires that is sure to keep the conspiracy nuts busy for the foreseeable future.  We've heard this before, but now it's going to get more traction.  What's so special about this latest story?

It comes from a former member of the Bush administration.  The media, eager to embarrass and attack the Bush White House, will rustle up anybody who used to work there to further their efforts.  The person involved here is former chief economist for the Department of Labor Morgan Reynolds. 

Mr. Reynolds would like us all to know that he has his doubts about the official story explaining the collapse of the World Trade Center.  It did not happen because Islamic terrorists crashed two hijacked planes into it.  Reynolds thinks there is a conspiracy at work.  He believes it was a controlled demolition.

That's right, according to him: "If demolition destroyed three steel skyscrapers at the World Trade Center on 9/11, then the case for an 'inside job' and a government attack on America would be compelling."  It's the standard wacko line...and the implication is clear: George Bush blew up the World Trade Centers on purpose.  And oh, by the way, Morgan Reynolds is now a professor at Texas A&M.  That's my alma mater.  I'm embarrassed.

At least it beats the theory that George Bush had giant magnets installed in the Twin Towers to attract airplanes.

KOFI'S GOT MAIL

Kofi Annan is scraping off his shoe today after it was revealed yesterday the investigators looking into the Oil-For-Food program found an e-mail between Kofi Annan and a company that won a contract and hired his son.  Looks like Kofi was greasing the skids for young Kojo the Korrupt.

This is yet another piece of evidence tying Kofi Annan to the criminal theft of billions of dollars under the Oil-For-Food program.  If this were corporate America, Kofi Annan would have been fired the minute any money was found missing.  If Kofi Annan were an American president, he would have long been impeached.  The disaster happened on his watch.

But as it stands, Kofi's pass continues to get punched by the mainstream media and Democrats in Congress.  What's it going to take for him to resign?  Perhaps more evidence of wrongdoing....that could be on the way.  Stay tuned.

FARRAKHAN SENSITIVITY TRAINING

The head of security for Louis Farrakhan's organization The Nation of Islam was going to be hired to provide sensitivity training for the New Orleans Police Department.  Quite a few people got upset down there.  Not just because of the sheer nonsense of sensitivity training itself, but because of some of the previous utterances of Louie-the-Lip Farrakhan; not to mention the positions of the Nation of Islam.  In case you don't know, here are just a few highlights:

• "Hitler was a very great man."
• White people are "blue eyed devils."  No word on what white people without blue eyes are considered.
• Among other anti-Semitic statements, they include gems like Jews are "bloodsuckers" that controlled the slave trade and currently control the government.

And on and on.  Even Jesse Jackson and Cynthia Al-Mckinney have renounced Louis Farrakhan.  Looks like the police department is going to back off and cancel Farrakhan's sensitivity training. What they really need down there is insensitivity training...a little bit of a reality check to show how the real world works.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Soledad O'Brien was interviewing the pilot of a DC-3 that made a forced landing on a road in Ft. Lauderdale yesterday.  No loss of life.  The pilot did an excellent job.  So ... what incredible question did Soledad come up with for this pilot?  "Did you feel a flashback to Vietnam?"

What?

REDNECK SCRAP BOOK

Who needs a fancy alarm system? Just try getting past this home security system. View the whole Redneck Scrap Book.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

This Wall Street Journal editorial says that there is hope for the UN ... if Bolton is confirmed and Annan is given the boot.

Whenever you see a photo taken and distributed by the media, never forget that liberal bias is at work, as this Reuters photo of President Bush points out.

The Runaway Bride did a sit-down interview with Perky Katie Couric this week.  Expect it to be plastered all over NBC next week.  Great...just what we need.

Does Michelle Malkin watch The View?  Yes...but they won't like what she has to say about the hosts of the show, particularly Barbara Walters.

Police across the United States are running their "Click It or Ticket" promotion, requiring people to buckle up...or else.  Walter E. Williams is not a fan, and he explains why.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is defending the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and says it will be necessary for a long time.  Not what the appeasers in Congress want to hear.

Former director of the FBI Louis Freeh has written a book detailing his frustration with Bill Clinton's ignoring of his warnings about terrorism.  Too bad he didn't listen.

Crazy Howard Dean paid tribute recently to the left's favorite race warlord: The Reverend Jesse Jackson.  At this rate, the DNC will never win another national election.

Crime is on the rise in New York City, thanks to liberal politicians and judges that are letting criminals roam free.  James Pinkerton has more.

Christopher Hitchens talks about the ridiculous position taken by Amnesty International regarding Gitmo, and contrasts that with the history of the organization.

Politicians are gnashing their teeth over how to save Social Security.  William McKenzie, writing in the Dallas Morning News, has the answer.

A couple of Republicans are jumping ship with the administration over the war in Iraq, so naturally that means the entire GOP is in opposition....at least if you watch CBS.  The Media Research Center reports.

WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE POINTY HAND THINGS?
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